Bitter Sweet

Chapter 1. Winter

I am Winter Kim, the youngest daughter of the Kims, the family’s princess. Charot lang syempre. I’m just a simple 25-year old Marketing Assistant in a fashion company, tanging meron lang ako ay pag-ibig, and I believe that love is the most important thing in this world, second is Scent Han, my beloved.

Kami ni Scent, we’ve been together for 8 years now, not everyone knows how we really first met but, our love story started in College, he’s an engineering student and I’m, well as my job suggests, a marketing student.

I live alone, nag-move out ako from home when I graduated college, my dad and Kuya are both in Singapore; they are working there. Hindi naman kami mahirap, Dad has a very good position in the company he works for, and Kuya too, pero we’re not too well-off as well. At bilang hiwa-hiwalay nga kami bonding namin lagi ang mag-video call. ‘Di naman mahirap since same lang naman natin ng time zone ang Singapore.

“Hoy Win, kumusta ka naman dyan baka ikaw eh lagi nagpapalipas ng gutom, nako sinasabi ko sa’yo nakikita ko pictures mo ang payat mo,” sabi ng Kuya Jared.

“Kuya kumakain ako sa tamang oras, at natural naman akong payat ah, kahit naman nung High School, as if naman din na papayagan ako ng jowa ko mag-skip ng meals, ikaw talaga,” sagot ko.

“Nag-aalala lang ang Kuya mo, anak,” dagdag pa ni Dad.

“I know Dad, ‘kala mo naman talaga kasi ulirang Kuya, if I know bored ka lang. Get a girlfriend na kasi Kuya nang hindi ka nag ng nag sa’kin. Or don’t tell it was still her? You haven’t moved on from her? Oh my gosh Kuya! She’s been under the radar since we graduated high school ano ba ‘yan ilang taon na lumipas, move on move on din,” pang-aasar ko.

“Ohhhh, that girl. I miss her so much, Jared. Why naman kasi hindi nagkatuluyan, pinakawalan pa kasi nako,” singit ni Mom.

My mom loved that girl so much and she was always part of the family naman rin ever since, Kuya and her were like the best of friends. Not my story to tell, maybe si Kuya ikukwento niya ‘yon sa susunod, siya na lang tanungin niyo. Char, eme lang.

“Win, Mom. Puwede ba wag natin siya pag-usapan dito. As you said nga she’s been under the radar for a really long time, kung gusto niya magpahanap I could’ve at least found her in her social media di’ba,” Kuya defended.

“Masyado naman maraming say Kuya, affected much?” pang-aasar ko lalo.

“Tigilan mo na ang Kuya Jared mo, Winter. Ikaw, kayo ni Scent? Kailan ba kayo magpapakasal huh? Para naman maayos namin ng Kuya mo ang schedule namin dito at mapaghandaan ‘yang kasal niyo,” sambit ni Dad.

“My God Dad huh, mas atat ka pa sa’kin, tsaka ba’t naman ako ang minamadali eh si Kuya nga walang jowa, ano mauuna pa ako ikasal gano’n?”

Pero sa totoo lang I was wondering too. I am more than ready to get married na. I love him, he loves me, that’s all that matters. Naghihintay lang naman akong mag-propose siya eh.

“Aba syempre naman, anak ‘no. Kahit ako eh nagwa-wonder na rin kung kalian kayo ikakasal. Ang tagal niyo na kaya,” Mom said.

“Oo nga, Win. Ang tagal niyo na ni Scent. Wala ba kayo plano i-level up ‘yan?” dadagdag pa sa pame-mressure itong si Kuya eh.

“May plano naman kami of course, well, ready naman na rin ako anytime mag-propose siya I’ll instantly say yes. Pero, Mom, Dad, Kuya. Wala pa kaming bahay hindi pa namin tapos bayaran, then ‘di pa nag-mamature yun joint investment namin. Maybe kapag sobrang secured na secured na talaga,” I just said.

Lies. Nag-mature na ‘yun investment namin, also nakapag-purchase na kami ng house and lot sa isang bagong subdivision, nakapag-down na kami roon, when we paid in full before kami ikasal it’s ready for us to move na.

*Riiiiiiiiiiiing*

Scent is calling.

“Mom, Dad, Kuya. I have to go natawag po kasi si Scent. Happy Valentine’s in advance Mom and Dad, baka may pa-virtual date pa kayo bukas. And Kuya, i-tulog mo nalang ‘yan kung wala kang ka-date bukas!” I said.

“Sino nagsabing wala, may blind date ako ‘no, sinet-up ng tropa ko rito,” he said.

“Edi good luck, sige na! Bye bye, Love you all, mwah!”

“Bye anak, ingat ka palagi, I miss you,” sabi ni Dad.

“Ingat ‘nak, i-kumusta mo nalang ako kay Scent, and visit me this weekend huh, kayong dalawa,” sabi naman ni Mom.

