It’s a week before exams. Everyone’s been busy handing off assignments and projects. I’ve been living in the library basically. Ang dami kong ginagawang papers. Tapos may research pa ako. Tapos magrereview pa ako. 

Hindi ko na alam kung paano i-manage yung time ko so I’ve been bringing my laptop with me and doing my papers sa library. I’ve written two 10-page essays so far. And I have two more pa. Gumagawa na rin ako ng reviewer for our upcoming exams. 

Lia and Giselle are usually with me sa library. Si Yuyu sobrang busy na din and stays late. Minsan sa parking area na lang talaga kami nagkikita so we could go home together. I don’t know how she has been holding up with her org duties na rin. 

This whole week, we’ve gone home around 8pm or 9pm.

Gutom na gutom na kami that we’ve been living off of fast food for dinner. I feel kind of disgusting na nga sa amount of greasy food we’ve consumed the past few days. Parang need ko mag detox. Masama din kasi yung sobra na sa fast food. Dapat in moderation lang. 

Maybe after exams. Or after sem break. Because sure ko ang clingies would want to go out  and indulge in anything unhealthy during our break. 

Sometimes the kambals join me at the library. Yeji looks like she could use some sleep. Her course is just very demanding, plus she has PDT to attend to as well. It’s been really hectic. 

They’re preparing something daw for December – some type of performance for Christmas. Hyunjin seems to be sailing smoothly naman. Nagbabasa lang siya minsan, sometimes he does some assignments. But other than that, he looks relaxed. Wish I could be that laidback. 

This time, we decided to book a meeting room sa library. Yuyu mentioned na gusto nila mag review together at magpaturo kay Hyunjin for one of their classes. I didn’t mind company rin naman and it’s better to study with people. 

So we’re all camped in a meeting room, studying, doing papers. I brought my laptop again kasi I have an essay due. Pati na rin si Lia and Giselle. We all have essays due. Our eyes have been glued to our laptops since we came and it’s been about three hours. Nangangalay na nga kamay ko. And my eyes were starting to sting. 

I wore my glasses this time too. I feel like my eyes would be too tired for contacts today. 

Yeji was buried deep in her psychology books. Sobrang stressed niya that Lia periodically massages her nape and shoulders. Lia is very attentive to Yeji’s needs kasi everytime Yeji sighs in frustration, Lia would just hug her and kiss her temple.  

Sila Yuyu, they’ve been reviewing and comparing their answers with each other. It’s cute that Yuyu had been teaching them as well. Winter, too, actually. They both seem to have a good grasp on whatever mathematical formula they’re looking at. 

Pagdating naman ni Hyunjin, they immediately switched to their business books and nagtanong kay Hyunjin. 

Bumalik na ako sa pagbabasa for my paper. I turned down my volume sa airpods ko para marinig ko pa rin sila just in case they need to ask me something. 

Natawa ako while highlighting something sa libro ko when Ning sighed very loudly. “Kuya Kambal, ang tali-talino mo. Bilis kong nagets eh. Bakit nung si Sir Taec ang nag-explain, di ko nagets? Na sayo na ang lahat except ako.” 

“Natutulog ka kasi sa klase, Ning.” Winter teased.

I heard the rest of them laugh. Ning is actually such a joy to be around. Ang daming kwento tapos she’s always so funny. I’m sure she just jokes around her admiration for Hyunjin but it’s still so funny kapag bumabanat siya ng ganyan. 

Hyunjin just indulges her. 

We continued to work in silence. I needed to focus on this essay. Ang raming resources na kailangan ibigay and yung prof ko, gusto niya from books. Annoying lang rin, because limited yung books namin dito sa library. Sir, we are in the 21st century! 

I had my topic and arguments ready na and all I needed to do was back it up with my research. So, I have a book propped open while I typed on my laptop. This would’ve been so much easier if I just switched tabs on Google. Scholarly articles are available online naman.

I was so engrossed in my reading na hindi ko napansin na tumabi na pala sa akin si Winter. Nagulat lang ako when she suddenly hit my arm with her elbow. Para akong nakuryente. Must be the static sa room. 

I looked up from what I was doing and nakita ko na nag disperse na sila Yuyu at nag self-review na lang. 

