PINANLAKIHAN SIYA NG MGA MATA nang rumehistro sa isip ang sinabi ni Ryu. Para siyang binuhusan ng malamig na tubig. Kaya naman nang makabawi siya ay kaagad niyang itinaas ang mga kamay at itinulak ito.

That made him step backward. Pero hindi pa rin nito pinakawalan ang braso niya, kaya nang umatras ito at kasa-kasama siya, which helped her recover her balance.

Nang makatayo na siya nang tuwid ay muli niya itong sinubukang itulak, pero sa pagkakataong ito ay naging maagap si Ryu at nahawakan ang isa pa niyang kamay.

Now he was holding her right arm and left wrist. At nakayuko pa rin ito sa kaniya nang may nakalolokong ngiti sa mga labi.

She glared at him and attempted to yell in his face, but when his expensive perfume assaulted her nose, she suddenly lost all her will to fight.

He smelt like a forest-- woodsy and mysterious, yet relaxing.

At kung hindi niya kaagad napigilan ang sarili ay baka ipinikit na niya ang mga mata at ninamnam ang amoy nito.

Wait, what was I thinking?

She violently shook her head before hissing, "Let go of me!"

"I'll let you go if you promise not to push me."

"If you don't let me go in the next three seconds, I will definitely push you."

Ryu Donovan's grin burst wide again. "Marco said to me that you hate violence; you told him so when you spoke at the cafeteria last time. So... why resort to it now, buttercup?"

"Because you're a perv, and you're out here touching a minor without her consent!" Muli niya itong sinubukang itulak, at doon ay bahagyang lumuwag ang pagkakahawak nito. Sinamantala niya ang pagkakataon at muling nagpumiglas, and this time, Ryu Donovan let her go.

Umatras ito at sumipol. "Damn, you sure didn't need to fight back. Ang mga sinabi mo pa lang ay sapat na para paatrasin ako." Hindi pa rin naalis ang ngisi nito. "Why do you always speak like a lawyer? You are so technical; ang hirap mong... ligawan."

"Hindi panliligaw ang ginagawa mo, kung hindi pamumuwersa. I guess you should take some time off and reflect on your actions, dahil lahat ng paraan mo ay palpak."

"Lahat ng paraan ko?"

"Yes." Itinaas niya ang noo sabay hugot ng panyo mula sa bulsa ng palda niya.

Bumaba ang tingin ni Ryu nang ipunas niya ang panyo sa parte ng katawan niyang hinawakan nito kanina, at doon ay lumapad lalo ang pagkakangisi ng loko.

"Hindi mo madidisplina ang mga bullies sa pagiging bayolente mo, at hindi mo makukuha ang loob ng babaeng gusto mo sa pamumuwersa," aniya. Umatras siya ng dalawang dipa upang lumayo rito; mas maingat na sa pagkakataong ito. "And for the record, hindi pa rin ako naniniwalang talagang may gusto ka sa akin. And since dalawa lang tayong narito ngayon, I need you to tell me what you want once and for all para tigilan mo na ang pangungulit mo. Naalibadbaran ako sa 'yo at sa grupo mo, kaya ano ba talaga ang kailangan mo sa akin?"

"Hmm. Well..." Humalukipkip ito at kunwari ay nag-isip.

Sandaling lumampas ang tingin niya sa mga estudyanteng napahinto ilang dipa mula sa likuran ni Ryu Donovan; tila ang mga ito nagdadalawang-isip na dumaan. They were college students from different departments, na marahil ay papunta sa cafeteria o gym kaya napadaan doon. Pero dahil nakaharang sila ni Ryu Donovan sa daan ay kailangang maghintay ng mga ito.

At base sa nakikita niyang ekspresyon sa mukha ng mga ito ay kilala nila kung sino ang kausap niya. And some of them were looking at her with curiosity in their eyes.

"I really do like you."

Ibinalik niya ang tingin kay Ryu. Naroon pa rin ang ngiti sa mga labi nito, subalit makikita sa anyo nito ang sinseridad.

Or whatever. She must have just been mistaken.

"Don't give me that bull," she said, refusing to believe anything he say. "Dalawang beses lang tayo nagkita–"

"Correction– dalawang beses mo lang akong nakita. But in my case, I see you almost every day." Then, his face turned serious. "Tulad ng sinabi ko noong nakaraang linggo sa cafeteria, I would always see you wherever I go. Call it coincidence or fate, but our paths would always cross inevitably. At dahil naging pamilyar na ang mukha mo sa akin, I would just find myself staring at you for so long. Then one day, I started having these weird feelings whenever I saw you smile or laugh. I just love how your eyes sparkle every time you hear a joke, or how your lips would smirk whenever your friends start teasing you. I love how you would always order the same meal from Mondays to Thursdays, and just plain pasta on Fridays. At naaaliw ako sa 'yo sa tuwing pupunta ka sa library para lang basahin ang kaparehong historical book hanggang sa makatulog ka. Sisimangot ka pa nga kapag may nauna nang nang-hiram ng librong iyon. You like that dark corner in the library where you could fall asleep while reading that book, and I always find it cute whenever the bell wakes you up as you would often knock your forehead on the table. May isang beses din na nakipagsagutan ka sa isang estudyante sa library dahil dalawang linggong nasa kaniya ang Geography book na kailangan mo. Nag-umpisa kang sermonan siya na tila siya nakagawa ng krimen, saka mo in-isa-isa ang mga batas ng library na nilabag niya. Lahat ng mga sinasabi mo ay may punto, pero masakit ka nga lang magsalita. But that makes you stand out, Luna; you always say what's on your mind, irrespective of how people would feel or react about it. Sa tuwing naririnig kitang nagsasalita tungkol sa kung ano ang tama at mali, lagi na lang akong nauuwi sa pag-ngiti. I love how you physically look so serene and gentle, yet deep inside you are actually tough and stern. You are built differently, Luna, and you took my interest a lot."

