Strings Attached

World really has its way of saying things. Kapag uulan sa gabi, mararamdaman mo muna ang sobrang init sa umaga. Kapag may paparating na bagyo, mararamdaman mo muna ang tagtuyot. Everything that exists, gives sign that something else will exist. It's all interconnected. That's the law of nature. Law of Nature. A normal cycle. "Gabriel, Anong masasabi mo sa biglaang statement ng OneUs Entertainment?" "Alam mo ba ang tungkol dito bago napalabas ang official statement?" Kakalabas ko lang sa airport at ito agad ang sumalubong sa akin. Bobby already informed me of the possibility pero hindi ko iniisip na aabangan talaga ang madaling araw na pagdating ko. News reporters and journalists are really one of a heck workers. "Gabriel, kahit isang statement lang sa kung ano ang masasabi mo sa biglaang paglabas ng balita," so far, it's one of the most safest implicit question I've heard. Bahagya akong huminto para sagutin ang kanyang tanong. I can see how grateful he is when my eyes are directed at him. "I'm outside the scope of the issue. The engagement does not concern me po. I hope you understand." I answered sincerely dahil totoo naman It doesn't concern me anymore unlike what happened years ago. This is just a deja vu with different person involved, a replacement of my place. "Pero, Gabriel as a former --" "He already answered your question. It doesn't concern him anymore. Bakit ba kayo nandito eh dadating din naman ang person of interest nyo ngayon. Bakit hindi kayo dun nag-abang?" masungit na tugon ni Yuhan. Nasa tabi ko sya ngayon at isa rin sa mga humaharang sa mga media sa paglapit. Though may bodyguard, hindi pa rin naging sapat para mapanatili ang distansya nila sa akin. Ngunit imbes na maging kalmado ang lahat sa sinabi ni Yuhan. Mas naging agresibo sa kanya kanyang mga tanong ang mga nanduon. Nagpatuloy kami sa paglalakad hindi alintana ang ingay at mga camerang nakatutok. I can't believe this kind of scenario will happen again.. with the same cause. Him. "Nakapag-usap naba kayo ni Lukas pagkatapos ng nangyari one year ago?" napatigil ako sa huling nagsalita. Nakita ko ang satisfaction sa mukha nang babae ng makitaan ako ng reaction. She ushered the cameraman, that I guess one of her team, and her phone recorder towards me. "Aba, anak ng.." narinig ko ang iilang mura ni Drake sa likod ko bago sya humarang sa amin nga babae. "Let's go." Para akong nakalutang nang maglakad papunta sa sasakyan. Of all questions, his name was never been explicitly said. Kaya hindi ko na control ang reaction ko nang may naglakas-loob na sabihin iyon. It was always a taboo to talk about it. It is forbidden to even talk about it. "She really got guts to asked about that," nanggagailiti pa rin si Drake habang nasa sasakyan kami. Hindi ako nagsalita at pumikit nalang. I've been out for one year to stand for what is right, for everyone, for him, and for me. Alam ko na ang tungkol sa statement, alam ko na ang tungkol sa kanila 6 months ago. I was all aware of what was happening here while I was abroad and cooling everything down. We never talked. Our last talk was that night. We gave each other closures and I know it may be hard for him, but he did it. I'm all good kaya ako bumalik lalo na at sabi nila Bobby okay na ako bumalik. Maybe because of this. Maybe somehow, what happened years ago will be tampered by this delightful issue. "Gab," rinig kong sambit ni Yuhan. "Hmm?" Nakita ko ang pagalala sa mukha nilang dalawa pero si Drake, nanatili ang seryosong tingin sa akin. "We will have a group meeting for the comeback, mamaya." sambit nya. Tumango ako bago umayos ng uponang makita ang pamilyar na convenience store papunta sa condo. "We're complete since .." may pag-aalinlangan sa tono nya na kinairap ko nalang. "I know, Drake. I'm not a girl, hindi ako maglulumpasay." irap na sagot ko sa kanya. He was once so against us. Pero noong may nangyari, siya ang unang nagpunta sa akin sa New York. Yuhan and the other members were there too, but I'm least expecting him to be there. Tumawa lang sila sa sinabi ko at nag-usap na ng kung ano-ano. From the current issue and groups to of course, girls. I was just listening to them while waiting for our arrival. Kaya lang nang makarating sa parking lot ng condo ay hindi namin inaasahan ang nakaabang doon. "Oh, man. Pati ba naman dito?" Huli na para lumusot pa kami dahil nasa parking na. Napabaling naman sa amin ang attention ng lahat, maging sa gitna na pinagkakaguluhan nila. He doesn't have any bodyguards around at mukhang galing lang sya sa sariling condo para pumunta rito. "Mapagbiro talaga ang tadhana, bro." Tapik ni Yuhan sa balikat ko. Sumunod na tapik naman si Drake sa'kin bago lumabas at mukhang tutulungan ding makalusot ang isa. I also followed suit when they got out of the car. Kinuha na ng driver namin ang mga maleta ko at tanging ang dala ko lang ay ang leather shoulder bag. It has been a while since then. He looks mature, in a very good way. Manly. Maybe his fiancee really did take good care of him. "Dude!" Agad na bati nina Drake sa kanya. They did their little hand shake. He still have that smile that everyone would die for. The charisma. Nakita ko naman ang pagdako ng tingin nya sa akin at pananatili nito. Nagtaas ako ng kilay bago lumapit. Kung mag-usap ang lahat ay parang walang mga camera sa paligid. Mukhang nakatunog na rin ang mga bodyguard at napalayo na ang mga journalists at media sa amin ng konti. Sometimes, we just need to be ready for all the changes that might suddenly happen. Of all the foreshadowing, of all the signs. I should have prepared myself for the possibility of transitioning from a close relationship with him to a distant one. For the love that is forbidden. For the strings that were once attached. The voices that were once one. Broke. Detached. Despite the pain that came with it all, the one thing that brings comfort is the love that I still feel and will never forget. We were warned against playing with fire, and we did get burned, but we healed and the scars serve as a reminder of what we went through. Looking at him, I didn't regret anything. If I'll do it again, once more. I'll choose him. "Hey," "Hey.." a smile made into my lips before I gave him a single tap on the shoulder. Ngunit ang sumunod na kilos nya ang hindi ko inaasahan. The flashes of camera and the murmuring seems a distant memory, drowning in the background. "What the f**k!?" The last thing I heard was Yuhan's cursing before anything went on mute. Yeah, indeed. What the f**k, Lukas?