“You have got to be ing kidding me right now!” 

 

I was already super late na for my appointment and this just had to happen to me? Could I be any more malas? 

 

It was already bad enough that I got a stupid flat tire, tapos, my car just decided it doesn’t want to start?

 

Frustrated, I slammed my bag on the hood of the car and crouched, inspecting the flat tire. As if naman, I would know what to do. I wouldn’t even know what to look for. I don’t even know how to pop the hood up? May lever ba? Is there a button I need to push? 

 

That’s where the engine is right?

 

Who do I even call? May mechanic ba here na malapit? 

 

I stood up and looked around. No mechanic in sight. Pero there’s a laundromat. That is useless to me. 

 

Desperate na to find whatever, I took my phone from my bag and started Googling. 

 

How to fix a flat tire

 

No, that’s stupid. I don’t even know how to use a screwdriver.

 

My car won’t start and my tire is flat 

 

Baka. I’m doing this all wrong. 

 

Mechanic near me

 

“Hi Miss?” I heard someone call from behind me that made me stop from typing on my phone. Who the hell?

 

If this is some freaky ert, I swear. 

 

I was on high alert when I turned around, ready to throw my phone if it turns out he is a manyak. I could always buy a new one naman.

 

Pero I relaxed a little bit when I recognized the guy. Very tall guy. His height was memorable at least. 

 

“Kailangan mo ng tulong?” he asked.

 

“Hey, aren’t you Winter’s –” I began to ask pero he cut me off. Tama nga si KK. He is kinda rude. 

 

“Yes. Bag mo to?” He pointed at my bag. “Kilala mo si Winter? Do you need help?” 

 

“Yes and no.” 

 

“Ha?” 

 

“I mean yes, that’s my bag and yes, I know Winter from uni. But no, I’m okay, thanks.” I replied shortly. 

 

“Okay, sabi mo eh.” 

 

He left just like that huh. Not even a double take. 

 

Rude.

 

How could a cutie like Winter be with a guy like him? People just have weird taste talaga. 

 

I went back to Googling my problem. In this 21st century, shouldn’t it be easier to solve my problems now? By now, my phone should be able to feed me, damn. 

 

Pero how come there is not one car shop available to come fix my car? Even a vulcanizing shop? Like, they fix cars right? Pero they’re not even on Google! 

 

Unbelievable.

 

I considered calling KK pero she would be just as useless, as is everyone else sa clingies. Would Hyun know? 

 

I dialled his number just to try my luck.

 

But I was not lucky. He didn’t pick up his phone. 

 

God, I was looking forward to seeing the new restaurant Daddy is opening. He’d said I could do the promotions for it this time.

 

Kuso.

 

I was getting hopeless. It was hot. I was mad. I called our driver pero he said he was malayo pa from dropping off Mommy somewhere and traffic pa.

 

Manila and traffic will never change.

 

And then I saw Winter’s boyfriend? Whatever he is, I saw him walk back to the laundromat and I decided to swallow my pride or whatever was left of it. 

 

I quickly followed him, grabbing him by the arm before he could go into the laundromat. 

 

“I need help.” I quickly said, unable to look at him. Suddenly, I felt a little ridiculous dahil I was so mataray with him earlier.

 

Goodness. I was desperate already. 

 

At first, I expected him to at me for rejecting his earlier offer. Pero he just gave me this ngiti like an exact copy of Winter’s. 

 

Do they spend so much time together that they’re starting to look alike now?

 

Like a bunch of puppies. 

 

“Sure. Ibigay ko lang to sa loob.” He pointed at the supot he was holding. Full of banana que and the likes. Natakam ako suddenly. “Gusto mong pumasok muna? Mainit.” 

 

I nodded and followed him inside.

 

Relief! The cold air hit my skin and I sighed. He gave me a bottle of water and I said thanks before taking a huge gulp. 

 

Grabe lang, it was so mainit outside!

 

“You work here?” I asked, curious. He was very chummy with the staff and they called him bossing junior. 

 

“Oo. Kina Winter to. Ako nagmamanage minsan.” 

 

Oh. I remember Winter telling us about their business. Huh, very close to KK. Interesting. 

 

“So anong nangyari sa car mo?” 

 

We were walking back towards my car. I had a hard time following him because of his big steps. Like a tikbalang lang. 

 

I wanted to pull his shirt so he could slow down and match my pace pero he’s like, super tall and walked too fast. 

 

Wait lang, I have short legs! 

 

“Got a flat tire tapos ayaw mag start.” I explained quickly. 

 

He crouched down and inspected the tires. And then parang it seemed like he knew what was doing because he was just nodding while looking at it. 

 

“Napako yung front left tire mo.” He said tapos pinakita niya akin where that pako was. 

 

What the ?  

 

I had assumed that your tire would blow up if a nail decided to impale itself. Hindi pala. It’s just chilling there, ruining my day. 

 

“May spare tire ka?” I looked at him like he grew two heads. How the hell would I know? “Sige, open mo na lang trunk mo. There should always be one sa likod.”

 

“Okay.” That, I know how to do at least. 

