Chapter 5 – At Chimmy's (Jin)

-

"Are you heading out to the shop soon?"

"In a bit, yes."

Eyes closed, the soft footsteps of my mom slowly fading away entered a new noise of water splashing against utensils.

"What time is it?" My eyes darted to my older brother, who yawned as he dragged himself to the tiny bathroom, one of his hands rubbing his curly hair.

I flipped to the other side of the wooden sofa, "You're up early, Kuya."

(Kuya is the Filipino term for Older brother, it can also be used to refer to other men who are older but not too old than you.)

"Really?"

"Yeah, it's only like 8 in the morning."

Before he could respond, if he even would, a loud yawn echoed from across our thin walls.

I swear, the people in this house often get up so early during the weekends and never on work days.

"Good morning, my wonderful siblings!" I peeked, and by the curtain acting as our door towards our bedroom stood a tall and messy-haired woman with two girls staggering behind her.

"Mowni.." The tiniest one among them, my niece, tried to say, her fingers attempting to get her half-closed eyes open.

I stood up and dropped to their level, rubbing both the younger girls' heads with a smile I couldn't suppress.

"Good morning, you two."

"Kuya Jin!" My little sister, the other girl in her teens, ran up to me for a hug. "Are you leaving soon?"

"For work, yes." She whined, but my older sister patted her head and got her to look up.

"He'll be back in the afternoon! Now, come, my siblings! And niece! Let us dine!" After that came her usual loud burst of ha-ha-ha's, which never gets old.

Dad, Tito, and Tita seem to still be asleep, but it's always so lively on the weekends when my older brother and sister don't have to go to their jobs in the market and the mall as early and come home late. Then again, my younger sister, Hannah, and I also have classes during the weekdays.

(Tito and Tita are the Filipino terms for Uncle and Auntie)

But, having noticed that these people keep working their butts off to afford my university fees, I had to take a part-time job at the very least.

I sighed. What more if they find out I'm not doing as well as my freshman year? After all the hours my older siblings and parents give just for the stupid childhood dream of this heck of a son...

I shook my head.

Maybe I should review some notes during my break time at work today. Yeah, I should do that. For Philippine Literature—to perhaps deepen my understanding of more than just two authors...

-

"Hey, Jin?"

After placing the newly dried glass on the side, I wiped my hands with the cloth and looked up at my manager.

"Yes, Kuya Andrew?"

"My little brother is coming later to switch a bit after lunch. You can take a break then!" I stopped wiping my hands and raised a brow.

"Alexis?"

"Yup!"

"Huh... Did he say if Rianne is coming with him?"

"Hmm..." Kuya Andrew leaned over the counter and scrolled on his phone. "Nope. He said Rianne is out of town attending another video game competition or something."

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that."

He chuckled, "Anyway, there's that! You're free to go home then by 1 in the afternoon."

I even brought some of my PL notes with me. Wouldn't it be better to study here instead? Oh, maybe that could work.

"Is it okay if I stay here after my shift? I'll just be at the farthest table."

"Why?"

I wiped another wet glass in and out, my gaze stuck there to avoid eye contact.

"To err.. study?"

"Ah, sure!"

And I thought that would work out just fine, but I ended up viewing my notes while eating lunch in the break room, and unfortunately...

"I don't get it!"

Why? Why is it so hard to read between the lines of these authors in the past? Why don't they just be direct to the point and stop trying to be vague and secretive with their figures of speech?

"Phew..."

Calm down, Jin. Don't forget what one of the country's national heroes tried to do!

"..To get past the authorities and colonizers and have his message come through our fellow Filipinos, was it?"

That, I know. I know what the message this man in the past tried to come across because my professors back in high school told us about it, but how exactly does one know that through simply reading these texts? How does Shane even...

Ah. Shane?

I took out my phone and opened FB. She's online. Should I do it?

Well, I'm just going to ask if she's busy or not. And if she's free, maybe I can ask for a slight change of our schedule for today? Since Alexis would be covering for the afternoon shift anyway.

You busy?

It should take quite a while for her to respond unless she's got nothing to do. Or so I thought.

Why?

Was going to see if you're free to go out today.

That... sounds like what it could sound like, doesn't it? Especially with this woman's thought process, it'd sound like I want to ask her out or something, huh?

:0

What?

Are you asking me out on a date? :000

See. I knew it.

No, and you know it.

Aww :(

So? Are you free today or?

Where do you plan on taking me if I am? :D

..I have a part-time job every Saturday, remember?

Oh yeah

Geez, this woman.

And there's a tiny bit of change for today. My friend is going to take over for the afternoon shift, so I wanted to see if maybe we can have a session today right here?

Where is this part-time job of yours?

At Chimmy's. The one that sells yogurt drinks. In the mall close to the university.

Oooo :0 hmmm what time?

1 to 3 or 4 pm?

Alright! :D

You'll come?

Yes :D

Tell me once you're nearby so I can go outside.

Oki!

"Who's that? Your girlfriend?" I jumped.

