The second hand of the clock ticks, counting down every moment, testing her understanding, patience and the power of emotions. Tick; promises are made. Tock; people leave. Tick; hearts are broken. Tock; people hurt each other like they're meant to.
...
¡Ay! Esta imagen no sigue nuestras pautas de contenido. Para continuar la publicación, intente quitarla o subir otra.
The sky was getting dark and rain was sure to come but it was not enough to make the young girl get inside their house. She was sitting in her toy stroller that was supposedly for her doll only. A frown was clearly shown on her face as she pouts repeatedly while waiting for her brother with such impatience.
"Eury! Get inside already, baby. I baked cookies for merienda," called their mommy who always had the sweetest voice ever. She approached the child with a sunny expression and squatted to touch the girl's sulking face. She could not hide her smile because of the cuteness of her daughter and its rosy cheeks. She wiped off the beads of sweat from the child's forehead since playtime is already over.
"But mom! Kuya's still outside!" The little girl pouted. She crossed her chubby arms and it made her mom smile wider.
They're really like twins—inseparable, thought their mother.
She sighed for a moment because she knew that she will not be able to force the child to get inside unless her older brother's home. She genuinely smiled at Eury and said, "Okay, if that's what you want." The kid's face immediately lit up but went back to a frown when their mom added, "But if it starts raining, you need to go inside whether Kuya's back or not. Understood?"
The cute little girl nodded constantly as if agreeing just so their mom leaves before she changes her mind. The child was about to smile when her mom turned around again and told her, "Or else no cartoons for tonight."
Eury gasped in the cutest way ever and because of that, she kept on calling her brother with determination. She's a smart kid and their mom knows that. She wouldn't let herself lose to this and not watch her favorite cartoons before bedtime. Droplets of rain were beginning to fall from the sky and the little girl panicked. It was a good thing that her Kuya brought her much-loved umbrella since it was a clear and fair day just a while ago when they were still playing.
She grinned widely when she caught a glimpse of her yellow umbrella with Dora the Explorer and Boots printed on it. Her brother was running towards their gate with his hand grasping the end of his shirt. His tummy seemed more than full but Eury looked carefully at it and it wasn't perfectly round. Something must be inside it then!
"Kuya!" She almost stumbled as she struggled to get out of her toy stroller to run to her brother's direction. She welcomed him with a tight hug.
"Look what I got you!" The young boy was still catching his breath when he reached inside his red polo shirt and took out assorted flowers that he meticulously picked from their neighbor's garden. Eury broke off from him to take the flowers but hugged him again right away while relentlessly saying thank you to her dear Kuya.
The five-year-old girl was filled with so much delight because of the flowers that she even arranged them by color.
The smell of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies was wafting from their kitchen to their gate and they went inside straightaway, pulling each other as excitement made them hungrier.
The seven-year-old boy was tugging his little sister's pigtails and she was growling like the tiger from a cartoon they once watched. They were still playing with each other until they reached the kitchen where they were greeted by their mother whose hands were on her waists. She wasn't mad but her forehead was creased.
"Didn't I tell you to always bring your towels with you? Look how sweaty you both are!" She took the towel he left on the couch when they went out to play and walked towards the boy to wipe his face and neck covered in sweat. His back was drenched too so their mom got two more towels. The other one was for Eury. She did the same to the young girl as she murmured, "You might get sick."
The children heard it clear and they looked at each other which made their mom halt for a second. Their mother must have realized what she said so she sighed instead and continued wiping off their sweat. Kids nowadays are getting smarter, she thought.
"You go and eat the cookies before they get cold. I'll just prepare the bathroom so you can wash up later, okay?"
They both nodded then raced each other to their dining area.
"Hey, don't run!" It was too late since they were already in their seats so she shook her head instead and smiled.
"Kuya, help please." Eury was grinning while pointing at the pitcher full of orange juice, her favorite. He immediately helped his sister even if he held the pitcher with both hands since it was too heavy for him.
"Kuya, cookies please." And so he put two large pieces of cookies on her plate. She said thanks with a wide smile.
"Kuya, more juice please." She asked with an orange mustache from the juice. The young girl was obviously enjoying the treatment her beloved brother gives her. The boy was having fun too and following his sister is never a hard task for him. He treats her like the princess she is.
"Love you, Kuya!" That one sentence brought a sunny day to the young boy which made him smile from ear to ear as he hugged her.
"Love you too, baby girl."
A little while later, Eury left the dining table with her last cookie on one hand when she heard one of her favorite cartoons on the television. She rushed to sit on the floor, in front of the TV and stared at it wide-eyed. Her Kuya followed her and sat beside her.
The kids were deeply affected when their favorite character cried because it was bidding farewell to its family and boarding a train.
The boy turned to his sister. "Will you leave Kuya?"
"No! Never!" Eury answered faster than lightning then hugged him firmly as if never letting go.
The young boy then lifted up his pinky finger in between them. Confusion was painted all over the face of the little girl.
"Promise, you will never have a boyfriend, I will never have a girlfriend until we're..." He paused to count using his cute and chubby fingers in a whisper. "Until we're eighteen!" He grinned widely after saying so.
"Boy-fwend?" Eury clearly did not understand what her brother was talking about. He learned those terms from adults around them and he realized at an early age that having a boyfriend or girlfriend meant that a person will solely dedicate one's self to another. He saw that from the television also. Only that, for him, eighteen seemed particularly miles away from his current age that's why he chose that number.
"Crush!" The young boy explained to his puzzled little sister which only made her pout. She knew what a crush is.
"If...If I have crush, it means I leave you?" Asked the girl with utter innocence trying to follow his logic.
The boy nodded incessantly then took his sister's right hand.
"Kuya, will you leave Eury?" Her soft voice was heart-melting when she asked him.
"Never."
Along with the rainfall came the young boy's sincerest smile and Eury mimicked him as they linked their pinky fingers.
"Never."
—
A/N: The next chapters are still in Taglish, except for most of the second half.
