Nakaupo si Jhon Rey at Dad sa table kung saan kami kumain kanina. Nag-uusap sila at nagtatawanan. Hindi ko man rinig ang pinag-uusapan nila, natutuwa akong nakikita silang magkausap. Gumagaan ang loob ko at nagkakaroon ng pag-asa.

Jhon Rey seemed to notice that there was someone behind him, so he turned to me. He stood up and approached me. "Sheen May, nand'yan ka pala."

Dumako ang mga mata niya sa hawak ko at agad na gumuhit ang mga ngiti sa labi niya. Tsk. Halatang paborito niya talaga ito.

Lumapit siya at kinuha ang tray bago inalok si dad. A cupcake made by my mom was taken by my dad, and he consumed it. A smile formed on his lips.

"I'm sure my wife made this," said Dad. I flashed a smile. He was right, and I don't know how he knew it already.

Jhon Rey appeared to be searching the tray for something as he gazed at it. I smiled when he got the cupcake that I made. He bites it, and he keeps nodding while eating it. I can't help but giggle.

We were surprised when Dad's phone rang. Before taking the phone, he bid us farewell and then went to answer it. Naiwan kami ni Jhon Rey dito sa labas.

"Come and sit beside me," utos niya. Lumapit ako sa kaniya at kumuha ng cupcake bago iyon kainin.

"Kumusta? Masarap ba?" tanong ko sabay upo sa tabi niya. Isang dipa ang layo ko sa kaniya.

"Yeah," simpleng sagot niya bago hinila ang upuan ko palapit sa kaniya. Napatingin tuloy ako sa kaniya. "I told you to come and sit beside me."

I just smiled at him. "But the chair was there so..." dahilan ko pa, pero inilingan niya lang ako na para bang disappointed siya sa akin. Natawa naman ako at pinalo siya nang mahina. "Kumusta ang laro niyo? Where's your dad?"

"Our game went good, but Dad had to leave us to go to an urgent meeting," he commented.

"I see. Kumusta ka? Okay ka lang?" I touched his face, checking to see if there was anything wrong.

"You make my heart beat whenever you ask me if I'm fine," he stated. "And no, I'm not. I can't seem to breathe when you're closer."

Hindi ko alam kung saan niya nakukuha ang mga matatamis na salitang iyon na tumutunaw sa puso ko. Kahit ako ay nahihirapang huminga ngayong katabi ko siya. Even my heart is beating quickly.

Lumingon siya sa akin. "I hope that you had fun meeting my parents here at our house."

Ngumiti ako at tumango. "I had fun, Jhon Rey. I got the chance to see where you lived when you were young. It used to be your place, and I'm glad in a way because I learned something about you."

He stared at me for a moment, and that almost took my breath away. I was about to ask him if there was dirt on my face when he spoke.

"Yeah, me too. I learned something about you, too."

I felt frightened, and my eyes got wider as I began to ask myself what he had learned about me. "W-what did you learn about me?" I remember him talking to my dad a while ago. What would my dad probably say to him?

"Secret," sagot niya habang nakangiti. Tumaas naman ng kusa ang sulok ng labi ko sabay kurot sa kaniya.

"Ah aray! Ikaw nawiwili ka sa pangungurot!" reklamo niya habang kinakamot 'yung parteng kinurot ko. "Masakit!"

"Eh, iniinis mo 'ko, eh! May nalaman ka sa 'kin tapos nung tinanong ko kung ano, sasabihin mo secret? Ano kaya 'yon?" nakanguso kong pagrereklamo.

"Gusto mo ba malaman?" pang-aasar niya habang nakangisi. "Kiss mo muna 'ko."

"Ayoko nga, bahala ka d'yan!"

Tumayo ako tsaka naglakad palayo sa kaniya. Nagulat ako nang hawakan niya ang baywang ko sabay bulong, "heto naman, tampo agad." Sabay kaming naglalakad habang nakapulupot ang braso niya sa baywang ko, caressing me to calm down.

"Ano ba kasi 'yon?" naiinis kong tanong sa kaniya. "Ano ba 'yung nalaman mo tungkol sa 'kin?"

Muli na naman niyang ipinakita sa akin ang napakaganda niyang ngiti na kayang-kaya akong pakalmahin. "Nalaman ko lang kung gaano mo 'ko kamahal."

Kumunot ang noo ko, habang siya, hindi mawala ang ngiti niya sa labi. Pinagmasdan ko ang saya sa kaniyang mukha.Being here beside him feels like I'm in my wildest dream, and I don't want someone else to wake me up.

I hope it lasts.

I hope we stay this way.

As long as he is here with me, I don't care if he never says "I love you" again. Pakiramdam ko, this is enough. As long as I can feel his affection for me. Sapat na 'yon para sa akin.

When we saw that the sun was going down, we stopped walking. The view was out of this world. It takes my breath away. How God created such a wonderful thing for us to see together. It's an ending. It's a beautiful ending to a day for us to know that there's still tomorrow to look forward to. That the shine will still shine even if it ends beautifully this day, that they will wait for us tomorrow to see how they shine brightly again.

