"Did you know that my favorite color is yellow?"

***

The three of us; Mom, Savior, and I, are sitting at the same table. I can't believe what just happened. That Savior guy knew my mother?

I was looking straight at Savior, with a serious look on my face. He seemed uncomfortable by my gaze, he can't even look at me. Mom was just looking at us until the chime rang again.

"Iwan ko na muna kayo, I'll go help the crew serve the customers, okay?"

"Sure, Mom."

"Enjoy your food," aniya at naglakad paalis. I saw her help the crew to take the order of the customers who just arrived. Matapos n'on ay ibinalik ko ang tingin ko kay Savior na agad na nag-iwas ng tingin nang mahuli ko siyang pinagmamasdan ako. Maka-ilang beses siya lumunok at halatang hindi siya comfortable sa mga tingin ko.

Both of us remained silent, no one dared to talk, and awkwardness filled the atmosphere. I started eating the snack that mom prepared, she served me my special coffee while Savior had a Matcha Macchiato. There are two plates on the table, one has a blueberry cheesecake on it, while the other has a new pastry on our menu, a chocolate-filled croissant covered with slices of almond nuts.

Ilang beses numanakaw ng sulyap si Savior sa akin habang kumakain ako. Pinapakiramdaman niya rin kung galit ba ako o ano. I'm not mad, shocked, I guess. Siguro dahil hindi ako madalas ngumiti at magsalita, people often call me as 'suplado' or 'galit sa mundo'.

"Uhm hi... again?" Savior finally broke the silence between us. I just looked at him and that made him gulp in tension.

"M-Mommy mo pala si tita café owner," pag-iiba niya ng usapan. Wait, he doesn't know that the owner of this café is my mother?

"Obviously, yes," I replied coldly and took a sip of my coffee.

Magsasalita pa sana siya pero agad ako sumingit. "Sinunsundan mo ba ko?" tanong ko na nagpakunot sa noo niya.

"Woah, that's too much. I'm not a psycho, Kiiro. And just like I said, a no is a no, hindi ko kailangan ipilit 'yong sarili ko kung ayaw naman ng tao. I have my principles," he responded genuinely. Ayoko rin naman mag-assume pero I'm worried about my safety. Mahirap nang magtiwala ulit.

"You can ask Tita, I always visit this café, atsaka sikat itong café na ito sa BGC, you can't blame me for going here often," he stated with a smile on his face.

"Hindi mo kasama si Sebastian?" Napukol naman kay mom ang atensyon ko nang bigla itong sumingit sa usapan namin habang may dalang tray na naglalaman ng order.

"No po tita, nasa work po e. He missed this café as weel but he's too busy to visit," Savior replied and slightly turned to me then winked.

Argh! Nang-aasar ba siya? Oo na, dati pa sila napunta rito, hindi niya na kailangan ipamukha.

"What about your friends? Hindi mo sila kasama, bihira ka lang pumunta rito ng ikaw lang mag-isa ah," ani mom.

"They're busy as well tita, but I'll tell them po na hinahanap mo sila, for sure, pupunta sila rito," sagot niya sabay ngiti.

"Sure sure, that would be good. Anyways, hatid ko lang itong order, sorry ang daldal ko," natatawang saad ni mom at naglakad papunta sa table 'di kalayuan sa amin.

Savior looked at me with a proud smile on his face. "See? Kahit dati pa, kilala na ako ni tita, so don't think that I'm stalking you because I will never do."

I unconsciously rolled my eyes on him.

"Ayaw mo n'on, you said no when I asked you to hang out, but it seems like destiny played its role." I almost spit the coffee in my mouth. What the hell is this guy saying? Destiny? Cringe,

"Just kidding," he added and started eating his blueberry cheesecake.

Then the conversation was cut after that, Silence once again filled us. Until both of us finished our drinks and snacks.

"Ilang taon ka na pala?" biglang tanong ni Savior kaya napatingin ako sa kaniya.

'Why do you have to know?"

"Hmm, just saving us from the awkwardness, but it's okay if you don't- "

"Sixteen," tipid kong sagot habang naka-krus ang mga braso at nakataingin sa mga dumaraang sasakyan sa labas ng café.

"I'm your kuya pala, seventeen na ako e, turning eighteen next month." So, my guess was right when I first had my encounter with him, he's a year older than me.

"Hey."

"Po?" he responded.

"Kailan ka ba aalis?" direktang tanong ko sa kaniya. I thought he would be offended by my rudeness, but instead he grinned mischievously.

"You don't own this coffee shop, Kiiro. Hindi ka pwedeng magpaalis ng customer," sagot niya sa akin at kumindat.

"What's your favorite color nga pala? Black or white? Halos lahat ng gamit mo 'yon ang kulay e," tanong niya ulit. Hindi talaga siya titigil 'no?

"Black and white aren't colors, they are shades. And why do you care about my favorite color?" I answered and looked away. I don't want to see that smile on his face, it irritates me.

"I'm just saving our conversation. By the way, I am a Xanthophile, my favourite color is yellow." Napatingin ako nang wala sa oras sa kaniya. He's still smiling, but my face slowly turned pale when I heard what he said.

"Did you know that my favorite color is yellow?"

Parang bigla kong narinig sa tenga ko ang sinabi ng taong iyon kahit pitong taon na ang nakakalipas. Nanindig ang lahat ng balahibo ko sa katawan, ilang beses ako napalunok dahil sa bigla kaba at kabog ng dibdib ko. The fear has been renewed in my mind.

"Yellow is my fave color kasi ang ibig sabihn ng kulay na 'yon- " Napahinto siya nang bigla akong tumayo mula sa kinauupuan ko. Gumawa rin ang ingay ang pag-urong ng upuan ko dahilan para mapatingin sa akin ang ibang customers.

"Honey?" Napatingin ako kay mom nang tawagin niya ako na nasa likod ko lang pala noong mga oras na iyon.

"Mom let's go home," I uttered, which made her frown into confusion.

"Why? What's wrong?" tanong niya pero hindi ko na nagawang makasagot and I know that she already knew what I meant.

"Okay, I understand. Mauna ka na sa parking lot, I'll just finish the order of my customer." Pagkasagot palang ni mom ay agad na akong naglakad paalis. Nahagip ng peripheral vision ko ang pagtatakha sa mukha ni Savior. I know I acted rude and disrespectful, but I can't afford to hear him talk about that color ever again.

I was on my way to the parking lot when a hand grabbed mine. I turned around only to see him, Savior. Agad kong binawi ang kamay ko at matalim siyang tinignan.

"Hey, did I say something wrong? Bakit biglang-"

Hindi ko na siya pinatapos dahil ayoko nang marinig ako boses niya. "Shut up. Don't ever talk to me again, understand. I already thank you for saving my life, if that's not enough, I can pay you. Magkano ba kailangan mo para hindi na kita makita ulit?" wala sa sariling sagot ko habang patuloy pa rin sa panginginig ang kamay ko dahil sa biglang panic attack ko kanina.

I can see the sudden change on his mood. He looked disappointed, but I don't have time to care for other people's feelings. I can never be friends with anyone, especially with a person who will only trigger my trauma.

"You don't have to. At least now, alam kong tama na. I'll stop from bothering you, and thank you for telling that to me," aniya at pilit na ngumiti saka naglakad paalis. Nilagpasan niya ako habang ako ay naiwang nakatayo sa daan.

"It's better this way," I whispered to myself and let out a sigh.