Memories with Him

Chapter Three

I walked inside the bathroom, locked the door out of habit and strip off my clothes. Bigla ko na namang naalala ang mga nangyari buong araw. I sighed heavily and shook my head while turning the shower on.

I immediately relax as the scalding water cascades down my back, over my body. I sighed and tilt my head back against the water.

After I’m done, I handed the towel and dried myself up using it and wrapped it around my body. Agad akong humanap nang masusuot tapos ay tinitigan ang sarili ko sa salamin. Huminga ako ng malalim bago lumabas ng banyo. Muntikan na akong mapatalon sa gulat nang makita si Akihiro na nakahiga sa kama ko.

He’s wearing a black boxer shorts and a white sando.

“Shit.” He cursed and he turned around as he saw me.

“What are you doing here?”

Pinunasan ko ang buhok ko gamit ang tuwalyang hawak ko tapos ay naglakad papalapit sa harap ng salamin.

“Matutulog na…” I don’t know if it’s just me or his voice was really husky.

“I thought this is my room?”

“You’re expecting me not to sleep here, right?” Tinitigan ko siya at marahang tumango.

“Damn! Quit staring at me like that on your wet look.” Tapos ay bumalik siya sa dating p’westo at tumalikod sa akin, “I’m your husband so there’s nothing wrong if I sleep here. Isa pa, k’warto naman talaga nating dalawa ito. It’s not like it’s the first time that we will sleep together.”

Hindi na ako sumagot at umakyat na lang ng kama para makatulog na rin.

“Can I turn the lights off?”

“Sure.”

Marahan akong tumango kahit na hindi niya nakikita tapos ay pinatay ang ilaw. Humiga ako ulit sa kama at pinatay ang lampshade sa may bedside table.

“Goodnight, Aki.”

I don’t know if how will I get used to this kind of things knowing that I’ll do this for the rest of my life… Or was it just me expecting that it’ll going to happen? I don’t know. I want to set aside all the doubts, but I don’t know how.

Naramdaman ko ang paggalaw ni Akihiro sa tabi ko. I was taken aback when he wrapped his arms around my waist and planted a soft kiss on my nape. It felt so much familiar but at the same time… painful.

“Goodnight, baby.”

I woke up the other day without Akihiro on my side. Agad naman akong nagtungo sa banyo para makapaghimalos na. After I’m done, I went downstairs and there I found Akihiro reading newspaper with a coffee in front of him. Nakahanda na rin ang almusal.

“Good Morning. Let’s eat?”

“Good Morning.” Bati ko naman pabalik.

I sat on the vacant chair in front of him. I heard him gasped and he shook his head.

“Sit here.” Tapos ay tinapik niya ang upuang nasa tabi niya. Marahan naman akong tumayo, hindi inaalis ang tingin sa tocino, bacon at fried rice na niluto niya at umupo sa p’westong gusto niya.

Siya ang naglagay ng pagkain sa plato ko at ulam. Hindi na ako nagreklamo at hinayaan na lang siya sa kanyang ginagawa.

“Red’s going to celebrate his twenty-fifth birthday tonight, pinapapunta niya ako sa Dreamers.” Aki said trying to open up a topic.

“O-Okay.” Simpleng sagot ko kasi hindi ko naman alam kung anong tamang isasagot.

“Gusto kong kasama kita.”

Ang alam ko ay isang Bar ang Dreamers at ang alam ko rin ay ito ang pinuntahan namin nila Keli at Hera noong nineteen years-old pa lang ako para magparty. I just don’t know if I still used to go back in that place for the remaining lost three years of my memories.

Maybe, just maybe, there’s nothing wrong if I’ll go with him. Just like what I said, I am so eager to know such things that are missing as soon as possible. And maybe, if I go back to that place, it’ll help me trigger some of those lost things on my mind.

“S-Sige, sasama ako.” Tumango siya at ngumiti.

“Ihahatid kita sa apartment ni Hera pagkatapos kumain. Hintayin lang natin si Nanay Leni at Tatay Nestor.” Napangiti ako sa narinig.

