Chapter Text
Chapter Three
“I can’t… I can’t give you an answer right now. Can I think about it first?”
“Take all the time you need but while you do… Will you allow me to show you that we at least deserve a chance?”
Bright looked at him with his expressive brown eyes. The same eyes that Win had fallen for at first glance and he could almost swear that he felt tingles all the way down to his toes. Win could never say no to those eyes. Not that he wanted to but he couldn’t even if he tried.
“Okay.”
Umaga na sa ating duyan
Wag nang mawawala
Umaga na sa ating duyan
Magmamahal, o mahiwaga
Matang magkakilala
Sa unang pagtagpo
Paano dahan-dahang
Sinuyo ang puso
Palipat-lipat ang tingin ni Gun at Kana sa pagitan ni Bright at Win dahil ang dalawa ay parehas na pulang-pula at nakatitig lang sa isa’t isa. Nag-aaral kasi sa loob ng library ang apat na magkakaibigan.
“Ano ba! Punyeta kayong dalawa! Ba’t ganyan kayo magtinginan? Ilang araw na yan! Ano bang nangyari sa inyong dalawa?” Bulyaw ni Gun.
“Wala.” Sabay na sagot ni Bright at Win.
Nang tumunog ang cellphone ni Bright, mabilis na tumayo ito at pinulot ang mga gamit niya. “Una na muna ako, may laro kami nila Dew.”
“Ah… O, sige. Sunduin na lang kita mamaya sa field after ng class ko? Kain tayo?”
“Sige.”
Pagkaalis na pagkaalis ni Bright, agad siyang tinabihan ni Gun at kinulit. “So ano, Metawin? Sasabihin mo o ilalabas ko lahat ng baho mo dito?”
Pinagsingkitan ni Win ng mata si Gun. “Mananahimik ka o sasabihin ko sa kabanda ni Bright na crush mo siya?”
“Edi sabihin mo! Di ako torpe katulad mo nye nye!”
“Alam mo ikaw--”
“Metawin?”
Natigilan ang tatlong nagbabangayan nang makita si Bright na bumalik sa table nila. “O, soulmate? Akala ko nakaalis ka na?”
“May nakalimutan lang ako.”
Before Win could react, Bright swiftly planted a quick kiss on his cheek. He then gave him a wink and quickly said, “Okay na. Bye.”
Impit naman na napasigaw si Gun at Kana na gulat na gulat sa nangyari. Si Win naman ay napahawak lang sa pisngi niya, ramdam na ramdam niya na namula ang buong mukha niya at nagiinit ang tenga niya. Halos kasing init ng pakiramdam ng labi ni Bright sa pisngi niya kanina.
“Putangina?!”
“Ano yon?!”
“Wala hehe!” Pabebeng sagot ni Win, sinabayan niya pa ito ng nakakairitang hand gestures ng pagpapabebe.
“Pota ka! Lumapit ka rito at sasabunutan kita!” Banta ni Kana sa kanya.
Masaya naman si Win dahil nakaiwas siya sa kamay ni Kana. "Wag na kayo mainggit. Ako lang 'to, guys!"
Sabay siyang binato ni Gun at Kana ng papel at bolpen. “Haliparot ka!”
“Kana! Wag yan! G-tech yan! Tangina ka!”
Kay tagal ko nang nag-iisa
Andyan ka lang pala
Win sighed as he slouched in his seat. Gustong-gusto niya nang matapos ang Philosophy class niya na ‘to. Excited na siyang makarating sa field para kitain si Bright.
Si Bright.
Iniisip niya pa lang si Bright ay parang bumibilis na ang tibok ng puso niya. Hindi lang siya sigurado if it was a good thing or a bad thing. It’s been 2 weeks since Bright and Win had explicitly admitted their feelings for each other. Wala namang nagbago sa kanila except that Bright had been more open with affection towards him.
And if he was going to be honest? Win loved it. He reveled in it but that didn’t mean that he wasn’t afraid anymore. He was afraid of what would change once he started dating Bright but more than that, he was afraid of losing him. Everyone that Win had ever let himself love turned out to leave him in the end. Everyone except Bright. Kaya niya ba na irisk yon? He’d already been so lucky to have found Bright exactly when he needed him.
