“Babe I’m going to sleep na. Stay up ka pa?” Winter whispered behind me.

 

She looks tired na so I let her go to sleep na sa room, “Go na. Sunod ako in a while.”

 

I kissed her good night. Our friends cheered pa at sumigaw ng “more!” si Ning. I chuckled, akala ko ba tatalon siya sa car if she sees another kiss from me and Winter?

 

And, trust me. I’d kiss her more kung walang ibang tao.

 

I think I’m addicted to her lips. Is that possible? She just kisses so well… The thought of staying sa kanila buong araw tomorrow and on Sunday — it excites me.

 

I got distracted with my thoughts when Jaehyun told us that he’d be leaving na. He has a family thing tomorrow yata.

 

He looks sulky.

 

Nabanggit ni Giselle sa akin this week that our friend and Minju aren’t really progressing.

 

It looks like Jaehyun directly asked the girl kung may pag asa siya dito and mukhang hindi naging okay yung sagot ng friend ni Winter.

 

Hindi niya pa naman yata totally binabasted but she said friends lang for now.

 

Jaehyun said he thinks the girl likes someone else pa.

 

Not that I'm biased but Jae is a good guy naman. Not to mention he's also pleasing in the eyes. Baka hindi type ni Minju, although I couldn't be sure.

 

Maybe hindi pa rin nakaka move on dun sa tao na gusto niya.

 

Pumasok sa isip ko si Winter.

 

Naalala ko nung FN 1 food fest when my girlfriend mentioned sa batchmate niya yung "crush" daw nito. So it couldn't be her, right?

 

"Yuna, pakisabay na lang si Minju sa inyo tomorrow.. Make sure she gets home safe." He reminded our friend.

 

He said bye to all of us na nasa sofa and I saw Minju just giving him a timid smile.

 

Poor Jae. He really likes Winter's friend.

 

The night progressed and Ryuji and Yeji also called it a night at natulog na sa room where my girlfriend is.

 

"Where's your jowa?" Giselle asked. She's a bit tipsy na rin just like the others.

 

I pointed dun sa isang room beside the main one, "Sleeping. Antok na raw. Probably tired."

 

"Why are you still here then?" She raised her brows at me. Nagtataka siguro bakit hindi ko pa sinasamahan yung girlfriend kong matulog.

 

I just shrugged at her, "I'm not yet sleepy. And besides, I'll be staying over at their house naman buong weekend."

 

She gave me a malicious look, "Ooooh. You've been together for what, like almost two months na right? Have you done 'it'?"

 

I hit her lightly, "Shut up.."

 

We heard Chae burp loudly. Lia's face is funny, parang diring diri siya. It smells like sisig daw.

 

Everyone is occupied kaya no one can hear mine and Giselle's convo. Yuna, Lia, Chae and Minju are over the other side ng living area, tagay sila nang tagay habang nagkekwentuhan.

 

I'm surprised to see Minju drink. I thought hindi siya nagiinom. She just looks like someone so.. nice and innocent. Someone who can't even hurt a fly.

 

"So ano nga?" Giselle nagged.

 

I looked at her and laughed, "Ano ba yun? Why do you wanna know ba?"

 

"Nothing. Friendly convo lang. So, nag na kayo?" She wiggled her eyebrows sa akin.

 

I rolled my eyes, "I'm not telling you that."

 

"Oh please! You were so vocal about it dati nung kayo ni Ye—" Pinandilatan ko siya ng mata and I covered .

 

My God! I don't even want to think about that anymore.

 

"Fine! Winter and I—" Napatigil ako because my voice was becoming too loud. Hininaan ko and I spoke again, "We've done.. things."

 

I bit my lip, recalling that night at the resort when Winter did... stuff to me that I can't seem to shake off my mind hanggang ngayon.

 

"God, Kat! At least don't make it too obvious that you're thinking about whatever it is you're thinking!" She gagged. Ever so dramatic.

 

Narinig yata nila Yuna yung loud voice ni Giselle, "What are you guys talking about? Dito kayo! We're asking Minju about Jaehyun."

 

She clapped and made space for me and Gi.

