"Oh, did you come out of your den?" My brother greeted me. I found him in the living room, watching Netflix. There was a towel slung over her shoulder, topless and in pajamas.
I looked up at the wall clock and saw that it was four o'clock in the afternoon. I remember that I hadn't eaten lunch yet.
"I'm just taking a break." matamlay kong sabi at tyaka dumeretcho sa kusina.
Wow, chicken adobo.
"Masyado kang nag papalipas ng gutom, Melody." aniya.
Kumuha ako ng kubyertos at hinanda iyon sa lamesa. Nag salin rin ako ng tubig bago ako mag sandok ng pagkain.
"Hindi ko lang namalayan yung oras. Kumain kana?"
"Yeah, kanina pa." he said as I nodded since I have nothing to say.
Tahimik akong kumakain habang si kuya Alvin naman ay tahimik na nanonood ng Netflix. Then suddenly, I remember something.
"Did you tell Francis that I do live streaming?" tanong ko. Hindi ko kita ang reaction nya gawa ng divider na nakaharang sa pagitan namin.
"Yes, why?"
That's explain a lot.
"Nothing,"
Siguro sa kapatid ko rin nya nalaman pangalan nung page at finollow nya. It's not a big deal anyway. Nagulat lang ako.
Pinag patuloy ko ang mag hapon ko ng puro laro at nood. Kailangan ko na tong sulitin dahil bukas ay may pasok na naman.
"I'm going.." paalam ni kuya. Tumingin ako sa gawi nya at nakita ko syang nag susuot ng rubber shoes. He's also wearing a scrubs.
Why does it feel like having two men here working in the hospital makes me feel that I'm sick or something?
"Nag presinta si Francis na sya mag luluto for your dinner, so don't touch anything. Sha, alis na 'ko." tumango nalang ako sa sinabi nya kahit hindi sya nakatingin.
Then suddenly, reality hits me. So does that mean me and Francis are all alone here? My brother's trust that he puts in Francis's shoulder is unquantifiable.
Nanatili ako sa sala at nanood nalang ng Netflix. Ilang oras ang lumipas nang marinig kong bumukas ang pinto. He even have a spare keys, huh?
When he entered, the smell of alcohol from the Hospital immediately met my nose, it mixed with his perfume so it was intoxicating.
"Hey," he greeted me in a friendly way.
Napa-ayos ako ng upo at tyaka tumango. "Hey,"
I thought he was going straight to his room but he remained standing in front of my room instead. Nag angat ako ng kilay like asking why he's still standing there. Nang mapag tanto ko ay bahagya akong natawa. Iniisip nya siguro na kung dadaan sya ay baka matakpan nya yung TV.
"You know, Francis. For sure matagal-tagal tayong mag kakasama dito sa unit so loosen up and feel at home, okay?"
He chuckled. "I'm just making you comfortable, and I know you don't easily trust me. Ayoko lang mag kamali sa harap mo? "
Is he a mind reader, perhaps?
"I know you are a good person, my brother trust you so do I."
Napatango sya at napangiti. Hawak ang sling bag ay dali-dali syang dumaan sa harap ko pero bago sya pumasok sa kwarto nya ay muli syang tumingin sa akin. "I'm going to cook for dinner, may gusto ka bang ulam?"
"Anything with no egg," natatawa kong saad at tyaka tumingin na sa TV. Pag kasara nya nang pinto ay muli kong binalik doon ang paningin ko.
I was almost amused by what I was watching when he suddenly came out of the room. He is wearing thin long sleeves and pajamas. His collarbone was barely visible, which is why I stared at him for so long.
He's effortlessly hot!
I wonder, is he have a girlfriend? Well, at his age, impossibleng wala.
"Mag luluto kana?" I asked and decided to just focus on what I was watching.
"Yes, I will cook Chicken mushroom with all-purpose cream."
I almost burst out laughing at what I heard. Chicken mushroom with what? Is he really know how to cook? Out of curiosity, I stopped watching Netlfix and decided to watch him cook instead. Umupo ako sa high chair at pumangalumbaba sa counter top.
He looked at me with side eyes. "I don't know what it's called. I just made that dish. Don't worry, it's edible."
