After 1 week...

~Do Kyungsoo~

Staying here at EXO-A is hard. Totoo ang sinasabi nilang once the lessons started, you can't withdraw yourself that easily anymore. Akala ko happy-go-lucky lang mga tao dito. Hindi pala.

Everyone is serious.

And everyone has a name and reputation to protect.

Up until now, hindi pa kami nag-uusap ni Daddy. And i don't think he wants to hear anything from me.

"Wala tayong matatapos kung ganyan ka." Jongin interrupted my thoughts. Napatingin ako sakanya at umiling. Nakatingin siya sa laptop at nagta-type ng report para sa isa naming subject.

"Sorry." sabi ko saka lumapit sakanya. "May naisip lang."

He shook his head in dismay. "You should learn to set aside unnecessary things lalo na pag may ginagawa tayo." he said and glanced at me. "Ano bang problema?"

We are sitting side by side beside this table here in the library. He put his head on his hand and stared at me. His eyes are serious and expectant.

Ganun siya tumingin parati. And it makes me uncomfortable. "N-nothing." i muttered. Iniwas ko ang tingin ko at saka napatingin sa sahig.

"Come on." Jongin said and patted my shoulder. "You can tell me."

Ugh. Kelan pa siya naging pushy?

Napatingin ako sakanya at nagtaas ng isang kilay. "Why are you asking?" tanong ko. "Do you--"

"I'm asking cause i'm worried." he said with a sigh. Nanlaki naman ang mata ko at nakaramdam ng kaba. Teka. Kaba? Bat ako kinakabahan?

Is he worried about me? 

At saka kinakabahan nga lang ba ako? 

"I'm worried about this report of ours." Jongin continued. At hindi ko alam pero nasaktan ako sa sinabi niya. Lechugas naman oh! Bat ka ganyan ha?

Para akong nadisappoint at hindi ko alam kung tama ba itong naramdaman ko.

"Ah ganun?" tanong ko sakanya saka umiling. "You don't have to know, you selfish jerk." sabi ko saka umirap. I heard him chuckle and he shook his head in amusement.

"Tell me." he said and i looked up at him. Seryoso na ulit yung mukha niya.

Napabuntong hininga ako. "My father," i started as i stared into his eyes. "He doesn't believe in me for some reason i can't tell you. I'm here because i need to prove to him that i'm worthy of the things that awaits me. The company... properties..." then i shook my head and smiled bitterly.

"It's a hard life." Jongin muttered and looked back at the laptop. "But we're inside this school where our main problem is to study hard. Kaya kung gusto mong patuyan ang sarili mo sa Daddy mo, then let's study hard." the he looked at me and smiled.

I nodded at him. "Yes." i answered. "Thanks."

Jongin just shrugged. "I didn't do anything."

Tinignan ko siya ng masama. "Actually, okay na yung 'Welcome'." inis na sabi ko.

"Oh." Jongin grinned. "Welcome, then."

"Ha. Ha. Ha."

"Huwag kang matulog ano ba?" sabi ko sabay alog kay Baekhyun. "Darating na mamaya si sir!" inalog ko siya ulit at kinurot pa sa tagiliran.

Agad naman siyang bumangon. "YAH!" sigaw niya at tumingin sakin ng masama. "Puyat ako, ano ba, Kyung? Suntukin kita diyan eh." sabi pa niya sabay irap. ABA!

"Dami mong alam." sabi ko at umiling. "Ano ba kasing nangyari sayo kagabi at puyat at pagod ka?" tanong ko. Nilabas ko yung notebook ko at nagsimulang magbasa ng past lessons namin.

Tumingin sakin si Baek saglit at pumikit ulit. "Tangina kasing Chanyeol yun." bulong niya. "Nakipaglaro sakin ng PS4 buong gabi hanggang alas tres ng madaling araw." Humikab pa siya at natulog na ulit.

Napangiti ako. There are really times when you just can't say "No" to someone really important. No matter how hard you try to stop yourself.

About Baek and Chanyeol... they're back to normal, i guess. Mukha namang naging maayos ang pag-uusap nila noong nakaraang linggo. Nothing changed aside from the fact that they became closer and closer.

"Okay. Sit down."

Nanlaki naman ang mata ko nang pumasok si Sir Baldosa sa room, hawak-hawak ang isang malaking folder. Agad namang umayos ang mga estudyante at expectant na tumingin sakanya.

"I have good news." sabi ni sir saka tumingin samin. Binuksan niya yung folder at nag-scan ng pages. "I know it's too early but... yeah. Educational trip."

Agad na napuno ng sigawan ang room namin. Everyone shouted with glee aside from me and Baekhyun, who is still fast asleep beside me. Napatingin ako sa buong room at napansin na hindi din sumigaw si Jongin pero nakangiti siya habang kausap si Chanyeol. He looks excited to me, anyway.

"Eh sir, saan po?" tanong ng isa kong kaklase na si Luhan.

Sir Baldosa looked at his folder. "Hmm... museum? Caves? Historical places?" hindi sure na sagot niya. "We still haven't decided about it, Mr. Lu."

Tumango naman si Luhan habang nakangiti. Lahat excited at pati rin naman ako. This would be my first educational trip dito sa EXO-A and i expect much from it.

"I guess we'll go hiking." sabi ni sir habang inaayos ang salamin niya. "Hiking so that we could bring tents and spend nights on a mountain. How's that sound?"

Camping? Sounds fun to me.

"All you have to remember is to have your own travel buddies, okay? Yung parati niyong kasama." dagdag pa ni sir. "Kayo na bahala kung sino. I'll just leave the groupings to yourselves, matatanda na kayo." then he smiled and nodded.

Tumayo na si sir at naglakad palabas ng room. Tignan mo yun. Tinamad na namang magturo.

"Baek..." tawag ko sa katabi ko. Siya nalang travel buddy ko, tutal andito na siya. "Huy, Baek." Inalog ko siya pero ungol lang ang sagot niya sabay tanggal sa kamay ko.

"Pakiusap, Kyungsoo." bulong niya. "Mapapatay na kita."

Napa-iling nalang ako at napatingin sa paligid. Bahala na nga.

"Kyungsoo," tawag ng isang boses at nilingon ko si Chen na nakatayo sa tabi ng table ko. Nakangiti siya at parang nahihiya pa.

"Oh, Chen, bakit?" tanong ko.

"Okay lang ba kung---"

"We're travel buddies right?" singit bigla ni Jongin sabay hawak sa balikat ko. Bat siya andito? Andun lang siya kay Chanyeol kanina ah. "You promised me." dagdag pa niya.

TEKA? ANO DAW? Anong promise? Gago ba to?

"Ha?" takang tanong ko sakanya. Nakatayo siya sa likod ko habang may seryosong expression sa mukha.

"I'll bring a tent. Ikaw na bahala sa snacks." then he smiled tightly and nodded. Naglakad siya paalis at ewan ko pero parang namumula yung tenga niya.

Problema nun?

Napatingin ako ulit kay Chen. "Ano yun?" tanong ko ulit sakanya. "Pasensya na ah, si Jongin kasi eh."

"Sabi ko, okay lang ba kung hiramin ko yung backpack mo sa camping?" tanong niya sabay turo sa bag ko. "Nasira kasi yung akin eh. Maganda kasi yung bag mo, malaki. Marami akong malalagay. Hehehe."

"Yun lang pala eh." sabi ko naman at tumango. "Sure."

"Yes! Salamat!" masayang sabi ni Chen at saka bumalik sa upuan niya.

Napatingin ako ulit kay Jongin habang nagtataka. Ano bang meron?