The Rhapsody

Jake was a gentleman from an island in the Visayas who came to Metro Manila for the college scholarship. He took a Bachelor of Arts major in Philosophy at the University of the Philippines - Diliman Campus. He grew up in the countryside, he was not fond of city life. He preferred to stay inside the university the whole day. He also resided in the male dormitory inside the university campus. He only went out once a month, only when he really need to buy something.

One time he represented the university in an intercollegiate competition, where he met Hannah, one of his competitors. Jake and Hannah entered the Final of the competition. It was tight yet in the end, one was declared as the champion. It was Hannah.

Hannah was a girl gifted both physically and intellectually. She seemed to be more confident because she grew up in the big city. Also, she belonged to a well-off family as she was the only daughter of a businessman.

Jake offered his hand to Hannah to congratulate her. Hannah accepted his hand with a pleasant smile. It was a simple act of sportsmanship. However, as they shook each other's hand, there was something happening inside of them that they could not explain. Yet, both Jake and Hannah had just kept by themselves what they felt at that moment.

At night in his dormitory, Jake was on his bed but could not sleep. He could not take off his mind the magic of her handshake. He could not help but remember her pleasant smile. It was the first time for him to be bothered by a lady, as he was totally focused on academics during his high school days.

He decided to call his mother to talk about his feeling at that moment. He heard her ringtone but no one picked up the mobile phone. Josephine, his mother, was already asleep at that moment. She was really tired as she was busy the whole day working as a Barangay Health Worker. No other person could pick up the phone as she was alone since her only son went to the big city.

After three long missed calls, Jake gave up. He rather opened his Friendster account and search for the girl. He tried to recall her name. He remembered the host introduced her as Hannah Irish Duran. He typed on the engine search: Hana Iris Doran as he did not know the correct spelling. Yet he still found Hannah Irish whose profile photo was an old picture of a baby girl.

Jake clicked to open her profile and he found no other picture in her account. He doubted if she was he was looking for. However, when he read some whereabouts, he found out that she was studying at Ateneo de Manila University. He said to himself, probably she is the one. Jake sent a smile message to Hannah because he really did not know how to start the conversation.

Hannah usually would not bother to reply to a message from a stranger, but when she read the name of the sender, it was Joaquin Yugo. She remembered the host mentioned that name during the competition. It was the name of the man whose memory bothering him at that moment. She replied to him with a smile.

Jake congratulated her again, "Congratulations, Lady in Blue! You did it well!" Then he introduced himself, "I am the one in maroon, from UP." Hannah replied her gratitude to him, "Thank you! I am glad you find me here." And that was the beginning of their friendship.

The two became close to each other virtually. They talked about anything that might come to their mind. They shared almost everything even about their personal life. And they found to each other the comfort they were longing for.

As he knew her more, it came to his mind that someday he would introduce her to his parents. It seemed that he had found the girl of his dream. He felt something special deep inside as they talked to each other. However, he did not dare to court her yet.

On her part, Hannah also felt the same. She was always happy every time he received a message from Jake. She also wished she could introduce him to his father. Though she only met him once, there was a feeling deep inside she could not deny. She knew they were meant to be more than friends. She was waiting for him to court her.

Jake always shared about his mother. Hannah felt a little envy because she grows up without his mother. Her parents were separated when he was still a little girl. Arthur, her father would not like to talk about her mother, so she did not bother to ask him. Hannah had several stepmothers but none of them treated her well. For such reason, their relationship with Arthur did not last long.

When Hannah shared with Jake about his father, Jake also felt a little envy. He only knows his father as a financial provider, and nothing more than that. He was told that his father Turoy was working abroad. He only met him thrice.

Jake's most memorable moments with Turoy were when he taught him to play guitar. When Hannah heard about it, she challenged him to record himself on a video playing guitar for her to see and hear. The gentleman did not hesitate to do it.

The lady was totally amazed when she had watched her friend doing the Bohemian Rhapsody. It led her to the idea of introducing him to her father who was also a skilled musician. She was certain that her father would like this guy so she invited him to Arthur's birthday to perform that Bohemian Rhapsody, her father's favorite.

Jake refused Hannah's invitation because he could not imagine himself performing in front of the crowd. But Hannah said that it would just a simple family affair. They will just spend one night in an exclusive resort with their closest relatives. "I will fetch you at your school and we will go together to the resort in Laguna," Hannah offered to her friend. "You will have your own room to spend the night, I promise you will be safe there," she added as she really wanted him to introduce him to his father during his birthday. She was certain that Arthur would appreciate Jake's guitar performance.

As he felt the sincerity of her invitation, Jake had responded to it positively. However, a few days later, he received a call from his father. Turoy told him that he was going back to the Philippines and would like to meet him upon his arrival on the 13th of August. That date was also the birthday of Hannah's father, so he told him to postpone it as he already had an appointment on that day. But Turoy insisted that date, as according to him, he would go to the Visayas the following.

"Even an hour, my son, I just want to be with you on that day," Turoy wanted to convince him. "But, Papa, my friend's invitation is in Laguna, it may take a longer time to be there," Jake explained. "If I only knew it before that you are coming, I should have not accepted the invitation," he added. "Don't worry, we are also going to Laguna," the father told his son, I can bring it to your friend's place if you like. Jake accepted his father's proposal to meet him on the 13th.

After his conversation with his father, Jake sent a message to his friend that not fetch him at the university on the 13th because he would be with his father then. He might be late but he would make sure to come, as he promised. Hannah was a little upset but she chose to understand him.

When the day had come, Turoy fetched his son at the university. He drove the car, while his son was amazed that his father owned an expensive vehicle. The two were not talking inside the car. The father was just focused on driving, while the son preferred to practice for his performance in front of Hannah's father. Though his son's behavior was a little bit strange, he was still so happy being with him. Especially when he heard him doing the Rhapsody, he could not help but to shed some tears.

It took more than an hour they had arrived at Laguna yet. Jake was a little bit worry it seemed that he was going to break his promise to his friend. He had a little regret but he had nothing to do with it anymore, so he just continues playing his guitar. Finally, they had arrived at the resort. It seemed it resorted that Hannah had told.

There was a celebration there. It was a birthday party. Hannah was there. It was the birthday of Arthur also known as Turo. Both Jake and Hannah were shocked when they knew they were siblings. And when they shook each other's hand again, both of them realized what went on the first time they did it.