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They say that love is an art—painted by emotions and feelings that no words could express it best unless its subject are drawn by the perfect artist.
While the colours truly convey common meanings, it’s different for Mingyu.
Red is not for anger nor danger. It is the colour of endless love.
Blue is not for cold nor fear. It is the tranquility of one’s presence.
And Purple, is definitely not for mystery. It is the rarity of Wonwoo’s entirety—his soul, mind, and heart.
Lila sa tagalog.
“Happy Anniversary,” Mingyu whispered to Wonwoo’s ear as he tightly but softly wrapped his arms around to its small waist.
“Hmm,”
“Araw natin, lila ko,”
Wonwoo opened his eyes and saw the sun outside slowly peeking to their windows. Nilagay niya ang kanang kamay sa nakapatong na kamay ni Mingyu sa bewang niya at dahan-dahang humarap dito, “Happy Anniversary & Valentine’s day.” at hinalikan ng malambot ang noo, ilong, mga pisngi, at ang labi nito.
“Ready for our day?” Mingyu asked. His lips protruding into a pout, a sign for another kiss.
“Hmm. But, can we atleast cross out the commute part? I feel like I will pass out especially that the weather is starting to get mainit and malagkit,”
Mingyu laughed and couldn’t help but to have a sudden cuteness aggression to his boyfriend’s speech. Ang conyo kong mahal ko talaga naman, he said to his mind.
The sun is starting to shine more in their bedroom when Wonwoo looked up to the clock wall and saw that it’s still early in the morning. 6:30 A.M. Parang ayaw pa talaga niyang bumangon at unti-unting naiisip na sa condo na lang sila mag-celebrate ng Anniversary at Valentine’s day. Bukod pa roon, ayaw niya talagang mag-commute dahil bukod sa mainit at malagkit na nga ang panahon, a lot of people will provide spend their day outside. And when he was about to suggest it, Mingyu spoke again first. “I thought you want to master the streets, baby? We have to commute so that you will really get familiarized with the roads,”
Mingyu fixed the comforter on Wonwoo and kissed his forehead. “Mas praktikal matuto tuwing deretso ang karanasan, mahal.”
And Wonwoo… oh dear. In his mind, he asks himself if did he ever wrote to his journal that the man he’s currently wrapped with is the man that only his heart could recognize but couldn’t memorize? Sa mga salita, sa mga kilos, at sa mga pakiramdam—palaging may bago at nakakamanghang pagkatuto. Lahat walang pagkukulang, palaging puno ng sinseridad at pagmamahal na kahit sa pinakamaliit na aspekto ay may malalim na paghuhugutan.
The streets he wants to get familiar with to be confident in commuting? It’s a subject; a storyline. From the road signages which his eyes will have to read, the voices of the jeepney drives he has to attentively listen to, the loud honks of other cars, and the destination. It’s a storyline that only an artist could paint when its hands know the subject well.
Wonwoo’s lips curved into a big smile and leaned more towards Mingyu and said, “Basta ikaw ang kasama, walang problema. Kahit mainit, kahit malagkit, basta hawak mo ako, pipiliin kong matuto sa praktikal na paraan,”. He holds Mingyu’s hand and brought it to his chest.
“Do you feel how my heart beats faster than normal?” Wonwoo asked. A wondering Mingyu just nodded and smiled. “That’s your effect to me. A little something from your mind and heart is a big everything to my whole-being.”
Aside from a stretched lips, the eyes of Mingyu starts to swell up. He couldn’t believe what he is just hearing right now. He didn’t expect that in the early morning of 14th of February, when the sun is already peeking, he would hear a declaration of Wonwoo’s love bound to his. That the nature of himself tangled to his man’s heart.
“Oh, my lila.”
Mingyu kissed Wonwoo’s lips and rest his palm to the heart of Wonwoo. He moved his lips slowly and savor the softness while he bites on the lower lip. When he moved away, he saw how Wonwoo glowed through the entire bedroom. He saw Wonwoo’s cool tone radiating across the dimly colored of their lampshade; he saw Wonwoo’s reddened cheeks against the paleness of the pillows; and he saw the purple heart-shaped pendant dangling to its necklace, attached to his Wonwoo.
