Pagkatapos ng tugtog ay uupo na sana ako subalit bigla akong inaya sumayaw ni Tito Akihiko.
“ May I have this dance, beautiful young lady?”
Tumingin naman ako kay Haruto.
He nodded and smiled. “ Dance with your mother, Haruto.”
“ I'll surely do, Dad.”
Nang mag- umpisa na ang tugtog ay marahan niya akong isinayaw.
Parang bumabalik ako sa panahong isinayaw ako ni Papa no'ng 18th birthday ko.
Preskong- presko pa 'yon sa isipan ko.
“ What did you like about my son?” tanong ni Tito.
“ He's a strong and independent man. You see, it's rare to find a man who never gives up for his dreams...alone...”
Dahil do'n ay muli kong naalala no'ng unang beses ko siyang nakitang umiyak.
“ He is. But since I got the chance to meet the girl he wants to spend his whole life with, I'll take the opportunity to ask for your favor.”
“ What is it po, Tito?”
“ I know...ikaw lang ang makakatulong sa'kin, sa'min ng Tita Elizabeth mo. At alam ko ring sa'yo lang siya makikinig. Tell him to stop his career as an idol, and start his career as a future Engineer and a CEO.”
My whole world just stopped, and my eyes hold my tears.
“ I know you can do it, right? You are his weakness, I know—”
Sakto naman ay huminto na ang tugtog. Kaya't kumalas na ako sa pagkakahawak kay Tito.
“ I can't, Tito, I know, ginagawa mo po 'yon for his future. But I am not in the position to stop him from doing the things that will make him happy. Like a stair, he slowly builds each tread to step up, and I can say that I am one of those who witness his struggles and how he overcame it alone. Yes, he listens to me, but I'll never use it to make him stop his life. If I do what you want, parang tinanggalan ko na rin ho siya ng karapatan upang mabuhay ng masaya. I love your son, Tito. His happiness is mine, his fight is mine, I'll never leave him alone.”
At alam ko rin namang hinding- hindi niya iiwan ang bagay na mas nauna pa niyang kinagisnan kesa sa'kin?
Huminga ako ng malalim. “ Excuse me po.”
Umupo muna ako sa table namin at pinagmasdan lang sina Haruto at Lola na nagsasayaw.
When he smiles I smile, when he cries I cry.
So why would I take that most precious smile away from the man I love?
Pagkatapos nilang sumayaw ay agad naman siyang umupo sa tabi ko.
“ How's your dance with Dad, Moonbeam?”
“ O-okay naman. May mga bagay lang kaming pinag- usapan. But it's not that serious naman.”
“ Oh, I see. Let's go somewhere after this party.”
“ Saan naman tayo pupunta?”
“ It's a surprise.”
“ Dami mong paandar ah.”
So after party ay nagpaalam muna kami sa family niya, especially to his Dad.
“ Happy birthday again, Tito.”
“ Thank you, hija.”
“ Aww, you're leaving na ate Ganda?” malungkot na saad ni Ichiro.
“ Yes, baby. Let's meet each other again another time.” I said and kissed his cheek.
“ Goodbye po, Lola.”
“ Mag- iingat kayo, hija. Haruto, ingat sa pag- d-drive, okay? Bibigyan niyo pa ako ng apo.”
Nagsitawanan naman sila Tito at Tita.
“ They're still young, Mommy. Hayaan mo muna silang abutin ang pangarap nila after graduation.”
“ I know, I know, Haruka. Gusto ko lang maging advance at ipaalala 'yon sakanila.”
“ How many great- grandchildren do you want, Lola?” tanong ni Haruto.
“ Ano ka ba, apo. Hindi naman gano'n karami ang hinihingi ko, kahit anim lang ay ayos na sa'kin.”
A-anim?!
“ S-sa isang irehan lang ho?” nauutal kong tanong.
“ Yan ay kung.....pagsisikapan niyo t'wing gabi at kung kakayanin mo.”
Hindi ako makapaniwala sa mga sinasabi ngayon ni Lola.
B-baka kung ano na naman ang maging aksyon nito ni Haruto mamaya.
“ Hehe, hindi ko ho 'yon kaya. M-mauna na ho kami.”
“ Oh siya Sige. Goodbye!”
Pagkatapos naming magpaalam ay agad kong hinila si Haruto sa gilid kung saan hindi nila kami maririnig at makikita.
“ Is it hot? Pinagpapawisan ka ata?” tanong niya.
Aba't sino naman ang hindi pagpapawisan do'n?! Para akong nasa hot seat kanina e!
