"Yes he is annoying but I still feel guilty? Lagi ko naiisip na ako yung rason kung bakit."

"He made it clear enough for you before so don't bother." I said to stop my bestfriend bicker across their living room. She's holding her bag and the photo album. 

"I thought you and Double B get along." I continued.

"Get along? We literally fought like cats and dogs."

She's still talking about our past years in college. Lahat na ata ay tanda niya pa rin kahit matagal na, that's how she treasure memories. While browsing on the photo album awhile ago, laging may kasamang brief explanation at action habang nagkekwento.

Well, I just listen since that's what I do most of the time with her. The constant change of emotions and reactions every time she tells a story makes me grin unconsciously kaya napapalo niya ako. I feel like she's practicing her volleyball skills with me everytime she slaps my shoulder.

This Uchinaga gets excited whatever the context is.

"Baka naiisip mo diyan 'yong nangyari dati ha! Please, that was a nightmare!" she shouted, napailing na lang ako.

I think she's pertaining about the dating rumor she had before with Bambam. Nagsisimula palang career niya as part of the Falcons at parehas na silang kilala ng karamihan. Sa sobrang kakulitan ni Bambam kay Aeri, naging topic sila sa isang Confession Site before then eventually made its way to UAAP's news site.

It was hectic.

Hectic that Aeri had to explain multiple times that she would never date Bambam while living on this planet, ito naman si Bam ay tumatawa pa nung una sa mga balita but thankfully he immediately declined the allegations and announced that they were just friends. 

Bambam then shifted courses, akala ko ay dahil kay Aeri upang hindi na sila magkita, turns out it was just personal reasons which I didn't want to overhear back then. Aeri told him he didn't have to but he said he's not happy with his course because it didn't make everyone around him happy too.

Financial Management is a great course, but very difficult.

It's that time of the year where the business industry is still surviving and expanding, that is why this course is in demand. There is so many job opportunities with this course, locally and internationally. I guess because of Bam's decision, he voluntarily withdrawed on his team since he can't handle pressure. He also changed schools for his third year kaya hindi na namin siya gaano nakikita at nakakausap.

I looked at Aeri who's currently fixing herself while the photo album is in her lap. Nag-ayos na rin ako ng gamit at kinuha ang susi.

"For sure you miss him?" I joked and she gave me a blank stare.

"I don't, idiot!"

"Oh, hindi pa ba kayo aalis? I think it will rain, mga anak." We both looked at the long stairway of the house where Tita Krystal is standing, wearing a night gown.

"Thanks for the weather update, Mom. Paalis na kami, Minjeong's being annoying lang." Aeri said with a smile.

I looked at her and placed my hand at the back, shaping it into a fist. She raised her middle finger back and I gave her a sullen look. Nakita ko namang bumaba na si Tita at lumapit kay Aeri.

"Kayo talaga. By the way, how's my cook? I heard that you missed my cooking, MJ?"

"Masarap po, I suddenly miss home cooking." I genuinely said. All of a sudden I am missing my family in our home.

"You should convince your father to go home then, magaling 'yon magluto." she smiled between her words, tumango na lang ako at nagpasalamat.

I learned how to cook from videos online and from my Dad.

But I can't use that skill of mine right now.

Nakakawalang gana kasi? I don't have company, and I can't always bother Aeri.

I decided to agree at her Mom's request na pumunta ng maaga sa bahay nila dahil nagluto raw ito ng paborito ko, naalala raw kasi ni Tita na nasabi ko ito noong pumunta ako dito. They cook good food kaya siyempre, tatanggi pa ba ako? And these days, I've been eating food from delivery which activated the Mom in Aeri, she questioned me earlier.

"You can cook naman diba? So why come here with those pancakes from Mcdo?!"

"I got hungry, Gi."

"Need mo ba groceries? Shopping tayo later!"

"Shopping, shopping ka diyan."

"What? Shop ng groceries, duh!"

When I came earlier, nagluluto pa ng adobo ang Mom ni Aeri kaya umakyat muna kaming dalawa sa kwarto niya which led us to her big drawer where the photo album she made before was located then went down again to her dining room, waiting for the food.

Most of the photographs were her faces or our pictures together, kaya naman napunta ang usapan namin sa mga nangyari noon bago kami nagkakilala. I didn't expect that my hunch a year ago was right, this girl in front of me did like me.

"Ano, tatawa ka ba at tama nga hinala mo na nagustuhan kita?" 

"Why would I? It's not something to laugh about though." I said. I saw her smile and looked away, totoo naman sinabi ko ah?

"Paano kung hindi mo 'ko kaibigan? You would still find it funny?"

"I would never do something that I don't want to happen with me."

I looked at her again and shook my head, I heard her scoffed, still smiling. Also, tita went to me earlier and gave me a piece of paper, recipe ng adobo ang nakalagay. Narinig niya ata ang usapan namin kanina ni Aeri kung marunong ba ako magluto.

I even cooked for Ji before, remember?

"You what?!"

I can cook, that's for sure.

Jimin : hello, good morning! :>

"Ano ba naman 'yan oh! Napili lang ako kanta then a certain notification popped up!"

I looked at my phone in front and used my free hand to check my notifications, si Jimin pala ito. Aeri is smiling cheekily at what she read, ako naman ay iniisip kung bakit may pa ganoong message si Jimin.

"Whatever." I said and once again focused on driving.

"Daan tayo sa malapit na convenience store, please..." Aeri said which made me confused, kakakain lang namin ah?