A necklace with a small purple heart-shaped pendant.
The symbol he gave in exchange of Wonwoo’s soul. The prospect of their future. And the very reason why their existence didn’t exist with one another, it collided them.
Kung tutuusin, mababaw lang naman ang naging salita na ‘yon ni Mingyu. It’s just about commuting and practical experience. Pero iba pala talaga kapag hindi lamang basta binubuo ng mga letra ang isang salita, iba pala talaga kapag ang pagsambit ng mga kataga ay may intensyong alaga. Because only through that can Wonwoo know that his Mingyu is willing to go through the heat and sticky feeling if it will compensate Wonwoo’s sake—learning and beyond that.
Naalala niya pa noong una nilang kita, it was along the street of Morayta. May mga nagtitinda sa gilid-gilid nito ng mga abubot at kung ano-ano pa. He was simply just passing by to accompany his bestfriend, Seungcheol, to go to his boyfriend, Jeonghan, because it’s their anniversary. Naalala pa nga niya kung gaano siyang kainis na kailangan pa niyang sumama kung makikita lang naman niya ang landian ng bestfriend niya at boyfriend nito. And it’s not like he has a choice to run knowing that Seungcheol will sulk for the rest of their life because of that.
Mingyu kept mumbling his rants while walking when he accidentally bumped into someone. Tall but not taller than him, chinito, pale, and beautiful. He was wearing eyeglasses and holding a book. Nalaglag ‘to ng magkabanggaan sila. And Mingyu? Oh he did pray so hard that time na sana pala naging maingat siya. Because that moment of clumsiness of him was a disaster for Wonwoo.
“Shit! My book,” Wonwoo shouted in distress. He was so mad that it slipped from his hands and fell to the ground… a wet ground. He bent down to get it when someone touched his fingers and snatched the book first. He looked up and saw the man, the very reason why his book got destroyed.
Mingyu handed the book and apologized, “I’m s-sorry! Hindi ko po sinasadya. I didn’t see na may kasalubong pala ako,” but Wonwoo just stared at him. He thought he will get an earful response knowing that the guy already look in rush and stress tapos dumagdag pa siya but Wonwoo only teared up, hands are shaking that he looks like about to pass out, and walked away instead.
Nagtaka si Mingyu sa inasta ng lalaki kaya naman sinundan niya ito ng tingin. He saw that he is wiping his tears while walking so fast he doesn’t seem bothered if people are looking at him. Sa sobrang pagka-guilty, sinubukan niyang sundan ito pero biglang may lumapit sa kaniyang matandang babae na nagtitinda ng mga kwintas at bracelet.
She handed to Mingyu a necklace with a small purple heart-shaped pendant. It is crystallized and looks so magnificent that he stared at it, “Ang pagbawi ay hindi lamang sa salita, ito ay may kaakibat na pangako. Ito, hijo, isang simbolismo ng pag-ibig na hango sa bawat elemento ng sining,”
Nagtatakang tinitigan ito ni Mingyu at sinubukang umatras nang muling lumapit ang matanda at hinawakan ang kamay nito.
“Ang kwintas na iyan ang magtatali sa iyo sa taong pangangakuan mo ng panghabang buhay.”.
Mingyu tried to give the necklace back but was left alone when the elder woman suddenly left out of nowhere. Naglaho na parang bula. He caressed the necklace for a moment and decided to just keep it so he put it inside his wallet.
He will just figure out what to do about it. For now, he has to think of a way to make amends with the guy.
“I am so happy that I found you,” Mingyu said. “But baby, can we get up now so we can get ready for our valentines day, hmm?”
Wonwoo nodded and teasingly smiled, “Okay, buhat me, please?”.
“Gladly, lila ko,” Mingyu replied.
────────
The sun has already on its heating peak when Mingyu and Wonwoo went out of their condo. Nag-luto pa kasi sila ng breakfast para kumain at hinanda ang mga pagkain na babaunin para sa agenda nila today.
