(N/A: ito si Mochi ni Winter)

Karina's

We got awkward after that pero it kind of disappeared after a few seconds when she talked about filters and photography.

"Can you send my photos? Try ko rin 'yung filter."

(Convo)

"Ganda ko talaga." She murmured after editing the pictures I had taken.

"Let me see." Instead of showing me her phone, I received a message instead.

"Tingnan mo na."

(Convo)

Bigla akong napatingin sa kan'ya. She was trying not to laugh or something so I checked the last message she sent again.

(Convo)

"Edi thank you."

"Edi you're welcome."

Nakatingin lang ako sa baba where my phone is. Nakabukas pa rin 'yung conversation namin and I'm just staring at her pictures. I happen to glance at my wrist, tsaka ko lang naalala why we're here.

"Bakit cutie pangalan ko? Do you find me cute?" I turned off my phone immediately. I didn't know she was looking.

"Invasion of privacy. Ano naman kung cutie? Totoo naman." She looked away, a pink tint on her cheeks. See? A cutie.

"Bracelet ko pala? I need to go home soon." Natigilan s'ya bigla. Naghalungkat s'ya sa mga bulsa n'ya, searching for the thing that led to this moment. She checked her jacket, her shorts, pockets inside the jacket pero mukhang wala ata.

"." I heard her whisper.

"Nawawala?" I asked calmly despite the growing panic inside me. My Dad gave that bracelet and it's important to me but I didn't even notice it missing. A person's presence is better than the things they give.

"Nakalimutan ko ata sa table sa kwarto ko." She immediately called someone, at the same time, my phone rang as well.

It was Manang Elsa.

Manang Elsa: Ma'am, kailangan mo na po umuwi.
Karina: Now na po? Bakit po?
Manang Elsa: Umalis na po si Mama mo dala lahat ng gamit. Inyo na lang po ang naiwan dito.
Karina: Ha? Sige po, pupunta na ako.

Mom is at it again. I don't exactly understand what Manang meant but I don't care, lagi naman n'ya 'tong ginagawa. I'm gonna have to call Dad later.

"Karina-

"Winter-" We surprisingly said at the same time. I gestured na s'ya na mauna.

"Ano, isang sakay lang naman bahay namin dito. Kung okay lang sa'yo eh kukuhain ko na lang sa bahay. Pina-check ko kay Mama, nasa table ko nga. Sorry." She shyly said, biting her fingernails again.

I can say no but I don't want to deal with Mom right now. What if isama ko na lang din s'ya sa bahay?

"Can we go to my house first? I just need to get something." I wish she'll say yes-

"Sure! Okay lang naman. Malayo ba?" I smiled at that.

"Pwede natin lakarin pero pwede rin tayo mag-taxi." Kumunot noo n'ya sa sinabi ko.

"Ang layo naman ng sagot mo pero sige lakad na lang tayo." Our house isn't that far, probably 5 minutes kung nag-taxi kami pero it's a 15-minute walk from here.

Habang naglalakad kami, naisip ko bigla na bigyan ng pasalubong si Manang.

"Can we go inside pala muna? I'll just buy something." Tumango lang s'ya at dumeretso na kami sa loob. We went to buy donuts for Manang and for us na rin since Winter couldn't take her eyes off the sweets.

"You have a sweet tooth pala."

"Hehe." 'Yun lang sinabi n'ya then she continued eating. Cute.

We were about to leave the mall when I saw someone familiar.

"Winter... is that?"

"Ate Chulgi!" Winter shouted with full. I just laughed inside as I watched her go run to Ate Seulgi.

As I got closwer to them, tsaka ko lang nakita na our senior was crying. I rummaged through my bag and gave her tissues. I think I have a spare handkerchief and gave it to her once I found it. She took it while sniffing, her cheeks were wet with tears. Namumula na ilong n'ya from crying.

"Okay ka lang po ba?" I asked but she couldn't speak properly. It was hard for her to breathe as well. We tried to lead her outside so we could move away from unwanted attention. Ang dami na rin kasing nakatingin.

"Ano pong nangyari?" Winter asked this time. Tumingin s'ya sa exit kaya napatingin din ako, but I didn't see anyone or anything naman, just the guard by the door. May mga tao lang na naglalakad papalabas at papasok.

"Wala, uhm, thank you sa panyo... Jimin. Ibalik ko na lang kapag nakita kita or something. Sige, thank you sa inyo, I have to go." Nagmadali s'ya umalis and we're left there just looking at her figure going farther and farther.

"Ano kaya nangyari kay ate Seul?" She asked while we're walking. I thought about it, too.

I think I saw someone familiar before ko makita si Ate Seulgi but I'm not sure who that is or kung kasama ba n'ya o hindi.

"I don't know. Did you see anyone else you know? Like lumabas sa exit? Ate Seulgi looked outside when you asked her what happened eh." Either she pouted or she was trying to clean her teeth full of chocolate.

"Meron! Parang kahawig nga ni Ate Irene? Pero hindi ko kaagad nasabi kasi nakita natin si Ate Seulgi." Hmm... Is something going on between them?

"Giraffe, penge tubig." Sabi n'ya habang hinahawakan throat n'ya. Sumakit ata sa sobrang daming sweets.

"Do you think there's something going on between them?" Biglang nasamid si Minjeong, I told her to drink water ulit para mawala.

"Bakit mo naman naisip 'yun?" I took the bottle from her at nilagay ulit sa bag. This