Nang mag-angat siya ng tingin ay nakita niya ang hindi mapalis-palis na ngiti sa mga labi ng ginang.
"Lagi niyang sinasabi na nagagalit ka sa pangungulit niya at ilang beses mo na siyang ipinagtabuyan. Pero kabaliktaran sa iniisip mo, hindi ko kailanman nakita kay Ryu ang inis o pagdaramdam sa mga kwento niya. Sa halip, ay natutuwa at naaaliw siya. Positibo siyang darating din ang araw na magugustuhan mo siya kaya nagpasya siyang hindi ka susukuan."
Muli siyang yumuko upang ikubli ang mga luhang bumukal sa kaniyang mga mata.
"He also said that you hated his group. Na para sa iyo ay wala namang saysay ang grupong kinabibilangan nila. My son would just laugh hard whenever he'd say that. Ewan ko ba sa batang iyon..."
She remained quiet as she listened to Mrs. Donovan.
"But you know what? I also hated it whenever he acts like a hero, protecting everybody and putting himself in trouble. Pero... alam mo ba kung bakit ginagawa iyon ni Ryu?"
Sinalubong niya ang mga mata ni Mrs. Donovan at saka umiling. Nakita niya ang unti-unting pag-palis ng ngiti sa mga labi nito.
"Let me fill you in with everything that's happend before Ryu became the person you know."
Pinanatili niya ang tingin sa kaharap at doon niya napansin ang unti-unting pag-ulap ng mga mata nito.
"I was working in Japan as an English tutor when I met Ryu's father. We fell in love and eventually got married. Subalit... tulad ng ibang mag-asawa ay dumaan din kami sa maraming pagsubok. Nagkaroon ng lamat ang relasyon namin hanggang sa dumating sa puntong pareho na naming sinasaktan ang isa't isa."
Nakita niya ang sandaling pagdaan ng hapdi sa mga mata ng ginang at hindi niya maiwasang makisimpatya.
"There were times that my husband and I would physically hurt each other. And there was one time that Ryu had seen it all. I remembered him rushing in to our room and started hitting his father. He was crying as he continued to punch and kick his dad to defend me."
Nagpakawala ang ginang ng malungkot na ngiti. Na tila ba kahapon lang nangyari iyon.
Nagpatuloy ito, "Ang hindi alam ng aming anak ay madalas na ako ang nagsisimula ng away naming mag-asawa. Madalas na ako ang nauunang manakit, and my husband would just defend himself. Ryu was only six and I couldn't explain things to him, nag-alala akong baka hindi rin niya maintindihan. At noong mga panahong iyon nag-umpisang magdamdam si Ryu sa kaniyang ama.
We moved here in the US when Ryu was barely eight. At hindi katulad sa Japan, malaki ang pagkakaiba ng kultura rito. Ryu was shocked with the culture here, maraming mga bata sa montessori ang nakikipag-away at nakikipagsagutan sa mga guro. One day, there was a girl in his class who was bullied due to her skin colour. Ryu stood up and ended up fighting for her.
Nang sumunod na araw ay ipinatawag kami ng daddy niya sa montessori at kinausap sa ginawang pakikipagsakitan ni Ryu sa ibang mga batang lalaki. My husband was furious and was very disappointed in him. Pinagalitan nito si Ryu at sinabing huwag nang makipaglaban, sa tama man o maling dahilan.
That night also, Ryu was locked up in the attic. Kasabay noon ay nagkaroon ng malakas na bagyo dahilan upang mawalan ng kuryente ang buong mansion. There were thunders and lighting, at kahit ang bintana sa attic ay nabasag nang hampasin ng malakas na hangin. I remembered how Ryu was shouting for help. He begged his father to let him out and promised to never fight again.
And he never did. Kahit noong siya naman ang pinagdiskitsahan ng mga estudyante sa school ay hindi siya lumaban at hinayaan lang ang mga iyong saktan at pagtawanan siya. He was scared to be punished again. So, whenever he was bullied, he would just end up coming home with bruises all over his body and tears in his eyes."
Oh, Ryu...
Nalulungkot siyang isipin na may pinagdaanang ganoon si Ryu noong kabataan nito. He was deprived of his freedom to do things that he wanted due to his fear of getting locked up in a dark room again. He was traumatized.
"Ryu was in his early teens when he started fighting again. Nag-umpisa iyon noong may ka-klase siyang nagpakamatay dahil sa pambu-bully ng mga senior students. Ryu thought that if only someone stood up for that kid, he could still be alive. Doon tumindi ang pagnanais ng aking anak na protektahan ang lahat ng mahihina at nangangailangan ng kakampi. He'd seen enough brutality at a very young age and that made him want to protect those who need protection. He always wanted to be a hero, a defender of mankind.
He'd fight guys bigger and taller than him. Sometimes he'd win, but most of the times he'd lose. And without our knowing, Ryu studied Martial arts and kick boxing, just so he could fight better.
And during those times, his father thought he was rebelling. Pero hindi na siya bata para ikulong sa attic. Lumipas pa ang ilang taon at madalas na nagtatalo ang mag-ama ko, naging malayo sila sa isa't isa. Hindi magkasundo sa maraming bagay.
One day, Ryu got into a really big trouble. Tatlong estudyante sa school ang dinala sa ospital dahil sa kaniya. My husband was really furious, kaya nagdesisyon akong i-uwi muna sa Pilipinas si Ryu para doon na nito tapusin ang pag-aaral. I didn't know he'd continue playing hero at CSC." Muling nagpakawala ng malungkot na ngiti si Mrs. Donovan. "Lagi ko siyang pinapaalahanan na tigilan na ang paglagay ng sarili sa gulo at hayaan na ang school na magparusa sa mga estudyanteng may pagkakamali. But knowing Ryu? He will never stop, lalo kung sa tingin niya ay ginagawa lang niya ang tama. I guess my child really wanted to help people."
Tumango siya bilang pagsang-ayon.
Mrs. Donovan continued, "The only good thing that's happened with Ryu was meeting his friends and you, Luna."
Kinunutan siya ng noo nang makita ang pagdaan ng pait at lungkot sa mga mata ng ginang. She wanted to ask if she's okay, when Mrs. Donovan spoke again,
"But something happened two weeks after his suspension from school. And I thought I'd lose my only child..."
She held her breath. "What... happened to Ryu?"
Huminga ito ng malalim at pilit na nagpakawala ng ngiti. "Before I tell you, I'd like you to see him first."
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