They both decided that on this year, their anniversary would be simple but full of fun. That’s why they listed their agenda as the kinds of date they don’t usually do on their normal days:
1. Pottery Making
2. Commute all throughout the date (Note: This is for Wonwoo)
To start the day, the two walk down the hallway of their condo while holding hands. Papunta na sila sa sakayan ng jeep pa-lrt dahil sa Antipolo, ang hometown ni Wonwoo, nila gagawin ang mga nilista. Since they’re currently staying in Manila due to work, and traffic is a huge pain on the ass, kailangan talaga nilang umalis ng maaga para hindi ma-stuck sa gitna ng kalsada.
After lining up to get the train tickets, they waited for the train arrival which was about 8-10 minutes. Sa paghihintay pa lang, ramdam na ni Wonwoo ang init at lagkit na mula umaga pa lang ay iniinda niya na. Buti na lang ay may dala silang e-fan at mabilis na itinutok ni Mingyu ito kay Wonwoo para maibsan ang init. When the train arrived, they went inside and unfortunately, puno agad ang mga upuan kaya no choice sila tumayo.
“This is one of the best part of riding an LRT, babe,” Mingyu laughed. His arms rested on Wonwoo’s waist and pulled him a bit more close. Nasa bandang pinto na sila kaya naman pwinesto niya si Wonwoo sa parteng hindi siya masisiksik ng mga tao, at hinayaan niyang isandal ang buong katawan nito sa kaniya para hindi mangawit sa pagtayo.
“Ang sikip naman,” Reklamo ni Wonwoo. He tried to fix his posture at the same time the train stopped for another station kaya muntikan siyang ma-out of balance. Good thing is Mingyu’s entire attention focus on him that he immediately catch Wonwoo and comforted him, “Careful po. Konting tiis na lang, hmm?”.
Wonwoo nodded on his boyfriend’s little way of comforting him. Medyo nasstress lang talaga siya kasi hindi niya inaakala na sobrang daming tao sa LRT ngayon. When he was in college, he usually rides LRT since his parents didn’t let him live in a dorm. Ika nila, sapat na ‘yung pinayagan siyang mag-aral sa magandang unibersidad at malayo kaya hindi na para tumira pa sa malayong lugar. Kaya naman medyo sanay na si Wonwoo sa siksikan sa LRT, sadyang nanibago lang siya uli dahil halos 3 years na rin siyang hindi nakasasakay dito mula ng grumaduate sila ni Mingyu.
“Can we book a grab pag-baba ng Antipolo? I bet it’s traffic there,” Wonwoo tried.
Mingyu laughed a little and fix the strand of Wonwoo’s hair, “Tricycle tayo, mahal,”. Wonwoo pouted on that and leaned on Mingyu’s chest. Hindi yata talaga gagana ang kahit ano kay Mingyu dahil desidido itong matuto si Wonwoo sa daan.
In Wonwoo’s defense, kahit taga-Antipolo siya, hindi talaga niya kabisado ang mga sakayan at daan dahil pinalaki siyang hatid-sundo. Every single time he will went out, either his dad or uncle will drive for him. They don’t let Wonwoo commute because they’re so protective of him. Delikado daw ang daan. Kaya naman when he got into a college, akala niya matuto na siya pero ang magulang niya ay hinahatid pa rin siya pa-LRT station. Ang bunga? Literal na train lang ang alam ni Wonwoo na pag-commute.
When Mingyu and Wonwoo finally reached their destination, they immediately go down the stairs to insert their tickets and exit. Nakaalalay si Mingyu kay Wonwoo at nang makalabas sa station ay hinawakan nito ang bewang. Alam ni Mingyu ang sakayan pa-Antipolo kaya ‘di problema sa kaniya ang mga gawi dito. Nang makarating sa terminal ng tricycle, idinirekta ni Mingyu ang daan papuntang Pinto Art Museum kung saan nila gagawin ang pottery making. Habang si Wonwoo ay parang batang nakakapit sa magulang dahil inosente sa lugar kahit taga-doon talaga siya.
Inalalayan ni Mingyu ang ulo ni Wonwoo habang yumuyuko ito papasok sa tricycle para hindi mauntog. Pagkatapos ay pumasok na rin siya at idinantay ang braso sa binti ni Wonwoo. Sinandal na ni Wonwoo ang kaniyang ulo sa balikat ni Mingyu at nakatanggap ng halik sa noo.
