Gerald mustered all his courage to ask Kim, "Let's see. Ikaw? Kamusta na kayo ni Xi?"

Kim stopped and looked at Gerald, "What?"

"Sabi ko, Kamusta na kayo ni Xi?"

"What do you mean?"

"Kayo, kamusta kayo?" Gerald asked again. 

Kim wondered why Gerald would ask that question now, "Why?"

"Wala lang. Bawal ba? Friends naman tayo diba?" Gerald tried to hide the sadness in his voice but Kim knew Gerald very well. She just replied curtly, "We're okay."   

Gerald ran his hands through his hair, "Yun lang? "We're okay?"" Kim just nodded at him. 

"Pero..."

Kim raised a hand so as to stop Gerald from talking, "Hep! Nandito na tayo oh!" Kim pouted her lips to point where the carinderia was. Gerald followed the direction and saw the name of the carinderia. He laughed heartily because it was very amusing, he suddenly forgot the question awhile ago. "Really? KG Carinderia?"

Kim laughed along with him. "I know right. I laughed way harder than you nung nadiscover ko 'to. Tara."     

Gerald held her arms to guide her as they entered the carinderia and Kim just let him.

"Naku, Kim! Ikaw ba yan?" A woman about 50s greeted Kim like a long lost friend. The woman hugged Kim the moment she recognized her. 

"Opo, Tita Din. Madami pa bang pagkain?" Kim looked at the table behind Tita Din where the foods were normally placed at. 

Tita Din nodded, "Para sayo, oo kaya lang, nasa back kitchen na." 

Kim happily replied, "Ay. Okay po, tita."

All the long, Gerald was just standing there and smiling at the two women happily chatting. He had his arms crossed as he watched them. 

Tita Din noticed that there was a guy standing close to them. She couldn't recognize the face because of the cap he was wearing. 

She nudged Kim and pointed the guy, "Kim, kasama mo ba siya?"

Kim smiled at Tita Din as a reply and went to Gerald. She unfold Gerald's arms and held his hand. She pulled him to where Tita Din was. 

"Tita, si Gerald po. Gusto ko kasing ipatikim yung masarap na masarap niyong luto!"

Tita Din laughed, "Nambola ka pa! Halika, Gerald. Maupo ka na diyan. Feel at home kasi ngayon lang 'to nagdala ng kasama si Kim." Tita Din said as she guided Gerald on the vacant chair. Kim sat beside him. Good thing was there were no people inside the carinderia because it was closing time.

"Ano palang gusto niyo?"

Gerald asked, "Ano ba pinakamasarap dito, Tita?"

Kim quickly in, "Lahat!"

"Ay naku, Kimberly. Pero Gerald, nasabi ni Kim na mahilig ka sa sibuyas at Kare-Kare. Tama ba?"

Gerald slowly looked at Kim and grinned at her. Kim instantly blushed and looked away from Gerald because of embarassment. 

"Tita Din naman eh! Basta sakin yung favorite ko ah. Alam mo na yun." Kim wiggled her eyebrows at Tita Din.

"Oo na. Ikaw pa! So sayo, Gerald? Kare-Kare at Bistek Tagalog?"

Gerald nodded, "Sige po!"  

"Oh siya, maiwan ko muna kayo diyan." Tita Din smiled and went to the back kitchen. 

When Tita Din was out of their sight, Gerald nudged Kim on her side, "So, nagkukuwento ka pala tungkol sakin ha?" He smiled sweetly at her. 

Kim crossed her arms, "Tse! Feeling mo no. Tinanong lang ako ni Tita Din dati!"

Gerald put his finger in Kim's armpit for a second which made her squirmed in her seat, "Sus! Kilala kita, Kimberly. Ikaw magsasabi nun at hindi tinanong sayo."

"Hoy, Anderson! Ang feeling mo ha!" 

Gerald put his arm on Kim's chair as if cornering her. He leaned in and whispered, "Aminin mo na. I know you." He then lightly pinched Kim's nose.

Kim couldn't resist it any longer so she chuckled, "Oo na. Nakuwento ko lang naman pero yun lang!" 

Gerald laughed and clapped his hands as if he won. Kim just glared at him. 

"Sorry! Sorry! Hahaha! Ewan ko ba kung bakit natutuwa ako."

Kim tried to stand up but was immediately stopped by Gerald. "Aawayin mo lang ba ako?" Kim placed her hands on her hips.

"Sorry na. Natuwa lang ako kasi alam mo pa rin yun."

"Oo naman, everyday ba naman tayong magkasama dati at lagi mo pang pinapaamoy sakin yung hininga mo pagkatapos mo kumain ng sibuyas." Kim chuckled.

Gerald thought of those memories before. It made him happy and sad at the same time because those were all in the past now. He just smiled and nodded at Kim, "So, bakit daw pala KG Carinderia? Feel ko tayo may-ari nito."