 

I got curious din kaya umupo na lang ako and sumama sa usapan nila. Even Giselle got intrigued with our friend's special someone.

 

Chae took over the "questioning".

 

"Okay okay!" She cleared , "So Minju.. teh.. What do you think about Jaehyun?"

 

Again, another tilian was heard dun sa mag jowa kahit napapapikit na sila halos sa kaantukan. Kami na lang yata ni Giselle yung matino.

 

Minju smiled. Like.. really smile. A full smile na ngayon ko lang din nakita sa kanya.

 

Oh wow. She probably likes Jae after all if the thought of him can make her smile like this.

 

"I think.. Winter is cute."

 

I just stared at her.

 

Did she say Winter?

 

"Did she just say Winter?" Bulong ni Giselle sa tabi ko.

 

Yup. She did. Even Giselle heard it.

 

Chae just chuckled awkwardly, "Y—You mean Jaehyun?" Napapatingin sa akin si Chaeryeong, looking apologetic with what her friend said.

 

Nakatitig pa rin ako kay Minju.

 

I don't think she realized what she said.

 

Yuna and Lia slept through it all. What the hell? Kanina gising lang sila.

 

Minju and I looked at each other but she removed her gaze din kaagad at humiga na sa sofa. "Right. Jaehyun." She answered Chae.

 

Hindi ko alam kung maiinis ako o ewan.

 

Speculating her crush on Winter was one thing. Hearing her confirm it was another.

 

My head is suddenly aching.

 

I know it's not Winter's fault but I find myself getting annoyed with her for just brushing it off every time I tell her that her friend likes her.

 

Siguro initital reaction lang ito. I don't really blame her. Why would I? It's not her fault she's "crushable".

 

Ugh. Still. I'm annoyed.

 

When I decided to go to bed, tinabihan ko yung baby ko. I'm still bothered sa sinabi ni Minju. But that's not gonna stop me from sleeping beside my girlfriend.

 

She murmured something when I laid down sa tabi niya. I didn't quite understand it. Puro "baby" at "love" lang naintindihan ko.

 

I hugged her tight around her torso and found comfort beside her despite the gnawing feeling na naramdaman ko sa sinabi ni Minju.

 

 

 

The next morning, akala ko mawaala na yung inis ko. Hindi pa rin.

 

Naririnig ko pa rin sa isip ko yung pagkasabi ni Miinju ng "Winter is cute". Psh.

 

"Hey. Don't take it out on Winter, okay? It's not her fault." Giselle said. Kasama ko siya sa kitchen, cleaning the mess from last night. Winter is in the shower.

 

She probably sensed that I'm still not in the mood.

 

"No, I know. I'm just annoyed." Ang aga aga but my eyes are already rolling.

 

Tumawa siya, "You can be such a jealous kid sometimes." Umiling siya.

 

I huffed, "Can you blame me? Winter is just so.."

 

"I get it! God, you're so in love. That girl is just as crazy about you. Wala kang dapat ika-worry, Kat." Giselle is right. Wala naman dahilan for me to be jealous in the first place.

 

Winter always tells me na she loves. She never fails to give me assurances about how she feels for me. Ako lang itong may pagka petty minsan sa pagiging selosa.

 

Although never naman umabot sa point na pag aawayan talaga namin ni Winter. Hindi naman ganon kalala.

 

We left Giselle's condo and I thought okay na ako when my mood got sour again.

 

I even acted coldly towards Winter kahit alam kong nagwoworry lang naman siya why I'm suddenly quiet.

 

"Winter, drop it." I snapped when she asked for the third time kung may problema ba ako. I felt bad in an instant when I saw a little pang of hurt sa kanyang mga mata.

 

.

 

She didn't try to talk to me after that. She probably got cautious dahil nga sa mini outburst ko.

 

I kept looking at her with worry. I feel so bad especially na nakikita ko yung pout niya. I just wanna kiss it away.

 

We got to my house and I decided right then and there and sabihin sa kanya yung nangyari. It would be unfair kung magpapaka passive aggressive ako kahit wala naman siyang kasalanan.

 

And so I told her what happened kagabi.

 

How Chae asked Minju what she thinks about Jaehyun and Minju uttering that Winter is cute.

