PORTION 03

TJ's POV

"So payag ka na, am I officially courting you now?"

"Yes."

One shot, make sure you're courting him.

2 weeks after and we became even closer, of course, I am courting him. Every day kaming magkasama, breakfast, lunch and dinner, and always wait for him after class.

20th day. Weekend ngayon at wala kaming pasok.

"What am I supposed to do here? Watching TV all day?" I asked myself because I'm getting bored.

Zack went to his Aunt's house, far from here, the dorm. I asked him about that but he said he prefers to live alone because he seems to be a burden to his Auntie so he just looked for an apartment.

Out of nowhere, my phone started ringing and I saw Zack's name so I answered the call.

"Hello, Tj?"

I smiled, "Yes?"

"Er. . . . Can you come here, dito lang sa bahay ni Auntie?"

"Why?"

"Please?" he begged.

"Umm." And I just nodded.

I took a bath, put on some nice clothes and went out. And went to his Aunt's house.

I rang the doorbell, as soon as I came, even though the gate was open so I walked inside. I knocked on the door, but I was shocked when the door opened by itself. I looked around to see someone who maybe opened it.

I looked down, 'yon ang tao! There is a child here who looks like 3-4 years old and he is cute.

"Who are you?" I asked.

"He's my son," voice of Zack, nagulat ako sa narinig ko. I looked up and try to look around to see him. "Just kidding, anak siya ni Auntie."

Nawala yung kaba ko sa narinig ko.

"Tuloy ka," he continued.

"Zack, who is he?" his Auntie showed herself, she's smiling widely at me. While nasa kusina kasi si Zack at naghahanda ata ng makakain.

I was about to speak but Zack said something already.

"Auntie Jane, he's Tj. . . . My suitor."

I was startled, he's so open to his Auntie.

"Really? Pinayagan mo siya?" Zack's Auntie looked at me, went after me and held my hands, "you must be really special."

I smiled though I don't know what she's talking about.

"Auntie!" Zack shouted, at tawa na lang ang sagot naming dalawa.

"Call me Auntie from now on," she said to me.

"Auntie, male-late ka na!" Zack said a little louder, as if he wants his Auntie to leave now.

"Fine. Zack, alagaan mo si Tj este my Little Bao(baw), ah?" Auntie teasing him.

"Auntie!"

Auntie laughed and kissed Little Bao on his forehead and waved at me before she left, "Bye."

"I would definitely tease you always, ang kyut mo asarin eh," pang-aasar ko.

"Try it!"

He's quiet at school but different when at home.

"Ayiee, Kuya Zack is having a jowa."

I was startled once again, because of what this Little Bao had said. I looked at Zack and he's shy.

"Stop dreaming, Little Bao!"

I just approached Little Bao and picked him up.

"Let's go, little bao." We went to the living room and there, we played. Little Bao is a kind and good boy so we quickly became close.

A few minutes later...

"Let's eat," yaya ni Zack, Little Bao and I went to the dining table and sat down.

After we ate, I offered to wash the plates. It would be embarrassing if I just ate here.

While washing the dishes I'm looking at them, Zack and Little Bao seem really close. Pero bigla kong naalala yung sinabi ni Jaybi na introvert siya. Actually he's an oranyan: maybe cold or rude to everyone, but can be kind to those he loves.

"What are looking at?" nagising ako sa katotohanan dahil sa sinabi ni Zack.

"Nothing."

After washing the dishes I went to where Zack and little bao are.

More than half of the day kaming naglaro ng naglaro rito, 'di ata napapagod 'tong batang 'to eh.

Sinaraduhan ni Zack ang mga bintana, e 'di ayun madilim, mag mo-movie marathon daw kasi kami. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers ang papanoorin namin ngayon.

.

Nagising ako at 'di ko napansin nakatulog na pala ako pati si Little Bao, at nakayakap pa sakin. I was afraid I might wake him up so I didn't do any move, may blanket na naka kumot sa aming dalawa, it must be Zack. I try to close my eyes and sleep again.

"Tj, wake up."

Nagising ako dahil sa sinabi ni Zack.

"What!?" I asked, angrily.

"Let's eat."

Kakain? Tumayo na agad ako pero pumunta muna akong cr, naghilamos ng mukha bago pumunta ng hapag kainan.

"It's delicious."

"Of course, si Zack nagluto eh," Auntie said.

I moved my mouth close to his ear and whispered, "Who cooked this morning, then?"

"It's Auntie, ininit ko lang."

"Stop whispering, naririnig ko kayo."

Zack and I both laughed.

