Winter is not hard to like.

 

As a matter of fact, ang dali lang mahulog ang loob mo sa kanya. She’s cute, she’s funny, and she’s smart. 

 

I didn’t doubt that I would like her more than the surface level. The reason why I wanted to get to know her more is because ayoko din mag rush to be in a relationship. I also didn’t want to just like her because of the kindness she showed me during the whole bet thing happened. I like her because she’s cute and nice but I wanted to go beyond that.

 

I can definitely say na I like her more now than I did before.

 

Sa two months ng “getting to know each other stage” namin, Winter has shown me who she is as a person. And the more I got to know her, the more the fluttery feeling in my stomach grew. 

 

You know when your stomach starts to bubble and it spreads through your chest, then to your fingers and toes? Ganyan. It’s more than kilig for me I think…more than the fondness I have for her. It’s like gusto ko lang siyang makita na nakangiti and hear her voice even just for a moment and it would make my day.

 

Clingy ako as a person pero I didn’t mind having to adjust for her. It could change, probably, as my feelings grow. Pero right now, I’m okay with what we have. 

 

Like I said, hindi ako pwede mag demand since we aren’t together… yet.

 

But Winter has been good. Sometimes, I think she tries to prove a point. 

 

After our first date kasi, Winter has been trying so hard to set up a “proper date.” Panay siya yaya sa akin to go out and unfortunately, it was hard to set it up kasi busy kami pareho. So I insisted to just go on small, simple dates like yung suggested banana que date. 

 

Pero grabe si Winter!  

 

Not only does she keep on insisting to pay for those, she has made it a point to buy me food every week.

 

Without fail, on my breaks, she would take a quick detour before she goes to her class and buys me something.  

“Win, this is the second time you bought me milk tea this week.” I eyed her up and down. Hinihingal siya and pinagpawisan. 

 

“Alam ko.”

 

I took out my hanky and gave it to her. I’m careful enough not to do anything out of the ordinary in front of other students and the nuns. “You’re out of breath and sweaty pa. Thank you, Win, but you don’t have to do this every week.” 

 

“But I want to.” She smiled, wiping her sweat. 

 

“Kahapon, it was SB. Win –”

 

“Alis na ako. Malelate na ako. See you later!” 

I would have to remind myself to talk to her about that kasi naman nalelate siya palagi when she does it. It’s not that I don’t appreciate it, I do! I just don’t want her to overdo herself. 

 

Pati na rin yung pag surprise niya sa akin ng tumbler. She suddenly handed me a new tumbler with tea infuser one morning just because gusto niya lang daw ibigay sa akin. 

 

I would’ve argued with her but she immediately shushed me and said na she just really wanted to give me that when she saw it at the mall.

 

I was flattered of course, pero…she really doesn’t have to do all of this. 

 

Also, vocal si Winter. No doubt about that. 

 

She always throws compliments at me that just leave me a little speechless. And when there are days where we don’t really see each other, she’s quick to tell me that she missed seeing me around. She doesn’t beat around the bush. It’s something I have to learn from her.

 

Kasi I’m more of the showy type of person than a vocal one.

 

Is it weird na minsan nahihiya pa akong sabihin sa kanya na namimiss ko siya? Kinakabahan pa akong sabihin sa kanya yun even through texts. It takes about a million self pep talks and some prayers before I could even type back “I missed you, too.” 

 

It’s even harder when we’re on the phone together. Pinapawisan pa yung kamay ko and my heartbeat races before I could even whisper it back to her.

 

Ang weird ko ba? 

 

Because I could be really forward about it sometimes pero most of the time nahihiya talaga ako. And sometimes, I say it so lightly na parang nang-aasar lang ako sa kanya so that I won’t feel so shy about it. I’m not always brave KK. I guess it just hits me differently when she’s so vocal about her feelings for me. The same way she gets a little shy when I’m physically affectionate towards her. 

 

I have no problem telling her she looks cute and that she smells good pero my complete adoration of her being bared in front of Winter? I wish I could hide sometimes.

 

I’m just not used to it.

 

I like to show it to her - how I miss her, how I like her. 

 

It could be a hug that could last a little longer than normal, or my looking at her face more than I should. It’s also when I bravely hold her hand because I haven’t seen her and bury my face in the crook of her neck after a long day because her scent is calming. 

 

It’s when I let myself linger a little longer in her car when she drops me off because I just want to spend more time with her.

 

Those things. I’m good at those. 

 

Sabi nga ni Yuyu hindi talaga ako magkukulang sa pagpapakita ng feelings pero dapat I should learn to be more vocal. Kasi some people like to hear things, too. Actions do speak louder than words but words last forever. They leave an impact. 

 

So yeah, I do try. Kahit minsan mahihimatay na ako sa kaba. 

 

It’s a work in progress. 

