CHAPTER 04- Welcome Back
1558 Words
Later that night
Nanginginig si Odyssey habang inaantay
ang ticket booth attendant sa Mactan
Cebu International Airport na sabihin
sa kanya kung makakasakay ba siya sa
susunod na flight. He did try not to lose
his cool earlier pero Nanginginig si Odyssey habang inaantay ang ticket booth attendant sa Mactan Cebu International Airport na sabihin sa kanya kung makakasakay ba siya sa susunod na flight. He did try not to lose his cool earlier pero tumaas talaga ang
boses niya nang sabihin ng babae na wala
ng available seats for the next flight. Like
it was their fault.
He then just offered them he'll book
for the business class ticket basta lang
mapasakay siya. From an agit customer,
he turned into someone who's practically
begging for a plane ticket. Halos lumuhod
na siya sa mga ito para lang pasakayin
siya. They even questioned of he really
wanted a business class ticket sa halos
isang oras lang namang byahe.
"I'll take it. I'l even take a cargo ticket.
Just please let me go back to Manila." He
can't even recognize his voice. Ilang taon
na rin nang huli siyang maging ganito. At
hindi siya makapaniwalang ipinapakita
na naman niya ang kanyang vulnerable
side on an airport. Just like when he's
about to leave the country back in 2013.
He had the same beseeching voice back
then. The memory made him shut his eyes
so tight, it hurt.
"Mr. Lee, yes here's the ticket. Pakitakbo
na lang p0 sa gate, Airbus321 will
be leaving in a bit. Do vou have any
baggage."?
Umiling si Odyssey at naglakad papunta
sa departure area. At first it was
brisk walking. Pero hindi na rin niya
namalayan? na tumatakbo na siya bago
makarating sa service na maghahatid sa
kanya sa tarmac kung saan nandoon ang
eroplanong lalapag sa Manila.
Ni wala man lang siyang maleta at pera.
All he has is a 1 thousand peso bill, and
his credit cards.
Pagkaupo niya sa designated seat, he tried
so hard to resist getting his phone.
Hindi lang siguro halata kanina habang
kumakain sila sa dinner ng conference,
pero nakita niya pa lang ang itsura ni
Eli, kinutuban na siya. Maybe did just
conditioned himself not to expect so
much from life's goodness kaya hindi niya
hinahayaan ang sarili niya na agad isipin
ang tungkol dito. But really. The last time
he saw this harassed fatigue nuance in Eli
was also during that time they couldn't
find Lee.
Odyssey might not want to remember
anything from that day again, but his
thoughts drifted towards that memory.
Painfully, he remembered it vividly.
"Nandiyan na ba lahat?"
Halos hindi naririnig ni Odyssey lahat
ng sinasabi sa kanya ng kapatid niyang
si Perci dahil abala siya sa pagtawag kay
Lee na hindi pa rin sunasagot hanggang
ngayon.
"Kuya, sa bahay pa lang 'di mo na
na-check bagahe mo. "Yung files mo baka
wala diyan?! Kagabi ka pa balisa!"
"Nag-check ako kagabi. Tinatawagan ko
lang ate Lee mo. Hindi sumasagot eh.
Baka nag-oversleep na naman. Sabi ko
sa'yo dapat dumaan na tayo sa kanila
bago tayo dumiretso dito eh."
"Out of way. Besides, sabi ni ate Lee
since last week, paulit-ulit siya na dito na
lang kayo magkita. Jusko kuya. You will
practically be living together in Singapore,
kahit dito lang. Kahit ilang minutes lang
maghiwalay naman kayo, oh."
But that's exactly what has been
bothering Odi?. All their high school life, ni
minsan, ayaw mahiwalay ni Lee sa kanya
- to the point that it bothered him at
the beginning. Nakakairirita ito at isang
malaking nuisance sa lahat ng lugar na
pupuntahan? niya. But she grew on him
and his heart. And eventually, he has
accepted that wherever he's in, Lee will
be on the frame. Na parang may kulang
kapag wala ito. She is such a shameless
enhancement in his life. Sabi na nga rin
nito, she will never not be tired of being
with him.
That's why these past few days, parang
may mali na. Odyssey knew that
something happened between them that
may have caused a slight detachment.
It was just a very awkward moment na
alam niyang mareresolba din agad. Even
Lee didn't make it much of a big deal..
or so he thought. Kasi nabawasan ang
pagiging makulit nito. He thought maybe
it's just the pressure of being separated
with her family dahil sa pag-lipat nila sa
Singapore for 4 years.
Pero hanggang ngayon, hindi niya na
maintindihan kung bakit hindi ito
ma-contact.
