A Miserable Romance

Chapter 6 - A Fact

Chase just stared at his phone, it was ringing for a while and his fingers had no plans of answering the call. He just stared at it as the light from the screen illuminated his expressionless face. And soon, after several ringing, the call stopped.

The light on the screen went off and he finally breathed in relief. He was about to place the phone back on the side table when a message popped again on the screen.

'I'll see you soon.'

Chase no longer replied and went back to bed. Things were gradually starting well in his life, but lines were still clinging to this piece of broken glass. And he hated it.

It was another morning and Kyle woke up smelling the strong, delicious aroma from their kitchen and when he got out of his room, he saw Ofius preparing the table with many delicious dishes! His eyes almost popped out, he was never extravagant on his meals since his allowance was limited but waking up one day with these is such a bliss.

"Itada-ki-masu!!" sigaw nito at agad na pumwesto sa upuan. Muntik na nitong makuha ang shrimp tempura when Ofius stopped him.

"Sinong nagsabing pwede kang kumain?" Ofius looked at him that made Kyle looked back in disbelief.

"At sinong nagsabing basta-basta ka nalang magovernight dito? Two days straight?!" Kyle refuted back.

Ofius didn't want to back out and said, "At sino ang nagpahiram sayo panggala kahapon?"

Hearing it, Kyle smiled and laughed forcibly, "Eto naman, laging galit. Oh siya sige hihintayin na kitang kumain."

Ofius felt pride since he won this argument and looked back at Chase's door but slapped Kyle's hand when it tried to take a lumpia on the other plate.

Kyle groaned, "Ano pa kasi hinihintay?!"

"Si Chase, tawagin mo." Ofius said, "'Di pa siya nag-aalmusal."

Kyle looked at him from head to toe, "Luh, friends na kayo?"

Ofius attempted to slap him, "Sino bang tao ang hindi friends sa roommate nila for two years?"

Kyle made a face, "Basta okay kami yun ang mahalaga. Ano pa kasi! 'Di pa kakain?"

Ofius bought these meals thinking of Chase because even though the man didn't make any expression, he knew he loved the food he shared with him. And he never went wrong in choosing meals!

"Kumatok ka sa pintuan." Ofius said in low voice, "Sabihin mo may almusal dito."

Kyle made a ridiculous face, "Luh!"

Ofius kept pushing him, "Bilis na! Ayaw mo? Hindi ka talaga makakatikim." He warned that made Kyle groan in frustration and had no choice but to stand up.

He stood outside Chase's room and he lifted his hand, he looked back at Ofius who was anticipating for the person, and sighed before knocking. He knocked twice and then waited for an answer but there was none. Then knock three times, but there was still no response. He still knocked but there were no replies.

"Uh...Kuya, may almusal dito..." Kyle said staring at Ofius who was so tense as if he was waiting for a judge's verdict, "Uh, prepare ni Ofius. Wag po kayong mag-alala, proven walang lason."

Ofius wanted to hit him as Kyle laughed with no sound. But still no response.

Kyle shrugged and went back to the table, "Baka umalis na."

Disappointment was shown on Ofius's expression as he just stared at the door, "Pero kanina pa ako gising, 'di siya lumabas sa kwarto niya."

Kyle finally had the chance to steal a shrimp tempura and munched on it, "Baka ayaw mag-almusal, teka..." He finally caught on the main thought and eyed his friend, "Napapansin ko na ang bait-bait mo sa kanya, ano na namang trip 'to?"

Ofius joined him in the table, "Anong mabait? Mabait lang talaga ako."

Kyle was still munching his shrimp as he said, "Eh naka first-hand ka na sa pagawkward niya, diba sabi mo hindi mo kayang sumabay sa mga weird at awkward persons?"

Ofius wanted to strangle him, "Kailan ko 'yun sinabi?"

Kyle laughed, "'Nung may classmate tayo nung high school na super geek, 'yung walang kaibigan? Tapos ang bait-bait mo sa kanya kaya nagsimula na siyang magdikit sayo. Pero super weird ng geek at ikaw na mismo lumayo kasi dikit ng dikit."

"Kaya nga kinaibigan ko kasi parang loner at walang kaibigan—" Ofius said but stopped when he noticed Kyle was staring behind him. He immediately turned and his eyes widened seeing Chase getting something from the counter in the corner most of the kitchen, near his room, the shadow of the room was the darkest in this corner so they didn't notice that someone just went out on this side for a moment.

Ofius and Kyle were speechless as their mouth hang open for a moment.

"A-Ah Chase, m-may..."

Pero hindi tumingin sa direksyon nila si Chase and went back to his room.

There was complete silence after.

"Kung ako sayo, hindi na ako iimik at 'di na talaga ako lalapit!" Kyle spoke. "Nalimutan kong sabihin na parang ninja pala siya, susulpot nalang bigla-bigla na 'di mo talaga mapapansin."

Ofius was completely dumbstruck. He never heard any steps behind them nor intended to speak those words behind his back, he was just genuinely speaking those words from the past encounter pero hindi 'yun talaga ang intensyon ng mga salita niya.

He's now completely ruined.

Kyle saw the dejected face of his friend and sighed, "Sabi ko naman sayo kaibiganin mo lahat 'wag lang siya, ikaw lang mahihirapan."

He knew Ofius since they were kids and he was completely a happy-go-lucky person, he can befriend anyone with his cheerful vibes and friendly looks kaya ganun nalang reaksyon niya minsan when he's disappointed.

