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"Ano nga ulit ang kinalaman ng pagbebenta ng graham balls sa pag-aaral ng Photography?"
Bihasang iniwasan ni Sun ang mga nakakasalubong na estudyante sa bahagyang siksikan na hallway sa third floor ng CAS, at natatawang napairap na lang sa narinig na tanong ng kasama. Ilang beses na ba kasi niya narinig ang parehong tanong galing sa best friend niya?
Hindi naman kailangan na magbenta siya ng graham balls para sumipsip sa professor niya o umasa na mabibigyan ng mataas na grade. An ace student like Sun doesn't have to worry about such things, because he can pass his subjects with flying colors as if it's a piece of cake. Well, the Math subjects he used to take as minors during his freshman year were exceptions. Si Jaeyun Sim lang ng College of Engineering ang kilala nila na kayang-kaya ang mahihirap na formula at equations na para bang kumakain lang siya ng cereals sa umaga. He's kinda scary.
Nag-volunteer lang talaga siyang tumulong sa isa sa matatanda na nilang professors na si Mrs. Oh. Noong magpunta kasi siya sa faculty room kahapon, nakita niya ang problemadong mukha ng guro. Nag-alala naman siya lalo na't napalapit na rin ang loob niya rito. He sees her as a mother figure, and she sees him like her own child. Noong tanungin niya ito, nabanggit nitong nahihirapan sila ng asawa niya na bayaran ang bills nila dahil sa pagkakaospital ng isa sa mga anak nito.
Kaya ito siya ngayon. Tapos na nilang ikutin ni Riki ang College of Engineering kanina, at kagagaling lang nila sa College of Economics. They still have two jars full of the no-bake dessert bites to sell before they call it a day.
"Ikaw naman kasi, saksakan ka ng pakipot. Inaya ka na nga ni Sunghoon hyung kanina na makipag-date, pero kung ano-ano pang sinabi mo, tapos saka ka sumama sa akin. Eh 'di sana, masaya ka nang nakikipagharutan sa kanya ngayon." He eyes his best friend with a measuring look.
Hindi nakatakas sa nanunuri mga mata ni Sunoo ang pamumulang agad na kumalat sa pisngi ni Riki. Palihim siyang napahagikhik. The younger was also biting his lower lip to prevent himself from smiling too much, but he's obviously failing.
"Hindi nga kasi date 'yon! Nagtatanong lang siya ng tips for drawing for one of his subjects and kung pwede ko raw ba siya turuan na…"
Yeah, as if Veterinary Medicine students have drawing subjects...You both are fools. Hindi na gaanong naririnig ni Sunoo ang mga sinasabi ng nakababata dahil halos bumubulong na ito sa sarili, at medyo lumalaki na rin ang distansya sa pagitan nilang dalawa. His strides becoming longer is a telltale sign that he's in denial. Damn the kid and his long legs. He really should stop gobbling up those candy vitamins he's addicted to, or he'll become a Titan sooner than later.
"Yah, Riki!" Sunoo whisper-shouted, careful not to disturb the ongoing classes in the less deserted corridors on the first floor where they're currently headed to. The faculty members may love him, but they will all pop veins and never like anyone who interrupts them when they're teaching.
Huminto naman si Riki. "Ano ba, hyung? Ang bagal mo talaga."
Pinigilan ni Sunoo na tadyakan ang likod ng tuhod ng kaibigan. They just went down a few flights of stairs, and he's a bit out of breath. "Tawagan mo si Sunghoon hyung at sabihin mong wala ka namang gagawin buong maghapon. Stop making excuses when it's very apparent that you want to be with him, too." Riki has free period every Monday afternoon, at kanselado naman ang basketball practice ng varsity team.
"Hyung…" The younger one whines, and Sunoo would've gushed about the pout he's making if he isn't serious. His eyes are stern, and he makes sure that Riki knows he's willing to use his slightly rusty Hapkido skills on him if he doesn't do what he's telling him to.
"Sigurado kang kaya mo mag-isa, ha?" Ani nito habang inaabot sa kanya ang dala nitong garapon.
Napaangat ang kilay niya. Aba't ginawa pa akong bata . "You need to get going now or I'll smash your camera into pieces."
And if there's one thing his best friend knows of him more than anyone else, it's that he makes do of his threats. He knows better than to suffer from his wrath and sacrifice his beloved camera.
"Text me when you get home!"
