Seulgi's POV
"Ano, bud? Pauwi na tayo pero parang di ka mapakali dyan? Natatae ka ba?" Tanong ni Jisoo na nakakunot ang noong nakatingin sakin.
Tapos na kasi kaming mag-ayos ng gamit. We were about to leave, inaantay nalang namin si bebe ko Irene. Kasalukuyan kaming nakaupo sa may garden nila Irene. Sa may bench.
Iniwas ko ang tingin ko sa kanila nung napansin ko na nakatingin silang lahat sakin dahil sa sinabi ni Jisoo.
"Seul, what's wrong? Any problem?" Lisa asked. Englishera talaga tong babaeng to kahit kailan.
Umiling lang ako saka sila binigyan ng tipid na ngiti.
Pota, sino ba naman kasi ang hindi kakabahan? Sinabi sakin ni Irene kaninang umaga nung ginising niya ko na aamin na kami sa grandparents niya bago kami bumalik sa Seoul. Jusko! Kabang kaba ko! Hindi ko alam kung tama ba tong desisyon namin o baka magkaproblema pa kami pagkatapos.
"SEULGI!"
"OH HALA BAKIT?" Natatarantang tanong ko pero nagulat nalang ako nung sabay sabay silang tumawa. Gago talaga mga to eh.
Naiinis na umupo ako ulit. "Seul naman kasi. Bakit ba parang kabado ka? Inaantay nalang naman natin jowa mo ha?" Tanong ni Dahyun.
Kahit kasi sila hindi pa sinasabi kina grandma at grandpa na jowa nila yang mga kasama nila. Ang alam lang ng dalawang matanda, magkakaibigan kami.
"Seulgi, sabihin mo na samin kung ano yang iniisip mo. Malay mo, baka makatulong kami." Mahinahong salita ni Rosé.
Huminga ako ng malalim bago magsalita. Nagsalita na anghel samin kaya kailangan sundin.
Tumingin muna ako sa bahay ng lola ni Irene. Baka sakaling may lumabas, marinig pa ako.
"Balak na kasi naming umamin ni Irene sa grandparents niya bago tayo umalis." Anunsyo ko.
"And what's the problem with that?" Lisa asked with a frown face.
"Bud, you know naman na homophobic yung grandparents niya. Ayoko naman na lumayo ang loob nila kay Irene after nito." Pag aalala ko.
Paborito nilang apo si Irene. For sure, masasaktan silang malaman na babae rin pala ang gusto ng apo nila.
"Seul, they love Irene so much. I know they will accept the both of you. Just be yourself when you talk to them. They should see how sincere you are for Irene." Lisa smiled to me after she said that.
Minsan talaga may nadudulot na maganda tong babaeng to eh.
I nodded my head to her and smiled to them.
I felt Jisoo's hand on my shoulder, patting me. "Alam mo, Seul, gago ka eh. Pero nawawala ang pagkagago mo dahil kay Irene. Bud, kailangan mo lang ipakita sa kanila na talagang pursigido ka at dedikado ka sa pagmamahal mo kay Irene. Dapat ipakita mo sa kanila na kahit babae ka, you can make Irene the happiest person she can be."
"Right! Dude, ipakita mo sa kanila na confident ka. Wag kang magpakita na kinakabahan ka. Kailangan ipakita mo na malakas ka. You know, not physically but mentally and emotionally. You need to assure them na Irene is safe with you. That they don't need to worry about her when she's with you." Dahyun console me.
Naiiyak na ko. Hindi ko alam na yung mga lapastangan kong mga kaibigan may maidudulot din palang maganda sa akin. Huhu.
Maya maya pa, nakita naman na naglalakad papalapit samin si Irene. Nag-alala ako bigla nung napansin ko yung ekspresyon ng mukha niya. It was unreadable.
I stood up and naglakad papalapit sa kanya. "Babe? Something's wrong?" I asked pagkalapit ko.
She raised her head up and look at me in the eyes. Then I was shocked nung niyakap niya ko. I hugged her and patted her back.
"Irene, babe? May problema ba?"
She sniffed that's when I knew that she's crying. Lalo akong nataranta. I don't kung bakit siya umiiyak. Then minutes later, she let go of the hug and faced me.
Napansin kong nasa likod na rin pala namin yung mga kaibigan namin. Sana was standing behind Irene.
"Seul... I-I'm sorry..." she spoke out.
I furrowed my eyebrows. "W-what do you mean? Why are you apologizing?"
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Irene kept on apologizing while me, litong lito pa rin ako sa mga nangyayare.
Why is she apologizing? Did she do something wrong?
She wiped her tears and looked at me with her unreadable eyes. I frowned.
"I'm breaking up with you."
I heard gasps around us. I can feel our friends' stares. But I ignored them.
I took a step forward and grabbed her hands. "What? W-what are y-you talking about? Aamin na tayo sa kanila diba? Diba? Then why are you breaking up with me? D-did I do something wrong? Are you m-mad at me? Why?" My voice cracked.
I'm expecting someone to tell us that it's just a joke. I'm expecting Irene to smile and hug me and tell me it's just a motherfucking joke. But after several minutes of staring at her eyes and looking for answered, she didn't do it. She just stood there and trying hard to keep her tears away.
Lumapit pa ako kay Irene.
"Babe? Please? Tell... tell me it's a joke? Please. It's a joke, right?" I pleaded.
Lalong bumagsak ang mundo ko nung bigla siyang umiling saka umiyak ng umiyak.
"I'm so sorry, Seul." She apologized again while crying so hard. I let go of her hand and stood there in front of her like a statue.
Wala rin namang magawa yung mga kaibigan namin. No one dares to interrupt us.
"I... I thought— I thought you love me?" I asked, still trying to control my tears.
