Dominique

Gusto kong magsaya pero parang naubos na ang mga ngiti ko. Kapag nasa paligid si Kenshin, parang bumabagsak ang wall na itinayo ko. Nakikita ang tunay na ako. Ang malungkot at nag-iisang ako.

"Domnique, kanina pa kita hinahanap. Kain tayo."
Napalingon ako sa likod ko. Nakatayo si Kenshin habang nakapamulsa. Parang model ng scarf si kuya.
"Bakit gawing-gawi mo ang hindi nagpapaalam?" Tanong niya at umupo sa tabi ko.
Nakatambay ako sa swimming pool at nakatingin sa puno na nalalagas ng damon.
"Nasanay lang ako na wala ng pagpapaalamanan." I replied.

Sinundan ni Kenshin ang tanaw ko. Ramdam kong nagtataka siya kung bakit lagi akong nakatngin sa dahon na nalalaglag.
"Leaves that fell from the tree were not always yellow," I told him. Inabot ko ang isang berdeng dahon na tinangay ng hangin papunta sa kamay ko.
"Some were green with so much potential to grow." Itinaas ko sa harapan niya ang kulay green na dahon.
"Some leaves were just taken away by nature, others were taken away by people. Whatever the circumstances, falling is still falling..." I whispered. Namumuo ang lungkot sa puso ko at parang may kamay na sumasakal sa lalamunan ko.
"And leaving is still leaving. So even though autumn season is beautiful, I still feel sad for the fallen leaves. Like those people who fall asleep... forever."

"You were referring to your parents..." He said after a while.
"And my brother," I replied. I hide my face from Kenshin and dried my tears.
"Kumpleto pa ba ang family mo?" I asked him.
Tumango si Kenshin.
"Maswerte ka." I said softly.
"I am an orphan," I informed him.
Hindi muli kumibo si Kenshin.

"This is our dream vacation. My mom was a fan of k-drama. She wanted to visit the settings of some of her favorites drama series." Huminga ako ng malalim para hindi ako tuluyang umiyak.
"So that's why you are here..." He concluded.
"Yes." I nod. "To chase memories. So when the times comes that I will meet them, maikukwento ko kay mommy na napuntahan ko ang mga settings na gusto niyang puntahan."
"Marami ka pang memories na gagawin kung ganoon. Matagal pa kayo bago magkikita ng family mo." He commented.

Hindi ako kumibo.
It might be tomorrow or the day after tomorrow. It might be later when I sleep.

"How... how did you become an orphan, Dominique?"
Nabalot ng katahimikan ang paligid sa tinanong ni Kenshin.

"Few years ago papunta kami noon sa Makati..." Medical Centre dahil sa sakit ko.
"My dad was driving, my mom was in the passenger seat. Kami ni Donny ay nasa back seat."
I calm my nerve so I can tell him this story. The story that made me stopped living my life.
"Nasa SLEX kami noon at overspeeding si daddy. May hinahabol siyang... deadline." Deadline ng buhay ko. I was so sick at that time.

"Nawalan ng control si daddy sa manibela. Tumama kami sa concrete barrier sa SLEX."
I heard Kenshin gasp.
"The car went flying to the other side of SLEX. Tumaob ang kotse sakay kaming apat."
Tuluyan ng tumulo ang luha ko.
"Someone saw the accident. A guy na muntik ng madamay sa accident but thank God hindi siya nasaktan according sa report. He was the one who saved me. Ako ang una niyang nahila palabas ng nakataob na kotse. The car exploded after I was saved."

Hindi ko tinitingnan ang nananahimik na si Kenshin.

"Sometimes, I cursed him for saving me. Iniwan niya lang akong nag-iisa."
Napadukmo ako sa tuhod ko at doon umiyak.
"I fought for my life, iyon ang sabi ni Mang Ben. When I was out of danger, my family has been buried. I didn't even have a chance to say goodbye to them. The worst part Kenshin... was when I came back from the hospital to a silent house. And the only sound you can hear was my weeping."

"I am literally just trying to get to the next day, just living in the thought of tomorrow. I'm not living at all. I am just existing and waiting. And I don't know what exactly I am waiting for. My death... a miracle?" A cure?

Hinayaan akong umiyak ni Kenshin. He didn't say a word. Tahimik siyang nakaupo lang sa tabi ko.

"Do you know who saved you?" He asked after a while.
Umiling ako. "I didn't ask. I don't want to know. I am not sure if I should thank him. He should have save my brother instead of me. A young leaf that was full of potential to grow." I replied with so much hurt inside.

"Maybe... he was hurting too, you know." He replied.
I looked at him and saw the sadness in his eyes.
"Maybe... it's on his conscience that he didn't have time to save your family."

"I don't know. My grief is still consuming me and there are times I wanted to give up."
I dried my tears again. Ayaw kong kaawaan niya ako.
"But then again, my mom was a believer that everything happens for a reason."

"Maybe you were saved for a reason." Kenshin murmured.
"I can't understand the reason to be honest." Huminga ako ng malalim para hindi na muling umiyak.

"Sorry... Nagdrama ako."
"It's not drama, Dominique." He replied. "It's your life."

Pinilit kong ngumiti.
"Start living again." He said. "Stop existing and start living."

"May tanong ako sayo." He said after ng mahabang katahimikan naming dalawa.
Napataas ng kusa ang kilay ko. "Ano yun?"
"Ang tawag ba sa leader ng mga saging ay Banana Chip?" Tanong niya.
Bigla akong napatawa. Muntik ng lumubo ang sipon ko, mabuti na lang at natakpan ko ng kamay ang ilong ko. Taena, naisahan ako ni Kenshin.
"Ayan, tumatawa ka na ulit." He commented.
"Last mo na yan. Huwag ka ng umulit." I replied smiling.

I believe that I am starting to live again whether I like it or not. It starts when I saw you on that faithful day flight going to Tokyo. And that scares me the most... to start living when I don't have much time anymore.

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A/N
Nakakahawa ang kacornihan 😂😂😂
happy weekend mga vhakla. Sa Monday na ulit. Mwaahhh