"I love you."

I was too stunned to speak when I turned to him. He was looking at me with those sparkling eyes.

Did I hear right?

Am I not dreaming?

My heart seems to hear it too; that's why it keeps banging out like it was celebrating.

"I love the view," he said with a smile.

I laughed and nodded. "Ahh, I misheard you," nahihiya kong bigkas sa kaniya, habang iniiwas ang tingin. Akala ko, sinabi niyang mahal niya ako. Sabagay, napaka-imposible.

"Why? What did you hear?"

"I thought you said..." Napakagat ako sa labi habang tinititigan ang mga mata niya. Paano ko sasabihin 'yon ulit? Nakakahiya!

"What?"

"I love you," pag-uulit ko sa narinig ko na mali naman pala.

He smiled. "I love you too, Sheen May. I think I've loved you all this time."

Napasinghap ako sa narinig ko. Ilang segundo pa akong nakatitig sa kaniya habang inuutay sa pandinig ko kung tama ba ang narinig ko.

A tear left my eyes.

I can't believe it.

He said it at last.

And his sudden confession broke me to tears.

Gusto kong magpasalamat dahil sa wakas, pareho na kami ng nararamdaman para sa isa't isa. Mahal niya ako at nakikita ko iyon sa mga mata niya...matagal na. 

"Why are you crying?" he asked while wiping my tears away.

"Who wouldn't cry hearing those words from you?"

Tinawanan niya ako, habang pinupunasan ang mga luha ko. "You're such a crybaby."

Niyakap ko siya at nagtago ako sa mga bisig niya. Rinig ko ang bilis ng tibok ng kaniyang puso.

Totoo na ito. Hindi na ito basta panaginip lang. Totoong mahal niya rin ako at nararamdaman ko iyon.

Ang puso sumasagot sa puso.

"I love you, Sheen May, before I realized it."

Muli na naman akong napaluha. Hindi ko alam kung paanong nangyari, pero naniniwala ako.

"I love you too, Jhon Rey."

Saksi ang liwanag at ang dilim sa pagpapalitan namin ng mga salitang iyon. I love you.

Hindi mawala ang ngiti sa mga labi ko nang bumalik kami sa bahay nila Jhon Rey. Nandoon ang lahat at nanonood sa living room. Napangiti ako. I never thought that I will witness this kind of scene in my life. I never thought that I will be happy.

Maybe it's about time for me to give the letter I wrote.

*****

Days passed and it was Saturday. Jhon Rey was ordered to visit their company, so I was left at home. He told me that he was going there quickly and would also go home early. He always assures me of everything, even if I don't ask for it.

"Don't forget to eat, and I made fresh pomegranate juice earlier; make sure to drink it," he reminds me while holding my chin. I was sitting on the couch, and he was standing in front of me.

"I will."

"If only I could take you with me," he said.

"Oops, nagiging clingy," pang-aasar ko. Naging biruan na namin 'yon kapag may isa sa aming bigla biglang naglalambing. Tinawanan niya naman ako, bago binigyan ng matamis na halik. "I love you."

Ngumiti ako. "I love you too. Sige na, baka mahuli ka na sa lakad mo," pagtataboy ko sa kaniya.

"Huwag na lang kaya akong tumuloy?" 

Natawa ako sa pagdadalawang isip niya. "Baliw. Umalis ka na."

"Ito na nga po." Hinalikan niya ang noo ko bago tuluyan nang lumabas sa pintuan. Hindi naman mawala ang ngiti sa mga labi ko.

Mom said she was going to visit me, since hindi kami masyadong nakapag-usap noong bumisita kami sa bahay ng Carpio. I was waiting for her at the same time hinahanap ko rin 'yong letter na ipapasuyo ko kay mom.

Ilang oras na akong naghahanap, pero hindi ko talaga makita. Hindi kaya naiwan ko 'yon sa kabilang bahay? Sabagay, doon ko 'yon ginawa.

Napatingin ako sa envelope na nakita ko sa ilalim ng study table. It looks familiar. Kinuha ko iyon at binuksan. Napalunok ako.

Ito pala 'yong envelope na dala ni Anne noong nakaraan, na naglalaman ng pictures nila Jhon Rey at Quency. I should get rid off it now.

Pumunta ako sa basurahan para itapon 'yon. Sakto namang tumunog ang doorbell hudyat na nand'yan na si mom.

Nakangiti ko siyang sinalubong.

"I miss you, mom!" Hinalikan ko siya sa pisngi.

"I miss you too, my sweetheart. I'm sorry, ngayon lang ako nakatakas sa ama mo kasi busy siya," biro niya.

"Yeah, our husbands are busy," komento ko na nagpangiti sa kaniya.

Ngumiti rin siya at tumango. "I'm happy na si Jhon Rey ang napangasawa mo. Kumusta ang tiyan mo?"

Umupo si mom sa may couch sa living room. Binigyan ko rin siya ng pomegranate juice na ginawa ni Jhon Rey kanina. Kumuha rin ako ng akin. Umupo kami sa living room at doon nag-usap.