As we were walking home, nakita namin sa daan si Kyle. Nakatambay siya sa bakery ni Lolo Mario. As usual, nakabantay doon ang matanda. He's already seventy-five years old, but he wakes up everyday at 4AM, kneads his own dough and bakes his own bread. Every day. Walang palya.

The bakery has been in his family for over forty years. Apo na nito ang may-ari ng paniderya pero si Lolo Mario pa rin ang nagbabantay. He insists on it.

Cupid told me to stop there to buy some bread. Unfortunately, wala akong dalang pera.

Balik na lang tayo mamaya, sabi ko sa kanya.

But we have to go there now.

Nakalampas na kami sa bakery pero hindi ako makapagdesisyon kung babalik doon o tutuloy sa paglalakad. Wala nga kasi akong dalang pera, pero sa pagpupumilit ni Cupid, naisip ko bigla na baka may importanteng mangyayari kaya gusto niyang ngayon kami pumunta roon.

Kaya bumalik kami sa bakery.

Nginitian ko si Kyle na kumakain ng pan de coco. Hawak niya sa isang kamay ang naka-plastic na softdrink.

"Hi, Kyle," bati ko sa kanya. Bumaling din ako kay Lolo Mario. "Hello, Lolo M."

The old man gave me a toothy grin. MM is short for Mario Maurer. Bihira na kasi sa bayan namin ang may pangalang Mario. Nang sumikat 'yong movie nina Baifern at Mario Maurer sa Pilipinas, bigla na lang tinawag na Mario Maurer si Lolo Mario. He's all right with it kahit hindi nya kilala 'yong artista. But people got tired of calling him Mario Maurer kaya pinaiksi nila into Lolo M.

Ngumiti rin sa akin si Kyle. "Uy!" Agad niya akong inalok ng kinakain nya. "Gusto mo?"

"Gusto ko!" sagot ni Cupid.

Well, he's not asking you, I told him. And besides, people will freak out if they see a floating pan de coco. "Nope. Thanks, though," sagot ko kay Kyle. "Kailan nga pala ang luwas mo?"

"Bukas," sagot niya nang may ngiti. "Kayo, kailan?"

"Bukas na rin, e."

Because it's Sunday tomorrow and even though I don't work 8 hours a day and 5 days a week like a normal, working employee, ayaw ko namang maiwan sa bahay na kami lang nina Mama. Nakaalis na ang mga pinsan ko kanina dahil may mga pasok at trabaho ang mga ito. Mabuti na nga lang at itinaon ni Ate Gizelle na Friday ang kasal para long weekend.

It's also because of Sam. He's a big corporate manager and the only time that he could allot for his wedding and honeymoon is this weekend. Romantic, right?

I couldn't help but compare him to Kyle. Si Kyle kasi, priority si Ate. She had all his time when they were together. Hindi ko nga maintindihan kung bakit nag-fall out ang dalawa.

"Anong oras kayo?"

"Gabi siguro," sagot ko. Mom would probably spend all day cooking. Tuwing luluwas kami ng Manila, palagi silang may padalang pagkain sa 'min. Palaging nadadagdagan ang bagahe namin tuwing pauwi dahil sa mga padala nila. That's why it's easier to travel in groups. Lucky for me, kasama ko sa bahay sina Kuya at Je.

"Oh...akala ko umaga kayo. Sayang, sasabay sana ako, e."

Ngiti lang ang isinagot ko sa kanya. Na-distract kasi ako nang biglang may kumalabit sa 'kin. I thought it was Cupid, but when I turned to see who it was, I saw a street kid with curly hair and mischievous smile. Nakasahod siya sa akin.

"Ate, pahingi pong tinapay."

He really looks like...Cupid?

Even the dimples on his cheek look like Cupid's. Plus...I noticed that this kid doesn't have the red string. Habang nag-iisip ako kung totoo bang bata ang nasa harap ko o baka matchmaker na kagaya ko, nalapitan na ito ni Kyle. He gave the rest of his food to the kid.

