Chapter Text
“Ang liit ko!” komento ni Sunoo nang makita ang sarili sa TV.
They were playing the old digicam tapes at home, right before Sunoo starts another semester in school. Trip lang daw sana niyang makita kung paano siya nung bata. There were a handful – mostly just tapes of him – celebrating small milestones – from the moment he started babbling and walking – up to his birthday celebrations at the old fast food joint near their condo unit in Makati.
“Kaya nga,” sagot lang din ni Wonwoo, pukaw din ang atensyon sa telebisyon. Mingyu was seated on the couch right beside Wonwoo, and Sunoo was seated on their carpet, with Seol on his lap.
Buti na nga lang at nakahanap sila ng paraan para mabigyang pagkakataon na mapanood ni Sunoo ‘yung mga ‘yun. Nakalimutan na nga rin ni Wonwoo na nauwi nga pala nila sa QC ‘yung mga tape.
Ang pinapanood nila ngayon ay ‘yung nag-dadaldal lang si Sunoo ng kung ano-ano.
“Da, Pa, Ta,” little Sunoo on the TV says. “Gu…woh.”
Mingyu and Wonwoo’s face were barely seen in the recordings. Boses lang nilang dalawa ang kadalasang naririnig sa TV.
“Dada,” dinig nila sa TV, si Wonwoo ‘yung nagsasalita. “Tawag mo ‘dada Wonwoo’.”
Little Sunoo on the TV didn’t pay attention, just playing with a rattle on his tiny hand.
“Sun, call papa,” boses naman ni Mingyu. “Papa.”
Sunoo – the present Sunoo – laughed.
“Dada,”
“Papa,”
“Min, ‘wag ka na nga, dada dapat una,”
“Ngi,” reklamo ng boses ni Mingyu.
“Pati ba naman ‘yan pinagtalunan?” tawa ni Sunoo nang marinig ang mahihinang boses ng mga paniguradong bata-bata pang mga magulang.
“Competitive kasi si dada,”katwiran ni Mingyu.
“‘Wohwooh?”
“Lab! Wonwoo daw!” masayang sabi ng boses ni Wonwoo sa TV. “Wonwoo!”
“Tawag mo dada Wonwoo, baby?” ulit ng boses ni Mingyu mula sa speakers.
“Wohwohh!” sigaw ng walang kamuwang-muwang na baby Sunoo. “Wah!”
Then, the video froze, then the screen turned black. Wonwoo doesn’t remember exactly what happened, but it was probably because they stopped the recording abruptly and then proceeded to play and coo at their baby then.
After a few moments, the screen came back to life. The video was grainy, was with the previous one – and very shaky.
“Ah, naalala ko ‘to,” komento ni Mingyu nang makita ang sariling mukha sa TV.
“Grabe, papa! Parang walang masyadong pinagbago mukha mo!” sabi ni Sunoo, gulat sa hulma ng mukha ni Mingyu.
Ah, isip ni Wonwoo. Naalala niya na rin kung ano ‘to.
It was the time they caught Sunoo trying (and successfully) to stand and walk. Sunoo was wearing a baby blue onesie, and his wispy hair pointing to different places.
“Baby, Sun, tingin ka kay dada,” wika ng mas batang bersyon ni Mingyu sa TV.
Tumingin rin si Sunoo sa tinuturo ng daliri ni Mingyu. Sa screen ng TV nila, kitang-kita ang mukha bilugang mukha ni Sunoo – nakangiti at humahalakhak lang sa mga magulang niya.
“Kamukhang kamukha mo,” bulong ni Mingyu sa asawa niya.
Medyo mababa ang resolusyon ng bidyo, pero kita ni Wonwoo kung anong sinasabi ng asawa. Mula sa kutis hanggang sa hulma ng ngiti, Wonwoo talaga ang hitsura. Hindi man lang masyadong nagpumilit ang genes ni Mingyu, sa totoo lang.
The video shifts around, probably because of how much Wonwoo had been trying his best to contain his giddiness (and tears).
“Sunoo, oh my god, ang galing ng baby namin,” dinig ng pamilya sa speakers. “Sun, you’re so amazing, saan ka po natuto mag-walk ng ganyan?”
Napatingin si Sunoo sa tatay niya. “Umiyak ka ba, da?” tanong niya kay Wonwoo.
Tumango lang si Wonwoo, natatawa lang din dahil sa kababawan ng luha niya dati. Basta pag si Sunoo kasi ang usapan, lambot na lambot agad si Wonwoo eh.
“Syempre, milestone ‘yan eh,” sagot niya.
Sa loob ng sala nila, umalingawngaw ang halakhak ng batang Sunoo.
