Chapter 12: Gift

Reycepaz's Pov

I ENTERED the classroom early and guess what? Nobody's here, not even a shadow of my student is here. Of course, what can I expect? It's still dawn in the morning, and who's child would come in school in advance?

I set foot in ahead of time, because I still have a lot of paperwork to do—as always. And I really expect a student to come in early to help me.

The triplet sun already rise and the ones I was waiting for finally arrived, but unfortunately they were in a hurry and put their bags and belongings on their chair and greeted me before leaving, they also wear their P.E uniform.

That's the cue that I should stop expecting a help from them, besides they have their physical education subject and I know they are really exhausted after that.

As i kneel my head towards the table and continued what i was doing, a frigid voice intersect in my left side of ear, that i could not even linguin because i was focused on taking care of the papers that must be passed later. Mahirap na kapag mapagalitan ka ng itaas.

"Sir, do you need help?" Asked by the chill voice comes from a woman.

"Uhm—no thanks. You still have your P.E subject" I answered.

"Sir, it's okay because we can excuse ourselves" she insisted.

"No, my dear. Your P.E is more important than this. Sige na at baka ma-late ka pa at mapagalitan ka ng guro niyo. Thank you by the way" I said before she bid goodbye.

To all intents and purposes, I really want the help for whoever that woman was, but their physical education even it's not a major subject it's more important than anything and worst, their P.E teacher is very terrible. She's like the antagonist in every Disney Princesses, I don't know why that stupid octopus woman become their physical and education professor. And worst, pagmagagalit ito ay bigla nalang nangingitim ang paningin mo, iyon pala binubuga na nito ang cephalopod ink na sobrang napaka-itim mula sa kanyang alagang kamukha niya.



I might be the one to blame if I'm going to borrow even one of my student in her period.

However, what keeps bothering me are those voices will never be fade from my head, seems it's comforting to listen to. I really wonder who she was.

I sat for a long moment and finally finished the endless paperwork. I hurriedly brought and submitted them to the office. What's even tiring is that, I have to separate it from their designated portfolio.

I didn't bother to enter and teach the other section and just gave them a task and activities, since I don't have a space, i mean I'm very busy man.

Anyways, I really thought I would never see Elaiza's face again. Gladly she's present today and she already removed the interfering handkerchief in his hand.

What used to look unpaintable sadness in her face is now smiling buoyantly.

No words I can explain how thrilled I am seeing them happy.

I finally finished separating the papers and putting them in their respective portfolios. After that, I did not hesitate and immediately returned to the room.

As I walked down the hallway back to my room I was surprised to see a bunch of students stumbling over the door of my classroom and when I entered to see what they were up to, I suddenly gasped for what I saw.

My jaw ultimately dropped when I saw the human sized of anime character Totoro, leaning on the chair I was sitting on earlier.

Ang kaninang lamesang puno ng nakatambak na papelis ay napalitan din ng tatlong cute na bento box. Then there is another pink note that has a message placed on top of it.

I really can't explain the hysterical joy I feel when I read what was written on the paper. Parang gusto kung sumigaw at kumawala ng doble dahil sa kabobohan na ginawa ko.

"I hope you're happy with the gift I gave you, you would have known me earlier if you had looked or take a glance at me and let me helped you with the paperworks that bothered you. Eat well :)" basa ko sa nakasulat sa papel.

Kaya pala nagsiksikan sila sa pinto kanina, dahil ang human size na anime character na'to ay sikat na sikat at gustong gusto ng lahat na mapasakanila. At higit sa lahat paboritong paborito ko 'to at matagal ko na itong gustong bilhin, ngunit nawala na ang atensiyon ko dito dahil sa naging abala na ako sa pagiging guro.



Si Totoro ay isa sa mga bida ng animated na pelikula na pinamagatang "My Neighbor Totoro" na ipinalabas noong isang libo't siyam na daan at siyam na pu't walo ng Abril (April 16, 1998) sa bansang Japan.

Ang animation na'to ay gawa ng Isang sikat na Japanese Animation director na si Hayao Miyazaki. At Isa ang character na'to sa mga gawa niya. Kaya kung meron mang magbibinta ng mga stuffed toy na tulad na'to ay madali lang na so-sold out. That's why I'm overwhelmed for this gift.



