I think na love at first sight yata ako. 

First day pa lang and I could not take my eyes off of the red hair na super attention-grabbing. Alam ko na papagalitan siya, and she probably knew it as well, pero ang brave pa rin niya pumasok with that hair colour. First day of class, first year pa. Idol na idol kasi kahit mga madre, hindi siya natakot.

Nakasamile lang siya nang pinagsabihan siya about the school rules and how her hair has to be kept clean and should uphold the school’s image and reputation and blah blah blah. 

I was blown away sa attitude niya. It wasn’t like she was being dismissive sa mga madre, basta! I couldn’t explain pero napahanga talaga ako.

And then on the second day, she came sporting a darker hair colour and I didn’t think she could look even more beautiful than the first time I saw her. Ang lala ko. Sabi nga ni Yuyu sa akin before na madali akong mafall sa isang tao. Sometimes, it literally takes one look for me to have a crush. Surface level but I don’t think na masama yun. We fall in love with our eyes first nga naman. 

Si Chaeryeong. 

Nagandahan talaga ako sa kanya. Tahimik siya at minsan nakikita ko siyang nag-space out randomly. I found that cute. Nalaman ko pang marunong din siya sumayaw and she planned to audition sa PDT. I found her even more interesting. And when I saw her dance for the first time, my interest grew tenfold. 

She was so different when she danced than when she didn't. Ibang-iba ang aura niya kapag sumasayaw. Kung hindi mo siya kilala as a quiet person, you would think na may pagka maldita siya just based on how she moved on stage. 

And that's what I liked about her.

Yung crush ko sa kanya madaling nag evolve into real, romantic feelings. And I wanted her to know.

Hindi ako kagaya ni Yuyu na sobrang mahiyain at nabubulol in front of the person I like. As a matter of fact, nagiging confident ako. Parang I have something to prove kasi. 

And then I had to deal with the problem about yung rumours about me and Yuyu. Hindi naman ako oblivious about those. It's annoying, especially kay Yuyu. I wouldn't mind it pero I didn't want Chaeryeong to believe it.

Mabilis ko naman dineny yung about sa amin ni Yuyu but for some reason they didn't believe me. Just because Yuyu and I are incredibly close. Hindi ba talaga kapani-paniwala na ganun lang talaga ang relationship namin?

Si Winter, who was very obvious about her liking my best friend, ang number one believer about sa amin ni Yuyu. Silang dalawa ni Ningning. Which was ridiculous. Napapaisip talaga ako about how my friendship with Yuyu is. Hindi na ba pwede yung platonic lang talaga kahit ang sweet and clingy namin? We grew up together kasi and basically spent most of our waking moments with each other. But hanggang dun lang talaga. I see her as a sister and nothing more. 

I thought I would have a hard time convincing Chaeryeong na hindi kami ni Yuyu but I was glad that I didn't have to. The time I spent with her sa PDT helped I think. Kasi nilalandi ko siya. At nilalandi ko siya in front of Yuyu. So it was a relief that Chaeryeong had the idea to put two and two together and squashed the rumours about me and Yuyu in her head.

At sobrang saya ko na nilalandi niya rin ako.

At mas nakakatuwa nang magkasundo kami sa plano naming pang-asar kay Winter with Yuyu. The bet was my evil plan. Hindi lang dahil sa gusto kong maging close si Yuyu kay Winter, it also gave me a reason to make my moves kay Chaeryeong. Palagi kaming magkasama sa PDT at since palagi kaming late matapos, gusto ko siyang ihatid kahit na malapit lang ang condo niya. And with Yuyu’s car with me, nagagawa ko yun. At naeenjoy ko yung short time namin ni Chaeryeong. The car was like our space to be together na kami lang. At hindi naman sa nagmamayabang ako pero nakikita ko kasi na may gusto din si Chaeryeong sa akin. I just felt it. 

Masayang kasama si Chaeryeong. At kahit na tahimik siya, ang funny niya. Ang witty ng mga jokes niya. At minsan, pinag-usapan namin sila Winter at Yuyu. Sinabi pa nga niya sa akin about the time na nagkaroake sila for Ning’s birthday at kumunta si Winter. Pati na rin yung pinagusapan nila about me and Yuyu.

