KOREAN You're Mine

Somewhere, along the shaded areas in the corners of the wide playground of the Horrizon Reached University...

A student named Sherdel was sitting on a concrete bench designed to look like  it's made of pine logs . Next to him was a concrete table which has the same design as the bench where he laid his bag down. He was just there, sitting alone. Boredom drewn out on his face while watching the students moving at the grassy ground in front of him. He was glaring at them that those who were passing by felt insecure when they saw him.

A couple of moments passed, he finally ceased staring at people. He took his eyes on his phone, hoping that someone will call him by that minute. He sighed as he put down his phone on the table, then he ballooned his cheeks. Just after that, he got startled when his phone suddenly rang. He immediately took it and answered the call.

"Hi babe!" He greeted her with a cheerful voice. His face who was painted with boredom and bitterness broke down and changed into something bright and excited.

"Babe, puwede pa favor?" The girl on the other line responded.

"Sige ba. Tell me what can I do for you,"he said. "Teka, kinakabahan ata ako sa favor mo ah," he joked.

"Ikaw talaga,"the girl chuckled. "Huwag kang mag-alala hindi naman buwis buhay ipapagawa ko sa iyo eh. Susunduin mo lang naman ako dito sa Burnham Park. "

"Ganun ba? Sige,punta na ako,"he hung up his phone. He immediately stood up,grabbed his bag,and then he walked away. 

                                                                   *****

At the parking lot owned by the university...

Sherdel was on his way to the corner where his car was. Then, his phone rang. He picked it up.

"Hello babe. Oo na papunta na'ko hinahanap ko lang kung saan ko pinark 'yung sasakyan ko."

"Bilisan mo babe ah. Kasi parang uulan." She hung up her phone.

Sherdel can already see his car about ten meters away. He walked toward it as fast as he can. Finally,he got there. He seated at the driver's seat and then he started the engine. He advanced his car forward , but suddenly, his car screetched as he stopped his car when someone blocked the way.

"Bullsh..."he beeped his car. He immediately hopped out .

"Hoy! Sa susunod naman mag-ingat ka..." he suddenly paused when he realized that the person he was yelling to was someone he knows...but not a friend.

"Sherdel!" The young boy greeted. Sherdel didn't say a word he was just glaring at him. He clentched fist as he readies to punch him.

"Huwag ka namang ganyan!" He told Sherdel while showing his fake optimistic smile against Shardel's irritated look.

"Wala akong oras na makipaglaro sa'yo Gregory,"he told him. "Umalis ka diyan at may pupuntahan pa ako."

"Ganun ba?" He went closer to Sherdel. Without a warning, Gregory punched his face.

"'Yan ang napala mo sa paninira sa akin sa girlfriend ko!"

"Girlfriend? Alin dun ? Yung isa o yung isa pa?" Sherdel talked back. "Hindi mo naman sila minahal ah. Mabuti na iyon na sabihin ko na sa kanila ang totoo kaysa sa magmukha silang tanga."

"Anong sabi mo?" Gregory grabbed his collar.

"Totoo naman 'di ba?" Sherdel pushed him away. "Kung kaya't kung wala ka nang sasabihin, puwede ba mauna na'ko kasi  may importante pa akong lalakarin?"

Sherdel was about to touch the knob of the car when he took another punch on the face. The punch was powerful enough to knock Sherdel down.

"Hayop ka talagang tao ka!"

Sherdel immediately stood up. It's his turn to hit Gregory. Likewise, Gregory knocked down. Then he stood up and they wrestled.

A few minutes later, a security guard finally came to stop them.

                                                                   ****

"Sherdelino Prado Malvar Alhibing!" His grandfather shouted so loud that even the teachers outside his office got  startled .

"Sorry po talaga Lolo." He bowed down in front of him. He's got bruises on his left cheek and around his left eye which were covered by bandges. He was so sincere that his body was shaking as he listens to his raging grandfather. Of all the people he hates, his grandfather is an exemption. He respects his grandfather so much.

"Anong sorry sorry? Alam mo sawang sawa na ako sa sorry mong 'yan ah. Ilang beses ko bang sasabihin sa iyo na tumino ka na? Halos araw-araw nalang na mayroong lumalapit sa akin at nagsusumbong na mayroon kang kinakaaway! "

"Sinusubukan ko naman pong takbohan sila pero sila po ang lumalapit sa akin," he defended himself.

The old man rubbed his forehead with his left hand. Then he ballooned his cheeks in order to calm himself.

"Umupo ka,"he said with a soft voice - indicating that he somehow managed  to calm down just a little.

Sherdel sat  down on a chair next to his grandfather's table. The old man sat across him afterward.

He sighed before looking at Sherdel.

"Makinig ka Sherdel,"he pointed at him. "I want you  and Mr. Gregory, who is at the hospital right now, to attend community  service."

Sherdel widened his eyes. He couldn't believe that his lolo will make him attend to one  among the things he hates . Moreover, Gregory will be there.

