"For the love of God, I am going to repeat my question again-"

"Aeri nakakailang ulit ka na, please lang." I said, not looking at her. I remained focused on walking at our hallway. 

"I know! That's why I said I'm going to repeat it again." she answered, napairap na lang ako sa kaniya.

It's really getting annoying dahil kanina pa si Aeri sa kotse at nang sinundo ko siya mula sa bahay nila. It was the same question over and over again, pati nga ata si Tita Krystal ay naririndi na sa anak niya kanina dahil nang sinundo ko siya, yun lamang ang bukambibig nito, sabi nga ni Tita...

"Minjeong! Get a grip of my daughter! Aeri Uchinaga, can you calm down anak?!"

"Ah Tita, ako na po bahala."

"Okay, take care. Aeri, your dad is calling me, I need to take the call. I love you both!"

Sinasagot ko naman din ng paulit-ulit ang tanong niya pero parang gusto niya din marinig ng paulit-ulit na totoo nga yung nangyari kahapon nung nagsama-sama kaming kumain sa may UP Town.

At siya may kasalanan.

"Si Tita naririndi na din kanina sa sigaw mo." saad ko, humawak naman siya sa aking braso at tumalon-talon.

"Mommy's just overreacting earlier, I just got excited!" she exclaimed and poked my cheek, napakakulit talaga ni Aeri.

It's frustrating pero sanay na ako sa kaniya. She kept asking if the Atenean girl did something with me in the restroom yesterday. My first answer was inside the car, we were on our way to the campus. Hindi siya naniwala sa unang sagot ko and her typical response ay manghahampas sa balikat, masakit pa nga din hanggang ngayon.

Eh kasi naman, nakakahiya!

"Umihi nga lang siya! Gi naman-"

"Anong umihi lang? I clearly saw her smudged lipstick before she sat down! And, sinong umiihi ng ganoon katagal? Thirty minutes na pagpipigil?" 

"Aeri- Ugh, kasalanan na niya yun kung bakit siya matagal!"

"Liar! So you're a sinner yourself in that situation too? Matagal ka din bumalik eh!"

Hindi naman kasi pupunta sa ganoong sitwasyon kung hindi na kami nagsama kahapon. Aeri obviously insisted that the six of us should eat, of course meeting new people is great but my best friend definitely knows what's going on between me and Jimin. Now I'm curious if Aeri talked to Jimin's friends when we were away in the table.

I shouldn't be worried because there's really nothing going on between us, she's just too flirty towards me and Aeri teases me about it. Sinabi niya din na kung ayaw ko naman sa kaniya ay dapat hindi ko na din ito kinakausap o blinock ko na ang number niya sa aking cellphone, she added that I was just pretending that I don't like her company but it's pretty obvious that I do.

And she is wrong!

I really don't like it at all.

Seryoso!

"Oh God, akala ko late na tayo." I came back to reality when we are in front the room's door, medyo natagalan din kasi kami dahil rush hour ngayon.

Our professor came exactly when we settled with our seats. I remembered that he was absent last week at nag-iwan ng activity, mabuti na lang ay hindi ko ito nakakalimutan o palagi lang nasa bag ko. He's still not talking about the last week's activity and still discussing with our previous lessons. I looked at Aeri who's listening, meron ba kaya siyang naisulat?

"Have you answered the sheet already?" I whispered at her, she gave me a confused look.

What sheet, babe? I saw her mouthed that words, I mentally did a face palm. Nang may sinusulat ang professor namin, kinuha ko ang aking cellphone at pasimpleng pinicturan ang papel ko. I'll send this later to my bestfriend who always forgets important activities.

She was asking what is it about but I can't talk right now because we might get caught, ayoko nang maulit ang nangyari sa Art Appreciation class ko dati. I'm really sure our class president will bring the activity up to our professor who's casually talking right now about financial management.

"Sir." I heard one of our blockmate butted in the discussion, I already know where this is going.

"Ah, right class. Pass your papers in my desk." he calmly said, lahat naman ay naghanap sa mga gamit nila. Many had the same dilemma with Aeri who's very confused, mukhang napansin ito ng prof namin na nakitang umiling habang nakatingin sa amin.

"Now, class."

"That Dahyun girl is so annoying, she even proudly held her paper up earlier!" Aeri stated while were walking to our building's canteen. 

I realized we've been doing this for nearly four years in this university, going in this canteen with my consistent bestfriend, very consistent in annoying me, just kidding but it's partly true. I'm thankful Aeri's here by my side too, hindi din kasi ako marunong makihalubilo sa iba. Some students from the other buildings near us came inside too, siguro kakatapos lang ng tatlong oras na klase nila.

"Ano pala pinasa mo kay Sir?" I asked out of the blue, still looking for an available table for us.

"I told him I'll pass it later, sinabi ko na nakalimutan ko dalhin." she said, hinila na niya rin ako sa nakitang upuan. I nodded and told her to check the answers I sent for that activity.

"Thanks babe! Sorry, I really forgot we had an activity..." she stated with a low voice beside me, I assured her that it's fine by kissing the top of her hair. I told her that there's nothing to be sorry about.