“Hawak ka kay Papa, baby, ‘yan ang galing ng baby namin,” Wonwoo on the TV says.
Then, in the midst of the shaking of the camera, Mingyu’s voice echoed through the speakers.
“Mahal, you’re crying,” pabulong na sabi ng mas batang Mingyu.
“Naku talaga kayo! Simula talaga dati pa!” biro ni Sunoo nang marinig ang pamilya na tawag ng papa niya sa asawa.
The blurry camera was still focused on Sunoo, although Mingyu’s face had been slightly cut off from the view. Still, they were still able to see how Mingyu was looking at Wonwoo who was holding the digicam.
Wonwoo couldn’t help but smile while watching Mingyu’s puppy-like face on TV. He still looks at him like that even after all the things that happened between them.
“Happy tears lang, baby. Look at our kid. Ang galing niya lang,” sagot ng batang bersyon ni Wonwoo.
“Okay, pack up na, pack up na,” anunsyon ni Wonwoo nang marinig ang boses, he paused the TV. “Tama na, patayin na ‘yan!”
“Nooooo,” Sunoo groans, nagpapacute sa mga magulang – yes kahit nasa college, nagpapacute pa rin siya sa parents niya. “Ang daya, dada.”
Mingyu joins in on the wagon. “Nooo, dada naman eh,” ungot din nito, sinasabayan ang trip ni Sunoo.
Wonwoo pretended to be annoyed, even massaging his temples – acting dramatic. Amats yata talaga ng pamilya nilang mag-OA-OA-an sa buhay eh.
“Dada,” lambing ni Mingyu. “Madaya ka ah,” asar niya sa asawa.
“My God! Grabe kayo!” natatawang sabi lang ni Sunoo, umiirap kunwari.
Wonwoo eventually laughed at the antics of the his son and husband. “Fine! Wala nang asar asar!”
He played the video again.
“I know, mahal. Come here?” Mingyu on the TV says.
“Grabe, nag-eenglish siya! Nag-eenglish siya!” asar ni Sunoo sa tatay Min niya.
Humalakhak tuloy si Mingyu, saka ginulo ang buhok ng anak, saka nanaman sumandal sa sofa.
Sa TV nila, paikot-ikot na naman ang eksena, malamang dahil umupo nga si Wonwoo noon. May mabilisang kuha ng mga paa sa TV, bago muling tumutok sa mabilog na mukha ni Sunoo.
“You’re worried,” malambot na sambit ng Mingyu sa TV. “Bakit worried ang lab ko na ‘yan?”
“Lab?! Anong ‘lab’?!” gulat na sabi ni Sunoo. “‘Lab’ talaga?! Ang dami niyo naman tawag sa isa’t isa!”
Wonwoo giggled at his son’s reaction. “Inggit ka, bebe?” tanong niya sa anak.
Mingyu decided to join in on the fun, too. “Pakilala mo na kasi sa’min ‘yung katawagan mo. Last year pa ‘yan.”
Tulad ng ekspektasyon ng mag-asawa, namula ang tenga ng anak nila. “Wala nga po! Nood na nga ako, dami ko kasing comment,” he muttered.
The voice of Wonwoo on the TV echoed. “Nothing, ano lang, tuwa nga lang ako, ganun,”
Then, baby Sunoo makes a noise, “Wohwohhhh” he said.
“Wohwohhh,” Sunoo mimicked himself, laughing as he did so. “Daming sinasabi kabata-bata!”
The grainy record showed Mingyu with Sunoo on his lap. Mingyu was patting down the stray hairs of the baby, and gently kissing his head.
Wonwoo still remembers how he felt that day. And it still stands true; that he was glad to have gotten this moment frame by frame. Even after years, every second still seemed like a special recollection of their past, something that time can’t take away from them.
“C’mon, love. Anong problema po natin?” younger Mingyu’s voice said.
Baby Sunoo shrieks as well, his chubby cheek getting pinker on TV.
Wonwoo smiles at the video playing on their screen.
“Just. Things. Parenthood. Our jobs. Ang bilis, Min. Parang nung huli naninipa lang siya sa tiyan ko – he’s growing fast.”
“Naglakad lang, growing fast na agad?”
“Ikaw ah,” ani ni Wonwoo nang marinig ang anak.
“He’s not. Ang liit niya pa, oh,” sagot ng mas batang Mingyu sa kanya.
“Lab naman, seryoso nga ako,”
“Me too, love,” ani ni Mingyu. “We’re both serious ni Sun. Liit niya pa raw for you to worry about those things.”
Unknown to his son’s knowledge, Wonwoo was actually looking at Sunoo, too. His vision shifts from the TV to his son, then to Mingyu, then back to Sunoo again.
