His name is José, a typical man who has a normal life and a man of few words. He's one of the top students in his batch. He's currently a graduating student who majors in computer science.
Tired and stressed from his room, José decided to go out para doon na tapusin ang capstone niya. Unfortunately, dinitched ulit siya ng mga dalawang kagrupo niya. They were supposed to go to his house and finish their project pero ang dami-dami nilang nirarason na hindi daw sila makakapunta kaya he had no choice but to do it on his own. He is the leader. Actually hindi pa naman malapit ang deadline, he actually has 1 month and a half left to do their project but since he's a perfectionist and is impatient, he decided to do it early. His group mates are overwhelmed by him because of this. Isa pang rason kung bakit maaga niyang ini-stress ang sarili niya ay dahil he wants to take multiple licensing and certification courses online at para makapag-take na agad, he needs to finish their capstone first since it was their final project for this semester, after that they're free. Pahinga lang ng isang buwan ulit tapos start na agad ang ojt niya.
He decided to go to his usual café. Hindi masyadong matao dito kaya he likes this place. Mas makakapag-focus kasi siya kapag kaunti lang ang mga taong nakikita niya sa paligid niya.
He ordered a mocha latte and a slice of strawberry cake. He has a sweet tooth that's why anything that's sweet is enough to calm him down. It is perfect before he begin his task.
He opened his laptop and click the programming software. Malapit na siyang matapos. Na-code niya na ang functions ng system niya, user interface design na lang ang kulang and he sucks at it. Hindi siya pinagkalooban ng design skills or anything related to graphics design kaya he's struggling, kailangan niya talagang mag-focus.
Inubos niya muna ang drinks at ang cake niya bago siya nag-umpisang mag-code. Ilang minuto pa ay bigla siyang nakarinig ng sigawan kaya natigil ang pagt-type niya sa laptop niya. Nang iangat niya ang tingin niya ay nakita niya ang dalawang lalaki na nag-aaway, sa gitna nilang dalawa ay ang isang babae na mukhang hindi na alam ang gagawin niya. Nasa tapat lang niya ng table 'yung nag-aaway kaya kitang-kita niya sila.
The girl is very familiar to him kaya inalala niya kung saan niya ba nakita 'yung babae. Then he realized that the girl was Kaya, the most famous girl in the whole campus. Magkaiba sila ng department but since sikat na sikat si Kaya sa buong campus, of course he is aware of her existence. He always sees her in front of the gate kung saan nakasabit ang malaking tarpaulin. She is the face of the university.
"Ako ang boyfriend ni Kaya!" sabi ng isang lalaking nakakulay itim at saka biglang hinila sa kwelyo 'yung lalaking naka-jacket na red.
Napailing-iling nalang si José at hindi na lang pinansin ang kaguluhang nangyayari sa paligid niya. Bumalik na lang siya sa pagc-code pero hindi lang rin siya makapag-focus dahil mas lalo pang umingay ang sigawan nila.
"I guess, it was serious. Hindi na siguro nakapagtataka na pag-agawan siya ng mga lalaki." He thought.
Naghihilaan pa rin ng kwelyo 'yung dalawang lalaking nag-aaway. Napakagat labi na lang si Kaya na ngayon ay naiipit na sa gulo at sinusubukang pakalmahin ang dalawang lalaki sa harapan niya.
The black t-shirt guy was the first to arrive and while they're having a conversation, biglang may nag-text kay Kaya na otw na daw 'yung lalaking naka-red jacket. That was when she realized that she made a mistake. Hindi niya na chineck ang messaging app na ginamit niya kagabi. Dahil sa pagka-antok niya ay hindi niya na-realize na magkaibang lalaki pala ang nag-aya sa kanya na pumunta sa café na 'to. Ang malas pa dahil same place na nga, same time pa. Kaya pala nagtataka siya kagabi bakit nagtanong ulit si black t-shirt guy sa kanya, ibang tao na pala ang nag-aya sa kanya.
Noong tinawag ni red guy si Kaya pagkarating niya, nakita niya agad na may ibang lalaki ang nakaupo sa dapat na uupuan niya.
"Who are you?" tanong ni black t-shirt guy kay red guy.
In his proud voice, he confidently declared, "Boyfriend ako ni Kaya." Kinikilig pa siya. Napapikit na lang si Kaya sa eksena. When the black t-shirt guy heard what the red guy said, he got worked up and grabbed the red guy's colar.
"Ako ang boyfriend ni Kaya!" sigaw niya at doon na sila mag-umpisang magtalo kung sino ba ang totoong boyfriend sa kanila.
