Chapter 60 - Ang Taong Pinakaimportante sa Akin
2198 Words
Chapter 60 - Ang Taong Pinakaimportante sa Akin
“Ayan, iliko mo sa kanan! Sa right! Right!” said the professor as he checked the directions on his cellphone. “Ipasok mo d’yan sa tabi, may parking d’yan.”
“Is this where we’re going on a date?” I asked him.
We are currently in the old Walled City of Intramuros, where he said he would give me the best date ever.
Come to think of it, I heard that there are some classy restaurants around here.
“Oo, dito tayo sa Baluarte magde-date,” he said with a big grin on his face. “Halika, maglalakad tayo.”
“We’re going to walk?” I raised my eyebrows at the professor who hates any form of excersise.
“Oo, malapit lang `yun.” He grinned at me again and took my hand.
We walked leisurely along the cobbled streets of old Manila, under yellow lights on door posts and open gardens. It was like we were transported back in time as our shadows fell on the empty streets brightened by the bright moon up above.
We went to a garden next to the ruins of a round building where we sat on a bench and ate the cake he bought.
“Kainin mo muna `yan at maglalakad pa tayo.”
I took a deep breath and leaned closer to him.
“So, you brought me here to eat cake under the moonlight?”
“Hindi lang `yan, marami pa tayong pupuntahan.”
This was enough for me, actually, knowing how dense and unromantic the professor is. We went on our way after finishing the cake, past a garden twinkling with fairy lights, and arrived at an intersection where the professor hailed a horse drawn carriage.
“Ingat, baka lumusot ang paa mo sa apakan ng kalesa.”
We went through the scenic route.
“May nagpapakita raw na mag-asawang pinatay sa watch tower na `yun.”
Pass a couple of old, brightly lit churches.
“`Pag gabi, may naglalakad na pari rito na pugot ang ulo.”
All the while, I had my head on my professor’s shoulder.
“`Pag sinuwerte tayo, makikita natin `yung mga multo ng mga sundalong nagma-martsa sa kalsada.”
While he had his arm around my waist and told me about the surroundings in a soft voice.
“`Pag hinawakan mo raw ang dingding ng Intramuros, mararambaman mo `yung sakit ng mga pinatay ng mga Kastila rito, maririnig mo pa `yung iyak ng mga dating nakakulong sa piitan ng Fort Santiago...”
I didn’t really listen to his gruesome tales, just having the professor to myself that night was enough for me.
We went past a main thoroughfare and a sea port, towards a park, where the professor asked the coachman to let us off.
“O, eto na tayo.”
He took my hand again as he led me towards the harbor, I couldn’t help but gaze at him and smile. He looked so grand in his 4 piece suit, even with his necktie loose. The salty air blew his shoulder length hair, making him appear to be a wild looking gentleman going off to sea, with me, his loyal assistant in tow.
We stopped by a corner, where he turned around to face me and placed his arm around my waist. He had the light of the bright moon behind him, but it was enough for me to see the sweet smile on his face as he called me.
“Habibi, masaya ka ba?” he asked.
“Very,” I answered. “This is probably the happiest I’ve ever been.”
“Good.”
He caressed my lip and leaned closer for a kiss.
“Ngayon, kakain naman tayo.”
The kiss never landed.
The professor took my hand once more and pulled me towards a small group of people gathered beneath the light of a tall electric post.
“Manong, pahingi nga ng stick.”
I stared at the small food cart with a built in burner on one end, and a glass tank at the other, full of pink liquid. There was a deep pan full of boiling oil on top of the burner where small, bite sized pieces of what constitutes as meat, floated to the surface. The vendor gave Prof. Antonio two barbeque sticks. He handed one to me and pulled me closer.
“Tuhog ka lang ng gusto mo,” he instructed me, as he pierced the small morsels through, making a queue on his stick.
“What exactly, are these... things?” I asked him.
“Eto, fishball, eto squidball, eto kikiam, pero `wag ka’ng kukuha n’yan, `di ka kumakain ng baboy `di ba?” he continued pointing at the rest, “Eto hotdog, alam mo na `yan, eto naman chicken ball.”
“And that pink liquid?” I asked, pointing at the tank at the end of the cart.
“Sagolaman `yan, samalamig, may halong evaporated milk.”
“Oh... is it an alcoholic beverage?”
The professor chuckled.
“Hindi, arnibal lang.”
He handed me an empty paper cup.
“Ilagay mo rito ang matutuhog mo.”
I tried to do what he did, but the small balls kept bobbing under the boiling oil.
“Ganito...” Prof. Antonio held my hand and taught me how to skewer the balls properly. He then placed the balls, stick and all, inside the paper cup, and drizzled some sauce on it.
“Ayan, tikman mo.”
I blew at the steaming balls and gingerly took a bite.
It actually tasted nice. The golden brown outer layer of the balls were crispy while the inside was munchy and quite flavorful.
“Gusto mo pa?” the professor asked when I finished my first batch.
“Let me tuhog them myself.” I said proudly.
It took a while, but I finally got the hang of tuhoging the balls. Professor Antonio bought us some samalamig. We brought these near the harbor where we sat on the low wall, listening to the waves break upon the rocks beneath out feet.
“Hindi ka kumuha ng hotdog?” he asked as I ate my squidballs.
“It’s just simple hotdogs.”
“Sa sauce `yan nagkakatalo,” he picked one up with his barbeque stick and held it to my mouth. “Ahh...”
I bit on it.
“Ano, masarap, `di ba?”
“Mm...” I noddedd and gulped, “But I prefer my squidballs,” I held one up which he swallowed whole.
We were still eating, with me leaning on the professor’s shoulder, when we heard someone calling out.
“Baluuuuut!”
