Chapter 6: Pink Background with Feathers

Ace's POV

"Jeffrey Reyes?" I said to the tall and handsome man that's standing and smiling in front of me.

"Oo, ako nga, Martin Ace." nakangiti niyang bati.

So ito pala si Jeffrey, I mean si Kuya Jeffrey since he's older than me, I assume, and I was talking to him casually like kasing edad ko lang siya! Nakakahiya!

"I'm sorry, I didn't know!" nahihiya kong sinabi.

"No, It's okay, Ace. Nice to meet you in person."

"Nice to meet you too, Kuya Jeffrey!"

"'Wag mo na ako tawaging kuya because I'll feel a lot older than I already am."

"Ilang taon na po ba kayo?"

"Me? I'm 32." He said then he laughed.

What! He looks way younger than a 32 year-old man! He looks like he's in late 20s though.

"Kuya Jeff! Andito ka na pala. You missed the show kanina! You're always late kasi!" hirit ni Tara while she was holding Jeffrey's elbow like a 5 year-old kid.

"I'm so sorry! Alam mo naman na marami akong tinatapos." natatawang sinabi ni Jeffrey.

"Anyway, since you're here, nakilala mo na naman siguro si Ace?" Tara asked.

"Yes we did!" He smiled and tapped Tara's head so light and delicate.

As in pag tiningnan mo talaga siya, para siyang yaoi main lead character... almost like a Seme for me... I mean not for me though but for another person. He's very "shippable". Haha!

"By the way, nakapag libot na ba kayong dalawa?" Jeffrey asked.

"Yes, kuya. How 'bout you, Ace? May nabili ka ba?" Tara asked and smiled at me.

I showed her the "Bad Boy Musashi" manga, "Yes, I was planning on buying this since sinabi ni Jeffrey na maganda daw 'to."

"Yes! A plus for me! I won't spoil you pero it's really good and funny." Tara said.

After I purchased the manga, we went out of the expo since tapos na ang event and have decided to go home but Jeffrey insisted na gusto niya kami ilibre ng dinner.

Ayoko sumama since mas gusto ko basahin 'yung "Bad Boy Musashi" but since nakakahiya, pumayag na lang din ako. It's just a short dinner, I think.

Since we're at the mall, pumunta kami sa isang eat all you can diner. I guess this won't be a short dinner?

As soon as nakapasok na kami and nakaporma na kami sa aming table, we decided na kumuha na ng food sa serving area. We went on our separate ways while naghahanap kami ng gusto naming kainin.

I was so focused sa mga ulam since I'm already hungry. Namimili ako if either kare-kare or sinigang ang kukunin ko since I can only choose one dahil either way, mabubusog na ako, but then mas pinili ko na lang ang kare-kare so that I can partner it with the crispy bagnet later. While I was waiting for the person beside me na kumuha ng serving ng kare-kare for his plate, hindi ko napansin na si Jeffrey pala ang nasa tabi ko.

"Gusto mo din ba ng kare-kare?" he asked while looking at me with his very bright and light smile and it's like I'm seeing pink background sa likod niya with feathers and shining lights.... what the! Erase!

"Oo, I was just waiting for you to finish." I said.

"Akin na plate mo." he said then nilapit ko sa kanya ang plate ko with one cup of rice.

Si Jeffrey ang naglagay ng serving ng ulam sa plate ko like he's really taking care of me and he even asked me if gaano karami ang gusto ko and which part or anong gulay ang mga gusto ko so that he can get it for me.

And I was like "what the hell!" I can feel my heart stomping and blood gushing through my whole body na para bang nag o-overdrive ang buong katawan ko. Am I falling in love? No! This is not what it means. Natutuwa lang ako since ito 'yung mga light BL moments and I think caring person lang talaga siya since he's like way older than us and responsibility niya kami since we're highschool students lang.

"There!" he smiled pagkatapos niya lagyan ang plate ko, "May gusto ka pa ilagay?"

"No. I can manage. Thank you!" I smiled then I walked away as fast as I can para makaalis sa paningin niya since I feel weird... and awkward!

I bumped into Tara since she was waiting in line for a soup and habang naghihintay, nagmamasid kami for some BL actions. Haha!

"Ace! Tingnan mo 'yun, 3 o'clock! The two guys!" Tara whispered.

"Alin? The one with the black t-shirt na may maraming tattoo sa leeg and piercings sa ears and 'yung kasama niya na smaller than him and wearing a uniform?" I asked.

"Oo, tingin mo, are they a couple?"

Tiningnan ko 'yung dalawang guys na tinutukoy ni Tara and the guy with the tattoo, nilalagyan niya ng food ang plate nung kasama niyang guy with the uniform and I remembered 'yung sa encounter ko kanina with Jeffrey.