“ W- wala...m-mainit lang kanina sa loob. Saan nga pala tayo pupunta?”
May kinuha siya sa kaniyang bulsa at ipinakita sa'kin ang panyo.
“ Tada!” aniya't ipinantakip ito sa aking mga mata.
Hinawakan niya ang bewang ko upang gabayan ako sa paglalakad.
Hanggang sa narinig ko ang pagbukas niya ng pinto ng kaniyang kotse at maingat niya akong ipinasok dito.
“ Saan ba talaga tayo pupunta?” pagpipilit ko pang tanong sakaniya.
“ It's a surprise, Moonbeam. Hindi na 'yon magiging surprise kung sasabihin ko sa'yo.”
Ayaw pa sabihin e.
Hinayaan ko na lamang siyang gawin ang gusto niya't dalhin ako sa lugar na sinasabi niya.
Wala man lang akong naririnig na ingay at tanging pagbukas niya lang muli ng pinto ng kotse ang narinig ko.
Inalalayan niya akong bumaba at parang may narinig akong may pinindot siyang switch.
“ Are you ready?”
He whispered so I nodded.
Dahan- dahan niyang tinanggal ang takip sa mata ko't nakita ko naman ang inihanda niyang surpresa para sa'kin.
He built a tent at the back of his Groove car full of led fairy lights. Meron ding bouquet, human size teddy bear at chocolates sa loob nito.
Sa harap naman namin ay makikita ang napakagandang city lights.
Sa sobrang saya na nararamdaman ko'y hindi ko namalayang unti- unti na palang pumapatak ang mga luha ko.
I finally experienced this kind of thing, and I'm happy na kay Haruto ko 'to mararanasan.
He's really more than I expected.
He wiped my tears using his thumb and kissed my forehead.
“ Did you like it?”
I nodded for so many times. “ Y-yes, a lot. T-thank you...”
“ My pleasure. Hush now, my Queen.”
Inalalayan niya akong maglakad papasok sa look at inabot sa'kin ang bulaklak.
“ You already gave me one earlier.” ani ko habang pinupunasan pa rin ang mga luha ko.
“ It's different, Moonbeam. I'll give you as many flowers as I can until you lose count.”
“ Then, I'll gladly accept all of those and display them in my room.”
He chuckled. “ Now, I finally had a reason to make you more happy.”
“ Do you still feel hot?” nag- aalalang tanong niya.
“ Medyo lang.”
Muli niyang kinuha ang panyo sa kaniyang bulsa at itinali ito sa aking buhok.
“ Bibili na talaga ako ng rubber band. I can't just stare at my woman struggling to fix her hair.”
“ Haha! Kaya ko naman e.”
“ I know, but I want to be the one who should take care of you.”
“ There! I know I'm still not an expert to do it. But I'm sure matututunan ko rin 'yon, sooner or later.”
“ Thank you.”
“ You're welcome, my Moonbeam.” he fixed my baby hair at kumuha ng tissue at pinunasan ang pawis ko sa mukha.
Pagkatapos ay tumabi na siya sa'kin.
“ Ang ganda pala ng city lights.”
“ Hindi ka pa ba naka- experience nito?”
“ Hindi, bukod sa takot akong lumabas t'wing gabi'y takot din talaga ako sa dilim. Kaya ngayon lang ako nakakita niyan, and I feel safe kasi ikaw ang kasama ko.”
“ You never feel safe in any man's arm?” tanong niya. “ Except for your Father and Senior?”
I shook my head. “ Never. All I've experienced was a nightmare.”
He sat closer to me and leaned my head to his shoulder.
“ Only if I met you earlier, your life wouldn't be that sad.”
“ It's okay. Because of him, marami rin naman akong natutunan. And when I met you, I finally realized that I should not chase, and settle for less. That, why would I settle for less, if a man like you exists in this world?”
“ You're making me blush, woman.”
“ It's true.”
Muli kong naalala ang sinabi sa'kin kanina ni Tito.
Wala naman sigurong mawawala kung susubukan kong itanong 'yon sakaniya.
“ Nga pala...may tanong ako.”
“ What is it?”
“ K-kung sasabihin ko sa'yo ngayon na itigil mo na ang pag- aartista....titigil ka ba?”
“ Yes, I will.” mabilis niyang sagot na ikinabigla ko.
“ W-why?”
“ Cause you told me to do so.”
“ Iiwan mo ang career mo dahil lang sinabi ko?”
“As I said before, I'm willing to leave everything for you. If quitting my job would be best for us, I'd do it without hesitation.”
“ Why? Do you want me to do it now?” taka niyang tanong.
