Kumukulo ang dugo ko. 

 

Now I know the reason why she reacted like that. 

 

Kai is Winter's closest cousin. Whenever Winter has a crush on someone, siya lang ang pinagsasabihan nito. She told me that it started from Giselle's cousin, Ate Krystal, she said. She had a crush on her, they were close friends, then one day, Kai and Krystal told Winter that they were together. 

 

Akala ko nung una ay iyon lang ang dahilan niya.

 

But then, Kai manipulates Ate Krystal to not talk to Winter at all. The same happened to her new girl crushes, and friends. In the end, her friends stopped communicating with her.

 

Unfortunately, Kai made the nickname Winter for her. 

 

...And she hates to be called Winter except for me.

 

"Baby...yung noo mo." Natatawang sabi niya sa akin. Tinanggal niya ang pagka-kunot ng noo ko, "It's over now." She smiled.

 

I pursed my lips. Nakakainis kasi. Sino bang hindi maiinis don? I knew he was an pero pati ba naman sa sarili niyang pinsan?

 

I sighed, "I'm sorry...hindi ko agad sinabi sayo na we dated before." 

 

She scrunched her nose, "It's okay." She said, "Natandaan ko lang talaga yung mga ginawa niya sa akin." She sighed, "Ang shunga ko lang, hinayaan ko lang siya. I let him do those things sa akin..." Ngumiti siya sa akin, "Buti nalang hindi naging kayo." 

 

"Yeah." I chuckled lightly, "My friends from JYPU warned me eh."

 

I was Grade 10 when I met Kai. I was still studying at JYPU that time. We met through a common friend, Taeyeong. 

 

"Kars! Tignan mo yung kasama ni Taeyeong!" Yoon pointed towards Taeyeong and a good-looking guy, "Ang gwapo, !" She cursed.

 

Well, he is.

 

He's tall. He has manly features and manly physique that can be seen even from far away. I stopped staring when he suddenly looked my way.

 

"What about it?" Tanong ko kay Yoon na parang hindi ako tumingin sa lalaki.

 

She rolled her eyes, "Ang pogi kaya!"

 

"Yeah...what about it?" I chuckled.

 

I never really had a crush on someone, I only had a crush on Troy Bolton from Hign School Musical.

 

"Ewan sayo, Kars." She frustratedly sighed, "Bakit ayaw mo magpa-ligaw kay Jaehyun, tapos ang daming pogi sa paligid mo! Hays! Kung ako 'yan...chos!" Natatawang sabi niya.

 

I laughed, "Wala sa priority ko ang boyfriend or ligaw ligaw na 'yan." I said, "I have to graduate ng puro line of 9 ang grade ko, and I should be on top of the class. Mom likes it that way."

 

"Alam mo beh feeling ko pressured ka nanaman by your parents." She said as we walked on the way to the cafeteria.

 

I creased my forehead, "No...it's the way it should be."

 

They always tell me na mag-aral ako nang maigi. There was a time when I couldn't even touch my phone for a week when Mom saw my grades. May line of 8 ako nung time na 'yon.

 

She just sighed. Alam niyang hindi ako magpapatalo.

 

"Rina! Yoon!" Tawag sa amin ni Taeyeong, pareho kaming napalingon. "Guys! Friend ko pala, si Kai!" Pagpapakilala niya sa kasama niya na may malaking ngisi.

 

Inilahad niya ang kamay niya sa akin, "I'm Kai...you are?" He asked, showing his captivating smile.

 

Umpisa palang...I felt that vibe already. Buti nalang talaga may pagka-chismosa si Yoon kaya nalaman niya ang mga pinag-gagawa ni Kai mula sa mga studyante na galing sa ibang university. 

 

"So you and Kai...ganito din setup niyo?" She asked as she gestures the two of us.

 

"I don't wanna answer..."

 

She chuckled bitterly, "So ganito nga."

 

I quickly held her hand nung patayo na siya, "Win...no." 

 

"Kuha lang ako water." She said as she removed her hand from mine.

 

Sinundan ko siya ng tingin. She's not mad, right? May maliit na ngiti siya sa labi nung umalis siya. 

 

My lips are pursed while waiting for her. Hindi ako mapakali sa inuupuan ko. Kanina pa 'ko nag-aayos ng upo sa lapag. Sa harapan ko ay ang maliit kong mesa na puno ng gamit namin ni Winter.