"Lolo huwag po."

"Kung ito ang paraan upang  madisiplina ka, gagawin ko. Kung kaya't sa ayaw o sa gusto mo, you must attend the service."

Before Sherdel  will speak, someone outside knocked the door.

"Pasok!"the old man said.

Then the secretary entered.

"Pasensya na po kung inabala ko kayo pero andito na 'yung mga press."

The old man stood  up and then he fixed his neck tie.

"Hindi pa tayo tapos,"he told him before he and his secretary went out.

Sherdel sighed in frustration.

                                                                         ****

"Mama! Yehey Mamma!" A girl was shouting to her mother as she hurriedly approaches. She was excited to tell her the good news. Her mother paused  hanging her laundry when she heard her daughter calling.

"O. Grace Joy. Bakit ? Anong problema?" Her mother asked just after her daughter stopped in front of her.

"Nakapasa po ako."

"Ha...nakapasa saan?"

"Sa entrance exam doon sa Horizon Reached University! Yes! Mag-aaral  na'ko doon ng college," her face was filled in with excitement.

Her mother covered her mouth  and screamed because of joy.

"Naku anak congratulations!" She hugged her tightly. She let go after a few seconds.

"Sabi ko naman sa'yo na makakapasa ako. Hindi na natin kailang bayaran na lahat ang tuition."

"O siya siya. Pero, pagbutihin mo pa rin ang pag-aaral mo doon ah."
"Oo naman po!"

"Halika nga rito. Hug kita ulit."

Grace Joy giggled  then she went closer to her.

                                                                *****

 "Sir, can you tell us about the Horrizon Reached University?" One among the reporters asked.

"Um...where should I begin? O alam ko na. It is a university associated not just by the GeoAtlas company but also the entire partners who remained loyal to our company all these years. It is a school that every student had ever dream of."

The press then noted what he had said.

"Marami nga ring feedback na nagsasabing maganda ang pamamalakad ng school na ito eh," one among the press praised.

"Well..." Mr. Alhibbing chuckled faintly.
"Unlike any other universities, hindi lang kami naka-focus sa pag-aaral ng mga estudyante. We are also making sure that our students feel comfortable and safe within the campus."

"Pero Sir..." one of them raised her hand which caught Mr. Alhibbing's attention. It was  Grace Joy's mother.

"Marami din kasing mga estudyante na nagrereklamong masyadong mataas ang sinisingil na tuition kung kaya't nahihirapan silang makapasok dito. Ano po ba ang masasabi ninyo rito?" She stated.

"Thank you so much Ms. Asunta..."then he cleared his throat.

"Well ...aaminin ko na tama sila. Totoo ang mga sabi-sabi na pangmayaman ang Horrizon Reached."

The people in the room began to murmur.

"Pero...palagi kong sinasabi na hindi po hadlang ang kahirapan sa pagkamit ng inyong mga pangarap. Kagaya din po ng ibang mga universities, we do accept scholars. Isa pa, may kaltas ang babayaran mo kapag nakapasa ka sa entrance exam na ginaganap tuwing fourth week ng Marso hanggang third week ng Abril,"he defended.

"Huwag po kayong mag-alala mga magulang dahil worth it naman ang mga gastusin. Dahil sisiguraduhin naming may matututunan ang inyong mga anak bago siya grumadweyt."

                                                                              ****

Grace joy was in her room, sitting on her bed while enjoying her glass of water as she sang one of Moira's calming songs. She lifted some of the water to the air above  the glass by her power. She shaped it into sphere then she tore it into smaller marble sized droplets that spread in the mid-air around her. She stopped singing because she got amazed to what her eyes  revealed. She watched them shimmer against the light as they revolved around her slowly. Meanwhile, through her mind, she turned them into hard solid. Not ice  but something crystaline and transparent like marbles.

"Wow!" She whispered.

Someone came at her room's door. It was her cousin  Leah.

"Hoy labas na daw diyan! Kakain na tayo sabi ni tita!" She yelled as she knocks.

Grace Joy got startled when she heard the noise from outside. And so, she  dropped them down on the  bed sheet.

"Mauna ka na ate Leah. Sunod na lang po ako."

"Bilisan mo ah."

"Opo," she responded.

                                                                                ****

At that same night, at the Alhibing mansion...

Sherdel was in the veranda connected to his room. He stepped closer to the barricade to see the moon's glimpse that was covered by another veranda above him.

He stood straight against its light as he looked up. The moon was full that night. He held his head high to watch the moon change shape . He sighed then he pulled something out in his pocket.

It was a locket, he opened it then he began to stare what's inside - it's a small picture of his mother while carrying  baby Sherdel on her lap.
Meanwhile,he stared at the moon again but that time he smiled at it.

" Iniwan mo na nga lang ako tinutulak naman nila ako palayo?" He asked with the softest voice he can speak.

After those words to the moon, he decided to get back inside his room .