"My mother is from Russia." paliwanag nya. Andito parin kami sa opisina. After that kiss, I started asking him questions kaya eto sya at nagpapaliwanag.
"She came here for a vacation," sabi nya. So anong connect non sa tinanong ko kung kapatid nya ba talaga si Dailon Ighes? "and she met my Dad here." dagdag pa nya.
Ooh. Astig yun a?
"They were mad at each other in the beginning, but they eventually fell into the deep abyss of each other's love." ngumiti sya. Parang hinaplos din ang puso ko nang makita kong pati ang mga mata nya ay nakangiti. "I became their only child, that's why I'm kinda spoiled. Pinaunlad ni Dad ang kompanya na 'to. Ang kompanyang binigay sakanya ng Lolo ko. And now," itinaas nya sa gilid nya ang dalawang kamay saka nagkibit balikat. "I'm here." sabi nya.
Tumango tango ako. "Pero kaano ano mo nga yung si Sir Dailon-"
"Call him Mr. Ighes, not Sir Dailon, Selena." umigting ang panga nya. "Mr. Ighes lang ang pwede mong itawag sakanya."
"Fine! Kaano ano mo nga sya? Brother? Akala ko ba only child ka? Special child ba sya kaya hindi naging child lang?" tanong ko.
His brows furrowed before laughing. Pati ako natawa. "No, he's my stepbrother." natatawa paring sabi nya.
My mouth formed an "o". Step brother pala. Pano nangyari yon? May love triangle ang Dad nya at ang Mom nya at kung sino man na lalaki o babae?
"While Mom was helping Dad here, her suitor from Russia came." tumingin sya sakin. "He is Dailon's dad."
"My dad, he told me he never did try to stop Dailon's father from his plans with my Mom. Ang hindi nya alam, balak nitong dalhin pabalik ng Russia si Mom. Kaya ayon, sumama si Mom at naiwan kami ni Dad dito." nakita ko ang lungkot sa mga mata nya.
May na-realize ako. "Meaning, half-Russian ka?" I asked the obvious.
"Yes." tumango sya.
I'm still amazed.
"Mom and his new husband owns a company, and that company is our company's partner, the company that gives us some paintings to market." sabi pa nya. "When I was just 3, Mom came here, and introduced me to their son, Damien Leonid Ighes."
Huh? Sino raw?
"Sino?" tanong ko.
"Si Damien Leonid Ighes, also known as Dailon." sabi nya. Literal na napanganga ako. Ang astig nila a? Stepbrothers. Damon and Dailon. Damarcus Leivon and Damien Leonid. Awesome. "Walang hidwaan na naganap samin, kahit kailan. Wala. I'm just in a bad mood earlier."
Ah. Now I get it.
Ang astig pala.
"No wonder magkamukha kayo, slight." I whispered, senselessly. Mukhang narinig nya, ngumiwi sya bigla sa sinabi ko e.
"No. I have blue eyes. He has green eyes, like his father. My blue eyes came from my father. He grew up here, although he is half German." paliwanag pa nya.
Oh. So, he is one fourth German, one fourth Filipino, and half Russian.
"No wonder you look so handsome." again, I said senselessly. Napakurap kurap ako nang makitang nakatanga lang sya sakin habang nakabukas ang bibig.
His parted lips touched each other, formed a thin line, then formed a smirk.
Then an idea hit me.
Masubukan nga sya.
"Say something in German and in Russian." hamon ko. Sige nga, Damon. Show me what you've got.
His eyebrow shot up. "What now?"
"Boss, tell me something in German and in Russian." ulit ko. Low gets sya ha? Sige baka gusto nya'ng ulitin ko ulit hanggang sa mabingi sya?
"Okay then." he sighed. "But do record this please." sabi nya. Okay. Pero bakit ko irerecord?
Bahala na.
Kinuha ko ang phone ko at pinuntahan ang Recorder. "Sige na." inilapit ko ang hinlalaki ko sa pulang button.
Bumuntong-hininga sya ulit saka akmang magsasalita kaya pinindot ko ang pulang button. "Halo na to a?" natatawang sabi nya.
Kinuha ko ang folder na walang laman sa tabi ko saka hinampas sakanya. Panira naman kasi.
"Umayos ka nga, Damon." inis na sabi ko. Nagets nya naman na naiinis ako kaya sumeryoso sya.
"Okay then. Sorry." tumikhim sya saka humalukipkip.
He looks intimidating in that position.
Napangiwi ako sa naisip. God, kelan pa ako naging ganto?
He cleared his throat. I pressed the red button below my thumb and he started speaking unfamiliar words.
"Ich glaube ich falle." seryoso'ng aniya. "Ya lyublyu tebya, kroshka." dagdag pa nya.
His look at me feels different. It's like, I'm melting, so I pressed the red button again to stop recording.
"A-ayos ah?" I tried to sound normal but I failed. Nautal pa.
He smirked. "Yeah." tiningnan nya ang relo. "Let's go. I'll drive you home." sabi nya. Pumayag ako sa gusto nya at pinagdrive nga ako ng boss ko'ng demonyo.
Pagkadating namin sa bahay ay pinakilala ko na rin sya kilala Mama at Papa. Andon din si Alistair, nagkasundo agad sila ng boss ko. Inalok sya nina Mama na saamin na maghapunan pero tinanggihan nya.
Nang paalis na ito ay nagpasalamat ako sakanya. Pinagkaisahan pa ako nina Mama, sumama pa si Keana na kararating lang, pakiramdam ko mapula pa ako sa kamatis kaya pumasok na ako sa kwarto saka hinintay na mawala ang mga boses. Narinig ko ang pag-lakad paalis ni Damon na hudyat na wala na sya.
Kinuha ko ang telepono ko at dumeretso sa Recorder. Pinakinggan ko ang recorder na boses ni Damon mula dito.
"Ich glaube ich falle. Ya lyublyu tebya, kroshka."
Hearing his deep, baritone voice on the Recorder hits different for it keeps on sending shivers to my spine. And due to too much curiosity, I went to the Google app and searched for what his words might mean.
I went for the first sentence. Is that "ich glaube ich fall"? Feeling ko mali. Malay ko ba.
I search for it.
What does ich glaube ich fall mean?
May nag-pop up.
Did you mean: what does ich glaube de falle mean?
And it shows some words that made me blink.
Twice.
Thrice.
Did you mean: what does ich glaube de falle mean?
German:
Ich glaube de falle.
English:
I guess I'm falling.
My heart is palpitating.
He's falling?
For what?
For who?
For me?
My heart beats faster at that thought. But maybe he said it wrong, baka namali sya ng sinabi. I went for the second sentence.
I hope this is better.
Bumuntong hininga ako saka ako nag-type sa search bar.
Translate to Russian.
Wala. Feeling ko Russian yon e.
I searched for "ya lublu tebya kroshka", my heartbeat raising at every second passing. Nang makita ko ang meaning ay naramdaman kong tumibok nang mas mabilis ang puso ko.
"I love you, baby."
What is this now, Damon? Have you fallen for me, too?
I guess his words makes sense now.
I hope he's fallen for me, too.
But I'll prepare my heart for they say that it isn't love if it doesn't hurt.
I guess I'll have to be hurt somehow.