 

Inangat ko ang tingin sa kaniya nang marinig ko ang pag-bukas ng pintuan. She let out a small smile while holding a pitcher of water and snacks. Tinulungan ko siyang ibaba ang mga dala niya.

 

"Even if it was the same setup, you're different for me." 

 

Napatingin siya sa akin nung nag-salita ako.

 

A pink tint on her cheeks were visible. She cleared , "T-talaga?" Her eyes twinkled.

 

I held her hand at pinaupo ko siya sa harapan ko. I raised my hand to touch her puffy pink cheeks, "Yes..." I whispered, enough for her to hear, "You're different, and I like that you're different. I've never shown this much interest to someone else before."

 

"Evwen two Kwai?" She asked, while I'm squishing her cheeks.

 

I giggled, "Yes. Even to Kai."

 

 

-

 

 

"Saan kayo?" Ryujin asked when she saw Winter's arm around my shoulder, "'Di kayo pupunta sa gig mamaya?"

 

I shook my head, "I need to study." Sabi ko, "Winter will follow mamaya."

 

Winter nodded, "'Di na 'ko sasama sa practice."

 

"K!" Iritang sabi niya, at nag-lakad papunta sa kotse niya.

 

Yeji followed Ryujin, "Have fun." She winked at me, inirapan ko siya.

 

Lia and Ning used Lia's car papunta sa condo ni Giselle para manood ulit ng practice. Last day na ng finals namin ngayon, samantalang tapos na ang finals nila Winter kaya nakakapag-gig na ulit sila. Ngayon na ngalang ulit sila tutugtog pero hindi pa ako makakasama dahil hindi ako papayagan ni Mama.

 

"You want to eat somewhere muna, babe?" She asked while maneuvering the car, she glanced at me, "What do you want to eat?" 

 

I pouted, "Kahit ano."

 

Tumawa siya, "Alam mo bang ayan ang pinaka-mahirap na kainin?"

 

"Hahaha! Wala akong maisip eh!" Natatawang sagot ko sakaniya, "Anywhere with you is fine."

 

She squeeled, "Okay po..."

 

We talked about our date na hindi pa din natutuloy, dahil nga busy kami pareho. We scheduled our date next week dahil start na ng semestral break namin non. I still don't know what she have in mind, but I'm sure I won't be having any complaints.

 

Bumalik kami papunta sa MOA para mag-lunch. Naka-ilang ikot pa kami bago kami nakahanap ng kakainan. Napadpad pa kami sa labas ng Double Dragon dahil bigla kaming nag-crave ng Chinese food kaya sa Panda Express ang bagsak namin.

 

"Tig-two entrees tayo?" Tanong niya habang naka-pila kami, "Parang gusto ko ng walnut shrimp." She said at tinuro 'yon, she leaned her chin on my shoulder, nasa likod ko kasi siya.

 

"Me too..." I whispered.

 

I felt her warm breath on my ear, "What if iba-iba yung entrees natin?"

 

Tumango ako. More choices then. I ordered Beijing beef, at siyempre, orange chicken then fried rice lang ang side. Sa kaniya naman ay ang walnut shrimp at kung pao chicken tapos fried rice din ang side.

 

Dapat pala ay nag-share nalang kami. Punong-puno yung plate ko. Ngayon palang ay nalulula na 'ko sa dami ng pagkain.

 

Halos hindi namin maubos ang binili namin. Ang dami kasi talaga. Magka-share na nga kami sa entrees eh. Parang yung isang order namin ay pang-dalawahang tao na.

 

"Baby, anong fortune mo?" She asked, matapos namin kumain at kinakain naman niya ang fortune cookie bago binubuklat ang papel, "Sakin ito...a beautiful, smart, and loving person will be coming into your life." She looked at me with widen eyes, "Baby, ikaw na 'to!" 

 

I chuckled nang tinakpan niya bigla ang bibig niya dahil napalakas ang pag-kasabi niya. Napatingin sa amin ang ibang mga kumakain.

 

Nilapat ko ang daliri sa labi ko, "Shh." Natatawa kong saway.

 

"Eh kasi...ikaw na 'to." She said, pertaining to the fortune na nakuha niya from the cookie, "Beautiful...check! Smart, check! Loving, check! Baby, wala ka nang takas sa akin." She giggled.

 

I bit my lip. She's too