"I think so since bakit niya pagsisilbihan 'yung other guy." I said.

"They're so cute 'di ba? As in they're like the bad boy and the good boy? Tapos ang sweet pa nung tattoed guy like he was taking care of the uniformed guy. Sobrang sweet nila!"

I looked at the two guys again and they were smiling at each other, and I thought na baka mamaya I looked like the guy na naka uniform a while ago! Nakangiti siya and nakatingin siya sa "boyfriend" niya and para siyang nakakakita ng pink background with feathers and shining lights! What the!

"Tara, may tanong ako sa'yo."

"Yes, Ace?"

"May instances ba na when a guy smiled at you brightly and lightly, may nakikita kang pink background with feathers and shining lights?"

"No! Silly! Ano ka anime? Nasa palabas? Walang gano'n!" she laughed, "Bakit, nakakita ka na ba noon? If yes, it mean na gusto mo siya, unless you are now into guys too? Haha!"

"Nope! Hindi pa ako nakakakita and I never will since I'm not into guys."

"Well, in case na makakita ka, then it's a sign, na you are now a changed man!"

"Tingin ko, never mangyayari 'yun. Me falling in love with another guy? I can ship others but not to the extent na mafa-fall ako."

After namin makuha ang soup, we went back to our table para kumain na rin since I'm so freakin hungry.

While kumakain ako, something crossed my mind nang mapatingin ako kay Jeffrey. He's 32 years old but single kaya siya? I don't want to ask kasi it'll be very awkward and it's none of my business but curious talaga ako.

So I whispered to Tara, na katabi ko lang sa table, "Tara, is Jeffrey still single since he's 32?"

Tara laughed which caught Jeffrey's attention.

"Kuya Jeff, single ka daw ba?"

"Tara!" I whispered while giving her a glare!

Tara just exposed me! Shoot! Nakakahiya! Jeffrey laughed but then answered the question.

"Yes I am." he smiled and I don't know why I feel relieved.

"Pero kuya, 'di ba there's this girl that's pursuing you? I mean parang nililigawan ka niya. Haha!" Tara said.

"Ah, si Kaileigh? She's just a friend." Jeffrey said.

"Kuya, you're 32 already. Wala ka pa bang balak mag settle? You're rich, you have a stable job as a writer, you have your own house, car and all. Don't you feel lonely? I mean it can be a girl or a boy, I don't care, but I think you need someone to be with na."

I think Tara is right but then hindi niya pwedeng i-push si Jeffrey kung kailan niya gusto mag settle since we can't really control our hearts and emotions.

"Well, I'm waiting for this someone that I wanted to be with for the rest of my life. It's just that may mga conditions pa na hindi applicable so I'm giving it more time but hopefully hindi pa huli ang lahat once I'm ready." Jeffrey said.

"And when is that? Once you're 40? 50? 60?" Tara asked.

"Nope. In 2 years, magiging ready na ako. For now, I'm just doing some stuff for the future." Jeffrey answered.

"Why wait 2 years pa? I mean what if that person can't wait? What if hindi ikaw ang piliin niya in the end? What will you do?" Tara asked.

"I guess it will be my fault. If ever na that person will end up with another one, I don't have a choice. But that person will be the only one for me and once na we didn't end up with each other, tatandang binata na lang ako siguro. Haha!" He laughed then sighed for a while with a gloomy face and started to eat.

I was thinking, sino kaya itong tao na ito na pinaglalaan niya ng panahon? Imagine, if they won't end up together, wala na siyang planong ma-inlove. I guess sobra niya talagang mahal itong tao na 'to. But why wait two years nga naman.

"I guess I rather stay happy for now than makulong for a sin that I'll be commiting if pinursige ko 'yung tao na 'yun now." Jeffrey added and laughed.

"Bakit ka naman makukulong, Kuya? Don't tell me this person is still a minor?" gulat na tanong ni Tara.

Jeffrey bursted out of laughter and answered "Yes."

"Kuya!" Tara shouted but good thing that it was so loud sa area that nobody noticed, "Anong iniisip mo? By the time na nasa legal age na 'yung person na 'yun, how old are you by that time, 34? Let's say 18 and 34, grabe ang age gap!"

"I guess hindi natin kaya pigilan ang puso when nakita na nating ang right one for us." Jeffrey said and smirked at me.

I nodded and gave him a grinning face.

"Kuya, but what if you're not the right one for that person? Paano kung ayaw niya sa mga oldies na gaya mo?"

"Well, it's my fault. Tsaka I don't look that old." Jeffrey looked at me and smiled, "Do I?"

"Nope, you don't look old and akala ko nga nasa late 20s ka lang. I guess it's fine if both parties are okay with that." I said.

