Karina

It's a good thing na Saturday ngayon and walang class. After nung tweet incident kahapon, hindi na tumigil yung phone ko kakatanggap ng notifications. 

We'll not face the prying eyes and whispers of students. Well, technically, we have to deal with it pero buti na lang hindi yung agad-agad.

When I saw the tweets kahapon, the first thing that pops into my mind was winter. 

Did she saw it already?

Anong reaction niya?

Magagalit kaya siya?

Di kasi siya sanay sa attention. I bet, hindi niya alam na madaming nagkakacrush sa kanya dito sa school. She doesn't know na yung pagkamysterious nya ay maraming nahahatak na students para magkagusto sa kanya, yes, students kasi kahit he, she, or them ay nagkakagusto sa kanya.

I'm not one of those na nagkakagusto sa kanya, okay? Pero crushable kasi talaga siya. Feeling ko nga if makikilala pa nila lalo si Winter baka lahat sila down bad talaga.

I was tidying up my room nung may nagtext sa phone ko, it chimed kasi. When I checked, it was from unknown number, I frowned. I'm not the person to give my phone number easily, so saan nakuha nito yung number ko? And sino 'to? 

I replied, asked the person if sino siya and where did he or she got my number. 

It turns out that this was Jeno's friend na kinukwento niya last time. Last time kasi before ako makipagkita kay winter for the project, sinalubong ako ni Jeno sa labas ng cafe, he was holding chocolates na for me daw, pinapabigay daw nung friend nya pero may ginagawa pa kasi that time so sa kanya pinasuyo. When I went home that day, nakita ko na lang na may attached notes pala sa mga chocolates. 

It's from Jaehyun.

Of course I knew him, their band was well-known sa campus. He's the lead guitarist and yung band nila is from the school lang din. What I heard from students was, ang bilis ng rise nila to popularity na umabot sa point where they were offered to be an artist ng isang kilalang music company. 

Jaehyun was asking sa text if I have received the chocolates last time na pinaabot nya through Jeno, I said na I did get it. We talked a little bit pa then nagtanong na siya if I have plans daw ba today, sabi ko na lang na I'm doing a project (totoo naman), it's not that I don't want to hang out with him, he's a good guy naman based on other students and based sa interactions namin which are limited lang din. Pero I'm not in the mood to go out today din kasi, Winter's gonna be here din kasi mamaya.

Speaking of that, when we talked sa sc office yesterday, we agreed na gagawin namin yung project on their dorm for weekdays and sa house naman namin if Saturdays. Sundays are not in the list kasi that's both our time for other personal errands na and rest day din. Basically, we'll be together for almost everyday. We talked about this since di na nga kami comfortable na parang laging may nakasunod namin.

Honestly, matagal na yung ganyan. Even way before our batch, may ganyan na sa school, pero di ko gets what's that for? Like, do they need to invade someone's privacy for that? Ang hirap hanapin kung sino yung may pakana ng secret writers, photographers or whatsoever na yan so, we just gave up on the idea na it will stop. And now.. kami na ni Winter yung nabiktima, great diba?

I'm getting comfortable na nga kay Winter tapos parang slightly naging awkward ulit kami because of that. I can say na I'm getting comfortable na because nasusungitan ko na siya and she's not taking it the bad way so, I assumed na she's getting comfortable na din sakin, I'm still worried though pero binibiro niya na ako lately so may basis naman yung assumptions ko. 

When I go down form my room, nakita ko si mommy sa kitchen. Himala, she's not at work. Usually, she still have work kapag Saturdays because she's a professional photographer and in line with her work, madalas on-call lagi siya. 

"Oh you're up. Come on, let's eat breakfast na." she said nung nakita niya ako, she kissed my forehead first tapos she served me pancakes, strawberries, and milk. 

"Si dad po?" I can't help but to ask her.

"Nasa firm na, he's handling heavy cases kasi." mom apologetically smiled at me, I held her hand and assuringly smiled back. 

I understand naman, my dad's a lawyer kasi, a great and principled one if I may add. That's why proud din ako sa kanila both and I'm not blaming them for not being around all the time. It's what they love doing, tapos lagi naman sila bumabawi samin ni kuya lalo na if they have time naman. So, I'm not complaining and I'm just really appreciating them and their hard work to provide for us. 

Si kuya next month pa dadating, during their holiday break sa school. Nasa Korea kasi siya, dun siya nag-aral. Mom is half-korean, she got it from my lolo who is pure korean. Maybe kaya din dun nag-aral si kuya, he wants to explore our korean roots siguro. 

While eating breakfast, sinabi ko kay mom na I have a visitor later. Tinawanan niya lang ako, thinking na friends ko yung pupunta mamaya. I told her na they're not the ones na pupunta and shock was evident in her face, I don't really invite guests kasi sa bahay. That's why ganon yung reaction niya. 

After breakfast, I went back to my room. I'm currently browsing my notes, just checking if may kulang or ano when I heard my phone chimed, text ulit. 

Messages

Winter Kim

From Winter Kim: 3 o 3:30 na ako pupunta ah, mainit eh hehe

To Winter Kim: arte, bawal ka sa sun?

From WInter Kim: aba, bumabawi na

To Winter Kim: nyenye whatever, just be here later

From Winter Kim: yes ma'am! haha :)

After that I decided to watch Disney movies on Netflix. It's my favorite thing to do kapag I want to kill time. Cute kaya ng mga movies nila, cringe nga lang yung iba since masyadong dependent yung girl sa prince charming or whatsoever. Pero over-all they're cute, that's why I like them. 

