"She's not the main character."

I can't stop thinking about what happened yesterday at the library. Now I'm curious about that extra, who is she?

Masyado akong malalim ang iniisip at hindi ko napansin na nakatulala na pala ako. Natauhan na lang ako nang makakita ako ng nakataas na gitnang daliri sa harapan ko.

"Tol, okay ka pa ba?" Kaswal na sambit ni Mat habang nakataas ang gitnang daliri at nakatapat sa akin.

Napaismid ako at hinila ko pabaliktad ang daliri dahilan ng pag-aray niya.

"Parang tanga, di mabiro." Reklamo niya.

"Seryoso ah." Kumento ni Leo nang makitang seryoso ang ekspresyon ko.

I almost forgot, they don't know anything about the extra. Well, I don't really talk about girls anyways.

"Bakit, tol? Namomroblema pa rin pala ung mga pinagpalang tao 'no?" Pagsali ni Regio.

Napapailing ako napaismid sa sinabi niya. "Shut up."

"Grabe naman, ano ba kasi 'yon, Tin?" Muling tanong ni Leo.

Malalim akong huminga. Mga tropa ko naman sila, walang problema kung ikwento ko sa kanila ang tungkol sa babaeng 'yon.

I told them what happened. About the girl that I've met in the convenience store and how often our path crosses... I guess?

"Shit, grabe si Tin ba 'to? Namomroblema sa babae? Si Tin?" Sobra-sobrang pag-arte ni Mat.

"Inlababo naman pala." Dagdag ni Regio.

My forehead furrowed. "No, I'm not. I just think she's weird." Pagtatama ko.

Hindi mukhang nakumbinse sila sa sinabi ko. Bagkus ay tinapunan pa nila ako ng mapang-asar na tingin.

"Sus, wag kami tol." Giit ni Mat.

"But still, I haven't heard about the girl you're talking about. Parang hindi ko rin 'yon nakikita." Seryosong pagsali ni Leo.

I was taken aback by what he said. He immediately caught my attention.

"Baliw, baka kung ano-ano na lang nakikita mo, Tin aning." Pang-asar ni Regio.

Nasapak ko siya sa balikat ng wala sa oras. "Shut up, totoo ung nakita ko." May tono kong sagot.

But to be honest, I'm not sure of it at the moment. Afterall, the way she talks, the way she acts, her looks... she's... she's not an ordinary highschool girl.

Pero, ano? Nag-ha-hallucinate na ba 'ko para makita ko siya? Nasobrahan na ba 'ko na kanonood at kababasa ng mga romance stuffs at gumawa na lang ang utak ko ng sarili kong love story?

Mariin akong napakagat sa ibabang labi at dumiin ang pagkakasara ng kamao ko. I'm... I'm going to find it out myself.

When it was our break time, I checked every section on our grade to look for her— the extra.

It was hard of course, I don't know her name afterall. Wala rin akong lakas ng loob na magtanong-tanong dahil baka wala nga talagang siya, at gawa-gawa ko lang. Baka isipin nilang nasisiraan ako.

In the end, I didn't saw her. It's funny because I always see her when I don't expect it and now I'm looking for her, I can't find her.

B-But maybe, maybe she's on a different grade? Maybe she's just absent today?

Or maybe... just maybe because, she's not real?

Ayokong isipin 'yon, ang posibilidad na tama nga 'yon. Pero hindi ko mapigilan.

Her fair skin and black hair, her expressionless face, and... cold and tired eyes.

Hindi ko alam kung ano ang pumasok sa isip ko, pero may nagsasabi sa akin na pumunta ako ro'n.

Maybe because I've always read it in manga, that this is the common place where the main characters confront each other.

At the rooftop.

Kahit alam kong hindi kami allowed dito at bawal, pumunta pa rin ako. Sinalubong ako ng paghampas ng hangin at sikat ng araw nang makarating ako sa taas.

It's sunny today, which surprised me because it's always raining in the past few days.

It felt like time slowed down as I look at the surroundings.

There I saw her, facing at opposite direction where I am, staring at the view.

Her medium length hair are flowing with the breeze. She's still wearing that big black hoodie of hers with a pair of white sneakers. I can see the mushroom keychain hanging on her backpack.

S-She's here... she's real-

Is she?

Nag-akmang hahakbang pa lang ako pa palapit sa kaniya nang matigilan ako nang mauna siyang humarap sa 'kin. Sumalubong sa aking ang mapupungay at walang buhay niyang mga mata at seryoso niyang ekspresyon.

