Karina's POV:

 

I was fixing my schedule for this semester while breaktime. It's our first day of school dito sa university, I was just chilling when suddenly, nag ring ang aking phone.

I checked who's the caller pero it's not registered sa phone ko.

 

 

 

Who could this be?

 

 

Karina: Hello? Who is this?

Caller: Hi, is this Karina Yoo? This is Winter from the university library. I am calling to inform you that you have a book that's due since last semester. Just want to inform you that as long as you dont return it, we will have to charge you 5 pesos daily and we will add it to your tuition fee the following year or before your graduation.

Karina: oh, what is the title of the book? I'm sorry I may have had misplaced it somewhere but I'll search for it later.

Caller: ummm...The Art of ....ual Ecstasy...

 

 

Sh*t.

 

 

 

I could hear the librarian clearing at the other end of the line. It was for our marriage and relationship course, it was for an assignment. I could feel her judging me, my gosh.

 

 

 

Karina: Oh that one, I borrowed that one for our assignment, but um yeah I'll try to search for it

 

Caller: Alright, thank you. You can return it anytime, just look for Winter once you return it.

 

Karina: Who's winter?

 

Caller: I'm Winter, I'm one of the bookeepers at the uni's library

 

After the call was finished, di ko mapigilang mag overthink. My gosh how will I face that girl Winter? Pero now that I think about it, her voice is very calming and also she sounded like she's my age?

 

Di ko lang sure ha, usually kasi diba mga tao sa library mga matatanda but her voice, very soothing and bastat it's nice. I wonder what she looks like.

 

 

 

 

Pagkauwi na pagka uwi ko from my class, I quickly went to my room to find that book. Grabe yung 5 pesos daily, and they've been charging me that since last semester? Edi ang laki na non? Ngayon lang ako ininform. Ugh, this .

 

I rummage through my bookshelf and sa working space ko but it's not there. 

 

Hinanap ko din dun sa isang box kung san ko nilalagay yung mga old books ko but it's not there.

 

I'm panicking a bit. Kanina ko pa siya hinahanap pero wala talaga. Pawis na pawis na nga ako eh.

 

That's when I decided to look for it sa other rooms, baka na misplace ko lang. Once I got sa room ng parents ko, naisipan ko yumuko to get something sa floor, and then there it was.

 

 

 

The book. The Art of ual Ecstasy. 

 

The book I've been looking for the whole afternoon, tucked in the inner corner of my mom's side table. 

 

Was she reading this? Gosh, ayaw ko na imaginine.

 

 

 

Mabilis ko nalang kinuwa, I desperately need to return it tomorrow. Overdue na, nakakaiyak malaki laki na din siguro yung fee. Pinasok ko nalang siya sa bag ko so that I won't forget it tomorrow.

 

Maaga naman ako pumasok kahit hapon pa ang class ko. I've been strategizing my way how to return this book without being judged by that Winter. Siguro I'll just have to hand it over with a poker face, walang sasabihin at all, ganon then walk out agad.

 

 

What am I even thinking? and why am I even overthinking this? Sino ba siya, ugh kairita. 

 

 

 

Halos walang tao sa library, so how do I search for Winter? Walang tao sa front desk.

 

 

 

Maya maya may lumabas na sa loob ng office, medyo matanda na, she's proabably around 50's... I don't think that's Winter though. 

 

I quickly approached her to ask for Winter

 

"Hi ma'am, I just want to ask if WInter is here? She said to look for her if need ko mag return ng book" I ask respectfully.

Bigla naman lumingon yung lady,

 

"Nasa shelf number 7 ata siya bhie..basta't she's around there somewhere" bilis namang sabi neto.

 

"Thank you po" I replied.

 

I quickly scanned the whole library to look for shelf 7, nasa dulo siya, bandang sulok. Dumiretso na ako to look for Winter, honestly I don't know what she looks like so baka mag approach nalang ako kung sino? Bakit nga ba di ko tinanong ano itsura niya diba para di ako nahihirapan ng ganito.

 

Once I got to shelf 7, walang tao. 

 

Dumiretso na ako sa likod, meron ako naririnig na medyo mahinang sound ng wheels ng parang push cart. 

 

 

 

 

 

And there stood, a petite girl who's sorting out some books on top of a push cart. 

 

 

 

I was taken aback, sobrang cute niya, especially her haircut, it suits her well. Short black hair with bangs...I'm quite sure she's Winter. She looks like she could be a Winter. Lord I don't think my gay heart can take this. 

 

Seriously Karin