Kyle tried to liven up the mood and after a while, Ofius returned to normal, and they ate just like any other day. They went into school forgetting about what just happened and interacted as usual.

"Uy pre." Jin caught them, "Nagstart na yung rehearsal para sa pageant, punta tayo mamaya?"

Kyle smiled widely, "Syempre! Ako pa ba? Ikaw Ofius?"

For a second, Ofius had this straight and expressionless face but when Kyle asked, he smiled, "Syempre naman."

Chase locked up in his room this time since his book was already finished, he just need to rest for a while before finding another inspiration to start another story. Naka-ilang puyat rin siya dahil sa first publishing ng kanyang story. He stretched his arms and looked at the blue sky through the single window he had in his room.

Loner, huh? He thought. He was never been called like this in school or with his old friends, but fate sometimes could be unpredictable. It turned out he ended up like this.

He turned to the cup noodles he bought in the cabinet this morning while Kyle and Ofius were talking and accidentally overheard them. He didn't want to join them but he wanted to pee that time at dahil nasa labas ang CR nila, kinailangan niyang lumabas at timing rin na parang siya ang pinaguusapan ng dalawa, hindi na siya natuloy at nagkunwari nalang na may kinuha sa cabinet para agad na makabalik sa kwarto.

Hindi na rin bago sa kanya na pinag-uusapan siya pero sana lang, hindi niya ito marinig o wala siya.

He snapped from his thoughts when his phone made a noise. Its 11:30 AM and it alarmed him his lunch nalilimutan niya kasing kumain kapag immersed sa pagsusulat kaya kailangan niya ng alarm.

He got ready at bibili lang ng pagkain sa labas at dito na lang kakain sa apartment para hindi na rin hassle.

He opened the door of his room and locked it, he went straight to the door and didn't realize that someone was in the apartment.

"Uh, Chase?"

He heard the familiar voice and turned back just to see Ofius again!

"Ofius?" he frowned.

The young man scratched his cheek, "Kumain kana ba?"

Chase spotted the table full of meals again and it was Chase's turn to become speechless.

"U-Uh, hindi pa kasi ako nakapag-lunch at naisipan na dito nalang kakain." He reasoned out, "Sina Kyle kasi may pupuntahan eh, may plate pa akong gagawin."

Chase observed him and sighed believing his words. "Wala ba kayong canteen?"

"Meron pero medyo masikip at mainit rin 'dun." rason ulit niya. "Lalabas ka ba para kumain?" Ofius asked, conveying his invitation to join him for the lunch.

Chase caught on it and sighed, "Oo, sana."

Hearing his words, Ofius smiled widely, "It's another batch of good meals, promise!"

Chase saw that it was indeed a new batch, and looked more delicious than the previous ones. He instantly forgot the thought of the reason why Ofius was doing this and dug in.

Ofius smiled seeing him enjoying the food and can't help but remember what happened this morning, "I'm sorry for what you heard earlier Chase."

Chase raised his head to look at him.

"Hindi yun ang—"

"It's okay." Chase spoke.

Ofius sealed his lips and was still uncomfortable. "Pero magso-sorry pa rin ako."

Chase stared at him for a moment then nodded, "Sa totoo lang, hindi rin 'yun bago kaya 'wag mo ng isipin."

Ofius was a bit surprised by his statement, "At okay lang sayo?"

Chase forced a smile, "We can't refute every opinion they have on us, can we?"

Ofius stared at him and then silently joined him in eating. And soon, Ofius didn't notice that he was already picking the dish Chase was taking. They both ate quietly and finished full, Chase was never been this full for a while.

"Diba writer ka?" Chase asked.

"Medyo," he answered, "Marunong lang sumulat pero hindi naman ganoon kagaling." Chase honestly said.

Ofius disagreed, "Those who know how to tell a story are already writers."

Chase can't help but smile, "I won't argue with that."

Ofius smiled and continued the conversation since Chase had already spoken more words than usual, he is getting comfortable.

"Si Kaye, yung owner ng café, girlfriend mo ba?"

Chase was drinking when he almost choked from the question.

Ofius felt he did something wrong again and said sorry but Chase told him it was okay and just laughed, "Si Kaye? Hindi, kaibigan ko siya since high school."

"Hm..."

...

"Kyle?" Stacy saw them at the rehearsal and then turned her head around to find Ofius but the man was not around.

"Where's Ofius?" she asked.

"Hindi nga naming alam. Nung pumunta kami sa room niya sabi ng classmates niya umalis na siya agad pagkadismiss ng klase nila. Tinawagan namin, 'di naman sinasagot." Jin said.

Stacy couldn't help but show her sadness, "Ininform niyo ba siya na ngayon ang rehearsal?"

"100%" Jin replied. "Sabi pupunta siya, eh di nga makontak."

Kyle was quiet on the side because Ofius asked for the keys to his apartment before leaving and he didn't intend to tell them.

This time, he couldn't help but remember the fact that he almost forgot...Ofius had this strange behavior.

When they were kids, they found this kitten on a street, a very beautiful kitten, and Ofius was allured by it, he kept coming back to that spot where the kitten would usually sit until one day, he declared that he wanted it.

Gusto niya itong makuha at mapaamo kaya sinimulan niyang dalhin ito ng pagkain, laruan at ano pa. Kyle stopped him kasi may collar ito na nagpapakita na may owner ito but Ofius refused and tried to steal it one day. And that day was the day he was intensely scolded by his parents since he was bitten by the cat and got multiple injections because of suspected rabies.

Kyle almost forgot this fact.