“Kaya pa?” tanong ni Mingyu.
“Yes,”
Nilabas ni Mingyu ang baon na tumbler at binuksan ito, “Here, drink water first,”. Wonwoo drink water at pagkatapos ay kinuha niya rin ang tumbler para painumin si Mingyu. They both hydrate each other because of the heat.
Habang umaandar ang tricycle ay itinuturo ni Mingyu ang mga tawag sa daan para maging familiar si Wonwoo. He patiently lectures him about the basic rules of commuting such as how to spot a jeep that has signages, the color of the e-trikes that has designated terminals, the name of the streets along the way, the area where he can cross the road like overpass or pedestrian lane, and most importantly, the rule of walking very much away beside the street. Wonwoo listen very well that he tried to memorize everything, especially the road signages and the terminals where he will ride if ever he will commute.
After the 20-25 minutes of ride in the tricycle, they reached Pinto Art Museum and paid the entrance fee. This is where they will cross out their date: pottery making. Mingyu made sure that he coordinated with the management of the museum and assured that their date will truly happen on time.
Since they arrived around 10 AM, too early for their 2 pm pottery making time, they decided to stroll around first the museum. It has many rooms and each room has different arts and sculptures that makes them in awe. Tila ang bawat pinta na nakikita nila ay may bawat kwentong ibinabahagi. Ang mga sculpture na hugis tao, hayop, o bagay na napapalibutan ng mga art paintings ay nakamamangha—tanging kamay na mala-Diyos lang ang nakagagawa.
After strolling and taking lots of picture, they went to the pottery area and was introduced with beautiful clays and crafts.
“Wooow. I’m so excited!” Wonwoo said out of joy.
“Let’s get this beautiful done, baby?” hamon ni Mingyu. Wonwoo looked at him sweetly, “Game,”.
The pottery making is not easy. Hence, it is messy. The clays are not friendly if you do not have prior knowledge of shaping or playing with it right. But it is also beautiful—the perfection of forming an art made by barehands is truly beautiful.
“I’m gonna do a heart-shaped bowl, Min. Ikaw?” Wonwoo asked Mingyu who’s currently wetting a clay using a cloth.
“Hmm, maybe same as yours?”
“Gaya-gaya naman po!”
“Siyempre, mahal. Iisa lang tayo,” Mingyu laughed. He gently pinched Wonwoo’s nose but later realized that his hands are dirty because of clay. Wonwoo then shriek and tried to avenge himself. He palmed Mingyu’s cheeks and the clay spread on his face.
Nag-kalat na ang mga clay sa mga mukha at damit nila pero panay tawanan lang sila. Buti na lang ay malayo sila sa ibang mga gumagawa rin dahil nagtatalsikan na ang ibang mga clay sa paligid.
“Stop na, Min! We look messy na tuloy,”
“I brought clothes for us, baby. May pamalit naman tayo hehe,”
“Hay naku! You said “Let’s get this beautifully done” awhile ago, not “messy done,”
Natawa si Mingyu at pipindutin na sana ang ilong ni Wonwoo ng umiwas ito at tinignan siya ng masama, “STOP! Hindi tayo matatapos dito. Look mo nga ‘yang pottery mo, parang poop na siya and walang shape because you are so kulit,”.
“Ang yabang naman. Yours look like—“
“What? Look like what?!”
Mingyu was silenced and raised his hands out of defeat, “Look like the best clay being shaped by the best person! Yehey!!”.
“Hmp! Stop na sa kulit ah. I won’t give any kisses later, sige ka,” sambit ni Wonwoo kaya naman si Mingyu ay dali-daling inayos ang mga clay na nagkalat at nilinis ang paglalagyan ng kanilang heart-shaped bowl.
“Alright. No more kulit. But, kiss me first para I’ll finish this pottery?” Mingyu cutely asked.
Wonwoo annoyingly laughed at him and leaned to give Mingyu a peck. But greed gets on the way when Mingyu held Wonwoo’s face and kiss him deeply. He was biting Wonwoo’s lower lip and entered his mouth with his tongue which made Wonwoo release a small sound.