That day that Bright and Win became friends? Win wasn’t just crying over Luke. He had been crying over all the love that he’d lost. He spent his whole life loving everyone and never being loved in return. At some point in his life, he had gotten so used to it already that he thought he was okay with it. Kahit masakit sa kanya, na-convince niya na nga ang sarili niya na baka nga ganon talaga ang pagmamahal o baka naman destined lang talaga siya na mahalin ang lahat mag-isa.
It wasn’t until Bright that he experienced what being loved in return was like.
Bright was a man of very few words but he would never fail to show Win through his actions. Bright told him he loved him everyday in all different kinds of ways. Win felt loved in the way Bright patted his head to comfort him on a bad day, in the way Bright would make him playlists on his phone and would share them with him every morning in their classroom, in the way he would slice Win’s fried siomai for him to make sure it wasn’t too hot when he takes a bite, in the way his eyes would always find him even in a room full of people, in the way he would listen to him and his nonsense stories everyday… in the way he held him at night and would whisper “I love you” in his sleep.
Win had never experienced what it was like to be loved in this way, or in any way at all. He was afraid. He was terrified.
But he wanted more of it and more was already within reach. He just needed to be brave enough to take it.
“Mr. Opas-iamkajorn?”
Siniko siya bigla ni Kana kaya nabaling na ulit ang atensyon niya sa professor nila sa harap.
“Po?”
“Mr. Opas-iamkajorn, what to you is a soulmate?”
“Si Bright po.” Nabigla silang lahat sa sinagot ni Win. Kahit si Win ay nabigla because he said it with no hesitation, he said it without even remotely thinking of it. Everyone stared at him with wide eyes.
“Win, that doesn’t make sense.” Suway ng kaklase niya sa kanya.
“It does to me.”
And it did. Suddenly it all made sense.
Mahiwaga
Pipiliin ka
Sa araw-araw
Mahiwaga
Ang nadarama
Sa 'yo'y malinaw
“Bright!”
Hingal na hingal tumakbo si Win papunta sa field. Nasa kalagitnaan pa ng laro sila Bright pero umalis si Bright sa pwesto para salubungin si Win. Ang mga mata niya ay punong puno ng pag aalala.
“Win? Okay ka lang ba?”
Hindi sinagot ni Win si Bright pero hinatak niya ito papunta sa kabilang soccer field na medyo secluded dahil walang tao at napapalibutan pa ng mga puno.
“Win?”
“Teka, wag ka muna magsalita.”
“Pero--”
Agad na tinakpan ni Win ang labi ni Bright gamit ang isang kamay niya at tinignan ito sa mga mata bago takpan rin ang mata nito gamit ang kabilang kamay.
“Wag mo rin akong tignan! Pikit ka! Kinakabahan ako!”
Nagtatakang sumunod sa kanya si Bright. Win slowly put his hands down when he was sure that Bright had listened. He let his eyes roam all over Bright’s close-to-perfect features and he couldn’t stop his hands when they reached for Bright’s face a second time. This time, he cupped Bright’s cheeks in the palms of his hands. Bright’s flushed cheeks felt so soft under his palms. He slowly ran his thumb over one cheek and sighed.
“Bright...I-I’m sorry I was afraid. I’m sorry that I’m still afraid. You deserve someone who is sure of you too. You deserve someone na pipiliin ka sa araw-araw. Just like you have chosen me everyday. You have chosen me kahit ang daldal ko, kahit nauubos pera mo sa pagpapakain sakin, kahit inaagaw ko pamilya mo, kahit di ako naliligo minsan... You have chosen me day in and day out. I didn't even realize it. Kaya kahit natatakot ako, pinipili ko paring subukan. Pinipili rin kita. So if you would give me a chance… Would you be more than just my best friend, Bright?”
Win’s heart was beating so loud that he could have sworn that Bright could hear it too. Bright didn't because his was beating just as loud. Bright stepped closer. Without removing Win’s hands from his face, Bright pressed their foreheads together.
