Chapter Text
Hindi sa naniniwala si Sunoo sa lahat.
Hindi siya ganoon ka-gullible, salamat na lang. Hindi porket may dumaan na pusa sa harap niya habang iniisip niya ang future niya, ibig sabihin may cosmic message na agad. Hindi rin porket 11:11 ang oras sa phone niya, kailangan niya nang mag-wish na parang nasa commercial ng scented candle.
Pero may mga bagay talagang hindi basta-basta pinapaliwanag.
Tulad ng tarot cards na laging tumatama kapag ayaw niyang tamaan.
Tulad ng panaginip na nagkakatotoo sa pinaka-weird na paraan.
Tulad ng universe, na minsan parang tahimik lang, pero kapag nagsalita, ang lakas manupalpal.
At ngayong gabi, mukhang nagdedesisyon ang universe na asarin siya.
Nakaharap si Sunoo sa maliit niyang desk, nakapambahay, may kumot sa balikat, at may kalahating baso ng iced tea sa tabi ng kanyang tarot deck. Dim ang ilaw sa kwarto, sapat lang para maging dramatic ang atmosphere pero hindi sapat para mabasa niya nang maayos ang maliit na guidebook na matagal na niyang hindi ginagamit dahil, sabi niya, experienced reader na ako.
Experienced reader, pero kanina pa siya naiinis.
“Okay,” bulong niya, habang dinadampi ang kamay sa ibabaw ng deck. “Universe. Serious question.”
Tahimik ang kwarto.
Tinapik niya ang deck gamit ang daliri.
“Wag kang magpaka-mysterious. Pagod na ako sa riddles.”
Huminga siya nang malalim, ipinikit ang mata, at nagtanong na parang nakikipag-usap sa isang customer service representative na matagal na niyang hinihintay sa hotline.
“Sino ang soulmate ko?”
Nag-shuffle siya. Minsan. Dalawang beses. Tatlo. Sa pang-apat na shuffle, isang card ang dumulas palabas ng deck at bumagsak sa mesa, face-down.
Napatingin si Sunoo rito.
“Okay,” sabi niya, biglang kinabahan kahit siya mismo ang nagsimula nito. “Be nice.”
Binaligtad niya ang card.
The Fool.
Tumahimik siya.
Matagal.
Tapos, dahan-dahan niyang tinaasan ng kilay ang card.
“Excuse me?”
Nakatingin sa kanya ang maliit na figure sa card, parang handang tumalon sa bangin, masaya at walang kaalam-alam sa danger. May aso pa sa gilid, parang cheerleader ng bad decisions.
“Universe,” sabi ni Sunoo, controlled ang boses, “nagtanong ako nang maayos.”
The Fool stayed there, bright and innocent and extremely offensive.
“Ang tanong ko, sino ang soulmate ko. Hindi ‘describe me in one card.’”
Walang sumagot, siyempre. Pero kung may personality ang tarot deck niya, sigurado si Sunoo na tumatawa ito ngayon.
Sumandal siya sa upuan, naka-cross arms.
“Grabe. Ako pa talaga ang clown.”
Minsan, gusto niya ang tarot dahil honest ito. Minsan naman, gusto niyang ibalik sa kahon at sabihing, mag-isip ka muna bago ka magsalita.
Pinulot niya ang card at tinignan ulit.
The Fool. New beginnings. Leap of faith. Trust the journey. Unknown path. Innocence. Possibility.
Sunoo sighed so loudly na parang sinadya niyang marinig ng universe.
“Lagi na lang trust the journey. Paano kung ayoko na sa journey? Paano kung gusto ko na ng destination? With address? With name? With cute face?”
Tinapik niya ang card.
“Specifics, please.”
Kinuha niya ang journal niya sa gilid ng desk. Medyo worn-out na ang cover, may stickers ng stars, moon, at isang maliit na cartoon cat na mukhang judgmental. Sa loob, punô ito ng tarot readings, random dreams, angel numbers, at mga notes na may iba’t ibang level ng drama.
Binuklat niya ang blank page, kinuha ang purple pen, at nagsulat sa taas:
SOULMATE SIGN EXPERIMENT
dahil cryptic ang universe at hindi ako bayad para manghula
Tinitigan niya ang title, satisfied.
“Professional.”
