Chapter 23
1234 Words
Chapter 23 – A Sad Smile That Hides A Thousand Secrets
I watched my professor by the door. He is still staring blankly at his niece’s photograph while sipping my coffee. He has his favorite jerseys on, the gray one with the threadbare bottoms. It is a good thing that he is wearing a lab coat.
His thick hair is a mess, with dark rings around his eyes, and a week old stubble covering half of his face. No wonder they call him an ogre behind his back.
Well, I think it gives him character. But I guess those omegas can not appreciate a handsome man when they see one. They are all too obsessed with beautiful clean shaven men like... well, like myself. But I am not interested in these kind of people. Though we may be of roughly the same age, with some even older than I am, we are nothing alike. I do not look at outside appearances. I look at the inside. The intellect. And in that regard, no one is more handsome, nor more beautiful than my Professor Antonio.
“O, ba’t ka nakasimangot sa `kin?”
”Huh?” I didn’t notice him staring at me. “I was just thinking of something...” I mumbled.
“Anong something?”
“Nothing...” I went inside the room and sat beside him. “Professor, are you happy with your work here?” I asked.
“Hindi,” he said straight out. “Pero wala naman ako’ng choice.”
“Then why don’t you leave? You have enough funds and resources to start your own research institute. You can easily use your fame to your advantage.”
“May... utang ako sa Universal Laboratories...” he mumbled, “Hindi ako p’wedeng umalis lang nang basta-basta.”
“Then come work with me in the UACME branch, there, we can study all we want, anything we want, without people forcing us to babysit inept interns or appear in public to advertise the company or...”
“Aahmes.”
I looked up at the professor. He was looking at me with a sad smile that seemed to hide a thousand secrets that he could never tell me.
“Hindi ganon kadali ang mga bagay-bagay,” he said. “Oo nga at masarap magtrabaho sa isang lugar `kung saan walang makikielam sa akin, pero, nandito sa Pinas ang pamilya ko... ang bayaw ko... mga pamangkin ko... hindi ko sila kayang iwanan, kahit pa kasumpa-sumpa ang ugali ng mag-amang alpha na `yun,” he added. “Pero `wag ka’ng mag-alala, gantihan lang naman ang laban dito sa UL, eh. Kita mo, gamitan lang kami, at sa totoo lang, malaking lugi talaga ang inabot nila sa announcement ko noon na 50% discount,” he laughs. “Kaya hayaan mo lang sila. Hayaan mo lang ako sa diskarte ko. Kayang-kaya ko `to.”
We fall silent for a while. I may not know the real reason why he cannot leave, but at least I can stay with him and take care of him.
“Are you done for today?” I asked him instead.
“Oo, may ita-type lang ako’ng progress sa report ko...”
“Do that next time.”
I took hold of his good arm and pulled him up.
“Saan tayo pupunta?” he asked.
”To your doctor. You’re getting your cast removed, remember?”
“Pero, maaga pa, ha? Alas-kuwatro pa ang appointment ko, at mag la-lunch time pa lang...”
“We’re eating out.”
I went to the pantry first. Pedro was already getting his lunch heated at the microwave oven.
“Pedro, we’re going out.” I called to him. “Diaz, Francisco and De Leon are dismissed. Did they surrender their identification cards to you?”
“Ah, yes, Dr. Abdel...”
“Good, we’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Hindi na po kayo babalik?” he asked.
“Obviously,” I relplied, and pulled Prof. Antonio along with me.
“Teka lang, Habibi, anong meron?” he asked, sounding alarmed. “Bakit parang bad trip ka? At sino `yung tatlong dinismis mo?”
“Unnecessary people who are a waste of laboratory space,” I answered.
“Teka, `di ba `yung si De Leon `yung apo sa pamangkin ni Dr. Gonzaga?”
”Regardless, I deem them unnecessary. For now, we will have lunch, get some new clothes, get you cleaned, and get to bed early.”
“Bakit nga? Ano ba’ng meron?!”
“The award tomorrow will be broadcasted live, worldwide. I want you to look your best.”
“Pssh... akala ko naman kung ano na... ba’t pa ko bibili ng bagong damit? `Di ba’t binili mo na `ko ng tatlong suits dati? Sobra-sobra na `yun!”
”I meant work clothes.”
He looked down at himself and frowned at me.
“Bakit? Balak mo nanamang itapon ang mga damit ko, no?! For your information, mas masarap isuot ang mga luma, dahil personalized na `to, hinubog na sa katawan ko, kaya walang kasing lambot at komportable gamitin!”
“There are people who are laughing behind your back because of – “
“Eh, ano kung pagtawanan nila ako? May napala ba sila? May nawala ba sa `kin?”
I glare at him. He laughs and rustles my hair, pulling my lasso off once again.
“Sino ba’ng naninira sa `kin?” he asked, “At bakit ka ba masyadong apektado? Biro mo, nang una kita’ng nakilala, para ka’ng manyika na mata lang ang gumagalaw sa mukha, pero ngayon, ang dalas ko na’ng makitang nagdidikit ang kilay mo!”
“It is mostly because of you, professor.”
He laughs at me louder.
“Alam ko! I made it one of my quests in life – ang punuin ng naiiritang expressions ang mukha ni Habibi, at mukhang successful ito!”
“Very.”
“So, Habibi, saan ba tayo mag-de-date?” he asks as he leads the way out of the building.
“This is not a date.” I said flatly. “And don’t call me Habibi.
We went to the mall and had lunch in the foodcourt. I wanted to eat in a proper restaurant, but the professor insisted that he wanted to eat lumpia and bopis from two different stores. Besides, as he pointed out, he wasn’t dressed properly. They would probably restrict us from entering the premisses.
That’s why I decided to go to the barbers right after we ate.
“Magpapagupit ka?” ha asked, wide-eyed, “`Wag! Bagay sa `yo long hair! Mas maganda ka pa nga kesa kay Pilar, eh!”
“Not me, professor. You.”
“Nagpapahaba `rin ako, para terno tayo!” he said with a grin.
“At least trim it at the sides a little...” I touched his hair and noticed him shiver.
I guess he still feels a bit uneasy with me.
“O-okay, sige, para sa Habibi ko,” he stepped away, “Tapos pumunta na tayo sa doctor ha? Matagal ko nang gustong kalkalin ang loob ng cast ko!”
- Writer
