Work Text:
Putangina.
Umuulan ngayong UPCAT, great, just great. Sa lahat nga naman ng araw na pwede umulan, bumagyo, bumaha, ngayong araw pa ng UPCAT.
Kung tatanungin hindi naman talaga umaasa na papasa siya, kahapon may nagsend sa group chat ng room nila ng screenshot ng tweet na 105,000 daw ang nag-apply tapos 85,000 lang ang nakakakuha ng permit. Nabasa din niya na 3,500 lang ang kukunin sa Diliman kaya di na talaga siya umaasa. Di na din nag-effort pa mag-review para doon.
7 am kasi ang nakuhang schedule niya, umabsent pa nga siya sa class niya para lang mag-entrance exam. Sabi kasi ng ate niya sakanya, 'bakit hindi diba, charge to experience kung di pumasa,' sabay tulak sakanya papaalis ng bahay para magpasa sa admissions.
Nung mismong araw ng exams, nakitulog siya sa bahay ng bestfriend niya na si Mingyu, Atenista, mayaman at taga-Katipunan. Walking distance lang yung condo sa Diliman kaya nung inaya siya na mag-overnight doon before exams, umoo na talaga siya.
Hassle kasi kung mangagaling pa kasi siya sa España. Ayaw niyang gumising ng maaga, para lang mag-commute ng pagkalayo-layo.
Asadong asado din kasi siya na madrodrop off siya ni Mingyu sa UP kaso sa lahat ng araw na masisira si Chandler Bing (he named his car, I swear I cannot) ngayon pa. Wala namang kaso maglakad o mag-overpass ng medyo malayo kay Soonyoung ang kaso lang kasi, sa lahat naman ng araw na pwedeng umulan, ngayon pa.
Just imagine how rained on Soonyoung and Mingyu were even before they got to UP. Proxy kasi ng parents ni Soonyoung si Mingyu kaya sinamahan na siya nito, di kasi nila masamahan si Soonyoung dahil may kanya-kanyang trabaho.
Naglalakad lang naman sila ngayon sa ulan sa loob ng UP papuntang Palma Hall. Doon kasi testing center niya. Si Mingyu naman kasi ayaw na mag-UPCAT, okay na daw siya sa Ateneo.
"So ano yun? Mula junior high hanggang senior high, tapos ngayong college doon ka pa din? Don't you get sick of the place? Ayaw mo ba man lang i-change up yung environment?" sabi ni Soonyoung sabay lipat ng bag sa harap niya kasi nababasa na. Nasa may oblation so onting lakad na lang.
"Actually I applied for Stanford and NYU, yun pala yung nakalimutan kong sabihin sayo," sabi naman ni Mingyu sabay tingin kay Soonyoung habang hawak yung payong. Magrereklamo na sana si Soonyoung na sa lahat at dinami-dami ng pwedeng makalimutan ni Mingyu ay yun pa kaso may sumigaw sa kanila ng Kuya kaya napalingon sila.
"Hi! Excuse me?"
"Sa Palma Hall din ba yung punta niyo? Can I go with you guys? I was dropped off by my ride, but I forgot to bring an umbrella," sabi ni Kuyang Fall out Boy sweater sabay ayos ng specs niya in place, malalaglag na kasi dahil tinakbo niya, sila ni Mingyu tapos basang basa pa siya ng ulan.
Di naman talaga choosy si Soonyoung, kapag nag-novena siya kay Lord para manghingi ng cheese burger pero cheese burger with fries at sundae yung binigay sakanya, marunong naman siya mag-thank you.
Thank you
"What are you thanking me for?" sassed Mingyu. Ofcourse, Mingyu had to interrupt him. Para saan pa yung katarayan ni Mingyu kung hindi niya tatarayan si Soonyoung.
Kasi sa totoo lang talaga hindi naghahanap si Soonyoung ng forever, pumunta lang naman siya sa UP para mag-entrance pero kung will naman ni Lord na magkaforever siya bakit hindi diba. Landi. Landi. Landi.
"Nothing," Soonyoung replied making eye contact with Mingyu trying to send signals telepathically. Do not mess this up for me, forever ko 'to. Bago siya humarap kay kuyang naka-wet look.
"Sure, Palma Hall din ako. Let's go together," he said smiling at the guy. Sa lahat naman ng araw talaga naman, ngayon pa niya nakita forever niya. Ngayong pang pareho silang basa at mag-eentance exam, pero on the bright side, atleast umuulan diba, romantic yung paligid, silver linings. Ni hindi nga sigurado si Soonyoung kung pareho ba sila ng batting team o ano eh.
"What's your name? What school are you from?" Ofcourse si Mingyu magsisimula ng conversation, Mr. Congeniality. Ahas. Ahas. Ahas. At this point mga 60 times pa lang sinasakal ni Soonyoung sa isip niya si Mingyu para sa ka-ahasan nito. He maybe his bestfriend pero in the name of love, walang snakes Mingyu. Wonwoo smiled before responding in a shy yet polite tone.
"I'm Wonwoo and I'm from LSGH, kayo?" He asked looking genuinely interested. Mingyu at the side already feeling the school spirit. Basta mamention La Salle, natritrigger yung buong pagkatao niya but it's not like Mingyu and Soonyoung don't have any La Sallian friends, kalahati ata ng barkada nila taga-La Salle. Not to mention his beloved Hao ay nasa La Salle.
"Really? I'm from Ateneo High School how come I haven't seen you around pag-soirées?" Mingyu inquired. Si Soonyoung konti na lang mahahambalos na si Mingyu, ayan na yung forever niya tapos sila yung nag-uusap hindi sila ni Soonyoung.
"I don't really like going to those. How about you?" Ayan na mga friends at family, Mingyu slammed shut sa isang sentence. Thank God for small mercies.
"I'm Soonyoung and I'm from USTSHS," sabay killer eye smile in the hopes na kiligin si Wonwoo. May naisip na sana siyang matinding pick up line na pakilig kay Wonwoo before he was rudely cut off again by the cockblock that is Mingyu Kim.
"Look we're here, they're lining up. Goodluck guys. Soonyoung, text me when you're done, I'll pick you up," Mingyu last said before he went away.
They stood in queue for a bit before they were sent into the rooms to take the exams. Wonwoo and Soonyoung did end up sitting right next to each other during the test. After a couple of looks, hinuli na niya yung tingin ni Wonwoo. Akala ba niya hindi mapapansin ni Soonyoung yung mga nakaw na tingin niya. Syempre, killer eyesmile after eye contact.
After nung test, Soonyoung was ready to flop down and mourn over the inevitable disappointing results... feel niya lang advance siya mag-isip eh. He didn't really review that much. Remember 100k applicants, wala talaga siyang will power para mag-effort magreview. He's really not in the mood to be the family's greatest disappointment. Lahat ba naman ng nasa angkan nila pumasa dito, kahit ata wala sa puso niya na mag-aral doon, kahit paano gusto niyang pumasa.
He was lowkey sad, and all that before Wonwoo went to him and asked him to exchange numbers, smiled, and thanked him for earlier. He'd really like it if they hung out together soon.
Let us also not forget Wonwoo's text later that night to Soonyoung, it went like this:
Wonwoo Jeon
09xxxxxxxx
Also Soonyoung, I forgot to tell you that you have the cutest smile. Hope to see you around UP (or La Salle or UST) soon. :)
-W