Gave

Chapter 31. Gave

"WHAT...?" A quick pause. "Did I fucking hear it right?" hindi makapaniwalang bulalas ni Romano kay Nami na pulang-pula na ang mukha ngayon pero nahihiyang nakangiti. He even noticed the side of her lips twitched as if she was fidgeting.

Napalunok siya nang nag-iwas ito ng tingin. He did hear it right, didn't he?

"Goddammit!" mahina pero malutong na mura niya. Was this a prank?

Bumaling si Nami sa kabilang banda at parang tinatakpan ang mukha gamit ang mga palad. Naglumikot ang mga mata niya at nasigurong walang hidden camera.

Then, what she just said...

"Is it true, Nam?"

"God! This is so embarrassing! Don't make me repeat myself."

"So you like me..." tila nakalutang na saad niya't bahagya itong tumili. "You like me," ulit niya at napangisi.

"Fuck. Just drive me to the nearest hotel, I won't stay—"

"Why? You just said that you like me." He didn't want to sound playful, but he couldn't help himself. Nawala na ang iritasyon sa kaniyang sistema.

Just as when he was about to reach her arm to make her stop hiding her face, she turned to him and his hand accidentally brushed on her breasts. Parehas silang natigilan at naiwan ng ilang segundo ang kamay niya sa parteng iyon ng katawan nito.

Damn... so fucking soft...

Pero kaagad niyang tinanggal nang mabalik sa huwisyo saka bahagyang umiling. "Sorry," he mouthed but he's not sure if she heard him. Ang lakas ng kabog ng dibdib niya!

"I only said I like you, but that doesn't mean we can have sex already!" her voice was high-pitched now and he couldn't help but grin even if he's blushing already.

"I didn't think of sex yet." Liar! Shouted his mind.

"I m-mean... Gosh, can I just go back home now? Or disappear!"

He chuckled lightly. "No, you can't. You like me, so you're going to stay with me."

"H-huh? Anong connect niyon?" Somehow, he felt she was becoming comfortable again... or not yet?

"Because I like you, too." Nagmura siya ng malutong. "Naunahan mo pa ako!" Though that didn't matter now. At least, he'd stop worrying if could he make her fall for him while she's on a vacation.

Napamaang ito dahil mukhang hindi makaapuhap ng salita. Kaya nagpatuloy siya

"I liked you the very first time I met you, Monami. It wasn't just as strong as how I feel now, yet, I am certain that I already had feelings for you that time."

Napalunok ito at napayuko. "So, Glaze was right all along..." she mumbled but he didn't understand clearly.

"Hmm?"

Umiling ito, nag-angat ng tingin sa kaniya't mukhang duda ito sa pag-amin niya. "But you were irritated just a while ago. Ni ayaw mo nga akong makita."

"Sinong maysabi?"

"Bakit, hindi ba?"

"Fuck, Nami, I've never been this excited in my life. But when I learnt that you came here because of me, I became fucking irritated."

"See? Ayaw mong dumito ako."

"Let me finish, sweetie," seryosong bulalas niya pero hindu niya mapigilang ngumisi. Jesus! This feels amazing...

Her face heated more upon hearing his endearment.

"I was irritated because I thought you came here to convince me that I should see Glaze." Humina ang boses niya sa pagbanggit sa kakambal nito. "Na nag-effort ka pa talaga para roon."

"No."

"I know now." Napamura ulit siya nang maalala ang mga tinawagan. Nagkataon kasing nasa agency ang ibang agents dahil may briefing sa isang kaso nang tumawag siya kay Stone, kaya lalong nademonyo ang utak niya sa mga negatibong pahayag ng mga ito. Narinig ng lahat dahil ni-loudspeaker ng magaling nilang boss ang cellphone. "Iihawin ko ang mga ulupong na iyon."

Hindi ito natawa o ngumisi sa sinabi niya. Mukhang kinakabahan pa rin. Siya rin naman ay ganoon, pero nang malamang nagkamali pala siya ng inakala ay wala nang ibang laman ang isip niya ngayon kundi ang katotohanang may nararamdaman din si Nami sa kaniya. It may not be on the same level on how he's feeling yet, but still, she liked him. He wanted to profess his love, but he thought it's not the right time yet. Baka mabilisan ito. Much better if he'd make her feel his love than say it. For now. Or, damn it! Anong gagawin niya?

"You'll stay in our house. My sister went to her in-laws along with her family in Lucca, so you can be comfortable." Lucca was his brother in law's hometown.

