"Hi po! Kayo po ba si ate Heart?"

"Ah... Yes?"

"Si Laine ulit toh! Hehe."

"Ah, yung kasama ni Mark kahapon?"

"Opo! Umm asan po ba studio niyo?"

Kumukulo nanaman dugo ko...

"Sige hatid na lang kita doon. Papunta rin naman ako eh."

"Ah sige po! Thank you po!"

Striding, Heart couldn't help but feel a bit bitter towards this girl. The walk was silent, it was kind of suffocating the younger. She thought of bringing up a question or two, but she was beaten by the elder in front of her.

"So... ilang taon ka na?"

"14 lang po! Kayo po?"

Ay... ang bata... mas gusto ba ni Mark ng mas younger sa kaniya? Puta kang Mark ka.

"17, road to 18", she smiled... forcedly.

"Awww, kailan po birthday nyo?"

"February 14."

"AYIEE VALENTINES SAKTO!"

"Kaya nga, hehe."

Tanungin ko ba? Hay, sige na nga baka kung ano pa gawin ko sa babaeng toh.

"So... Anong relasyon mo kay Mark?"

"Pinsan po."

PINSAN?!

"PINSAN?"

"Opo, teehee. Baket po kayo gulat?"

"Ah... Ala lang nagulat lang ako hehe."

"Hindi po ako slow, pero kahapon po loko lang naman yun ate, teehee."

"A-ah, ahahaha."

"Ate, may gusto kayo kay kuya noh?"

"H-ha? Bakit mo natanong?"

"You're stuttering. Sige bagong ship sa notebook ko toh."

"H-ha? Anong ship??"

"Barko po."

"Ah..."

"Joke lang naman ate, alam ko alam niyo yun."

"Ah-ahahaha."

"KUYA MARK! Oh? Hi kuya Jaehyun!"

Ay... Misunderstanding pala...

-----

"Mga tite! Misunderstaning! Oh hi Acy at Sie, BUTI NAMAN MAY FREE TIME NA KAYO."

"Gaga, rinig ka sa kapitbahay", complained Kai.

"Mag-earphones ka."

"Sira na."

"Low volume mo."

"Okay so... Misunderstanding",

"Ano?" the five asked all at once.

"So... Yung bata... Pangalan niya Laine diba... 14 years old-"

"PUTANGINA 14?! YUN PALA PINAGTRITRIPAN NG MARK MO?" Sierra shouted.

"Ay may pumasok sa gmeet. Hi Manda!" Peace greeted. Manda smiled and waved on the camera.

"Ano chika mga burat."

"SI MARK NIYA PUTA, 14?"

"KALMA MUNA SIE, DI PA AKO TAPOS."

"TULOY MO NA NGA BAGO PA AKO SUMABOG PAKWAN KA", Jasmine yelled.

"OY MAY KAPITBAHAY ANG KULET."

"SO!... 14 siya... at pinsan ni Mark."

"TANGINA BUTI NAMAN!"

"HALA ."

"GAGO KA KAI KA DIYAN."

"EH SABE MO GIRLFRIEND."

"LOKO NIYA YUN."

"SELOS KA PA DIYAN HEART, MAGPINSAN LANG PALA AHAHAHAHAHA!"

Heart sat back down and cursed at what she assumed it was.

"Pero guys... hay wag na nga."

"SPILL TITE KA. SPILL.'

"Kaya nga tawag chika diba."

"Gaga ka talaga."

"Tangina sige na nga. Sabi niya may gusto daw ako..."

"Totoo yun."

"Di ka tumutulong, pisbol ka."

"Eh totoo nga. Selosa ka pala pakwan."

"Peace, patanggal nga si Manda."

"Mabait ako pakwan, Manda will not leave."

"Asan tissue ko, nanose bleed ako."

-----

Pero andun pa rin yung pangit na feeling...

Heart heaved a sigh when she caught sight of Mark with Laine being all clingy. She clenched and unclenched her fists, calming her almost raging self from exploding. But what rights does she have? She's just a friend of Mark.

Friend... But mark doesn't see me as his friend.

"So it's just me seeing him as a friend..."

Mark then looked behind him and waved his hand at her. Heart waved back. She turned at the young girl opposite of him who was also waving her hand at her. But her smile is somewhat...

Playful?

"Hi ate!"

"Hi..."

"Anong gusto mo?"

"Umm... Kahit ano."

"Walang kahit ano sa menu Heart."

"Edi ikaw pumili."

"As you wish, madame."

"Pft."

"Bagong ship talaga toh sa notebook ko..." Laine quietly murmured to herself as she read the 'ships' she jotted down for the past years. The two friends looked at her, faces confused just what she was babbling about. Knowing they won't get an answer any moment now, they shrugged and continued on choosing which to pick.

Laine snickered and took out her phone. Heart had her chasm closed with Mark, their gap is unseen. She silently took a picture, inaudible for the two the sound of a camera snapping. She smugly smiled at the sight. It was similar to a true couple.

Mission 1: Put them together.

Heart felt a hand brush from hers. She looked at Mark who also had bewilderment in his eyes.

AY! MY CHANCE!

Quickly, his cousin took yet another snap like a couple staring intently at each other. Noticing at the corner of their eyes a figure holding up their camera, they twisted their heads who it was. They saw none but Laine typing on her phone.

Phew, muntikan na~

Laine giggled at the thought.

"Three Iced Americano!"

-----