I really want to see Hera and asked her so many things even though I know in myself that she won’t say such things since she always wanted me safe.

Kagaya ng napagusapan, pagkatapos naming kumain ay nagbihis na ako. We stayed at the living room while waiting for Nanay Leni and Tatay Nestor to come. Hindi naman nagtagal ay dumating na ang dalawa.

Sabi ni Akihiro, simula pa lang noong ikasal na kami ay nagta-trabaho na sa amin si Nanay Leni. I can’t remember since part of those things are lost. Nalaman ko rin na mag-asawa sila at walang anak.

“Iiwanan muna kita kay Hera. Papa’s getting stress with the works I left. A sign of getting old.”

“Sinong Papa?”

“Mine.” Ramon Cury. I know his father and I already met him.

Akihiro parked his car in front of Hera’s apartment. If I am not mistaken, I used to go here back when I was still nineteen and less at that age. Hindi ko lubos maisip na aabot ng higit limang taon si Hera sa apartment na ito.

“Here, take this. This won’t take long but I don’t want to disturb you while you’re with Hera. Just call me if you already want to go home, okay?” Kinuha ko ang binigay niyang cell phone at tumango.

“Okay.” Agad kong binuksan ang pintuan at bumaba na.

“Hey!” Saway niya sa akin. Tumingin ako sa kanya, nakita kong nakalabas siya ng kotse at nakakunot ang noo, “Next time, wait for me to open the door for you.” Reklamo niya tapos ay lumapit sa akin at marahan akong hinalikan sa labi, “And don’t forget my kiss.” Dagdag niya. “Bye.” Tumango ako at umalis na siya.

Nakita ko si Hera na nasa gate niya at matamang nakatitig sa kotse ni Aki na kaaalis lang. Tapos ay tumingin siya sa akin at ngumiti.

“Nakita ko ‘yon!”pakiramdam ko ay namula ang pisngi ko sa sinabi niya, “Buti na lang at day off ko, halika na, pasok ka.” And I did as I was told, “Umupo ka muna at igagawa kita ng juice.”

I roamed my eyes around the whole place while I am waiting for her. Ang kanyang sala at kusina ay walang dibisyon. This place looks so familiar but it was not the same as I saw it first back then. Ibang-iba na ang ayos.

“Sa kumpanya ka pa rin ba nagtatrabaho?” Umupo naman siya sa tabi ko at tumango bago hinawakan ang kanang kamay ko.

“Oo naman. Promoted na ako lalo na noong nag-merge na ang kumpanya niyo at ang kina Aki. Hawak ko na ang isa sa mga hotels niyo.” Ngumiti naman ako at tumango.

“Ang sweet sa akin ni Aki.”

“Mabuti naman kung gano’n, nako masasaktan ko talaga siya kapag sinaktan ka niya.”

Kumunot ang noo ko sa sinabi niya. Bakit? Sinaktan na ba ako ni Akihiro dati? Gusto ko sanang itonanong iyon sa kanya pero alam ko na wala akong makukuhang sagot.

“P’wede magtanong?” nanlaki ang mga mata niya at agad na umiling.

“Oh no! Don’t ask me such things, Anya. Kahit pa asawa ka ng boss ko hindi ako sasagot. I mean, your health is way better than every detail of your lost memories for me, so it’s a big no.” I was touched with what she just said.

“Isang tanong lang, please?” Umiling ulit siya.

“No, Anya. I’m sorry.”

“Please? A single detail will not hurt me. I mean, I was just curious and it keeps on bugging me, just one question, please?” Huminga siya ng malalim bago tumango.

“Fine, Anya! As long as I know the answer,” I just want to ask her one thing that will surely trigger so many things.

“H-How did I end up with Aki?”

Mataman niya akong pinagmasdan na tila ba nag-iisip ng mabuti kung sasagutin ba niya ang tanong ko. Mayamaya lang ay pumikit siya ng mariin at huminga ng malalim bago nagsalita.

“Fix marriage.”