***

Before lunch, I paused my disney movie to take a bath. Mamaya, I will be carried away tapos andyan na pala si winter, that's embarassing. So before pa mangyare yun, I decided na mag-ayos muna. After ko maligo, I watched maybe 2 movies pa then tinawag na ako ni mom for lunch. I was about to do the dishes pero mom told me na she can do it na daw and dun na lang ako sa kwarto para di ako pawisan or para daw hihintayin ko na lang yung bisita ko.

Exactly 3 winter messaged me na she'll leave na sa dorm nila. I learned na kapag saturdays, may training pa din sila. That's one of the many purpose kung bakit daw sila nakadorm ngayon. From school hanggang dito sa bahay it's a 30 minutes drive, it depends pa sa traffic. 

What I didn't expect was, it's not even 30 mins nung nagtext siya na nasa baba na daw siya and she'll wait for me na lang daw. May shortcut ba papunta samin? Baka naman there's no traffic? Bakit ang bilis niya naman yata, that's impossible naman. 

When I went down, I saw her sitting sa couch, may glass of water din sa table in front of her. 

"Hey, winter. Bakit ang bilis mo naman yata?" I asked her. Tinaas nya naman yung tingin niya from her phone.

"Secret." she said and smiled widely, kahit kelan talaga 'to.

"Hi, girls." Before I could speak, lumabas si Mom from her mini office dito sa house with her car keys. 

"You're leaving po?" I asked mom.

"Kinda? Naiwan ko yung usb sa office. I'll just get it para malipat sa storage." she said, then tumingin kay winter and smiled.

"Mom, this is winter. My partner for this project, new friend ko na din." sabi ko kay mom.

"Good afternoon, po, Miss Yu. Winter Kim po." she slightly bowed pa, why is she being too formal?

"Hindi naman ako nangagagat, Winter. You're too formal, tita na lang." mom said na parang nang-aasar pa, I saw winter's ears became red, nahiya siya eh.

"S-sige po, T-tita." now, she's all red, i have something to tease about her na.

After giving mom our goodbyes and take cares since mom's rushing na, I told winter na I'll just get my things sa room. I decided na sa living room na lang namin gawin yung project para mas comfortable siya, I'm not that comfortable pa kasi to let her enter my room din. It may get awkward lang din between the two of us if kami lang yung nasa room so, sa living room na lang. 

Since we're falling into this routine, super easy na lang and smooth yung flow ng pagfill up ko sa forms. Now, nagkwekwento, scratch that, nagrarant siya sa naging training nila kanina and the whole week. 

"Iniisip ko pa lang yung gagawin namin next week, napapagod na ako." she said and leaned on the couch.

"You don't have breaks ba?" I asked her, parang pagod na pagod kasi talaga siya. 

"Wala daw muna kasi para daw kondisyon katawan namin." sabi niya. 

"Don't push yourself too hard din kasi." supringsingly, my voice came out so soft.

"Can't. Iba yung pressure maging captain eh. Ikaw din pala, malapit na magchristmas, wag mo pagurin sobra yung sarili mo sa events ng sc." she said while smiling.

See? She's caring talaga. 

"Yeah, I will. Alam ko naman limitations ko." sabi ko sa kanya then we got into a comfortable silence na.

After a while, nagsalita na siya.

"Anong oras na pala, baka nakakaabala na ako, balik na ko sa dorm." 

"No, wala namang naaabala pero yeah, you need to rest na din. Parang super pagod ka today. Gusto mo dito ka na magdinner?" I said, 6pm na din pala kasi.

"Nako, wag na. Nakakahiya na tsaka matutulog na lang din siguro ako magdamag." sagot niya sakin.

She stood up so tumayo na din ako. She wears her black plaid shirt, she's wearing a simple white t-shirt sa loob kasi. When we walked out the house, I didn't see her car. So paano siya pumunta dito? 

"You don't have your car?" I asked her, umiling naman siya.

"Hindi, dala ko yung baby ko." she said then she pointed at a motorcyle, parked sa tabi ng family car namin. 

My gosh, kaya pala ang bilis nya kanina. 

We walked towards her motorcycle, she hopped on it then inayos yung stand. She started the engine tapos sinuot niya yung helmet niya. 

"Alis na ko para di na masyadong gabihin. Thank you, Karina." she said and smiled at me. 

"Alright. Sira ka, I should be the one thanking you. Drive safely. Thanks din, Winter." I said sa kanya while smiling din. 

She smiled at me again before putting down yung parang shield sa helmet niya. I don't see her face na kasi tinted yung parang shield. She revved the engine a little tapos bumusina then nagdrive na paalis.

Okay. Back then, I don't get it kung bakit yung girls na nagkakacrush kay winter ay laging kinikilig, they always say na ang pogi gumalaw ni winter.

Now, I witnessed it with my own eyes.  

I'm not gonna lie, kasi it's true. Ang pogi nga. 

--------

helloo!! here's a little long chapter pambawi sa mga utang ko sa inyo :< 

naging busy kasi nung holidays since pinag-alaga ako ng cute pamangkins and nagkasakit naman after new year 😣

check out the author's thoughts, i need your suggestions and thoughts po hehe, ang dami din palang nagkasakit this new year plus yung omicron variant surge pa. ingat kayo palagi ng family nyo! stay safe! 😁