Chapter 31
Arushi POV
Maagang-maaga pa lang, eto na agad ang sumalubong sa akin.
Seryoso ba ‘to?
Kanina pa ako tahimik na umiinom ng kape sa kusina, pilit na binubuhay ang sarili ko kahit hindi ako nakatulog nang maayos. Hindi ko pa rin matanggap ang nangyari kagabi. Hindi ko alam kung paano ko haharapin ang sarili ko ngayon.
I mean, I really did that?
Tangina.
Napailing na lang ako habang nilalaro ang mug ng kape sa kamay ko. Puta, first time kong naranasan ‘yon at hindi ko pa rin alam kung ano ang iisipin ko.
Nasa malalim akong pag-iisip nang biglang lumabas si Auntie Amber mula sa kwarto niya. Mukhang bagong gising pa, dumiretso siya sa coffee maker at nagtimpla ng sarili niyang kape. Hindi niya ako pinansin, pero normal lang ‘yon.
Tahimik akong humigop ulit ng kape, umaasang matatapos ang umagang ‘to nang walang nakakahiya.
Pero syempre, hindi pwedeng walang istorbo.
Maya-maya lang, dumating si Citrine, nakasuot pa ng oversized na shirt at mukhang kakagising lang din. Umupo siya sa tapat ko, pero napansin kong may kakaiba sa expression niya.
She was smirking.
I frowned. "Ano na namang problema mo?" tanong ko, hindi pa fully prepared sa kung ano man ang trip niyang gawin.
Bigla siyang ngumisi nang malawak. "OMG, Troney..." bulong niya, tinitigan ako nang may halong panunukso. "You do that?"
Nagtaas ako ng kilay. "Do what?"
Napangisi siya lalo. "Gosh, I literally heard you moan! Ano bang nangyari kagabi at parang first time mong—”
Halos mamatay ako sa kahihiyan habang hinahabol ang hininga ko.
Pero siyempre, hindi pa natapos ‘yon.
Biglang sumabat si Auntie Amber habang nagtitimpla ng kape, hindi man lang ako tinitignan. "Citrone, kung gagawin mo man ‘yon, please lower down your voice next time."
Napanganga ako.
WHAT THE HECK?!
As if on cue, biglang tumawa nang malakas si Citrine. "OH MY GOD, TRONEY!" Halos mahulog siya sa upuan niya sa sobrang tawa. "Hindi lang ikaw yung gumagawa niyan, pero bakit parang ikaw pa yung pinaka-nahihiya?"
Gusto kong lumubog sa lupa.
Tangina.
HINDI TALAGA ‘TO NANGYAYARI.
Sumandal si Citrine sa upuan niya, nangingiti pa rin. "Ibig sabihin, you're finally experiencing that, huh?"
Putangina.
Hindi ko alam kung paano ako makakabangon mula rito.
Umiling ako at tinakpan ang mukha ko, nagtatago mula sa mga tingin nila. "Ayoko na... tama na ‘to... hindi ko alam kung paano ako magpapakita sa inyo after nito."
Bigla akong napatigil.
Bwiset.
Hindi ko pwedeng sabihin.
Lalo na’t hindi lang basta kung sino ang iniisip ko.
Hindi ko alam kung bakit ko naisip si Professor Haneul kagabi, pero ang mas kinatatakutan ko...
Baka hindi lang siya isang random na iniisip ko.
Muling ngumisi si Citrine. "Hmmm... kung wala nga, bakit ang pula mo?"
Tawanan ulit sila ni Auntie Amber, habang ako naman ay hindi na makatingin sa kahit sino sa kanila.
This is seriously THE WORST way to start my morning.
Napabuntong-hininga na lang ako at tumayo, bitbit ang mug ng kape ko. "Tapos na ako. Aalis na ako."
Narinig ko pang tumawa silang dalawa habang nagmamadali akong bumalik sa kwarto ko.
Tangina.
Hindi ko na talaga alam kung paano ko haharapin sila after nito.
__
We're inside Auntie Amber's car, on the way to the university.
It’s only 8 AM, pero bugbog na ako sa pang-aasar ni Citrine. Like, seriously, she won’t shut up about what happened earlier.
I swear, kung may mute button lang ‘to, pipindutin ko na.
She’s beside me, smirking like the little devil she is. Minsan, gusto ko na lang talaga siyang itapon palabas ng kotse.
Napairap ako. "Bwiset ka talaga, ang aga-aga pa."
Auntie Amber, who was driving, sighed. "Citrine, kung hindi ka titigil, ibababa kita rito."
Putangina.
Bakit ba hindi ko siya iniwan sa bahay?
I sighed and leaned my head against the window, trying to distract myself by watching the cars pass by. Pero kahit anong gawin ko, hindi ko mapigilan ang utak ko.
May mas malaking problema pa ako kaysa kay Citrine.
Professor Haneul.
She messaged me earlier. Sinabi niyang later pa ang training namin, which means meron pa akong oras to mentally prepare myself.
But the real problem is…
How the hell do I face her after what I did last night?
I literally imagined her.
HANEUL.
FUCKING.
CARTER.
I ran my fingers through my hair, frustrated.
Citrine suddenly leaned in, studying my face. "Bakit parang ang laki ng problema mo, Troney?"
I scoffed. "Ikaw kasi, ang ingay mo."
I flinched. "Sino?"
Her grin widened. "Si Professor Haneul."
I froze.
Puta, I want to disappear right now.
Even Auntie Amber sighed again. "Citrine, tama na."
I groaned and covered my face. "Can you both just let me die in peace?"
Citrine wiped imaginary tears from her eyes, still laughing. "Grabe, Troney. From zero sex life to thinking about your professor at night? Big leap yan ah!"