Kim grinned, "Simple lang naman. Kim kasi pangalan ng asawa ni Tita Din tapos Geraldine naman yung tunay na pangalan ni Tita Din so voila! KG Carinderia." 

Gerald chuckled, "Parang tayo lang ah."

"Kaya nga. Destiny?"

Gerald started to sing "Till My Heartaches End" even though he was out of tune.

 Kim laughed at him and hit him playfully. "Baliw ka talaga, Geraldo."

Gerald stared at Kim's eyes and whispered, "Baliw sayo." Kim's eyes widened in surprise.

Gerald couldn't think of any reasons to cover-up what he said so he just let it be. "I mean, nevermind." He looked away from her. Awkward silence ensued between the two of them. Gerald saw that Kim was pinching her leg, a sign that she's nervous, so he held Kim's hand. Kim looked at him and bit her lips.

Gerald lightly touched Kim's chin, "Hey, you don't have to be nervous around me. Feel ko ang gwapo gwapo ko na talaga." Gerald teased Kim so as to lighten the mood.

"Ang kapal mo talaga, Geraldo ha!" Kim pinched Gerald's cheeks.

"Aray! Nacucute-an ka pala sa akin." Gerald said as he smiled his boyish smile at Kim. "So ako pa lang dinala mo dito ha?"

Kim nodded.

"Bakit naman hindi mo dinadala dito sila Ate Lakam? Sila Pamu? Si Xi?" Gerald's last question was slightly inaudible but Kim heard it.

"Ewan ko. Parang safe place ko kasi 'to and ayokong ishare na lang basta sa iba. Feeling ko pag nakain ako dito, simple at normal na tao lang ako. Walang camera na laging nakabuntot or mga tao na nagkakagulo. Don't take it negatively, I love what I do and everything in it pero iba pa rin yung simple living. Diba?"

Gerald nodded, "I understand you. Ganyan din yung nangyari sa akin habang nasa States ako, I lived as normal as possible pero syempre, madami pa ring Pinoys dun so hindi maiiwasan."

"But, nasali ka sa mga shows dun pag napunta ang Star Magic diba?"

"Aba, Kimberly paano mo naman nalaman yan?"

"Hello?! Star Magic din po ako!"

"Sige ha." Gerald wiggled his eyebrows palyfully. "I joined the shows kasi just like you, I love my job din naman and the fans there so sumasali ako whenever."

Kim smiled at him with admiration. He really didn't forget the fans who were there to support them and even individually.  

"So hindi mo sinagot tanong ko, bakit ako pa lang dinadala mo dito?" Gerald insisted.

"Kasi alam kong gutom ka na po, Mr. Anderson?"

"Pero puwede naman sa iba mo ko dalhin diba? Why here?"

"Honestly, I don't know. I just had the sudden urge to bring you here. Will that suffice?" 

Gerald smiled sheepishly and raised his eyebrows repeatedly, "For now."

Kim punched Gerald's arm, "Anong for now ka diyan ha?"

Suddenly, Tita Din and her helper came out from the kitchen holding two trays. 

She served the meals on the table, "Kim at Gerald, eto na oh."

Gerald stood up to help them, "Tita Din, upo na din kayo."

"Ay sige para makapagkuwentuhan pa tayo." Tita Din sat across Kim. 

Kim and Gerald started to eat while Tita Din just watched them.

Gerald tasted the Kare-Kare, "Tita! Ang sarap nga! Lagi na nga akong kakain dito."  

"Sabi sayo eh!" Kim smiled at him. 

Gerald looked at Kim who was about to eat a spoonful, "Pero hindi ako babalik mag-isa dito, dapat kasama ka ha?"  

Kim placed the spoon on her plate again, "Sige. Game ako diyan!" Kim made a thumbs-up sign and Gerald grinned back at her. 

"So kayo na ba ulet?" Tita Din blurted.

Gerald choked on his food and coughed a lot of times while Kim dropped the glass of water she was about to drink causing the water to spill on the front of her shirt. 

Tita Din quickly handed the box of tissue to Gerald who just recovered from his coughing. He then helped Kim in wiping her shirt. Tita Din apologized profusely. 

"Okay lang, Tita. Kasalanan ko naman." Kim said as she wiped her shirt.

Gerald removed the hoodie he was wearing, leaving him only his tanktop. 

He handed the hoodie to Kim, "Here, Kim. Magpalit ka muna to this."

Kim got the hoodie from Gerald. She didn't refuse Gerald's offer because the shirt she was wearing was a see through kind of shirt so she badly needed something to cover her body. Good thing, there was Gerald. 

"Thanks." Kim said to Gerald. "Tita, saan puwede magpalit?"

