11/23

Hashtag 09

#ForTheBrokenOnes

"To blindly judge a broken soul is to not see entirely."

-x-

For the first time since Miko found his way in Jhing's circle of boring life, Jhing didn't deny to herself the reason she cried: Fine. Because of him and his crazy efforts. Kainis. And looking at the paper rose, he probably researched: how to make origami roses,  made her re-think about a lot of things.

She drank the medicine he gave when she went home.

Her tears almost ruined the paper rose, so she hid it in the box full of memories.

When she saw the family picture plastered on her cubicle's cork board the next day in office; with all the smiles and happiness radiating from that memory, they were too happy back then.

Too happy. Back then.

Jhing's mind shut down again, dismissing her happy thoughts.

"Hindi mo sinabing may bago palang illustrator."

She was out of the office, no officemates – kumakain lang siya sa KFC kasama si Fall; bakit Miko pa rin ang topic?

When will this end?

"Hindi ka naman nagtanong." Jhing shrugged.

Fall frowned. "Eh wala kasing sinabi!"

"Hindi mo tinanong."

"Wala ka kasi sinabing gwapo 'yung illustrator!"

Jhing wanted to choke herself to death. This was the topic she wanted to get out from; pero kahit anong iwas – kahit anong pagsasawalang bahala – that topic of him still haunted her.

Hindi siya tinatantanan.

If she tells Fall everything, will Fall stop talking about it? Just to get her heart at peace, jusko naman kasi.

"Di ba next, next week na birthday ni Facio. . ."

Jhing knew Fall wanted her to talk; pang topic lang ba. She also knew Fall wasn't interested with love at the moment. She was okay with every crazy topic Fall would say. But this one? Not a good idea.

"Sasama ba 'yung bagong illustrator?"

And Jhing had no guts. Kahit ito ang closest to best friend status, wala pa rin. She didn't have strength. Mentally? Emotionally? Physically?

Or maybe because she didn't know how to tell it to someone para mabilis malimutan ang sakit na naiwan niya sa sarili. Pero syempre, the guy's everywhere, pushing her to remember everything.

Jhing had no chance to make dumb excuses when the day before Facio's birthday came. Okay lang sana na iiyak niya ulit ang trangkaso para makaiwas sa happenings, but too bad.

Walang trangkasong dumating.

Kinorner siya ni Facio at pinagbantaan. "Kung hindi ka pupunta sa birthday ko, papangitan ko ang illustration ng mga susunod mong published books."

She wanted to say, fine, may iba namang illustrator but that 'ibang illustrator' was the great Miko. So she nodded and said, "pupunta ako."

Sa pagkakaalam ni Jhing ay writers ang mga kasama ni Facio sa celebration. The day of his birthday tho, may iba pa palang kasama.

When Facio asked for a favor, "pwede bang magpabili ng beer? Tatapusin ko lang tong illus ko. Babayaran ko pagbalik niyo, promise!" okay lang sa kanya.