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“Okay, that’s it, see you next meeting!” Prof. Carl said as he ends the presentation. It has been a hectic day because we spent almost two hours in our major class, malapit na rin kasi ang finals kaya kailangan din bilisan ang pacing. I am lucky that my block is generous when it comes to giving recommendations and reviewers kaya ‘di rin kami nahihirapan. I think we are so into the idea of making it to the Dean’s List again since we all managed to place last semester.
I gathered my stuff and prepared my bag to leave the classroom, it was just four in the afternoon and it was already my last class for the day. Normally, I would go to Tayuman (this is like a canteen inside FEU) and go right away to Freedom Park to just watch the WRP classes or those playing volleyball before heading to my next class. I was not really that outgoing nor outspoken which I think are some reasons why I am not that close to my blockmates. Dagdag pa siguro na transferee lang ako from abroad.
“Alanis!” I heard someone call me kaya binaba ko muna ‘yong graham shake ko ‘to see the person, it was kuya Rob, our news editor sa organization. I smiled and waved at him and he did the same, he is probably on his way to the office to fix some plans with Chief.
I watched the students as they dance to the tune of “Tala” when my phone rang indicating a call, it was my best friend, Margo who is calling.
“Hello?”
“Hey!” She chuckled before excusing the noise in the background, “My class in major just ended, and Dad messaged me to say that we should meet him in España,” She told me, before anything else, Margo and I are not in the same school,
Well, how do I say it though? We belong in one university but different institutes?
Anyway, Margo is a Civil Engineering student in Tech, the one in R. Papa street just a few minutes away from FEU Manila,
And speaking of her dad, Uncle Jeonghan who is also an engineer.
“Oh, really? Where is he?”
“He’s in España, Alanis,” she laughed before adding, “Gurl, are you sabog?”
She’s probably thinking I am sabog because I forgot that she already said España in her first explanation,
“No, I’m just sleepy, really sleepy.” I told her and escaped a yawn. I stood up and threw my cup in the trash bin before walking to Gate 3. Margo told me she would meet me near Shakey’s where the Shawarma Rice Stall is located.
“There you are!” Margo called me once I arrived, she’s with a boy and I think said boy is her classmate, judging by the way he looks at her like she puts up the stars for him,
Hay, iba na ata ‘yan.
“This is Santi pala, Alanis,” Said guy extended his hand for a handshake which I accepted, after some hi-hello, he also left us making me grin when I faced my best friend,
“Wag kang issue, Giana,” I rolled my eyes at the mention of my second name,
I don’t know why dad named me that, anyway,
“Anong ganap? Why is tito Han in España?” I asked her as we wait for the stoplight to turn red so we could cross to Dapitan,
“I don’t know the exact thing, but he said over breakfast na he was invited by the College of Engineering to talk?” She answered me unsured,
Tito Han is a graduate of UP Diliman the same batch as my Dad, but Dad graduated from DLSU,
“Wow, tito Han getting those invites,” I said, I’ve always admired tito Han’s work ethic, also growing up, he is someone I look up to aside from my father, good thing, he is also my ninong,
“Paano naman kasi, dadalawa lang tayo na magkaibigan,” Margo and I both chuckled as we follow the people crossing the street,
“At least you have some friends from your dad’s friends back in college,” I told her, it was partially true because tito Han is a social butterfly unlike my dad, and because I left home few years ago, I really don't have many friends,
“Hey, the important thing is that you have true friends, and its not like tito Shua will let you feel lonely,” Margo reassured me as we stop in front of an eatery,
“Wait, dad’s calling,” we stepped back a little to people could still walk without us bothering them just because nakaharang kami to answer tito’s call,
While Margo is talking to tito Han, my eyes wandered around the place, I’ve been here in UST’s area na mga ilang beses na rin, sometimes going to my block mate’s condo to finish a project or just to eat wings when we feel like it,
But it was the first time that I set my eyes on someone who looks so chill, holding a clear book, and standing proud in his uniform,
He has cute eyes, eyeglasses (I assume is his reading glasses) on top of his head, and a smile that radiates warmth
I quickly looked away before the guy could turn around and see me staring at him when I saw Margo ending the call,
“Are you okay? Namumula ka,” she immediately told me after seeing my face, I was trying to contain my kilig because why would I even feel that after seeing a guy that handsome.