Yes, pinapasok ko ang mga nagkadarapang taga-ibang seksiyon dahil gusto raw talaga nilang magpapa-picture kasama si Totoro.

Habang sila ay nagpapa-picture sa'kin—este kay Totoro ay inilibot ko naman ang aking paningin sa mga studyante kong naka-upo galing sa kanilang P.E. subject. Talagang pagod ang mga 'to, sapagkat kitang-kita mula rito ang tumagaktak na malalaking butil ng kanilang pawis habang ang iba naman ay nakikisali na rin sa picture taking.

Hindi ko lang lubusang maintindihan kung paano niya ito inihanda lahat, especially this stuffed toy.

Siguro kong dala-dala niya ito kanina, mahahalata ko 'to at ng nakakarami. Oh hindi kaya saka lang niya ito ipinasok habang abala ako sa opisina? Pero hindi eh, may P.E. sila at hinding-hindi pwede silang mag-excuse, unless kung importante ito. My head is so confused right now, im dead serious.

Habang abala sila sa pagkukuha ng mga litrato ay sekreto kong tinawag si Elaiza at tinanong.

"Did you bring this things for me?" I asked her with an astonishment reaction in my face.

I thought that maybe her parents ask her to gave this to me as thanks, and she was just embarrassed to say it.

"What—this one?" Nagtatakang tanong naman nito habang turo ang mga bagay na nasa harap niya.

"No way, hindi nga ako nakatanggap ng kahit ano sa lahat ng nangliligaw sa'kin. Ikaw pa kaya bigyan ko?" Pabiro nitong paliwanag habang natatawa.

The silence wrapped between the two of us after she said those words. We also stared for a few seconds. It was awkward! Like I'm a guy and I'm always receiving gifts from the person who's in mysterious. Or should I say a woman.

Yes, now I have a clue that she's a woman, besides it was state in the letter that I would know her earlier if I let her help me with my paperwork and I'm pretty sure that the voice I heard earlier was came from a woman's mouth.

"Hindi joke lang. Hindi ko po alam sir, kung meron mang ibibigay sina mama't papa sa'yo ay siguradong sa Christmas pa 'yun." dali-dali nitong bawi.

"That's a joke? Bakit hindi ako natawa? Char—joke lang din. Anyways, thank you and you can go back now to your sit" I said to her before he turned around while laughing in embarrassed way.

Mukha ba akong nagbibiro?

Ilang minuto at tapos na rin sa pagkuha ng mga litrato ang mga paparazzi. Binaling ko na rin ang tingin ko sa mga studyante kong pagod. Kitang-kita ko talagang pagod na pagod sila sa kanilang physical education sapagkat, track and field kasi ang activity nila kanina at nag-aantay lang akong magsasabi sila na pwede—

"Sir, pwede po bang hindi muna tayo mag le-lecture ngayon?" A shout from the back dominates.

"Indeed sir, we're so tired for what we did" another student added.

Ayon! That's all what I'm waiting for. I just wait for them to spill the tea, besides, maybe they still want to listen to my lecture even they are exhausted.

I take a deep breath before letting the cat out of the bag.

"Listen class, alam kung pagod na pagod na pagod kayo dahil sa P.E. niyo. Hindi muna ako mag ka-klase ngayon. I'll just check the attendance and this will be served as your points today, however,don't you dare to go outside okay? The supervisor might see us then scold us, is that okay with all of you?

"It's fine sir, thank you!" sabay-sabay nilang sambit.

I could see the tiredness on their faces earlier, but all of this sudden changed after hearing the little announcement I gave.

I didn't expect that they're so happy just because of that. All I can see right now is a pleasant smile and pertinent eyes that makes my heart beat leisurely. Hindi naman ito palaging mangyayari at isa pa, kahit ako ay stress na rin!

But there's one thing that bothers me, kahit hindi na ako magtuturo for today. And that is, saan at paano ko 'to dadalhin si Totoro?



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Last date updated: April 28, 2022

Last update I: 09/30/22