Bridge Between the Verdant Lands

Promise Kiss

Promise kiss

I couldn't believe that this is even happening. Sa ilang taon... sa buong buhay kong pagtatago sa mukhang 'to, ay ganito lang pala makikita ng isang estranghero na ngayon ay nasa ibabaw ko.

I couldn't even make myself free from his hold. Even it's not harmful and I'm not in pain, I feel like I'm back on that time... a weak woman who can rolling on his fingers. His one hand still sealing my lips while the other one was tracing my cheek.

I can see his eyes that full of admirations, amusement and the thing that my father's has been telling me...

Lust and Greed.

Thinking about that, with closing my eyes, I feel my body trembled. Fear slowly overpowering me. By that, his hand on my lips slowly gone. And his other hand carefully wiped a lone tear from my eye that I never thought it would rushed down.

"I-I'm sorry..." His voice was sounds like in apology.

Mabagal kong iminulat ang mga mata. There, I saw his face surprised and apologetic at the same time. He helped me sit up, habang ako'y bahagyang nagugulat sa ginagawa nito.

We both sit up in front of each other. His eyes were on me but not the kind of look earlier. His eyes look calm and in control now.

"I want to apologize for my sudden actions. But, I don't have any intention to put any fear in you. I was just..."

"In lust?" I said on the point. Dahil iyon naman ang palaging sinasabi ni ama at sa naging karanasan ko.

His eyes widen at the sudden word I just stated. "No." His face was shocked and later on, was serious. "I was... mesmerized by you. Who told you that?"

My lips slightly gaped but I choose to answer him, ignoring his words. "My father. But I had experience about that too," maagap ko pang dagdag.

Napayuko ako ng maramdam ang paninitig niya.

"Not all the man is overpowered by greed and lust. Yes, I'm a man. But now... I just wanna see you like this. Nothing else. Not driven by those two things." Aniya. His voice sounded serious.

Bahagya akong nagulat nang damhin ng malaking kamay nito ang pisngi ko. His callous hand keeps caressing my cheek.

"Marahil ay naguguluhan ka lang, estranghero. Mabuti pa't umalis ka na lang hangga't wala pang nakakakita sa'yo." Hinawi ko ang kamay niya ngunit sadya siyang makulit. Binalik-balikan ng kamay nito ang mukha ko.

Naalala ko na wala pala akong panakip sa aking mukha. Kukunin ko sana mula sa lalagyan pero kahit ang makatayo man lang ay pinigilan ako ng estrangherong ito.

"Bitiwan mo 'ko."

"Why? Are you hiding your face?" hindi pa rin ako nito binibitawan.

"I have to!"

"Hiding it when I already saw it?"

"Dahil... dahil iyon ang nararapat, estranghero. Wala kang nalalaman," rason ko pero parang wala itong narinig at ibinalik ako sa pagkakaupo ko.

"Hindi ko man nalalaman ang dahilan kung bakit kailangan mo pang itago ang kagandahan mo, pero siguro naman ay maari mo itong ipakita sa isang estrangherong tulad ko?"

I don't know how to respond to it. But then, what if my father knew about this?

"Hindi... hindi maari," mariin na pagtanggi ko.

I heard him sigh but I was more surprised at what he did. Iniharap nito sa kanya ang mukha ko. At sa tuwing iniiwas ko ang tingin ay binabalik din ng estrangherong ito ang posisyon ng mukha ko upang makita rin siya ng husto. Hanggang sa sumuko na ko at hinayaan na lang ang lalaking pilit akong ipinapaharap sa kanya.

This man is stubborn!

Subalit hindi lang pala iyon ang makakapagpagulat sa akin. He smiled. That stranger smiled. Hindi ko alam kung bakit pero pakiramdam ko unti-unting uminit ang pisngi ko.

Seeing that stranger's smile brought something inside my stomach that I couldn't even name. And seeing him up close, I found him handsome. Kung hindi dahil sa suot niyang sumbrero ay marahil nakikita ko pa ng husto ang mukha niya.

"Like what you see? Am I handsome?" napakurap ako at napabalik sa kasalukuyan.

Did I just think that he was handsome? Tuluyan akong umiwas muli ng tingin. I can feel my cheeks blush.

"N-No!" I stammered. But he just laughed about it. Tila natutuwa sa reaksyong nakikita niya.

Until a sudden knock came outside of the door. "Binibini, maari na ba akong pumasok? Malapit na ring dumating ang inyong ama at ang bisita." It was Isabela!

I heard a click and she was supposed to get inside but I stopped her. "S-Sandali!" it halted her from open the door. "H-Hindi pa ako nakakapagbihis."

"Binibini?"

"I will just call you later."

"Masusunod, Binibini... Babalik na lang ako maya-maya," nakahinga ako ng maluwag pero ng lingunin ko ang estranghero ay may kung anong mapaglarong ngiti ito sa labi.

Pinanlakihan ko siya ng mata. Bakit ba hindi pa rin umaalis ang lalaking 'to?

"Get out! You have to go now!" mahinang sabi ko habang pinapaalis ang estrangherong 'to sa loob ng silid ko. He already saw my face, and I don't want to mad my father this time.

But this man just laughed at me. "Fine. I will... And next time we will meet again."

"There's no next time, stranger."

"It's Cadel." He said. Napatigil ako saglit sa sinabi niya.

"What?"

"My name is Cadel, no stranger."

He smiled as I can't utter something anymore. But the thing that I am concerned about is his hand still holding mine.

"M-My hands..." Mahina kong sabi habang iniiwas ang tingin.

"Oh," then he let go of it. Pakiramdam ko ay ayaw pa ako nitong bitawan pero pinili na lang ang nararapat.

Doon na nito nagsimulang tumayo. "Till next time, my lady," then he winked at me.

Hindi ko alam kung ano ang maitatawag sa ginawa niya. I firmly pursed my lips to restrain the smile that had been wanting to come out.

"As I said, there's no next time." I keep reminding him.

Ngunit tila hindi naman niya iyon inaalintana. Naramdaman ko na lang ang sarili na natigilan ng sandaling maramdaman ko ang init at lambot ng idampi nito ang labi sa aking noo.

"We will see about that, my Lady." Huling anang niya bago siya bumitaw. "That's a promise."

At kahit na ang estrangherong iyon ay tuluyang lumayo at lumabas sa aking bintana ay hindi pa rin natutupok ang bakas na iniwan niya sa aking noo.