"Gi, where's Winter?"

"She went to the restroom. Why?"

"Nalingat lang ako nawala na siya eh."

-----

"Karina."

Keber si ate niyo.

Once again, Karina's being the stubborn that she is.

Pero mas matigas bungo namin sayo, girl. Fite us. 3 vs 1 kami dito.

Lia, Chaeryeong, Ning, Heejin, and even Ryujin had to pull Winter out from the party para magpahangin after she lashed out, unfortunately, at us. We didn't mind na kami napagbuntunan niya, I think she needed that. It did shock us though na ang dami na palang tumakbo sa isip niya.

Winter was right, hindi namin siya tinanong ng maayos. We jumped to conclusion without hearing her side.

We can't help it, okay?

Ipagtatanggol namin apat ang isa't-isa kahit kanino. Lalo na't we've seen each others ups and downs in life. One would be watching your closest friend, actually parang kapatid mo na, go through sleepless nights crying and questioning herself. The kind of pain na nagmamakaawa na siya just to make everything okay. We've all been there, expertise na yata namin i-comfort ang isa't-isa.

But we didn't know na hindi kilala ni Winter si Minju. After all, she was one of Karina's nightmares.

Kinailangan pa naming kaladkarin si Karina sa patio ng resto. Discreetly lang din kasi party pa rin 'to ni Tita. Good thing I told Lia na may garden dito sa hotel, dun ko sila pinapunta para makausap namin yung dalawa separately.

"What happened?" Yuna asked after sitting beside me.

She didn't respond.

Pakatigas talaga nito. And for all the wrong reasons na naman! Dati, ayaw makinig samin na hiwalayan na yung ex. Ngayon, ayaw naman magsalita.

Karina, tumama ka naman in life, please?

Sarap i-umpog, Lord!

Attagirl din sana kasi ilang taon namin siya pinagsabihan ng 'love yourself' and 'choose yourself' kaso sumobra ata this time.

"Where's Winter?"

"Garden with Lia and others," Yeji replied.

Karina was just staring sa pool. Napatingin na rin kaming tatlo dito. Anong meron sa pool?

"Bakit siya nagalit sa inyo?"

"GURL??" 

"Ihahagis kita sa pool, Karina." Yeji snapped.

Sabi na nakita niya yung kanina eh.

Ayain ko na kaya si Yeji? Ihagis na namin 'to sa pool?

As much as we want to tell her, we shouldn't. We don't want to make things worse. And we're pretty sure Winter would want to tell Karina herself.

"Please talk to Winter. She's confused as ."

Ang gulo na talaga eh.

Yung isa kinain ng selos, etong isa nagpalamon sa trust issues.

What a fun night huh.

-----

"Uhm.. tulog na ba si Karina?"

My heart melted when I saw Winter. She looked so small and still confused yet desididong makipag-ayos.

Siya na yung nalito, siya pa naghanap dun sa tao.

Karina, i-uuntog talaga kita sa pader kapag di ka pa nakipag-ayos. Winter's meeting you halfway para lang mag-usap.

We decided to stay up for a few hours hoping na magkaayos yung dalawa before we end the night. Rendezvous na rin kung anong sitwasyon ng magkabilang side. Di lang namin nagawa agad kasi Karina sat with us.

She didn't talk to any of us. She was just.. quiet. I know deep down umasa siyang may maririnig about Winter.

I know her, kahit ganun siya di yun makakatiis.

"So, what's the deal with Minju?" Lia asked when Winter left finally left.

Nagkatinginan kami nila Yeji.

The three were not breaking eye contact. They all looked dead serious. We can't blame them kasi inatake nga naman namin si Winter. Just like us, they're protecting their own.

They told us what happened from Winter's side. Magpapalamig lang talaga siya ng ulo and Minju just happens to be there. Nang maabutan sila ni Karina, she didn't say anything pero according to Winter --

'Para niyang pinatay si Ate Minju sa utak niya.'

"Look, di namin alam paano kakausapin si Winter kapag di pa sila nagkaayos kung di namin alam sino yung tao. Siya yung nag-trigger ng lahat." Pag-explain ni Chaeryeong.

"Are you sure hindi si Jaehyun?" Tanong ni Yeji.

Tumango yung mga nakasama ni Winter sa garden.

"Winter knows she was out of line. Yes, nagselos siya. She admitted na nagpatalo siya sa utak niya when all Karina did was reassure her." Dagdag pa nito.

Because that's what she tried doing the whole night!

Okay sige, Karina was a bit preoccupied kasi nag-asikaso ng bisita. Eh party yun ng mommy niya, syempre tutulong siya dun.

But every chance she gets, she'd go straight to Winter's side. 

"Wait, are you telling me na walang plano magsabi si Winter kung di pa umeksena si Minju?" Yuna asked Chaeryeong.