"Salamat, Kuya!" sabi ng bata. Tapos tumingin ito sa akin at kinindatan ako. Hala! Si Cupid ba talaga 'to?

Itinuro ng bata ang softdrinks na hawak ni Kyle. "Kuya, akin na lang 'yan."

Natatawang umiling si Kyle saka iniabot sa bata ang hawak na softdrinks. Tumakbo ang bata palayo, iniwan akong tulala. Pero hindi pa ito nakakalayo nang mabunggo nito ang isang matanda. Tumilapon ang dala ni Lola Ghen sa kalsada.

Mabilis pa sa alas kwatrong nakalabas ng panaderya si Lolo M para tumulong sa matandang babae. Pati si Kyle ay tumulong din. Ako naman, hinanap ko 'yong bata kaso bigla-bigla syang nawala.

"Ayos ka lang ba, Geneva?" tanong ni Lolo M.

Ngumiti si Lola Ghen.

Inalalayan ni Lolo M ang matanda papunta sa tapat ng panaderya. Nagpaabot ito ng upuan mula sa loob para paupuin si Lola Ghen. Si Kyle naman ang pumulot ng mga dala ni Lola Ghen.

I watched in fascination as their strings connected and glowed bright red.

"Stage 4, confession."

Kunot-noo akong napalingon sa nagsalita.

Hey! Where were you?

Cupid beamed. Sorry, I ran away.

So that was you?

Yep! ngiting-ngiti niyang sagot.

How— I shook my head. Tatanungin ko na lamang sya mamaya tungkol do'n. What do you mean by stage 4? Hanggang doon pa lang ba ang naaabot ng dalawang matanda?

I remember seeing their faces when Cupid and I were sealing the contract, but I thought that they'd still be at stage one. Iyon pala, isang stage na lamang ang kailangang lampasan ng dalawang matanda. Good to know...kasi hindi ko alam kung paano ko sila papanain ng amare. May kani-kanya na kasing pamilya ang dalawang matanda, so it would be awkward to see them work their feelings out.

Yes. And it's your job to get them through the last stage.

--

After making sure that Lola Ghen is okay, umuwi na kami ni Cupid. On the way, he explained to me how he became a kid all of a sudden. He told me that angels can momentarily borrow a body. When he said the word borrow, I was immediately concerned for the child. I've watched so many movies that have that theme, so I have an idea of what borrowing can do to one's body.

But he assured me that angels aren't like that. He told me that they don't borrow bodies for a long time. Alam din daw kasi nila ang epekto nila sa katawan ng isang tao, kaya hindi sila pwedeng magtagal. And they only borrow a vessel that is compatible to them.

"Ever heard of the term angel in disguise?" tanong niya nang nakabalik na kami sa terrace.

"Yeah. I thought it was a figure of speech."

"People just don't invent things, you know. Lahat ng bagay kasi, may pinanggagalingan."

"So why do angels disguise themselves as humans?"

He shrugged. "Depende sa anghel at sa misyon nya sa lupa."

"And you? Why do you do it?"

"Because it's fun."

I rolled my eyes at how light his answer was.

"What?" he asked with a frown. "You make it seem like having fun is a bad thing."

"And you make it sound like being an angel is a walk in the park. Hindi ba dapat mas formal ka kung magsalita kasi malaki ang responsibilidad mo?"

"I can be responsible and fun at the same time. I wasn't made to be a poker-faced angel," depensa niya. "God made me this way. This is my nature."

I highly doubt that. In my mind, angels are always serious and stern. They don't take things lightly. I don't think they even smile. Cupid...he's the opposite of everything I imagined. He seems more human to me. But if that's how he's made, then who am I to argue with that?

"What's it like being an angel?"

"Hard."

"How hard?"

"Very," he answered seriously. "We're responsible for everything. We have to think about everyone. All we do is work, well...except for me."

