Chapter 006.1: An Idle Chit-chat

I am riding a jeepney with Eli-chan. I am bringing her to the plaza Rizal and date with her at that place.

She sits in front of me because you know that I am not allowed to touch her right? That's one of her terms in the deal we made.

I can't talk to her because of the engine's noise and the fact that there's a gap between the two of us.

A jeepney is designed with two long parallel seats and in the middle of them is an aisle.

Besides, because the passengers sit beside each other, there's no privacy at all. If I talk to her at this distance, it would be too conspicuous.

And Eli-chan even refuses to have an eye contact with me. She is looking outside through the open window of the jeep.

The woman wearing a white nurse outfit performed a sign of a cross and mumbles words which is most likely a brief prayer inaudible to me.

Ohh, so we're now in this road.

The building over there is the Naga Cathedral. That's our Roman Catholic Church in Naga city. It has a romanesque style and baroque structure, the common design back in the Spanish era.

I had visited this place countless times already. Not because I am attending the mass, but because this is where students usually practices their school performances such as dance.

There's another place actually, it's the Basilica church. Both have nice area to practice at. The two churches have vast green lawn in them.

The soft grass allows for perfect physical activity.

“!!”

The jeepney suddenly stopped causing for me to clash with the nurse in my right.

“Ouch.”

Her hair smells fragrant even though it's already late in the afternoon. That shampoo is familiar to me. And I know that it's the type you can buy for ₱6.00 per sachet. So I don't think it's the reason why she still smells good.

“I'm sorry po ate.”

I was busy watching outside and so I wasn't ready for the sudden break of the jeep.

She tucks her hair behind her ear given that I messed it up earlier. She then straightened herself and closes her legs tightly.

She's probably trying to create a distance between the two of us.

Is she creeped out by me?

I don't feel it from her though.

“No it's fine.”

She smiled and nodded softly at me.

“Fufu~ I was observing the church so I wasn't prepared. The structure looks elegant after all.”

“I see.”

“You were praying earlier, right? What did you pray about?”

“.........”

She is staring at me. Perhaps wondering what am I feeling close to her for.

“Oh. I apologize. Was I being a bother?”

“No. Please don't think like that.”

“My name is Mark.”

I stretches my arm wanting a handshake.

She just stares at it.

“Are you ‘Maria Clara’?”

“Eh?”

“Well you're like... What was the term..? Oh right— ‘Demure’ I guess. Anyway, you're quite modest.”

“Thank you..”

“Unless you're creeped out by me.”

“No.. I am not creeped out.”

“Fufufu. Well I'm just messing around.”

She smiles softly or rather awkwardly?

“Anyway, is it alright for me to ask what did you pray earlier?”

“Oh. I was praying for our safety.”

“Well, nothing bad will happen for sure then.”

“I hope so.”

“You haven't told me your name. May I know it?”

“Ah. Sorry I forgot.”

She stretches her hand.

I'm assuming she wants a handshake.

“I'm Lucy.”

Should I shake her hand?

Or should I kiss it?

I wonder which one she prefer?

“Uh... Hello?”

“Oh. It's not like I don't want a handshake. I am just wondering if I should kiss it like the old times.”

“No. There's no need for that.”

She withdraws her hand.

I notice that the passengers are looking at me strangely. And Eli-chan... Uhh... She's glaring at me.

What?

“Can we try it again from the start?”

“Err...”

She looks uncomfortable. Well I guess I should stop.

“I am Mark. May I know your name young miss. Or are you perhaps a ‘missis’?”

I stretches my hand once again.

“No. A-Anyway, I'm Lucy.”

We shake are hands.

“Nice to meet you Lucy.”

Not desiring to prolong our handshake, she withdraws her hands immediately.

“Likewise.”

“Fufufufufu..”

She glances back and forth from me and to somewhere else.

I'm making her feel uncomfortable fufufufufufu.

“!! Uhh..”

The jeepney slows down.

Lucy stands up looking at the entrance of the jeepney at the rear.

“You can sit here ma'am.”

“??”

There's a pregnant lady coming inside slowly. Her stomach isn't that big yet so I assume it's somewhere between 4 to 5 months.

“Take my seat ma'am.”

I stand up offering my seat to the lady.

“Thank you.”

She nodded gently at me while smiling wryly.

Lucy sits back to her seat. She's staring at me blankly.

“Oh well. I'm a gentleman. So please let me have that honor, miss Lucy.”