I nodded and smiled at them then I left the video call.

I missed Scent’s call already so I called back, agad naman niya itong sinagot.

“Hi, Baby. Sorry, wasn’t able to answer your call agad kanina. I was in a video call with the fam eh,” I told him.

“Oh, you were? Sorry, you could’ve just texted me para nakapag-usap pa kayo ng matagal,” he said.

He was always considerate when it comes to them, and honestly hindi naman siguro gano’n maka-tanong about sa kasal ang pamilya ko if hindi nila gusto or hindi sila bilib kay Scent di’ba?

“No, no, it’s okay. I really wanted to escape from them na rin naman kasi the topic was me na.” I laughed.

“Why? What were you talking about?”

Sa totoo lang sinegway ko lang talaga ito para mabanggit at maparinggan ko siya about marriage, wedding, or proposal. I hope he takes the hint naman di’ba?

“Wala, just that Dad was asking me when daw tayo magpapakasal. Ganyan,” I said.

Take a hint. Take a hint. Take a hint.

Please. Please. Please.

He laughed.

“Tito talaga. We’re gonna get there, Baby. Soon, I promise.”

Kailan naman kaya itong soon niya? Anyway ayaw ko rin naman siyang ma-pressure ‘no.

“Ano ka ba, wag mo isipin ‘yon. Sabi ko nga sa kanila bakit ba sila atat magpakasal ako eh si Kuya nga wala pa ring jowa,” sabi ko.

“Baby, understandable naman rin. Hindi naman na tayo bumabata pati, matagal na rin tayo di’ba, tapos syempre sina Tito at Tita nageexpect na ng apo ‘yang mga ‘yan,” he told me.

“Hoy, Scent Han huh. Anong anak anak ka dyan, umayos ka aba,” I replied.

“Well, it comes after marriage naman talaga eh, or maybe we could do it before? Then we’ll get married. If you want lang naman.”

I can hear him grinning on the other line.

Libog na libog yarn?

“Jusko ka Baby, ayaw kong i-kasal nang malaki ang tiyan ‘no. Mag-isa ka riyan,” sermon ko sa kanya.

“Eh joke lang naman Baby, hindi naman ito ma-biro,” sambit niya.

“Bakit ka nga pala napatawag?” I asked.

“What kind of question is that, Baby? Bakit? Bawal ba ako tumawag sa pinaka-magandang girlfriend sa balat ng lupa?” he asked.

“What the hell, Scent, you and your flattery words…” I said trying so hard na hindi ipahalata ang kilig na nararamdaman ko.

You may say na 8 years na kami and yet I still feel shy whenever he does that pero paki ba. No, kiddin’. Pero seryoso kasi, he never fails to give me butterflies in his every banat. Normal lang naman ‘yun di’ba? Masyado akong lunod at sa pag-ibig ko sa lalaking ‘to.

“Why? You love it when I do that, don’t you?” He knows it very well.

“Wag nga kasi… masyado kang pa-kilig diyan eh, Naka-aircon naman ako pero pinagpapawisan tuloy ako,” I said in my very soft, kinikilig, and pabebe voice.

“I can hear you blushing in the other line, Baby. Wanna switch to facetime?”

Are you even serious? Bwisit ‘tong jowa ko, pag nagface time kami lalo lang ako mamumula…

I didn’t speak for awhile.

“Why are you not answering? My Baby doesn’t want to see me, she doesn’t love me anymore,” he said.

“Sira ka talaga, Scent Han… I’m red as cherry na, nanandya ka mang-asar diyan. Oo na, kilig na kilig na ko, papatayin mo na ba ako sa heart failure, huh? ‘Wag na mag-facetime, tumigil ka riyan.”

“You’re so cute talaga. We’re always like this naman, ganito tayo lagi mag-usap, lagi naman ako banat ng banat ‘di ka pa rin sanay.” Lalo pa niyang pang-aasar sa tono niya.

“I am never gonna get used to it, Baby. Kahit pa siguro maging mag-asawa na tayo. Oh my god, just thinking about it, hearing all your pick-up lines and banats everyday, in person, not just in a call like this… s**t, Baby, I’m already blushing.”

“I can imagine. I’ve always enjoyed looking at your red cheeks whenever I compliment you. Kaya nga mag-facetime na tayo eh, please? Please? Please?”

Tina-try niyang mag-pacute sa boses niya.

“Sige na nga, napaka-kulit eh… But give me five minutes muna, I’ll just fix my bed, para deretso sleep na ako later after we facetime,” I said.

Tatapusin ko lang ‘yung usual ritual ko before going to bed.

“Alright, don’t make me wait too long, and please, don’t forget to put on your robe. Baka mapatakbo na naman ako bigla riyan sa place mo, ‘di ako makapag-pigil.”

I giggled.

