"Mark!"

"Oy! Heart!"

"'Wag mo akong Hino'Oy, Heart!' mo diyan, jerk!"

"Eh?"

"Anong ngyare kahapon?" she bluntly asked, her expression scrunched up in bewilderment.

"Nothin'. Nalutang ka lang ata yesterday, that's all", he chuckles slightly and gave a warm smile, hiding the nervousness in his voice, his hands close to trembling in dread of getting busted. The memories yesterday intact in his head similar to pins pricking every part of his brain and the corners of his bosom.

"Nalutang? Puta. Hindi ako kunbinsado. What. Happened."

"Seryoso Heart, 'yun lang. Tapos nagpunta tayo sa dormitory kasi you passed out."

It wasn't exactly a lie, but more of him hiding something from Heart. She grieved a sigh.

If I'm stubborn, mas matindi siya.

-----

"JASMINE!"

"Oh anong meron pakwan."

"... Huh?"

"Sorry, nagkecrave kasi ako ng mga pakwan ngayon eh."

"Ano ka, buntis?"

"Oo, buntis sa anak ni Jaehyun- Ay joke pero sana nga hehe and cute niya eh-"

"Nagtatanong ako about yesterday hindi si Jaehyun Jas, kanina ka pa tungkol sa kaniya."

"Oo nga noh, ehem. Sorry na. Ede from the start, bakit ka nga ba napatawag?"

"I was gonna ask about anong ngyari last night."

"Hindi ba mataas yung tolerance mo for alcohol?"

"Shut it, Jasmine. Desperado na ako anong ngyari kahapon! Pag yan sinamantala pala ako-"

"Hoy hindi hindi pero ang pogi niya rin pero di kasing pogi ni Jaehyun ko. Anyway, some stranger came and didn't tell me his name pero parang kilalang-kilala ka niya... very very well", Heart fell silent, betokening for her to continue on.

"Tinawag mo pangalan niya eh, di mo ba maalala?"

"Alam ko, kaya nga tinatanong ko bestprend ko pero mga sagot naman hindi straight to the point", Heart rolled her eyes.

"Tinawag mo siyang Mark if I recalled it clearly. I gave you two some space and headed to SM building first. Nung bumalik ka na, mapula na mga mata niya. Nakita ko lang pero di ko alam kung bakit and I didnt ask."

"..."

"Pero grabe ang cute talaga ni Jaehyun!"

"Not interested Jas..."

", hindi lang ikaw ang may love story."

-----

For days it seems like they were both on good terms. Mark would smile ever so often whenever Heart would arrive in the practice room. He would grab her neck and smile widely. She would only do the same but something wasn't quite right.

Their relationship wasn't that strong, it was like best friends getting along from a big fight they have caused. Nevertheless, there was quite a different aura enclosing them.

It was deemed to be natural, but it all came out as a force play in the end.

Ano ba kasi nasabi ko sayo kahapon? Kabwiset naman oh.

-----

"Mark!"

"Yow, dude. What's up?"

"Drop the act, nagsasawa na ako."

"Anong act?" Mark pretended to be confused.

"Mark, please..."

Mark furrowed his brows at the statement. It was perplexing and so he thought what must be the reason for her running down the halls.

But he knew to himself he was denying those obvious answers that would have been what Heart was finding for.

"Tumigil ka na. Just stop. What the hell did I do to you?! For more than 2 months, you didn't talk. Now for days... It felt as if you are obligated to do so."

"Wala kang ginawa Heart, promise", Mark smiled.

"Bull."

"'Wag mo akong minumura", he acted angry at the girl, but she wasn't fazed one bit and remained her poker face.

"... Sabihin mo na yung totoo."

"Okay", Mark felt his hands freezing. This isn't some interview, yet it was more frightening than that. Another second has passed Heart looked directly at his brown soft orbs admiring the man in front of her and the excitement feeling inside her stomach.

"Gusto mo ba ako?"

-----

Heart isn't that dense.

She saw how those eyes get gloomy every time he walks away from her. She shouldn't be assuming stuff but it felt as if those are the only explanation as to why he has been acting strange.

One fact would be they were those children who loved to play hide and seek in the past. She thought her heart would have jumped out from where it was upon remembering her playmate who used to be the only one free.

There were moments when Heart would follow him wherever he goes. Sure, she was stalking but it was for a good reason. She would catch him cursing and grumbling, then taking a sip of the can of beer in his hand. She badly wanted to snatch that away from his hand but if she did, it would have hurt the latter even more. Heart then had no choice but to watch him from afar, watching every step he makes.

While in every stalking she does, she couldn't help but go back to 2 months ago, recollecting the moments when Mark was so quiet when..

Could it be...

-----

"Do you like me? Iningles ko na ha", she repeated.

"Why the sudden question?"

"Sagot lang is yes or no. Sagot Mark", he stayed silent and looked away, his hands warmly embracing the warm coffee."Mark, I swear to God-"

"Oo! Oo, gusto kita from the start pa lang. I said I liked you as a friend pero in denial lang pala ako nun dahil sa mga fantastic feelings you kept giving me. , I had to recover myself from those words you said that night-"

"What words?"

"... Tinawagan mo akong bestie. Sabi mo pa nga 'I love you too, bestie!'", he imitated his voice tightening acting like a little girl talking,

"Is that what you only see from me?"

"..."

"Tignan mo, siya naman ang umiimik-"

"No..." Mark looked at her again.

"'No' what?"

"Bigyan mo pa ako ng oras..."

-----