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This is it. August 8, the day which Jake himself chose to finally let out his feeling. His feelings towards his friend for 4 years. Iyong kaibigan niya na laging nandiyan para sa kaniya, maging sa pinakamasaya hanggang sa pinakamalungkot na araw sa buhay ng binata. Park Jongseong is there with him. To tame Jake whenever he's out of control, to hold his hand whenever he's scared, and to find him whenever he's lost.
Those are the things Jay does for him which caused him to fall for the guy. Kahit sabihin mo na 'casual' lang 'yon at mabait lang talaga si Jay, Jake would like to think otherwise. He thinks Jay likes him, too. Hinihintay lang siya.
Their school will hold an event today, bilang celebration na rin ng last day nila sa school. Next week kasi ay graduation na. There are a bunch of students who will come, lalo na't may special performances pa. And, of course, Jake invited Jay. Who else would he invite, right?
"Jayy!! Did you wait too long?" Jake asked, running towards his friend.
Jay shook his head as he smiled at Jake. "Hindi naman. I'm willing to wait for you anyway."
Jake just playfully slapped his shoulder. "Apaka OA talaga."
Natawa naman si Jay sa sinabi ng kaibigan. Hindi niya rin maiwasang titigan ang binata dahil parang mas lalo ata itong pumogi at gumanda dahil ayos na ayos siya. He really did put a lot of effort to his face and fit.
"Ganda mo," Jay whispered.
Narinig ang boses ni Jay pero hindi niya naintindihan ang sinabi nito. "What's that?" he asked.
"Wala. I said, you look good." Jay smiled. Tunaw na naman si Jake sa mga ngiti nito.
Pumasok na ang dalawa sa loob ng kotse ng nakakatanda. As usual, si Jake ay nasa passenger seat at si Jay ang mag-da-drive. Habang nagmamaneho ay bigla ito lumingon sa gawi ni Jake. "Are you bored? You can play some music, connected naman na spotify mo riyan."
Hindi na nakatanggi si Jake at namili na kaagad ng kanta. It's not his first time playing songs inside Jay's car, pero bakit parang kinakabahan siya ngayon? May pumasok naman na ideya sa utak ng binata. What if he tries to confess using a song? Subtle hints ba.
After choosing a song, he rested his head on the window.
— Now Playing. Take A Chance With Me by NIKI
"Nice song," Jay said.
"Yeah, it is. . ." sana gets mo ang ibig kong sabihin.
‘Matalino naman si Jay, siguro ma ge-gets niya ang meaning ng song at kung bakit 'yon ang pinili ko. Sana nga.’ Jake thought.
Medyo kinabahan si Jake habang tumutugtog ang kanta, na nanahimik naman si Jay habang nagda-drive.
"Excited ka ba sa event?" Jake asked.
"Oo naman, despite the fact na last day na natin 'to."
"Hmm," Jake hummed. "May in-e-expect ka bang mangyayari ngayon?"
Jay titled his head. "What do you mean?"
"Wala. . . baka lang naman may biglang nangyari..." Jake trailed off.
"Like what?" lingon sa kaniya ni Jay.
"Mayroong magconfess sa'yo?" hesitant pa si Jake na sabihin 'yon sa umpisa pero agad naman niya itong nailabas sa bunganga niya.
Jay chuckled at Jake's word. "Hahaha that's impossible."
"What if lang!"
"Hmm. . . kung meron man, ba't ngayon pa? Kung kailan tapos na ang school year."
"Late na ba. . ." ako?
Tumahimik naman ang lalaki. "Hindi naman. . ."
Kahit papaano ay gumaan ang pakiramdam ni Jake sa sagot ng kaibigan. May chance pa. P'wede pa naman siguro, 'di ba?
"So, ano'ng sasabihin mo kapag may nagconfess sa'yo?"
"Depende," Jay shrugged.
Tumaas naman ang kilay ni Jake. "Ha? Bakit depende??"
Nagtama ang mata ng dalawa. Jay is now looking at Jake who seems to be lost by Jay's words. "Depende sa tao," ngiti ni Jay sa kaibigan bago muling iharap ang mukha sa daan.
"G-gulo mo," bigla naman lumakas at bumilis ang takbo ng puso ni Jake dahil sa tensyong nabuo kanina nang humarap at titigan siya ng binata. Kung kanina ay kinakabahan siya ngayon ay mas kinakabahan na siya.
However, seeing Jay's reaction made Jake think that maybe may chance nga sila. Baka he can have Jay on his own. Baka p'wede na niyang angkinin ang kaibigan bilang ka-ibigan. Sana nga. Sana'y hindi niya mabitawan ang chance na mayroon para sa kanilang dalawa.