My grip on my phone instantly tightened, and I swiftly turned around. Kuya Andrew was leaning over slightly with a glass of yogurt in hand.

I placed a hand over my chest and breathed, "Kuya Andrew, you ought to stop trying to give me a heart attack whenever you see an opportunity."

He chuckled. "You let your guard down when you're occupied with something—that's not my fault!" Tch, that's a fair point. "So? You were texting with a girl, right? Is it your girlfriend?"

"No," I waved my hand before turning around to resume my almost finished lunch, "just a classmate who helps me out in one of my subjects."

"Is that so?"

It didn't strike me then, but it did now.

"Shane Halili, right?"

"Mhm! You are?"

"Alexis Manalo from the IT department. This guy's best friend!" They shook hands.

"I see!"

"I remember you guys from the uh, publication org thing, right? You guys interviewed Rianne last year!"

"Rianne Umali? Yes!"

"My girlfriend is awesome, isn't she?"

"Oh! She's your girlfriend?"

"You bet! We've been childhood friends forever until we finally decided to give in to our feelings!"

"Aww! That's so sweet!"

I covered my ears with my hands, my fingers clutching my side hair at the stupid guy on his shift bragging to my tutor about his girlfriend.

It completely slipped my mind—how interested Alexis was at what kind of person Shane is ever since I told them she agreed to be my tutor. And now, I led Shane at Chimmy's at the rare time Alexis would work here.

Ugh.

The bell on top of the front door rang across the glass-walled yogurt shop, and two girls went in.

"Alexis." He stopped talking and glanced at me. "Customers."

"Oh, right! I'll be right back!"

"Better if you won't."

"I heard that!" He yelled from the counter before tending to the newly arrived customers.

I've already had enough of him and Rianne constantly flirting about, and he's also bringing that to me at a time of studying? Should I call Kuya Andrew and ask him to drag this guy back to their house?

"So he's the guy you mentioned before," Shane said, dropping her shoulder bag on the chair in front of where I sat.

Finding no reason to respond, I just turned my head to meet her eyes, and she had this smile I couldn't read.

"Have you eaten lunch?"

"Yes. You?"

"Mhm!" She glanced at the counter where Alexis entertained the customers and then back at me. "Let's start?"

-

It's a good thing Alexis decided not to bother us anymore since a call from a certain someone got him smiley and busy.

"You've gotten better with this new one too, but better doesn't always mean it's good." She looked up from reviewing my notebook, where I wrote my interpretation of a different author of the past. "But don't be discouraged! Better is always a good thing since it means you're improving!"

"Sure." I tried to cut off the sarcasm in my voice, but it still seemed to have made it. I looked away, "Why do we even have to get a proper interpretation? We're all different. So shouldn't it be just fair for us to have our individual views on these things?"

Shane placed my notebook down and hummed. I took a peek and followed where her gaze lingered. She seemed quite fascinated with the star stickers close to the base of the hanging lights on the ceiling.

"You make a fair point."

I looked back at her, but her eyes were still on those star stickers. She must be into stars or something.

She dropped her head on one open palm, "When people said that love is blind, do you believe it?"

Where did that come from?

I shrugged, "Maybe."

"Because there are blind people who learn to love despite being unable to see?"

"I guess so."

"But do we love with our eyes?"

That's... a good thought.

"I don't think so."

"But don't we love what we see?"

Ugh, another valid point. I don't know how to answer that.

She blinked and looked at me. "Some people say falling in love is a chance and that staying in love is the choice. Do you believe that?"

For real, though, where did this sudden topic come from? And she didn't even say her thoughts regarding her first question.

"Maybe. It makes sense." My eyes squinted slightly. "It's not like I'm experienced in those things to know for sure, though."

Her serious expression brightened up a bit when she smiled.

"But that's the thing." She tilted her head. "We have different ways of perceiving things. And sometimes, even when we're right, it doesn't work for us. And sometimes, even when we're wrong, it works for us."

"That is all super contradictory."

"It is." She giggled. "Personally, I believe that love in itself is a choice. Falling in love, however, is something that's only run by this typhoon of hormones giving you excitement and is essentially the beginning of infatuation and then love, of course. To pursue real love is a decision."

Still somewhat unsure why this was the topic she decided to compare interpretations to, I nodded, silently hoping we could hop back to history.

"Okay, one last saying." She must've noticed I'm not very interested in this topic. "Do you believe you can fall in love with someone again whenever you see them?"

I sighed and rolled my eyes, "How do you fall in love again when you're already in love? That's weird."

"Alright." She waved a hand while chuckling. "With that, we've somehow established that whether an interpretation is right or wrong is not based on our personal beliefs. Whether we believe in the themes of some pieces of literature or not is not what matters in uncovering their messages."

Hmm, that started to make sense somehow.

"It's about what the author believed in, regardless of whether it worked for them or not—whether it came across the readers or not."

"I see." I nodded. "I think I'm starting to get it, somehow."

