"Ma'am, may package po na dumating. Nakapangalan po sa inyo." I checked the box and looked for a sender's name, nagulat naman ako nang walang nakalagay, pwede ba yun? Agad naman akong nakaramdam ng hiya kay kuya guard na nakatingin sa'kin ngayon, pawisan kasi ako dahil kakatapos lamang mag-gym at jog. I thanked him and went to the elevator, carrying a small box.

Pagpasok ko sa unit, agad kong binaba ang dala at kumuha ng tubig. It's currently 8 AM in the morning so when I opened my curtains, the sun welcomed me.

I decided not to check my phone first dahil nararamdaman kong puro messages lang ni Aeri ang makikita ko sa notifications, for sure ay tungkol lang ito sa practice game nila at sasabihin niyang manood daw ako. I picked up my black bathrobe from my closet and went to my shower room.

I let the warm water run through my skin, it relaxed me. Naalala ko bigla ang nangyari kahapon, sinundo ko si Jimin, nakapasok ako sa kwarto niya, I can call her Mom as Tita-- God. Agad akong napailing habang kinukuha ang sabon, does her Mom even know me? Or how I met her daughter? 

Ay Tita, ang landi po ng anak niyo, hinalikan na lang ako bigla.

Pero Tita, bumigay din ako sa halik niya--

"Stupid, Minjeong!" I shouted while caressing my scalp, I think I'm going crazy! 

Do I need to give her something too? I should just give her rosary ring back.

Do friends give each other some pendants?

Is that even a thing, we just met.

Ano 'to? Special friends kami??

Thankfully, I finished showering without getting annoyed with my own thoughts. I opened my shower curtains and stepped out to get my black bathrobe.

I looked once again in the mirror and  checked myself out. Aeri tends to look straight at my face kapag may napapansin siya which she always do these days then I realized something has changed,

 I'm blooming.

Dad <3 : Received?

Me : So it was you. Paanong walang pangalan nung tinignan ko 'Pa?

Dad <3 : Surprise? Hahaha

Me : Please, no more cars.

Dad <3 : Paano mo malalaman, mukhang hindi mo pa ata binubuksan.

Me : I'm scared to see some keys. 😬

Dad <3 : Don't even wish for a car next time, I heard what Aeri said kahapon ha.

Me : Luh! Loko yun si Aeri, hindi yun totoo Papa!!

Dad <3 : Haha 😂, open it buddy.

I turned off my phone and went to the couch where the package was seated. Hinulaan ko muna ang laman bago ito buksan, sana hindi relo dahil hindi naman ako sanay gumamit.

Kinuha ko ang gunting at binuksan ito, I was surprised to see many little foam balls, rainbow colors pa ang mga ito.

Dad talaga.

I looked inside, only to see a little box again. Pinagtitripan ata ako ni Dad. But before asking him what was really the package, I checked once again. 

"Oh..." It was a necklace, two necklaces. It was gold with a heart pendant and a necklace with a gold ring, mukhang engagement ring ito.

Weird.

Tinignan ko ulit ang loob nito dahil baka may naiwan akong mahalaga and I was right. I saw a envelope with my Dad's seal. He wrote a letter, maybe explaining the necklaces he gave to me. Ngayon ko lang nakita ang mga ito but it didn't look brand new.

     Minjeong, I know you don't recognize the necklaces so I will explain it to you. The heart pendant was a necklace your Mom and I bought when you were still in her tummy. I remember we were both excited when we saw that positive sign on that test, we were worried in naming you too but your Lola gave us a suggestion and we loved the name 'Minjeong', of course you too hahaha.

   The necklace with a ring is the ring I bought when I asked your Mom to be my wife. She didn't want promise rings because she said that promises are meant to be broken, I laughed remembering that. But for me, your Mama is a promise I will keep forever even if she's up there with Him.

   Keep all of these safely and treasure it, buddy. Kayong dalawa lang ang minamahal at mamahalin ko, habang buhay.

                                                                  - Your 'Poging' Dad.

I felt a tear fell down my cheek. Natawa naman ako sa 'poging' linagay niya, he never fails to make me laugh. Naalala ko bigla ang binigay ni Jimin, what's with people and necklaces these days? But I am thankful though.

"Papa..." I reached for my phone to text him but he had many messages sent to me.