"N-nakakahiya..."

"We've talked about it, didn't we?"

"Pero... Shocks!" Tinakpan ulit nito ang mukha gamit ang dalawang palad. "This isn't happening, is it?"

"You're so adorable, Nam. Are you hungry? What do you want to eat? Pizza, pasta, or bread?" he shifted the topic since she's really embarrassed by their sudden confessions. He fell for her even more on how brave was she in confessing her feelings towards him.

Aaminin niya, kung siya siguro, baka pauwi na 'to ng Maynila, hindi pa rin niya nasasabi ang pagtingin niya. He's more of that show person than the tell one. But in this case, he must do both. Kukuha lang siya ng tiyempo para makapagtapat.

Balak pa naman niyang iwasang banggitin nito si Glaze—kasi nga'y inakala niyang iyon ang dahilan ng pagsadya nito roon—at pasimpleng ligawan niya para maiparamdam na ito ang gusto niya, hindi ang kakambal nito. Now, he's changing all of his plans because she confessed first.

HIGIT isang oras nang nagbibiyahe sina Nami at Romano pero hindi pa rin niya ito kinikibo kahit pa nga sinusubukan nitong kausapin siya. Nakatingin nga lang siya sa bintana, tinatanaw ang daan, pero ramdam niya ang panaka-nakang pagtingin nito sa kaniya, maging ang mabagal na pagtakbo ng kotse. Hanggang sa kinuha na lang niya ang cellphone at nag-browse ng kung ano-ano roon.

"Can I hold your hand?" basag ulit nito sa katahimikan.

Napalingon siya rito at napansing malapad ang pagkakangiti nito. He glanced at her, and back on the road. So she replied, "No."

He pouted but was still obviously smiling. Then, he grinned. "It's fine, we can do that much now. You like me."

Napatingala siya at mariing napapikit. Bakit ba paulit-ulit ito? Nahihiya siya na hindi mawari!

"And I like you more," he added playfully, then, he hummed to a lively song. Bumaling siya rito kaya napansin niyang bahagya pa itong umindak-indak at tinapik-tapik ang manibela. Good mood talaga ang mokong.

She sighed heavily and told him to park the car, that they're going to talk, but he didn't want to.

"Sa bahay na. Malapit na rin naman tayo."

"Lagpas isang oras na tayong nagbibiyahe, sigurado ka bang malapit na tayo?" kunwaring reklamo niya.

"Sorry, I'm driving real slow so I can take glances at you."

"I knew it. It's really slow just like the driver," she murmured. "Saan ba ang inyo?" pag-iiba niya bigla sa usapan.

"Fosdinovo," tipid na sagot nito; hindi pinansin ang pasaring niya tungkol sa kabagalan nito sa pagdiskarte sa kaniya. They're in the Province of Massa and Carrara, Tuscany Region, to be exact. Hindi lang niya sigurado iyong Fosdinovo.

"Is that the municipality?" she curiously asked.

"You could say that, but we call it 'comune' here."

Napatango-tango siya. There, they had a new topic about the city, and the other cities or regions as well. Said that he would tour her for the following days. Bumalik ang excitement niya sa bakasyong iyon. She suddenly thought of shooting a new vlog about her Italian tour, too! Wala kasi iyon sa isip niya nang magdesisyong magpunta roon.

But still, she's curious why did he avoid her, so she asked him. Inamin nitong nakonsensiya ito dahil kakambal niya ang ex nito, at, naisip nitong baka mawala rin naman ang pagtingin nito kung layuan siya.

"Ni hindi ka nga umamin," komento niya nang sabihin nito ang mga bagay na iyon.

"I told you, I was fucking confused. I—"

"Torpe ka lang talaga," pambabara niya rito.

"No, I'm not. I just really thought this is inappropriate."

Nangunot ang noo niya. "Why? Is it that bad to like me?"

"No, fuck, no."

"I'm just kidding. I got you, of course." Totoo iyon. Torpe man ang dating ng lalaki sa iba, pero naiintindihan niya ang rason nito. Ang hirap nga naman ng sitwasyon nito noon, lalo pa't hindi naman ito sigurado kung may pagtingin ba siya rito. Idagdag pa na hindi ibang tao ang dati nitong karelasyon, kundi ang mismong kakambal niya. Dang, how hard must it had been for him that he even decided to leave the country. "Buti na lang pala, gusto kita, 'no? Kung hindi, nagmu-move on ka pa rin siguro. Pero hindi kay Glaze."

"Hindi ka ba naiilang?"

