Chapter 2

Present

It was almost half a year when Limon Dale sees her again. He was about to hug and kiss her the moment he saw her after four years of longing, waiting and searching yet she didn't recognize him. Halos pagkaitan siyang huminga nang hindi siya makilala ni Lemonade. There's no hint of recognition in her marble brown eyes. Labis siyang nasaktan dahil doon at wala siyang magawa kundi tiisin ang sakit na idinulot niyon. After all, he couldn't force her to recognize him.

He was there again, in that Cafe kung saan nagtatrabaho ang bagong 'Lemonade Jazz'. Kilala niya itong tahimik, reserved, masayahin at mahinhin na babae noon.

She used to play with him on the abandon playground, laughing their ass out and rolling over the fields. Umuuwi silang pinapagalitan kapag ginabi na sila sa paglalaro. They used to be childhood bestfriends. Kasangga nila ang isa't-isa. They're inseparable. They're like soulmates. A lime and a lemon? They complemented each other.

They changed during highschool because he became more quiet yet she still stays by his side, draining his energy yet makes him smile and laugh secretly.

Kung sana, katulad pa rin ng dati ang lahat. Mapait na tumanaw siya sa mga dumadaang sasakyan sa labas ng Café kung nasaan siya ngayon.

"Where's Lemon Jazz?" tanong niya sa crew ng Cafe. Hindi maipinta ang mukha ni Lime nang ibaba niya ang tasa ng kape. He didn't like the taste of it. Hindi ito ang timpla ni Lemon. Where's his Lemon?

Hindi niya ito nakikitang pakalat-kalat sa loob ng Café.

"Naku, Sir. Wala pa po siya. Mamaya pa po ang d— Pinutol ni Lime ang pagsasalita ng crew na 'yon.

"Papuntahin mo na siya rito. I like the taste of her coffee. If she won't do my coffee then I'll tell it to the world that your coffee tasted bad. I'm from Meraki's. I can write a review of this Cafe." he said grimly.

Meraki's is the publishing company where he works.

Nagkulay-papel ata ang mukha ng crew sa sinabi niya at nagmamadaling bumalik sa pantry, assuring him na darating na si Lemonade anumang sandali.

Lumalala ang pagiging masungit at moody ni Limon Dale. He easily gets angry, upset and he's short tempered. Si Lemon lang ang nagco-comfort sa kanya noon sa mga outburts niya but that tragedy happens, no one can comfort him now. He's all alone.

Even his close male friends couldn't comfort him enough. Isa pa, mas maraming pagkakataon na loko-loko ang mga ito at hindi nagtitino. Ang nakakasundo niya pagdating sa seryusong usapan ay si Draze, Brandon at Cyriel.

Even the reborn Lemon Jazz herself didn't care about him. He's just a mere customer of the Cafe where she works. Nothing more like it used to before.

Namunga ang apat na taon na paghahanap niya sa dalaga para lang madiskubreng hindi na ito katulad ng dati. Hindi siya nito kilala. Hindi niya alam kung saan siya magsisimula.

Abala si Lime sa tinitipa niya sa laptop niya nang makarinig nang pagbagsak ng tasa ng kape sa mesa niya. Natapon pa ang laman niyon ng kaunti.

"Ikaw na yata ang pinakamakulit naming customer. You are so demanding! Ang dami mong reklamo kesyo gusto mo ng ganito, ganyan. Daig mo pa ang isang rotten childish spoiled brat! I wouldn't mind if we lost a customer, you jerk..." Nakapameywang ito at para siyang batang nagkasala na pinapagalitan ng isang ina.

Lemon Jazz changed. She's sassy yet he knows she still has a gentle heart.

He was caught-off guard when she sees her rage like that and she even cursed him. She really changed but that didn't change the fact that he's still into her. Mas lalo tuloy niyang nagustuhan ang bagong personalidad nito. Tumitingkad ang kulay brown nitong buhok dahil sa sinag ng araw na tumatama rito. Walang bahid ng make-up ang mukha nito at hindi ito maputla.

He amusingly smiled, showing his charming dimples. Kasunod niyon ang halakhak ni Lime. Namalayan niyang natigilan si Lemonade, natulala ito sandali sa kanya. Maybe because hindi ito sanay na makita siyang nakangiti o nakatawa. Madalas kasing aburido ang mukha ni Lime sa tuwing tumatambay siya sa Cafe. Minsan nagsusungit, minsan galit at minsan tumatalim ang tingin. Seryuso at badtrip sa mundo. Iba siya ngayon na hindi kinasanayan ng bagong Lemonade Jazz.

"I can't believe that I laugh that much. Kompleto na naman ang araw ko." Then he looked at her, his eyes are sparkling and almost teasing her. Her eyes were blinking, almost not believing what she sees in Lime. To her wonder, he smiled again. A smile of full of admiration. He couldn't really get enough of this girl. Her Lemonade girl. "Take a picture, it lasts."

Umirap lang ito sa hangin at walang lingon-likod na umalis. Marahang tumawa si Limon at wala sa loob na pinagmasdan ang unti-unting paglaho ni Lemon sa paningin niya.

Hangga't nakikita niya itong buhay. Gagawin niya ang lahat upang makaalala ito. Gagawin niya ang lahat upang mapaibig ito ulit.

He sips on his coffee and ache for the taste of it. Hindi nagbago ang timpla nito.

----x

"Ikaw na naman? Wala ka bang trabaho at lagi ka na lang nakatambay sa Café namin?" pagtataray ni Lemon sa kanya.

Umagang-umaga, aburido ang mukha nito. Malayong-malayo sa hitsura ng batang Lemon noon na umaga ay may matamis na ngiti sa mga labi.

"May trabaho ako. I'm an article and feature writer of a magazine. I can work wherever I want." malumanay niyang sagot dito. Iminuwestra niya ang laptop niya kung saan siya tumitipa ng articles niya.

Nagtatakang tumingin ito sa kanya at marahang inilapag ang order niyang brewed coffee.

"That's unusual for a guy. Kadalasan, mga babae ang may ganyang trabaho."

"I don't want demanding works." simpleng sagot niya at sumimsim ng kape. He sighed at the taste of it. "Ayokong hawak ng kung sino ang oras ko. I don't want to waste my energy."

Napakurap-kurap ito at tila ba nawala sa totoong mundo, malalim ang iniisip at matapang na sinalubong ang mga mata niya. He didn't hide his admiration to her bagay na ikinaiwas ng tingin nito.

"That phrase seems familiar. Parang narinig ko na 'yan noon. Yeah, whatever. Maiwan na kita. Aasikasuhin ko pa ang mga customers namin." bigla'y sabi nito at iniwan siya doon.

Napailing-iling na lang si Lime. She's unpredictable. Akala talaga niya magtatagal ito sa table niya at uusisain pa siya tungkol sa trabaho niya. Hindi pala. With one phrase he uttered, her expression changed a bit. At oo, narinig talaga nito ang huling sinabi niya noon. After all, he was branded as the laziest member of BND. His so-called barkadahan in highschool.

----x