“Mainit lang ata, ‘di ko sure? Anyway, ano sabi ni tito?” She looked at me as if waiting for more information, but she dismissed it and looked at her wrist where her watch is strapped,
“I told him we’re near a karinderya, told him the name naman, he’ll meet us here nalang daw,”
“Ang daming gwapo sa UST ‘no,” She randomly said kaya tinignan ko lang siya dahil ‘di ko naman alam kung anong dapat kong sabihin,
Sumimangot lang din si Margo, “Ang pusong bato naman, Alanis, wala ka bang kilig jan sa katawan mo?” She seriously asked na mas nagpatawa sakin,
I used to feel that kilig before I went abroad, I was young back then to fully commit pero aaminin kong nakakamiss din naman kasi ‘yong panahong may special someone ka na alam mong matatakbuhan mo kapag malungkot ka or just anytime you want to see and hear them,
It’s not like it’s easy to bring that back, especially when I’m the one who left,
“I have naman, I guess it is not just my main priority?” Margo sighed and went back to scrolling on her phone’s screen when my eyes landed to the karinderya I was looking at earlier, there are more students inside. I roamed my eyes until it landed on that same guy again,
Mapapakanta na yata ako, “you’re just too good to be true, I can’t take my eyes off you,”
“Margaret!” Margo and I turned around to see tito Han walking to our direction, he’s carrying his bag and coat as he grinned and ruffled our hairs,
“Hello there, girls!” he said, now fixing Margo’s hair,
“Hi, dad!” Margo greeted, and I followed, “Hi, tito!”
“Buti maaga natapos ang classes?” he asked us, when I noticed someone walking towards us,
“tito Han?” the person called, I looked up and saw that it was the guy outside the karinderya that approached us and called tito Han,
“Hey, Klay!” tito Han greeted “Klay” who in return made mano
Damn, dagdag pogi points.
“I thought I was hallucinating when I saw you walking, tito,” he chuckled,
Mama, sorry pero ang pogi nung voice niya?
“Oh, I was invited by the College of Engineering sa UST,” tito Han said as he examined Klay’s appearance,
“You go to UST pala?” he added, I looked at Klay who is still smiling before answering, “Yes po, tito. I’m in Medical Technology,”
That explains the clear book,
“A Romualdez is really meant to be in the medical field,” tito Han laughed, “that’s good, following your parents,” tito Han’s eyes widened as he looked at me and Margo,
“My apologies, I forgot to introduce these ladies,” he said that made Klay laugh,
And man, his eyes almost reached the highest tower in this area,
“Thought you’d never do, tito,” Biro nito as our eyes meet, and I could no longer feel the ground as if I’m on cloud nine already,
“This is my daughter” tito Han pointed to Margo, “Margaret but we call her Margo,” Margo smiled and extended her hand for handshake, “Margo, Civil Engineering, FEU Tech,” Klay returned the gesture and turned to me,
“This is Alanis, I don’t know if you remember Shua,” tito Han stated, “I hope you do,” he laughed,
“Oh, Engr. Villegas, yes I remember him, tito,” he looked at me as if he’s remembering something, “Alanis... Giana? Gia is your nickname, right? I remember from Prof. Villegas’ lesson,” at the mention of my mom’s name, I mean what my mom is known for, I stared at his eyes,
“Prof. Villegas used to be my prof in Ethics, I remember her telling us about her daughter, and well, she also said Engr. Villegas is her husband,” he rambled,
“It’s nice to finally meet the daughter in Prof Villegas’ stories,” he said like a little kid who met his favorite superhero after years of watching them just on the television,
---------------
“Girls, you know how good I am at keeping secrets, right?” tito Han said as he’s parking the car outside the restaurant,
“No, you’re not,” Margo told her dad, tito Han just grinned, and turned to look at us since we’re at the back,
“But I can certainly keep a secret from Shua,” he said in a teasing manner,
“Come on, dad, what’s with the teasing,” Margo chimed in,
“Hay nako, you girls are growing up na ano?” He faked a cry while Margo and I exchanged looks,
“Huh?”
“Let’s just say the eyes never lie when it comes to showing our real feelings, and certainly, your eyes did not lie when you were staring at Klay earlier, Gia,” he seriously said,
My jaw dropped so did Margo’s who is probably wondering what his dad is saying,
“I thought it was just me who saw it?” Margo finally reacted and I was just staring at the rosary in the dashboard, lupa, lamunin mo na ako.
“Mana ka talaga sakin, Margaret,” tito Han and Margo high-fived,
“Swear, tito, it’s nothing!”
But they just laughed at me as we headed inside the restaurant,
I was greeted by a hug from my father who was tucking in my hair,
“Hello, Giana, how was school?” he asked as we walked to where tita Jeongyeon and Mom were sitting, mom immediately hugged me same as tita Jeongyeon to Margo when we arrived,
They were talking about something about expanding the firms when my dad called my attention after talking to tito Han, I was scared for a moment, but it was replaced with comfort when tito Han winked at me, as if he’s telling me, don’t worry I didn’t say anything about your little crush on Romualdez or something along those lines,
I recalled my childhood where the oldies would always say I have dad wrapped around my finger, that Dad would go make ends meet for my happiness. I am his weakness, I am a daddy’s girl,
Maybe it was also the reason why tito Han told me he knows how to keep a secret,
Maybe he saw this coming,
“I heard from Han that you met Kaiden Romualdez?” at the mention of the surname, mom also looked at us,
“Klay? He was my student in his sophomore year, kumusta na siya?”