Pagkatapos, isinandal niya ang baba sa palad niya at nag-isip. Kung hihingi siya ng sign, dapat hindi vague. Hindi pwedeng butterfly. Hindi pwedeng love song. Hindi pwedeng may magsabi ng “ingat ka” kasi lahat naman nagsasabi noon kapag hindi sila walang puso.
Kailangan ultra-specific.
Kailangan kapag nangyari, wala nang lusot ang universe.
Sunoo chewed the cap of his pen, then wrote:
Universe, kung malapit na ang soulmate ko, hayaan mong bigyan niya ako ng bagay na kulay dilaw kapag naliligaw ako.
Huminto siya.
Binalikan ang sentence.
Nagdagdag:
Dilaw. Hindi gold. Hindi beige. Hindi “technically mustard.” Dilaw.
Masaya siyang tumango.
“Ayan. Clear instructions.”
Sinulatan niya pa sa baba:
At dapat tao. Hindi signboard. Hindi taxi. Hindi banana milk sa vending machine. Tao.
Mas lalo siyang natuwa.
“Good. Legally binding.”
Eksaktong pagkatapos niyang sabihin iyon, umilaw ang phone niya.
Napatingin siya.
Jungwon: gising ka pa?
Napapikit si Sunoo.
“Siyempre ikaw.”
Kinuha niya ang phone at nag-reply.
Sunoo: physically yes
Sunoo: spiritually unavailable
Jungwon: ano na naman ibig sabihin nyan
Sunoo: nakikipag-negotiate ako sa universe
Jungwon: sabihin mo sa universe may schedule tayo bukas
Jungwon: matulog ka na
Napangiti si Sunoo kahit ayaw niya.
Ganito lagi si Jungwon. Lalabas bigla sa gitna ng kababalaghan niya para magdala ng common sense na wala namang humihingi. Parang reminder app na may mukha. Cute na reminder app, fine, pero nakakairita pa rin.
Sunoo: ang bossy mo
Jungwon: responsible tawag dun
Sunoo: same disease
Jungwon: drink water
Sunoo squinted at the screen.
“Bakit parang nanay?”
Pero uminom pa rin siya.
Pagkatapos, tinignan niya ulit ang The Fool sa mesa. Nakangiti pa rin ang figure sa card, parang may alam.
Tinuro siya ni Sunoo gamit ang pen.
“Wag kang maingay.”
The Fool, naturally, remained silent.
Sunoo closed his journal, placed the card back on top of the deck, and tried not to think about soulmates, signs, or the fact that the first person to message him after his dramatic cosmic request was Jungwon.
Kasi hindi counted iyon.
Jungwon was always there.
Hindi sign ang taong laging nandiyan.
Right?
Kinabukasan, ginising si Sunoo ng alarm niyang tunog gentle piano pero sa pakiramdam niya, parang emergency siren.
“Hindi,” ungol niya, nakadapa pa rin sa unan. “Ayoko na maging tao.”
Tumunog ulit ang alarm.
Kinapa niya ang phone at pinatay iyon, pero hindi pa rin siya bumangon. Nakapikit siya, sinusubukang kumbinsihin ang sarili na five minutes more ay hindi kasalanan kundi human right.
Then his phone buzzed.
Jungwon: gising ka na?
Sunoo opened one eye.
“May CCTV ba ’to sa kwarto ko?”
Nag-type siya nang nakapikit halos.
Sunoo: hindi
Jungwon: halata
Sunoo: bakit ka nagtanong kung alam mo naman
Jungwon: para may chance kang magsinungaling nang maayos
Sunoo: rude so early in the morning
Jungwon: we leave in 40
Sunoo sat up so fast muntik na siyang mahilo.
“Forty?!”
Tumingin siya sa oras.
Tama si Jungwon.
Siyempre tama si Jungwon. Nakakainis ang mga taong madalas tama.
Nagmamadali siyang bumangon, natisod sa kumot, muntik nang madala ang buong kama sa sahig, at nagreklamo sa universe habang naghahanap ng damit.
“Kasalanan mo ’to. Kung hindi mo ako binigyan ng The Fool, maaga sana ako natulog.”
By the time nakalabas siya ng kwarto, medyo maayos na siya. Emphasis sa medyo. Mukha pa rin siyang maganda—given na iyon, obviously—but may bahid ng antok sa mata niya na kahit concealer ay hindi kayang itago.
