“Sige naaa let’s go out! You’re always at home eh, let’s just grab a drink then I’ll promise you 'di rin tayo magtatagal, cool?” Tiffany will surely gonna stop bugging Jessica once this homebody decides to leave her apartment, and even after knowing the situation and instances she faced every single day, Tiffany wants her to breathe from it all.

“Bakit ba kasi lalabas pa? You can just come over, I’m telling you I have to look after my son too. Yifan’s not home today.” Jessica said in disappointment, yes, she wanted to go out, spend time with her bestfriend, and get wasted until the morning comes. If it wasn’t today, she wouldn’t have to convince Tiffany to just stay at her apartment over the midnight.

“Anong oras ba kasi ‘yon uuwi? We can come late naman if he’s gonna take so much time. And everyone’s coming kaya need mo ring pumunta.” She was slightly taken aback, what does Tiffany meant by ‘everyone’ kaya ba siya nito pinipilit pumunta? Dahil nandon din ang ‘lahat.’ And if her mind was actually right, parang ayaw na lang niya sumama.

“What do you mean by everyone? I-is Yuri gonna be t-there too?” She’s nervous, her emotions were both unclear and undescribable. Is she ready to see Yuri again? Or will Yuri even try showing up if she’s gonna come tonight? Either way, Jessica didn’t answer that.

“Oo Yuri’s there! She will fly back in France na kaya—oh my god...” Biglang nanahimik ang kabilang linya, she wasn’t supposed to know about that, Yuri just wanted a peaceful gathering before she leaves not inviting her ex-girlfriend around.

“Oh...really? Kelan alis niya?” Para bang may kumirot sa puso niya habang tinatanong ang mga bagay na hindi na niya dapat pang malaman. But at the same time, her ears were so eager for answers, her ears were still ready to hear whatever her reason for leaving will be—kahit pa siya ang dahilan.

“Well, uhm... Yuri didn’t want you to know though, and she wasn’t supposed to invite you... pero kasi I want you to be there, dahil last na ‘to bago siya umalis, she will be staying there for good.” Jessica remained silent, that information was too overwhelming for her to digest all of it in an instant. Hindi rin siya makapag-isip ng maayos kung kakayanin niya bang sumulpot kahit ayaw na siyang makita. And seeing her for the last time, sounded so selfish again.

“I don’t think I should go...kayo na lang pala.” Cheers to another moment of her refusing to see Yuri for countless offers already. Because why not? She doesn’t need to be there, she wasn’t even needed there.

“Come on girl! You know, you should just come for me, I promise Yuri’s not gonna see you the whole night you’re there.” So brave of Tiffany to do this, assuming Taeyeon wouldn’t be on the party as well. But anyways, her heart kept telling otherwise, her heart badly wants to see the love of its life for the last time.

“Ugh, alright Tiff I’ll let you win this time, pero please promise me sasaglit lang tayo ha.”

“I promise. Now get you ready, kita tayo whenever Yifan’s home already.”

Tinignan naman niya ang relong nakasabit sa pintuan, may oras pa siya para mag-isip kung tama pa ba ang mga ginagawa niya. Kung tama bang makita si Yuri kahit ayaw na talaga ng dalaga. No wonder why she really is flying away from her, wala naman na siyang iiwan dito, at wala na rin siyang babalikan kapag nakaalis na siya pabalik ng France. And why is this hurting her? Hindi naman na sila at hindi naman siya ulit maiiwanan, hindi na rin niya kailangan malaman, dahil hindi na siya importante sa kanya. The thought of Yuri having a new life there should be the one Jessica’s gonna celebrate about. Dahil sa wakas, makakabangon na ulit siyang mag-isa, makakapagpatuloy na siya ng hindi kasama si Jessica.

Kris’ haven’t touched the tip of the doorknob, when Jessica already opened it for him, her senses were so quick, eager to leave as soon as she can. He was a bit surprised to see her moving around, but one thing clicked inside his mind—there is something she seriously wants to discuss with him. Hindi na niya hinintay ang dalaga magsalita, at siya na ang kusang nagtanong sa kanya. Jessica wouldn’t be this restless if she didn’t have to go or do something really really important though.
 

