I woke up to something pressing against either side of my body.

Dinaganan lang naman ako ng magkapatid.

“Get off of me, Yuyu!” I groaned as I tried to push her away from me. “Baby girl, ang bony ng siko mo!” 

Instead of getting off me, they both piled up on top of me. Ang bigat kaya nila! And it’s not like nakatalikod ako. They’re literally lying on top of my tummy. Mahirap huminga.

“I can’t — I can’t breathe!” I used whatever strength I had and pushed both of them off me. Tumawa lang naman silang dalawa as if they didn’t just almost suffocate me. “Why are you even on my bed? Anong oras na ba?” 

Pumatong ulit si Yuyu sa akin. I gave up. “Yuyu, masarap ba tulog mo? Tinulugan mo si Winter kagabi eh. Ako pa nagpatay sa call niyo.” 

“Oo nga Ate,” Yuna stood up from the bed. “Pagkatapos kong maligo, nakita ko lang kayo nakatulog sa call niyo. Sana all lang talaga.” 

I immediately looked for my phone when they said that. I didn’t know that nakatulugan ko si Winter kagabi. It was late though and I did drink so I was a little tired na rin. 

Hindi ko mahanap phone ko so I pushed Yuyu off me para bumangon. Nakita ko phone ko sa night stand and reached for it.

My gosh, it was only six in the morning! Bakit ang aga nilang gumising? 

“Six pa lang!” I groaned. 

“Late na kaya tayo gumising Yuyu. Seven daw tayo aalis.” 

Yuna was already getting her stuff ready para magbihis. Nauna na siya sa CR while Yuyu proceeded to lie down beside me. “I thought we’re late na. Bakit ka humiga ulit?” 

“Wala naman ibang banyo.” 

“Downstairs?” 

“Gamit ni Ate Irene.” 

“Did you eat breakfast yet?” 

“Hindi pa.”

“Then, let’s go.” I got up and hinila ko siya patayo. “Let’s eat breakfast while waiting for Yuna.” 

“Tinatamad ako.” 

I rolled my eyes at her. “Since when ka pa tinamad kumain?” 

“Tinatamad akong bumaba. Hindi sa food. Karga mo ako?” She raised her arms towards me na parang baby making grabby hands and even pouted. 

“Hindi ka na baby.” 

“Si Winter na ba baby mo?” 

Inirapan ko na lang siya and slapped her arm away from me. Tumalikod ako right away so she won’t see the smile that I’ve been trying to suppress.

Baby ko si Winter? Pwede naman. Baby Winter.

The thought just sent shivers down my spine. Pero malamig dito sa Baguio. That’s right.  

“Sus, kinikilig ka lang eh!” 

Oo, kinikilig ako but I’m Elsa right now.

Conceal, don’t feel, don’t let them know. 

“Whatever,” I huffed. “Let’s go eat na.” 

Naihi ako when we got downstairs sa dirty kitchen ni Lola. Dala na sa kilig and lamig here in Baguio. 

The cold never bothered me but just a mere thought of Winter has a huge effect on me.

Text ko nga siya. 

What I love about coming home to Baguio is the amount of food na hinahanda ni Lola. Especially for breakfast. 

Have I mentioned how much I love breakfast food? Especially Filipino breakfast food. Favourite ko ang mga silog dishes sa umaga and Lola brews local coffee straight from the farmers na I don’t mind drinking it. Masarap siya i-pair sa tapsilog – my favourite. 

“Ubusin mo yan, Karina. Ang payat-payat mo na.”

I didn’t argue na with Lola. Hindi naman ako mapayat. I’m just tall with long limbs. “Yes, Lola.” 

“Ikaw rin, Jinjin. Ubusin mo yan. Saan na ba kapatid mo? Bakit hindi pa bumaba?” 

“Naliligo pa po, Lola,” Yuyu replied with full. Tumalsik pa nga yung kanin sa table. 

“Hinay-hinay naman Jinjin. Shineshare mo yung blessings mo sa ibang plato.” 

She swallowed before nodding her head. “Sorry po. Ang sarap po kasi Lola! Namiss ko po to!” 

Nagsandok pa si Lola ng fried rice on Yuyu’s plate and ngumisi lang din siya. “Saan ba kayo pupunta ngayon? Ang aga niyo naman.” 

“Ate Sy and Kuya Johnny are taking us around daw, Lola. Hindi ko po alam where pero sabi nila we’ll end the day sa Night Market.” I answered. 

I finished eating na and was about to wash my plate pero pinigilan ako ni Lola. Iiwan ko na lang daw on the table. 

This is one thing I can never get used to in Baguio — being spoiled. Ate Marie is with us sa bahay pero we don’t just leave our plates sa table. We clean up ourselves and wash it. Pero here, Lola just spoils us. 