“Baby, you don’t even have to ask.”
Tears had started to leak from the corners of Win’s eyes. He couldn’t believe it. “Akin ka na?”
“Metawin… unang tingin mo pa lang, sayo na ko.”
Higit pa sa ligaya
Hatid sa damdamin
Lahat naunawaan
Sa lalim ng tingin
The two new lovers made no attempt to go back to Bright’s game. Bright had made up an excuse that sounded a lot like: “Papakainin ko muna etong palamunin ko” to which Win smacked him and complained so Bright had to correct it as “Ay paraluman ko pala” to satisfy him. The two men bickered all the way back to Bright’s condo where they could be alone and relish in their new relationship. They are now currently situated (on top of each other) on the couch. Ears red, and arms and limbs entangled.
“Bright...”
“What did you call me?”
“Bright?”
Napanguso naman si Bright sa narinig. “I don’t respond to that name. I only respond to soulmate.”
“Si Bright parang tanga.” Kumalas si Win sa pagkakayakap kay Bright at kunwaring yamot na napakamot sa ulo pero pulang-pula naman ang tenga’t pisngi nito at nakakaloko pa ang ngiti. “Seryoso kasi!”
“Seryoso naman ako sayo.”
“Soulmate!”
“Eto na. Sige, sabihin mo na.”
Umupo ng maayos si Win na para bang seryosong seryoso ang sasabihin sa kasintahan. Kinuha pa nito ang kamay ni Bright at mahigpit na hinawakan. “Okay. Eto… Basta ipromise mo sakin na kung sakaling mag-break tayo, akin ang pamilya mo tas sayo na si Gun at Kana ah?”
“Win naman.”
“Dali! Ipromise mo sakin!” Inalog-alog pa ni Win ang kamay ng boyfriend niya.
“Ayoko nga, iwan mo na lang ako mag-isa.”
“Ang sama mo kay Gun at Kana!”
“Ay ba’t ako? Diba best friend mo sila? Ba’t mo ipagpapalit?”
“Eh masarap magluto si Mama mo tapos si Gun kaliit na tao, napakalakas ng bibig. At si Kana? Ang sakit niya manabunot, soulmate! Makakalbo ata ako sa kanya! Namamato pa ng g tech 'yon! Alam mo ba kung ganon kamahal 'yon, soulmate?!”
“May perfect solution ako para dito." Panimula ni Bright. He even sat up and matched Win's posture to appear more serious. "Marunong din naman ako magluto, di ako maingay, hinding-hindi kita sasaktan at di ako namamato ng g tech. Bilhan pa kita ng g tech kung gusto mo...kaya ang perfect solution ay bawal na tayo mag-break. Dito ka na lang sakin!"
"Ay wow, g tech? Mayaman yarn?"
"Ilang g tech ba gusto mo? Samahan ko pa siomai rice."
Lumakas ang tawa ni Win. "Ay mahal na mahal ako? Puro suhol?"
"Dagdagan pa natin na ang gwapo ko diba? O, san ka pa?"
"Ang kapal naman ng mukha mo, ser."
Mahinang natawa si Bright sa reaction ni Win and for a minute there, they just kind of stared at each other.
Bright smiled fondly at the man in front of him, leaning in slowly to brush away stray strands of hair from Win's face. He pretended not to hear Win's breath hitch. "Metawin, akin ka na ngayon. Tingin mo ba talaga pakakawalan pa kita? Bawal na tayo mag-break noh.” Hinatak ni Bright pabalik si Win pahiga sa sofa niya. Hindi naman lumaban si Win at nagpahila na lang. Win was facing away from Bright but Bright had tucked him into his arms, Win’s back touching Bright’s chest.
Napapikit na lang si Win nang humigpit ang akap ni Bright sa kanya at ibinulong, “Dito ka na lang sakin ha?”
“Sige. Dito na lang ako. Ikaw na lang pipiliin ko.”
