Karina

I went to class just in time, I have extra 10 minutes pa nga. Ning arrived shortly lang din, may na-notice ako sa bruhang 'to. Lately, she's coming to class early, as in, she's not like that before, most of the time late pa nga siya. Ano kayang plano nito? 

"Aga mo pumasok the past few days. May chika ka ba?" I asked her. 

"Wala ah. Di pwede I just want to go early lang?" She answered. 

"Nope, not gonna believe you. You're fidgeting, bakit ka kinakabahan?" I asked her again. It's her habit, lalo na if kinakabahan siya. 

"True nga! Ikaw nga kahapon parang di na babalik yung noo mo sa sobrang kunot, did I say something ba? Wala diba?" She countered. 

"Gumaganti ka ba?" I asked while squinting my eyes at her.

"Hindi ah! Kahit di ka pa magkwento sakin, okay lang." She said. Kaya pala.. nagtatampo naman pala. 

 "You could just told me na gusto mo ng suyo." I said while slightly laughing. Yun lang naman pala yung gusto niya. 

"Magtigil ka. Hindi ka marunong nun." She said. I quickly acted like I'm offended.

"Marunong kaya ako! Do you want a sample?" I asked her with full conviction kasi marunong talaga ako. 

"Wag na, baka maubos. Gamitin mo yan pag right time na." 

What? 

Nauubos ba yun?

Hindi ko talaga sure bakit ko siya friend. 

******
 

"Ikaw ang may chika, ano meron? Parang kahapon lang there's a black aura that's surrounding you." Ning asked me then she took a bite of her sandwich. 

It's our break right now and she decided na tumambay kami dito sa sc office since malapit lang naman daw sa classroom namin. 

"It's winter's roommate. Super funny niya, as in. I think magkakasundo kayo." 

Last night, tawang tawa ako kay heejin, winter's roommate.

She keeps on teasing winter and yung isa naman, super nahihiya na.

She's got so red last night, parang anytime sasabog yung ears nya, super red kasi. Even her cheeks na hindi naman usually namumula kapag nahihiya siya, namula na din last night. 

Winter, akala ko ba partners lang kayo? Bakit mo naman inuwi?

Winter, wag ka masyado kiligin. Baka di kayo matapos sa project.

Winter nagpapatulong lang si Karina ha, baka mamaya tulungan mo naman magmahal yan.

To be honest, hindi ako naging uncomfortable last night even if heejin is teasing winter tungkol sakin. 

Nakakatawa kasi yung mga reactions na nakukuha namin from winter, especially when she gets red. 

May kamukha siyang something cute, di ko lang mafigure out. 

While eating, nagkwentuhan lang kami ni Ning about our whereabouts for the past days. 

Super hooked niya talaga sa mga kdrama and korean culture in general.

She even said na kapag nastress siya nang malala from this sem, di na lang daw siya mag-aaral. She will audition daw sa mga korean entertainment company or she'll join something like Produce 101 daw. 

She's really something else, sometimes di mo alam kung ano tumatakbo sa utak niya.

"Nga pala, sumabay ka samin ni yeji mamayang lunch." She consumed her drink in one go. Akala mo ngayon lang nakainom ng coke.

"Wow, do I have a choice?" 

"Honestly? Wala. Nagdedemand ako right now." She said while smiling saractically.

"Do you think susunod ako?" I asked. 

"Sure ka na dyan?" Tumingin siya sakin, nakataas yung isang kilay. 

"Fine. I'll go with the both of you naman talaga." 

Not gonna lie, katakot talaga minsan si Ning.

Friendly kasi naman talaga siya pero once na magsungit siya, masakit talaga sa ulo. 

Sometimes ganyan din ako, but mas malala siya magsungit sakin. 

We finished eating and went back sa class and settled with our seats na. 

Hawak ni ning yung phone niya kanina pa, she's talking with someone ata. When our prof entered the classroom, I nudged her side.

Pagtingin niya sakin, namumula si gaga. 

Now, I wonder who is she talking to? 

She puts her phone away and nilagay na sa bag niya since we'll start discussing na din ng lessons.

Sino yan? 

I mouthed at her.

Wala, eme lang.

She mouthed back then nagfocus na sa lesson.

Eme lang pero grabe siya magblush. 

I'll make sure to make her talk mamayang lunch.

******

We're on the way sa caf, dun daw kakain since may quiz si yeji for her last subject.