Wonwoo’s heart warms when he saw that the apples of Sunoo’s cheek get rounder by the second. Ang hilig hilig mang-asar ng anak nila palagi pero kitang-kita naman na masaya rin ang binata sa nakikita niya.
Sakto, humagikgik ang batang bersyon ni Sunoo sa TV.
Napangiti lang si Wonwoo lalo nang mapansin na kahit talaga lumaki na ang anak niya, he’s still has the same smile and attitude they raised him with.
“Dada, you’re doing great,” dinig nila sa TV. Si Mingyu ‘yun, nag-b-baby talk para pasayahin ang ang asawa niya. “We’re so proud of you.”
The Mingyu on TV – although cut from view – was smiling widely. Despite the signs of fatigue and lack of sleep marring his face, Mingyu looked as if he was just happy to be existing in the same space as them. It was magical to see Mingyu’s joy suspended on screen, like some sort of permanent testament of love.
Wonwoo doesn’t even notice he was smiling at the TV, too. Then, Mingyu – present Mingyu’s hand found his hand.
“Hm?”
“Hanggang ngayon, Wons,” bulong ni Mingyu sa kanya. “I’m proud of you.”
Just like the Mingyu on TV, this Mingyu looked at him with the adoring eyes. The same pretty boy he’d grown to love from all the years.
“‘Wag ka masyado mag-alala, okay?” Mingyu on the TV says, no longer sounding like a child. “Alam mo naman na I’m here for you too, right? Whatever happens, lagi naman akong nandito, okay?”
Wonwoo gave him a knowing smile.
“On our first date I told you I was excited to marry you. And even more so now that I’m raising a family with you. I’m excited every day because of you two.”
“Oh my God!” biglang sigaw ni Sunoo, ginugulat ang mga magulang sa reaksyon niya. “Ganun!?”
“I know.”
Mingyu and Wonwoo look at each other, then back to their son sitting right at their feet.
“Good, very good, dada!” ni Mingyu sa telebisyon, tinataas ang maliliit na braso ni Sunoo.
Hindi masyadong dinig ang naging komento ni Wonwoo sa TV. It sounded like ‘makukulit talaga’, but they couldn’t hear it much because of the sudden shift of the camera angle once again.
“Sun, hug dada na, para when papa’s not there, his little Sun can always make dada’s days bright,hm?”
There was a lot of rustling, then, after a few moments, it was Wonwoo’s young face on the TV.
“Sobrang monyeka ni dada!” ani ni Sunoo nang makita ang mukha ng ama niya.
“Anong monyeka, lab?” tanong ni Mingyu sa asawa, binubulong ito sa tenga ni Wonwoo.
“‘Di ko rin alam,” sagot pabalik ni Wonwoo. “Ganyan din sinabi sa’kin nung nag-date tayo dati. Alala mo? A year ago, lab.”
Mingyu made a tiny ‘O’ with his mouth before nodding back and forth. “Baka maganda?”
“Bolero,” tawa ni Wonwoo, pinipitil ang noo ng asawa.
They were back to their own little world when Sunoo giggled loudly again.
“Ano nangyari?” tanong ni Mingyu.
“Rewind na ‘yan!” ani ni Sunoo, saka kinuha ang remote sa maliit na mesa.
Matapos ang ilang segundo, bumalik sila sa mga segundong ‘di napanood ng mag-aswa.
“I love you. I love our little family,” Mingyu’s young voice said. “I love our little family.”
Present Wonoo laughed when he heard that. Never gets old nga talaga ang mga pinagsasabi ni Mingyu.
A tiny noise – resembling like a pout was heard on camera right after – right when the screen showed an up close footage of Sunoo’s hair.
They kissed then, on the cheek – Wonwoo remembered.
“I love you. I love our family, too,” was all they heard right before the recording stopped.
As the video ended, the little family’s reflection was seen on the black TV screen. Wonwoo’s head had made its way on Mingyu’s shoulder, and Sunoo’s nape had been already resting on his dada’s knees, whereas Seol’s body had settled nicely on Sunoo’s thigh. One of Mingyu’s hand was positioned on Wonwoo’s back, then, slowly it drifted over his husband’s belly.
“Love,” Mingyu whispered against his husband’s ears.
“Hm?” Wonwoo quietly replied, craning his neck to look at Mingyu.
“Kailan natin sasabihin kay Sun?”
Wonwoo smiled softly as he looked over Sunoo. Clueless. Sunoo was as clueless as he was when he was a baby.
“Soon?” sagot lang ni Wonwoo, sinisiksik lalo ang ulo sa balikat ng asawa.
“Okay po.”
Mingyu slowly made little circles on Wonwoo’s tummy, then gave the soft flesh tiny rhythmic taps.
Their little family won’t be so little anymore.