Opposite

Chapter 33

Heallven did not really disappointed Harlow and Tyson in giving surprises. In every journey, there were new things, there were new discoveries.

When the wall had slide up, the advanced machines amazed the two. May mga nagsisiliparan sa ere at nagsisilakaran sa sahig. Sa sobrang pagkamangha nila sa lugar ay hindi na nila napansin na may tao pala sa kanilang harapan.

"Good day, Mrs. Harlow Palermo and Mr. Tyson Faulkner," the man said. He was wearing a formal attire. Everything of him was formal, even his gestures and facial expressions. "Welcome to Memoria!"

The two did not know how to respond to him, so they just bowed down their head and gave him a smile.

"Before you enter this place, I want you to first know the purpose of Memoria," he said. "It's a place wherein you can reminisce all your past. This place will help you remember things you can't remember."

The two looked at each other and somehow were confused.

"May hindi ba tayo naaalaa?" Harow asked.

"Ewan ko, 'di ko maalala."

"Surely there are still things your mind can't retain. Believe me or not, there are happenings in your past that you forget the moment you stepped in this world."

They raised their eyebrows.

They didn't speak and respond to the man, they they were bearing inside their minds if they really forgot something. Pero paano nga ba nila maaalala kung nakalimutan nila?

"So here's my question." The man fixed his posture as he arranged his necktie. "Are you willing to remember your past on the Earth?"

The two looked again at each other. They didn't know what to answer. Would they still have to reminisce the memories or not anymore since they were happy already in their new world?

"Can you give us some time to think?" Tyson asked the man.

"Sure," he said, "but I will just give you five minutes to think carefully."

"What if we chose to not remember them? What will happen to the two of us?" Harlow interrogated.

"You will proceed to the next mission. Memoria is just an option. If you wanted to explore more, we are willing to serve you, but if not, we respect your decisions."

"Okay so, can you let us stay there for awhile?" Tyson pointed the spot in the side.

"Of course! Just make sure to come back when you hear this." A glittering sound appeared.

The two nodded before they went to the side. They covered their mouth to make sure the man would not notice what was they were saying.

"What do you think is the best thing to do?" Harlow whispered.

"Kung ako lang, I'll just choose to disregard this and move on to the next mission. Parang wala na rin namang itutulong ang past natin sa present."

"But don't you think they will let us remember our past kung wala na rin naman pala 'yong silbi?" she said. "I mean, bakit pa nila tayo papabalikin sa dati? Para sa wala lang? No. There's always a reason."

"Are you trying to say you still want to remember the things you think you can't remember?"

"Y-yes."

"Para saan pa?"

"I don't know. Well I'm just curious, but there's a part of me that's saying this is really important and can't be disregarded."

He didn't speak.

"Ayaw mo bang matapos na agad ang missions natin? Look, it's just an option, nothing really important."

"Well okay, you go, and I'll stay."

He smirked. "Are you damn serious?"

"Yes, I am. Besides I don't need you in this. Umalis ka kung gusto mong umalis. Mauna ka kung gusto mong mauna."

"Okay, fine!"

"OKAY FINE?" she said. "SIGE! OKAY FINE PALA, EH!"

Padabog niyang iniwan si Tyson at saka nagtungo pabalik sa lalaki. Pagkaraan ng ilang segundo ay sumunod na rin naman ang binata.

"Have you made your final decision?" the man asked.

"Yes! I'm staying!" Harlow said.

"I'll just go and proceed to my next mission," Tyson smirked.

She looked at him sharply, but he didn't turn to her. "He really is going," she thought in her mind.

She wanted to punch him, kick him, hurt him, but she couldn't. If only there was no one in front of them, she had done it already. Ang layo na ng narating nilang dalawa. From the beginning up to the recent, they were together. Pero, sa isang bagay na iyon ay pipiliin lamang ng binata na iwan siya para tumuloy na agad sa susunod na misyon.

Mahal nga ba niya ang dalaga? O ginagamit niya lang ang dalaga para mapadali ang misyon niya?