Sa hallway, nadatnan niya si Jungwon na nakasandal sa pader, hawak ang phone, already dressed, already calm, already annoyingly prepared.
Tumingin ito sa kanya mula ulo hanggang paa.
“You slept late.”
Sunoo gasped dramatically.
“Good morning din sa’yo, CCTV.”
Tinuro ni Jungwon ang mukha niya.
“Sleepy face.”
Agad hinawakan ni Sunoo ang pisngi niya.
“Hindi ito sleepy face. This is expensive face.”
Tumango si Jungwon, serious ang expression.
“Expensive but sleepy.”
“Alam mo, minsan iniisip ko talaga kung bakit tayo friends.”
“Because I make sure you don’t get left behind.”
“Wow. Hero complex.”
“Reality.”
Sunoo rolled his eyes, pero hindi niya napigilan ang ngiti. May mga tao talagang nakakainis dahil tama sila. Jungwon was one of them. Worse, he was calm while being right, which made it morally worse.
Naglakad sila papunta sa common area kung saan magulo na ang lahat. May naghahanap ng charger, may nag-aayos ng bag, may teacher na tumatawag ng pangalan, may isang jacket na nawawala pero lahat sinasabing hindi kanila kahit obvious na may may-ari.
Sunoo moved through the chaos like a sleepy cat with good cheekbones.
Habang nag-aayos siya ng gamit, may dumaan na staff na may hawak na yellow folder.
Napatingin siya.
Yellow.
He narrowed his eyes.
Hindi tao. Folder ’yan. Wag kang tamad, universe.
Lumipas ang ilang minuto, may nakitang banana milk si Sunoo sa table.
Yellow-ish.
Tinignan niya iyon suspiciously.
Hindi rin ’yan. Inumin ’yan. At hindi ako naliligaw. Antok lang ako.
Paglabas nila, may dumaan na yellow taxi sa kalsada.
Sunoo almost pointed at it, then stopped himself.
Unless soulmate ko ay taxi driver, hindi counted.
“What are you glaring at?”
Napalingon siya. Nasa tabi na pala niya si Jungwon, nakatingin sa direksyon ng kalsada.
Sunoo blinked.
“Hindi ako glaring. Nag-oobserve ako.”
“You look like you’re about to fight traffic.”
“Malay mo traffic ang nauna.”
Jungwon stared at him.
Sunoo stared back.
Then Jungwon simply said, “You need more sleep.”
“Lahat na lang sleep sa’yo. Baka ikaw ang may issue.”
“I slept seven hours.”
“Exactly. Suspicious.”
“Healthy.”
“Suspiciously healthy.”
Jungwon shook his head, but the corner of his mouth lifted.
Sunoo looked away quickly, not because of anything weird, but because Jungwon had that smile na parang tahimik pero nakakainis. Parang alam niyang funny si Sunoo pero ayaw niyang bigyan ng full satisfaction.
Normal iyon. Lagi namang ganoon.
Jungwon smiling at him was normal.
Sunoo told himself this very firmly, kahit hindi naman niya alam kung bakit kailangan pang sabihin.
The schedule was long.
Too long.
By afternoon, Sunoo felt like his soul had left his body twice and returned only because it remembered may snacks pa sa bag niya. He smiled when needed, answered when asked, and performed energy like an idol-level professional, pero sa loob-loob niya, nasa 17% na lang ang battery niya. Maybe 12%.
Pagkatapos ng schedule, kailangan nilang lumabas through a back area ng venue. Maraming hallway. Maraming staff. Maraming pinto na magkakamukha. May mga signs na hindi helpful kasi puro arrows pero walang emotional support.
Sunoo was walking with the group at first. Then someone called from behind. He turned. May nahulog na maliit na charm mula sa zipper ng bag niya, kaya yumuko siya para pulutin.
Saglit lang dapat.
Pero pagtingala niya, wala na sa harap niya ang familiar backs ng members.
Sunoo froze.
“Ah.”
Tumingin siya sa kaliwa.
Hallway.
Sa kanan.
Hallway.
Sa unahan.
Another hallway, pero may pinto.
Sa likod.
Possibly the same hallway, or baka psychological attack lang.
“Okay,” bulong niya. “Hindi ako lost.”
May dumaan na teacher, mabilis, may kausap sa headset. Sunoo opened his mouth to ask, then closed it dahil mukhang mas stressed pa ang teachers kaysa sa kanya.
