Minjeong's

"How does it feel?"

"Hmm?"

"Having an older sister?" Nasa second floor na ata kami when she asked.

"Okay lang naman pero depende sa mood ni Ate. Ang taray kasi non, pero may time naman na loko-loko s'ya gaya no'ng naglagay s'ya ng semento sa bag ko, 'yung isang block. Ang alikabok tuloy ng mga damit ko." She chuckled at my story. Cute.

"She must be fun to be with kahit mataray s'ya like you said." I stopped to think about what she said.

"Yeah, sa kan'ya ako nagsasabi ng mga bagay-bagay eh." We continued to go upstairs.

"Solo ka bang anak?" She didn't answer kaagad. Is it a sensitive topic?

Magso-sorry sana ako but then she started.

"My family is complicated. From what I know, Dad left because Mom kept spending his money without him knowing. They've been together for years kaya it was weird dahil hindi ba it's supposed to be 'their' money? But anyway, Okay lang daw if Mom's buying me stuff pero, it was all hers. I only get clothes from her pero used na, never brand new. It's in good condition, naman though I wish everything was like that na lang din. I wish my parents, despite being worn out, were still on good terms with each other. But maybe some people can't work on their differences, so they opt for annulment. My Mom won the custody war, which was not the best for me dahil I'm closer with Dad." I didn't say anything and decided to listen na lang.

"But, sabi n'ya I can't be with him. He didn't explain why and I didn't ask na rin kung bakit. I see him during weekends lang. Minsan I have things to do kaya sinasabi n'ya next time na lang pero whatever I'm doing, I can leave that to spend a day with him. But I guess he's really busy these days." Tumango na lang ako kahit hindi ko alam kung nakikita ba n'ya.

"Sorry." 'Yun lang lumabas sa bibig ko.

"It's okay." Her sad smile made me regret asking, but I also didn't expect she'd tell me all this. Can I assume na she's comfortable enough to share something this private?

"Do you feel uncomfortable? Na pagusapan natin 'to?" I reached for the keys sa bulsa ko and gave it to her.

She opened the door to our room, agad nagtanggal ng jacket, at humiga sa kama. I did the same thing but hanggang sa jacket lang.

Bigla n'yang ni-pat ang side ng bed ko, "Higa."

It wasn't a question or a request.; she ordered me to go to my side of the bed, and I gladly followed.

I kinda copied her position; the bed is not that big, naman pero it was enough for our small figures. So, we will be inches away, facing each other... or not kasi p'wedeng tumalikod ako or humarap sa ceiling, as usual.

'Yun na lang ginawa ko da