I can't stop smiling.

I feel like my heart's about to explode.

Giselle's been eyeing me the whole night.

Except for Ryujin.

Hindi daw siya sumilip nung binalikan ko si Winter sa bahay pero kung makangisi sakin ngayon, wagas.

Oo na, okay?

I kissed Winter.

I've been wanting to do that since I got back from Pampanga. When she welcomed me back with popping confetti and a welcome back.. sash. Seriously, what goes on to her head?

Akala mo naman ang layo ng pinuntahan ko.

Syempre sa kanya ko pinawalis yung kalat.

Gusto ko na talaga siya kausapin nung nag-camping kami sa cafe. Hindi lang ako maka-tyempo kasi kasama namin lahat. Kung nasaan yung isa, nandun din yung iba. Nung kami na lang dalawa, minalas pa.

Ako ba may balat samin?

So when I saw her about to cry kanina, I couldn't hold it any longer. I was about to lose Winter again to her thoughts and I can't let that happen. It happened once, di na mauulit yun.

If only she knew how nerve-racking that was for me.

Do I look like a person na nanghahalik na lang basta basta?

No, you know what.

Do I look like a person who makes the first move?!

I don't, okay?

Call it pride or whatever you want but it took me years to rebuild my self-worth after a nasty break-up. I promised myself I will never chase anyone again like how I did before.

But with Winter, it's different.

I feel.. different.

Have you met a person that you know sasaluhin ka when time's get rough? No words needed or you won't ask for it pero nandun na lang bigla. 

That's Winter for me.

Parang kabute lang.

A good kind of kabute ha?

I can't help but let her kasi it feels good to have someone like that, someone you can depend on. And somewhere deep down inside me, I know it will be worth it.

So I did the most cliché thing -- I took a leap.

"Karina, pabalik na naman." Giselle discreetly said, and kinda discreetly eyeing the guy walking to our table.

Not again.

Ang kulit ng pwet mo, kuya.

I am not interested sa makintab mong buhok or mga hirit mong napakababaw or yung coat mong color blue.

I like red.

"Hi, changed your mind?" He flashed his overconfident smile.

I shake my head in disbelief.

Bakit ba may mga ganitong lalake?

I already said no.

Twice pa nga.

Yes or yes lang ba tinatanggap nito?

Why do they always think madadaan kaming mga babae sa slick moves nila or by flashing their expensive at you? Where he gets his confidence is beyond me.

"No, not going to change ever," I answered and drank my wine. "You can leave."

"What, got a boyfriend back home?"

Giselle couldn't help but scoffed sa kaangasan nitong lalakeng 'to. Ryujin can't do anything kasi anak raw 'to ng isang business client nila.

I understand, of course.

Professional tayo dito.

I looked at him straight in the eyes, yung tatagos hanggang kaluluwa niya.

Rbf, on.

"Nope, girlfriend." I smiled.

Ano ba.

Rbf nga eh.

I couldn't help but smile when I said it.

Not when someone's waiting back home for me with her puppy eyes. Not when I'm too excited to get home and talk to about.. us.

Oh my god.

Us.

"You heard her. Now, scram." Giselle shooed the guy away. "You're ruining the party for us."

"Using a girl to turn down a guy." He said, nodding. "Classic move."

I tried not to answer back kahit kating kati ako bungangaan siya dito. If this was 3 years ago, he'd get an earful from me. But I'm a changed person, hindi na ako tumatalak ngayon. I let my eyes do that for me and let my mind do the killing.

"What's your girlfriend's name then?"

"Gi -"

"Winter." I cut Giselle.

"Ay, nabilaukan na yun."

He laughed. "Who the named herself Winter?"

Okay, that's it.

"My Winter." I looked at him ice cold. "And you don't have the right to use and Winter in one sentence, that's my privilege. Now, leave. Before I call your mother over there."

I used my glass para ituro yung nanay niyang nakikipag-usap kay tita Russ, Ryujin's mom.

He finally left.

.

I'm not letting his filthy mouth disrespect Winter, not on my watch. The only reason I answered his question was because I saw it as an opening to tell my closest friend beside me what's going on.

And also, he said girlfriend.

I kinda wanna brag Winter to everyone.

Winter, kakalbuhin talaga kita kapag nagback-out ka!

I was expecting to be applauded by my friends but when I turned to them, nakanganga lang sila sa akin.