“Love, stop! So many people are seeing us, oh my gosh,” reddened face of Wonwoo is visibly enough for Mingyu to know that he succeed. Hay, ang sarap talaga mahalin, in his mind.
“I love you, my lila,”
“I love you, my min,”
After scattering clay, the two silently work again on their pottery. Sa sobrang focus ay ‘di na nila namamalayan na palubog na pala ang araw. Nang tignan ni Mingyu si Wonwoo, namangha siya.
Tumatama ang dapit-hapon na araw sa mukha ni Wonwoo, ang mala-perlas na kulay ay nahahaluhan ng kulay kahel, ang matangos na ilong ay mas lalong nagkaroon ng depinisyon, at ang labi ay kasing kulay ng dugo. Tila isang pinta na kasalanan kung hindi tititigan—isang sining na tanging mga matang may pananampalataya lamang ang may pahintulot na makasaksi.
“I love loveeee this!” sabi ni Wonwoo. He gently placed the outcome of his pottery making in a dry platform and carefully arranged the surroundings so it won’t have any dirt on it. Wonwoo then looked at Mingyu and found out that he is staring at him.
“Min? Why? My face is so dirty na?”
Mingyu kept staring at him in awe, no movements at all, just completely stunned.
Wonwoo sat infront of him and waved his hands on face, “Mahal?”
Mingyu then kissed his lips softly and tugged on his shirt. Malalim na halik pero hindi mahigpit. Parang hangin sa lambot pero ramdam ang tamis. Wonwoo kissed him back with the same intensity and sat on his lap. Walang paki sa paligid, sa mga matang nakatingin, sa mga huni ng ibon, o sa mga boses na unti-unting nawawala sa nakakalunod nilang mundo para sa isa’t isa.
Nang alisin unti-unti ni Wonwoo ang labi kay Mingyu ay hinabol pa niya ito. Wonwoo gave him a peck and slowly tap his face before removing himself out of Mingyu’s lap.
“What’s the sudden kiss for, Mingyu Vincenzo?”
“Just because, Wonwoo Lilienne. Can’t let the sun to get to only kiss your pretty face,”
Wonwoo laughed and looked at the sun behind him. Palubog na ang araw. Mas may depinisyon na ang kulay itim laban sa mala-bughaw na langit. Ang mga ulap ay naglaho na.
The heart-shaped bowl of Mingyu & Wonwoo was painted by Purple & Green, as per their favorite colors, and engraved with M.W on the center.
“You really copied me?” tanong ni Wonwoo kay Mingyu ng may galak nang tignan niya ang gawa nito.
“Couple goals,” Mingyu shrugged.
“And the colours?”
“Lila at Berde. Tayo.”
────────
Love is loving someone but 3000 times.
I love you 3000.
That’s how Tony Stark perceives love when he met Pepper Potts. The emotional anchor between them that highlighted their raw devotion to each other—the sacrifices that no such a hero can do but a man who exchanged his soul to the universe for his forever’s sake.
“Do you think that the universe became unfair to Tony?” Wonwoo asked. His head turned to Mingyu who’s wrapped around him, nuzzling his nose to his hair, and drawing invisible circles and lines to his back.
“Hmm?,”
“Heroic siya. He saved lives because he had the chance to turn himself into a self-centered to people-centered man. Kahit na sobrang sakit ng nangyari sa magulang niya, for the sake of peace, hindi niya pinatay si Bucky. That’s him being a Hero and a Man,”
Wonwoo’s eyes started to tear when he remembers the most painful part, “But the universe still decided to kill him. For the people, again… So, do you think that universe became unfair to him? When he did nothing but to devour the whole pain of becoming a savior that the universe needs?”
Mingyu kissed his forehead and wiped his tears.
“No, baby, the universe wasn’t exactly become unfair to him.”
“Why?”
“Because he had the love that the universe cannot duplicate—he had the love that doubles in size. When he met Pepper, he was mesmerized but never once he thought that she will be his universe. And his universe didn’t become only a universe to him, it became a galaxy because it gave him her star—Morgan.”