At the same time, nililigpit na din ni José ang gamit niya dahil hindi siya makapag-focus sa codes niya. Hindi na mag-run 'yung codes niya dahil may error. Hindi naman niya agad maayos dahil maingay na sa café. Ayaw na niyang makasaksi ng gulo.
He's supposed to not care about it since it's not his business, but the next thing that happened surprised him. One of her boyfriends, the red guy, splashed the water on her. Everyone gasped by what they have witnessed, napaawang din ang labi ni José sa nakita. The black t-shirt guy did the same thing to her. Kaya was completely drenched, para siyang naulanan sa itsura niya.
It seems that her boyfriends just realized na pinagsabay niya sila, that they were not actually at fault but her. She broke their hearts. They thought she was loyal and was serious to them but it was just a wishful thinking.
Nagbitaw pa ng masasakit na salita 'yung dalawang lalaki sa kaniya pero hindi din marinig ni Kaya dahil gulat na gulat siya sa nangyari. Someone poured water on her at maraming nakakita noon, dagdag pa na nalaman ng mga tao sa paligid niya ang ginawa niya. Nag-umpisa nang magbulungan ang mga tao.
José was supposed to not care about it since it's not his business, but when he saw that people started filming to ridicule her, unable to stand the noise, he stood up, got his things, walked to Kaya and gave his jacket for her to hide her face and leave the café with her. He dragged her outside the café like a knight in shining armor. He saved her for further embarrassment.
Aalis na lang sana siya nang tahimik noon pero bigla niyang naalala na pinsan siya ng kaibigan niyang si Jia. Ka-blockmates niya si Jia and he has known her since freshman year so it's natural na they know about each other's background since Jia is his only friend. Kaya pala pamilyar na pamilyar siya kay Kaya dahil nabanggit ni Jia sa kanya na pinsan niya si Kaya, pero they never meet before. Ngayon lang ang first encounter nilang dalawa ni José at Kaya.
Nang makalayo na sila ay binitawan na ni José ang kamay ni Kaya. Humarap siya kay Kaya para i-check ang kalagayan niya. He was a bit surprised when he saw Kaya's face. She's really drenched, nanginginig din siya. Thankfully, may bench na malapit sa kanila kaya muli nanaman niyang hinila si Kaya at dahan-dahang pinaupo.
"It's okay, malayo na tayo doon. Wala nang tao." José assured her at dahil doon gumaan kahit papano ang pakiramdam ni Kaya. She was able to stop shaking.
May kinuha sa bag si José at kumuha ng ilang pirasong strawberry candy at sour candy na laging dala-dala niya, atsaka inilagay sa nakasarang kamao ni Kaya.
"It might help. According to studies, it can ease your mind and boost your moods temporarily. That's how I cope sometimes." paliwanag ni José.
She looked up, and finally saw his face. Natulala siya nang makita si José. Confused and uncomfortable by Kaya's stare, he quickly looked away. Flames were fuming on his face.
He thought na mas maganda pala talaga siya sa personal, even more kapag malapitan. Her pictures didn't do her justice, talagang mas maganda ang visuals niya sa personal.
They sat together in silence and when José checked his wrist watch, it was time to go. Oras na ng self-study routine niya saka may id-debug pa siyang code.
"I'll keep quiet about what happened today. Nothing happened." He said as he stood up.
He looked at Kaya, "But you should have some self respect too. You're pretty, so act pretty. It's not good to play with someone's feelings." It was like he's scolding her so she's shocked. In her whole life, no one scolded her like this except Jia and him. She was left speechless.
"You're pretty, so act pretty." Nagpaulit-ulit 'yun sa isip niya.
Tatalikod na sana si José nang bigla siyang may maalala.
"Right," bumalik siya sa dati niyang pwesto.
"You can keep my jacket for now. Just give it back Jia when you're done. It's my favorite jacket. Then, bye." after niyang sabihin 'yan ay tumalikod na siya at naglakad nang mabilis na parang may humahabol sa kanya. Nang may dumaan na bus ay agad siyang sumakay doon.
Naiwan si Kaya na nakatulala sa biglang pag-alis ng lalaki na nagligtas sa kanya sa kahihiyan kanina. Too bad, hindi man lang siya nakapagpasalamat dahil masyado siyang nanghihina.
Napatingin siya sa mga candies na binigay nung lalaki, she smiled.
Whoever you are, thank you for saving me. Susundin ko ang advice mo, don't worry. I guess just like what he said, I'm pretty so I should act pretty. I should stop doing my so-called charity then.
But wait. Did she heard him right? He just said Jia. Kay Jia niya ibabalik ang jacket niya? You mean si Jia na pinsan niya?
All of a sudden biglang nawala ang anxiety niya at napalitan nang matinding curiousity. Agad niyang tinawagan si Jia.