“Sinabi ko kaya sa kanila na feeling ko hindi naman kayo,” natatawa niyang sabi. “Pero ayaw talaga maniwala. Tinanong pa ako kung bakit ko nasabi yun. Hindi ko na lang sinabi na nilalandi mo ako. Bahala na sila kaka-overthink.” 

So we used the bet as an excuse to bring our friends together and for us to be together. The more time I spent with Chaeryeong, mas lalo akong nahulog sa kanya. At nag confess siya sa akin na yung nafifeel niya for me was more than friendship. So one night paghatid ko sa condo niya, she kissed me on the cheek at sinabi niya sa akin na excited siya na maging something more kami sa future. 

If it were just up to me, kami na agad agad! But gusto ko lang sabayan ang pace na gusto ni Chaeryeong. May understanding naman kami what we want from each other. That was enough for me. 

Pero hindi ko magawang i-share ang happiness ko kay Yuyu kasi nalaman ko lang that Winter suddenly started avoiding her. The last time I talked to them, nagiging close na sila. Akala ko naman na masasabayan ako ni Yuyu sa blooming kong love life. 

Nainis ako kay Winter. Siya na nga yung tinulungan, siya pa yung may ayaw. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang iniisip niya but why would she still think na kami ni Yuyu when I was basically pushing my best friend to her? No one in their right mind would do that sa girlfriend mo? At si Yuyu na yan. Anyone would be lucky to have her. 

But whatever Winter was thinking was only hurting her and hurting Yuyu. Siya lang yung nagsusuffer sa ginagawa niya. Ayan tuloy, nafall sa best friend ko, na guilty, at nasaktan pa nga si Yuyu.

I’m very protective of Yuyu kahit na I’m two years younger than her. Palagi kasi siyang misunderstood, especially now in college. It takes a lot of me not to smack people in the head kapag naririnig ko ang rumours about Yuyu. Yung mga walang kwentang chismis. Gusto ko silang awayin. Actually, kaming lahat ng clingies, gusto namin sila awayin. But ayaw ni Yuyu. Hayaan lang daw kasi hindi naman totoo. At kapag pinatulan daw namin, it only means that there's some truth to what they're saying. At ayaw ni Yuyu na mangyari yun. So we let it be. Yuyu is too kind towards people who don't deserve it. 

So when Winter hurt Yuyu, I knew I had to step in this time. Kasi this time, Yuyu cared and Yuyu had already liked Winter. 

And then may rumour ulit about kay Yuyu na ginamit lang daw niya kami ni Winter. It was frustrating. 

Before anything, I had to talk to Chaeryeong. Ayaw ko kasi siyang masali sa whatever drama that keeps following me and Yuyu. Naalala ko dati when I was dating Somi. Na-involve pa si Yuyu sa relationship namin ni Somi. And as much as possible, ayokong mangyari sa amin ni Chaeryeong ang nangyari sa amin ni Somi. 

I like Chaeryeong too much to ruin what we have, kahit yung friendship namin. I at least want to save that if ever ayaw ni Chaeryeong na ma-link sa akin because of the rumours. 

“Sorry, Chaeryeong,” sinabi ko sa agad sa kanya habang naglalakad kami papunta sa condo niya. Tiningnan lang niya ako, confused. “Narinig mo na yata yung mga nagkakalat na chismis about sa amin ni Yuyu. I want to say sorry kasi baka masama ka. And I want to let you know na hindi naman totoo yun.” 

Relief washed over me when I wasn't met with a negative reaction. Instead, nag smile lang si Chaeryeong si akin at hinawakan ang kamay ko. “Alam ko naman yun. Don't worry, Ryu, alam ko na baseless lang ang mga rumours na yan.” 

I knew Chaeryeong was different from Somi pero hindi pa rin mawala yung worry ko about the past coming back to me. It's better to be honest and make sure about it. 

“How is Karina pala? Palagi na lang siyang chinichismis sa school. Kaya ba umiiwas si Winter?” 

Napabuntung hininga lang ako and told her that I had to talk to Winter. 

“Ang protective mo talaga kay Karina no?” She commented. 

“Is that going to be a problem?” I had to ask. It was important for me to know.

Umiling siya. “No. It's nice lang na ganyan ang relationship niyo. Nakakainggit pero nakakahanga rin. Hindi nga kami gaano ka close ng Ate ko eh.” 

“Para ko naman talagang kapatid si Yuyu,” I said. I had to make sure that she kne