Tinanguan na lang ni Sunoo ang papalayong kaibigan, as both of his arms are currently occupied. He's about to pass by the audiovisual room when a man wearing a black-and-silver headphones bobbing his head to some music caught his attention. Nakasandal ito sa pader na malapit mismo sa pinto ng AVR, his eyes closed and one of his hands hidden in the pocket of his dark wash jeans. A Political Science student, base na rin sa suot nitong lanyard.
The guy was wearing a plain white long-sleeved shirt on top of his dark jeans, and a black Converse shoes to finish the look, and yet Sunoo thought he could trample on all those supermodels he's seen from magazines and the television. Perhaps his hair was originally dyed red and was now fading into strawberry pink. Naka-gel pa ito, and it was styled in a way that exposes his forehead.
Malakas ang dating ng lalaki, na para sa kanya'y mas lalong nadagdagan dahil sa sleeves ng shirt nito na nakarolyo hanggang sa bandang siko. Sunoo eyes up his veiny hands and arms and curses himself silently for the thoughts that invaded his mind right there and then.
He's never seen a man so beautiful, and so handsome at the same time (aside from the times that he checks his own reflection). Parang natuyot yata ang lalamunan niya. Ilang beses niyang ipinilig ang ulo para mawala ang lumot na nagpapalabo sa isipan niya, tapos ay tumikhim para kunin ang atensyon nito.
"Kuya."
Hindi ito natinag sa unang tawag, kaya bahagyang nilakasan niya pa ang boses. And like a cinematic slow motion, the handsome guy cranes his neck upwards, and opens his eyes to meet his own. Goddamn, but the way his Adam's apple bobbed up and down almost sent Sunoo down on his knees.
"Kuya, bili ka na ng graham balls. Five pesos lang!"
Sunoo wears his sunshine smile, pero sa totoo lang ay medyo kinakabahan siya. Paano kasi'y nakatitig lang sa kanya ang lalaki. Even if he's having difficulties maintaining eye contact with him, he did it. Maging mga mata nito'y napakaganda. His midnight black orbs are inquisitive but seems to hold an array of secrets within them. At noong ngumiti ito, hindi na napigilan ni Sunoo ang mapasinghap.
Ang gwapo, putangina.
"I'll just get some money from my bag. Wait here."
Kung nandito si Riki, malamang ay kanina pa siya nito inaasar at pinagtatawanan. Paano'y halata namang attracted siya sa lalaki. Sa tindig nito, sa pagdadala sa sarili, sa pananalita…lahat ay nakatatak na kay Sunoo. His deep, honey voice is still ringing in his ears, and he swears he can talk all day and he will not complain for just one bit.
Sinilip niya ito sa room dahil medyo matagal na ito. He was talking to someone, and then he glanced at the door. Nginitian ito ni Sunoo, but the guy didn't smile back na bahagya niyang ikinasimangot. Lumabas na itong muli.
"Ilan pa ba 'yan?"
"Naku, sobrang dami pa! Kahit ilan pa ang bilhin mo, Kuya."
"Gaano karami? We're about 50 students in the room."
Ililibre niya ba lahat ng kaklase niya? "Huh?"
"Cute. I'll just take them all."
He gives him a crisp, one-thousand-peso bill, and gently plucks the two jars of graham balls out of his arms in exchange. Pagkatapos ay pumasok na ito sa room para ipamigay ang binili nito.
Sunoo panicked slightly. Wala siyang panukli! One jar contains thirty pieces, and he's sold two jars full so far. Three hundred pesos lang ang hawak niya. Hindi naman niya magamit ang sariling pera dahil hindi pa siya nakakapag-withdraw.
"Saglit lang, Kuya! Magpapapalit lang ako. Wala akong hawak na barya rito, eh."
"If you're going to sell again those bites tomorrow, just use the change for them. May klase ulit kami rito bukas, around the same time lang din. You can drop by if you're free."
Hindi makapagsalita si Sunoo at napatunganga na lang. Kung gwapo na ang tingin niya sa lalaki kanina, mas lalo yata itong gumwapo.
"I can already see my professor, so I'll have to go. And please, I'm not your kuya. My name's Heeseung."
The smirk on his face barely registered to Sunoo. And if he's already rendered speechless, then Heeseung's parting words made Sunoo's jaw drop.
"I can't wait to see you tomorrow, Kim Sunoo."