I was glad to know that Winter got a good grade sa project niya despite our mishap. Sabi ni Yuyu na Winter had the best submission daw, as per Winter’s retelling to Yuyu. 

Actually, they displayed the models sa Library and nakita ko nga yung iba. Maganda yung gawa namin.

Winter actually made it even better. She splattered some white paint to make it look like a galaxy and ginawan niya din ng stand so it could be propped up. 

Natuwa naman ako when I saw that they had Winter’s front and centre sa display. It felt good na kahit nangyari yung nangyari, we still managed to fix it. Not just the project, but pati na rin yung sa amin ni Winter. 

I’m still awkward around her…around Yuyu’s friends as a matter of fact, pero feel ko naman I’m getting better. Tumatak kasi sa akin yung sinabi ni Yuyu na they’re our friends now too and I shouldn’t treat them any differently. How I treat the clingies should be the same as how I treat them. 

At least, I don’t avoid any of them anymore. I’ve learned my lesson the hard way. 

Like that one time Winter suddenly showed up behind me at the library? At any given moment, I would’ve jumped and stammered my way out of the awkward situation. 

Napatalon naman talaga ako kasi nagulat ako but I mean, I didn’t avoid her like I usually did. I said hi. 

I found out then that they sometimes have their Mathelete meetings sa isang meeting room sa library. 

Coincidentally, I sat across the meeting room they were at. Kitang-kita ko yung concentration ni Winter. 

They kept the blinds open so I was able to see them rehearse? Rehearse ba tawag? Or practice? Study?

Ng tumingala ako from reading, nagtama yung mga mata namin. I had to pat myself at the back for not looking away. 

I smiled instead. 

Hindi ko rin naman maiwasan mailang and mahiya minsan just because Winter stares a lot. I mean, I do prefer that than her ignoring me. I guess that’s just her thing? She looks at people intently I guess. 

But I’m still really painfully shy. I don’t think that’ll go away overnight. 

That same Monday Winter handed in her project, I also gave back her flannel. They sat with us during lunch time and inabot ko yung paper bag sa kanya. Tiningnan niya yung laman and I swear, she looked like a kid on Christmas day when she took out the plastic bag full of candies. 

“Oh, uh, na-naiwan mo kasi at Yuyu’s on Saturday.” 

“Thanks, Karina!” 

Parang nangati yung kamay ko after she said that so I grabbed Yuyu. “Samahan mo ako to buy food.”

I felt my stomach lurch too – as if someone had tickled me there and I thought I was just really hungry. Pero I wasn’t able to eat much anyway. Si Yuyu tumapos ng food ko. 

The past few days have been hectic na rin since almost finals na and everyone is scrambling to hand in big projects. Yuyu’s business group have been poring over their project kasi parang business proposal yata and presentation of some sort. I really have not been paying attention sa mga sinasabi ni Yuyu minsan kasi busy din ako with my own stuff.

Kaya kami nasa mall waiting for Yuyu and her group to finish buying what they needed to buy. Kanina pa sila nauna dito since their prof gave them time to work on their project. Sumunod lang ako after my classes ended kasi susunduin ko naman talaga siya. The rest of the clingies followed na rin.

Kompleto kami. Pati ang kambals sumama na rin. Hang out na rin daw before hell week. 

Nakaupo lang kami sa Starbucks when we saw Winter and Ning walking. Napangiti ako.

“Sila ba yan? Where’s RJ?” Giselle stood up to look for Yuyu. Sumunod na rin ako sa kanya and naglakad papunta kina Winter. 

Nakita ko na rin si Yuyu as I got closer pero napahinto ako, smile fading from my lips. 

I scowled ng nakita ko kung sino ang kasama niya. Para akong prinank and I felt super blindsided dahil all along, alam ni Yuyu na nandito siya. And it looks like magkaklase pa sila.

Mas lalo akong nainis when I saw her laughing with Chaeryeong and Yuyu looking uncomfortable. 

I clenched my fists as I started walking towards them. 

“Oh, .” I heard someone say. 

“KK, slow down.” 

Narining ko lang sila Giselle following me with hurried steps. I rushed to Yuyu’s side and pulled her away from her. Nagulat siya when she saw me. Pati si Chaeryeong na kasama nilang dalawa ay nagulat sa akin. 

“Karina.” She sounded smug. I ignored her, my eyes only trained at Yuyu. 

“Somi, what are you doing here?” Giselle was beside us. Pati na rin si Lia. Somi only scoffed at Giselle. 

“Yuyu.” Tiningnan ko siya up and down. I grabbed her by the shoulders, inspecting as if may nangyari sa kanya. 

Nagtama ang mga mata namin. Yuyu looked distressed. Saan? Hindi ko alam. It could be because I just showed up at hinatak siya palayo kay Somi. Or it could be just Somi herself. 