She shrugged. "That's how she is. Why do you think nakatagal siya until after-party?"

"I think may idea na ako sino si Minju." Ning was looking at me, I nodded to confirm her guess.

"Eh kung ilapag niyo yan, diba?" Singit ng kakarating lang galing sa bathroom na si Ryujin.

Everyone shifted in their seat and faced Ning.

"Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, ngayon ko lang din naalala 'to." Ning started. "Tinuhog ng ex yung magpinsan?"

Tinuhog.

Hay, Ning.

Why are you like this?

Giselle, focus, will ya?

Yeji snapped her fingers to Ning. "Bingo."

"Not once, not twice, but.. nevermind. Yung last pinili na talaga si Minju." I added.

Nagmahal lang kaibigan namin, baket kailangan manaket?

"Saan ba napulot ni Karina yang ex niya?" Iritableng tanong ni Heejin.

"College." I simply answered.

".. mahal pa niya?" Parang kabado pa siya sa isasagot ko.

I knew this question would be raised kapag nalaman nila. Dapat si Karina talaga sumagot nito, baka kasi di sila maniwala sa amin.

But it.

Ang gulo na talaga eh.

"No," I answered. "Promise, hindi na. Ang tagal na nun, like 3 years ago? What she went through just stuck with her."

"Don't blame us kung ganun na lang reaction namin when Winter was with her. Pinoprotektahan lang namin si Karina." Yuna said. "Yes, we were wrong, alam namin yun. We will apologize to Winter once everything subsides. But please don't take this against Karina, that's her trauma. You have no idea what we did para maahon namin siya from that breakup."

Yeji and I nodded to agree on what she said.

I think na-reach na ng atay ko ang alcohol quota niya for this life because of Karina. Things you do for your friend, huh?

"Listen," I cut myself in. "we're not saying how she acted towards Winter was right but she has a reason, everyone does. We understand her because we've been there. You may not understand her right now and that's okay.. just.. don't be too hard on her. Para namang di niyo nakasama yung tao."

"Di lang namin inexpect." Pagrason ni Ning.

"Honestly, we didn't expect Karina would react that way either. It's been years and ever since she's been civil around Minju kasi nga magpinsan and hindi alam nila Tita Kat yung nangyari. And by civil we mean, you exist, I exist, diyan ka, dito ako. Ganun." Pag-explain ni Yeji.

We all became quiet.

Akala mo naghiwalay na mga kaibigan namin sa nangyari.

I hope our explanation gave clarity to Winter's circle.

"What else did Winter say?" I asked.

"She.. hmm.."

"Wag mo na i-sugarcoat, Chaer. Nilamon ng insecurities."

"Kaya mo siya pinakanta sa stage?" Yuna asked.

"I thought it helped.. di pala.." Chaeryeong answered.

"Curious lang," singit ni Heejin, even raised a hand. "Di ko kasi matanong nung nasa garden tayo. Madali ba talagang kainin ng insecurities si Winter?"

Tumingin kami kela Chaeryeong.

"Not really." Sagot ni Lia. "Kapatid niya si Taeyeon baka lang nakakalimutan niyo so dapat that's out of the picture. Matibay ang mental conditioning ni Win sa ganyan eh."

Okay, point.

Kung madali nga naman talaga, dapat pati sa kapatid niya insecure siya. Pero hindi eh. Kita naman namin lahat gaano niya kamahal kapatid niya.

I guess, ibang usapan si Karina for her.

And just like Karina, ibang usapan si Winter para sa kanya.

"Ano na kaya nangyari sa taas?" Ning was curious.

"Walang nagsisigawan so don't worry, they're fine." Sagot ni Yeji, a playful tone para maging light na ang usapan.

"Naninigaw ba talaga si Karina?" Tanong ni Chaeryeong sa amin, mas worried pa siya dito kesa kanina. "Kasi.." she winced at the thought.

"Iyakin yung pinsan ko nung bata kami." Tumingin si Ning kela Lia. "Ganun pa rin ba siya ngayon?"

"Uu.."

Ayun lang.

Nagtinginan kami nila Yuna at sabay sabay humarap sa kanila. Medyo dehado kami dito.. pano ba namin sasagutin..

"Hindi namin worry yung paninigaw eh. Ano.. uhm.. matalas ang tabas ng dila ni Karina lalo na kapag hindi niya pinag-isipan." Sagot ni Yuna.

"Tapos blinded ng galet? Waleeey." Dugtong ni Yeji.

"We know her, there is a high possibility na may masabi talaga siya. But you know, let's pray na wala, tahimik nga siya kanina eh.." ngumiwi na lang ako nung patapos na sinabi ko trying to convince myself as well.

"Okay, confirmed. Umiiyak na si Wi