“Ako na diyan, Karina. Iwan mo na.” 

I still brought my plate sa sink. “Okay lang Lola.” 

“Iwan mo na lang diyan para mahugusan lahat ni Maricel mamaya. Magbihis ka na at baka maabutan pa kayo ng Ate Sy niyo na hindi pa bihis. Medyo atat pa naman Ate Sy mo.” 

“Yes, Lola.” 

Masyadong excited si Ate Sy when she got to Lola’s house. Si Kuya Johnny naman, he looked like he just got dragged out of bed. Sumama na rin pala si Ate Yeri who also looked like kulang pa yung tulog. Grabe lang yung simangot when she got out of the van.

“Hindi pa nga ako nakapag-kape, kinaladkad na ako ni Sy. Para lang sa taho!” She complained, nakabusangot pa yung mukha. 

Yes, the reason why ang aga namin is so we could catch the Kuya who sells the best strawberry and ube taho in Baguio according to Ate Sy. 

Every year naman kami pumupunta ng Baguio but I have never tried the strawberry or ube taho. So this time daw, Ate Sy will make sure that I try it. 

Mahilig ako sa taho so I’m excited how it would taste. I would probably get both. If Winter was here, baka she would like the strawberry taho more since mahilig siya sa strawberries.

And speaking of Winter, I’m sure tulog pa siya but I’ll just update her na paalis na kami to get taho. I’ll send her a photo of my strawberry taho para mainggit siya. 

I smiled at the thought. 

“Bunso,” Ate Irene whispered beside me. She was peeking at my phone so I put it away. “Ang aga mo naman mag update sa jowa mo.” 

“Ate,” I whined, pinching her. I looked around the van kung may ibang nakarinig. Wala naman. They were all sleeping except for Kuya Johnny who drove and Ate Sy who had too much energy sa passenger seat. “Is it bad? Am I too clingy?” 

She only chuckled and messed up my hair. “Aw, ang baby namin, hindi na baby.” I whined again sa pagbebaby niya sa akin. “It’s not bad naman. Bakit, nagcocomplain ba si Winter?” I shook my head no. “Then it should be fine, if you talked about this already. You have naman, diba?” 

I told Ate Irene about the whole texting thing and wanting to be updated kahit once in a while lang. She just listened to me, nodding her head in understanding. Alam naman ni Ate how I am as a person. Kasi kahit siya, I update her whenever I’m away or doing something important. It’s just for peace of mind lang talaga yun. 

She had a fond smile on her face when I finished talking. Nagtataka lang ako sa kanya why she was looking at me like parang she’s my mom. Granted, she is ten years older than me pero still. 

“What?” 

“Wala. Ang laki mo na talaga. I remember when you clung on to me every time na umaalis ako ng bahay but now…” she took a deep breath before pinching my cheek. “Nagwoworry ka na kung masyado kang clingy kay Winter. You’re all grown up! I don’t remember you being like this kay Jun.” 

“Wasn’t I just as clingy?” I asked her, trying to remember how I was with my ex. 

“Hm yes and no. You didn’t give it much thought lang before. Parang you just let everything slide lang. Kaya nga diba nagselos siya kay RJ?” 

“He got insecure kay Yuyu, Ate. It was more than jealousy. I set my boundaries naman pero he still took it the wrong way.” I explained. I know naman how close I am with Yuyu, even to my other friends. 

Jun and I, we had no problems when we dated in our last year in high school. It was only when went to different colleges na bigla siyang naging insecure kay Yuyu. At one point, kay Hyunjin din. 

At first akala ko nga I was too clingy sa kanya dahil I wanted more attention from him given that we go to different schools. I always asked to see him but he was way too busy and would sometimes get annoyed at me. Pero, it was the fact that I hung out more with Yuyu dahil hindi ko naman siya ma-reach when I wanted to spend time with him. And with Hyunjin, he was just there with me most of the time sa school kapag wala akong kasama. I think Jun heard the baseless rumours about me and Hyunjin kaya din siya na-insecure. 

So, I guess I am more concerned now sa pagiging clingy ko kay Winter. I don’t want Winter to get annoyed sa akin. Pero, can you blame me? Siya ang first girl that I truly liked and pursued. Ayoko naman mawala lang because of something that I can totally work on. 

“And Winter? Hindi ba siya magseselos kay RJ?” 

Umiling ako sa kanya and smirked before I moved closer to her and whispered, “May girlfriend na si Yuyu.” 

“RJ? MAY GIRLFRIEND KA NA?”

Napatalon si Yuyu sa gulat, pati ni rin si Ate Yeri. I just laughed at her expression kasi Yuyu looked so lost. Nagising siya sa sigaw ni Ate Irene. 

“What? Sinong may girlfriend?” Yuyu asked groggily. 

“Ikaw!”