Kaibigan Laban,

Ni Christian Bañega

Sa baitang na ito nasusukat ang aking tyaga at talino. Talino na tila’y naglaho pagtungtong ng kolehiyo. Bakit ba naging ganito?

Tila ba’y hindi nakasasabay sa agos ng mundo. Laban, Kaibigan. Mga katagang pinanghahawakan sa loob at labas ng silid-aralan. Pasensya na kung hindi ko maipakita ang bunga ng aking pinagaralan.

Dahil tila may isang harang sa aking tinatahak na daanan.

Para bang naglalakad sa masukal na gubat.

Kasabay ng walang katapusang kulog at kidlat.

Sana’y panaginip na lang ang lahat. Ngunit masyadong masungit ang reyalidad.

Lumalaban ka pa ba, Kaibigan?

Nakakapagod man, ngunit hindi pa ito ang katapusan.

Tumayo ka at baguhin ang iyong kapalaran. Nagsisimula pa lang tayo sa tunay na laban.

Kaibigan, ‘wag panghinaan ng loob.

Tayo’y may kanya-kanyang lakas at talino. Maramin rin ang sumusuporta at nakaalalay sa iyo.

Hindi mo man sila makita, nakikita naman nila ang dedikasyon mo.

Dedikasyon na tapusin ang laban na ibinigay sa iyo.

Kuha ni John Harvee Cabal

Debuho ng Pahina ni Darwin Escaro

By Jhezylle Faye Loria

It was in the 1800s when Waruii was a place in Japan that was once a thriving place. It once had the spirit that Tokyo has now. Many people, even foreigners, were attracted to visit that place. But what confused Haru was that no one knew the reason why. Normally, tourists flock to every spring festival. He is a seven-year-old boy who enjoys playing with his mother’s yukata. He looked like a girl from head to toe. But his otosan would be outraged for sure when he discovers his son’s secret. His father is a high-ranking samurai. He himself expects his child to take the path he took when he was a child. He would never him and directed his face towards the horizon.

He once talked with Haru after arriving from his week-long mission from Haiyan. He saw him playing with his mother, happily playing the ragdoll that his mother made for him. He did not notice anything. Takeda, the otosan of Haru, has always been a shallow person, in spite of needing it in the nature of his work. It is still a wonder how he was able to climb way up in his position. He took him from his mother and let him sit on his lap. It was almost sunset, and he wanted to ask something to his son.

“Otosan, why did you take me away from okasan?” young Haru would ask

Takeda just blankly looked at

“Haru, you listen to me. When one day you have to decide on something that you consider dear, just remember Haru, be responsible with it. Weigh on its pros and cons and balance the yin and yang. We believe that it is necessary to balance everything and avoid disrupting its natural course. If your decision would disrupt it, it is beyond my control. But learn to take responsibility and not make a mess of it. It is considered a blasphemy against the gods. I hold you dear just like how I treat your mother.”

It was the last time he heard his father. The next was the news he heard about him. It was inevitable considering what he was doing. But still it took a toll on Haru and his mother.

Waruii mourned for the departed samurai.

A decade has passed, and a man in a black garment visited their place. No one knew a thing about him. His face was radiant, far from the rugged and tired look of the folks of Waruii. He went straight to the residence of Haru and his mother.

And when Kagome asked what his purpose for visiting was, he cried.

“I am sorry, not for anything but for not letting you know and letting you be left out in the dark. It wasn’t our intention.”

At that time Kagome knew. But she didn’t speak. She wasn’t angry. She always knew. Before she even settled down, she felt it. But because she loved every bit of him, she accepted him, even before he discovered and knew himself. She was happy that for once, Takeda, who had battles within him, had won a battle, even if he felt he hid them well. It was an open secret for his wife, Kagome. She let him have the peace and freedom he deserves when he’s with someone he holds dear.

Haru later knew about it.

It angered him. Knowing that he deprived himself and portrayed the perfect son that his father never failed to teach him. He rebelled and did the things his father made him believe weren’t morally upright. He let his emotions take over his life. His anger fueled it. Everyone was aware of it but dared not call him out. His wayward life soon covered the upright life his father established, and every bit of it satisfied Haru. His once lukewarm personality is now boiling and burning from anger.

He thought he and his mother think similar, but what he doesn’t know is that his mother is crying every night, in mourning, not for Takeda but for the lost sweet Haru.

He was consumed by his anger that the things that were taken from him weren’t really making him happy. It was out of rebellion. It wasn’t out of love. It was nothing compared to what his father had.

Later in the morning, Haru saw his mother doing kintsugi again. It started after decade of his father’s death. He did not expect it from his mother, since she has no patience with any crafts at all.

He approached his mother and asked, ”Okasan, why did you decide to start doing kintsugi? What was your reason? I am just wondering because you normally don’t have a load of patience when doing crafts. Well, technically, it is not a craft. Just fixing things.”

Kagome smiled at him and said, “Haru, as you said, it is fixing things. It is a way of taking responsibility for your decisions. When you used a mug and put tons of ice in it, then took everything out and filled it with boiling water. It is a decision. And as a result, it now has a crack. You cannot use it, or it’ll harm you. Just like what you’ve been doing for the past months, it is normal to be enraged, but it is not right to do the things you once wanted to make it look unpleasant. You have been waiting for this moment. You did not need to see the man that day. You took the opportunity to use it and justify what you were planning to do. You have to heal. You

Graphics

by Cyen

Esclanda

Page Layout by Darwin Escaro

Ni Jay Vhie Abunda