Handang-handa na si Lily sa magiging parusa niya sa pagkatalo niya sa deal nila ni Xander. Pero siya lamang yata ang taong na-disappoint nang malaman niya ang consequence ng pagkatalo niya.

        “Adobo na naman,” bulong niya sa isip.

        Kasalukuyan silang kumakain sa isang kilalang restaurant. Ito kasi ang consequence niya sa deal nila--- ang samahan itong kumain ng paborito nitong Filipino food.

        Parang piyesta sa dami ng in-order nito na pawang mga pagkaing Pinoy. Gusto raw kasi nitong matikman ang lahat ng masasarap na pagkain sa Pilipinas.

         “Why aren’t you eating?,” huminto si Xander sa pagsubo nang mapansing nakamasid lamang siya dito habang kumakain.

        “Huh?,” she stuttered. Baka isipin nitong hindi niya gusto ang mga pagkaing in-order nito.  

        “Uhm, I’m just enjoying in watching you while you’re eating.” Ngumiti siya para itago ang pagkapahiya.

        “You can do that after you eat. But now, you gotta fill your stomach so that you’ll have the energy to watch me while I’m eating.”

        Kumuha ito ng pagkain gamit ang tinidor at iniumang sa bibig niya. Pero nanatili lamang siyang nakatitig dito.

        “C’mon, say ahh…”, Xander begged.

        Wala siyang choice kundi isubo ang pagkain.

        “Delicious, isn’t it?,” Xander said. Tumango siya at nagpatuloy sa pagkain.

        “Know what? I really love this food,” tukoy nito sa kinakaing adobo.

        “I wanna name my future son after this. It’s adobo, right?,” he asked.

        Naubo siya sa sinabi nito. Ano bang nangyayari dito at naisip nitong pangalanan ng “adobo” ang magiging anak nito?

        “Lily-ah, gwaenchana? Are you okay?,” pag-aalala nito.

        She reached out for a glass of water and drink.

        “ I’m okay.” She tried to smile.

        Mabuti na lamang at gwapo ito, kahit paano’y hindi nakabawas dito ang pagiging weird nitong mag-isip.

******

         “You’re sure you wanna ride on that thing?!,” di makapaniwalang tanong ni Alexander sa kanya.

         “Yeah, it’s really fun! Come on let’s try.”

        Hinila ni Lily ang kamay nito pero hindi natinag si Xander sa kinatatayuan.

        “Oppa, you don’t want to ride on a roller coaster, do you?”

        Hindi ito nagsalita na para bang napakahirap ng tanong niya. Parang gusto niyang matawa sa reaksyon nito. Ito ang nagyaya na magtungo sila sa amusement park pero siya ang naa-amuse dito.

        Really cute. Lalo lamang itong naging cute sa paningin niya. Xander was wearing his disguise outfit so that people won't recognize him.

        He really looked adorable with his nerdy look right now. He was wearing a big eyeglass with thick frames that emphasize his beautiful eyes.

        "I-It's just that I don't ..." He hesitated for a while.

        "What?," tanong niya dito.

        He sighed. "Ok, let's try it." Then he walked towards the roller coaster.

        "Oppa, I won't force you if you don't want to," habol niya dito.

        "No, I really want to try it. Besides it's not my first time to ride on that thing."

        "Are you sure?"

        "Yeah ..."

        Hindi mapakali si Lily habang nakaupo sa roller coaster. Nag-aalala kasi siya para kay Xander. Marahil ay meron itong fear of heights kaya ayaw nitong sumakay sa ganoong klaseng ride. Pero habang tinitignan niya ito'y mukha naman itong relaxed na relaxed na para bang sa merry-go-round lamang sila nakasakay. Then the coaster moved. Napatili siya.

         Pareho silang tulala ni Xander matapos ang isang round ng ride nila. Wala silang imikan hanggang sa makababa sila.

        Nang makabawi siya'y tinanong niya ang kasama na hanggang ngayo'y di pa rin nagsasalita.

        "Xander oppa, are you okay?" Nakaramdam siya ng kaba. Baka bigla itong inatake sa puso ng hindi niya nalalaman.

        "Oppa. Oppa!" Bahagya pa niya itong niyugyog.

        "Anong gagawin ko?," isip niya.

        "W-water please ..." Xander finally murmured.

         She sighed in relief. Mabuti na lamang at after-shock lamang pala ang nangyari dito at hindi atake sa puso. "Thank you, Lord," usal niya.

         Agad siyang naghanap ng mabibilhan ng tubig para makainom ito.

         "Xander oppa, you scared me to death. I really thought you had a heart attack. If only I knew that this is going to happen, I would never persuade you to ride on that coaster," pagsisisi niya.

         "Don't worry, I'm okay now. I just have to take some series of breathing to calm my nerves." Then he showed the heartbeat skipping smile of his to assure her.

         Ah, ok na nga talaga siya.

