Perspectives

10:30 p.m., Keil's room...

"I met this girl Riri. Her seat was just besides mine in the classroom. She was quiet, as if the calmness of the seas during a summer day. She was silent, but her beauty echoes through my being."

Habang isinusulat ito ni Keil ay bumabalik sa alaala niya ang mga pangyayari noong nagkita sila ni Mary. "Imposibleng hindi totoo si Mary eh... The feeling I felt back then, those hands of her, that enchanting smile... Hindi ako naniniwalang hallucinations o multo o kung anong kalokohan lang yun."

The next day...

"Keil?"

A familiar face greeted Keil as he walked towards school. It was Rie, running to catch up to him from a distance. Humihingal pa na kumapit sa damit nito ang dalaga, habang hinahabol ang sarili niyang hininga.

"Just... Wait... Hintayin mo'ko... Hah..."

Pinitik ito ni Keil sa noo, at pinagalitan. "Di mo naman kailangan tumakbo eh, hihintayin naman sana kita".

Umaray si Rie nang pitikin ang kanyang noo, but she immediately blushed upon hearing those words. Tiningnan niya ng dahan-dahan si Keil, ngunit hindi ito nakatingin sa kaniya. Naglakad na ulit ito habang nakakabit pa din sa damit niya si Rie.

"Hmph! He doesn't even have an idea how romantic what he said was... Haystt, etong tao talaga na 'to", isip-isip ni Rie sabay buntong-hininga at sunod kay Keil.

Sabay na pumasok ang dalawa sa classroom kung saan naman naghihintay si Otep kay Keil. Tumingin ito saglit kay Rie, sabay iwas at baling ng atensyon sa kaibigan.

"Keil, isasauli ko pala yung hiniram kong novel mo. I just finished it last night, and I don't want to read another again. Man you make me feel miserable that I'm single...", ang sabi nito matapos basahin ang hiniram na nobela kay Keil. Nakita ito ni Rie at marahang sinilip mula sa kamay ni Otep.

"Romance novel? Writer si Keil? Whoaaaa....", tahimik na namangha si Rie mula sa pinagkakaupuan niya.

Inabot ni Otep ang libro kay Keil, at bumalik na sa upuan niya. Nakangiti namang tinapik sa balikat ni Keil ang kaibigan upang i-comfort ito sa kanyang mga nabasa. Bakas ang tuwa sa mukha ni Keil nang maibalik na sa kanya ang libro. Parang may hinintay ito na matagal mula ng ipahiram ang nagsabing nobela kay Otep.

Nakatingin naman si Rie all this time sa nakangiting mukha ni Keil. Out of curiosity, itinanong nito kung bakit nakangiti ang binata.

"Parang good mood ka ata? What's with the book?"

Ibabalik na sana ni Keil ang libro sa kanyang backpack, ngunit ng itanong ni Rie ang tungkol dito ay agad niya itong inilabas muli.

"Curious?", panunukso nito. Ibinida nito ang cover ng kanyang librong pinamagatang "Hidden Letter". Rie's eyes glittered upon the sight of Keil's book. She shookt her head, and asked if she could read it. Nagulat si Keil sapagkat di niya inaasahan na book lover pala si Rie, ngunit ikinatuwa niya din ito dahil may bago nanaman siyang reader.

"You can take it home. Read it if you like, then kapag tapos ka na, tell me what you think about it", nakangiting sabi ni Keil kay Rie. Tuwang tuwa si Rie sa libro na hindi na ito makapagfocus sa klase at nagdali-dali na din sa pag-uwi.

Later that night...

Excited na umupo sa harap ng kanyang desk si Rie upang buksan at basahin ang nobelang isinulat ni Keil. She put her glasses on, and wandered into Keil's written universe. Nang buklatin niya ang unang pahina, nabasa niya ang pen name ni Keil.

"K".

Napanganga ang dalaga.

"K!!????? As in yung... Yung romance novelist!? Kyaaahh!!!!", Rie exploded inside her head. She was absolutely surprised that the writer he admires and the young man who has taken her interest were the same person, but it also made her very intrigued as to what the book would contain.

Especially when she noticed that it wasn't out for the public yet.

The next day...

"Keil, you stupid idiot!", A raging Rie charged at Keil, a book in her hand and eye bags all over. Nagulat si Keil dito at napatakbo. Naghabulan ang dalawa sa buong hallway ng kanilang building, hanggang sa nakarating sila sa rooftop.

"Keh.... Lagot..."

"Anong Keh... Lagot..!!??? Explain this to me!!!", sigaw ni Rie matapos niyang macorner na ang binata. The poor young man was ready to take an uppercut to the jaw, but instead he was gently slapped by the book.

"Eh?", Keil thought, confused by what happened.

"I'm telling you, explain why you decided to end Shion and Iris' story like that!? Just when I was hoping that Shion would get better because of Iris...", Iris said with teary eyes.

"So this is what it's all about... Huh...", Keil sighed as he thought he was up for more serious trouble. Tinawanan nito si Rie, and then gave her a pat on the head.

"Wh-what now? Tigil mo nga yan, I'm asking you a question!", Rie tried to shake Keil's hand off, but obviously not wanting to.

"Salamat sa honest reaction sa novel ko. Don't worry, I'll explain everything for you. My perspective when I wrote that novel, as well as the reason kung bakit napagdesisyunan kong baguhin yung ending from a good one to the current ending. My readers come first, after all."