"Yeah, you experiment the poor chicken."
"Believe me,"
We both laughed, and it really felt so great. Hindi ko akalain na kaya ko rin palang tumawa nang ganto sa ibang tao. He's really funny and easy to get along with. May awra sya na malayo sa awra ni Cloud at ni kuya Alvin pero hindi ko ma-explain.
"I'll just take a shower while waiting for the dinner." paalam ko at tyaka tumayo na.
"Go ahead," pag papakawala nya sa akin.
Pumasok ako sa kwarto at kumuha ng isang pares ng pajamas at undies. Walang cr sa kwarto ko kaya kailangan ko ulit lumabas at mag tungo sa kusina. Isang kwarto lang kasi ang may cr at 'yon ay ang kwarto ni kuya Alvin.
Well, I have no choice. Binalumbon ko nalang sa towel ang undies ko at siniguradong walang makikita. Pag labas ko ng kwarto ay nakita kong nag hihiwa sya ng rekados kaya dali-dali akong nag lakad patungo sa banyo, nang makapasok ay tyaka ko 'yon ni-lock.
Isang oras ang tinagal ko sa CR. Nang matapos ako sa mga orasyon ko ay nag pasya na akong lumabas. Pag bukas pa lang ng pintuan ay sinalubong na agad ako ng humahalimuyak na amoy galing sa luto nya.
Bigla akong natakam!

Sinuklay ko patalikod ang basa kong buhok nang lumapit ako sa niluluto ni Francis. He's now sitting on the high chair and playing with his phone. Nang mapansin nya ako ay napatingin sya sa akin.
Kumuha ako ng tablespoon at kumuha nang sabaw.
"Wow!"
Hindi ko ine-expect na mas masarap pa pala sya mag luto kaysa sa kuya ko!
"How was it?" nakangisi nyang tanong.
"You are a good cook, doc." pinantayan ko ang ngisi nya at tyaka muling tinakpan yung ulam.
"What did I tell you?"
I laughed. "Bakit hindi ka pa naunang kumain?"
"Nah, sabay na tayo. Hinintay rin kitang matapos." sabi nya pa. Nilapag nya sa counter top yung cellphone nya at tyaka tumayo. Sinundan ko sya nang tingin.
Kumuha sya ng dalawang pinggan, dalawang baso at dalawang pares ng kubyertos at tyaka iyon pinuwesto sa round table.
"I'll prepare the food. You can do your things." aniya pa pero dahil sa hiyang dumapo sa akin ay hindi na ako dumeretcho sa kwarto.
"My face can wait, but my tummy?" umiling ako at tyaka nilagay sa isang bakanteng upuan yung tuwalya ko.
Nag salin sya ng kanin sa pinggan ko kaya bahagya akong nagulat. Napansin nya 'yon kaya agad nyang nilayo yung mangkok ng kanin at naupo.
"Sorry, uhh—force of habit." he laughed with no humor.
"It's okay, hindi lang ako sanay dahil hindi naman ganyan si kuya sa akin. Don't say sorry,"
"But you guys are close?"
Sumandok ako ng isang pirasong manok at kumuha narin ng sabaw. "Of course, We're always together." nang matapos ay inabot ko naman sa kanya yung serving spoon.
Kung tatanungin nya kung nasan ang mga magulang baka hindi ko alam kung ano ang isasagot ko.
"How 'bout you? Do you have a siblings?"
"Only child."
"But you said 'force of habit' earlier, so I presume that you have a—" napahinto ako at napanganga nang may mapagtanto. Nakaramdama ako ng awkward at hiya. "—Ohh.. I'm so sorry..I didn't mean it.."
He laughed so I was relieved. "It's been years, you don't have to say sorry." aniya pang gagaya sa huli ko ring sinabi.
"Okay, next question." I cleared my throat. "Bakit mo naisipang makitira rito instead na kumuha ng apartment?"
Napahinto sya sa pag subo dahil sa tanong ko na 'yon. I'm curious so I won't take that back.
"Your brother suggest it since wala akong mahanap na mas malapit na apartment sa Hospital. Ayoko mag stay sa barracks kaya kinuha ko nalang yung alok ng kuya mo."
