WHEN IT WAS YOU

Ken and Dani

Soonyang started her story about her childhood happy crush.

"I have this childhood crush. I got the chance to have his contacts and got to to talk to him. I met him at an amateur singing contest. He's so good that I always watched his competitions inside and outside school. Hinihintay ko rin sya minsan sa labas ng school since malapit lang sa school bahay nya. Luckily, my mom have this friend of her na singer ang anak so she always invites us para manood ng laban ng anak nya. And there I met Ken."

(Flashback to 12 year old Soonyang)

"Soonyang, diba crush mo si Ken? Narinig ko sa mga faculties na kakanta daw sya sa graduation day. Gusto mo hingin natin number nya? Para bago ka manlang umalis sa school makausap mo sya."

"Ayoko, Hayi. Nahihiya ako."

"Kami ang bahala ni Jae."

Hayi and Jae, Gradeschool classmates of Soonyang, got Ken's contact number after the Graduation ceremony. They also introduces Soonyang to Ken and they became acquaintances.

They used to text each other during summer after Soonyang's graduation. Ken was younger than her. They got along very well but Soonyang knew that it will not lead to something greater. They became friends.

(End of flashback)

"But that crush and admiration of mine ended when I saw her with a girl right before our first day in High school."

"Grabe, typical puppy-love-stories no?"

"I don't think so. He never told me din naman na may gusto sya sakin. Kaya right after the day I saw him, I deleted his contact number on my phone and deleted also our conversations."

Everyone felt lighthearted after Soonyang's first story.

Secondly, Soonyang told them about Dani, her Highschool crush. Her ultimate crush.

Her regrets.

"I also had this crush when I was in freshmen years of highschool. His name is Dani. He so manly and athletic. I admire him because he looks so stunning everytime he plays sports. I like it when he pranks me, for I get his attention. Ako lang naman ang favourite target nya. I got to have a serious conversation with him din naman, and he's so soft. I can't forget him. He's really that admirable."

(Flashback to a 13 year old Soonyang)

Soonyang was walking her way to the corridor when someone held her on her shoulders.

"Hi!" Soonyang froze in shock as she saw who is it. It's Dani.

"He-Hello." After greeting him, Dani ran before him while laughing. Realizing the situation, Soonyang looked at her back through her reflection on the building's glass windows. A paper with I'm a weirdo were attached on her backpack using some tapes. As soon as she saw this, she ran and looked for Dani with a punch.

"I'm so sorry. I'll never do that again." Dani told Soonyang while laughing.

Dani was Soonyang's seatmate for their morning class until their adviser reshuffled their sitting arrangements. Soonyang then became seatmates with Mike on her left and Shen on her right.

Shen was the only one who knew that Soonyang had a crush on Dani. Soonyang also got closer with Mike. Everytime that Soonyang and Mike were busy chitchatting, Soonyang can caught Dani looking at them seriously or Dani would interrupt them and invite Mike to go to their school canteen or to play games with him.

What's that for?

"Soonyang, feeling ko may gusto din sayo si Dani."

"Paano mo nasabi?"

"Like what you said, palagi mo syang nahuhuli na nakatingin sayo. At the same time, he always put pranks on you as if he wants your attention. He even wants to compete with you when it comes to recitations and all. He likes you too. Im very sure of that."

He likes me too? I shouldn't put my hopes up.

"Do you think so? I would be happy if that's the case. But you know what? Pam told me that he likes Dani too. Sabi nya sakin, ako lang ang pinag sabihan nya kasi Dani and I seems to be very close daw."

"So what does it have to do with you?"

"She wanted to be closer to him din."

"How could you do that?"

"I don't know. Di ko talaga alam."

"Don't mind her. If she wanted to take a move for him, let her be. Basta mind your own feelings towards him."

Unfortunately, Soonyang have to transfer to different school for some family reasons. She haven't told her classmates yet and joined their year ender party at a resort.

"Soonyang!" The moment Soonyang looked at Dani, he splashed water on to her face. Soonyang then furiously chased Dani and pushed him at the pool. Their classmates were so used to it and enjoys watching them bickering each other. Their classmated also tease them that they look good together but they rejects the fact always.

Everyone seems to have their own time during their pool party. Soonyang sat down in a corner, watching her classmates. Dani sat with her.

"O, ano nanaman?"

"Wala, bawal bang umupo sa tabi mo?"

"Gusto ko muna magpahinga ha. Wag mo muna ako ipaprank o aasarin."

"Pagod narin ako, kaya sasamahan na kita mag pahinga dito,"

"Dani, may sasabihin ako." Dani positioned himself facing Soonyang.

"Lilipat na ko ng school."

"Why?"

"It's that I just have to. Family matters, ganun." Dani was silenced by Soonyang's announcement.

"Have you told them." Dani shifted his gaze towards her classmates.

"Hindi pa. Hindi ko alam kung paano ko sasabihin e. Pero wala narin akong planong sabihin. Malalaman din naman nila yun sa next enrolment."

Dani leaned sideways while looking at Soonyang. Soonyang felt awkward and just looked at her classmates who were still in the pool.

"Di ka pwedeng lumipat ng school."

"Bakit naman? Paano kung sabihin kong I have no other choice?"

"Di mo ko pwedeng iwan."

"Tss~ Marami ka pa namang-"

"Liligawan pa kita." Soonyang and Dani looked at each other for minutes. They both know that their hearts are racing.

It is time to go home and no words ever came out from Soonyang and Dani's mouth after that conversation. A van brought them home one by one. Before going out from the van, Dani looked at Soonyang with sad eyes. That was the last moment that they saw each other because Soonyang didn't come for the enrolment the next day.

Dani even tried to convince Soonyang to postpone her school transfer through text and social media messages. But the latter have no choice too but to do it.

Heartbreaking it may seem, but Soonyang just told herself that it was still not the perfect timing.

(End of flashback)

"Actually, we bumped with each other the last time. But I pretended to not notice that it was him. I can still see his sad eyes until now. I realized that, that was mga 'sayang' moments ko noon. But I guess it's for our good naman."

"Nakakalungkot naman yun, Soons. You should have told him also na may gusto ka sa kanya. He should have been your boyfriend then."

"Thinking about it, Ji. Oo, may regrets na di ko sinabi sa kanya. Pero feeling ko masaya naman na sya sa kung anong meron sya ngayon. May balita parin naman ako sa kanya kasi may Social medias. And Im happy for his achievements."

Its true that Dani still has feelings for Soonyang until now. But he never knew of what Soonyang have for him also so he let her go.