“What is it? May sasabihin ka ba sa’kin?”

“Well, ikaw na muna bahala dito mamaya, Tiffany was asking if I could go out with her until midnight, may party lang daw kasi siyang gustong puntahan.”

“Ahh, sure sure. Wala namang problema, pero bakit nagpapaalam ka pa? You can go out anytime you want naman no. You don't have to worry about us, I can handle my boy for the rest of the night.”
 

He winked at her and ran inside the room after Jessica sharply glared at him. What on earth did the gods do for him to be this playful, Jessica suddenly thought to herself, Kris was indeed a great father for any children he will look after, anyone would seriously be lucky to have a Wu Yifan in their lives, but it was unfortunate for him dahil hindi naman siya magugustuhan ng taong mahal niya, kaya nga sila nandito ngayon, dahil babalik na naman si Jessica sa landas na dapat iniwan na niya noon pa.

Truth be told, Jessica was so impulsive to do this, kung hindi ba naman siya parehong marupok kay Tiffany at Yuri, hindi naman talaga siya lalabas ng lungga, hindi naman siya magpapakita sa kanilang lahat, at sabihin na lang na maayos ang lahat sa kanya. Bukod pa 'ron, hindi lang naman talaga si Yuri ang iniiwasan niya, she was trying to avoid everyone’s expectations towards her, she wanted to mask out all of her failures, all of her mistakes just to bring back that perfect image she held for years.

Cheater. That one painful word never left her, it’s the ugliest flaw she never wished to have. Kung pwede lang bumalik sa mga araw na ‘yon, hanggang ngayon nagsisisi pa rin siya sa lahat, sana hindi niya ginawa, sana hindi siya nagpadala, sana naunang kumatok sa isip niya ang mga salitang ‘ay, may girlfriend nga pala ko.’ ‘May hinihintay nga pala ako.’ ‘May nagmamahal nga pala saking higit pa sa binibigay ko.’ Things would be so much better, or maybe things would still be perfect as it was before.

She realized, if that never happened, will she still stay? Will she still fight for the love that was almost breaking them apart? If not, what’s the point? If an alternate universe for them will give the same exact result, sana hindi na lang sila pinagtagpo, sana hindi na lang sila nagmahal para wala na lang masaktan.

Hindi na lang niya namalayan nandito na si Tiffany at kung hindi pa siya pitikin nito sa noo, hindi pa siya makakabalik sa wisyo. She looked worried at the same time nervous, Yuri had no idea what’s going on, and she was uncertain how to hide this woman from her. Tiffany did her best to give Jessica her brightest smile, until both of them can breathe at ease.
 

“You ready?” She asked casually trying to mask the nervousness out of her voice.

“Actually, I’m not. So oo na lang.” Jessica replied in full honesty, hindi na sumagot pa si Tiffany, dahil hindi rin naman siya handa sa lahat ng pwedeng mangyari.
 

As soon as they stepped inside, the atmosphere greeted them comfortably, the humid was indeed cozy, it almost felt like home for Jessica. Suprisingly, Hyoyeon and Sooyoung didn’t knew about this whole unplanned thing, and meeting someone’s familiar eyes made their minds stop for a damn minute, Jessica was caught right at the moment. TAnd the only good news here is that Yuri wasn’t with them, or perhaps haven’t arrived yet.

“Putangina alam ba ni Yuri na nandito ka??” Sooyoung was so frustrated to see Jessica standing at the entrance door knowing Yuri might come out of it any minute.

“Okay, let me explain, she wasn’t supposed to be here, pero pinilit ko lang dahil naawa ako, siya lang yung hindi ininvite ni Yul.” Hyoyeon smacked her face when Tiffany defended Jessica on behalf of them, when will she realize Yuri and Jessica are now exes, they are not even friends who can casually spend time with each other.

“Exactly Tiff, hindi niya talaga iiinvite si Jess boba. Ikaw nga pumunta dahil hindi sumama si Taeng eh...Oh paano mo ngayon itatago yan kay ano?” It was really a bad idea to hide her along with the crowd when the room was literally half-filled. Both Tiffany and Jessica couldn’