“Got any plans for Valentine’s Day, KK?”

I stopped writing. Giselle was looking at me playfully. Nakataas pa ang mga kilay niya, eyes glinting at me as if I have some kind of secrets. 

Napatingin ako around us. The school was full of red - red hearts, red balloons, red streamers, red lips - basta kahit anong red. It was festive and I think this was a first for our school. Usually kasi, wala naman nangyayari for Valentine’s Day considering ang busy lang ng nakaraan because of Foundation Day. 

But I guess maiba naman this time. 

Valentine’s day was a week away and I could already tell that some students were getting excited about it. It’s not like I intended to eavesdrop, but some couples have planned out their day very loudly lang. Some were even hopeful to get asked out (and I hope they do). 

Valentine’s Day falls on a Tuesday this year. 

I really don’t know much kung anong magagawa ng mga tao on a Tuesday.

And to be honest, I have not thought about it because I’ve been busy. Winter and I also haven’t talked about it either.Hindi ko alam if she’s the type to celebrate these kinds of occasions. For me, it’s not such a big deal. Valentine’s Day is everyday for me. Any day, I can show the person I like how much I like them. 

In this case, si Winter. 

“I don’t know yet. Winter and I haven’t really talked about it,” I replied nonchalantly before going back to my paper. “How about you guys?” 

Giselle shrugged. “Soobin and I will celebrate early since Valentine’s Day is on a Tuesday. Sabi niya he will make sorpresa to me but I said dinner is fine.” 

“Yeji and I will probably just have dinner at the condo,” Lia shared. “Maybe a movie. Nothing too fancy naman as long as we’re together.” 

Lia and Yeji have been together for a while na rin and I have forgotten how my friends are just like me. We’re not super big on Valentine’s Day. Any celebration is okay basta kasama ang special someone, we’re okay na. 

I wonder if Winter is the same. 

“That’s good.” 

“Student council is doing something new this year,” excited na sabi ni Giselle. 

Lia matched her energy. “Oh yeah, they are! Actually, it’s like same same lang that we did back in Toronto. It’s called candygrams!” 

“Candygrams?” I asked curiously. 

“Yes! You buy candies or chocolates from them, tapos with a card and the student council can give it to your crush.” Lia cheered. “Pwede anonymously or you can sign your name. It was very cute when I was in elementary school.” 

Bigla naman nag clap si Giselle. “KK, you should send one kay Winter!” 

I thought about it. “Should I?” 

“Yeah, it’s cute! For sure, she’ll appreciate it.” 

“Oh, I’ll send one for Yeji!” 

Would Winter like it? I wasn’t sure how she would take it since this is more of a public display thing. This is another thing we haven’t talked about either. Hindi ko alam kung anong gusto niya when it comes to this. Kasi it’s just our group of friends who know about our…thing. 

And we’re in Catholic school. And we’re both girls. Not sure if I will be crossing any lines here. 

Then again, people don’t have to know na galing sa akin yung candy so I guess it would be okay? 

“Yeah, maybe I’ll give her one.” 

“Great! Let’s go together later.” 

It didn’t occur to me that the student council would still know na ako yung magsend ng candygram for Winter.

Of course. 

I was too caught up lang sa idea and nadala sa excitement ni Lia that I didn’t even think about how this whole thing would work. 

Pero nandito na kami. 

I stood in front of two girls, eyeing me suspiciously as I tried to muster the courage to buy the damn thing. Magagalit kaya si Winter? Kasi for sure, makakalat to sa whole university. Hindi immune ang student council sa gossip. As a matter of fact, I think most of the gossip comes from them mismo. 

Lia paid no attention sa kanila and bought hers right away. She’s not exactly hiding her relationship with Yeji, but she also wasn’t parading it around.

Pero iba pa rin. 

Ako kasi, I’m always followed by unnecessary rumours. It was okay when it’s just about me. 

But if they include Winter…that’s a different story. Especially when we haven’t talked about the rumours that’s always surrounding me. 

“Bibili ka ba?” The girl with the long, wavy hair sounded annoyed. Matagal na rin akong nakatayo in front of them. The other girl with the short hair just looked at me up and down, sizing me up. 

Lia nudged me. I cleared my throat, nodding apprehensively. “Y-yeah.” 

The girl with the short hair handed me a card. “Pwede mong isulat pangalan mo sa letter mo or you can remain anonymous.” Then, she handed me another sheet of paper, taking note of the number on the candygram. “Tapos, isulat mo na lang yung pangalan ng recipient pati yung section nila at room number. We deliver the candygrams every end of day.” 

Napaisip ako. Anong dapat kong isulat sa card? 

Happy Valentine’s Day. No, that’s too…meh. 

For you. No. 

I hope you like it. Still no. 

