Chapter 6 Celebration

• TJ's POV
• "Want to have some drinks?" he offered.
• "Don't we have class tomorrow?" I asked him back.
• "Just have some, I think it's alright."
• I smiled and nodded.
• We went back to the place I rented.
• "Why don't we celebrate your birthday now?" I asked, trying to make a conversation.
• "Just the two of us?" he asked me back so I did the same.
• I smiled, "Why not?"
• "But—"
• "No buts!"
• Even if it's just the two of us here, it's still good. We had so much fun here. He's so brave asking me for a drink when he was so drunk for a single can. I just shook my head and faced my palm.
• "Let me tell you something," he said, drunk.
• We're sitting next to each other on the floor, below this bed.
• "What is it?"
• "He had an accident because of me. I was so stubborn that day," he started.
• I came to my senses after hearing those words, "What do you mean?"
• "It's my fault!" he shouted, out of nowhere. Afterwards, he started to cry.
• I never knew he had this kind side of him.
• "I didn't listen to his side because I care more about myself, I'm so selfish. I'm such a fool!" he added, continuing what he's trying to say.
• Bipolar? You're just happy a while ago and now you're crying? Tsk.
• "It's not your fault. Even if your grandfather died on this day, there is no reason for you not to celebrate your birthday 'cause this is the day you were born. Try to accept the fact that he died but it's not your fault. Maybe it's hard? Yes, but do you think he will be happy if he sees you like that? Suffering from his death? For sure, no."
• He's sniffing, "Do you think it's not my fault?"
• How pitiful. I hugged him tightly and patted his back again and again.
• "Yes. It's not your fault so don't blame yourself."
• "It's my fault!" he shouted, disagreeing.
• He is really stubborn!
• "If you can't accept it now, it's alright. I know someday, you will…. but don't pressure yourself, and don't rush things. Also, stop thinking about things like that. He doesn't want you to be like that, okay?"
• "But I'm not that strong." And left hugging me to take a sip of a canned alcohol drink.
• I laughed at him, "You don't need to be strong, you just need to accept."
• And he cried even more. I'm comforting him now. Mama did the same, she comforted me. It feels so good to have someone there for you whenever you need them, and now, I know he needs someone so I will be here beside him.
• After 10 minutes, he settled down. I stood up. I picked him up. I carried him, and fixed the pillows before I laid him down on the bed.
• "I'm sorry."
• "Huh?" I was confused. "Sorry for what?"
• I waited for a few minutes to continue what he was trying to say but still not answering me so I asked him, "Do you have something to say?"
• "I'm sorry that I like..."
• I'm still waiting for the next word but there's no next word. I sighed, it was another unfinished sentence.
• The next morning…
• I went to his apartment to give him breakfast and medicine for hangovers.
• "Are you alright?" I asked.
• He nodded, "Um."
• "Sure?"
• "Yehuh," he answered.
• I went to his kitchen to drink some water, because I felt that my throat was dry. I grabbed the glass and grabbed the pitcher, too. And started putting the water in the glass, when I suddenly remembered what happened last night. So, I asked him.
• "Uh, about last night?"
• After asking, I started to drink.
• He was shocked, and even panicked, "Huh, about last night? Did I do something to you? Or say something? Did something happen?"
• Suddenly, I was choked by what I heard. His last sentence. I sat up while coughing. Then, just now, I realized that he was also by my side.
• "Are you okay?" He grabbed the glass I was holding. "Drink slowly."
• I just grabbed the glass and drank again.
• "So, what happened last night?"
• I looked away, "Nothing."
• "By the way, this coming Sunday, can you come along? Company me," he changed the topic.
• "Sure, for what?"
• "I want to visit someone."
• I was immediately told by my mind that it might be his grandfather that he was referring to, and I am hoping.
• Sunday morning…
• We entered the cemetery, and the second time, we went there.
• "Your grandpa?"
• He nodded, "I couldn't control myself. I don't know what to do, to decide whether to go or not, but I realized I should just go. I haven't seen him in over 10 years, so now I'm going."
• I smiled, it's good knowing that he thought about him.
• "What you did was right. Maybe he misses you, too," I said.
• So, I left him inside and alone. He needed time to be alone with his grandpa, so he went to his grandfather's grave alone. I was just a bit far from him.
• After 10 mins of waiting, I felt bored so I decided to approach him.
• "Grandpa, it was him." He was looking at me.
• I was startled as I walked to him, "Huh? Am I…. what?"
• "Yes, you. Thank you for coming into my life." He patted my head when I reached him, and also touched a little bit of my ear.
• He can easily reach me and do everything for me, because he is a bit taller than me.
• And the evening came.
• Tom invited me, saying that Zack wanted to celebrate his birthday and they had already invited Nathan and Jaybi, so I just went to come along.
• "Guys, you only live once so be happy! Cheers!" Nathan shouted, holding up his glass with alcohol.
• "Let's play a game," Jaybi suggested.
• "What kind of game?"
• "Truth or Dare." Tom while his eyebrows are up. After his sentence, he turned the bottle around. And after a few seconds, it stopped, too, "It's you, Nathan. Truth or dare?"
• "Truth," he answered.
• "How many ex-girlfriends did you have?" While still pointing at Nathan.
• Nathan slightly smiled, "More than 15?"
• "Really?" Tom looked at us, shocked. He seemed to want to confirm, so I looked at Jaybi and we just laughed. "You're such a player, Nathan!"
• I looked around, not hearing anything from the owner of the house. I went to his kitchen, looking for him, and now, I just saw him.
• "Who are you looking for? Is that me?" He is looking at me.
• "Um." I nodded.
• "I knew it."
• "Anyway, I have a gift. I forgot to give it to you on your birthday." I dug into my pocket, but I couldn't reach anything from inside.
• I turned around, "Sh•t! Why does it feel like nothing was there!? Where is it!? It was just in my pocket when I came here!"
• "You mean this?"
• I turned around once again, and I saw him, he's holding it now.
• "So it was plotted." As I laughed.
• He just smirks at me.
• I took it. And, just put the earrings on his ear.
• "Why is this?" he asked.
• You don't know anything.
• "I really love earrings. It's small but cute, but there's a deep explanation."
• "What is it?" he asked, again.
• "Earrings are actually 2 pieces, right? For right and left ear. Earrings are just like being in a relationship, not complete without the other person. Look!" And I pointed to my left ear, wearing the other pair of his earrings.
• "Then, I'll sing a song. Be my guest." And out of nowhere, he just grabbed his guitar.
• Where did the guitar come from? He was really prepared today.
• "Parang impossible kung isipin~"
• And he started singing the verse 1 of LDR by Jem Macatuno. Until it reaches Pre-chorus, but then he changed the lyrics of "Davao man to Bataan, Bicol to Japan" to "Korea man to Philippines, Batangas to US"
• "Luh, what's that?" I asked in confusion while still laughing.
• He stopped strumming his guitar, and put this index finger on his lips, "Shh! It's a secret."
• So, I just laughed. And he continued singing until the chorus.
• "What do you think?" he asked me, after singing half of the song.
• "So, that's why you asked me what my favorite song was?"
• He nodded, "Um."
• Because that song told me that even if you're far from each other, if you love each other, you love each other and the distance doesn't matter. And it reminds me, too, of how far where my Papa is right now, he knows how much I love him.
• Celebrate his birthday with him, succeed.