"Feeling ko nga ang saya-saya ng trabaho mo."

"Oo, masaya, pero nakakapagod."

"Mag-isa ka lang ba?" I realized how stupid that question was. Of course, he couldn't be alone. Kung mag-isa lang sya, sana wala syang oras makipagkwentuhan sa 'kin. Maybe he has matchmakers like me to do his job for him.

"I have legions of subordinates," he answered proudly.

"Wow. Boss ka pala," kumento ko. "Pero hindi ba, may hierarchy ang angels? At sa pagkakaalam ko, nasa isa sa pinakamababang rank ang katulad mo. Because if you're on the upper echelon, then I probably won't see you." Sa pagkakaalam ko, kahit ang ibang anghel, hindi masyadong nakikita 'yong higher-ranking angels dahil palaging nakadikit sa Diyos ang mga ito.

Ngumiti siya, pero bigla ring naging seryoso. "Yes, I'm one of the lower-ranking angels. After creation, God needed someone to maintain what he did in order for life to continue and flourish. So, he asked me to do a special job for him. Me, a lower-ranking angel," he explained with emphasis on the last part. "Spreading love around, all kinds of love is hard. Kaya marami akong katulong. Evil rejoices in the absence of love and it's our job to make sure that there is no shortage of it on earth."

"So...you fight the war in your own way."

"We all fight the war in our own ways. Kahit sa pagbabantay lang sa mga tao, nakakatulong na kami sa pagsugpo ng kasamaan sa mundo."

"Pagbabantay? You mean...guardian angels?" I looked behind me and asked, "Do I have one with me right now?"

He nodded. "Yes. What do you think I'm here for?"

"Bakit ikaw?"

"Kasi ako..." Maiksi niyang sagot. Bummer. Akala ko pa naman makakakita na ako ng guardian angel. Isa 'yan sa mga paborito kong kwento noong bata pa ako. Karamihan din sa mga gamit ko noon, may larawan ng guadian angel. Kahit sa dasal, paborito ko 'yong Angel Of God. Masarap kasi sa pakiramdam na may anghel na nakabantay sa 'yo, na hindi hahayaang may mangyaring masama sa 'yo lalo na kung nag-iisa ka lang.

No offense to Cupid, but he doesn't look like someone who can protect me. Siguro kasi ang playful ng nature nya, pakiramdam ko kapag nasa panganib ako, hindi nya ako siseryosohin.

"Why didn't Lola Ghen's guardian angel step in when you intentionally bumped into her?" I asked, remembering the incident earlier.

"Hindi naman kasi sa lahat ng pagkakataon ay kailangang makialam ng isang anghel. We also need to step aside and let things happen as they were destined to happen."

His answers were informative. Really informative. Hindi ako magkandamayaw sa pagta-type habang nagsasalita sya para hindi ko makalimutan ang mga impormasyong sinasabi niya sa akin. But the only problem is that, kapag may nababanggit sya bago, may umuusbong na bagong tanong sa utak ko. Kaya hindi ako maubusan ng tanong sa kanya.

"Sa isang tao lang ba naka-assign ang isang guardian angel? I mean, even after the reincarnations, sa isang soul lang sya nakabantay?"

"Yes. Until the soul finds its other half, the angel will remain by its side."

And then that sprouted another question. "Can you show me my old self?"

He laughed at the question. Masyado bang ridiculous ang tanong ko? "No," he answered.

Sayang. Gusto ko pa namang makita kung ano ako dati. Isa rin kasi sa fascinations ko ang idea about reincarnation. Masakit lang sya sa ulo kaya hindi ko ma-explore. I've always wanted to write a romance-fantasy novel, pero dahil tamad akong mag-research, kinukuntento ko na lamang ang sarili ko sa rom-com at konting drama.

"Why not? Hindi mo kayang bumalik sa nakaraan?"