Ang tagal niyang nakatitig dito nang may pagkamangha. Matagal din bago rumehistro sa isip niya ang litanya ni Ryu Donovan.

At nang wala itong sagot o reaksyong narinig at nakuha sa kaniya ay muli itong nagsalita.

"At first, I thought I just admired your complex personality, but eventually, I realized it wasn't just a simple admiration." Then, he began to grin again. "Because I started having these images in my mind about you and me in the future. And whenever I think of them, my heart would begin to thump so hard in excitement."

Images about us in the future? Yuck, this guy. She mentally shook her head in disgust. Sa tuwing may sinasabi ito ay lalong nadaragdagan ang inis niya para rito.

"I don't want you to think that it was love at first sight," patuloy pa ni Ryu Donovan na muling nagpabalik ng pansin niya rito. "I don't believe in love at first sight either. What I feel for you is something that evolved as time progresses. So I can assure you, Luna, that what I'm feeling... is real."

Awtomatiko siyang umatras nang humakbang itong muli palapit sa kaniya. He then pushed one of his hands into his pocket as he continued to move forward.

"Don't take another step back," sabi nito.

"I don't take orders from you–"

"Don't or you will lose your balance again."

Sa sinabi nito'y huminto siya at lumingon. Doon ay nakita niyang gutter na nga ang nasa likuran niya. She tsked in her mind and turned her attention back to him. Pero ano'ng gulat niya nang makitang tuluyan na naman itong nakalapit sa kaniya.

Ang akma niyang pagtulak dito ay naudlot nang itaas ni Ryu ang kamay saka inilahad ang palad sa harap niya. Bumaba roon ang kaniyang tingin.

On his palm was a lotus origami, made with an old rose-colored paper, and the size of a golf ball.

            "I made this for you," Ryu said. "Sinabi mo raw na ayaw mo ng rose, so here. A lotus."

            Kunot-noong pinaglipat-lipat niya ang tingin sa origami at sa lalaki. At nang hindi siya kumibo ay banayad nitong kinuha ang kamay niya at inilagay roon ang origami.

            "Totoong lotus flower sana ang ibibigay ko sa 'yo, pero wala akong mahanap kahit saan dito sa Carmona o sa kalapit-bayan. So, in a span of two days, I studied how to make an origami version. Hope you like it."

Napakurap siya at muling ibinaba ang tingin sa origami na nasa kamay. It was beautifully made, maniwala siyang dalawang araw lang nag-practice ang lokong ito para gawin iyon?

            "Alam mo ba kung ano ang simbolo ng lotus?"

            Doon lang siya muling nag-angat ng tingin. Kunot-noo ang sagot niya sa tanong nito.

There was a slight smile on his lips and his eyes twinkled when he said, "In many cultures, the lotus represents beauty, elegance, and wisdom. And for me, you are similar to this flower. Your beauty is absolute; you didn't need to put much effort because your smile could already light up a room. Your elegance stands out from the crowd because you have this ethereal quality that cannot be easily defined. And your wisdom, God... That, I think, is your most attractive attribute. I could listen to you all day as you preach."

Lalo siyang walang nasabi. At ewan niya kung bakit, pero sa bawat salitang binitiwan nito ay parang may humaplos sa puso niya.

And somehow... her annoyance subsided.

"And if you didn't know yet, this flower also represents purity." Ryu then let out another smile full of meaning– full of emotions that she found hard to define. "And I am giving you this as a symbol of my pure intentions, Luna Isabella."

Dumagundong nang malakas ang dibdib niya. And suddenly, breathing became so hard to do. Hindi niya namalayang kanina pa niya pigil-pigil ang paghinga.

She was overwhelmed and she didn't know what to say.

At ngayon ay naguguluhan na siya.

Ang isang bahagi ng isip niya ay ayaw maniwala sa mga sinabi ni Ryu Donovan, habang ang kabila naman ay bumibigay na.

And it horrified her.

It horrified her because a few days ago, she told her friends that she would never give this man a chance. And just a few minutes ago, she was walking next to the guy she secretly had a crush on, planning for this weekend's movie date.

Ano ang sasabihin ng mga ito kapag nalamang unti-unting bumibigay ang pader niya dahil lang sa bulaklak na gawa sa papel?!

With all that in mind, she breathed out and crumpled the paper flower. Then, she looked up and glared at Ryu Donovan.

"Make this your last attempt to charm me into liking you back, because I would never, Ryu Donovan. Never."

At bago pa may maisagot si Ryu ay itinaas na niya ang dalawang kamay at itinulak ito palayo. Nang mapa-atras ito ay sinamantala niya ang pagkakataon upang lumayo rito nang tuluyan. Sa malalaking mga hakbang ay nilampasan niya ito at halos patakbong tinalunton ang daan patungo sa main high school building.