"If he really loves me, he will stay with me," she thought in her mind.

Tyson smiled while looking at the man and still waiting for his response, when he also thought something. "If she really loves me, she will go with me."

When the man hemmed, Harlow looked at him. Pareho na nga silang nakalingon sa lalaki habang naghihintay ng kasagutan nito.

"Sorry," he said. "But your decisions should be the same."

"WHAT?" Harlow reacted. "W-well if that's the case, okay we're staying."

"No, we are leaving," Tyson opposed.

She looked at him. "I'm not going with you, 'no. Kahit ano pang gawin mo, hindi ako sasama. I'll stay."

"Hindi mo ba naintindihan? Hindi puwedeng magkaiba ang desisyon natin. Aalis tayo pareho dito."

"Eh, sa ayoko nga. Bakit ba ang kulit mo?"

"Bakit ba ang kulit mo rin?"

"Ang kulit mo rin kasi. I told you, the past has nothing to do with the present. Forget everything and move on."

"I told you too, every happening in life is important, so we need to treasure them. If we forgot something, then try to remember them kasi sa mga 'yon lang naman tayo natututo at nabubuhay."

"Your opinion is so bad."

"Ang pangit din naman ng opinyon mo, pero hindi ako nagreklamo."

"With due respect, please stop fighting in front of me," the man said when they didn't stop ranting.

They realized their mistake and asked pardon to him. They were forgiven right away and were asked for the second time about their final decision.

"Hindi ba talaga puwedeng magkaiba kami ng desisyon? Besides we are different persons," Harlow asked.

The man shook her head.

"Wala tayong mata-"

"Okay, I'm staying," Tyson said.

She looked at him and her eyes grew bigger. She was surprised and so joyful of what she had heard. Hindi siya makapaniwala kaya tinanong niyang muli ang binata kung sigurado siya sa decisyon niya.

"You're important to me, so your decision matters to me as well," he said without looking at her.

She turned red. She couldn't even speak and act properly. Pakiramdam niya ay sobrang init na ng buong katawan niya.

"I'm just testing you a while ago, but it seemed that my decision has nothing to do with you."

Mas lalo pa siyang namula sa sinabi ng data. Sa pagkakataon na iyon ay hindi na kilig ang naramdaman niya, but a bit of disappointment on herself.

She slightly bowed down her head as she realized her mistake. Hindi man lang siya nakinig sa kaniya, bagkus ay ipinaglaban niya ang kaniyang nais.

"Sorry," she said. "I-it's not that I'm disregarding your views, p-pero kasi may opinion din ako."

He smiled. "Stop it. I know, I know... we have different perspectives. Basta susundin ko na lang din kung anong gusto mo."

"So is that final?" the man asked them. "You've spend almost ten minutes in deciding, I just gave you five."

The two said their sorry again to him. When they were forgiven, the man told them the touring around the Memoria would start, and he would be their guide.

They started and walking and while on the way, the two were observing their surroundings. The machines and technologies were indeed super advanced. Instead of people, robots were the assistants of the machines.

After some walk, they had reached a small room. But before they enter, the man first introduced himself to them and told them that his name was Rookie.

"Nice name," they said.

He thanked them, then asked them to enter afterwards. When they were finally inside, he locked the door.

The two wandered their eyes all throughout the room. It was just a small and a minimalist place. There were two chairs and a table at the center, and in front was a big screen.

"Take a seat," Rookie said.

They sat down and felt the chair. It was made of metal, but when they sat down, they could feel that there was something like a foam holding their butts.

Rookie stood at their front and started talking again. "Please be ready. In this screen, I will show you a scenario that you've forgotten."

The two took a deep breath as he turned on the screen. A plain white background first appeared, then it was followed by a video. In the video, Harlow and Tyson was included. They could see themselves sitting outside a bar and talking to each other.

"Do you believe you'll go to hell when you die?" Harlow saw and hear herself asked the question to Tyson. She almost spewed imagining she did really ask such question.

