NOPI Chapter 37: I've never been this happy before

NOPI Chapter 37

Sephine's POV

Kinuha ko na yung kustara't tinidor ko pero hindi ko maigalaw ang kamay ko. Nagdalawang isip muna ako bago ako nagsalita.

"Uhh. Isn't this too much for us?" tanong ko habang tinignan ang mga pagkaing nasa harapan namin ngayon

May limang serve ng barbeque, shawarma, hotdogs, fishballs, pizza, tempura, kikiam, siopao, siomai, kwekkwek, shake, ice cream, water and.. Is that.. Isaw?

I've seen them before and I only knew some of what they're called just now because they are names in the small card boards written with their names beneath them.

This store is very accommodating. Did they notice that I'm not used to these?

"Just start with what you want to eat. We can take our time," sagot niya saka niya kinuha 'yung isang isaw kaya naman pinanood ko siya habang kinakain niya 'yon

How can someone be so handsome even eating something like isaw? Charles! Of course! Edi siya na ang gwapo.

Dahil ignorante ako eh kinuha ko rin 'yung isaw at walang dalawang isip itong kinain.

Nakakunot ang noo ko habang ngininguya ko ito't pinapanood lang ako ni Charles habang tawa ng tawa.

"Hmm. It's good" sagot ko saka ko kinuha ang isang stick at tinusok ang isang siomai at agad itong isinubo

"Hmm! This is good too!" sagot ko saka ko kinuha ang sumunod pang pagkain not noticing that Charles already stopped eating and was only watching me

"Seph," tawag niya kaya naman bahagya akong napahinto sa kakatusok sa mga pagkain at agad na kinuha ang shake saka nag-sip dito

"Hindi mo ba ako tatanungin kung bakit ito ang pinakain ko sayo at kung bakit dito kita dinala?" tanong niya kaya naman napa-tilt ang ulo ko

"Nope. Tama nga naman ano? Base sa rumors na naririnig ko ikaw raw 'yung tipo ng lalaking mahilig sa 'The best', 'grand' at kung anu ano pang mamahalin which is fit for someone with your title" sagot ko kaya naman natawa siya

"Well, at least now you know the difference between the rumors and the truth. Bakit ikaw? Mukhang hindi ka naman sanay sa mga ganito ah, ba't pumayag ka na dalhin kita dito instead of a 5 star restaurant?" tanong niya kaya naman napataas ang kilay ko

"What?" tanong niya

"At least now you know the difference between expectations versus reality" pangga-gaya ko sa sinabi niya dahilan kung bakit siya ngumiti

"You're really different from the rest, you're the either the best or perfect" agad ko nang tinabunan ang mukha ko dahil sa sinabi niya dahilan kung bakit siya natawa

"I love seeing you blush, Seph. Don't cover your face," sagot niya pero hindi ko parin siya pinakinggan at tinabunan lang ang mukha ko

Nang maramdaman ko ang napaka-init niyang kamay na humawak sa akin ay agad na akong napasilip sakanya.

"Straightforward and modest, smart and calm, beautiful and so graceful. Sephine Cruz, just who are you? Why do you keep on making my heart beat so fast?" tanong niya saka niya binabi ang mga kamay ko saka ako tinitigan ng seryoso

Being under his stare.. isn't uncomfortable at all. In actuality, if you saw his eyes, you would feel like you're being sucked into a deep hole but the only thing that's weird in that aspect, is that you don't want to retaliate or even try to escape.

He has complete control of my feelings. I didn't know I could fall for someone this deep.

"My heart is also trembling with too much affection from you, so could you stop confessing already?" naiinis kong tanong dahilan kung bakit siya natawa at sinimulan nang paglaruan ang mga kamay kong hawak hawak niya

"Hmm. So tell me more about yourself, Seph" sabi ni Charles na tila ba bumubulong kaya naman tinitigan ko siya

I'm in a different identity but I'm still me, right?

Should I tell him the truth? I should right?

"Okay, uhmm.. Lima kami sa family ko. My dad, mom, my bothers and me. I'm the only girl, the unica iha. I'm a valedictorian from elementary to high school. I sing, dance and play instruments. I love reading and writing. And oh, I love color pink too. And well, ano pa ba?" tanong ko dahilan kung bakit natawa si Charles

"That's okay and enough. You don't need to rush. We still have time" sagot niya saka niya ako nginitian kaya naman napangiti na rin ako

After a few minutes ay natapos na kami kumain at agad nang nagbayad, nagpaalam kay Tita Celia at agad nang nag-strolling sa mga stalls na nagpapabili ng kung anu-ano. Actually, this is my first time to be with a guy alone, to eat in this kind of place, and to have a date. And so far... I love it.

