I like Winter.

 

I like Winter for a while now.

 

I think my fondness for her started when we were still in uni.

 

We were not blockmates pero parang alam ko lahat ng nangyayari sakanya noon. That’s thanks to my friend Yujin who, for some reason that I don’t know, made it her personal mission to tell me almost everything about her then-classmate, Winter.

 

We used to wait for Yujin outside their classroom kasi nagpapaiwan pa sya after FinAcc II class para magpaturo sa classmate nya.

 

Jeno even asked her kung bakit hindi na lang sya sa’min magpaturo. To which Yujin replied, “Anla, iba si Winter! Simple sya magpaliwanag ng concepts. Alam nyo ba yung explain it to a 5-year old na feature sa ibang apps? Parang pwede sya don!”

 

Wala naman akong reklamo sa pag-aantay namin kay Yujin saglit. We all learn differently talaga at kung hindi naman nya naaabala si Winter, I guess wala namang problema. And it’s their business after all.

 

- 

 

One day after i-release yung grades, parang stressed out si Yujin na lumapit sa’min.

 

“Guys, do you think I bother Winter too much?” She said pagkaupo sa table namin sa caf. “Hindi na sya part ng president’s lister ngayong sem.”

 

“Hala girl! Baka sobra na kakaturo sayo kaya hindi na sya nakakapag-aral on her own?” Chaehyun butted in habang sinisimulan na kainin yung pizza slice na in-order nya.

 

Lalo namang nanlumo si Yujin sa sinabi nung friend namin. Nakikinig lang ako sakanila. I really don’t know what their setup is kaya it’s best if wala na lang akong sabihin about dito.

 

“I don’t think that’s the case. Hindi naman siguro tanga si Winter para magturo sa iba tapos mapabayaan na yung grades nya.” Jeno said.

I winced at Jeno's harsh words. 
 

“I often see her sa lib na nag-aaral, Yuj.” I interjected. Kapag kasi inaantok ako sa dorm at naiisipan na magpunta ng lib, palagi kong naaabutan dun yung classmate ni Yujin. She doesn’t look stressed out naman sa inaaral nya kaya I doubt nahihirapan sya when it comes to acads. Pero hindi ko rin naman sure. 

 

My friend still looks conflicted kaya naman inusod ko na lang yung plate ko ng lasagna palapit sakanya. Yujin dove right in.

 

After a while, tumayo na lang ako at pumila sa counter kasi kinanya na nya yung lunch ko.

 

-

 

After the caf drama ni Yujin, binawasan na nya ang pangungulit kay Winter.
 

Instead, sa’kin na sya nagpapaturo. I didn’t mind though. After all, explaining the concepts to other people also helps me understand them even more. Sabi nga nung prof namin, hangga’t hindi mo pa naipapaliwanag sa iba nang maayos, hindi mo pa talaga sya naiintindihan nang husto.

 

Pabor naman sa’ming dalawa ni Yujin yung ganito. Yun nga lang, never na uli naging president’s lister si Winter. Wala rin syang award na nakuha nung graduation day.

 

Ang napansin ko lang, wala syang kasama nagmartsa non.

 

I think my curiosity about the girl started that day.

 

-

 

I closed the book and the bold Law on Sales print on the cover seemed to be mocking me, “You don’t get me, do you?”

 

Napabuntong hininga na lang ako. I need to take a break. I feel exhausted from this finals week. Last two exams na lang!

 

Pinatong ko muna yung book kasama nung iba at kinuha sa bag ko yung The Little Prince.

 

Good thing nadala ko sya. I also wore my Airpods and played a soft instrumental. Hindi naman maingay dito sa SB ngayon pero para lang mas into the mood ako sa pagbabasa.

 

“Well, I must endure the presence of a few caterpillars if I wish to become acquainted with the butterflies.”

 

A few minutes into reading and I got distracted sa phone ko sa table.

 

Ning calling…

 

“Yes, Ning?”

 

“Karina! Uy hello, where ka?”

 

“SB sa baba ng condo. Why?”

 

“Ay hala papadaanin sana kita sa unit namin ni Winter eh. Naiwan ko kasi yung folder ko para sa Property.” I can hear her hesitation on the other line. “Ay pero, sige papuntahin ko na lang pala sya dyan!”

 

We both stay in the same condo building, on different floors though. I on the ninth, Ning and Winter on the fourth. 

 

Classmates din kami ni Ning. Unlike nung first year, napahiwalay si Winter at Giselle sa’min ngayon.

 

G was on a vacation in Japan when the enrollment started and mabilis napuno yung slots kaya hindi kami same ng block.

 

As for Winter, Ning mentioned noon na nasa New York daw ito. I also learned that she is an only child who occasionally flies to the Big Apple to spend time with her paren