κεφάλαιο τρίτο

Chapter Three: Fake Cupids

Krisha's Point of View

“Kanina pa kita hinahanap! San ka ba nagpunta?” Kraft exclaimed and heaved a sigh.

“Calm down, are you worried?”

“Yes! No! I'm not,” magulong sabi niya. I smiled a bit because of his response.

“So, nag-aalala ka nga?”

“What? No! Ayoko lang maiwan doon, you know, being the only cupid in a sea of humans.”

Sige, sabi mo

“Wait! Hindi pa 'ko nakakapag-sorry sa natapunan ko ng iced americano kanina!” I said and was about to enter the studio but he grabbed my hand that halted me.

“Hayaan mo na, hindi mo naman na makikita uli.”

“Pero kailangan ko pa rin bumalik. Hindi ako aalis hangga't hindi pa natatapos ang task ko kina Blaire at Dhruv.”

Kraft just smiled and held my hand tight. He tapped the heart on his bracelet and also tapped mine. We landed at the garden of our headquarters.

“Hala, bakit mo ginawa 'yon? Hindi pa tapos 'yong task ko! And how did you manage to transport us here?”

“Woah, teka isa-isa lang.”

It doesn't make any sense! Kapag from earth, lahat ng cupid mata-transport back to the headquarters pero diretso sa assigned room.

How come na sa garden kami nag-landing? What kind of sorcery is this?

“Totoo pala ang bansag sa 'yo na Stupid Cupid? Common sense, Krisha. If you can pin a location on earth, of course you can pin a particular place in our headquarters too. Vice versa lang,” mahabang litanya niya habang naglalakad. Sumunod ako sa kanya, umupo siya sa bench na  malapit sa fountain. I sat next to him.

“No I'm not, hindi kaya ako stupid. Grachelle just made that up as a joke. Alam mo naman na gustong-gusto niyang pinapatawa ang mga cupid.”

“Hindi ka ba naiinis kapag ginaganon ka niya?” Napatingin ako sa kanya dahil sa tanong niya.

“Mahina ang pakiramdam natin lalo na sa inis na sinasabi mo. Pero minsan oo, hindi ko alam kung sensitive lang ba 'ko pero naaapektuhan ako minsan,” I said and played with my fingers. Yumuko ako para panoorin ang mga daliri kong hindi mapakali.

“May autism ka ba?” He asked out of the blue. Napaangat ang tingin ko dahil sa tanong niya.

“Mukha ba 'kong autistic? Why would I suffer to a mental disease that only mortals can experience. We're cupids, nakalimutan mo ba?”

“Wala, lagi mo kasing nilalaro ang mga daliri mo saka no'ng hindi pa tayo close kakaiba ang galawan mo. You always look nervous, you look more like a human than a cupid,” napatingin ako sa kanya. He's smiling towards me. Nginitian ko siya pabalik.

I don't know why but I feel a connection between us.

It's weird. First time ko lang makaramdam ng ganito. Of course, this is not an attraction. Most certainly not love. Pero may nararamdaman ako kapag nakatitig ako sa mga mata ni Kraft. If I could describe this feeling, it's a feeling of relief.

“Ikaw rin naman, out of all the cupids in our society, ikaw ang naiiba,” mas lumawak ang ngiti niya dahil sa sinabi ko.

“In what way?” He asked, not breaking our eye contact.

“Hmm, I noticed that you can produce a lot of facial expressions than the other cupids. I wonder if I can furrow my forehead too like what you did when we were at the lobby. And what fascinates me the most, when you held my hand earlier, it felt warm. Ang weird kasi cold-blooded tayo,” mahabang litanya ko.

Bumaba ang tingin ko sa mga kamay niya na nakapatong sa lap niya. The warmth of his hand earlier makes me want to touch it again. Nabalik ang tingin ko sa kanya dahil tumawa siya nang malakas.

“What? You wanna touch it?” He asked and made a weird facial expression.

“My down there is warm too,” he said and even moved his eyebrows in upward and downward motion. Pinalo ko siya nang mahina dahil na-gets ko ang tinutukoy niya.

“Yuck!” I exclaimed.

“Look! The feeling of disgust. You can feel it too? I also can!” He said with an amusement. Napanganga ako dahil sa sinabi niya.

So malakas ang senses naming dalawa? Is it even possible? We're cupids, paanong. . . .

“Grabe naman reaction mo, Krisha. You do know na hindi tayo nakakaramdam ng sexual arousal, 'di ba?”

“Yeah right, pero wag ka naman mag-joke about sa male reproductive system mo. Hindi ako sanay. At saka out of all the cupids, ikaw pa lang yata ang naka-bonding ko nang matagal.”

“Ako lang ang kaibigan mo?”

“Well, sort of?”

“I think we're meant to be. . .”