I checked the time and it was still early from our schedule this Wednesday. I was thinking for a nearest store and Aeri pointed the Alfamart near our way which will definitely not lead us to our campus dahil dapat dederetso kami. I had no other options dahil mapilit din si Aeri kaya naman kumaliwa na ako.

"Ako na bibili, do you want something?" she asked. I told her to buy some chocolates to keep me awake for later, baka may sudden practice kami.

I have my eyes on Aeri until she went inside the store, of course I have to look after her. Kinuha ko muna ang cellphone ko dahil naalala ko bigla ang resulta ng audition. I went straight to our Facebook page using my private account.

So they decided to post it on the page. There were fifteen who passed the audition which was very unexpected for me, akala ko ay unti lang ang pipiliin nila. Eight women and seven men, not bad for a new chapter.

I opened my messages, got unopened messages from my Dad and Jimin. Tinignan ko muna ang messages ni Papa dahil kanina pa pala ito, he might be asleep right now and I was right.

Dad <3 : It's UAAP Season? I want to watch.

Dad <3 : Matulog muna ako anak.

Me : Hi, Dad. You can still watch our performace through your screen though.

Me : So it's fine if you won't come, basta sa Pasko uwi ka. 😄

Dad <3 : Hello, anak. Something urgent came up at nagising ako.

Dad <3 : Titignan ko pa ha, but we will celebrate together, that's a promise.

Dad <3 : *sent a photo - papakim.jpeg

Me : Pogi, mana sa 'kin.

Dad <3 : What? 😂

I sent a heart reaction in his photo and bid goodbye dahil magdadrive pa ako pero ang tagal ni Aeri lumabas, madami ata tao sa loob. My Dad is busy and I understand that, last year ay hindi siya nakauwi kaya inimbitahan ako ni Aeri sa bahay nila. I don't know, I just really miss my Dad and I envy people who have family present beside them 

Me : Hello, good morning. :)

Jimin : you're early?

Me : Had to.

Jimin : okay

Me : Hmm, bakit pala?

Jimin : Wala lang...

Jimin : ginaya ko typings mo 😁

I shook my head upon her messages and looked at the window glass, nakapila na si Aeri holding a bunch of sweets as I requested.

Me : You are early too?

Jimin : getting ready for morning class then we have practice sa hapon.

Jimin : tapos baka may pahabol pa na class sa gabi :')

Me : Okay then, ingat ka po.

Jimin : rina_rchive

Me : Ano 'yan?

Jimin : insta dump account?

Jimin : alam mo naman siguro yun dibaaa?

Me : Do you think I was born yesterday or what?

Jimin : napaka sungit!

I looked at Aeri again who's getting impatient. Tinignan ko ang oras at 8:15 AM na, our scheduled time is 9:30 today pero baka late ang aming professor, sana lang ay mabait si kuya Ron mamaya, our school gate guard. I chatted Aeri for the meantime.

Me : How do you make an IG account?

Gigi : hello, minjeong 😒

Gigi : edi download the app? are u serious babe

Me : Then?

Gigi : sign up with an email or something, duh

Me : Okay, thanks.

Gigi : k baby

Gigi : wait, bakit ka gagawa ng ig account ???

I went to the App Store and searched the app, of course. Aeri is still messaging me on why I was asking about that certain application, hindi ko na lang ito sinasagot at sinunod ang sinabi niya kanina kung paano gumawa ng account.

After that, I searched the username and saw Jimin's account. It has only a few followers but it wasn't private so I can access her wall. There was also a orange circle on her profile.

Okay, I clicked it.

So what? Kidding.

@rina_rchive : eating with ning and yeji, ikaw?

I don't know if she's actually pertaining to me in this post. I don't want to follow her right away at baka iba ang isipin niya. And also, this is the first time I used this app.

Oh no...

She'll see my account because I viewed her... God, I'm such an idiot!

Me : Tagal pa?

Gigi : kung naiinip ka na, paano pa ako baby?

Me : I'm not.

Me : So how do you make the account private?

Gigi : alam mo, i won't answer that question nang hindi mo pa sinasagot yung akin.

Gigi : what's the catch??

Me : I'll follow your account sa IG.

Gigi : i literally send you a bunch of my pictures?!

Me : Whatever.

I searched for the settings button and went to the account's privacy, it has an easy interface though so it was easy for me. I feel like an old grandma... I mean, I'm not really into social medias apps yet I'm doing this.

I got curious, that's all.

While waiting for Aeri, I decided to take a snap of the store's logo and post it on my story wall just like what Jimin did. Hindi ko nga alam kung itutuloy ko ba o hindi, I know she won't see it straight away because my account is on a private but...

Whatever.

@kmjw_ : went here to buy sweets, miss.

"Open up, Minjeong! Mom is right, uulan na ata!" I heard Aeri shouted outside my car window.

Agad kong binuksan ang pinto ng passenger seat para sa kaniya. After taking her seat, she fixed herself, a routine she normally do on a daily basis. I started my engine and looked at the side mirror. I can hear humming from my side, alongside the song on the radio.

"I hate you." I looked at Aeri who has her eyes fixed on me, scary eyes. "Ayaw mo kasi sabihin."

I don't want to keep things from my bestfriend. Well, kaya naman ayoko sabihin sa kaniya dahil aasarin niya nanaman ako. I hate getting teased on since I know what she'll think, that I like Jimin or something. Wala namang mawawala kung sasabihin ko diba?

"Jimin gave me her account on Instagram, a dump account to be specific." I said, eyes focused on the road, not wanting to see Aeri's reaction.

All I got was complete silence. Siguro ay iniisip niya pa an