Now, it's her time to step forward and held my hand. "Of course, I do! I love you, Seul. I really do."
"Why are you breaking up with me then? Did I do something wrong?"
"No, no. Seulgi, I love you. I'm sorry."
"An explanation will do, Joohyun." I felt her freeze. She hates it when I call her by her real name. But when I do, it means I'm damn serious.
She was still holding my hand.
"Seul—"
"Irene is engaged." I heard a deep voice coming from the house.
I looked at the house and saw Irene's grandparents walking angrily to our direction. Napalik ang atensyon ko kay Irene nung humigpit ang hawak niya sa kamay ko. She was still apologizing.
"I'm sorry?" I asked unbelievably.
Engaged? The fuck?
Biglang hinila palayo ng lolo ni Irene si Irene sakin palayo at niyakap naman siya ng lola niya na nakatayo sa likod ng lolo niya.
"My granddaughter is engaged. I can't believe na pinatuloy ko kayo sa pamamahay ko! Naging mabuti ako sa inyong lahat tapos eto ang igaganti niyo sa akin?! Kasinungalingan?!" Galit na bulyaw niya sa aming lahat.
Nakatingin lang ako kay Irene the whole time. Gusto ko siyang lapitan at yakapin pero alam kong masasaktan lang siya ng lolo niya.
"At ikaw!" Galit na dinuro ako nung lolo niya. "Walang hiya kang tomboy ka, ikaw ang dahilan kung bakit nagbago ang apo ko! Irene is a lady! She's a straight woman! Lalaki ang para sa kanya at hindi tomboy na katulad mo!"
Gusto ko sanang lumaban kaso matanda siya sakin. Besides, I know Irene will be against it pag sumagot ako sa lolo niya. So I tried my best to calm my cells down. At ganon din naman ang mga kaibigan ko.
"Pasensya na po. Pero mahal na mahal ko po ang apo niyo—"
"Nonsense! Wala akong pakielam kung mahal mo ang apo ko!" Bumaling siya sa asawa niya. "Ipasok mo na si Irene sa loob." At agad naman itong sinunod ng asawa niya.
"Seul..." Irene called my name again before she headed to the house with her grandmother.
"Irene!" Lalapitan ko sana siya pero hinarangan ako ng lolo niya. "Irene is going to marry Jackson Wang and you could do nothing about it."
Jackson? I know him. Siya yung first love ni Irene. Pero hindi naging sila dahil umalis yung guy at iniwan si Irene.
"You better stay away from my granddaughter from now on. Ayoko nang makita ang pagmumukha mo! Alis!" Sigaw niya bago siya naglakad papasok ng bahay nila.
"Irene! Irene!" I tried to shout her name pero wala akong nakikitang Irene na dumungaw man lang.
"Bud, tama na yan. Let's go." Mahinahon na aya sakin ni Jisoo.
I cried and broke down. "No, n-no. This can't be happening. Tangina!" I gritted my teeth and muffled my hair with irritation.
I felt them hugging me na mas lalong naging dahilan ng pagngawa ko.
"Stop crying, Seul. Stop crying." Rosé rubbed my back while consoling me. Wala akong maisagot kundi hikbi at luha.
Wala akong maintindihan. Bakit ganto? Why is it so fast? Parang kanina lang, okay ang lahat. Nagtatawanan pa kami kasama sila. Pero ngayon, wala na kami ni Irene.
Nakakaputangina naman.
- - -
Jennie's POV
"LILI!" Sigaw ko agad pagkatanaw ko kay Lisa na kasalukuyang kaswal na nakasandal ang katawan sa kotse niya sa labas ng gate ng school.
Napatingin siya sa akin at agad na napangiti sabay lakad papunta sa direksyon ko.
I immediately wrapped my arms around her neck and hugged her as tight as I could.
"I miss you, Lili."
She chuckled and kissed my head. "You don't have any idea how much I missed you, Nini." She then let go of the hug that made me pout at her.
Gusto ko pa ng hug eh 🥺
"Why are you pouting?" She smilingly asked with a teasing tone. I playfully rolled my eyes on her and put my arms above my chest. "I want to hug you more but it seems like you don't really missed me." I sulked.
Minsan lang naman ako mag-inarte kaya hayaan na. Hehe.
She laughed at me cutely as she wrapped her arms around me again. Yaaan! Ganyan dapat.
"I missed you, silly. Anyway, do you want to go home or do you want to eat first?" She asked after the hug.
"I just had my dinner, Lili. Ikaw, kumain ka na ba?" Tanong ko.
Pero imbis na sagutin niya yung tanong ko, she sarcastically smirked at me. "Oh, right. You just had your dinner date with your favorite professor." She mumbled.
I irritatedly rolled my eyes. "Baby, it's not a date." I said trying to calm my nerves down.
I'm super tired because of the three days of nonstop studying. All I need right now is a cuddle from her.
"If you say so." She coldly said saka na binuksan ang pinto ng passenger seat at pinapasok ako.
Sumakay na siya at pinaandar ang sasakyan. After a few minutes, hindi pa rin siya nagsasalita at mas lalo lang akong nairita.
"Gad, Lisa. I'm tired! Can you please stop that jealousy?" Napansin kong napataas ang boses ko dahil nakakunot ang noong napabaling siya sakin.
She then cleared her throat. "Fine, I'm sorry." She sadly said. "I just can't help it. I'm sorry." She mumbled.
Napansin ko naman na lumungkot siya kaya naguilty ako. Gad, Jennie! You shouldn't yelled at her.
I reached for her free hand which was resting on her lap. "It's fine. I'm sorry if I raised my voice on you." I said and kissed her hand.
She just smiled to me in return before she focused on the road again.