Tara looked at me while she was giving me these squinting eyes and asked, "How old are you, Ace? 17 or 16?"

"16." I answered.

"Okay, kung ikaw, let's say if you're that person na hinihintay ni Kuya. Once you turn 18, would you rather be with a person that's a lot older than you?" Tara asked.

I really don't know what to say since wala naman sa isip ko ang magka-partner ng mas matanda sa akin. Isa pa, if I'll be with a girl that's 12 years older than me, hindi ba para ko na siyang ate or tita?

"For me? I would say no. I wouldn't like it. Wala akong 'thing' para sa mga older person. If let's say 1 year older than me, I guess that's workable." I said to Tara.

"See, kuya? You'll end up being alone and miserable! And what? Magsusulat ka na lang palagi?" Tara exclaimed.

"By that time, yes, magsusulat pa rin ako. Then mag be-babysit na lang ako if you need help. Haha! Mag aalaga ako ng 1 cat and 1 dog para naman hindi malungkot. And lastly, I'll choose to stay single for the rest of my life if we didn't end up together. It's fine and that's love. Bata ka pa so you won't understand it. It's not just the "Kilig factor" or giving you this butterflies in your stomach, but rather a dedication and unconditional love." Jeffrey explained.

Sa totoo lang, I feel sad for Jeffrey. I don't know kung anong mayroon sa person na ito, and why he'd choose to stay single for the rest of his life if hindi sila magkatuluyan dalawa. I guess with his good looks, kahit sinong babae maaakit niya.

"Oo nga pala, Ace, I'm so sorry about this if nakukulitan ka sa amin ni Tara."

"It's okay. Nag-enjoy ako, to be honest. I feel like it's really hard once na nasa stage ka na ng maturity talaga."

"Bago ko makalimutan, Is it okay ba if I can use you as my inspiration sa new BL novel ko? I mean, I need to ask your permission first, but if ayaw mo, it's okay." Jeffrey asked while he was giving me this very handsome smile na sobrang nakakaakit with the lights na tumatama sa mukha niya that's making it bright and glowing. And the background is starting to get color pink again and nag fe-fade out na ang mga tao sa paningin ko. One by one nagsusulputan na ang mga feathers— but then hinipan ko siya! Hinihipan ko ang mga feathers pero ayaw nila umalis! Then suddenly, someone slapped me at the back.

"Ace! Ano nangyayari sa'yo? Bakit ka umiihip?" Tara asked and laughed.

I looked at the both of them. Tara was laughing while Jeffrey was looking at me and he's like in shocked sa ginagawa ko. Mygahd! Nakakahiya! But how can I say now if he has been very nice to me? Well I guess it's okay for me to be used by him... I mean sa story!

"Oo nga pala, Ace, it will be very explicit and a mature one, so may mga scenes na not suitable for very young audiences like you, just to give you a heads up."

"You mean mga hardcore scenes?" I asked.

"Yes. Okay lang ba?"

Iniisip ko pa lang, since I'll be the inspiration, kapag nabasa ko 'yung novel niya, baka hindi ko kayanin since maiisip ko na ako ang gumagawa noon with another dude!

Sa isip ko, I want to say a very big no sa kanya but then, I said "Yes."

Ano ba 'to! It wasn't supposed to turn this way! But I guess it won't hurt me since hindi naman 'yun totoo.

"Nice! Thank you, Ace! Don't worry, if may mga scenes na sobrang explicit, I'll make sure na sabihan ka and if okay lang sa'yo. In that way, hindi ko mababastos 'yung pagkatao mo doon sa story."

What's the story all about ba? I can't believe na I'll be one of the main characters in a BL novel! This is insane! 'Yung one thing na ayaw na ayaw ko, I ended up agreeing.

"By the way, Ace. Are you free tomorrow? We have a dinner party with the members of the S.G.F.C. Do you want to come?"

"Sure! It'll be nice to see them in person."

"Good! Do you want me to pick you up?"

"Huh?"

"I mean sunduin sa inyo so that we can go together since we are now friends, right?"

"Hindi ba nakakahiya?"

"No it's not! Tsaka isa pa, responsibility kita since niyaya kita."

"Sure na okay lang?"

"Yes! I'll also give you a ride home. Don't worry, I'll take care of you." He smiled then here it is again!

People in the background fading out. Noises turning into a smooth melody, pink background starts to fade in, feathers starting to fall... No!

Hinipan ko ulit ang mga feathers and this time tumayo na ako and I was using both my hands to remove the feathers that are continuously flowing from nowhere!

Suddenly, someone grabbed my hands, "Ace, okay ka lang? Bakit ka tumayo and bigla kang may hinihipan and parang nagwawala ka and may inaalis sa hangin?" Jeffrey asked.

"No, I think I'm not okay."

End of Chapter 6