Nahinto ako sa paghakbang at napalunok nang malalim.

N-Now, what should I do?

What does the characters I've read and watched do in this kind of situation?

"U-Uhm, ah-"

"You're not allowed to go here. Bawal ka rito." Malamig niyang sambit.

Nahinto ako sa sinabi niya. I-I'm not allowed here? W-Why? Because this is just an imaginary world that I've made? Because she's not real?

Mariin akong napakagat sa ibabang labi at napayuko. Ramdam ko ang paglapit niya sa akin pero hindi ko magawang umalis dito.

Instead, I took a deep breath to gather courage before looking at her in the eye, determined.

"I don't care if you're just something that I've made! Or you're just a part of my imagination!"

"Even if you're not the main character, I'll be glad to be one of the extras just to be with you!"

It sounds funny, maybe crazy. Umalingawngaw ang boses ko sa rooftop, sumabay pa ang paghampas ng hangin na sinamahan ng iilang maliit na dahon.

Nagkaroon ng sandaling katahimikan. Maybe now that I already know that she's just a part of my imagination, she'll disappear... but at least, just in case... I told her how I feel.

Napalunok ako nang malalim. Hindi niya nagawang makasagot kaagad sa sinabi ko. Siguro nga ay mawawala na siya-

"U-Uhm, bawal ka rito kasi bawal ang estudyante sa rooftop."

I looked at her, dumbfounded. Hindi ko kaagad naproseso ng utak ko ang sinabi niya.

"I-I don't really know what you're talking about, but... I guess I'm not really the main character." She said, shy.

I felt like a heated tomato. My cheeks and ears are hot and red. S-She's... she's not a part of my imagination? She's real?

"E-Eh? P-Pero... totoo ka?" Hindi makapaniwalang tanong ko sa kaniya.

Nakaiwas ang tingin niya sa akin bago siya sumagot. "Oo, maputla ako. Pero hindi naman ako patay." Sarkastikong sagot niya.

"B-But- how come no one knows you? Even if you're a student here?" Naguguluhang tanong ko.

I may sound rude but I really have to know why! For pete's sake, I thought that I'm the only one who can see her!

"Me? A student?" Pagtataka niya. Doon siya napatingin sa skirt na suot-suot niya. "O-Oh, maybe because of this. Well, estudyante nga ako rito, pero hindi ako pumapasok at minsanan lang, suot ang uniform ko."

"We're on the same batch but I can't attend classes because I'm busy training."

My forehead furrowed. "Training?"

"Yup, I'm training to be a professional croupier." She said, showing her hands. "I'm pretty good at using my hands."

Napaawang ang bibig ko sa mga narinig. Ramdam na ramdam ko ang hiya ngayon at tanging ang mariin na pagpikit na lang nagawa ko.

"S-Shit... I'm sorry about what I've said earlier. I'm an idiot." Mabilis na paghingi ng tawad ko.

I don't know what will be her reaction. I'm sure she's going to be mad. I mean, wtf? I just told her that she's just a part of my imagination and I-

I freaking confessed.

"A-About that-"

Hindi ko na naituloy ang sasabihin ko nang marinig ko ang pagpipigil niya ng tawa. Her chuckle turned into a loud laugh to the point that there are tears coming out from her eyes.

"I-I'm sorry pft. It's just, it's my first time to be mistaken as a part of someone's imagination."

Tumatama ang sikat ng araw sa mukha niya dahilan kung bakit ko siya mas nakikita nang maayos. For the first time since we met, I saw her cold and tired eyes became lively and colorful.

Agad siyang natigilan sa pagtawa niyang nang mapansin niyang nakatitig na pala ako sa kaniya.

Napatikhim siya bago nahihiyang umiwas ng tingin. "W-Well, I'm not really good at socializing so... I'm going to go now. Goodbye." She's about to slightly bow and leave me once again when I grabbed her hand.

She didn't expected me to do that, neither am I.

But... but, it felt like if I let her leave again now, I'm not going to have another chance like this.

Malalim akong lumunok at huminga ako nang malalim. Seryoso ko siyang tinignan habang nanatiling nakahawak pa rin ang kamay ko sa kaniya.

At this moment, I don't care about any love story I've read and watched. Who cares about romeo and juliet, usui and misaki, kim bok joo and joon hyung. Those male leads who found their forever with the main character.

All I need, is an extra. And we'll make our own love story.

"Will you go on a date with me?"

_________