CHAPTER FIVE

Found (and found again)

[ Jimin’s. ]

“Hi, Jimin. Marami akong narinig sa’yo mula kay Joo—mula kay Irene.” 

I couldn’t really believe my eyes. 

My stoic, mysterious and very cold Ate Irene has an ex-girlfriend, at galing pa siya sa San Juan? Tapos nag-uusap pa rin sila hanggang ngayon? 

I mean, they already conversed the other night, when Ate Irene was looking for someone to take care of me when I go to San Juan. But to see her in person? 

Gosh, to say I'm shocked is an understatement. 

I took a second to look at her features—gosh, she kind of looks like a bear? And medyo tanned din yung skin niya probably because of the sunlight in San Juan and the hot atmosphere there. Other than that she looks like she’s from San Lazaro din based on how she’s dressed—

Wait. 

“Sorry for the rudeness, but isn’t that… isn’t that your jacket, Ate Irene?” I asked, pointing at the oversized jacket I’m sure I’ve seen Ate Irene wear at the times na nagkikita kami like once a year before. 

“Rina, you don’t have to point that out!” 

“Ah… yeah, hindi ko alam na malamig pala dito sa San Lazaro kaya nanghiram muna ako sa Ate mo ng jacket.” 

…she didn't even lend that to me when I found it cute.

“Anyways, you told me that you were trying to find someone. I don’t want to know your relationship with that man because it’s your privacy, but I think Seul can help you.” 

“Nickname basis na kayo? Wait, saan ka pupunta?!” 

Ate Irene just grinned at me, then passed the woman a black card that I immediately recognized. 

“Rina, be nice to Seulgi, alright? You can spend anything you want at any restaurant, just don’t gamble my paycheck away. Get as many answers as you need, I’ll come back for you after an hour or two.” 

“What—You’re going to leave me here? How nice!” 

Even if I grumbled and threw a fit, Ate Irene was already walking towards her driver that was probably waiting for her ever since we got here. Tumingin ako dun sa babae—Seul or whatever—and she just grinned at me. 

“Uh… Seulgi Kang ang pangalan ko. Shall we eat before you ask me about that man?” 

Tatanggi na sana ako, kaso I was a little hungry na din. 

“I don’t really have a choice, do I?” I ask, and Seulgi just nods at that. 

At first I followed her towards who knows where, then I realized after a few minutes that she’s basically a foreigner—gosh, hindi nga pala siya taga-dito, why am I following her?

“Wait,” I call out, at agad naman siyang tumigil sa paglalakad. “Can I ask, how old are you? I have to know if Ate Irene’s being foolish.” 

“How old do I look ba?” she asks, chuckling a little as I pulled her away from the sidewalk so we wouldn’t inconvenience people. 

“Uh… Like, 24 or 25? Just so you know, Ate Irene is—”

“Yeah, she never lied about her age while we were together. I’m already 29, so you should call me Ate or something.”

“Oh… Okay, Ate. Where do you want to eat ba? There’s, uh… There’s a lot of restaurants around here.” 

I’m a little nervous tuloy. Hinintay ko siyang sumagot with what she wanted to eat, but all she gave me is that grin that makes her look even more like a bear. 

“Surprise me na lang?” 

Ugh, fine. 

“Tutal na sa’yo naman yung black card ni Ate Rene, let’s go for sushi.”

“Uy, bet!” 

(Irene is already in her office when she feels a cold sweat break into her nape. She couldn’t explain why at first, but then she realized it when she saw the opening for one missing card in her wallet.)

(“Oh my God,” Irene thought, pursing her lips. “I practically gave Rina my black card with that.”)

Malapit lang yung restaurant na nasa isip ko mula dun sa pinagkitaan namin ni Ate Irene. I watched Ate Seulgi (I guess I’m going to call her that from now on) staring at the high buildings around San Lazaro, and slowly I could remember the scenery of San Juan, her home. 

“How’s life in San Juan?” I ask as we wait to cross the intersection to the restaurant I’ve picked. 

“What do you mean?” 

“I mean… Is it nicer there than here? It gets a little crowded here eh.” 

Ate Seulgi smiles, "Maaliwalas doon, tapos maraming bata na naglalaro sa labas. Yung pinsan ko tsaka mga kabarkada niya, lagi nga sila nakatambay sa farm mo."

Farm mo. 

It still feels surreal that it's already mine.

"K-Kamusta naman po yung farm?" 

She must have sensed my nervousness since she flashed that grin again, tapping my shoulder repeatedly as we crossed the street. 

"Huwag ka na kabahan sa akin, Ji—"

"Karina po." I said defensively, and I saw her frown for a moment before nodding and rephrasing her words.

"Yun nga, Karina. Huwag ka na kabahan sa akin, hindi naman ako nangangagat. Para sagutin yung tanong mo, okay naman yung farm."

I raised my brow at that. "Uh, how okay is okay?"

"Yung pinsan kong si Minjeong, alagang alaga niya yung farm mo. Nung nabalitaan niya nga na may lilipat daw dun, hindi siya natulog kagabi kasama yung mga kabarkada niya para linisin yung mga damo."

Huh… I've visited a lot of times sa farm na iyon, and yet I didn't remember a kid named Minjeong living there—and it's a small town, so may years na halos kilala namin lahat.

"Minjeong, huh… Parang hindi po familiar yung name?"

Ate Seulgi frowned, scratching her nape as she cleared nervously and leaned towards me.

"Don't call her by this name, ha? But there was a time where everyone referred to her as ‘Winter Kim’, hindi Minjeong."

Winter Kim?

"Ah," I said out of shock with the realization. "She's the one Aeri was texting here earlier!"

I brought out the flip phone I've been carrying around and showed it to her, especially the last text that Aeri sent earlier since hindi pa siya nagrereply.

"Wait—Binigyan ka ni Irene ng flip phone para magamit mo paglipat ng San Juan?"

I nodded at that, and frowned as Ate Seulgi laughed out loud.

"Typical Irene. Pero yun nga, binigay ko yung number ni Minjeong kay Irene kanina, tapos binigay siguro ni Irene dun sa friend mo na si Aeri para maisave diyan." 

I nodded at that, though my mind is unconsciously trying to pin a face to that name.

"…meron po ba kayong picture?"

"Ay, wala eh. Naka flip phone din si Minjeong, at ayaw niya masyadong nagpapicture. Puro printed yung pictures niya, nasa bahay."

I stayed silent after that. I abandoned the thought of this stranger's face as we entered the sushi place, at muntik na kaming hindi papasukin if not for me saying my name again since it's full.

"Here's the VIP Suite, Miss Yoo. Do not worry about the payment—we do not mind you opening a running tab with us."

Pagkabigay nung manager ng menu pagkatapos namin umupo, umalis na siya at isinara yung sliding door, giving us a little bit of privacy from the outside.

"Running tab? Ano iyon?" curious na tanong ni Ate Seulgi bago niya kunin yung pangalawang menu.

"It's… how do you explain this… oh, alam mo yung concept ng utang? It's like that, basically, pero unlike utang na hahabulin ka to pay, the limit would be endless."

"Talaga? E 'di hindi