Narinig ko napabuntung hininga yung girl with the long hair. I was getting annoyed with her that I just quickly glanced at her and narrowed my eyes at her. I saw her lean back sa seat niya, startled. 

Lia giggled beside me before leaning down to whisper, “KK, your face is showing.” I just scowled at her.

Alam ko naman about my RBF. Yuyu always pointed it out. Pati si Ate Marie, natakot sa akin noon when she first met me. Actually, pati kay Ate Irene din. Well, Ate Irene just looks like she wants to hurt people kapag hindi siya naka-smile. Di na namin sadya yun. 

Nainis na rin ako sa sarili ko that I ended up writing something stupid. 

Hi. 

[3:32pm, Tuesday] Win❤: Karina!!!!!!

[3:32pm, Tuesday] Win❤: grabe ka na (╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻

[3:33pm, Tuesday] Win❤: papunta na ako dyan 

I bit my lip when I read Winter’s text. I guess she got the candygram. 

I don’t know what to make of her text. Hindi ko alam kung natutuwa siya or upset? The emoji she sent didn’t really help at all. Flipping the table emoji? Ano ba yun? Galit siya sa ginawa ko? 

I was waiting for her at the computer lab. We agreed that I would drop her off today since Yuyu was using her dad’s car. And maaga natapos classes ko so I headed to the computer lab to work on some of my stuff. 

Hindi ako mapakali in my seat. I was just looking around, eyes going to the door every now and then. Napapatalon din ako whenever someone opened the door. 

Finally, Winter showed up, huffing and puffing, and I looked away pretending to work on my essay. Nahiya ako bigla. 

“Karina,” she panted. Naupo siya sa tabi ko. She took out her water bottle and took a swig before niya ako kausapin ulit. “Sorry, tumakbo ako.”

“Why?” I looked at her with concern. Magulo na yung bangs niya and I had to fight the urge to fix it. “You’re sweaty and tired na tuloy.” 

“Kasi naman,” she whined. Ngumuso pa siya. “Ang daya mo!” Nilapag niya yung candygrams in front of me. “Bakit mo ginawa to?” She whined even more.

Oh no. 

Have I made a mistake? 

Did I upset her? 

“I’m sorry, Win,” I panicked. “I-I just thought — well, Lia said she would buy for Yeji and then Gigi told me I should buy one for you as well.” I started rambling. “Hindi ko alam — I mean I thought nga na maybe hindi mo magustuhan because we haven’t really talked about stuff like this. I shouldn’t have done it. Galit ka ba? I’m s—”

Bigla niya akong hinawakan sa shoulders. “Karina, hindi ako upset or galit.” She smiled. “Kinikilig kaya ako.” She looked away sa akin. “Ang daya mo kasi hindi ko naisipan bigyan ka. Thank you. Nagulat ako in a good way.” 

Pareho na kami ni Winter namumula. I think pwede na kami mag compete who will be redder by the time we leave. 

At the same time, I was relieved that Winter wasn’t upset. 

“Kinikilig ka?” Mahina kong tanong. 

“Oo kaya!” She proclaimed. I noticed there was another one, too. She opened the packaging (the one that I gave). Chocolates and candies yung laman sa loob. Kinuha niya yung dark chocolate and opened it. “Sino ba ang hindi kiligin? Kahit na tinutukso ako nila Ryujin kanina, mas umapaw yung kilig ko.” Binigay niya sa akin yung chocolate.

I shook my head. “That’s for you.”

“Gusto kong i-share sayo.” 

“But I got it for you.”

And then Winter suddenly moved closer to me. “Gusto mo bang subuan kita?” 

I quickly took the chocolate from her hand and popped it in my mouth. Tumawa lang siya before she opened another one and ate it. 

Winter just kept eating the chocolates and I noticed she didn’t touch the other one. 

Dahil na curious ako, I couldn’t help but ask.“You have two?” I pointed at the untouched candygram. 

“Ah, oo. May nagbigay sa akin pero hindi ko alam kung sino.” She took out the card that came with it and showed it to me. “Walang pangalan. Enjoy lang nakalagay.” 

I nodded before going back to my paper. Malapit na rin akong matapos. 

“Bigay ko na lang kay Ate or kay Soobin later.” 

“You’re not going to eat it?” 

“Hindi galing sayo eh.” I had to hide the smile that was forming on my lips. 

Winter Kim, ikaw…

“Anyway, tapos ka na ba?” She asked before putting the candygrams away. 

Tumango ako, a little too enthusiastically. “Yeah. Let’s go home.” 

I was getting used to Winter in the car with me. Hindi na rin siya nahihiya kumanta when she has her playlist on. 

It really makes me smile when she does that. Ang ganda din ng boses niya. Umaasa pa rin ako na she