Since I have had a little free time lately and maaga akong natatapos, I’ve been stopping by Winter’s class again. It’s been a while na din since I’ve been to the business building and this time, hindi lang si Yuyu yung sinusundo ko.

 

It’s Winter.

 

Inaasar pa ako ni Yuyu na ginagamit ko lang siya para makita si Winter but then I would bite back and say na ginagamit niya lang rin yung car ko to drop off Chaeryeong sometimes.

 

“Touché, Yuyu,”  she would tell me. 

 

“Bal!” Napalingon ako when I heard a familiar voice. I smiled when I saw Hyunjin walk towards me. “Naparito ka? Sunduin mo si RJ?” 

 

I bit back a smile and shyly nodded, “and Winter.”

 

“Yown! Landi mode ka na talaga,” he laughed as I lightly hit his arm. “Proud kami sayo.” 

 

“Stop,” I whined. Inakbayan niya lang ako. “Nang-aasar ka lang eh.” 

 

“Totoo, bal!”

 

And then Hyunjin went on telling me how I could never do this before. I’m not the type to approach people, be it to be friends or anything. It would’ve taken me ten years daw if hindi pa ginawa ni Yuyu yung bet niya with Winter. 

 

And OA lang. Baka one year lang. 

 

Pero sabi din ni Hyunjin, once I do get comfortable sa isang tao, I kind of nestle.

 

Ganun kaya ako kay Winter? 

 

In my defence, Winter did a whole lot of approaching sa akin before I could even utter a single ‘Hi’ sa kanya without stuttering. Then again, Winter has made it so easy for me to approach her. She made me comfortable. 

 

We waited lang sa labas ng classroom nila. I could see Yuyu talking animatedly with Ning and Chaeryeong. I couldn’t find where Winter was. 

 

“Magkaka stiff neck ka niyan, bal. Haba ng leeg mo,” asar ni Hyunjin sa akin. 

 

Sumandal na lang ako pabalik. “How’s you and what’s her name? Heejin?” I decided to ask. Wala pa siyang kwento sa amin. 

 

“Okay lang.”

 

“Okay lang?”

 

“Oo.” 

 

“No progress?” 

 

Hindi na siya sumagot. I decided to leave it at that na lang din kasi tapos na ang class nila Winter and people were starting to leave. 

 

Yuyu immediately spotted us. She was all smiles when she greeted us pero I just frowned at her. Somehow, she managed to lose both her cufflinks, pati yung necktie niya ay tabingi. 

 

“Yuyu, you’re so messy,” I chastised her while fixing her tie. Nakita ko si Chaeryeong rolling her eyes behind Yuyu. 

 

“Karina, pagsabihan mo nga yan. Ang kulit eh.” Napatawa ako sa sinabi ni Chaeryeong. 

 

Yuyu just pouted at her. “Chae naman…”

 

“Bakit nga ba kita gusto?” Chaeryeong teased.

 

Nagpacute naman si Yuyu. “Kasi cute ako.” 

 

“Oo na lang.” 

 

Hinayaan ko na silang dalawa with their cute banter and my eyes searched for Winter. Nakita ko na siya palabas with Ning and I couldn’t help but smile. She was talking to a really tall guy and he must have said something so funny kasi grabe lang yung tawa niya. May pahampas pa siya sa arm ng lalaki. 

 

Finally, her eyes met mine and nagpaalam na siya sa lalaki. 

 

“Kita na lang tayo bukas, Winter,” he said while tapping her shoulder. 

 

“Sige, Tae!” Winter called out. She walked towards me, grinning. “Hi.” 

 

“Hey. How are you?” 

 

“Pagod. Pero okay na ako kasi nandito ka.” She smirked.

 

Winter has been really good with her banats that I just can’t respond to any of it. Kahit na alam ko it’s coming, hindi ako makailag. Namumula lang ako and I get shy. And I just know she loves seeing my reaction kaya niya ginagawa. 

 

“Ang landi mo, Wintot.” Napalabas pa ng dila si Ning.

 

“As if ikaw hindi.” Winter argued back. Then she looked at me, “hatid kita?” 

 

I shook my head. “No, you’re tired. Mag rest ka na lang. Si Yuyu naman mag drive today.” 

 

“Sure ka?” I nodded. “Baka kasi hindi tayo magkita bukas dahil may group project kami. Baka mamimiss mo ako.” May malokong ngiti sa labi niya. She can be so smug if she wants to. 

 

Goodness. I think I could fry an egg on my face. Ang init lang! “Y-yeah,” I stuttered, unfortunately. “Uhm, I-I’ll see you when I see you na lang.” 

 

“Okay.” 

 

Naglakad na kami papuntang parking area. Hyunjin had to stay back kasi may gagawin pa daw siya. 

 

Winter walked me – or Yuyu and I, rather – to the car before pa siya umalis. I hugged her and brought my nose close to her temple before pulling away. 

 

“Ingat kayo.” She opened the door for me. 

 

“You, too,”