"Are you Kang Seulgi?" Nag-aayos ng tent si Seulgi nang may magtanong sa kanya. Tumayo s'ya sa pagkakaluhod at nagpagpag ng suot.

"Parang dapat lumuhod ako ulit." Ang una n'yang nasabi sa babae. She mentally kicked herself for saying it out loud.

Kang Seul, ayusin mo!

"Huh?"

"Sorry, yes po. I'm Seulgi. Bakit po?"

"Sabi ni Mr. Lee we should go in pairs para mas madali. Do you have a partner na?" Napalunok si Seulgi; sa tuyong lalamunan o kaba, hindi s'ya sigurado.

"I-wala pa po."

"Can I go with you? I don't see anyone around my age and mostly by pair na sila eh."

"Sure!" Her voice was loud enough para marinig ng ibang tao sa paligid kaya nahiya s'ya matapos sumagot. The woman in front of her giggled and Seulgi's lips automatically formed a smile.

Ang ganda naman n'ya.

"Bae Joohyun."

"Hmm?"

"My name."

"Bae Joohyun."

"Kang Seulgi." They repeated each other's names consecutively.

Habang nag-seset ng table si Irene para sa lunch nila, hindi maiwasan ni Seulgi na titigan s'ya.

"What if tumulong ka sa'kin para makakain na tayo, Gi?" Hindi n'ya alam kung paano s'ya nakita dahil nakatalikod naman ito.

"Ha? Gi?"

"Yes, ang haba kasi ng Seulgi."

"Dalawang syllables lang naman?"

"Mhmm." Seulgi sat in front of Irene, finishing the table by putting utensils on each sides of their plates, and pouring water in their cups.

"Hyun."

"Dahil mahaba ang Joohyun?"

"Yes po, Hyun."

"P'wede 'wag ka na mag-po? It's clear naman that I'm older-"

"Tayaga?! Himdi hayata. Akaya ko we'w the shame age." Napakunot ng noo si Irene sa punong-puno na bibig ni Seulgi.

"Ngumuya ka nga muna. And yes, mas matanda ako sa'yo, I think. How old are you again?"

"19."

"I'm 22. Senior high ka? Ang bata mo pa."

"Hindi ah. Ang tanda ko na kaya."

"We're surrounded by people in their thirties, hustisya para sa kanila, Gi." Seulgi looked around and realized that they're the youngest in the camp.

"Pero I feel old pa rin. Sumasakit na nga likod ko kahit 19 lang ako, and I feel that I need to be responsible na." Irene drank her water and tapped the table with her fingers.

"18-25 is the confusing age. We're stuck kasi from enjoying our lives and building our career. Adulthings, like they said. Parang napunta tayo bigla sa ibang mundo, ipinasok tayo sa portal pero hindi tumuloy sa Adulthood, nasa gitna tayo." Irene said, head tilted towards the sky, watching the clouds pass by their heads.

"Minsan hindi ko na sigurado kung tama pa ba ginagawa ko sa buhay. Tinutuloy ko na lang kasi kailangan. Parang iniisip ko na lang na I'll figure it out once I get there."

"Pero ang hirap, 'di ba? Late na ako nag-aral, mga ka-batch ko graduating na. Walang sumusuporta sa'kin, sarili ko lang. I feel like giving up sometimes but I'd love to see if life have something reserved for me in the future."

But I'd love to see if life have something reserved for me in the future, wow.

"Kakayanin mo, Hyun. Never hesitate to look back, to look at your progress. That helps me sometimes." Their eyes met and locked for a few seconds before Irene smiled at her.

"You're pretty, Gi." And Seulgi felt her face heat up.

***

"So, this is how you spend summer?" They were behind the rest of the group, keeping some distance in order to freely talk about life.

"Ngayong summer lang. I want to try something new, something healing, something that would clear my mind. How about you, Gi? First time mo rin mag-camping?"