“`Uy, tamang-tama!” the professor stood up and went to the vendor. He had a big grin on his face when he returned. “Matagal ko nang gustong pakainin ka nito, pero wala akong nakikitang nagtitinda sa `tin.”
“What is that?” I asked.
“Duck eggs.” he took out two large eggs from the small paper bag he held.
“Don’t tell me, it’s that infamous duck embryo you filipinos call a delicacy.”
“Exactly! Nakakain ka na ba nito?”
“No. Never.”
“Eto, tikman mo ngayon...”
“No thank you.”
“Tikman mo lang!”
He cracked the egg on the concrete wall we were siting on and held it right in front of me.
“Sige na, tikman mo lang, higupin mo `yung sabaw,” he told me, “masustansya s’ya, at pampalakas pa ng tuhod!” he grinned, raising his brows several times. “Isa ito’ng aphrodisiac, para mamaya, pag-uwi natin.”
I felt my face burn.
“I only need to taste it?” I frowned at him.
“Oo, higupin mo muna...”
I did as he told me.
“Ano? Masarap, `di ba?”
“Well... it’s not as bad as I thought,” I confessed.
“Alam mo ba, nang bata pa kami ni kuya, madalas kaming bilhan ng tatay namin ng balut na pasalubong? Para daw maging malakas kami,” he told me as I sipped my balut. “Alala ko pa, tuwing may okasyon, nagpupunta kami rito sa Intramuros para mag-picnic, lalo na `pag pasko’t bagong taon. Tapos sa gabi, manonood kami ng fireworks habang kumakain ng street food... kaya nga nasabi ko sa sarili ko, paglaki ko, isasama ko si kuya rito para mag da-date kami, tulad noong buhay pa ang mga magulang namin.”
I felt cold after hearing his story.
“So, I guess I’m just a substitute for your brother?” I told him.
“Of course not!” he faced me, frowning. “Alam mo naman na maagang natali ang kuya ko. Mula nang nagkapamilya s’ya, `di ko na s’ya nakasama nang mag-isa, hanggang sa umlis ako papuntang US para mag-aral, at umuwi ako kung kailan nagkaproblema na s’ya,” he continued. “Kaya nga nasabi ko sa sarili ko, ang isasama ko na lang dito, eh, ang taong pinakaimportante sa `kin.”
I felt myself blush.
“T-then... why not take bebe Meme here instead?” I asked, looking away.
“Pamangkin ko si Mercy, kahit importante s’ya sa `kin, ba’t ko s’ya isasama dito para mag-date?” he told me, “Isa pa, asa ka’ng papayag ang bayaw ko na isama ko s’yang mag-isa rito! Baka mapagkamalan pa ako’ng pedo!” he laughed then, and suddenly stopped.
“Teka nga muna...” he paused, “`Wag mo’ng sabihin na nagseselos ka kay Mercy?!”
I looked back at him, still frowning, and slapped his arm.
“I am not!”
“O, eh, bakit ka galit?!” he chuckled.
“I said I am not.” I snubbed him again, unconsciously sipping from my balut. “I just think that it is not proper for a grown man and a teenaged girl to act so close to each other.”
“Uy... nagseselos nga s’ya!” he teased me, “Ikaw talaga, parang anak ko na si Mercy, kaya ganon ang trato ko sa kan’ya, nakita mo naman kung gaano ka-cute ang pamangkin ko!”
“I did.” I replied, looking back at him with a frown. “I saw how cute your niece is and how much you dotted on her. How you hugged her, snuggled with her, and even kissed her!”
“Habibi...” the professor stared at me, a bit surprised at my reaction.
He reached out and touched my chin, tilting it up a bit, then slowly leaned over me, kissing the left side of my lips softly.
“Tumulo na `yung sabaw ng balot sa baba mo.”
“Huh?!” I felt pissed. “I’m serious here, professor!”
“So am I,” he touched my chin again, and this time, kissed me properly. “Tingin mo ba magsasama ako ng ibang tao rito maliban sa `yo?”
I wasn’t able to answer him.
But then again, no one else is as close to the professor as I am.
“Professor, I’m the only person you could actually bring here.” I said flatly.
“Uy, hindi, ha? P’wede ko kayang isama rito si... si Pedro at saka `yung asawa’t anak n’ya! Magpapaluto ako sa kanila para todo picnic na tayo! Sama na rin natin si Pilar at baka magtampo pa `yun, kahit isama pa n’ya `yung asawa n’ya, mukhang mas matino naman pala `yun kumpara `dun sa habol ng habol sa `yo.”
He sounded bitter when he said that last part.
“That sounds like a company outing.” I told him.
“Oo nga,” he laughed, “dahil ikaw lang talaga ang gusto ko’ng makasama nang mag-isa rito.”
I stared at him again. Even in the moonlight, I can see how his face had turned a bright red. He refused to face me and pointed at the moon instead.
“A-ang liwanag ng nanay mo ngayon...” he mumbled, “Kahit `di pa s’ya buo.”
I touched his shoulder, leaned over and gave him a soft kiss on the cheek.
“Thank you, professor, this is the best date I have ever gone to.”
“P’wera biro?” he asked.
“The only thing that would make this even better is if you agree to go back home with me.”
“Sige, uwi na tayo sa `tin.” he stood up and took my balut, cracking the shell open and cutting it in half. He gave the yellow part to me. “Gusto ko na rin makauwi nang ikaw naman ang makain ko.” he said, vulgarly.
“No, I meant my home,” I told him, “Back to the U-“
“`Di ba ang sabi nila, home is where the heart is?” he interrupted me. “Kung saan ka masaya, iyon ang tahanan na uuwian mo.”
The professor took out some wet wipes to clean himself. He handed me some as well, even wiped my gaping mouth.
“Halika na,” he said again, “uwi na tayo.”
- Writer