Kanina after itago ni ning yung phone niya nung dumating yung prof, hindi ko na siya nakausap. She's focused on the lessons and what suprised me was the fact na nagrerecite siya and kapag natatawag siya, she really nailed her answers. 

Kailan pa nagadvance reading si ning?

Don't get me wrong, lagi kayang stock knowledge yung sagot niya when I'm asking her where she gets her answers. Ning's smart, like really smart pero she hates reading in advance. Madali lang daw siya makapick-up that's why umaasa siya sa stock knowledge. 

Tapos ngayon, she doesn't even panic and ask me for answers kanina. She straight up answered our prof's questions. 

We saw yeji and hyunjin talking on a table near the store na nagbebenta ng drinks. It seems like pinapagalitan niya nanaman yung kambal niya dahil makulit.

"Dali na. Promise ibabalik ko kapag binigyan na ako ng allowance." 

"What for ba? I swear, hyunjin.. if yan kalokohan nanaman." 

"No, promise. Pakita ko sayo yung binili ko pagkatapos, gusto mo pati pa resibo." 

Yeji just rolled her eyes. She looked at our way then kumaway, noticing us. Lumingon na din si hyunjin since nakatalikod siya. 

"Hoy, jin. Kinukulit mo nanaman yeji namin." Ning greeted him.

"Niiing! Hindi ah, naglalambing kaya ako, bawal ba? Hi, karina." He explained and greeted back, eyes disappearing from smiling. 

I smiled back at him and binati ko na din siya. 

"I'll forward it later. I'm telling you, ayusin mo yan." 

When yeji said that, ngumiti ulit yung kambal niya. Eyes disappearing again, probably because nakuha na yung gusto. 

"The best ka talaga grabe. Ning, karina, alis na ako. Thank you, bal!! Labyu!" 

He said then niyakap niya si Yeji before tumayo sa inupuan niya then naglakad na paalis.

"Nga pala, cute nyo ng mga tropa ko." 

Pahabol niya pa bago umalis. When he was out of our sight, Yeji sighed while massaging her temple. 

"Tatawagan ko na ba si rj?" Ning asked Yeji.

"Huh? Para saan?" Yeji asked her back, confused.

"Stressed ka na eh, baka need mo ng reliever." 

Ningning said while raising her eyebrows and teasingly smiled at Yeji. 

Inirapan tuloy siya and nabato ng takip ng ballpen. 

She complained na masakit daw pero di lang siya pinansin ni yeji. I'm just watching them because I'm still amused on how their dynamics work kahit matagal na kaming friends. 

"I'll order na, ano sa inyo?" 

I asked them before pa sila magpatayan, when yeji's hungry pa naman yung patience niya parang dinosaur.

May dinosaur pa ba? Wala na.

"Carbonara na lang, rina. Orange juice na din." Yeji said.

I looked at ning, waiting for her answer. 

"Uh.. uhm, ano kasi eh." 

Right on cue, someone spoke behind me.

"Here's your lunch. I'm sorry, medyo nalate kami nadismiss." 

Paglingon ko, si giselle pala. She's holding a paper bag of takeouts from panda express habang inaabot kay ning. 

Yeji and I exchanged glances. 

"That's okay. Sabay ka na samin?" 

Ning asked giselle, with a tone na ngayon ko lang narinig from her. 

My gosh. Ang pabebe ng bestfriend namin.

"Is it okay? Nagrereview pa ata si Yeji." Giselle said, then looked at us na parang naghe-hesitate.

"Huy ano ka ba. Okay lang, I'm almost done na din." Yeji said.

"Yep, it's more than okay pa nga. I'll order foods for me and yeji lang." Paalam ko sa kanila pero pinigilan ako ni giselle.

"Actually, meron din kayo dun sa binigay ko kay ning." 

Is this some kind of their thing? Lahat ata sa circle nila ganito, they always give things pero not in a negative way naman. It's in a way na maa-appreciate mo, lalo na yung thought and effort nila.

"Hala seryoso?" Yeji asked her pero halata namang she got excited na din. 

Giselle nodded while still smiling, she's helping ning na ilabas yung foods from the paper bag. 

She handed me the container and then kay yeji. When ning got her food, tuwang tuwa si gaga. Parang ngayon lang kakain ng panda express.

"Hala, orange chicken!! It's been so long. Thank you, bubba!!" 

Wait.

I swear, super bilis namin ni yeji tumingin kay ning after marinig yung sinabi niya.

Bubba?!