Where the Heart Simmered

CHAPTER 2

LUNA WAS AWAKENED by the delicious aroma of food coming from the kitchen. Napatingin siya sa may kusina at nakita niya si Zayden na nagluluto. She stretched for a second before she arranged her things and went to the kitchen to drink some water.

“Ang haba ng tulog mo, ah.” Sabi ni Zayden.

Tumaas ang isang kilay ni Luna. “Nahiya naman ako sa ‘yo, ah. Eh, mas mahaba nga tulog mo kaysa sa akin.” Aniya.

Natawa na lamang si Zayden saka nagpatuloy sa pagluluto.

“I’ll prepare the table.”

“Marunong ka?” Nang-aasar na tanong ni Zayden.

Inumang ni Luna ang kamao niya sa lalaki pero agad niya itong ibinaba nang lumingon sa kaniya si Zayden. She smiled sweetly. “Marunong naman ako ‘no. Hindi lang talaga ako magaling magluto.”

“Naku. Kawawa magiging asawa mo kapag nagkataon,” sabi ni Zayden. Yeah, he wanted to tease his roommate. Wala lang. Gusto niya lang itong asarin.

“Nang-aasar ka ba?” Inis na tanong ni Luna.

Ngumiti si Zayden. “Obvious ba?”

Luna glared at Zayden and didn’t speak anymore. Baka hindi niya mapigilan ang sarili niya at masuntok niya ito ng hindi niya namamalayan.

Hinanda na lamang ni Luna ang lamesa. The table was small, but it was enough for the two plates, a pot of stew, and a mismatched pair of glasses, which felt oddly intimate.

Luna ladled soup into their bowls with careful movement. She was trying not to spill the soup.

Maya-maya pa ay nagsasalo na ang dalawa na kumakain ng dinner. They ate in silence for a few minutes. The clinks of spoons against ceramics and the faint jazz music from Luna’s phone filled the room.

“Lagi ka bang nakikinig ng music kapag kumakain ka?” hindi mapigilang tanong ni Zayden. And he couldn’t help but tap his spoon along with the beat.

Tumango si Luna. “Yeah, but not all the time. Sometimes podcasts. But jazz keeps my hand moving. Makes the room feel…well, less quiet.”

Napatango naman si Zayden.

“Taste good by the way.” Puri ni Luna sa pagkain.

“Oo naman ‘no. Professional chef kaya ‘to.” Pagmamayabang ni Zayden sa sarili.

Luna rolled her eyes. At nagbuhat pa ng sariling bangko ang loko. She can’t refute that dahil totoo naman ang sinabi ni Zayden. “Remind me not to praise your cooking again.”

Zayden chuckled softly. “At least totoo ang ipinagmamayabang ko.” Proud niyang saad. “But I like it. I like the music filling the room. Kinda feels like we’re in a tiny café that I forgot we’re inside the apartment.”

Luna glanced at Zayden. “Oo nga pala. Baka magselos ang girlfriend mo dahil may kasama ka sa apartment. You had better explain.”

Kumunot ang noo ni Zayden. “Saan mo naman nakuha ang chismis na ‘yan? At sino naman ang girlfriend ko na sinasabi mo? I’m single.”

“Oh,” Luna reacted. “Akala ko may girlfriend ka. May mga nali-link kasi sa ‘yo. Well, your brother too, even before he got married.”

Napailing na lamang si Zayden. “Huwag ka kasing madaling maniwala sa mga naririnig at nababasa mo sa social media. They’re not true. It’s a lie.”

Nagkibit na lamang ng balikat si Luna. “Sorry,” she apologized.

“It’s okay,” Zayden said as he continued eating. Later, he reached for the pitcher of water and poured two glasses.

“You know, hindi ako sigurado sa whole roommate thing na ‘to,” Luna said. “But this—” she gestured to the food, the calm— “feels alright.”

Zayden smiled. “Don’t worry. Hindi naman ako masamang tao. You can rest assured,” he said, looking at Luna.

Luna nodded. “Thanks.”

Outside, the city hummed on. Hindi naman nakakairita ‘yong mga ingay sa labas. Ang mga ingay na maririnig mo ay ang ingay ng iilang sasakyan na dumadaan. At ingay ng ilang tao na nasa labas pa rin ng kanilang mga bahay at mga bata na naglalaro sa may kalsada.

“Mas peaceful pa ang probinsiya kaysa sa syudad,” ani Luna.

“Yeah,” Zayden agreed. Mas payapa talaga ang probinsiya kaya sa syudad. Dito sa probinsiya kahit naririnig mo ang ingay ng mga sasakyan at tao, parang ang peaceful pa rin.

Pagkatapos nilang kumain, Luna volunteered to clean the dishes.

The water ran softly in the sink. Luna stood with her sleeves rolled up, scrubbing a plate with slow movements.

Zayden was chuckling from her side as he dried the wet dishes.

“What?” Luna asked.

“Para kang napapractice sa paghuhugas. Marunong ka ba talaga?” tanong ni Zayden. There was no hint of tease, only a voice of curiosity.

Hindi sinagot ni Luna si Zayden saka nagpatuloy na lamang sa paghuhugas.