I hear giggles from the passengers.

Lucy looked around then hides her embarassment by looking out of the window.

The jeepney driver drives again. I grips the handle on the ceiling while looking down at the angry Eli-chan in front of me.

I lower my head so Eli-chan tilts her head away from me.

“Are you jealous?”

“!!”

She blushes.

“Fufufufufu..”

She was glaring before turning her head away from me with a rare ‘humph’.

Several minutes later, we dismounted from the jeepney and are now walking towards the plaza.

Plaza Rizal is a monument-cum-park which is built to honor our national hero, ‘Dr. Jose Rizal’. This place is known for public debates, and family gathering.

It's a tourist attraction. There's many stalls that are selling street foods and fruits in the area because of it.

“Is there any progress? Did you finally invited her?”

While walking, Eli-chan suddenly asked me a question.

“Yes and no.”

“What?”

“She's now a friend of mine. But I haven't invited her yet.”

I am not sure though. She didn't really say anything about it. But whatever.

Ma'am Iris didn't object, so I'll assume I succeeded in befriending her.

“Why?”

“I told you, I'll lay down the foundation first.”

“Hurry it up.”

So eager...

“Oh hell. I can't do that.”

“You're delaying time on purpose aren't you?”

Well I am.

“Really? For what reason?”

“I... I don't know.”

She looks flustered seemingly trying to find an answer.

“Right.”

“..........”

“Eli-chan, I'd like to apologize.”

“I won't listen to you. You'll make me change again.”

Change huh.

Well right. It seems like I'm desperately trying to change her.

This makes me wonder why.

As I said to ma'am Iris, change is necessary in order for two individuals to coexist.

It got something to do with their desire. If their desires conflicts with one another, they won't naturally get along.

If a person wanted to be with someone and there's an aspect of them that conflicts with the other, one of them should change.

Does that mean that I wanted to be with Eli-chan?

Hmmm..

Oh.

Of course I do. She's a reliable companion after all. It's detrimental to lose a valuable asset like her.

I desire her skill. And her personality or mindset makes her to want to leave me. And that conflicts with what I wanted.

So that's why I wanted her to change, huh.

I'd like to keep her if possible.

“Perhaps. But walk with me or I'll drag you by hand fufufu.”

Eli-chan wanted to distance herself from me. And so she's walking behind me at least a meter away.

“You can't touch me!”

“Then walk beside me.”

“Fine.”

She obeyed. However, she's pouting her lips. Although it's not that obvious. From afar, she will still look like an expressionless robot.

“Eli-chan, you looks cute.”

Oh!

There's somebody selling cotton candy at the other side of the street.

Nobody is currently buying so we don't need to queue.

“Don't you like cotton candy?”

Eli-chan loves sweets. So I know she does.

“.......”

“Hey Eli-chan. What are you being in daze for?”

She's standing motionlessly with a shocked expression, albeit slightly. What the hell.

“Uh... No. You're lying again...”

Then shakes her head gently.

What are you talking about? Are you serious?

“I am not lying. Look oh, there's a cotton candy cart at that side.”

“!”

She looks around.

“Oh hell. It's in our 10 o'clock.”

“Oh. What's in there?”

Are you even listening to me?

“...............”

“Fuu.. I asked if you likes cotton candy.”

“No. I don't like it.”

What is she lying for?

“Well you do. I know you like sweets.”

“I don't want it.”

“Is that so? Well then let's buy some.”

“Did you even hear what I said?”

How dare you say that.

I didn't answer her but turned around and run towards the other side of the highway.

“Kuya, how much for one?”

“10 pesos only.”

He is wearing a casual clothes looking rather sloppily. But with that sharp eyes of his, he looks like he's unfriendly.

However, I feel no hostility. So I presume that's just how he looks.

“I want two of it po.”

“Alright. That would be twenty pesos. Do you want the freshly made one?”

“Much better. Thank you po.”

“Alright wait a moment.”

Eh.

Where's Eli-chan?

Ah. She's still at the other side.

What are you being frozen for?

“Eli-chan, hey!”

“!!”

“What are you standing there for? Come over here!”

She runs towards me but—

“Wait! There's a car.”

She got hit by it and she rolls on the ground. Her legs is bending the wrong way. Then she crashes her head onto the concrete road.

Then she remains motionless.

The driver didn't stop the car but continued driving away enraging the passers-by.