*

Charles' POV

Nang maramdaman kong nanginig ng konti si Sephine ay agad ko nang tinanggal ang coat ko't pinasuot sakanya. Aangal pa sana siya pero nang panliitan ko siya ng mga mata eh napa-pout siya at agad din namang sinuot 'yon.

Oh god, she's so cute.

"How about you? Don't you feel cold? 9:00pm na" napangiti nalang ako dahil nagaalala nanaman siya sa akin

Agad ko nang hinawakan ang kamay niya't nilagay ang 'to sa pisngi ko dahilan kung bakit siya nabigla.

"I'm feeling warm inside, so I'm fine. My heart ached when you shivered from the cold earlier, so don't take this off until we reach the Academy, okay?" tanong ko kaya naman tumango na siya

"Ang cute niyo naman mga bata! Date ba 'to? Gusto niyo ba ng remembrance mula sa date na 'to?" natigilan kami sa pagmo-moment ni Sephine at agad na napatingin dun sa nagpapabili ng mga bling2x

"Meron kaming couple items! Couple necklace ba? Couple bracelet? O dikaya'y couple rings?" tanong ni manong kaya naman agad ko nang hinila si Sephine papunta dun

Napatulala ako ng makita ko 'yung dalawang bracelet na magkatabi sa gitna. Simple lang ang disenyo at kulay pero hindi 'yon ang napansin ko.

It has our initials on it. 'S' and 'C'. If this isn't fate, then what is it!

"Let's buy these!" excited kong sabi kay Sephine kaya naman tinignan niya ako

"You're actually looking at the same ones I wanted to buy" bulong niya kaya naman napangiti ako lalo

"It's fate," sagot ko dahilan kung bakit niya binaling ang tingin niya don sa mga bracelets at namula

Haha. I really love it when her cheeks turns red.

"Magkano po to?" tanong ko

"Tag bente-sinko lang" sagot ng tindero kaya naman agad ko nang binayaran at kinuha 'yung bracelets at naglakad nanaman kami patungo sa isang bench na malapit sa fountain sa gitna ng town center.

Nang makaupo na kami ay inilabas ko na 'yung bracelets at ibinigay sa kanya 'yung may initial na S.

Of course, you guys already know. C stands for Charles and S stands for Sephine.

"Saan ka bumili ng pang-isda?" tanong ko out of the blue dahilan kung bakit tinignan ako ni Sephine na nakakunot ang noo

"Ha? Pang-isda? Wala naman akong naaalalang bumili ako ng pang-isda ah?" tanong niya pabalik

"Weh? Eh, pano mo nahuli ang puso ko?"

Tinulak niya naman ako ng mahina saka inirapan.

"Joke lang naman. Di ka talaga mabiro, Seph" sagot ko

Haha. Namumula nanaman 'yung pisngi niya! Oh how I love whenever she blushes and specially if its because of me. I've been looking at her from afar after all and whenever she's with a guy other than my friends, she wouldn't show even a single emotion.

Just the though of her showing so much emotion to me swells my heart. I really didn't know that someone could affect me like this.

Kinuha ko na 'yung bracelet na may initial na 'C' at binigay sakanya 'yung may initial na 'S'. Sinuot ko sakanya 'yung bracelet na may initial na 'C' at ginagawa niya rin naman sa akin ang ginawa ko making it seem like an exchange of vows or something like that.

Korni na kung korni pero I don't care. If it's for Sephine, I'd even act like a thug unlike the young master I'm supposed to be.

Hinawakan ko na ang kamay niya saka inintertwined ang mga daliri namin. Tinaas ko ang mga kamay namin at tinignan ang mga bracelets.

"Bagay sayo" aniya kaya naman napangisi ako

"Hindi. Mas bagay tayo" on cue nama'y nag-blush siya kaya naman napahalakhak na ako

"Err. Why do you keep on teasing me like this?" tanong niya

"Because I love it when you blush" sagot ko dahilan kung bakit siya mas namula

Hindi naman nagtagal ay naglakad na kami pabalik sa parking lot.

"This is a great date, Charles. Thank you," sabi niya kaya naman napangiti nalang ako saka ko siya hinila papalapit sa akin at agad na niyakap

"No, thank you, Sephine. I've never been this happy before"

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Author's Note: Hi guys! If you liked the revised version of the book, be sure to raise your voices and give me your feedback. And if you saw some mistakes here and there, please do tell me. Feedback is important for further improvement and growth. Please do vote and comment! Thanks for reading guys! Have a blessed day! XOXO~