Better Together, Forever

Chapter Nine

RYUJEI still feels like he’s on cloud 9 right now. Gumaan ang pakiramdam niya na nasabi na niya ang kanyang nararamdaman para sa kababata. And he was the happiest guy on earth because Ereny likes to give him a chance. Walang pagsidlan ang saya sa puso niya. Kanina nga ay agad siyang nag-update sa kanyang Lolo na inuulan rin siya ng tanong kung kamusta sila ng dalaga at kung nakaamin na siya. Siyempre ay ito ang una niyang sinabihan at excited na itong makabalik sila bukas. He’s very grateful that his grandfather is very supportive of him, ever since he was young. Ito na ang tumayong magulang niya dahil hindi naman niya nakasama ang kanyang mga magulang.

Bahagyang humigpit ang kapit niya sa bedsheet ng maisip ang mga magulang. Ngunit agad niyang ipinilig ang ulo. Don’t waste your time thinking about them, Ryu. Today’s a happy day. Ereny is enough.

Huminga siya ng malalim. Hinihintay niya lamang si Ereny na matapos sa pagligo. Napag-usapan na nila na manonood na lamang sila ng movie hanggang sa dalawin sila ng antok.

Tila nag-iimbita ang malambot na kama na humiga muna siya. So he did and decided to open the television while waiting for Ereny. Alam niyang medyo matagal maligo ang dalaga.

Hindi namalayan ni Ryujei na napapikit na pala siya. Nagising na lamang siya sa marahang haplos sa kanyang pisngi. He opened his eyes and saw the most beautiful girl in his eyes. His Ereny.

Her hair is dripping wet and she’s wearing his tshirt. It looks so big on her. Napalunok siya. My, she’s so beautiful and sexy in my own clothes..

He wanted to pull and kiss her luscious lips.

Magkalapit kasi ang mukha nila at narinig niya ang pagsinghap nito ng makitang mulat na ang mga mata niya.

Ereny blushed and immediately took off her hands off his face. “A-ano, gigisingin lang sana kita. Akala ko ba, m-manonood pa tayo?,” tarantang wika nito at sinubukang tumayo na mula sa kama ngunit maagap niyang hinawakan ang kamay nito.

Walang salitang hinila niya ito at ihiniga sa tabi niya. He hugged her and inhaled her scent. This is home.

“Ryu!,” gulat na wika ni Ereny at napakapit sa balikat niya sa tangkang pigilan siya. She was for sure stunned.

He closed her eyes and hugged her tighter. “Just five minutes, Ereny. I need to recharge.”

Ilang sandaling hindi kumilos ang dalaga. Ngunit pagkuwa’y naramdaman niya ang pagtanggal ng mga kamay nito sa braso niya. And then she hugged her back, slowly.

His heart is beating fast.

Ereny gently stroked his hair. He wanted to moan. It feels so good. Does she know how her simple touch affects his whole system?

“Okay. Five minutes. You must be tired from the game and then driving all the way here, Ryu. I’m grateful,” halos pabulong na wika ni Ereny. Tila musika sa kanyang tainga ang boses nito. Patuloy pa rin ito sa paghaplos sa kanyang buhok.

He pushed her gently so he could see her face. Nagtama ang kanilang mga mata. Ereny was still blushing.

He really really wanted to touch and kiss her. God knows how much he wanted to. Tila nawala siya sa kanyang katinuan at biglang umibabaw rito. Ereny gasped and her eyes widened.

“R-ryujei?”

“D-do you know how much I am trying to control myself right now, Ereny? Seeing you in my own clothes, being this close to you, you touching my hair..,” and then he closed his eyes. “I.. I want to touch you. I want all of you,” he lightly stroked her small face with his fingers. Ereny closed her eyes at the feel of his touch. He smiled, took a deep breath and finally get off of her.

He held her hand and helped her get up.

“I’m sorry, Ereny. I lose my mind for a bit,” at naihilamos niya ang kamay sa kanyang mukha. He just can’t think rationally when he’s this close to Ereny. But he wanted to respect her. He will still ask for her permission when the right time comes. They are just starting. They’ve been best friends since they were young and if he has endured those years, he can wait a little more, right?

Napapitlag pa siya ng maramdaman niya ang pagyakap ni Ereny sa kanya. Isinandal nito ang ulo sa kanyang dibdib. They could feel each other’s breathing.

“I’m so lucky I have you, Ryu. And I know you respect me. I understand how you feel. Earlier I.. When I saw you sleeping here I wanted to t-touch you too, you know? Kaya mo ako nahuli kanina,” then she chuckled.

“These feelings are still foreign for us. And I’m glad that we’re experiencing these with each other,” and she looked up to him and smiled sweetly.

“May I touch you on your waist, Ereny?”

Ereny blushed but then she slowly nodded. Ipinulupot niya ang braso sa beywang nito. “I promise to always ask for your permission first.”

She arched her eyebrows.

“Even on the smallest things, like holding my hand? You were always holding my hands, right?”

“Ngayon na nasabi ko na ang nararamdaman ko sayo. It’s become harder for me to control myself whenever we are together and we’re this close,” he answered honestly. “But you can make a list of exceptions,” he suggested.

Napalabi ito. “Okay. For hands, waist and face, no need to ask for permission.”

He chuckled and pinched her nose. “Okay bub.”

Maya-maya pa ay napahikab na si Ereny at ipinulupot na rin ang mga braso sa likod niya. He stroked her hair lovingly. “I think we should go to sleep.”

“But I still want to watch TV and talk to you,” mahinang sagot ni Ereny. He looked at her. Ereny’s eyes are already closed. Tila anumang sandali ay makakatulog na ito sa mga bisig niya.

“But you’re already sleepy. Don’t fight it.”

“No Ryu, I’m not, promise.”

He chuckled. Ah, she’s so cute.

Inabot ng libreng kamay niya ang remote at binuksan ang telebisyon. Ereny didn’t even budge.

He searched for some movies and stumbled upon a movie called FLIPPED. He decided to play it.

Nagulat pa siya ng biglang magsalita si Ereny. “I like that movie. It’s about childhood neighbors turned to sweethearts.”

“Akala ko nakatulog ka na,” nakangiting wika niya.

“Nah. Well medyo antok na but I still want to talk to you,” at mas lalo pa nitong isiniksik ang katawan sa kanya. He hugged her even tighter. Wala siyang pakialam kahit mangalay pa siya sa puwesto nila ngayon. They could stay like this forever.

Ipinagpatuloy nila ang panonood. Then Ereny looked up to her. “Ryu, when and how did you know that you like me?”

Napangiti siya. “Hmm. Would you believe that I liked you ever since I first laid my eyes on you? Noong kakalipat ko pa lang sa bahay ni Lolo?”

Napasinghap ang dalaga. “R-really? We were seven years old then, right?”

Tumango siya. Ereny’s her first in everything. First friend, first crush, and first love. And he will definitely make sure she’ll be the only one.

“Naalala ko pa noon na hindi ka mapatahan ni Lolo Rod habang binababa ang mga gamit mo sa sasakyan. You looked so scared back then,” she touched his face. “Kalaro ko noon ang mga pinsan ko pero na-curious ako kaya nilapitan kita.”

Hinuli niya ang kamay nito at pinisil iyon. “Yep. Ipinaramdam mo sa akin na magiging okay ang lahat. That I could be happy in that neighborhood.”

Tandang-tanda pa ni Ryujei ang araw na iyon..