Dad <3 : Nakita ko sa isang drawer yan sa office desk ko.

Dad <3 : I was supposed to give it when you come here but I want you to see it.

Dad <3 : I hope you liked it, alagaan mo yan anak.

Dad <3 : Give your heart pendant to someone you'll spend the rest of your life with.

Dad <3 : I miss you and love you, take care.

I looked at the necklace with a heart pendant again, gagawin ko ang sinabi ni Papa. I'll give this to the person who deserve my love the most.

I'm thankful to have someone like you in my life, 'Pa.

"Babe, what's with this ring? I keep seeing you with rings, ikakasal ka na ba?!" narinig ko ang malakas na sigaw ni Aeri mula sa kwarto ko.

"Wag mo guluhin yan!" sigaw ko pabalik at pumunta sa kwarto, lumapit ako sa kanya at linigpit ang mga gamit. I can see her peeking more so I covered my things with my whole body.

"Hoy! Ano ba yang tinatago mo?" she said, she took a quick glance from me and scoffed. She went outside the room with crossed arms.

Napatingin naman ako sa hawak ko, sinuot ko na ang necklace na mayroong heart pendant at tinago sa isang drawer ang ring necklace. My heart stopped for a moment when I saw the silver star pendant that Jimin gave yesterday.

Nakita kaya ni Aeri? My God.

Tinignan ko muli ang binigay ni Jimin, napansin kong may maliit na letter 'W' sa gilid ng star pendant. She really customized it with my initial. Baka pala part ng pagbili ang ganon at hindi niya talaga pinalagay.

Trip ata ako neto ni Jimin eh.

I went outside and saw Aeri watching netflix on my TV, I sighed. Bumalik naman ako sa dining table kung saan nakalagay ang laptop ko, I was working on our research and finalizing things on our Google Docs.

I told Somi that I'll do my part and send it to her, hindi kasi natuloy ang supposed to be meeting namin kaya I need to give something. Sabi niya naman na I should take my time but I prefer doing it right away so I know what to change.

I looked at Aeri who's watching Haikyu on the television. Pagkatapos ko kausapin si Dad ay sakto nagmessage siya na pupunta sa condo and it was 9:47 AM when she messaged. 

Hindi naman ako umangal dahil baka mas gusto niya muna dito. She brought her duffle bag with her, I nearly forgot they have that practice game today.

"What are you doing ba? Do we have activities or something?" she asked, still looking at the screen in front of her.

"I don't remember if may need gawin from last week, iba 'tong ginagawa ko." I said, while typing on my laptop. Malapit ko na matapos ang ginagawa ko

"Ano nga?"

"Research with Somi." I said and I saw her nod. Ang tahimik ni Aeri, ngayon ko lang siya nakitang seryoso kapag kasama ako and I think I got the idea. "I'll come with you sa practice po."

"I'm not thinking about it pero yes, come with me later." she said. I closed my tabs and reached for my phone to message Somi

Me : Hey, may dinagdag ako sa Docs. Check it later then message me.

Me : Good morning din.

Jeon Somi : Hello, noted. 

Jeon Somi : Good morning po. :)

"Hoy! Are you even listening?!" I came to my senses and turned off my phone, napatingin naman ako kay Aeri at nagbato ng isang chip sa kinakain. "I hate you!"

I closed my laptop and went to the sofa where Aeri is seated, may pag-iwas pa itong ginagawa dahil nagtatampo daw siya. Grabe talaga.

"Ano nga?" I asked and reached for the remote, I turned off the TV so she can focus on me

"Ang sabi ko, we don't have that much bonding time na. God, I miss my dumb bestfriend." she said and rolled her eyes, natawa naman ako. "We should go shopping next week, I'm serious."

"Shopping? Bonding talaga para sayo yun? Tsaka we're always together, Gi." 

"Iba naman kasi yung sa campus! At oo bonding yun, ikaw hahawak sa bags, oh diba? That's bonding time for me." she said, may paghawi pa ng buhok kaya natamaan ang mukha ko.

"You just stated the reason why I don't like shopping."

"Edi iisip ako ng iba! Hahanap na din akong ibang pwede kasama." she crossed her arms now, ang lala naman nito suyuin. We look like - Lol, mentioning that word and it's with Aeri gives me shivers to the bones.

"Mas malala ka pa sa future