He checked his phone. Mahina ang signal.
“Nice. Very modern building. Walang signal pero maraming pader.”
Naglakad siya nang kaunti, then stopped because the hallway looked even more unfamiliar.
Hindi naman siya takot. Hindi. Hindi siya bata. Hindi siya mawawala nang bongga sa building na may staff at security at probably 500 people inside.
Pero may bigat sa dibdib niya na ayaw niyang tawaging panic.
Kasi ang pangit naman kung panic agad.
Maybe mild spiritual inconvenience.
Binuksan niya ang group chat.
Sunoo: hypothetically
Sunoo: kung may isang tao
Sunoo: na hindi lost
Sunoo: pero hindi rin sure kung nasaan siya
Sunoo: saan siya pupunta
No reply.
Sunoo stared at the screen.
“Wow. Friendship is fake.”
Then his phone buzzed.
Private message.
Jungwon: where are you?
Sunoo immediately straightened, kahit wala namang nakakakita.
Sunoo: bakit ako agad
Jungwon: because you said hypothetically
Sunoo: baka ibang tao yun
Jungwon: Sunoo
Sunoo: hallway
Jungwon: which hallway
Sunoo: yung may walls
Jungwon: very helpful
Sunoo: thank you
Three dots appeared. Disappeared. Appeared again.
Jungwon: stay there
Jungwon: don’t spiritually wander
Napahinto si Sunoo.
“Ginagamit na niya against me ’yung words ko.”
Pero he stayed.
Habang naghihintay, sinubukan niyang magmukhang relaxed. Sumandal siya sa wall, arms crossed, like he had chosen this hallway voluntarily. Like he was not a pretty boy abandoned by architecture.
May yellow sign sa dulo ng hallway.
Sunoo glared at it.
“No.”
The sign remained yellow.
“Hindi ka tao.”
The sign did not argue.
“Good.”
May footsteps sa kabilang dulo.
Napatingin si Sunoo.
Dumating si Jungwon na medyo mabilis ang lakad. Hindi siya mukhang nagmamadali kung hindi mo siya kilala. Pero kilala siya ni Sunoo, and Jungwon’s version of worried was always quiet: a tighter jaw, sharper eyes, steps a little too quick.
Pagkakita niya kay Sunoo, parang lumuwag ang mukha niya.
“There you are.”
Sunoo pretended to be offended.
“Grabe, parang hinanap mo ako sa gubat.”
“You described your location as ‘hallway with walls.’”
“Accurate naman.”
“Useless.”
“Accurately useless.”
Jungwon stopped in front of him, looking him over quickly. “You okay?”
Sunoo scoffed.
“Of course. I was not lost.”
Jungwon looked at the hallway. Then at him.
“Sure.”
“I was temporarily misplaced.”
“By who?”
“The building.”
“The building misplaced you?”
“Spiritually.”
Jungwon stared at him for a second.
Then he laughed.
Hindi malakas. Hindi yung tawang pang-camera or tawang pang-tease. Maliit lang, lumabas sa ilong at dibdib niya, soft and fond, like Sunoo had said something ridiculous but expected. Like this was part of the world Jungwon already knew how to live in.
Sunoo had heard that laugh so many times.
Normal iyon.
Dapat normal iyon.
“Come here,” sabi ni Jungwon.
“Bakit?”
“You looked cold earlier.”
Sunoo blinked. “Ha?”
Jungwon opened his bag. “You kept rubbing your arms kanina.”
“I did?”
“Yes.”
“I was probably just being expressive.”
“You were cold.”
“I can be expressively cold.”
Jungwon did not respond. Instead, he pulled something from his bag and held it out.
A scarf.
Soft.
Folded neatly.
Yellow.
Not gold.
Not beige.
Not technically mustard.
Yellow.
Sunoo’s entire soul paused.
For a moment, parang humina ang ingay sa paligid. Parang nag-zoom in ang mundo sa kamay ni Jungwon, sa dilaw na scarf, sa exact na kulay na hindi dapat important pero biglang naging ebidensya.
Universe, kung malapit na ang soulmate ko, hayaan mong bigyan niya ako ng bagay na kulay dilaw kapag naliligaw ako.
Sunoo stared.
Jungwon frowned a little.
“What?”
Sunoo pointed at the scarf like it had committed a crime.
“Bakit dilaw?”
Jungwon looked at the scarf. Then back at him.
