Darkness after Sun Shines

"I did it to protect you." The man says.

"I don’t need any protection from you! All I want is Emman! Bring him back!" Andrew pleaded.

Napaluha ang binata habang nakatingin ito kay Andrew na nang-gagalaiti sakanya.

"Emman..." paghihikbi ni Andrew sa pagtulog nito.

Nagising naman si Karl sa tabi nito tsaka na dahan-dahang tinapik sa braso si Andrew. "Andrew?"

"Emman..." ngunit hindi pa din ito nagigising at patuloy pa din sa pagsambit ng pangalang Emman.

Muli itong tinapik ni Karl sa braso, "Andrew... An-"

"Emman!" Agad na napamulat si Andrew. Napatingin ito sa kasintahang si Karl na halatang nag-aalala.

"Were you having the same dream?" Pagtatanong nito sakanya.

"Karl..." Napayakap si Andrew sa kasintahan nyang si Karl na yumakap din sakanya pabalik.

"It’s okay. Everything is fine now. I’m here." Pag-a-assure nito kay Andrew.

"I’m sorry." Pag-papaumanhin nito.

"Don’t worry about it." Karl faces Andrew and touch his lips with his. "I love you."

"I love you too." Tsaka na niyakap nya ng mahigpit muli si Karl until both started drifting back to sleep again.

Mag iisang taon na ng maging magkasintahan si Karl at Andrew. Una silang nagkakilala ng sumali ang dalawa sa volleyball team ng Silver Valley University. At first di sila magkasundo dahil sa magkaiba nilang personality. Si Karl yung lalakeng gwapo at matangkad pero cold and doesn’t know how to express himself while Andrew was the complete opposite. Maliit lang ito para sa isang volleyball player but it doesn’t stop him to do what he loves. He’s the ball of sunshine of the team who will say everything he wants to say.

Si Andrew lang ang nakakaintindi sa ugali ni Karl and it made Karl wanting to know Andrew better. But he never knew that knowing Andrew better will make him realize that the ball of sunshine has its darkness too until that one night. Nagkayayaan sila Andrew at Karl kasama ang mga teammates nilang sila Troy at Nelson na mag sleep over sa bahay nila Troy para mag group study. Kailangan kasi nila ng pasadong marka para makasama sa practice game.

Everyone was already sleeping that night when Karl heard a noise coming from Andrew’s direction.

"Bring him back, Allen... Bring Emman back, please..." Andrew was talking in his sleep.

Agad na napabangon si Karl para i-check si Andrew.

"Andrew? Hin-" napatigil naman ito sa sasabihin nya ng biglang napahiga ito sa ibabaw ni Andrew ng hilahin sya nito.

"Emman... Don’t leave me." wika ni Andrew.

"A-Andrew... Si Karl to..." wika naman ni Karl na pinipilit na makahinga mula sa mahigpit na yakap ni Andrew.

Napamulat naman si Andrew at narealize nitong nananaginip muli sya. Agad na napaupo ito dahilan para mapatumba sa gilid si Karl. "Aww." Paghikbi nito.

"K-Karl??" nagulat naman si Andrew sa pagbagsak ni Karl.

"Ang lakas mo namang bansot ka." Pamimilipit ni Karl sa likod nya.

"S-Sorry!" Agad na tinulungan nitong umupo si Karl.

"O-Okay lang. A-Are you alright? It looks like you’re having a nightmare." Wika ni Karl habang hinahagod nito ang likuran nya.

"Okay lang ako. I’m sorry..." sagot naman ni Andrew.

First time makita ni Karl si Andrew with that worried face. He was always smiling brightly and now he saw a different version of Andrew.

"Do you want to go outside?" pag-aaya ni Karl.

Napatingin naman si Andrew kay Karl. He doesn’t want to go back to sleep and have the same dream all over again kaya napatango ito kay Karl.