"I thought he's gay.." halos matawa ako sa isiping 'yon. Kita ko naman ang gulat sa reaksyon nya. "Well, you can't blame me. He's single since birth at wala pang nahaharap na babae sa akin. I thought he's into men and you are his—"
"God, stop," he said between his laughed.
We both laughed nang humupa ay sya naman yung nag tanong. "How about you, you have a boyfriend?"
Umiling ako. "I think I don't need one."
"What do you mean?"
Tinusok ko ng tinidor yung kawawang manok bago sumagot. "I just don't need one,"
Ayokong mawasak ang sarili ko gaya nang pag wasak ng nanay at tatay ko sa pamilyang 'to. Nakakatakot mapunta sa maling tao. Nakakatakot na baka sa huli, hindi pala sya para sa'yo at hindi ka makawala dahil nakatali kana sa kaniya. Same kahit mag boyfriend o girlfriend man yan. I'm scared of being cheat with someone else that's why I don't need men.
"It explain why you have a good grades," I looked at him. "Boys can destroy you, but men don't."
Nag patuloy ang kwentuhan namin habang kumakain. Ang sarap nya kausap kaya natagalan rin kami sa hapag. Ang dami nyang kwento tungkol sa kanya at tungkol sa work. Wala atang minuto na hindi kami nag sasalita at ang masasabi ko lang, ang enjoy nya kausap.
Kinuwento nya sa akin yung feeling kapag on duty siya, yung feeling kapag may ino-operahan sila, kinuwento nya rin yung mga creepy encounter nya sa Hospital at kung ano-ano pa. Ang mature at may sense sya kausap sa totoo lang kaya sobrang nag enjoy ako.
Pag katapos naming kumain ay nag presinta na ako na ako na ang mag huhugas ng pinag kainan. Nakakahiya naman kung pati pag huhugas sya parin.
"I can do this," tanggi nya sa presinta ko.
Hinablot ko sa kanya yung pinggan kaya gulat syang napatingin sa akin.
"You cooked, I wash. Now you rest at ako na ang bahala rito."
For sure ay pagod rin sya dahil sa duty nya at nag luto pa ng hapunan.
"No, I'm not tired—"
I slightly pushed his chest to stop him from doing what he was going to do when my eyes landed on my hand resting on his chest.
His chest was as hard as a rock!
"I—I swear, kaya ko na 'to!" utal-utal kong saad at tyaka mabilis na tinanggal ang kamay sa dibdib nya.
Mas matangkad sya kaysa sa akin kaya paniguradong hindi nya kita ang mukha kong namumula na sa hiya.
"Well, if you insist." he said in a calm tone of voice. "Good night, then."
"Night,"
Nag kunwari akong busy sa pag liligpit hanggang sa umalis sya pero nang bigla syang mag salita ay kamuntikan ko nang mabagsak ang mga plato dahil sa gulat!
"By the way.." he said so I looked around to face him. "I follow your—uhh—gaming page.."
Yun lang ba sasabihin nya?
"Yeah, I saw it. Thank you, by the way." pag puputol ko sa nasimulang usapan pero nung hindi parin sya umaalis ay nakaramdam ako na kailangan ko 'yon dagdagan. "Did—did my brother told you about it?"
"Yes," mabilis nyang sagot. "That's why.."
I clicked my toungue in dibelief. "What else did he tell you?" feeling ko ay marami syang nakwento tungkol sa akin, ha?
"Hmm.." he put his hand on his waist as if he's thinking deep. "..That you are a game freak and you laugh like a maniac when playing."
Nawala lahat ng emotion sa mukha ko nang marinig ko 'yon. That bastard! Humanda lang talaga sya sa akin pag uwi nya rito! Game freak pala, huh?
"But it's kind of cool.." talikod na sana ako pero natigilan ako dahil sa sinabi nyang 'yon. "I watched your gameplay and you are really good."
Hindi ko na nagawang mag react sa sinabi nya hanggang sa nag paalam na syang pupunta na sya sa kwarto nya.
I don't know. I'm just too stunned to speak.