Pero syempre, hindi pa rin siya tumigil. "Like, paano mo naisip ‘yon? I mean, yeah, she's hot. Super hot. Pero ikaw? TRONEY?! HAHAHAHA!"
Auntie Amber sighed again and finally said, "Citrine, tama na. I think Citrone learned her lesson."
Citrine giggled but finally backed off. "Fine, fine. Pero Troney... pag nakita mo si Ma’am later, good luck nalang."
She just smirked at me.
Meanwhile, I was just here, mentally preparing myself for the most awkward training session of my life.
___
As soon as Auntie Amber dropped us off at the university, Citrine and I headed straight to the cafeteria. Hindi dahil gutom na gutom kami—pero mostly dahil gusto naming makita ang gulo na siguradong nangyayari doon.
And I was right.
Pagkarating pa lang namin, we heard loud laughter from our usual table.
Si Raegan at Min-Jae, halos masamid na kakatawa, habang si Forest… pulang-pula ang mukha, mukhang gusto nang lumubog sa lupa.
It was obvious.
Nahuli na naman siya ni Auntie Soojin.
I smirked as I sat down across from them. "Let me guess… nahuli ka habang may ginagawang kalokohan?"
Forest groaned and buried her face in her arms. "Putangina, Arushi, wag mo nang ipaalala."
Min-Jae was still laughing. "Grabe, Forest! Sa dami ng pwede mangyari, bakit doon ka talaga nahuli?!"
Raegan wiped her tears from laughing too hard. "Tapos sa ganung position ka pa?! Putangina, paano mo nagawang humarap kay Auntie?!"
Citrine, who was already enjoying the drama, smirked. "Wait, ano exactly ang nangyari?!"
Forest groaned again. "Punyeta kayo, tumigil na kayo!"
Forest looked at me dead in the eyes. "Tite, ikaw yung kausap ko nun. Alam mo na."
Raegan smirked. "Yeah, Forest, kwento mo na ulit. Para naman ma-relive namin yung moment of disaster mo."
Min-Jae leaned in excitedly. "Ooooh, gusto ko yan. May pagka-thriller ang vibes."
Forest let out a long, exaggerated sigh. "Tangina niyo lahat."
Pero syempre, hindi niya rin mapigilang tumawa.
---
Flashback — Forest’s Doom
Forest was having the time of her life.
The girl beneath her was moaning messily, her nails digging into Forest’s back.
Everything was perfect.
Until…
The door slammed open.
"LEE FOREST!"
It was Auntie Soojin.
Forest froze mid-thrust.
The girl screamed and pulled the sheets up to cover herself, pero wala na, damage was already done.
Auntie Soojin was standing at the door, her arms crossed, her deadly glare making Forest want to teleport to another dimension.
"Putangina… Mom, what the fuck?!"
"What the fuck?! Ako ang dapat magtanong niyan sa’yo, Forest!"
"Mom, lumabas ka muna—"
"LUMABAS?!" Auntie Soojin’s voice went even higher. "GIRL, I OWN THIS HOUSE!"
Forest was fucking doomed.
The girl in her bed? Silent as hell. Probably wishing she could disappear.
Auntie Soojin took a deep breath before glaring at Forest again. "Ang kapal ng mukha mo. At sa sarili mong kwarto mo pa talaga ginawa?"
"Takte naman, Mom! Saan pa ba ako supposed gumawa?!"
"WAG MO KONG SINASAGOT!"
Auntie Soojin looked ready to throw hands.
Meanwhile, Forest…
"Okay, okay! Sorry na! Sige na, pwede ka nang umalis—"
"HINDI AKO AALIS."
Silence.
The girl in bed? Even more terrified.
Forest? Sweating bullets.
Auntie Soojin smirked evilly. "Alam mo kung anong gagawin ko, anak?"
Forest gulped. "Ano…?"
Auntie Soojin took out her phone.
And then…
SHE DIALED A NUMBER.
"SHIT, MOM, WAG!"
Too late.
The call was already ringing.
Forest panicked. "Sinong tinawagan mo?!"
Auntie Soojin just smiled wickedly. "Sino pa ba?"
Then the voice on the other line answered.
"Hello, Soojin?"
It was Mommy Auburn.
Forest almost died right there.
"AUNTIE BAEEEKKKKK! MOM, HINDI, PLEASE!"
"Auburn, guess what I caught your pamangkin doing?"
"Oh my god. na naman?!"
Auntie Soojin grinned. "Oo, na naman."
Forest groaned and dramatically collapsed onto the bed.
She was fucking DOOMED.
---
Present — Cafeteria
The entire table was in chaos.
Citrine was screaming from laughter.
Min-Jae was clapping like a damn seal.
Raegan had tears streaming down her face.
And me?
I was just sitting there, grinning.
Forest, on the other hand, was glaring at all of us. "Putangina niyo talaga."
Citrine was still wheezing. "AHAHAHAHAHA! BAKIT NAPAKA-ICONIC NG FAMILY NIYO?!"
Forest groaned. "Tangina, hindi na ako uuwi sa bahay."
I smirked. "Anong sabi ni Mommy Auburn after nun?"
Forest rolled her eyes. "Ayun, nagsisermon na parang tatay. Sabi niya maghanap daw ako ng matinong babae, hindi puro fling."
Raegan snorted. "Eh ikaw naman, puro kalandian ang nasa utak mo."
Min-Jae added, "At least hindi siya nagalit nang todo?"
Forest shrugged. "Eh kasi sanay na eh. Pangalawang beses na ‘tong nahuli ako."
Citrine smirked. "Baka naman next time, tatlo na kayong nasa kama tapos biglang may entrance ulit si Auntie Soojin."
Forest dramatically gasped. "Wag ka ngang ganyan, Citrine! Knock on wood!"
We all laughed.
This was just another normal day in our lives.
_____