Please, My Professor

Chapter 25

Ilang weeks na rin simula noong makapagtrabaho si Kevin sa loob ng convenience store na pagmamay-ari ng pamilya ng kaniyang kaibigang si Ralp. It's been weeks na rin simula noong huli niyang nakita ang kaniyang professor na si Kenny. Well, he kept on thinking kung kumusta na kaya siya. He hoped she was doing well at kahit paano man niya itago ang kaniyang nararamdaman, he couldn't deny the fact that he really miss her. All of those things na nangyari sa kanila. That moment when they accidentally have s*x, that flowers, everything. He sure misses her so badly. Her smile, her lips, her waist, her body. Everything on her is more like a star to him for now. He knew professor Kenny was too near, yet to far to reach.

“Oh, ‘wag mong sabihing hindi ka pa rin naka upon d’yan ha, Kevin?" Usisa ni Ralp na ngayon ay nasa Japan kasama ang kaniyang pamilya upang magbakasyon.

“Sige na ako ng bahala. Nako, kung hindi lang kita kaibigan eh. Magpapadala ako ngayon basta make sure pupuntahan mo ‘yang si professor Kenny ha. Almost 3 months din ‘yong bakasyon kaya don't waste it. Sulitin mo na hanggat hindi mo pa siya professor at hindi ka pa rin niya estudyante."

Nakangiti namang hawak ni Kevin ang kaniyang cellphone dahil kahit papano ay natutulongan pa rin siya ng kaibigan kahit nasa malayo ito. This is what kind of friends we needed the most in our whole life cycle. You see, no one has ever told us that life would be easy, but sure it would be worth it. Maybe, worth it sigurong mabuhay kung napapalibutan ka ng mga totoong kaibigan. Iyong mga totoong tao. That no matter where we are standing at, they will reach their arms on us. I mean, there will be no hesitation. No greed. No envy. Just that we are helping each other no matter what. That's kind of life is worth living for.

Matapos nilang mag-usap, Kevin immediately call professor Jayon at sinabing magkita raw sila dahil may importanti itong itatanong. Sakto namang hindi ganoon ka-busy ang professor kaya pumayag naman ito sa kaniyang offer.

Sa loob ng isang coffee shop, dito naghintay si Kevin ng mahigit tatlumpung minuto bago dumating ang professor.

“Bakit hindi nalang doon sa school ka pumunta, Kevin. Bakit dito pa? Gaano ba ka importanti ‘yang itatanong mo?" Pambungad agad na sabi ng professor kay Kevin. Siya naman ay nailang ng marinig ito. Well, hindi naman kasi ganoon ka importanti ang itatanong niya. Maybe not for his professor.

Huminga nalang ng malalim si Kevin at kinaway ang isang waiter sa di kalayuan.

Napalingon naman doon si professor Jayon.

“ Tsaka kana magalit, Prof. Aning gusto mong coffee? Libre ko na."

“ Bahala ka na." Sagot naman ng professor sa kaniya. Nang makalapit na ang water ay agad naman siyang nag take ng order dito.

“ So, how's your summer? Balita ko nagtatrabaho ka raw?”

" Hmmm…" Napaisip naman si Kevin sakay iyang possibleng isagot. Gusto niyang hindi malaman ng professor iyon ngunit sigurado naman siyang alam na nito ang lahat.

“Well, yeah. Apparently, nasa convenience store ako ngayon, professor Jayon. Wala rin namang magawa kaya mabuti lang mag take nalang ng part time job."

“Tama ‘yan. Noong nasa college pa ako, I will never be ashamed na sabihing nagsariling sikap ako. I worked hard at. ag part-time job ako. Pinagsabay ko ang pag-aaral at trabaho. My blockmates, and even my professors were so proud of me. Bilib na bilib sila sa akin without them knowing na kung may choices lang sana ako, I would dare to choose that kind of life. I mean, I never regret anything. It's just that I feel like they insulted my feelings. Sarcastically.”

Napatango nalang si Kevin bilang tugon sa kaniyang professor. Nang dumating naman ang waiter dala ang order nilang coffee ay agad na ring nagpasalamat si professor Jayon sa kaniya.

“Well anyways, what is it that you want to talk with me, Kevin?"

Napaisip naman siya kung itutuloy pa ba niya, ngunit nandito nai‘to kaya kailangan nakag niyang manindigan sa kaniyang mga hakbang. Perhaps, thats what a man is being built off. They must bare the consequences of their actions at all cost.

“Professor Jayon…” He started.

" I know you and professor Kenny are very close to each other.”

" Hmmm…" Napataas naman ng eyebrows si professor Jayon.

“Sandali nga… ever since matapos ‘yong criminology night, something stranged really happened to you and Kenny. Lagi kitang napapansing pinagmamasdan siya, then at the hospital, at the faculty office, and then ngayon? I've heard rumors too na nililigawan mo raw si Kenny?”

Napakamot na lang din siya ng kaniyang ulo. After all, totoo naman kasing nang kakaibang nangyari sa kanilang dalawa. Kung sana lang ay pwede itong ipagkalat, well baka viral na siguro ito ngayon. But that's not the case here since alam naman nating magkaiba ng level si Kevin ang si professor Kenny.

" It's si hard to admit but actually totoo naman talagang nililigawan ko si professor Kenny. I mean, what's wrong with that? At hindi ko pa rin naman nakakalimutan professor ko siya ang estudyante niya ako. Kaya nga I didn't do anything foolish sa loob ng unibersidad.” Sagot naman ni Kevin sa kaniyang professor na kaharap niya ngayon.

" So, what's your plan?”

" I've heard na nasa probinsya raw si professor Kenny dahil doon daw siya magbabakasyon kasama ang pamilya niya. I just want to know the exact location dahil gusto ko na ring sabihin sa kaniya itong kakaibang nararamdaman ko. After all, wala na rin naman kami sa loob ng unibersidad. For the mean time hindi ko siya professor at hindi rin niya ang estudyante niya.”

Napahinga na lang ng malalim ang professor dahil hindi niya lubos na akalaing ganito pala kalala ang sitwasyon ng kaniyang kaibigang si Kenny.

Sure he never wanted to share professor Kenny’s address dahil para na rin sa security nito. Besides, gusto rin sana niyang bigyan ng time na makapagbonding ang pamilya niya, yet he was bothered by the fact that it might won't take a year for her to live. Gusto niyang iparanas sa kaibigan ang mga bagay na hindi pa niya nasubukan noon. Perhaps, he knew who Kevin was. A hardworking man, which then he realized na kaya pala masyadong itong hassle dahil it's all because of her.

“You must be insane, Kevin. Why are you doing this?"

“I don't know either, professor Jayon. I just felt it. Something really strange. Then one day I found out I was longing for her the whole time." He took a deep sigh, then audibly breath, as he looked sincerely on him.

“Please help me, professor. I promise I won't do anything stupid. I just, at least at this moment I could tell this tiny holes in my heart.”

" You are young, Kevin. Baka hindi ko alam kung ano ang papasokan mo.”

" Does age matters the most?”

"Perhaps…” Then silence came between them.

" I don't think telling what you felt requires classification. May it be for love, for thanksgiving, or for sorry.”

Umalis at naiwan sa loob ng coffee shop si Kevin, yet he wasn't sad at all dahil binigyan siya ng address ni professor Jayon. It was then that he found out na pareho pala sila ng baryo sa probinsya. His grandmother's house is only a sitio away from hers.