"No one can, Mina."

"Pero kahit 'yong flashes lang. Parang 'yong ginawa mo kagabi. I'll be okay with that. I just want to see what I looked like in my past lives."

"No," he said seriously and with finality.

"Please?" I pleaded.

"I shouldn't." Pagmamatigas niya.

"But you could?"

He shook his head. "I wouldn't."

Sumimangot ako. "Ang KJ mo naman!" I crossed my arms against my chest and said, "Then, fine! Hindi ko na lang din gagawin ang misyon mo."

I didn't mean it, though. Lord, hindi po seryoso 'yon. Gusto ko lang mang-blackmail. I just want him to give in to my request. Kaya naman nya, e. And I don't think it's forbidden because he didn't look up to the sky to ask for permission. So I assumed that it was okay. He just doesn't want to do it.

"You're not serious, are you?" he asked worriedly.

"I am!" Not.

He heaved a sigh. "I really can't do that, Mina. But...I can show you something else."

I got excited all of a sudden. "Really?"

He gave me a bland look. "Para tigilan mo na 'ko sa pangungulit."

Napangisi ako. "Okay! But if it's not as impressive as going back in time, kukulitin pa rin kita nang kukulitin."

"All right." He waved his hand and the gold ribbon materialized. Like last night, it seems like it has a life of its own. Pumulupot ito sa mga kamay naming dalawa. "Close your eyes. And no matter what you do, don't open them until I say so."

"Okay."

"I mean it. Kapag nagmulat ka ng mata, mamatay ka."

"Hala naman!"

Seryosong-seryoso ang hitsura niya. Natakot ako.

"You can still back out."

I took it as a challenge. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang gagawin namin pero gusto kong subukan kung ano man 'yon. I want to feed my curiosity. And who knows? It could be something amazing.

"No. I'll do it," I said with conviction. I closed my eyes and waited.

Narinig ko siyang nagsalita sa ibang lenggwahe. It was like the language I used last night to pray. I felt every word, literally, as if they're touching my skin. Gusto kong magmulat ng mata para tingnan kung ano ang nangyayari, but his warning made me wary. So they stayed shut.

Maya-maya ay naramdaman kong umangat ako. I know I was floating. The sensation was...familiar. As if I've floated before. Then I felt like I was being stretched and twisted, like dough. It didn't hurt but it was really weird. And then, I felt like I was being spun around. Ramdam na ramdam ko ang unti-unti kong pagkahilo. Pati sikmura ko, gusto nang mabaliktad. Tapos ay nang maramdaman kong parang masusuka na ako nang tuluyan, saka naman kami tumigil.

"You can open your eyes now," I heard Cupid say.

Nang buksan ko ang mga mata ko, umiikot ang paningin ko. Napaupo ako sa daan. Cupid didn't even help. Well, he couldn't.

"Okay ka lang?"

Napasapo ako. "Nasusuka ako," sabi ko sa kanya. I sat there for a few minutes. Kumurap-kurap muna ako bago ko tingnan ang paligid. The place felt familiar, but it looked different.

"Nasa'n tayo?"

"Sa bayan nyo. Sixty years ago."

My jaw dropped. So that's why it feels familiar! Wala pang covered court noon. Isang simpleng stage lamang ang nasa isang tabi. Sa likuran noon ang hardin ng simbahan. Sa pinakang-sentro ng plaza ay ang estatwa ng patron ng bayan namin. Hindi pa yata masyadong masakit sa balat ang araw dahil maraming nagpi-picnic sa damuhang nakapaligid doon.

"So you can go back in time?" mangha kong tanong sa kanya.

"No. This is just a memory."

Tumayo ako. My knees finally stopped buckling. "But why are we here?"

"Because of that." He pointed at a group of guys from across the grassy field. Nakatambay ang mga ito, nakapanuod lamang sa mga nagpi-picnic. Sa hindi kalayuan ay may mga paparating na dalawang babaeng mukhang kagagaling lang sa school. They both have books in their hands. They were about to pass the group of young guys.