The room had a long table. Yuyu sat across from me. Giselle was to her left while Chaeryeong was to her right. May napapansin lang ako with these two but I’ll keep my mouth shut na lang until I confirm it. Just…Yuyu can sometimes be very sneaky. 

Hyunjin sat at the head of the table. 

There’s a little bit of room to my left since Lia basically stuck to Yeji’s side. I moved a little bit to give Winter more elbow room kasi I saw na she was trying not to get in my space. Ako nahihirapan sa kanya with how she folded her arms close to her body just so she won’t hit me. 

So, I moved and tapped the table to tell her na okay na siya mag lean ng maayos sa table. 

Bumalik na rin ako sa pagbabasa. 

I was underlining something sa book when Ning suddenly whined and leaned against Winter. Ang cute lang nila actually. First time ko silang makita ng ganito. Usually, they just bicker. 

I didn’t know they had this side with them.

“Wintot, pagod na ako. Nahihilo na ako sa numbers.”

“Pahinga ka na lang muna.” She tapped her shoulder and Ning didn’t hesitate to lean her head. Sumiksik pa lalo si Ning sa kanya and Winter didn’t mind at all. She just kept reading.

Maya-maya din ay sumagot din ng problems si Ning. She would pout whenever she got a different answer from Winter. 

“Bes, bakit naman iba yung sagot mo?” Napakamot siya sa ulo. “Bakit 5 tapos akin 25? Turuan mo ako!” 

They started bickering quietly – tried to do it quietly – but Winter still explained to her how she got her answer. 

Adorable. 

Then I noticed she was struggling with her pen. She kept tapping it on her notebook kasi and kept scribbling on it too. Wala naman lumalabas. Wala ng ink.

So, I gave her mine.

She turned to look at me at nagsalita siya pero I couldn’t hear her properly. I took off one of my airpods. 

“Paano ka?” 

“Oh. Uhm, I have another one.” I grabbed one from my bag and waved it at her. 

“Okie, tenkyu!” 

I smiled. How cute. 

Nafeel ko na yung pagod ng mata ko so I took off my glasses and rubbed my eyes. I pinched the bridge of my nose and rested my head on my knuckles muna before I wore my glasses again. 

Napalingon ako when someone tapped my shoulder. Nakangiti si Winter offering me her candies. 

“Gusto mo? For energy.” She whispered.

I hesitated at first before grabbing one. “T-Thanks.” 

Hindi kasi ako mahilig sa candies, unless they’re chocolate candies. Mas mahilig din kasi ako sa dark chocolates. Also, it would be rude to decline. Diba? 

Someone coughed and I looked up to see Yuyu winking at me. She even did the thing where you pretend to get something in your pocket pero you just show them the finger heart. Pero ginawa niya yun behind her book.

Mapang-asar lang. She was just giggling by herself.

I just rolled my eyes at her before ako bumalik sa pag-gawa ng essay. 

Malapit na sana akong matapos when my right hand started hurting – well, my wrist actually. I only had the conclusion and my references left to do. So, I stopped and started squeezing my wrist.

Yuyu held out her arm when she noticed me wincing in pain. Nag lean siya ng slight para maabot niya yung hand ko. 

Pinisil-pisil niya yung wrist ko up to my palm. I hissed in pain when she squeezed the area between my thumb and index finger. That’s where it hurts the most talaga. Yung pain kasi, travelled throughout my whole arm when she did that. 

“Saan wrist brace mo, Yuyu?” she asked. I told her naiwan ko sa bahay. “May dala yata akong hand wrap sa bag.” She went through her bag. She usually always brings one just in case.

Lia, who was sitting beside me, moved closer to me and grabbed my hand and continued massaging while Yuyu was unrolling the wrap. 

“KK, you’ve been at it for a while na.” Lia said worriedly. “Gi, do you have your pill box with you?” Giselle rummaged through her bag pero hindi niya daw nadala. 

Yuyu and Lia just proceeded wrapping the hand wrap on my right hand, compressing it tightly on my wrist. “Rest your hand muna, KK. Your carpal tunnel is getting worse.” 

“I know,” I sighed. I held my hand. The wrap was helping alleviate the pain naman. It’s worse kung yung pain pumupunta na sa shoulders ko. It sometimes gets unbearable. I’m like a Lola. 