Jake hopes that he wouldn't lose Jay. Even after his confession, sana okay pa rin sila. Ano man ang maging resulta. At siyempre, sana magawa niya rin tapatin ar iharap sa kaibigan ang nararamdaman.
— Hours passed.
Marami-rami na rin ang nakain, naka-usap, at nasabayang kanta si Jake at Jay sa event. Marami pa ring tao kahit malapit ng matapos ang program.
"For our last song, Isa lang by Arthur Nery!" the vocalist of their school band happily said. The crowd cheered, everyone's excited for the next song.
Kitang-kita ang kanilang ngiti dahil sa ganda ng boses ng bokalista at isa pa, maganda rin naman ang kanta. Jake, on the other hand, is lost. He is lost somewhere inside their school campus, kanina pa kasi niya hinahanap ang kaibigan niyang si Jay. They were just together earlier, happily singing together for every song, tapos kanina paglingon niya ay wala na ang binata sa tabi.
"Jay, oh my god, asa'n ka ba??" Inis na tanong ni Jake sa sarili.
Jake frustratedly combed through his hair. Gabi na kasi at malapit na rin namang matapos ang event sa school kaya dapat maya-maya ay uuwi na sila nang magkasama. Jake is used to have Jay accompany him until he gets home, gano'n naman palagi eh. Dating gawi.
However, is it still possible for them to do their routine today? Now that Jay's nowhere to be found and almost every student is leaving the university. Well, Jake doesn't lose hope. Hanggang ngayon ay hinahanap at dinudungaw pa rin niya ang bawat sulok ng campus. It's getting darker and darker as he move far from the crowd but that doesn't stop him. Mamaya pa naman daw magsasara ang gate eh.
Nilabas ni Jake ang cellphone at binuksan ang flashlight. He reached the place where he and Jay used to hangout. A place where students abandoned until they were the only one who go there anymore. Parang lugar na p'wede silang maging totoo, malaya sa matang mapanghusga, at tanging sila lang ang nagkakaintindihan.
The latter thought that maybe he will find Jay there; he's right. He did find his best friend. Lalapitan na sana ni Jake ang kaibigan ngunit natigil siya nang makita na mayroong itong kasama. Magkaharap ang dalawa’t mukhang seryosong nag-uusap. Jake couldn't help but eavesdrop.
"What are you doing here, Hee?"
Ang lalaking hindi gaanong pamilyar kay Jake ay tinitigan lamang ang kaniyang kaibigan. "What do you mean? I go here."
Jay scoffed. "No, you don't."
"Para makita ka," the boy said. "Andito ako para makita ka."
Of course Jay didn't expect that, he was surprised. He felt. . . weird? Especially after the boy's last statement.
"Nagsisisi ka na bang hindi mo tinuloy 'yung 8 years, Heeseung?"
Gulat. Ganiyan ang reaksyon ni Jake nang marinig ang sinabi ng kaibigan, because what do you mean '8 years'? What 8 years? Ano'ng mayroon sa 8 years na 'yon na hindi alam ni Jake? They've been friends for 4 years and Jay didn't even bother telling him about this?
"What the fuck..." Jake whispered from afar. He saw how Jay look at the man — which he believed is Heeseung. He also saw how Heeseung look at Jay with pure longing and admiration.
The moment the two hugged, parang biglang nabingi si Jake. However, the music came blasting in his ears. Lalong lumakas ang tugtog mula sa stage na abot hanggang dito sa kinatatayuan ng binata.
The lyrics played to Jake's ears.
Kung mang-aakit-akit ka na naman
P'wede ba'ng sa akin, akin lang?
"Lintik, tinalo pa ng 8 years," that was Jake's last words before leaving the two. Umalis siya nang mag-isa. He managed to go home without Jay's guidance and company. Naka-uwi siyang walang Jay sa tabi niya na pinag-uusapang ang gabi niya. Ang araw niya.
He did infact started his day with Jay, but he also ended it without the latter.
Akala niya nasa kaniya na ang binata. Akala niya na corner na niya 'to, pero sa huli ay siya pala ang natalo.
Jake's trying so hard not to fall on his knees habang naglalakad sa kalye papunta sa bahay nila. Ngunit kung mahirap na ang makita ang taong gusto mong may kasamang iba, mas mahirap pigilan ang luhang isang taon mo ng iniipon.
"Jake?" he heard someone called his name. Agad naman napatingala at napapunas ng luha si Jake.
"W-who?"
"Sus, Sunghoon! Park Sunghoon! 'Yung partner mo noong last project natin."