She always do this, apologizing that she needs to copy something from me. Hindi naman ito laging nangyayari dahil ayaw niya din ito, unfortunate events happened and she forgot it. Alam ko naman na madami siyang ginagawa at pagod din and I'm here to support her always. I know my limits regarding academics so it's really fine with me dahil si Aeri naman yon, my soulmate.

"Ako na magbabayad ha."

She volunteered to order food for us which she always do, as usual ay dumeretso siya agad sa stall ni Aling Lucing, may bago din daw kasing putahe at gusto niya i-try ito. Mukhang favorite nga din siya ni Aling Lucing kasi madami ito binibili. 

I fetched my phone and check my messages, actually ay ngayon ko pa lang ito binuksan ngayong araw. Una kong tinignan ang GC ng officers sa organization. Hindi ko pa ito nabubuksan hanggang ngayon dahil ang huling sinend ba naman ni Ate Lisa ay puro memes lamang, hindi ko na tuloy tinitignan pa dahil puro kalokohan.

They're currently talking about the auditionees at kung sino ang nagustuhan nila doon. Nagbabasa lamang ako sa mga messages nila at hindi nagrereply pero mukhang nakita nila akong nagseen. I read Ate Seulgi's message that she's interested with Chaeryeong and Momo, titignan niya pa ulit ang iba.

I think she's aiming to get more women in the organization dahil sakto na ang boys but I personally like Ten to be a member because I can see that he can do whatever genre we do. I was about to type when Aeri came with our food, mamaya ko na lang siguro sasabihin.

"I think Mark's coming here, he messaged me." my bestfriend said, I raised my eyebrows at the name she mentioned.

"So.. Nag-uusap pala kayong dalawa." I said in a teasing manner, umirap naman ito at napangiti.

"Just for class purposes. Blockmates kami sa isang class ah?" she defended, tumango na lamang ako at tumingin sa mga pagkaing bili niya.

I looked at the big plate in front and it was full of honey glazed chicken wings. Ngayon ko lang narealize na naka-separate ang kanin namin sa mismong ulam. I reached for the plastic hand gloves and started eating, nagugutom na din kasi ako.

I looked at Aeri who's eyeing me too, I gave her a confused look and started eating again, nakita kong tumawa siya. 

May amos ba ako?

"Hey, nakaabot pa ba ako? Sorry, dami nakapila eh." a man's voice was heard and I saw Mark behind Aeri, pinaupo niya naman ito sa tabi niya. 

Inabutan ito ni Aeri ng chicken wings, pinapanood ko lang ang kilos nilang dalawa. "Oh, no chicken for today. Strict diet kami." he said.

"Tapos egg sandwich kinakain mo." Aeri said which made the guy chuckle. "Ano?"

"Isa lang naman 'to."

Kunyare wala ako dito, sige.

I continued eating while him and Aeri were still chatting. Part nga pala ng basketball team si Mark kaya may strict diet din sila, I think I should do that too since we have to practice nonstop and I need a great body for that. Tinanggal ko na ang plastic gloves at sinabihan si Aeri na tapos na ako kumain.

I checked my phone again and got surprised at a sudden notification. I am sure that I deleted our conversation yesterday! Mukhang naka-save ang number ko sa kaniya dahil lumabas nanaman ang pangalan niya sa akin! I'm still not opening it, nakatitig lamang ako sa pangalan niya.

Do I have to delete this again? 

The last message I saw from the inbox that she sent was a sad emoticon, ano naman nakakalungkot ngayon? Lunes na lunes. Trip talaga ako nitong Yu Jimin na laging chat nang chat.

Hindi ko na lang ito pinansin at nakinig na lamang ang dalawang nasa harap ko. Puro tungkol lang naman sa UAAP season ang topic nila, I can't really relate but I know all of three of us is a part of it. I looked at my lap where my phone was located since a notification popped up from the lockscreen which caused the screen to open, it's her again.

Rina

Min?

I looked at the message again and got startled with the screen turned off. Now she's mentioning me by my nickname, great. Nakuha niya siguro ito kay Ning dahil sinabihan ko ito na tawagin akong 'Min' kahit hindi niya alam ang dahilan. 

"Babe, you good?" 

I looked at Aeri and Mark's faces, they look concerned. Sinabi ko na wala lang ito at tumango lang sila. I saw Mark getting something from his pocket, nang makuha niya ito ay humarap siya sa'kin.

It was a white handkerchief.

"May amos ka sa gilid ng labi mo." he said, still holding the cloth up. 

"'Wag na Mark, may tissue naman. Thank you for telling me." I said and smiled, tumango naman siya at tumingin kay Aeri.

I took a piece of tissue and wiped my lips. Kinuha ko ang phone ko at pansamantalang ginawang salamin ang screen nito. I saw Aeri getting the handkerchief from Mark, hindi ko pa rin maintindihan bakit niya ito binibigay lang, puti pa naman.

Suddenly, I remember what happened yesterday and I should be forgetting it. Even the food that we had earlier reminds me of her, that damn chicken wings! At ngayon, yung puting panyo. Mukhang nasa bag ko pa nga ito dahil iniwan sa akin ni Jimin.

Kainis.

Rina :

sorry..

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