“He actually talked about you, tita,” Margo said making my mom smiled,
“And he was so excited when he learned that Giana is your daughter,” tito Han added, almost laughing when dad sent him a look, akala ko tatahimik si tito Han pero lalo lang siyang tumawa,
“He was like, oh you’re Prof. Villegas’ daughter, I heard so much about you,” tita Jeongyeon could only laugh at her husband as my dad sent his best friend death glares,
“Loosen up, Shua, it’s not like he’s marrying Giana, he’s just excited when he met her,” mom said, effectively removing the frown on dad’s face while tito Han’s laughing at his power to make my dad frustrated,
“Second thought, Kaiden is a good guy, I would approve,” mom added, bringing the frown on dad’s face back,
Dinner was done and when we went home, I received a notification that surely disturbed the peace that our neighbors were enjoying,
[alanisgvillegas]: margochavez tagged you in a post.
[alanisgvillegas]: kaidenromualdez started following you.
The second time I saw Klay, I was with Anton who is my group mate, walking along España to buy some materials for a project, it was still early, at 5pm in the afternoon, a lot of students were still outside eating different kind of street foods,
Funny as it can be, I could not stop thinking about randomly seeing Klay in the middle of the area... it’s even funnier when my dad would not stop asking me about him as if he wasn’t entirely against the idea of Klay being my boyfriend, I mean, hindi ko nga siya nakikita, magiging jowa pa ba? Which tito Han would just laugh at saying, walang imposible basta may paniniwala, Alanis,
Speaking of Anton, we decided to go inside Torre to buy doughnuts before looking for the materials needed since there are boutiques that might have what we're looking for, we luckily found a seat, so we went there muna to eat,
While Anton is conceptualizing about the project, my eyes found its way to the farthest table from our direction where I saw a familiar figure fixing their bag as they stand up,
Said person did not saw me staring but I was watching as they go board the escalator going down the building,
Anton and I finished and quickly disposed our trash to enter one of the boutiques, thankfully the material needed was already there in the entrance and we only had to look for more of it before heading to the cashier to pay,
Anton and I separated paths as his boyfriend texted him that he was just entering Torre, I couldn’t greet his boyfriend as I went to the exit already, aware that the sun is about to lose its light while the clouds start to announce the start of a rainy season,
When I reached the outside of Torre, I saw the familiar uniform again, and a dog near, it was endearing when the person called the dog as it moved towards them,
The familiar person bended to pet the dog, it was something that made my heart flutter – something I have not experienced for years,
The thunder roared as the person finished his cup of coffee, reaching for his bag and taking the umbrella out of it,
In the middle of a busy España where people are frantically covering their heads or opening their umbrella because the rain is about to fall , I found myself still staring at the familiar person who suddenly turned his head to my direction, ultimately meeting my eyes,
His eyes went from being surprised to worried once the rain started to pour,
Said person immediately ran to my place to keep me sheltered under his black umbrella,
The next thing I knew, I was in a condominium lobby waiting for the rain to stop with Klay by my side praying to God knows who, as my father enter the lobby with my mom grinning,
So, when my dad was sighing after taking my temperature the next day, I just told him the poor excuse of forgetting to bring my own umbrella because the weather forecast didn’t even announced that a typhoon would hit Metro Manila that hard,
When he further asked about what the hell was I doing in España especially in Klay’s condominium lobby when my university’s in Morayta,
I gave him the reason that I was looking (because it was the truth) for the materials needed with Anton who just happened to have a date after the search (I hope he did have the quality time with his boyfriend despite the typhoon) while adding that I was on my way to the LRT when the rain started to pour,
I think tito Han’s invitation to meet him the other month and Anton and I’s spontaneous trip to Torre a week ago were blessings in disguise, to finally find a reason to loosen up after the grueling hours in university trying to comprehend each lesson, or just the mere thought of having someone to look forward to makes it more bearable,
I never knew the feeling “happy crush” could bring to people, never understood the emotion that came with it when people would gush over how their happy crushes would complete and save the day,
But I guess, seeing that Thomasian sa isang karinderya sa España made sense and gave meaning to what I thought was a small thing,
Now, I look forward to what the universe has in store for me, or how planets would turn and turn to give me something I was just wishing for back then,
And few years after, I would come back to remember these memories to say that the question I once had myself thinking of for months was finally answered,
Oh, Thomasian, how would it feel to be loved by you?
It was easy to say that the feeling was good, full of warmth, and something that takes you home, but it was hard to justify, to explain, or to just give more reasons as to why it was what I felt,
Because it was not the feeling of loving him that makes it worth remembering,
But the feeling of being loved by him that makes it truly rewarding,
For a short moment, the stars aligned and guided me to where I belong.
Fin.