“Of course, I always remember that when we facetime at night, Baby”

He always has that fettish in seeing me na naka-silk nighties. The first time kasi na nag-facetime kami ng naka-gano’n ako, grabe ‘yung mukha niya. Tapos hindi niya ako ma-tingnan ng maayos, iniiwas niya ‘yong mata niya sa phone niya.

I have a pretty good figure naman kasi. Hindi man kalakihan ang boobies ko, pero sapat naman ang size nito sa balingkinitan kong katawan. So my cleavage somehow shows a little kapag naka-nighties ako.

So ayun nga, that night I wore it during facetime tas di ako nag-robe kasi biglaan ‘yung pagtawag niya nu’n eh, he was caught off guard talaga. I don’t know maybe something got into him or what, or iba talaga aura ko that night, kasi I think I’m in my fertile window that time. So para asarin siya lalo ay bumaling ako on my side para maipit at ma-enhance ‘yung boobies ko, then the thin strap fell from my shoulders na dumagdag sa pang-akit vibes ko. Lalo siyang namula tapos nasamid siya.

Then he was like, “I can’t take it anymore.”

Tapos nagulat na lang ako pinatay niya ‘yung call, then wala siyang sinabing kahit ano, ni walang text or call or whatever. I tried texting him, he didn’t reply. Called him but there was no answer.

I thought I made him upset or something kasi sa pang-aasar ko, kinabahan ako. Pero after an hour, he showed up at my door, panting. Nakapambahay lang siya then slippers, halatang dumeretso lang siya sa car niya then umalis. When I opened the door, agad niya akong hinila sa isang halik. Then it became more passionate and it went so racy. Then we found ourselves both naked in my bed, sweaty and short of breath.

Since that night, para maiwasan ‘yung mga gano’ng biglaang pag-bisita I make sure na I wear my robe kapag tatawag siya at night before I go to bed.

*Riiiiiiiiiiiing*

Hindi ko na namalayan ang mga nagdaang minuto dahil pag-alala sa gabing ‘yun. Nakakatawang nakaka-ewan pag naaaalala ko ‘yon.

Init na init na naman tuloy ‘yung katawan ko.

I answered his call.

“Robe. Check. What took you so long to answer, Baby?”

Atat na atat?

“I just remembered something kaya nag-space out ako.” I smiled a bit.

“Ano na naman ‘yang naalala mo?”

“Basta.” Then I grinned.

“Pulang pula ka pa rin, Baby, ‘di pa humupa’yung kilig mo kanina?”

Paano huhupa eh naalala ko ‘yung kemerut. Susmiyo.

“Stop na kasi, ‘wag na paalala ‘yon. Change topic. So how was your day?”

“Well, pretty much the same. Inisip ka lang buong araw habang nakatambay sa office. You know I don’t have a lot to do naman sa office, kasi parang wala pa rin naman tiwala si Dad sa’kin iwan ang mga trabaho do’n. Ano pa kayang saysay na in-absorb niya ako as engineer sa firm di’ba?”

His dad is so perfectionist talaga. He’s the heir ng firm, pero parang never niya naman na-appreciate or pinagtitiwalaan talaga si Scent.

“So much for my very normal day, it’s Valentine’s Day tomorrow so we should talk about our date,” he said.

“Ah, right, right. Well, like always naman di’ba? Dinner?” I asked.

We’ve been together for so many years na sobrang common na sa amin ng mga usual occasion dates. Kaya unless anniversary or birthday eh dinner date nalang talaga ginagawa namin.

“Yes, I was thinking we should do it on our favorite restaurant? Where we had our first date? I already made reservations,” he suggsested,”do you have work ba bukas? What time should I pick you up?”

“I don’t have work tomorrow, sanay na rin naman bosses na nagli-leave ako kapag Valentine’s. So dito mo na lang ako sa bahay sunduin Baby,” I replied.

“Sure, I’ll pick you up at let’s say 6 PM?”

“Alright, Baby. I am excited na, we haven’t had a date for weeks na, like date DATE, right? We’ve been so busy rin kasi lately, and sometimes naman we hang out lang with Yohanne and Hans,” I replied.

“You don’t know how much more excited I am for tomorrow’s date, Baby. I’m telling you, it’s going to be our best Valentine’s ever,” he added.

“Uhhhh, you are so sweet talaga. ‘Wag ka ganyan baka mag-expect ako ng malala niyan,” I said.

“You could. Expect as much as you want. I’ll make sure to meet your expectations naman. Just brace yourself, mi amore, kasi nga like I said, it would be the best Valentine’s for us,” he said.

Scent Han, you never fail to make my heart skip a beat. Ano na naman kaya ‘yang pa-surprise surprise mo.

“Sige na, sleep ka na, it’s getting late na eh. I’ll see you tomorrow, mi amore. I love you soooooooooooo much.” Then he gestured kissing me on the screen.

“Hmmmm, I love you too, Baby. Can’t wait to see you tomorrow, Boo. Good night, mwah!” I replied giving him back the virtual kiss.