“Can we talk now?”

“About what?”

“Kanina, and everything that happened.”

After we dropped Hyoyeon back at my neighborhood, the car was filled with awkward silence. We didn’t make up when we we’re at the mall, and we didn’t even make an eye contact when we drove back at home, it’s frustrating na she’s here acting like we didn’t argue about those ‘things’ and now I’m stuck thinking how I will talk to her when she kept distancing herself to me.

Nangyari na ‘to noon, and I was hoping na mas madali naming maayos ‘to kasi magkasama naman kami sa iisang bubong, pero all at once parang LDR pa rin yung setting kase ang layo-layo niya sakin. Like sa laruan lang naman talaga nagsimula lahat and then ayan, ganyan na bigla, hindi ko na siya pinatulan kanina sa Babyzone, I let her decide for everything tapos hindi pa rin pala okay.

She put down her bag and sat at the dining table, tinabihan ko siya para makapag-usap na kami kasi kanina pa talaga siya walang imik. Inisip ko na lahat ng pwede niya pang ikinainis when we were heading back to her apartment, pero wala naman nangyari nung panahon na ‘yon, the problem here, gusto niyang hulaan ko yung problema like, how? Communication matters din naman.

I keep my temper low and tranquil as to not create any unnecessary arguements with her, I casually clenched my fists so that whenever I feel like my mood starts to rise up, sa kamay ko na lang ibabaling lahat. I took a deep breath before I looked at her and asked again.

“Ano ba kasing problema kanina? Hindi mo ko kinikibo ng maayos hanggang makauwi tayo. Bukod pa ron sa laruan, why are you acting like that?” Siguro naman kalmado na siya ngayon at kaya na kong sagutin ng maayos. We are just staring at each other until her lips finally broke apart and answered my calm question.

“Wala, naiinis lang talaga ako kanina sayo, other than that, para ka pang galit nung pinagsasabihan kita sa pera mo. And when I mentioned Yifan, lalo ka nang hindi makausap ng matino.” Pasensya Yuri, pasensya. Sobrang liit na bagay non, tapos pinag-uusapan pa rin namin ngayon. Hinayaan ko na nga lang yung pagtawag mo sa kanya kasi ayoko nang dumagdag sa init ng ulo mo.

“Hindi naman ako galit, nagegets ko naman yung point. I know you’re being concern but the thing about Yifan, nakakaselos din kasi, na parang ang bilis mo magdecide pag siya yung nagsabi. I told you about the garment I like pero dinaanan mo lang ako, but when he said he wants something, hinanap mo agad.”

“I’m sorry about the garment, I was busy na rin trying to look for the clothes he told me, I’m sorry sobrang lala lang ng temper ko kanina, I understand you for being excited kasi ako rin naman. I mean? Aren’t we all? Baka lang talaga hormones ko ang may problema.”

Yon talaga yung unang pumasok sa isip ko kung bakit ang lala ng inis niya ngayon. Other than my actions, I know hormonal imbalance lang yan. I sighed in relief, atleast I didn’t trigger anything else, or anything na makakasama ng loob mo, I stood up and took the ice cream you bought a while ago, nakayuko ka pa rin until I slid the cup near at your hands, naupo ulit ako, pero hindi mo pa rin ako tinitignan, so I lift your head using my index finger at nakita kong umiiyak ka na naman.

I positioned my hands where your jaw perfectly fits and leaned your face towards my lips, I kissed your tears away. Your eyes closed in reflex as my skin warms your eyelid, I don’t like it when you cry, I don’t like it when you’re sad. I waited until these trails of tears disappear from your cheeks. Matagal kang nakapikit kaya sinubo ko na sayo yung ice cream para dumilat ka, I giggled at how cute your eyebrows scrunched while your hands suddenly touched mine, I can say we’re finally okay when your eyes formed into a beautiful eyesmile. Binigay ko na sayo yung cup and let you finish it habang inaayos ko na ulit yung mga naiwang container sa counter.

“Pagkatapos mo diyan pahinga ka na sa kwarto, Ako na bahala rito. Teka pala? Are you gonna wash up? Do I need to turn on the heater?” I suggested, at tumango ka naman sakin. You stood up, placed the cup on the table, and gave a peck on my lips...Jessica Jung napaka tease talaga! Before I could grab your arm, you ran inside our room and closed it, kahit pa magtago ka, I already saw you blush.

“Hindi mo na naman ako sinagot! Pero iopen ko na yung heater ha. In case maliligo ka pa!” I shouted, hindi naman nagtagal, lumabas ka na ulit at naglakad diretsong CR hindi na kita pinansin baka hindi ako makapag pigil, samahan pa kita maligo.

Everything was set, naorganize ko na lahat ng groceries, nakapaghugas na rin ako ng plato at iniintay na lang kitang matapos maligo. It’s been a long day and my legs hurt so much from all the walking, pagkahiga ko, feeling ko anytime makakatulog na ‘ko. I remember how I could hardly sleep at night to the point naabutan ko na ang pagsikat ng araw. I have come this far, I have gone through a lot, at pagkatapos lahat ng sakit, makakatulog pa rin pala ‘ko ng payapa.

Ramdam ko ang pagbigat ng mata ko, habang patuloy lang sa pagtakbo yung oras. Pero thirty minutes na hindi ka pa rin bumabalik ng kwarto, ang tagal mo talagang maligo, at sakto naman when I repositioned myself, you came only wearing a bathrobe, and a towel wrapped around your head, I watch you do your skin routine tapos ako naman, pagod na nakahilata sa kama mo. I want to sleep already but your skin really comes first before you decided to lay next to me. Bumangon muna ako at lumabas para makapaghilamos, the way you take care of face invites me to do the same, I kinda hate it here but okay.

“Nga pala, I forgot to tell you, Yoong has started a sideline business, baka guto mo itry, she opened it weeks ago and looking for people to help her... Ano 'yon, something like small chicken restaurant around their town.” Para akong nabuhayan ng dugo sa sinabi mo, hindi ako makuhanan before ni Soo, so siguro para dito talaga ako.

“Really? Nagluluto pala si Yoona? Bale ano ba hanap niya? I can apply for anything, magkatrabaho lang.” You took the flyer na nakaipit sa ilalim ng TV and gave it to me, as I look at it, everything looks nice for a starting employee like me.

“Slight? Minsan kasi nagbabaon siya ng food sa office, and we suggested na additional income rin kung mag sideline siya ng business.” That’s actually good.

“Kailan pa siya nag open? I mean nung mismong business niya?”

“Three weeks. Binigay niya kasi samin to second week na, so ano? Do you wanna try? I can give you her number kung wala ka pa?”

“Sounds great, I’ll send her tonight an email. At ikaw bumalik ka na sa loob, sleep na, wag ka magpupuyat.”

“Goodnight love, sunod ka na lang after mo diyan.”

“Sure sure, Goodnight, have a good sleep.”

Everything seems to be doin