SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT
by Nina Sheryll S. Villegas

"Here's your iced coffee É ma'am!" He said with a smile, making sure the last word was dragged longer than the others.

His voice startled me, as it always does. "What?" I almost forgot where I was.

"Your coffee. I said it's ready to be sipped and enjoyed É ma'am." There he goes again.

"There you go again!" I said, flushed. He took a seat beside me, and immediately snatched a cigarette out of a newly bought pack. He formed what seemed to be a smirk.

"There I go again with what?"

"You know how much I hated to be called MA'AM!"

He lit the cigarette and said between puffs,

"But you are my teacher!"

"WAS your teacher. I WAS your teacher." I retorted, making sure my irritation was evident.

He smiled again, took a sip from his cup, and leaned towards me.

"I was just kidding."

"Yeah, I know." I looked away, avoiding his gaze. I pretended to admire the newly planted bougainvilleas along the walkway.

"Thanks for teaching me. Have I improved?"

"Yes, you have. You're officially the best English-speaking Korean in Manila today." We both laughed at that.

He touched my elbow. "Are you still mad at me?"

"For calling me MA'AM? No," I answered, taking a sip from my coffee.

"I mean, from what I told you last night. Are you still upset?" He was still touching my elbow.

"Nah." I took a sip, and once again, admired the bougainvilleas. This FIGARO location is one branch I will never forget. I brushed his hand off my elbow.
Sun lit his third cigarette. "You're too quiet!" He quipped.

I shifted my gaze from the bougainvilleas to the withering sunflowers a few meters away. "Hmm," was all I could reply.

"Hmmm what?" I noticed he had already finished his coffee.

I looked at him for the first time that afternoon. "Tell me Sun, why did you come back?"

He puffed three times before answering. His look was suddenly distant. "What do you want me to say? I already told you. I want to live and work here in your country because it's cheaper. I can earn the same amount I'm earning in Korea, while the standard of living is not as high." He said all these without looking at me.

I sipped from my coffee. "Oh."

He touched my elbow again. I'm beginning to associate touching elbows with hearing bad news. "I'm really sorry," he muttered, albeit sincerely.

I raised a brow. "For what?"

"For everything." He crossed his legs and leaned back on his seat.

"Excuse me?" I pretended not to understand.

"You have been so kind to me." It was his turn to look away.

I took another sip. "This coffee's delicious."

He was obviously surprised at the change of topic. "Of course, that's your favorite."

"But not yours. You like the fancy ones, with the works."

He puffed on his fifth stick. "Oh, anything with caffeine is fine with me."

I sighed. "Yeah, like anything curvaceous with big bumpers is fine with you."

He choked and inhaled the smoke. "What?!"

"Nothing."

He was mad. I could tell from the way he moved his chair closer to mine.
"What the hell are you talking about?"
I tried to move my chair away from his. I failed. "Nothing! Forget it. I mean, really."

He puffed on his cigarette faster. "Are you accusing me of something here?"

I took a moment to breathe heavily. "Sun, I already know. Your friend told me everything. John told me everything."

His eyes widened. I knew he was thinking of a quick reply. "But I already told you last night I can't be your boyfriend."

I finished my coffee. "Yeah, but you never told me why. But John explained everything."

He placed the butt in the ashtray. "We can't be lovers because of cultural differences."

"Oh please!" I exclaimed, "don't you dare give me that crap about cultural differences. I know several Korean-Filipino couples that got along just fine. So please."

He looked away. "That's why I'm so sorry."

It was my turn to touch his elbows. "That's okay, Sun. I know you can never love me. I tried, but I can't make you. That's okay," I paused, "good luck with Lisa."

He froze at the mention of her name. "How did you Ð"?

"John told me, remember? I know you're going to be married with her next week. She must be really special. And she's Filipino, so it's not about cultural differences, is it?"

He was flustered. "I really wish I went out with you first Ð"

I laughed nervously. "Please, Mister Sun, stop patronizing me. I was your teacher at that time, so it was virtually impossible for us to have gone out."

"Thanks for teaching me English. You are my best teacher."

I lightened up. "I was your only teacher, silly!"

He held my hand this time. "Will you attend my wedding? I have told my parents a lot about you and they want to meet the teacher who made me become a better English speaker."

I was speechless for a moment. "Why, of course. I'll be there."

"Thank you for being so kind to me. Thank you for loving me even when you know I can't love you back." He bowed his head.

I smiled. "I never asked you for anything in return, did I? I was happy doing that."

He let go of my hand. "Hey, when my fiancŽe arrives here from the province, will you go out with us for coffee? She has heard so much about you, and wants to thank you for teaching me. She's also a sucker for iced coffee, like you."

All I could do was nod as I finished my coffee.