         "Come on. Let's go there," yaya nito sa kanya patungo sa Ice World kung saan naroom ang iba't ibang sculptures na gawa sa yelo. Mistula itong malaking freezer sa sobrang lamig sa loob. Kinakailangan nilang suotin ang jacket na laan para sa mga nais pumasok sa loob.

         "Woah... This is so cool," Xander exclaimed while looking at the sculptured ice.

          Maging siya ay humanga sa mga ito. Iba't ibang sculpture ng hayop na gawa sa yelo ang nasa paligid nila. Merong dolphins, elephant, whales, giraffes and even monkeys!

         "Oh, look at those monkeys! They're so cute!" Xander said enthusiastically.

         "Yeah," she agreed.

         "I wish I could take a picture of those."

         Bakit hindi niya iyon naisip agad? Buong araw na niya itong kasama pero wala pa rin siyang picture nito.

         "You could use my phone." Kinuha niya ang cellphone sa bulsa niya. Ngunit wala na ito roon. Hinanap niya sa loob ng bag niya pero wala rin.

         "I lost it," inis na sabi niya. Hindi siya masyadong nanghinayang na mawala ang cellphone niya. Ang mas pinanghihinayangan niya ay ang di niya makukuhanan ng picture si Xander kasama ng mga cute na cute na unggoy na iyon. Kainis.

         Habang tumatagal ay hindi na nakakayanan ng katawan ni Lily ang sobrang lamig sa loob ng Ice World. Kitang-kita ni Xander ang pangangatog niya.

         "Lily-ah, you're shivering." Then he held her hands to give her warmth.

          Xander really starting to get sweeter and sweeter every seconds passed. Lalo tuloy siyang nahuhulog dito.

******

           "It's getting late." Xander looked at his watch. It's eleven forty five in the evening.

          "Oh, no! I have work tomorrow. I gotta go," Lily said.

          "Let me take you home," he said.

          "No need. I can take care of myself. Besides, your co-members and your manager might be looking for you."

          Aigoo! He almost forgot. U-Kiss will be having a presscon tomorrow. He was really sure manager Hyung is now searching for him. Maybe he was furious at this very moment. But odd. He doesn't really care. All he wanted to do now is to bring Lily home. He will never let this girl to go home by herself.

          "Oh, boy. You're really concerned huh," he thought.

          Weird. Weird. Weird. What the hell is happening to him? It was the second time he went out without telling their manager where will he go. And he might punish him now for running away again and staying out late.

          Aisshh. Come what may. What matters now is that he's with Lily-ah. His new-found Filipina friend. He really loved being with her. He found her very interesting the first time he saw her. It's like he already see her a long time ago. But he didn't know when or where.

          Whatever. It doesn't matter anymore.

         He wasn't sure if she's one of their fans because she doesn't seem like one. But when he saw her singing their song when they performed on ASAP Party, he thought that maybe she is.

          But she's different from others. She's not like those girls who would die just to catch his attention and get a glimpse of his smile. Although he find her gaze at him most of the time.

           Funny, he likes it when she does that. He felt that he's the only guy she looks at the way she does to him.

           Geez. He's starting to like this girl.

           "Oppa, I have to go. I really enjoyed being with you. Thanks for your time. Bye..."

           She waived at him and started to walk away.

           "Wait! Lily-ah! He ran after her. "I said I'll take you home."

           "You don't have to bother. I know you're tired and have lots of commitments tomorrow so you better go back to the hotel. I don't want your manager to get angry at you because of me."

            So, she's just concerned about him that's why she doesn't want him to take her home. Yeah, right but who cares? Maybe accompanying her this time won't ruin his career.

            "And it would take two-hour ride to our house," she added.

            "Aishh! Such a stubborn girl. You don't realize how delicate it is for a lady to go home alone at this hour, do you?," he hissed.

            "But--"

            "No buts’ okay?" He pulled her hands and led their way to get a cab.

             Lily never stops from yawning when they get inside the cab. She must be really tired and sleepy right now.

            "You can take a nap if you want," he told her.

            "No, I'm okay," she said while yawning again.

            "Aishh, there you go again you hard-headed girl. Come on, it wouldn't harm you if you take a nap now."

           "I can't take a nap. I don't want to take a nap," she said while slapping her own face.

           "Hey, hey. What are you doing? You're hurting yourself. If you don't want to take a nap, fine. Just stop what you are doing."

            This girl is so weird. What's wrong with taking a nap?

           "Oppa, can you do me a favour? Could you please tell me about yourself or any topic you like. Anything. Just don't stop from talking. Maybe I would not feel sleepy when I hear you talk. You can sing and dance if you like," she requested.

            He laughed. "You really think I'm gonna sing and dance here? Maybe I could talk but not sing and dance.

            "Talk now," she murmured while trying her best not to close her eyes.

            "Where would I start? Everybody knows already my story but anyway, since we're friends, let me tell you the things that others do not know. I don't think it's interesting but I guess you can bare with it. You know my surname is Eusebio right? It's not a Korean name because my father is from Hongkong. Oh, by the way--" He stopped from talking when he heard her snore. She already fell asleep.

             "Aishh... I haven't started my story yet," he murmured.

******