"People tend to understand and interpret things based on their experiences, instead of trying to see an event or situation from a widely different lens." Her voice softened, "And yet, some people can't accept it when the different perspective is the opposite of what they want to believe in."

Our eyes stayed on one another, but something about the way she stared was clear, like glass. No, it's not her gaze that was blank. It's what she was seeing—me.

Shane looked straight into my eyes as if there was nothing she could see—as if I wasn't there and she was watching something from afar that she couldn't see clearly, no matter how hard she stared.

Or maybe I just dug into it too much because of all this talk about perspectives and interpretations. Then again, it's not like I could properly assess people's thoughts.

I raised a brow, and she smiled, waving a hand.

"Sorry, I got a bit lost in my thoughts." Shane stood up. "I'm thinking of getting a yogurt drink before we continue again."

"Sure."

I stood up, too, to follow her to the counter. Yogurt drinks tasted a bit weird at first, but I've grown to like them.

"Hey, Alexis!" Shane greeted. "I'd like to order, hmm.. a medium-sized apple yogurt drink, please!"

"Sure thing." He whispered something to his phone before putting it down. "A small original blend for you, Jin?"

I shrugged, "As usual."

"I'll call for you guys once it's ready!" Alex turned his back and took cups from a side to prepare the yogurt drinks.

I turned my back and leaned on the counter table. The place's soft purple, white, and dandelion color scheme started to lean more toward a warm side. Through the glass walls, one could just see how the sun preparing to leave was setting the entire open mall with a warmer tone.

I glanced at the wall clock on the side. It read quarter to four o'clock in the afternoon.

"..Maybe we should go home soon."

"Hm?" Shane turned her head towards me and later swiveled around to check the time. "Oh!"

"You know how history teachers often make us memorize dates and stuff in high school?"

It must be the setting sun providing this sense of nostalgia in me, but it could also be me letting myself talk more. Who knows.

"Oh, yes, yes! Like the preamble!"

I smiled, "That's also what I had in mind. I memorized it in just a day, but it's still pretty meh."

"What is?" She tilted her head.

"History class in high school." I cocked my head to a side, and Alex was almost done blending the yogurt drinks. "I'm plenty glad I took this course. My Philippine History right now, compared to elementary and high school, was much more interesting and engaging."

"Because the professor is not requiring memorization of stuff we won't really remember anyway?" There was a hint of jest in her tone, but that didn't stop me from chuckling.

"Yes! Exactly that!" I shook my head in remembrance of historical dates I can't even remember anymore. "Well, maybe the acronyms of departments were not a bad thing since those were quite helpful."

"Quite? Pft."

"What? It's true! I still remember those, well, some of those. And they pop up everywhere now too."

Shane nodded. "They're a recurring and important part of the society and country, after all."

"What happened in the past also has a role in today's world, you know."

"I know." She restrained her chuckle as she crossed her arms.

"So, yeah, you get my point. In my history class now, we dive deeper into what happened, why they happened, and how they affected the country today. Situational stuff, too, that I really enjoy discussing with the class." Before I could continue, Alex dropped two cups on the table.

"Here's your order, guys!" Alex pushed the straw holder on the side for us to get some before leaning to Shane's side more, a smug tug playing on his mouth. "Sorry about Jin. He tends to nerd out a lot about history this and history that. It could be boring sometimes, and don't be afraid to tell him that."

I deadpanned as he snickered. "Alex, I'm right here."

He shrugged. "Front stabbing is better than backstabbing any day, bro!"

"You stab me in every direction, though."

"And you're still not used to it!"

"I am immune to them by now. It's just hard not to get irritated at you." I dropped my payment on the counter, still glaring at him.

"I'm going to tell Rianne you're bullying her boyfriend again. Bleh!"

"You're both irritating, you tech nerds."

"But we love you!"

"Tch." I snatched my yogurt drink and turned my back to walk to my seat.

"He's so grumpy!" Alex whispered, but he was probably forgetting that this place was small enough for me to catch his loud hisses. "He's probably all urghh during your tutoring sessions, too, huh?"

Shane chuckled. "Sometimes!"

"He acts like that, but he means well!" If I was strong enough to throw him off a bridge, I would. "But, really, don't be afraid to tell him off to his face."

There was nothing new there. Alexis has always sold me off like that, and either got other people laughing along with him or telling him off instead for constantly bullying me.

While he's awfully tamer now since senior high school, he still gets on my nerves.

But, somehow, something inside of me jumped. As if finally finding someone who sees me in a different light? Who knows? But, I had to admit.

"I don't mind! I really like listening to him talk about what he's passionate about!"

What Shane said caused a pleasant feeling in my chest that I had to avoid showing on my face for the rest of the session.

As for why I didn't want to show that it lifted my mood, I didn't really know then.

-

A/N:

I have recently decided on partaking this book in Nanowrimo! Starting from half of this chapter, and onwards to whichever chapter I end up on that will get me to write fifty thousand words for Nanowrimo 2022.

That's all for this A/N. Thank you for reading!