“ H-hindi sa gano'n. Tinanong ko lang, but please, promise me na kahit anong mangyari ay hinding- hindi mo iiwan ang meron ka ngayon.”
“ I will, but only if you stay by my side.” aniya't humiga.
Kumuha siya ng remote at bigla namang bumuka ang bubong ng tent.
“ Hmmm. Stars are very therapeutic to stare at.”
Dahan- dahan naman akong humiga sa tabi niya't braso niya ang nagsisilbing unan ko.
“ I saw our names initials in the stars.”
“ Nasa'n?”
“ There.. see those stars that gathered on the right side of the moon?”
“ There's our initials... Letter H and D.”
“ Oo nga! What a beautiful incident.”
“ Someone told me that if you saw your initial name and your partner's initial name, it means that destiny brought you together. That we are star-crossed lovers and the universe approves our love.”
“ Do you see a future with me?”
“ I see no reason not to. I'm all in, always with you.”
I hugged him and he hugged me back... tightly.
“ I love you...” I whispered.
“ H-ha? H-hindi kita narinig. Could you please say it again?” pagkukunwari niya.
“ Ewan ko sa'yo. Narinig mo na 'yon.”
“ Hindi 'no. Why would I ask you to say it again kung narinig ko na? C'mon, say it loud.”
“ I said... I love you.”
“ See those stars and the city lights? I love the view.” dagdag ko pa.
Bigla namang naging malungkot ang ekspresyon niya.
“ Madaya.” nagtatampo niyang usal.
“ Bakit? Hindi ba maganda ang view?”
“ Of course it is.” parang bata niyang sagot.
“ So why are you sulking? Haha!”
“ Nothing. Maybe I was just de@f hearing the wrong word.”
Hinawakan ko naman ang pisnge niya't itinapat ang kaniyang mukha sa'kin.
“ I love you.”
“ Yeah, you love the view.”
“ No.... I love you.”
“ Say it in Tagalog, Moonbeam. ”
“ Ma...hal...ki...ta...” mabagal kong pagsambit at hinaplos ang kaniyang pisnge.
“ Mahal na mahal kita.” he held my hand and kissed it.
“ Haruto...”
“ Hmmm?”
“ Kung iiwan kita—”
“ No. You'll stay by my side.”
“ If lang naman.”
“ Okay..okay..”
“ Kung iiwan kita dahil sa tingin ko'y hindi ako karapat- dapat sa'yo, at hindi ako masyadong nagpakatotoo sa mga pinapakita kong ‘ako’ t'wing magkasama tayo. Would you accept my reason?”
“ No.”
“ Why?”
“ I am courting you, 'cause I want to know you, the real you. And as your man, I should accept all of your flaws and imperfections, I should handle your mood swings, anger, jealousy and such. I am not going to leave you after knowing the real you, I'll never gonna be disappointed or turned off. Wanna know why? Cause I know that you're just being true to yourself, to me, to other people who surround you. That will never be a reason for me to leave you. So when you're with me, don't be afraid to show me your flaws, we're all imperfect anyway. You want to punch me? Do it. You want to bite me? Do it. You want to cry? Lean on me. That won't be a problem. I am your man and you are my woman. Don't face your battles alone, you have me, I'll be there no matter what happens, 'cause I love you.”
Who would've thought that I would find a man who rarely exists in this world?
He held my chin and looked at me in the eyes.
“ So never tell yourself that you don't deserve me. 'Cause I'll never accept that as a reason or an excuse for you to leave me.”
“ Nakakatakot ka palang iwan. Baka umabot pa tayo sa korte.”
“ Yeah, I'll sue you until I make you mine again.”'
Tinapik ko naman siya. “ Sir@. What if lang naman 'yon.”
“ I answered your question dahil baka nag- ooverthink ka na naman. My baby is such an overthinker. Kamag anak mo ba si Tinkerbell?”
“ Haha! Hindi 'no!”
“ Overthinking isn't healthy. Ako na lang ang isipin mo, ngingiti ka pa.”
“ Dadagdag lang kamo ang problema ko.”
We just both laughed.
He pulled me closer to him, and hugged me tightly. Bumaba siya ng k'unti at isinubsob ang kaniyang mukha sa aking leeg.
“ Our love is my north star, Moonbeam and I'd be lost without you.”
“ So, please don't talk about leaving.” he added.
Niyakap niya lang ako buong magdamag habang ako naman ay hinahaplos lang ang kaniyang buhok at nakatingala lamang sa mga bituin.
I feel trapped. How could I leave this man, if he always makes me feel like he'd lose himself without me?