Trigger Warning: Depictions of violence and abuse. Proceed with caution.

"So, Gi, have you been in love before?" Pauwi na sila from camping nang maisip ni Irene na mag-ice cream muna bago umuwi.

"Hindi ko sure? Paano ba masasabing in love?"

"Hmm, no matter what they do, you still care for them." Kumuha ng tissue si Irene from her bag at inabot kay Seulgi na natuluan ng ice cream sa damit.

"Para kang bata kumain."

"Para kang nanay."

Hinampas ni Irene si Seulgi sa braso bago itinuloy ang pagkain ng ice cream.

"Ikaw? Na-in love ka na ba before?" Tanong ng bata sa kan'ya.

"Siguro. When I love, I love hard, kaya kahit anong gawin nila, kahit ang tanga ko na tingnan, I still love them." Tumingin si Seulgi kay Irene, not expecting that her heart has been broken before. Sa sobrang ganda kasi ni Irene, mas nai-imagine ni Seulgi na marami na itong pinaiyak na lalaki, or babae, if she's not into men.

"What happened?"

"Hmm, gaya sa first ko. Na-meet ko s'ya sa isang baseball game. Hindi talaga dapat ako manonood kaso mapilit kasi mga kaibigan ko. Kababalik ko lang from the comfort room when I saw her."

Her? Oh my gosh, hindi s'ya straight, Seulgi thought.

"Isa s'ya sa players na hindi ko napansin noong una. Batter ang position n'ya. Before mag-start ang set, she looked at me and smiled. I didn't think much of it noong una pero after the game, lumapit s'ya sa'kin and ask how the game was. She didn't ask for my name, she didn't even acknowledge my friends. Sabi ko sa kan'ya congrats and it was fun. Hindi ko s'ya makalimutan after. How she looked in the field, how graceful and powerful she looks habang tumatakbo. How her smile feels like sunshine. Parang ang saya n'yang kasama. Medyo sad lang kasi I didn't get her name or her number. Pero, after a week, I received a text from an unknown number and it was her. She got my number daw from a friend of a friend na until now I couldn't figure out who. She asked kung gusto ko raw ba lumabas. Sabi ko busy ako dahil working student ako at gabi pa matatapos ang shift ko." She looked at Seulgi and snickered.

"Ang weird kasi you resemble her a little. Medyo same kayo ng smile."

"Talaga?"

"Yeah, smile ka nga." Seulgi followed and smiled.

"Hindi gan'y