It's one cool afternoon when my brother arrived from work. After changing to his usual clothing, I watched him entering the kitchen to make a cup of coffee. There I was silently having my cup of tea (I just recently decided to switch from coffee to tea since I became so inspired to achieve a healthier lifestyle.. like seriously?? None of my friends nor cousins might take it seriously either, they think I am faking it.) and he looks quite a bit excited today. 

"you look different." I said as I placed my cup aside after finishing it.

He smiled and sat on the chair opposing me. " nothing much.."

I didn't buy it. OMG I knew him so well,  "no, what is up this time?"

"sshhh..! Wag syado malakas baka marinig ka ni tatay! You know how he always insists I save more money first before anything else."

He is right.

Our father is strict in terms of things that involves money. He hates us spending too much on things we don't really need. No, actually, I feel a bit blessed our aunt and uncle adopted me and they got me since I was 3 months old and so since childhood I was not under our father's strict supervision. My dad, would let me buy and get whatever I want as long as I am happy.

So there's really something going on. Me being nosy, strikes again. Maybe so ganun lang talaga kami ka-close, we used to converse about things.

"Dun tayo sa labas" he instructed. In my head was like : (sabi ko na nga bat meron na naman tong pinopormahan.) Kakabreak lang din nila nung ex niya last year, is all I know, and the reason eh naghanap ng ibang lalake si girl and it's not the first time she did so.

"Siguraduhin mong matino na yan.." I said as I followed him sa labas ng bahay. May upuan kasi sa tapat na nagiging tambayan namin at pag nagagawi mga pinsan namin eh dito kami nag-uusap usap. ( Lokang babae yun, kung makapag-flirt at makipagrelasyon sa iba eh kala mo hindi taken. Mag fo-four years na sana sila when they decided to break up kasi di na masikmura ni kuya yung panloloko ni ex nya. Taena!)

"Eh ayaw ko sana sabihin kaso alam ko di mo ko titigilan kulit mo pa naman." sabi nya habang di mabura-bura yung ngiti sa labi nya.

If you look at him closely eh may resemblance nga kami pero para saken mas malakas appeal ko. But he is more on a serious-type of a guy. I am a happy-go-lucky type and sa ngayon, yoko pa talaga mag-seryoso sa relationship or maybe sa halos lahat ng bagay narin.

3 years lang yung namin but we have the same height. Masasabi ko naman na kahit papano eh my itsura naman si kuya, excuse me, ganyan naman talaga lahi namin eh maitsura. yung totoo?!??

"Kilala mo ba yung ate ni Joy na gf ng pinsan nating si Jimin? Sabi nya pa eh kilala ka daw nya kasi schoolmates kayo nung high school?" tanong nya, still wearing his nakakalokong smile nang naupo na ako.

Paikot ikot yung eyeballs ko sa kakaisip, wala akong matandaan na naka-acquaintance ko yun. Palatandaan na siguro to na tumatanda na ako, memory lost is real.

"NO..I don't know..siguro..malay ko sino yan. Maganda ba? Seksi?" tanong ko.

"Oo naman, she is. She's prettier than her younger sisters" sabi nya. "Simple lang naman sya, walang ka arte-arte sa katawan. Teka, bat sya kilala ka. Ikaw di mo sya matandaan?Lage ka ngang nagpupunta dun sa kila ate Taeyeon, nadadaanan lang yung house nila." (si ate Taeyeon who is also our close cousin.)

"Sa kabilang barangay yun atsaka syado madame houses dun. Malay ko ba, famous naman talaga ako kahit dun eh kilala ako." wika kong nagmamalaki habang nag-iisip. (Sino kayang chix na yun?)

Tumawa si kuya. "Tumigil ka, you are famous as what...?! Heart Breaker!"

Napatawa na din ako. "Kyut me, Heart Shaker po."

"Gumamit ka ng magnifying glass at manalamin ka nga? malabo na talaga mata mo..ibang mukha siguro nakikita mo pag nalalamin ka" pang-aasar nya.

"sira! pakilala mo saken ng makilatis ko ng maigi." 

Natahimik sya. "Ayaw nyang may ibang nakakaalam na nililigawan ko sya, ayaw nyang maging Headline sa News dun."

"Hindi naman ako madaldal ah..basta sikret, mapagkakatiwalaan to oyy! Pakisabi jan sa girl na yan! Tsaka malapit na fiesta dito saten, Balita ko mag-a-outing kayo nila Jimin kasama daw si Wendy. Sama ako..sige na." Si Wendy na kapatid ni Jimin ay isa din sa mga close cousins ko.

Saglit syang natahimik. "Mauuna kami nila Jimin, Joy at Wendy dun. Susunod sya para hindi mahalata ng nanay nila, paalam nya may itu-tutor syang kapatid ng kaklase nya".

"Wag mo muna banggitin skanya, saka na if andun na sya. Just tell her I insisted on coming along. Simple!"

Hindi alam ni kuya that I am not straight. He just knows my past relationships with boys. And one of his friends was my ex.

This time parang may nasesense akong kakaiba. I just shrugged it off. Ang weird lang.