A little silence prevailed before Auntie spoke again, "I just came home from work and I'm really tired but knowing how happy my Little Bao was being with you, being tired suddenly disappeared. Habang tulog ka, kino-kwento sa 'kin ni Little Bao na sobrang saya niya dahil daw sa 'yo."

I felt very happy with what Auntie had said.

"Thank you, Little Bao," I said while smiling at him

"No, Tj. Thank you," Auntie said.

"It's late, it's 11 pm. You can spend the night here," alok ni Zack and Auntie agreed by nodding.

What? Gano'n na ba talaga ako kapagod? Ang haba ng itinulog ko, ah!

After eating, I went to Zack's room and it's really dark here. Puro mga darker color ang mga nandito.

"Do you like it?" I saw Zack standing at the bathroom's door.

"Huh?"

"I mean if you don't like it—"

"No, it's alright. If you don't know, I like this kind of set up." 'Di ko na siya pinatapos pa. Black is my favorite color, so darker colors are fine. I saw two beds here, "Why are they two?"

"If I have a guess. . . . If."

"Here!" bigla siyang nagbaba sa kama niya ng isang pares ng damit, and i saw a brief.

I gulped, "What?"

He looked at me, "Don't overthink. I have a lot of clothes here and even briefs na hindi ko pa nasusuot, okay?"

I just laughed at his shy face.

"Can you stop asking? Inaantok na kasi ako, eh." And lay down on the bed.

"Fine."

I went to the cr, do half-bath. Pagkatapos ay humiga na ako, sa isa pang kama kasi nga dalawa 'to.

Kinaumagahan...

Kakagising ko lang kaya lumabas na muna ako. I saw Auntie Jane here, sitting on the couch.

"You're early."

"Yes, po. I have class at 9 am. Kaya kailangan ko po gumising ng maaga."

Tumingin si Auntie Jane sa relo niya 'tsaka ibinalik ang tingin sakin, "Can I talk to you? 8am pa lang naman, eh."

I sat down beside Auntie Jane.

"Let me ask you some questions, may I?" she asked and all I could do was nod at her. "Did you know that he never had a girlfriend before?"

I nod, "Yes, po, he told me."

"Then, maybe he also told you that he met his first love at a young age?"

"Yes, po. I was so shocked, kasi po I met my first love at a young age also, grade 5 po. So I thought I was unique but after knowing that he's the same, I felt something different. Hindi ko po alam at hindi ko rin po siya ma-explain," I explained while laughing.

"Anong ginawa mo? I mean he's an introvert— doesn't like to be approached by someone or even his smile, he rarely smiles. . . . But the past few days, kahit mga konting oras lang kami nagkikita, he started to smile a lot. He never gets shy in front of someone but when I teased him yesterday, I saw how shy he is in front of you."

Huh, ganun na ba talaga si Zack dati?

"I didn't do anything, po. At first he ignores me but ako po yung 'di tumigil, i mean kahit ayaw niya po na magpaligaw, nanligaw pa rin po ako. I've never knew that he rarely smile 'cause when he's with me, lagi po siyang nakangiti. I don't know anything about him but there's one thing that I'm sure, is that he's really sweet."

Nagkunot noo si Auntie Jane, "What do you mean, sweet?"

"I may not good at explaining but when I say something about that person, I really mean it. He's really sweet in different way, sweet siya sa mga taong malalapit sa kanya."

"I understand now . . ."

"Can I ask, po?" me asking, trying to change the topic.

"Sure, ano ba 'yon?"

"You know, I'm courting him now po. So I'm gonna ask po what is his biggest turn on? Kasi gusto ko po na ipakita sa kanya na meron ako no'n."

"You don't know, though you already did that?" she questioned me back.

"Po?"

"He really likes the one who loves kids. I don't know why, pero 'yun ang palagi niyan sinasabi sa 'kin eh."

His biggest turn on, done.

I smiled at her, "Thank you, po."

"What are you guys talking about?" I looked at where the voice came from, it's Zack. Eto parang kabute kung saan-saan na lang sumusulpot eh.

"Nothing, I asked him if my Little Bao behaved nice yesterday. Kain na tayo nagugutom na ako, eh." Bago tuluyang umalis si Auntie may binulong muna siya sa akin. "Don't tell Zack about that, ah?"

I nodded, as I smiled.

Tumunog ang phone ko. And I saw a text from Jaybi saying go to school, now.

"Auntie, Zack, uuna na po ako."

"Why?" Zack asked.

"May gagawin pa kasi ako, I have to go."

"Come back if you have time, 'wag kang magdadalawang isip, ah!" I smiled at Auntie Jane before I left.