"Why did you asked such question?" Tyson saw and hear as well himself asked her back. He was confused why they were together in the video.

"I just want to know. So, do you?"

Tyson gave her a certain smile. "Yes, I believe. Hindi naman sa pagiging demonyo kaya hindi ako makakatapak sa langit, but it's just what I see. Masama bang paniwalaan 'yon?"

Harlow laughed.

"What's funny?" he asked.

"Hindi naman sa nakakatawa 'yong sinabi mo. It's just we believed the same thing, kaya sobrang nakakatuwa. Ewan ko rin kung bakit nakikita ko ang sarili ko na sa hell mapupunta after I die. I really don't know. Siguro I don't just want to set my expectation na sa langit ako dadalhin. Masakit kaya kapag umasa ka tapos hindi naman pala totoo."

"Same vibes pala tayo, eh," Tyson giggled.

After playing the video, they looked at each other and burst out a laugh. They didn't know they had already talked and met when they were still on Earth. Another, their topic was funny but they could relate.

"But, wait," Tyson said. "How did we know each other? I'm not super shocked of this one because when we were still in Plesingko, Dukeh showed us a video being together. It's just confusing me why. Bakit kami magkakilala?"

"Same question," Harlow said.

Rookie didn't speak, instead he played again another video of how they met. After watching it, the two was surprised.

"So we met in a bar?" Tyson said.

"At saka pala tayo nagkakilala kasi natapunan ako ng hawak-hawak kong wine kasi nagkadumbo tayo?" she said as she looked at Tyson.

"Tama," sambit ni Rookie. "'Yon ang simula ng inyong pagkakakilala."

"Well it's so nice!" Harlow smiled. "Imagine, kahit pala nasa mundo pa lang tayo eh magkasundo na tayong dalawa."

"And we are sharing the same interests."

The smile on their faces didn't fade especially that they knew their past was something romantic already before they could even go in Heallven.

Because of the first videos they had watched, they were eager to know more about each other.

"I know you are so excited to see the next videos, but before I'll play them, I have a question to you two," Rookie said.

The two raised their eyebrows.

"Why did you believe yourselves going to hell when you die?"

"Okay I will go first," Harlow volunteered. "It's simply because my life isn't perfect, and I just can feel it."

"Oh, okay. How about you, Tyson?"

"Actually I also don't know. I just grew up believing that thing."

"Okay," he said. "Another question: what's your reaction or feeling knowing that you died, but you didn't go to hell?"

"Well it's something ridiculous," Harlow laughed. "I don't even know this kind of world is existing."

"Me too, I find it funny. But somehow I'm glad because even in another life, I'm with her."

"Have you learned something from the experience?" Rookie asked.

"Yes of course," Harlow said. "Natutunan ko na hindi pala lahat ng pinapaniwalaan mo ay totoo. At hindi lahat ng mga inaasahan mong mangyayari ay mangyayari."

"I've learned also the same thing," Tyson said.

"Well I'm glad that you're learning from your experience," he said. "But before we continue, I want to leave some words with you. Please always be reminded that people are different persons. People have different point of views, beliefs, and faith. The only thing you have to do is to respect one another."

The two nodded.

"Going back, here's the next video." He played again another clip.

The two was so focused watching themselves. It was a different venue. They were both in the hospital with their parents. Abot hanggang yainga ang ngiti ng dalawa nang malaman nilang pinagkakasundo na pala sila noon ng kanilang mga magulang.

Was it destiny?

Were they really meant for each other?

The video ended, and there were still the smiles on their lips. Pansin na pansin iyon ni Rookie, kaya pati siya ay nahawa sa dalawa.

"You looked romantic together already when you are still on Earth,' he said.

"I really can't imagine this," Harlow blushed. "Now there's something forming inside my head."

"What is it?" Tyson smiled.

"Naalala mo ba 'yong pinanood sa atin ni Dukeh? 'Yong pareho tayong nasa kotse? I guess we're talking the same thing, the hell matter. Pero naisip mo na rin ba?"