Tita Din pointed the comfort room on the back end of the carinderia. Kim excused herself from Gerald and Tita Din.

Gerald's eyes followed the retreating figure of Kim. "God! She's still so beautiful!" He thought. He was unaware that Tita Din was talking to him already. 

"Gerald!" Tita Din slightly raised her voice. 

Gerald snapped out and returned to reality, "Ay sorry, Tita! Ano po ulet yun?"

"Sabi ko, kayo na ba ulet ni Kim?"

Gerald smiled sadly and replied, "Hindi po, Tita."

"Mali pala yung tanong ko. Nakikipagbalikan ka ba kay Kim?"

Gerald didn't know why Tita Din's presence was very comforting. It felt like he could really trust her that's why he told her the truth."Gusto ko po sana." He knew that Tita Din wouldn't say anything to Kim. Tita Din touched his hand lightly, which was on the table, "Then, anong ginagawa mo to get her back?"   

"Friends na kami tita and I don't want to ruin that. I already learned my lessons and this time, I want to take it slow. Ayoko nang magkamali gaya ng dati, tita. Sobrang hirap." Gerald said. Pain was evident in his eyes and voice.

"Alam mo, Gerald, si Kim parang naging anak ko na yan dito. Madalas kasi talaga siyang kumain dito kaya nakakapagkuwento na rin siya sa akin tungkol sa buhay niya. Pakiramdam ko nga kilalang kilala na kita kasi madalas ka niyang makuwento sa akin noon." Gerald smiled. "Sinabi niya sa akin kung ano nangyari sa inyong dalawa at kung gaano siya nasaktan noong naging kayo ng bestfriend niya.

"Pero Tita, I explained everything to her po. I was so stupid and a jerk for doing that to her. I loved the companionship that Maja brought but nothing couldn't compare to the feeling when I had Kim. I had this stupid pride kasi." Gerald vented out. Truly, Gerald did not have the love for Maja as much as the love he have for Kim. Straight to the point, Gerald had a relationship with Maja just to get back at Kim for hurting him so bad and a thought of cheating on him. But Gerald knew better now and for the past few years, he's been trying to correct all the mistakes he did before. 

"Pero hindi pa rin makawala si Kim sa nakaraan ninyo, kahit gaano mo siya nasaktan at kahit nandiyan na si ano, si...sino ba yun?" 

Gerald answered, "Xian po"

"Ayan. Si Xian, hindi pa rin niya masago-sagot kasi kahit hanggang ngayon, naguguluhan at nasasaktan siya." Gerald just listened intently at Tita Din. It made him somewhat happy knowing that He was still part of Kim's life all along however, he couldn't help but feel angry at himself again because of the times he'd hurt Kim, even now.

"Pero ayoko ko pong biglain si Kim. Alam kong ang laki laki ng kasalanan ko sa kanya at hindi ganun kadali na maibalik lahat sa kung ano kami dati."

"Sige, naiintindihan kita Gerald at sana'y mangyari ang dapat mangyari sa inyong dalawa. Bahala na ang nasa itaas."

"Salamat, Tita. Wag mo na lang ho sana sabihin kay Kim."

"Aba oo naman, iho. Boto ako sa iyo, ayoko dun sa Xian eh." Tita Din said a matter of factly.

Gerald was surprised, "Bakit ho?"

"Ikaw kasi, naiintindihan kita kung bakit mo nagawa yung mga iyon. Nagmahal ka lang ng lubusan at nasaktan ka. Lahat naman tayo gumagawa ng pagkakamali diba?" Gerald nodded. "Pero si Xian, iba pakiramdam ko sa batang iyon. Hindi niya maaalagaan si Kim."

"Tingin niyo po?" Tita Din just nodded. 

"Ang tagal talaga ni Kim magbihis eh." Gerald commented.

"Nagpapaganda lang para sayo 'yun." Tita Din replied which made Gerald chuckle the same time Kim got out of the room. 

Gerald instantly stopped chuckling and gaped at the beauty walking towards him. Even after all the years they have been together, Gerald still gets breathless because of her. She even got more attractive for him because she was wearing his hoodie. Her long curls flowed and her long legs seemed to go on forever. Only Kim could do this to him.  

Gerald still stared at her as she approached their table.

"Gerald, baka matunaw na si Kim niyan."

"Uhh...ehhh..."

"Oo nga. Kanina ka pa tingin ng tingin diyan ah." Kim commented and smiled teasingly. 

Gerald blushed, "Hindi. Tinitignan ko lang hoodie ko."

Kim pinched Gerald's stomach, "Palusot ka pa."

Kim, Gerald and Tita Din finished their meals. They shared stories and had a good time. Their dinner was full of laughter mostly caused by Kim because of the antics and jokes that Gerald threw. It was already 11:30 when Kim and Gerald decided to head back to Kim's house.