Mingyu saw the confusion in Wonwoo’s eyes as he says his sentiments. He tightened his hug and continued.
“The only part the universe becomes unfair to him is when he only had a 1 chance to save the Earth he is part of. Thousands of universe, all against Thanos, and yet when he did saw a chance, it took him in exchange,”
Wonwoo sobbed and reached over the table to get the remote control. They’re currently in their blue sofa, watching Avengers: Endgame, for the nth time. At sa tuwing panonoorin nila ito ay naiiyak si Wonwoo sa parte kung saan nawalan na ng buhay si Tony Stark or Iron Man.
“We’ve been watching this for several times and I’m still crying like a baby. Kainis,” reklamo ni Wonwoo.
“You are my baby so cry whenever,” amba ni Mingyu.
Napasinghap si Wonwoo at mahinang hinampas ang tuhod ni Mingyu na nakadantay sa kaniyang binti, “Ano ba, love! Lagi ka talagang may banat,”
“What banat, baby? I’m saying the truth ah,”
“Shh! Get mo na lang ako water po, please?”
Mingyu gave Wonwoo a peck and pinched his cheeks before standing up to get water on their kitchen, “No worries, my lila,”
Madaling kumuha si Mingyu ng isang pitcher at dalawang baso, naglagay na rin siya ng konting chichirya para may snacks sila dahil naubos na ang unang kinuha nila. He put it all in a wooden tray and carefully bring it to their sala.
What he has saw shook him to the core. Because in their living area, is Wonwoo, holding a bouquet of flowers, bright and sweet against the fairy lights sticked to their walls.
A long pause.
Purple Lilies.
Wonwoo is holding a bouquet of Purple Lilies. His and Wonwoo’s favorite flowers.
The first-ever flowers he gave to Wonwoo when he saw him again along the street of Morayta. The flowers that weren’t accepted first by Wonwoo because he thinks otherwise by Mingyu’s apologies. How could he accept it when the book that got wet was the book that his brother gave to him? The last piece of his brother before he left. What happened was Wonwoo’s last straw when he was at the very verge of giving up because the world is too much.
But Mingyu is no weak. He believes in himself as a man of word. Whether it’s in the streets of Morayta, or along the long road of España, he waited for Wonwoo to acknowledge him. Baka sakaling tanggapin ang paghingi niya ng patawad, at baka sakaling hayaan siyang samahan siya sa mundong ginagalawan nito.
And when Wonwoo saw him again, with a bouquet of flowers full of Lilies, and there in the center of lilies lay a small box—a necklace with a purple heart-shaped pendant. He honestly doesn’t know why Mingyu keeps doing this to him when he already gave a lot of “No”.
But truly the only way that he let his walls down is when Mingyu covered him with his arms, against the roof pouring down the rainwaters, and the loud roar of the thunder he feared of.
“Happy Anniversary, My Mingyu Vincenzo. You are so far the best thing that happened to me in my entire 29 years of existence. The love that you have is the love that anchored me to be the best of myself. Thank you, Min, for the love that doesn’t make me feel lonely.”
Mingyu’s eyes started to swell and his hands tremble as he cross their distance. He put his hands on Wonwoo’s waist and leaned on his forehead.
“You are the greatest thing that happened to my entire 28 years of life, My Wonwoo Lilienne. My love for you is beyond belief that no religion can dictate—no universe can diminish. You alone fills the empty spaces.”
Wonwoo kissed Mingyu deeply that their souls decided to unite again against the small distance that stands between them. Every movement of lips is a reminder of their commitment to each other, every small sound is a declaration of being together, and every breath is a vow of eternal love.
Their anniversaries has always made to be just like an art—different starting points. Comes from eagerness to find out what the future holds for them, comes from the excitement of what the day will be about for them, but mostly comes from love.
To love, if two people are willing to meet each other halfway, to try to make space for each other, it doesn’t matter who has more or less. What matters is the commitment that it is not always about being equals in status or life. Sometimes it’s just about choosing each other, over and over again.
Perhaps, love is truly an art because it lives in the stories they refuse to let it fade; and so Mingyu & Wonwoo’s stories are defined by the master of art—love.