"Ang ano?"

"Na baka tayo magkasama n'on eh dahil inaya mo akong makipag-date."

Tyson laughed.

Bigla namang sumimangot ang mukha ni Harlow nang tumawa ang binata. "What's funny?" she glared.

"Nothing, just your confidence," he said. "But who knows? Nakalimutan nga natin pareho na magkakilala tayo, kaya baka inaya talaga kitang lumabas, pero..."

"Pero?"

"May naiisip din akong iba."

"Ano?"

"Bakit naman kita aayain eh parang hindi kita type n'on?"

She slapped him on his shoulder. "Ang feeling mo! So sa tingin mo papayag din akong sumama sa'yo eh hindi rin naman kita type n'on?"

"Weh? Sure ka bang hindi mo talaga ako type? Who knows? Saka bakit tayo magkasama?"

"Eh ikaw? Sure ka rin ba na hindi mo ako type noon?" Who knows?"

"Who knows?" Rookie interfered.

The two stopped from talking and looked at him.

"Who knows?" he repeated. "Who really knows when in fact, both of you forgot your pasts."

Rookie was serious talking but the two didn't control themselves laughing because of their stupidity. Bakit nga ba nila pinangungunahan ang bawat isa kung pareho sila'y hindi alam ang tunay nilang nakaraan?

"For you to know the real thing, I'm gonna play the next video."

"Wait," Harlow said.

"Why?"

"Puwedeng teka saglit? Parang kinakabahan ako, ewan ko kung bakit."

"Harlow stupid..." Tyson whispered.

She looked sharply at him. "Huwag ka ngang masyadong epal diyan. Kinakabahan nga ang tao eh, may magagawa ka ba?"

"Bakit ka ba kasi kinakabahan? Pinapaghintay mo lang si Mr. Rookie, eh."

"Ewan ko nga."

Rookie chuckled. "Naguguluhan ako sa inyong dalawa. Minsan ayos kayo, minsan naman hindi."

"Ito kasing si Tyson eh, Mr. Rookie."

"But anyways, okay I'll give you some time to rest your minds. Isipin n'yo muna ang mga gusto n'yong isipin, and when you're ready to see the next video, please let me know."

The two fought instead of romanticizing their memories. Tyson was so annoyed of her, pinapatagal niya lang eh sabik pa naman siyang malaman ang mga susunod na pangyayari.

After some time, the two stopped quarrelling. They took a deep breath before they requested Rookie to keep going.

And so, Rookie played again another clip.

Harlow saw herself in the video showing her sweet side. She knew it very well— she was a sweet girl at day but dangerous at night. Going back, she dressed very well, wearing a red cherry dress and a sandal. She also wore a simple makeup. Everything suited her. When all is done, she proceeded to their gate and there she saw Tyson.

Tyson saw himself in the video wearing a plain black T-shirt and a white shorts, partnered with his white shoes as well. His outfit was just simple but it looked elegant on him.

"Tara na?" he said as he offered his hands to Harlow.

Harlow smiled and held his hand. Then, they finally entered the car. While on their way, Tyson played a music.

Fade to black...

Abot hanggang tainga ang ngiti ni Harlow nang matapos panoorin ang video. "Oh 'di ba inaya mo talaga ako?" she said.

"How are you so sure of that?" he smirked. "The video was cut. Hindi ipinakita kung paano kita inaya."

"Gusto n'yo na bang makita?" Rookie asked.

The two nodded.

And so, he showed them again another clip.

In the video, they could see themselves standing at the street during night hours. They were confused, bakit nasa labas silang dalawa sa mga ganoong oras?

Tyson heard himself in the video telling Harlow to take a rest, then after some time... "So will you go out with me tomorrow?" he asked.

"Huh? Bakit?" Harlow said.

"To take some time to unwind. Well let me just name it a friendly date. Are you free?"

"Sure!"

Then, it all faded to black again.

Their lips were flattened for sometime. Did they hear it right? They looked at each other, both confused.

"Friendly date?"