"That's Mario." Cupid pointed at the lanky guy sitting in front. "Those are Ghen and Laura."

The people from this era surely have style. I mean, they all look like they took their time to look presentable.

"And...that's the old me."

A few meters from where they were standing was Cupid, well, his past self to be exact. The old him was wearing a pair of grey pants with suspenders, a white dress shirt with a bowtie, and his fedora hat. Kulot pa rin ang buhok niya, pero parang nakadikit na sa anit dahil sa dami ng pomadang nakalagay. He looked like he just stepped out of The Great Gatsby movie.

"Nice hair."

Cupid grunted. "I wish my aim was as good as I looked."

His bow was outstretched, with an arrow in place. Nakatutok iyon kay Lolo Mario, who looked like he was just 15 or 16 at that time.

The Cupid from the past readied himself. Nang mapatapat ang mga babae sa mga lalaki ay pinakawalan nito ang pana. I guess he planned to hit Mario and Ghen with one arrow, but it looked like he miscalculated. He released the arrow a tad later that he's supposed to. Tuloy, imbes na dalawa lamang ang tatamaan ay naging tatlo pa. Laura was right in front Ghen. When Mario looked up, he saw the two girls in front of him.

A blinding light appeared next to past Cupid. Kinausap nito ang liwanag. Based on his expression, he didn't like what the light was saying.

"What's that?" I asked the present Cupid.

Sumama ang timpla ng mukha nito. "Rafael."

"The archangel?" tanong ko.

"No, not the archangel," he answered, shaking his head. Oo nga pala, they just use a random name here on Earth. Siguro parang screen name lang 'yong Rafael. However it's kind of confusing because there is a popular archangel named Raphael.

"Is that his true form? My eyes don't hurt."

"Because it's just a memory."

"Oh...Who is he?"

"He's my guardian."

"Angels have guardians?"

Mas lalo siyang sumimangot. "Ako lang."

I can imagine why. Sa kulit ba naman nya, talagang kailangan ng magbabantay sa kanya.

"Let's go somewhere else," aya niya.

And the scene changed again. Nang ikompas ni Cupid ang kamay niya pakanan ay biglang umikot ang paligid. Para kaming nasa loob ng washing machine. I felt like I was spinning with the surroundings.

I was nearlyly passing out when the spinning stopped. This time, he showed me how things were a few months after the incident. The young Mario was now dating the two women. Noong una ay hindi pa ako makapaniwala. Kahit noon pa pala ay uso na iyon. He was dating both to keep his options open.

"He was just confused, Mina. His heart couldn't decide who he should love," Cupid explained. "In dating these women, he hoped that he would eventually sort his feelings out and pursue the one he truly couldn't live without. But he needed time. Unfortunately..."

I thought that that was it, may ibang panahon pa pala kaming pupuntahan.

"I skipped the SPG part," Cupid told me. Nasa eksena kami na magtatanan na sina Lolo Mario at Lola Ghen. Pero naharang ito ng isang lalaking may dalang shotgun kasunod ang dalawang lalaking naka-vest, mukhang mga tanod. Agad na humarang ang matandang tanod nang itutok ng lalaki ang baril kina Lolo Mario.

"Saan ka pupuntang hayop ka, ha? Matapos mong pagsamantalahan ang anak ko ay tatakas ka kasama ang ibang babae?!"

"Ernesto, hayaan mo muna kaming makipag-usap kina Mario," sabi ng isang tanod.

"Ano'ng sinasabi niya, Mario?" tanong ng litong-lito na si Lola Ghen. "Akala ko ba ay wala na kayo ni Laura?"