" talaga, girl?"

"Akala ko kiss lang nangyari?"

"Wait, what did you just say??" Giselle turned to Ryujin then to me, shocked as hell.

Ako rin nagulat eh.

"Thanks, Ryujin." I deadpanned. "Sasabihin ko pa lang kay Giselle."

"When did this happen?" Tarantang tanong ni Giselle.

"Kanina, nung paalis tayo ng condo." Ryujin answered again.

"Sige, Ryujin. Kwento mo na ng buo." Kunwaring naiinis kong sagot.

Nag-peace sign lang siya sa akin.

Tita Russ called Ryujin to introduce her to their other clients.

Di ko nga alam bakit samin naki-table yun, eh party ng pamilya niya 'to.

Kinurot ako ni Giselle when Ryujin left.

Bakit daw di ako nagkwento agad nung nasa sasakyan kami.

Bawal ko bang namnamin muna lahat??

Anyway, so I told her.

How Winter looked like she chased someone pagdating sa bahay. How shocked she was nang makita si Ryujin with her tulips. And how confused Ryujin and I were when she thought we were going out on a date.

Seryoso, Winter.

There's really nothing going on between me and Ryujin, kapatid pa nga turing ko sa kanya eh.

When we met sa cafe and nalaman niya na magkapitbahay kami, panay na ang katok niyan sa unit ko para magtanong.

Pano ganito, pano ganyan.

Nahihiya daw kasi siya magtanong sa pamilya niya minsan.

It was her decision to move out, kailangan daw niya panindigan yun. Kung magtatanong lang din daw siya sa kanila, edi babalik na lang din siya tapos dun niya gagawin mga gawaing bahay.

Point.

Then na-meet namin si tita Russ because of business. Ginawa pa kaming babysitter ni tita, baka raw kasi kung sino-sino ang iuwi sa bahay ng anak niya.

As if naman mapipigilan namin si Ryujin.

"So there, I did the thing again," I said to Giselle.

I didn't expect Giselle to smile proudly at me. "Dive in heart-first thing."

"Yeah, dive in, kaluluwa first." I smiled to myself and nodded.

Ryujin was whining when she got back kasi tapos ko na ikwento.

Mas maganda raw kasi kapag pov nung involved yung alam niya, hindi yung galing sa pahapyaw hapyaw lang niyang tingin mula sa pintuan, patches lang.

Chismosang kapitbahay 'to.

"Am I fired?" Giselle asked out of nowhere, smirking at me.

"Huh?"

"As your proxy girlfriend."

Ahh.

Whenever we go out and some guy would approach our table, ginagawa naming proxy girlfriend ang isa't isa. Sometimes it works, minsan hindi.

"Maybe, maybe not." I tried to hide my smile.

I failed.

Damn you, Winter.

Ano kayang ginagawa niya ngayon?

Wait, let me rephrase that.

Ano na naman kayang ginagawa niya ngayon?

Kapag kasi may naisip gawin si Winter, kailangan na niya gawin agad. Siguro para no time na siya para pag-isipan then end up not doing it.

Winter, uso magplano.

But honestly, her randomness is one of the many things I like about her.

"Wait, what do you mean maybe?" Giselle asked.

Ryujin was confused as heck too.

"Di pa kami nag-uusap." I simply answered.

"Why?"

"Because I'm here at the party?" I answered, stating the obvious.

"Bakit ka nga ba nandito?" Tanong ni Ryujin.

"For the cafe?" I answered again.

As much as I want to stay kanina, I can't.

I feel bad, of course.

Pero sayang kasi if I don't attend. Tita Russ mentioned the party would be good for us to widen our network.

Not that I don't trust Giselle. I know she'll do everything for the cafe.

Ganito lang ata talaga kapag may business na, magiging anak mo yung business mo. Gusto mo alam mo lahat ng nangyayari, even the smallest detail like san nakatago yung walis.

"Eh bakit nandito pa tayo?" Giselle grabbed her bag and pulled out her phone. "Let's get you home."

"Okay lang?" I asked both of them, kunwari ayaw pero sa totoo lang excited na talaga ako umuwi.

"Napapaligiran tayo ng matatanda at isang totoy, please umuwi na tayo." Ryujin answered, exasperated.

Nagpaalam muna kami kay tita Russ before leaving.

Kanina lang ako yung nagpapanggap sami