“Because… it’s yellow?”
“Exactly. Bakit?”
“Sunoo, hindi ko in-interview ’yung scarf bago bilhin.”
“Pero bakit ito?”
“Nakita ko kanina. I thought it would suit you.”
There.
A very normal sentence.
A best friend sentence.
A harmless sentence.
Except Sunoo’s brain, traitorous and overly dramatic, immediately wrote it in glowing letters.
I thought it would suit you.
He took the scarf slowly, as if baka sumabog.
Jungwon’s brows furrowed.
“Ayaw mo?”
“No!” Masyadong mabilis ang sagot ni Sunoo. “I mean, gusto ko. It’s just—yellow.”
“Yes. We established that.”
“Very yellow.”
“That is usually how yellow works.”
“Ang sipag niyang maging yellow.”
Jungwon blinked.
“Ang ano?”
“Hardworking color.”
“Are we still talking about the scarf?”
“Unfortunately.”
Jungwon’s face shifted like he was trying very hard not to laugh.
Sunoo hugged the scarf to his chest without realizing it.
Soft. Warm. Annoyingly real.
Jungwon glanced down at the way Sunoo held it, and something gentle passed over his expression. Quick lang. Halos wala. Baka imagination lang ni Sunoo, dala ng pagod at cosmic harassment.
Then Jungwon stepped closer.
“Here,” sabi niya. “Mali.”
Sunoo looked down. “Ano?”
“You’re holding it like evidence.”
“It might be.”
“Evidence of what?”
“Wala.”
“Give it.”
“No, akin ’to.”
“I’m not taking it. I’m fixing it.”
Before Sunoo could argue, Jungwon reached for the scarf and wrapped it properly around his neck.
It was normal.
Normal na normal.
Ginagawa ni Jungwon ang mga ganitong bagay minsan. Inaayos ang hood niya kapag baliktad. Tinatanggal ang lint sa sleeve niya. Inaabot ang drink niya bago pa niya hingin. Small things. Best friend things. Mga bagay na matagal nang bahagi ng araw-araw nila.
Pero ngayon, dahil sa dilaw na scarf at sa pesteng journal page na iniwan niya sa kwarto, biglang naging aware si Sunoo sa bawat galaw.
Sa lapit ni Jungwon.
Sa lamig ng daliri nito nang bahagyang dumampi sa collar niya.
Sa paraan ng pagyuko nito para makita kung pantay ang scarf.
Sa tahimik na concentration sa mukha ni Jungwon, as if fixing Sunoo’s scarf was a task worthy of full attention.
Sunoo swallowed.
Hindi siya kinikilig.
Hindi.
Nagugulat lang siya.
May difference iyon.
Siguro.
“There,” sabi ni Jungwon finally, tapping the end of the scarf once. “Now you look less lost.”
Sunoo’s eyes widened.
Jungwon looked up.
“What?”
Sunoo stared at him.
Universe.
Jungwon tilted his head. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Like what?”
“Like I said something illegal.”
“Maybe you did.”
“What did I say?”
“Wala.”
“Sunoo.”
“Nothing. I just hate today.”
Jungwon’s face fell slightly. “You hate the scarf?”
Sunoo panicked.
“No! Hindi! The scarf is innocent.”
“Then what did today do?”
Sunoo looked at him, then at the scarf, then away.
“Existing suspiciously.”
For a second, Jungwon just stared.
Then he sighed, the kind of sigh he only used for Sunoo—half-exasperated, half-amused, wholly familiar.
“Come on. Before the building spiritually moves again.”
Sunoo followed him.
Kasi siyempre susunod siya.
Jungwon knew the way back.
Jungwon always did.
Pagbalik nila sa group, unang napansin ng isa sa kanila ang scarf.
“Oh?” sabi nito, agad may ngiting delikado. “Bagong scarf?”
Sunoo prepared himself. “Yes.”
“Kay Jungwon?”
“No.”
Jungwon answered at the same time, “Yes.”
Sunoo whipped his head toward him. “Bakit mo sinabi?”
“Because it is.”
“Wala kang survival instinct.”
The others immediately lit up.
“Ahhh, bigay ni Jungwon.”
“Cute.”
“Yellow pa.”
“Couple item ba ’yan?”
Sunoo almost dropped his bag.
“Hindi! Scarf lang ’to. Fabric. Neck blanket. Walang romantic agenda.”