His younger brother Perseus tried to
pacify him. Thousands of words of
reassurance na dadating si Lee. If not
for Perci, siguro, umalis na siya sa
airport para hanapin at salubungin na
si Lee kung nasaan man ito. His brother
reminded him that if he miss this flight, it
will be the end of everything for him. His
dreams. The scholarship to MIT, and his
subsidy. These things are important for
him.
Pero ano ba naman si Lee? Parte din
naman ito ng ito ng mga pangarap niya.
Isa sa pinakaimportante sa buhay niya.
He was already shaking of anxiety and
fear, dahil malapit na ang final call for
boarding noon. Ilang ulit nang tinawag
ang flight number nila para pumunta sa
designated gate, pero ni anino ni Lee,
walang dumating
"Kuya..." It was Perseus who did his best
to calm his older brother down. "Maiiwan
ka na ng eroplano..."
"Hindi ako aalis."
"Hindi pwede kuya Odi!"
"Paano? ako makakaalis?!"
That's the time when Eliseo came wearing
his most apprehensive and perturbed
face.
"Why are you here!?" Odi nervously ask
as he sees Eli.
Back then, he had no idea that this
guy will be his business partner after
so many years. Eliseo was originally
part of one of Lee's clique. Mas nauna
silang magkakilala ni Lee before he gets
acquainted with this guy.
And he didn't know that at this time, this
Eli will give him the most heartbreaking
news of all...
Minutes later, with so much numbness
he slowly stepped towards the departure
area knowing that Lee would not be with
him in college- and maybe for the rest of
his life.
WILL YOUSTL LOVEMETUMDRRON
JUNE 01, 2012022 , 8:15pm
"Ladies and gentlemen, we have just
been cleared to land at Ninoy Aquino
International Airport. Please make sure
one last time your seat belt is securely
fastened. The flight attendants are
currently passing around the cabin to
make a final compliance check and pick
up any remaining cups and glasses. Thank
you."
Odi couldn't keep his hands off his phone
now.
He scrolled on his idle f*******: once
again. Odi couldn't believe that he ran so
fast outside that conference hall when
he saw the smallest bit of her face on his
Screen.
And now, as he browse the photos of
night, it took him a much longer time
than earlier to get to the picture that he
wanted. Marami na kasing dumagdag na
litrato at natabunan na ito. But he has so
much time..
At nang makita niya ulit ito, he felt just
the same pain.
Lee Gabriel- his first love.
She was hugging herself in the picture
like she is the most vulnerable person
on earth. Na maging si Mizelea, her best
friend, didn't look as soft as her. Unlike
before...
Odi's hands started to shake.
Maraming tanong ang pumasok sa utak
niya.
Was she there for her?
Why is she back?
Why does she look so different, yet so
familiar?
Bakit siya nawala?
Bakit siya nito iniwan?
His thoughts were interrupted by the
captains voice.
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Ninoy
Aquino International Airport. Local time
is 2020 and the temperature is 34 degrees
Celsius. For your safety and comfort,
please remain seated with your seat belt
fastened until the Captain turns off the
Fasten Seat Belt sign. This will indicate
that we have parked at the gate and that
it is safe for you to move about. Please
check around your seat for any personal
belongings you may have brought on
board with you. On behalf of Philippine
Airlines and the entire crew, I'd like to
thank you for joining us on this trip and
we are looking forward to seeing you on
board again in the near future. Have a
nice evening stay!"
Pagbaba, a few of the people from the
arrival are welcoming their family's back.
And he didn't expect to see his brother.
"Kuya?" Ani Perseus habang hinahanap
ang bagahe niya. "Wala kang dala?"
"Why are you here?"
"Why are you here?" Ibinalik ni Perci ang
tanong kay Odi.
Perhaps, news travelled really fast that
Perci knew that he will be back. That he
will surely fly back to Manila despite the
wil surey ily back to Mania despite the
very important conference.
Ganoon na ba talaga siya kadaling?
mabasa?
"Hindi na pala kita dapat sinundo. Wala
ka naman palang bagahe." Umiiling-iling
na lang si Mark Perseus. But is also
completely wary of everything that may
happen. Lee's comeback might set a lot of
things in motion. "Uwi na ako."
"Drop me off first."
Napatigil si Perci.
"Saan?"
"Let's not pretend, we don't know
anything about this... why I'm going crazy
right now, okay? Just drive me there,
okay?"
"Yes, sir..." Bumuntong hininga si Perci.
"Welcome back, ate Lee..." He whispered.
"What?"
"Wala sabi ko, welcome back, kuya Odi."
*later*
- Writer