“Meant to be what?” I asked and waited for him to respond.

“Meant to be friends! Akala ba ng mga mortal ay sila lang ang may destiny?” He sarcastically asked and even laughed a bit. “Don't you think that we're peculiar cupids? Cause we have some abilities that a common cupid doesn't have,” dagdag niya.

“Maybe we are fake cupids!” I joked. I'm glad that he laughed even though the joke is not funny. Pagkatapos naming tumawa ay bigla na lang kaming natahimik. Diretso lang ang tingin niya na parang nakatingin sa kawalan.

“Bakit pala may dala-dala kang mga kape kanina?”

“Ah, napag-utusan ako ng isang tao.”

“Ganyan ka ba talaga kabait? A human treated you like a slave but you followed his or her orders. Cupids tayo, hindi utusan.”

Hindi ko alam kung bakit ginagawa niyang big deal ang pagbili ko ng iced americano kanina. Madali lang naman gawin ang bagay na 'yon, gusto ko lang naman tulungan ang mga tao.

“Baka kasi busy sila kaya ako na lang ang bumili.”

“Still, don't do it again. Hindi ka nila assistant para magpagawa ng mga gano'ng bagay.”

➹ ➷ ➹ 𓆩♡𓆪➷ ➹ ➷

Sabi ni Kraft bigyan ko raw ng space sina Blaire at Dhruv. Kaya naman wala akong magawa ngayon sa kwarto ko. Parang ang irresponsible naman kung manonood ako ng movies, the season is currently ongoing. Pero wala na talaga akong magawa.

Ayain ko kaya si Kraft?

Hindi na 'ko nagdalawang isip at tumayo na. Bago ako makaabot sa pinto ay nakarinig ako ng sunod-sunod na katok. Ito ang first time na may kumatok sa pinto ko.

“Sino 'yan?” Hindi sumagot ang kumakatok. Binuksan ko ang pinto nang bahagya at sumilip sa awang. Tuluyan kong binuksan ang pinto at pinapasok nang mapagtanto na si Kraft ang kumatok.

Naka-sando siya ngayon at gulo-gulo ang buhok. Parang kakatapos lang maligo. May hawak siyang popcorn. Dire-diretso lang siya sa kwarto ko. Nilapag niya ang popcorn sa bedside table tapos humiga sa kama ko.

“Ay wow? Comfy so much?” I asked sarcastically while lying down next to him.

“Wow, komportable na siyang makipag-usap.”

“Wow, parang mas komportable siya sa room ko kaysa sa may-ari.” I said and even copied his tone. Ngumiti lang siya habang umiiling. Kinuha niya ang remote at nag-log out sa Red String Map. He quickly switched it to Netflix.

“Wow talaga, may television ka naman ah?” I asked with a teasing voice.

Nagaya na 'ko sa pagiging mapang-asar niya. Hindi ko alam kung negative o positive effect 'to ng pagiging magkaibigan namin. But I'm glad na siya na mismo ang nagpunta rito. Feeling ko kasi kakainin ako ng hiya.

“Alexa is still out doing her task, ayoko namang manood mag-isa.”

“Hindi ba gusto mo ngang maging mag-isa? Bakit hindi mo sulitin habang busy ang roommate mo?”

“Is that a new way of telling me to get out?” He asked and looked at me while raising a brow. Afraid to make him feel offended, I defended what I said in a fast manner.

“Chill, that was a joke.”

“Doesn't sound like a joke.”

“Whatever you say,” he said and grabbed the popcorn next to him. Inalok niya 'ko kaya naman dumakot ako. I just watched him while he's looking for a movie.

“Mabait ka pala, when I barged in earlier nasa Red String Map ang naka-flash sa TV.”

“Of course! We're cupids, we should focus on our tasks. At saka hindi pagiging mabait 'yon, I am just doing my responsibility.”

“Not us, tuwing gabi napupunta na sa Netflix ang TV namin ni Alexa.” He said and even laughed a bit.

“Hindi kayo natatakot na baka mahuli kayo ni Voluptas?” Tanong ko habang nakatitig sa kanya. Nakatitig lang siya sa television. Hindi ko inalis ang tingin ko hagga't hindi siya sumasagot.

“What? C'mon! Para namang nagche-check si Voluptas. Nakatambay lang naman 'yon lagi kung saan-saan dito sa headquarters.” He said and gave me a side eye.

“What movie do you prefer?” He asked while continuing to find a movie.

“Hmm, halos lahat ng romance ay napanood ko na.”

“Ako naman ay halos lahat ng action movies ay napanood na, thanks to my roommate. Siya kasi ang in charge sa TV. She didn't let me pick a movie even once. And as a cupid, I learned that male mortals are required to be gentlemen. Kaya naman hinahayaan ko na lang siya.”