 

He was looking for something in my trunk and lifted something I didn’t know you could do.

 

“Oh my gosh, there’s like a secret compartment there? I didn’t know that!” 

 

He looked at me and squinted dahil the araw was hitting his face. “Oo, halos lahat ng bagong cars may spare tire sa likod. Halika.” He waved his hand. “See, nandito lang siya.” 

 

He lifted the tire out from the trunk and saw how his muscles flexed.

 

Okay, Winter. You got yourself a manly man! 

 

“Wait ka lang. Kunin ko lang tools ko sa car ko. Mabilis lang.” Then he jogged towards his black Subaru. 

 

He seemed like he knew what he was doing. Parang motorhead yata siya. 

 

He was so quick with his hands! Not gonna lie, it was kinda attractive how he changed my tire with ease. 

 

Winter, I was wrong. You got good taste. 

 

And men are not nearly as awesome as women. It’s a pity I like men, really. 

 

“So you think my car will start na or something?” 

 

“Try natin.” 

 

My car just sputtered like a little . 

 

“Kuso. Can you fix it?” I asked. 

 

He just laughed at me. I glared at him like I’m not joking here. I need my car fixed! 

 

“Sorry. Hindi pero may kakilala ako na pwede mag fix. Tawagan ko lang.” 

 

I was impatiently waiting for him to finish his call. In the meantime, I called our driver again informing him of my situation. One hour pa daw siya before he can get to me.

 

Great. 

 

Really tall guy who is probably Winter’s boyfriend, told me that someone will come to check on my car. 

 

I still didn’t get his name. He changed my tire and all and he was still unnamed. 

 

We waited for a while before a shorter guy with spiky hair came with a big truck. Like the ones where you can tow cars? I think yeah. 

 

Wooyoung, he introduced himself to me, said it could take a few days to fix the car. Sabi niya, he has to take it to his shop and that he would contact me.

 

Actually, he said that really tall guy who could be Winter’s boyfie will contact me. And yet, I still didn’t know his name.

 

So I introduced myself first. 

 

“Thank you, by the way. Giselle or Gi. Whichever.” I extended my arm. 

 

He took it and smiled and you know it’s the kind of smile that would make most girls melt. 

 

“Soobin. Anyway, paano ka uuwi? Mag Grab ka na lang?” 

 

“Ah, I asked our driver na to pick me up. Thanks again, I owe you one.” 

 

“Sus, wala yun,” he said. “Ah, number mo pala.” He took out his phone.

 

I gave him a questioning look. 

 

Uhm, don’t you have a girlfriend, my guy? A certain cutie that my friend definitely is not crushing on. Definitely not. 

 

“Para ma-contact kita about sa car mo.” 

 

Oh right. I chuckled awkwardly and keyed in my number. He immediately hit call and my phone rang a few times before he ended it. 

 

“Okay, number ko yan.” 

 

“Perfect.”

 

“Tawagan na lang kita kung may update.” 

 

“Sure sure. Thanks ulit.” I could see my family’s car from a distance. “Anyway, that’s me. I owe you one, okay? I’ll make libre next time.” 

 

The car stopped in front of me and Soobin was quick to open the door. 

 

Tikbalang na gentleman pala to. KK, you were wrong with your judgement, sweetie. He’s kind of a gentleman. You’ve got competition. 

 

“Thanks.”

 

“Sige. Update na lang kita.” 

***

Soobin, who I have been seeing in our uni lately, called me a few days later to update me about my car. Sabi niya, there was something wrong with the engine that needed to be fixed. I will have to go to the shop so the mechanic guy, Wooyoung, can explain everything to me. 

 

I said okay. I asked if he’d be there. He said he would since he referred me to Wooyoung. I said great. 

 

I showed up at the shop clad in shorts and a simple tee. And maybe I shouldn’t have worn shorts kasi there were too many guys with manyak eyes following me. 

 

Uzai. 

 

Nakakakilabot. 

 

Again, it is a pity I like men. 

 

It was getting kind of uncomfy with all the noise and the grease (and the greasy men, too). I craned my neck to see if Soobin was around already. It shouldn’t be hard to spot him since he’s so unusually tall. 

 

“Oi, Giselle.” 

 

I jumped at his voice, surprised. Can he make himself known more obviously?

 

“Sorry.” He put his hands up. “Uh, tara na? Naghihintay na si Kuya Wooyoung sa office niya.” 

 

We walked further inside and I think Soobin noticed my being uncomfortable around the guys who were working under the cars kasi he took off the flannel he was wearing and gave it to me to wrap around my waist.

 

Huh.

 

The gesture seemed oddly familiar. It reminded me of Winter and KK. 

 

And what’s with the flannels? Do they share a wardrobe? 

 

I mumbled my thanks to him and I tightened the flannel around my waist. I felt a little better all covered up. 

 

Soobin seemed to be so familiar with the shop and the office itself kasi when we walked inside, he knew where everything was.

 

Wooyoung, who was supposedly handling my car, was still on the phone when we went in. 

 

How do you say this, Soobin was very maalaga?