Tumambay muna ang dalawa sa sala nila Troy. Medyo nagkaroon pa ng awkward silence dahil di alam ng isa’t isa ang sasabihin. "Would you mind telling me wh-"

"Can I hug you?" that question of Andrew made Karl flustered. He did not saw it coming and he’s not prepared. "I’m just... Afraid..."

For some reason, it made Karl amused.

Never nagpakita ng kahinaan sakanya si Andrew. He always act mighty na parang gusto nyang talunin lagi si Karl kahit magkateam lang naman sila.

He reaches for Andrew and hugged him softly.

"Higpitan mo." Andrew demanded.

"Ang demanding mo naman." Daing ni Karl.

"Ikaw nagyaya sakin dito diba?" sagot naman ni Andrew.

"Fine." He hugged Andrew as tight as he could when suddenly, he was hugged by him too.

"You’re warm." Andrew murmured.

Karl suddenly felt hot on his face. His heart beat suddenly started racing. "W-What are-"

"You smelled like him." Pagputol sakanya ni Andrew.

"Smelled like who?" Pagtatanong naman ni Karl.

"Emman." Sagot ni Andrew.

Agad na binitawan ni Karl si Andrew ng marinig ito. Naalala nitong yun ang pangalan na binabanggit ni Andrew ng hinila sya nito kanina.

"Sinong Emman?" pagtatanong nyang muli.

"Boyfriend ko." Karl felt a pain in his chest as he heard what Andrew said.

Who the fuck is Emman? He thought. "May boyfriend ka? Wala kang naku-"

"He died." Putol sakanya ni Andrew.

Natahimik naman si Karl sa biglang pagkwento ni Andrew. He was about to curse the Emman guy only to find out that he was already dead.

"W-What happened to him?" pagtatanong muli ni Karl.

Napatingin naman si Andrew kay Karl. He hesitated a bit but he wanted to let his thoughts out. "He... He was killed... He was killed by my bestfriend, Allen."

Di alam ni Karl ang gagawin sa nalaman. When he thought Andrew was all bright and energetic, behind those smiles was actually a painful past.

"I’m sorry." Karl was not good at expressing his sympathy kaya yun na lamang ang nasabi nya.

"Okay lang. You actually remind me of Emman. You smelled like him." Andrew assured him.

Agad na natahimik si Karl. He doesn’t want to be compared. At mas lalong ayaw nyang makumpara sa ex ni Andrew.

“We are not the same.” Wika ni Karl.

Napatawa naman si Andrew, "I know, you just sme-"

"I’m better than him. I can make you smile genuinely and won’t leave you." Pagdudugtong ni Karl.

Andrew was shocked by what Karl said. "Anong sinasa-"

"I-I like you. I-I like you, Andrew." Pagku-confess ni Karl as he faces Andrew na halatang nabigla sa confession nito.

"Hey. I know I asked you to hug me but you just can’t blurt stupid things like that. And besides, you can’t like me. Even if that’s true…" Tsaka na nilayuan nito ng tingin si Karl. "You can’t. It will be dangerous for you."

"I don’t care!” Karl reached Andrew’s hand and held it tightly. “I will still like you. I will not end up like Emman. I will stay forever with you."

Andrew stared Karl in his eyes. Karl’s eyes were soft as if he could take Andrew’s past away. To be honest, may gusto din ito kay Karl but he doesn’t want to betray the memories of Emman. He loved Emman and still does. And he was afraid that those he love will be taken away from him.

"You can’t..." Andrew replied.

"I can. Believe me Andrew." Karl said as he leans slowly on Andrew as if waiting if the latter would have pushed him away but Andrew just stared at him.

Andrew looked at Karl’s eyes sending signal that if he moves closer he won’t get away from it already.

And their lips touches together. It was a slight touch at first but Karl realized that he could do more to it. He started moving his lips and to his surprise, Andrew reciprocated.

"Are you not afraid?" he murmured on Karl’s lips.

"Do you think I am?" Karl asked him back.

"You’re stupid." He then kissed Karl back but more passionate this time.

And it was that day when they decided to be a couple.