“Sobrang daldal mo pala talaga. I'll tell you what, my television is all yours. Ikaw na ang pumili ng movie.” I said and he abruptly looked at me with sparkling eyes. He smiled widely like a dog that made me laugh.

“Bakit tumatawa ka?” He asked with a furrowed eyebrows.

“Just go ahead and pick a movie!” I said and tried to copy his eyebrows.

“You're not doing it right, you're just raising both of your eyebrows,” he said and covered his mouth to contain his laugh.

“Whatever! Just go ahead and pick a movie.”

Hindi na siya sumagot, nag-focus na siya sa paghahanap ng movie. Lumipas ang sampung minuto pero naghahanap pa rin siya. Nakatitig lang ako sa orasan kasi wala na 'kong magawa.

“Ang tagal naman, naubos na natin 'yong popcorn oh.”

“Na-try mo na manood ng horror?” He abruptly asked.

“Hindi pa at wala akong balak, nakalimutan mo na ba na malakas ang pakiramdam natin sa emotions na fear at happiness? I heard that if you're really scared, you can have nightmares too sometimes.”

“Na-experience mo na ba magkaroon ng nightmare?”

“Nightmare happens while asleep, right? Well if that's the case, then no. Simpleng panaginip hindi ko pa na-e-experience.”

“Let's watch this then, kuha lang ako ng more popcorn sa pantry,” sabi niya at tumakbo paalis ng room ko nang mabilis.

Oh no, is letting him choose what to watch is a good idea?

Poster pa lang ng movie ay mukhang nakakatakot na. I read the title of the movie, Haunted Mansion. It's a filipino movie.

“I'm back, binilisan ko talaga para ma-start na natin!” He exclaimed.

“Hindi ba parang masyadong gabi na? Sa tingin ko inaantok na 'ko,” sabi ko at nag-iwas ng tingin.

“Hey, you scared?” I just nodded to his question. He stared at me intently.

“Oh don't be a kiddo, you can snuggle with me if you're afraid!” He said and lied down comfortably. He played the movie and ate some popcorn. Dalawang bucket ang kinuha niya, binigay niya pa sa 'kin ang isa.

“AHHHH!”

“NO GOD! PLEASE!”

“MOMMY! AHHHH!”

Naka-cross arm lang ako habang nanonood. I wasn't expecting this! Mag-snuggle daw ako sa kanya kapag natakot ako. Pero siya ngayon ay kulang na lang pumasok na sa damit ko para lang kumalma.

Kalat-kalat ang popcorn sa kama ko dahil natatapon kakagalaw niya. Takot na takot siya sa movie. He was about to turn off the television but I took the remote from his hand.

Exciting ang scene. Naglalakad pababa si Donya Amara habang tumatawa. Si Kraft naman ay parang hindi na kinakaya dahil nakasiksik na siya ngayon sa leeg ko.

After watching the movie, I instructed him to clean up his mess. Sumunod naman siya pero ang tahimik niya. He looks so traumatized.

As a cupid, I can't believe that his sense of emotion to fear is really strong. Ngayon lang yata ako nakakita ng cupid na duwag. What happened earlier while we are watching a movie is the other way around than what I was expecting to happen.

“Horror movie pa,” I said with a teasing tone.

➹ ➷ ➹ 𓆩♡𓆪➷ ➹ ➷

Nakalipas na ang tatlong araw at hindi ko pa nakikita si Kraft magmula nang gabing manood kami ng horror movie. I don't know what to do. Tatlong araw na 'kong nakatunganga sa headquarters.

Should I check on Blaire and Dhruv?

I checked their location in my hand phone. Napangiti ako nang makitang crimson red uli ang mga tali nila. They are at the same location right now. I pinned it and quickly tapped the heart on my bracelet.

I landed near a fancy restaurant. Magkahawak ang kamay nilang dalawa at sila lang ang tao sa restaurant. Napansin kong walang masyadong tao sa paligid ko. I silently watched them while smiling.

“It looks like you're liking the view,” Kraft said, I looked at him. He just smiled ang put his hands on the pockets of his pants.

“Thanks for helping me kahit feeling ko wala naman talaga akong naging ambag sa task na ito,” I said while watching Blaire and Dhruv talking to each other.

“What do you mean by walang ambag?”

“They got close on their own, wala akong naitulong. I feel useless.”

“Walang naitulong? You're the one who recommended Blaire to Elieza when she needs a model for a photoshoot. Technically, you're the reason why they are together now.”

Napatingin ako sa kanya dahil sa sinabi niya. That made me smile. Naalala ko ang moment na stress na stress na si Elieza dahil wala pa 'yong model na dapat na ka-partner ni Dhruv.

“You see, humans are not babies that you need to guide every single second. You just need to create a situation which can lead them to their soulmates.”

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