The classmate grinned wider.
“Wala naman kaming sinabing romantic.”
Sunoo froze.
Jungwon, traitor that he was, covered his mouth like he was hiding a smile.
Sunoo pointed at him. “Do not.”
“I didn’t say anything.”
“You smiled with intent.”
“With intent?”
“Yes. May malisya ’yang ngiti mo.”
Jungwon finally laughed. “I was just standing here.”
“Exactly. Suspicious behavior.”
Someone else teased, “Sunoo, defensive ka masyado.”
“I am preventing misinformation.”
“About a scarf?”
“About society.”
Jungwon leaned slightly toward him and said, quietly enough that only Sunoo probably heard, “You’re very passionate about fabric today.”
Sunoo gave him a sharp look.
“You are on thin ice.”
Jungwon smiled, eyes curving softly.
“Okay.”
And there it was again.
That annoying softness.
Sunoo looked away first.
Hindi dahil kinilig siya.
Dahil nakakapagod ang lighting sa hallway.
Obviously.
Sa van pauwi, umupo si Sunoo sa may bintana. Suot pa rin niya ang scarf.
Hindi dahil gusto niya. Malamig lang.
Well, hindi naman ganoon kalamig.
Pero baka lumamig.
Prepared lang siya.
Across from him, Jungwon sat with his phone in hand. For a while, tahimik sila. Naririnig lang ang mahinang usapan ng iba, ang tunog ng kalsada, ang occasional buzz ng phone.
Sunoo tried not to touch the scarf.
Then touched it.
Realized he was touching it.
Let go.
A few seconds later, touched it again.
Jungwon noticed, of course. Dahil allergic yata si Jungwon sa hindi pagpansin kay Sunoo.
“You really like it?”
Sunoo turned to the window too quickly.
“It’s okay.”
“You’ve been holding it since earlier.”
“I’m testing the material.”
“With your feelings?”
“With quality control.”
Jungwon laughed softly.
Again, that laugh.
Maliit. Tahimik. Familiar.
At dati, para lang itong background music sa buhay ni Sunoo. Something he heard all the time, something warm and constant, something he did not need to think about because it had always been there.
Pero ngayon, sa kung anong dahilan, hindi ito nanatili sa background.
Napansin niya.
And that was irritating.
Sunoo frowned at the window, seeing his own reflection faintly. The yellow scarf looked bright against him. Too bright. Too obvious. Parang may highlighter ang universe at siya ang notebook.
From across him, Jungwon said, “It suits you.”
Sunoo closed his eyes.
“Stop talking.”
“Huh?”
“Nothing.”
“You’re weird today.”
“I am always weird. You’re just appreciating it late.”
Jungwon smiled.
“Sure.”
Sunoo risked a glance at him.
Jungwon was looking down at his phone now, calm and unaware. Completely unaware. Wala siyang alam sa journal, sa tarot card, sa sign, sa exact wording. Wala siyang alam na kakabigay lang niya ng dilaw na scarf sa kaibigan niyang hindi lost pero very much temporarily misplaced.
Jungwon was just being Jungwon.
That was the problem.
Kasi kung ibang tao iyon, baka madali. Baka pwede niyang tawaging sign at mag-blush nang konti at mag-isip ng possibilities.
Pero si Jungwon?
Si Jungwon na nang-aasar sa kanya kapag antok siya.
Si Jungwon na nagre-remind sa kanya uminom ng tubig.
Si Jungwon na marunong hanapin siya kahit “hallway with walls” lang ang clue.
Si Jungwon na laging nandiyan.
Hindi dapat counted.
Kasi kapag laging nandiyan ang isang tao, hindi ba ibig sabihin normal na siya?
Hindi ba ibig sabihin kaibigan lang?
Sunoo pressed his cheek lightly against the cool window.
The scarf smelled faintly clean, like fabric softener and the inside of Jungwon’s bag. He did not know why he noticed that.
He decided to stop noticing immediately.
Pagdating sa dorm, unang ginawa ni Sunoo ay tanggalin ang scarf.
Inilagay niya ito sa upuan.
Tumingin siya rito.
The scarf sat there. Yellow. Quiet. Innocent-looking. Suspicious.
“Wag mo akong tingnan,” sabi niya.
The scarf, like The Fool, had no respect and remained silent.
Sunoo turned away.
Then turned back.