 

"Ha?" Winter asked, natatawa pa siya. Mas naiinis tuloy ako! "Baka mali lang rinig mo babe."

 

Anong tingin niya sa akin, bingi?!

 

Winter can be so dense sometimes. She asked ridiculously if I think siya yung pinepertain ni Jaehyun na gusto ni Minju.

 

"I don't think it's you, I know it's you."

 

She told me that I cannot just assume things. Well lucky for her, I'm not assuming! I told her it's been obvious ever since.

 

I can tell Winter is also getting annoyed na with our heated conversation. I sighed internally. Wala naman kasing may kasalanan sa aming dalawa kung may gusto sa kanya yung friend niya.

 

"Winter is cute." I mocked how Minju said it kagabi.

 

Winter just laughed loudly and the mood got lighter after that.

 

Truthfully, hindi naman kami nag aaway. Like I told her, this is just us, having a normal girlfriend to girlfriend conversation which is I think is pretty normal naman.

 

Our talk ended well. She assured me again na if it turns out na totoo na Minju likes her, nothing's going to change.

 

Ako lang daw.

 

Okay, kinilig ako doon. Winter just knows what to say all the time.

 

The whole weekend with just Winter alone in her room.. Let's just say I could not remember why I was pissed in the first place.

 

Bawing bawi ng moans niya.

 

 

 

 

The end of the sem is fast approaching.

 

Last week na ng semester.

 

While everyone is excited na exempted sila sa finals, I'm stressing myself because I chose to take the exams kahit hindi required.

 

What can I say? Ganon naman kasi ako.

 

Even before, pinagtatawanan ako ng friends ko sa sobrang pagka obsessed ko raw with acads.

 

Oh well. I wouldn't be running for Laude if I wasn't.

 

Studying is something that I really like to do. It's stressful, yes, but I like that I'm learning things at namamaster ko yung topics.

 

Magiging useful kapag kumuha na ako ng Master's Degree.

 

I've always wanted to teach and share my knowledge to people.

 

Math, specifically.

 

Winter always groans when I ramble about my love for the subject. Tumatawa lang ako kapag hindi niya nagegets yung mga sinasabi kong formulas.

 

But she thinks I'd be a hot professor daw. Jesus. Yun talaga naisip niya?

 

My girlfriend has been very supportive sa akin ngayon.

 

Sinasamahan niya ako sa pagrereview ko even though she does not have to.

 

Hinahatid niya ako sa bahay if it means makaka sure siya na safe ako at hindi ako pagod sa pagcocommute.

 

She even treated me to lunch because I was craving tacos.

 

It was the same day that we overheard my ex and Winter's friend arguing sa parking lot.

 

I know it's not nice to pry but we couldn't help but listen to their heated conversation. Apparently, Ryujin waited for Yeji pero na-late ito because of Minju.

 

I scoffed internally when I heard the name. Naalala ko nanaman yung pagkakaroon niya ng crush sa girlfriend ko.

 

Ever since that night, medyo naging awkward na kami ni Minju lalo sa FN 1. Kahit kay Winter, I could tell na naiilang siya. Siguro aware na siya dun sa nasabi niya.

 

Truth be told, I'm not mad at Minju. Generally speaking, she's a nice person. But knowing that she likes my girlfriend.. may unsettling feeling ako na nararamdaman.

 

That's why it beats me how Winter can be so cool with Yeji after everything that has happened. Siguro ganon lang talaga siya ka mature.

 

Or maybe I can be petty rin talaga minsan kahit pa alam ko sa sarili ko that I'm not usually an unreasonable person.

 

"Eh bakit ka ba nagrereklamo? Bakit ba feeling ko kailangan kong mag explain? Hindi naman kita girlfriend or anything."

 

Damn.

 

That probably hurt Ryujin.

 

Yeji can be like... that sometimes. Spitting words without her realizing how venomous they are.

 

On the way sa Silantro, napag usapan namin sila ni Winter. She asked kung tingin ko raw my gusto yung ex ko sa friend niya.

 

She even said na buti pa raw kami, puro "loving loving" lang and blooming pa rin daw ako kahit na sobrang stressed ko sa acads.

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