[ araw araw - ben and ben ] 

The first time I saw you, it was love at first sight.

Katarina Yoo.

Your name was so beautiful, even.

Unlike mine—Winter Kim, ang corny. Parang hindi pinag isipan, charot. I love my name noh, parang cold daw ako na ewan.

Simple greetings were exchanged. A simple nod, acknowledging each other's presence, and then it turned into half hearted smiles, and then smiles that reached up to our eyes—until I noticed you one day, looking at me longer than how you used to be.

Gago, ang delusional ko na ata to think that I can have a chance with you.

How so? You were like the sky, after all, while I'm only at the ground, and we were miles from each other—too far that I did not think I had a chance to be with you.

So I only savored the moment. The things you did, I returned back with equal fervor, with little to no malice present—we were always attached upon the hip, like how others had observed, and then there was that.

No, you weren't drunk that day.

So why did you kiss me?

I needed answers.

My heart needed to be satisfied with the answer it expected, the answer that you had feelings for me, that we could finally start this love story that we have, that we can finally move past the line of simply being friends.

Imagine me, Winter Kim, isang anak ng simpleng business man na naghahanap pa ng breakthrough, falling into a relationship with Katarina Yoo, the child of a famous conglomerate here in our city—handa na nga akong matapunan ng tubig sa mukha ng masungit mong parents, if they would do that.

But then, your love wasn't like in the soap operas, or in the things I've read about love like this.

Loving you was slow.

Slowly but surely wins the race, ika nga.

My impatient was put to the test.

You are painfully new to this, as it had grown apparent when we've finally started dating, and you did not know what you want—especially with me, and it felt like the bare minimum I could give already satisfied you.

You did not care if I was stinking rich, or if I was poor—you enjoyed being with me, and it was apparent on how you laughed, on your actions that reflected your true self—you were pure. Unhinged, you did not sugarcoat anything.

You told me if you were sad. If you were angry with me. If you were happy with me. You told me everything, and God, it was the best thing I could wish for.

It did not bother me that you were a first timer when it comes to love—your father told me, on one faithful day that we finally had dinner with your parents, that they pushed you to have a relationship with others, but you did not want to do that—that it scared you to think of being in a relationship.

Were you scared, then, with me?

Did it scare you, thinking of being with me?

Oh, the last thing I want is for you to be scared, mahal.

Loving you—ang dali mong mahalin.

Kasi you were very reflective, even so gullible, to the point na natatakot akong baka nasasaktan na kita with my unconscious actions, but you made me feel like I would never be able to hurt you.

Katarina Yoo, loving you is the most beautiful thing I've ever done.

It is, after all, easy for me to choose you.

Mahal na mahal kita.

Kahit I'd be the one deciding for most of the relationship, I don't care. As long as it's with you.

Loving you is my happiness.

Pipiliin kita, Katarina, araw araw.

I hope you'd do the same.

Sa minsang pagbali ng hangin

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Tanging ika'y iibiging wagas, at buo