For a moment, there was only the sound of water and the occasional clink of dishes being stacked to dry.

Luna keeps on sighing.

“May problema ba?” tanong ni Zayden nang mapansing panay ang buntong hininga ni Luna.

Luna’s hands slowed slightly, the sponge hovering over a bowl.

“I guess…” Luna started, voice lower now, “…iniisip ko lang kung gagana ba ito.”

Zayden frowned. “Roommates.”

Tumango si Luna. “You seemed neat and professional. Pero hindi kita kilala maliban na lamang sa pangalan mo. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang ibig sabihin ng pagiging tahimik mo. Well, I’m not quite that type of person.”

Sandaling natahimik si Zayden. Then, “my quiet usually means I’m watching everything and trying not to screw it up.”

Luna looked at Zayden. Nasurpresa siya sa katapatan na naramdaman niya sa boses nito. It’s not about lying or whatsoever… just real.

Tumango si Luna. “I can work with that.”

Zayden smiled. This time, his smile was a little softer. “Thanks.”

Luna passed Zayden another dish. And when they were finished, they both went to their own room and did what they needed to do.

Nagpatuloy si Luna sa pagda-drawing habang si Zayden naman ay nagsusulat ng mga recipe. Maybe in his stay in the countryside, he could write a recipe of five or more. He hopes.

When the clock struck ten, Zayden went to bed to sleep.

The next morning, the scent hit him before the sun did. Sharp. The unmistakable smell of something burning.

Napakurap na lamang si Zayden habang magkasalubong ang kilay. His nose twitching. “Is someone trying to kill a pan?” he muttered groggily, tossing off the blanket.

Barefoot, he padded towards the kitchen, his senses sharpening with every step. The smell thickened in the air like smoke signals of distress.

And there she was, his roommate.

Luna’s hair was tied in a messy ponytail, wearing a big apron, and fanning the pan with a plate like it could undo the damage. Hindi alam ni Zayden kung matatawa ba siya o ano nang makita niya ang sunog na napritong itlog na nakalagay sa pinggan. Umuusok pa nga ito sa init.

Zayden looked at Luna. “What happened to you?”

Luna pointed at the pan. “It happened.”

Napailing na lamang si Zayden. “Sinabi ko kahapon na ako ang magluluto.”

“I was trying to make food for myself.”

“Food?” Zayden was surprised. “More or less, it was a poison. You see?” he pointed to the burnt egg. “It’s black.”

“Hey! Pinaghirapan ko ‘yan.” Pagtatanggol ni Luna habang nakalabi. Kasalanan ba niyang hindi siya marunong magluto. Oo na lumaki siyang may yaya kaya naman hindi niya alam at hindi rin siya tinuruan. May kaya naman ang pamilya niya kaya may yaya siya pero wala na ngayon.

Napailing si Zayden. He lifted the burnt egg with the spatula, and it didn’t bend. “Miss Velasco, this is not an egg. This is a newly made fossil.”

Luna scoffed and crossed her arms. “Fine, Gordon Ramsay. I was trying to be nice.”

Zayden looked at Luna. For unknown reasons, he softened, placing the pan aside and taking the apron from Luna. “Let me do it.”

“I appreciate it. Pero gusto ko pang makita ang bukas, maybe let me handle the eggs next time?”

Luna smirked. “Deal. But I’m making the coffee.”

Tumaas ang isang kilay ni Zayden. “Sigurado ka? Hindi kaya masisira ang toaster niyan?” pabiro niyang tanong.

Inismiran lamang ni Luna si Zayden saka gumawa ng kape.

“Oh, by the way, I’m going to the market later to buy some fruits and vegetables.”

Tumango si Luna. “Sama ako. May bibilhin rin ako.”

Zayden cooked breakfast while Luna made two cups of coffee.

“Hmm…” napatango si Zayden nang malasahan niya ang kape. “At least, you can make a cup of coffee for your husband in the future.”

Natigilan si Luna nang marinig ang huling sinabi ni Zayden. “Asawa?”

“Yeah.”

Luna smiled sadly and just nodded her head.

Kumain na sila ng agahan nang matapos magluto ni Zayden. Pagkatapos nilang kumain, nag-ayos na sila ng sarili at pumunta ng palengke. Walking distance lamang ang palengke sa tinutuluyan nila kaya naglakad na lamang sila kaysa gumamit pa sila ng sasakyan.

Medyo nanibago ang dalawa nang makapunta sila ng palengke dahil iba ito sa syudad. But the good thing was, the price of the commodities was cheaper than in the city.

Dahil wala namang masyadong alam ni Luna pagdating sa mga kakailanganin sa kusina, hinayaan niya si Zayden na mamili. Pero habang pinapanood niya ang binata na namimili, may na-realize siya.

Zayden is a handsome but meticulous man.

Yeah, Zayden was meticulous when it came to buying fish, meat and vegetables. Talagang tinatanong nito kung bagong deliver ang mga isda o di kaya naman ay bagong pitas ang mga gulay na binibenta.

For some reason, Luna thought that Zayden would be a good husband for his future wife in the future.

Luna smiled and shook what was in her head. Ano ba ‘tong mga pinag-iisip ko?

Napabuntong hininga na lamang si Luna.