“Karina,” tinapik ako sa balikat ni Winter. “Pain reliever.” Nilagay niya yung maliit na blue pill box in front of me. I was a little surprised, napakurap lang ako. “Nagdadala talaga ako ng gamot kasi si Ning palaging may sakit sa katawan.” 

When I didn’t do anything, she opened it at binigyan ako ng isang tablet. “Inumin mo na.” 

“Ah – oh, okay.” I popped it in my mouth and inabot naman sa akin ni Yuyu yung tubig niya. “T-thanks, Winter.” 

“You’re welcome!” She grinned.

Fast relief ba yung binigay niya sa akin? I suddenly felt like I could type 1,000 more words for my essay.

We all decided to take a break when Yuyu got up to buy food for me para may laman tiyan ko since I drank medicine.  

Giselle immediately told everyone about our Tagaytay trip during sem break. Birthday niya kasi sa October 30th and we usually just get together. This time, nag rent siya ng Airbnb for three days. 

Excited naman nagsabi si Ning na it’s her birthday on the 24th. 

“Perfect! So we can celebrate together!” 

But they all said they had plans for the break. Nag pout naman si Giselle. 

Winter was going to be busy with their laundromat business with Soobin. Ning was going to celebrate her birthday sa Cebu with her family. Uuwi din si Chaeryeong sa kanila. 

Lia then suggested that we should get together after sem break to celebrate Ning and Giselle’s birthday together. They all agreed naman. 

“Yay! I can’t wait to hang out with you guys!” 

It was unbelievably packed at CJ’s. With all the requirements we needed to hand in, hindi sapat na isa lang place to do the photocopies. There were too many people. This is why schools need better funding. Ang hirap lang kasi for the students, pati na rin sa mga teachers.

Pagpasok ko inside CJ’s, I found Winter sa likod ng line waiting. She was even tip toeing para makita niya yung front. 

I had been coming to CJ’s often na nakilala ko na mga tao dito. I know who to talk to if I need to get something photocopied. 

So, I approached Winter and poked her shoulder. 

She turned to me. I pointed at her hand. “You…you need something photocopied?”

“Uy Karina!” She smiled. “Oo sana pero maraming tao eh. Babalik na lang ako.” 

I don’t know what made me do it but I grabbed her arm before she could walk away. Halatang nagulat si Winter sa akin kasi ako rin nagulat. I dropped her arm right away. 

I cleared my throat. “A-ako ng bahala.” I gestured for her to follow me. “Come with me.” 

I led her inside sa CJ’s where I saw Ate Pinky na may access din sa photocopier and no one was lining up for her.

“Hi Ate Pinky! Pa-photocopy po.” Binigay ko yung akin first before turning around and asking Winter for hers. Not even ten minutes later ay natapos na kami. 

“Thank you, Ate Pinky! I will bring milk tea next time.” 

“Hay naku, ganda. Lagi mong ginagawa sa amin yan.” I could feel my face flush dahil tinawag niya akong ganda. I really just can’t get used to it.

“Ate Pinky, Karina lang po.” 

“Sige, Karina ganda.” Tumawa na siya ng tuluyan. Winter was also laughing with her. 

Di na kami nagtagal and I waved goodbye. I weaved through the throngs of students na naghihintay sa loob. Some were glaring at me, others were whispering.

Bakit naman ang special ng essa na to?

I rolled my eyes at them. I just knew who to ask. 

They certainly weren’t that quiet kasi narinig ni Winter yung mga sinasabi nila. 

“Ano bang problema ng mga Marites na to? Daming time mang judge. Kung mabait sila baka maging friends nila si Ate Pinky.” I heard her say. 

She didn’t need to defend me naman. I was used to it. 

Napahinto ako sa paglakad. She almost bumped into me. “H-hey Winter. It’s – uhm – it’s okay.” 

“Hindi kasi Ka—”

I cut her off not wanting to make a big deal out of it. “Do you — do you want milk...milk tea instead?” I asked diverting her attention elsewhere. 

Her eyes widened at my sudden offer. “Oh no, no, hindi na po.” She shook her head. “Balik na lang po ako sa class. Baka ma late pa ako.” 

“My treat.” 

She had no choice but to follow me because I started walking na before she could even respond. Mabilis kaming nakabili and bumalik agad sa school. 

We bumped into Yuyu on the way and based on her smile and the way her eyes were going back and forth be