A MESSAGE TO MY DONGSAENG (동생)

You turn 23 today! Where did the time go? You were just this kid I used to visit in his room during elementary days just to sweep off your sweat and put powder on your back. I can still remember that day you got into a banter with your classmate that you ended up breaking your teacher’s mirror. You were too scared I had to talk to her. I was your heroine. Now, you don’t even bat an eyelash when I threaten to kill you. LOL

Growing up, summer is probably our favorite season. Those mornings we played basketball with tatay. I got my boyish demeanor from the both of you. We spent our afternoons playing games, from Mario Kart to Tekken. We loved going to the field to catch dragonflies. I just realized we shouldn’t have. Poor creatures! We tried making up snack as if we were in Yakitate!! Japan. How silly we were as kids?! On evenings, we stayed up all night watching One Piece. Do you know where we kept the DVDs? Did we lost it? I can’t remember if we even finished the whole thing. 😂 We went on the same High School and both learned the guitar. Though, you always do better more than I. Even in academics, you always excel. BUT YOU HAVE TO ADMIT THAT I’M NOT THAT BAD IN MATH. YOU ARE JUST A GENIUS. YOU ALSO HAVE TO ADMIT THAT MY GRAMMAR IS BETTER THAN YOURS. HAHAHAHA! I loved all the days spent with you. Especially those times we had to go to the computer shop and asked tatay to buy us cards to play Ragnarok; those times we attempted all the online games possible—Gunbound, Gunz, O2Jam, Dota, just to name a few.

I don’t know if we consider each other close. We don’t really talk much. Even more so, we always fight. But, I’d like you to know that I always feel guilty after we have one. Despite all our shits, I know that we will always have each other’s back.

Like, that time you lost your scholarship, we couldn’t reach you. We didn’t know where you were. You didn’t want to go home because you thought you fail us. Kid, we failed you more. I wouldn’t forget how hard you cried. I wish we were in a better circumstance then. I don’t know if you remember but I told you we were going out that day. I wanted you to know it was okay. I wanted you to know that it wasn’t the end. We had milktea. It didn’t bring back what has been gone but it made us feel better somehow. That’s probably the day I started loving the beverage.

Also, I forgot to thank you on this specific day. It was my graduation and our parents argued, leaving just nanay and I to attend the ceremony. You were sleeping that time that we didn’t bother to wake you up. But, just when I was about to go up on the stage, you were there cheering me on. You have no idea how much I wanted to cry then and there—seeing you all smiles. Thank you for always supporting your noona. I hope you know that I support all your dreams, too. May it be cardistry or your gaming career. Kapit ka lang.

We were never jealous of each other. We didn’t mind if someone is “the favorite”. We even spoil each other with food! I guess that’s all thanks to our parents. We had a good upbringing.

I know this is not our thing. Well, I don’t even know if you read my blog. HAHAHA! These are just a few things I wanted to say that I couldn’t out loud. We both know how bad we are with conversations. I just hope we will open up to each other more. I’m not the best ate but I’d listen. I will always listen.

Happy birthday, bunso! I love all the days spent with you. I am always proud of you. You deserve a post in this blog. I love you. 💙