Mahiwaga
Pipiliin ka
Sa araw-araw
Mahiwaga
Ang nadarama
Sa 'yo'y malinaw
Sa minsang pagbaling ng hangin
Hinila patungo sa akin
Na tanging ika'y iibiging wagas at buo
Payapa sa yakap ng iyong hiwaga
Payapa sa yakap ng iyong…
When Win was sure that Bright was already fast asleep, he slowly turned in his arms to face him. Win let his eyes dance over Bright’s sleeping face even using a finger to gently trace lines on it. The other man had one cheek squished against his pillow. His lips were slightly parted as soft snores escaped them. This is a sight Win had seen countless of times before but will probably never get tired of. Win loved watching Bright sleep and he always waited until Bright started talking in his sleep.
“Hmmmm… Win”
“Yes?” Win whispered back.
“Hmmmm...I love you.”
A soft smile graced Win’s lips as he felt Bright’s arm tighten around him unconsciously. Win huddled closer to Bright’s body, he was so close that their noses were already touching. It warmed Win’s heart to know that even unconsciously, this man loved him with all his heart.
“I love you, Bright.”
Even in his sleep, Bright would choose Win. And even if Win was wide awake with all the fears that plagued him, he would still choose Bright.
In every circumstance and in every day, they would choose each other.
Win closed his eyes and drifted off while listening to Bright's soft snores. He felt nothing but safe in his lover's arms.
Mahiwaga
Pipiliin ka
Sa araw-araw
Mahiwaga
Ang nadarama
Sa 'yo'y malinaw
Mahiwaga
Wag nang mawala
Araw-araw
Mahiwaga
Pipiliin ka
Araw-araw
“Soulmate, may tanong ako. Huwag ka magagalit ha?” The pair were walking towards their building, their hands intertwined and swaying in between them.
“Ano nanaman yan? Pumayag na ko na ibigay ang pamilya ko at ang katawan ko. Ano pa bang gusto mo?”
“Hoy ang kapal ng mukha mo! Walang nangyari satin! At mas seryoso 'to kesa dyan! Totoo na ‘to!”
Bright sighed but decided to indulge him like he always did.
“Matalino ka. Gwapo ka. Talented ka. Anyone would be lucky to have you. So why does it have to be me?”
“What do you mean?”
“Pinili mo ko when nobody else did. Pinili mo ko kahit sa mga araw na hindi ko kayang piliin ang sarili ko. Is it because you love me that much?”
“Metawin, mahal kita, oo pero hindi lang yon dahil dun. You deserve to be chosen too.”
Win started to shake his head but Bright caught him. He gently pushed his chin up to meet his eyes, Bright’s other hand did not let go of Win’s. “Win, listen to me. You don’t see it but I do. You’re kind and you can make friends with anyone. You befriended me when I had no one else here on campus. You willingly give your heart out to anyone. You love so hard, completely and passionately without expecting to be loved in return. I’m sorry that people have left you. I’m sorry that people didn’t choose you but that wasn’t your fault. Nothing is wrong with you and I will prove it to you. Let me give you the love that you deserve in return. Let me love you the way you have loved everyone else.”
"Bright... You already have."
Win couldn’t stop himself. It was like his body moved on its own accord. As Win leaned in, Bright met him halfway. Their noses touched and their lips brushed against each other softly before pressing together more firmly. It happened slowly then all at once. It was gentle but passionate. It was almost shy but also sure. It was perfect.
The taste of each other’s lips lingered even as they pulled back. Both of them grinned at each other, their cheeks flushed.
“I love you, Bright.”
“I love you, soulmate.”
“Hey! You just called me soulmate!” Tumalon-talon pa si Win sa saya. Ang ngiti niya ay umabot hanggang mata.
Natawa si Bright sa naging reaction ni Win. “I did.”
“Ulitin mo!”
“Kiss mo muna ako ulit.”
Ang lakas ng tawa ni Bright nang hampasin siya ni Win but his breath caught in his throat when Win shyly but quickly pecked him on the lips. “Is that good enough for you, Sir?”
Bright smiled mischievously before he shook his head. “More.”