"Wala na nga," paliwanag ni Lolo Mario. "Tinapos ko na kung anuman ang namamagitan sa amin ni Laura, Geneva. Isang pagkakamali lamang ang nangyari—"

"Pagkakamali?!" Ernesto was so ready to pull the trigger. My knuckles were already turning white in anticipation. He wouldn't kill Mario, that's for sure. Buhay pa naman ang dalawang matanda sa panahon niya. Pero hindi pa rin niya mapigilang kabahan. What could happen? "Nagbunga ang pagkakamaling iyon! Buntis ang anak ko at pananagutan mo siya!"

Lolo Ghen started crying. Pinaghahampas nito ng dalang bag si Lolo Mario. She was so upset that when the other official, the young one, offered to take her home, she readily agreed without looking back. Lolo Mario couldn't do anything because there was a shotgun aimed at his head.

"Mario and Ghen talked about eloping. Ayaw kasi ng parents ni Ghen kay Mario."

"Eloping? So nasa fifth stage na sila?"

Cupid shook his head. "Hanggang fourth stage pa lamang silang dalawa. Alam nila 'yong nararamdaman ng isa't isa, pero dahil nabuntis ni Mario si Laura, hindi makapag-commit si Ghen sa kanya. And Mario felt responsible for Laura. This was a classic case of right person, wrong time."

With the wave of Cupid's hand, the scene changed again. Nasa opisina naman ng mayor sina Mario at Laura, kinakasal. Mario didn't look happy at all.

"What happened to Lola Ghen?"

"Naaalala mo 'yong batang tanod na naghatid sa kanya pauwi?"

My jaw dropped. "She married him?!"

"Well, not right away. But after Mario and Laura got married, the guy began courting Ghen because as it turns out, he was already in love with her way even before all this mess. Ghen, feeling vengeful and sad, said yes to him. After a few months, they got married and moved to another town."

The scene changed again. Going down memory lane must be exhausting seeing how tired Cupid looked right now. Na-haggard sya bigla, parang drain na drain ang energy.

Fiesta ang sunod na scenario. Mario, a little older now, went out of the church with a small boy, who's probably his son with Laura. Laura came out after them. Agad itong kumapit sa braso ni Mario. The guy seemed to be at peace with it. Mukhang tanggap na nito ang ginawa sa kanya ni Laura noon.

And then suddenly, Ghen reappeared. May anak na rin ito. Babae naman. And it looked like she was also pregnant with another one. Hindi agad nakita ng dalawa ang isa't isa. But their strings connected and glowed, and when they did, automatic na napatingin ang dalawa sa direksyon ng isa't isa. I could swear that time slowed for a bit.

Mario's expression changed. He no longer looked at peace. And Ghen looked like she was about to cry. But she managed to give him a smile and a nod, at saka nito inaya ang asawa't anak na umalis.

"What happened after—"

I yelped when my world spun again, this time harsher than the last. I was so dizzy and disoriented that I didn't realize I was already back to the present time. Nasa terrace na ulit ako.

"C-Cupid?"

Nahintatakutan ako nang makita ko siyang walang malay sa isang tabi.

I didn't know what to do. The trip down memory lane must have taken a toll on him. Kung alam ko lang na ganito ang mangyayari, sana ay hindi ko na lang sya pinilit na gawin 'to.

Lumapit ako sa kanya at yumuko. I was very careful not to touch him. "Cupid?"

I wanted to go and ask for help but I couldn't. Wala rin namang ibang nakakikita sa kanya kundi ako. Pero hindi ko alam ang gagawin. How can you ease the pain of a hurting angel?

As I was trying to figure it out, something else happened. Cupid's body glowed red, slowly but steadily, like all the amare inside of him were trying to come out. I was instantly drawn to it like before. My hands itched to touch him. My mind was saying no, but I couldn't stop myself. Malakas ang hatak ng amare sa akin.

When the tip of my finger touched his skin, his body exploded into a million tiny red flickers. They swirled upward until they passed the clouds and then, they were gone. Ang natira na lamang ay ang fedora hat ni Cupid.