"Saan?"

"I am your twin sister's ex."

"Naiilang, syempre. But Glaze and I already talked. You better talk to her, too. You both deserve a proper closure."

"Are you cool with that? What about your image?"

"Duh, what about it?"

Umiling na lang ito at puno ng pagkamamghang tinitigan siya. Hindi niya tuloy naitago ang kilig nang mapangiti siya.

"Bakit, ikaw, naiilang ka ba?"

"I don't know. But I don't care. You like me, and that matters the most now," dire-diretsong sagot nito nang hindi inaalis ang tingin sa kalsada. "We're in the village now. Malapit na talaga tayo sa bahay," he informed her.

"Anong pangalan ng village na 'to?" kuryosong tanong niya.

"Giucano."

Mabilis na tumipa siya sa cellphone pero nagkamali siya ng spelling dahil hindi related ang lumitaw sa results. She tried again and put Italy in the search bar, and tapped on the first recommendation.

Bahagya siyang kumunot nang basahin iyon.

"And... we're here," hayag nito. Nang huminto ang sasakyan sa tapat ng isang bahay ay tinawag niya ang pansin nito.

"Hey, Rome, why does it says that we're in the Province of Monza and Brianza?"

"Where?"

Bahagya siyang lumapit para ipakita ang cellphone dito. "Heto, o." Pinatay muna nito ang sasakyan bago lumapit sa kaniya.

Napa-"Ah" ito ng mabasa ang nasa screen. "You searched it wrong. It's 'Giucano', not 'Giussano'," paglilinaw nito at tumipa sa kaniyang cellphone para ipakita ang tamang spelling.

"Oo nga, 'no?" she remarked when she read the details.

Lumingon uli siya rito at doon lang napagtantong halos magkadikit na sila. Tinanggal na nito ang seat belt, pero nakakabit pa rin ang kaniya. Kaya tinanggal na rin niya at nagyayang lumabas. Mas nauna pa nga siyang umibis ng sasakyan kaysa rito.

She couldn't see the real beauty of the place yet since it's already dark, yet she could already tell it's far better than what she imagined.

Abala siya sa paglibot ng kaniyang tingin nang maramdaman niyang ginagap ni Romano ang kanang palad niya. Napapitlag siya't lumingon dito.

His grin was now gone and was replaced by that serious face.

"W-what now?"

"I want to hear it again, Nam. I want to make sure I'm not dreaming."

"The what?" pagmaang-maangan niya. Napalunok siya nang bumaba ang mukha nito para magpantay ang kanilang mga mukha. Dahil matangkad siya ay hindi na ito nahirapan sa pagyuko.

Matagal na naghinang ang mga mata nila, gasgas na ang mga salitang tila silang dalawa lamang ang tao sa mundo nang mga oras na iyon pero iyon ang talagang naramdaman niya.

She had been imagining things like this a thousand times before, most of the time, she imagined more, but as of that moment, she only wanted to be kissed by him.

Pinagdikit nito ang noo nila, sinapo ang kaniyang kaliwang pisngi habang ang malayang kamay nito ay pumirmi sa kaniyang baywang, bahagya siyang itinulak palapit dito.

She gulped when she realized he's really trying to kiss her. But... what's keeping him for so long?

"Hmm?" Pinagdikit nito ang tungki ng mga ilong nila.

"Uh..."

His lips slightly touched hers which made her groaned. She wanted more than that. Then, it hit her.

"I like you, Rome, so damn much..." tila nalalasing na pag-amin niya ulit dito.

Before he fully claimed her lips, he smirked contentedly. She immediately let out a soft moan when his kisses started slowly, but went on hungrily. Napahawak siya sa magkabilang balikat nito hanggang sa mapayakap sa batok nito nang hindi pinuputol ang halik. Palalim na nang palalim iyon at ramdam niyang napahigpit ang paghawak nito sa balakang niya, tila matagal nitong hinintay na pagsaluhan nila ang halik na iyon.

In the middle of their kiss, he mumbled how much he liked her.

The kiss ended and they were still catching their breaths when he embraced her tightly. And with his husky voice, he murmured, "I love you." Namumungay ang mga matang tumitig ito nang diretso sa kaniyang mga mata.

She licked her lower lip and kissed him again. Tumugon naman ito nang higit pa sa paraan ng paghalik niya. His kisses were ravishing that she had to gasp for air, and she could feel their hearts beating so loud.

She wished for that night to never end, because she fully gave all of her in to him, wholeheartedly.