“I’m fine,” she sounded tense. I could tell na hindi niya gusto ang nangyayari. Hindi ko pa rin siya pinakawalan. “Yuyu, I’m fine.” She snapped and I let go of her. 

“We’ll talk later, beb.” I said curtly.

Somi sneered at me and laughed mockingly. “See, this is why it never worked out.” 

I heard someone gasp behind me. “Oh my gosh bes, ungkatan ng past.” 

“Somi, sweetie,” Lia finally stepped in. “Let’s go before anything else happens.” 

“Whatever. Bye Ryujin. See you in class.” 

Tiningnan ko ulit si Yuyu. Hindi na niya ako pinansin. Mabilis naman inakbayan ni Hyunjin si Yuyu, pati na rin si Yeji ay binaling niya yung attention niya kay Yuyu.

Naiinis pa rin ako. Somi had the audacity to even say that to my face when it was all her fault in the first place. If anything, I was just a spectator. 

“Babs!” Napatingin ako ng mabilis kay Winter. I felt like I got whiplash. I squinted at the familiar tall build na papunta sa amin. Kasama niya rin yung isang guy from before.

“Babs, finally! Jusko bakit ngayon ka lang?” Mukhang excited si Winter makita si Soobin kasi tumakbo siya papunta sa kanya. 

Kinuha niya yung dala ni Winter. “Bakit? May nangyari ba?” 

“Ah, kwento ko sayo mamaya.” She pulled Soobin to face us and introduced him to us quickly. Kilala ko na siya. “Si Soobin and Chenle pala mga Ates and Kuya. Alis na kami! Tara na Ning and Chae. Bye po!” 

Tinutulak pa ni Winter palayo si Soobin while he was trying to look back. I could tell Chaeryeong and Ning were talking about what they just saw. Ang sudden lang din kasi.

“Well, that was awkward.” Lia commented. “Soobin pala name niya. Did you know, KK?” 

I clicked my tongue, ignoring Lia. Nakakainis. 

“Let’s go, Yuyu.” I snapped and she followed me wordlessly. 

The ride home was quiet. 

Alam ko na galit na sa akin si Yuyu kasi she’s not even sitting straight. She turned her body all the way to her right side, as if mapapaso siya if she so much as got a glimpse of my face. 

Nakatingin lang siya sa labas, completely ignoring me. 

In my defense, I only wanted to make sure she was okay. Kasi her history with Somi was not pretty. And nangyari yun when I was already out of high school. And nakita ko kung paano siya nasaktan. 

She could be mad at me for trying to interfere with her business or she could be feeling guilty for not telling me about Somi. Or both. 

Yuyu is stubborn. Very.

Hindi ko alam kung kakausapin niya ako about Somi when we get home pero she’s the type of person who won’t say anything unless ikaw una kumausap. Especially kapag nagaaway kayo. Stubborn nga. 

Sometimes, I give her the space if she asks for it and nagoopen lang siya after. Most of the time hinahayaan ko siya. 

Pero I have been seeing Somi sa school for a long time, nakapagtataka lang na hindi ko siya nakikita in any of Yuyu’s classes. I wanted to know why she kept it from me. 

When I parked the car in front of their house, Yuyu got out of the car immediately. I just followed her inside. 

Her parents were home and nag hi na muna ako at bumeso sa kanila before ko sinundan si Yuyu sa kwarto. They sensed that there was something wrong and I told them na kausapin ko lang. They already know how we fight naman. 

Pagpasok ako sa room niya, nakaupo lang siya sa kama niya.

“Yuyu,” I was being careful not to lose my temper. “Bakit hindi mo sinabi sa akin?” I pulled the chair at umupo, trying to level with her. Iniwas niya yung tingin sa akin. 

“I saw her at the library, multiple times. And then sa Founder’s Hall kung saan kayo gumawa ng project niyo. I didn't think she would be in the same class as you, let alone ka block mo.” I recalled. “I should’ve put two and two together when I saw her walk out of Founder’s Hall but I wasn’t sure.” 

Again, silence. I tried reaching out to her pero she flicked my arm away. I was starting to get agitated.

“I didn’t ask because I at least thought you would tell me about her.” 

Hindi pa rin siya umiimik. At that point, I was getting mad na kasi she has been keeping things from me when she shouldn’t! 

“Ryujin!” I finally snapped at tumayo sa pagkaupo ko. I glared at her. “I thought you were done with her!” 

“Yuyu, magka group lang kami!” She stood up from the bed, hands in fist. “Wala na akong magagawa dun!” 

“Sana sinabi mo pa rin! I don’t want you to get hurt.” 

“Hindi na ako baby, Yuyu! Matagal na rin yung kay Somi. Just drop it!” She looked at me, tears threatening to fall from her eyes and I faltered. My eyes softened. I tried to reach out to her again pero iniwasan niya lang ako.