Baka malukot.
Kinuha niya ang scarf at nilagay sa kama.
Mas weird.
Kinuha niya ulit at sinubukang ilagay sa closet.
Pagkasara ng closet, tumigil siya.
Binuksan ulit.
“What if hindi makahinga?”
Napapikit siya.
“Scarf ’yan, Sunoo.”
Binalik niya sa upuan, this time maayos ang fold. Casual. Normal. Hindi shrine. Hindi evidence table. Just a scarf on a chair.
Then he sat at his desk.
For a few seconds, hindi niya ginalaw ang journal.
Tinitigan lang niya.
Parang kapag hindi niya binuksan, hindi nangyari.
Parang kapag hindi niya binasa ang sinulat niya kagabi, pwedeng coincidence lang.
Finally, with the energy of someone opening exam results, binuklat niya ang journal.
There it was.
Universe, kung malapit na ang soulmate ko, hayaan mong bigyan niya ako ng bagay na kulay dilaw kapag naliligaw ako.
Sunoo stared.
Then he grabbed his pen and wrote underneath:
Result: Jungwon gave me a yellow scarf when I was temporarily misplaced.
He paused.
Crossed out lost in the original sentence? No. Hindi niya pwedeng i-edit ang universe instructions after the fact. That felt legally questionable.
So he wrote instead:
Note: Hindi ako naligaw. Temporarily misplaced lang. May difference.
Tinitigan niya iyon.
Then added:
Conclusion: Does not count.
A beat.
He tapped the pen against the page.
Then, smaller:
Probably.
He groaned and dropped his forehead onto the journal.
“Universe, bakit siya?”
Hindi niya alam kung kanino siya nagrereklamo. Sa universe? Sa tarot deck? Sa sarili niya? Sa scarf?
Siguro sa lahat.
Kasi si Jungwon ay hindi dapat kasali.
Si Jungwon ang best friend niya. Si Jungwon ang constant. Si Jungwon ang taong tatawagan niya kapag may problema, hindi ang problemang kailangan niyang i-consult sa cards.
Hindi siya crush. Hindi siya mystery. Hindi siya grand romantic revelation.
He was Jungwon.
And somehow, that made everything more complicated.
Sunoo lifted his head and looked at the tarot deck.
“Isa pa,” sabi niya, kahit alam niyang bad idea iyon. “Clarification lang.”
He shuffled.
Mabilis. Naiinis. Parang kasalanan ng cards ang lahat.
A card slipped out.
Sunoo slowly turned it over.
The Fool.
For the second time in twenty-four hours, Sunoo felt personally attacked by cardboard.
“No.”
The card stared back, cheerful and shameless.
“Hindi. Wag kang magpa-cute. Ayoko sa’yo.”
The Fool said nothing, pero parang naririnig ni Sunoo ang message anyway.
Leap of faith.
He pointed at it.
“Leap of faith? Sa economy na ’to?”
Walang sagot.
“Also, hindi ako tatalon. Lalo na kung papunta kay Jungwon. Nandiyan na siya. Bakit pa ako tatalon?”
The room went quiet after that.
Sunoo realized what he had said.
Nandiyan na siya.
He looked at the scarf again.
Yellow and soft under the warm light.
His chest did something strange. Hindi naman malakas. Hindi naman dramatic. Walang fireworks. Walang sudden soundtrack. Walang moment na parang bumukas ang langit at may choir.
Just a small knock.
Parang may isang thought na kumatok sa loob niya, mahina pero persistent.
What if that’s the point?
Sunoo immediately shook his head.
“Nope.”
He closed the journal.
Closed the tarot deck.
Turned off the lamp.
Humiga siya sa kama at humarap sa kabilang side, away from the scarf.
For five whole seconds, he was successful.
Then he turned back.
The scarf was still there, glowing softly in the dimness like a very smug piece of fabric.
Sunoo pulled the blanket up to his chin.
“Hindi ka sign,” bulong niya.
The room stayed quiet.
“Best friend ko siya.”
Still quiet.
“Hindi counted ang taong laging nandiyan.”
But even as he said it, something in him hesitated.
Because maybe that was true.
Or maybe the universe, annoying and cryptic and dramatic as ever, was trying to say:
Exactly.
Sunoo closed his eyes.
He decided, very firmly, that Jungwon was not his soulmate.
The universe, apparently, had not received the memo.