I sighed in relief as soon as I leisurely dropped the box on the ground. I was pretty sure that this one would be the last one out of the eight boxes I brought along with me to the Philippines. 

Hindi naman ako ganun nahirapan since Ninang Tiff managed to help me with the other boxes, and besides, my best friend was doing a really great job distracting me from feeling tired.

I laughed lightly nung narinig ko ang sinabi ni Giselle from the other line. She was talking about how stressed she is about sa ‘pasukan’ next week because according to her, her blockmates – which happened to be the same ones she had last school year, are loud, annoying, and obnoxious. They often about being a daughter of a Yakuza just because she's Japanese, rich, and just so ‘conyo’, and that's why she was so happy when she realized I'll be in the same class as hers.

Because at least, she won't be the only ‘conyo’ girl in their block anymore.

She also talked about how much she missed me, to which I responded that I also did miss hanging out with her.

It was true.

Giselle was probably the only true friend I made when I was still in America. 

I moved there when I was 8, and Giselle and I met when we were 9. She was the one who helped me with everything that I needed to know, and practically guided me to the new ‘life’ that I was forced into – the one I hadn't grown used to. God knows how thankful I was for her. 

She was with me through my ‘y angsty teenager’ phase, just as I was with her through her ‘edgy-emo girl’ phase. 

Basically, we were together for a really long time. 

We were inseparable until our Sophomore year.

When we found out that she had to go back to the Philippines, we both cried, acting as if it was the end of our friendship.

As if phones didn't exist.

As if social-media weren't a thing.

As if face-time was just a figment of our imagination.

We were that dramatic.

So imagine how happy we were when my parents broke the news to me.

“...and it was so annoying! I swear, he was so papansin, and we're not even close!” Giselle continued to rant from the other line. We were on face-time. “Ugh! I can't believe I'm gonna have to see him again next week. Sana pala, I just chose STEM na lang!”

“Maybe he has a crush on you,” I decided to tease my best friend.

“Girl, as if! He's so asim and jeje kaya tignan!”

“Asim?”

“Yeah! That's what Ningning – one of my blockmates, liked to call him.”

Ningning? Like… the Ningning? Ningning and… Minjeong? I wondered.

Those two…

I was just about to ask just to make sure, but I didn't get the chance to since Giselle was full on ranting mode na.

“Wait, speaking of STEM pala! I have a friend from there – same age as us, who's really nice and sweet. Her name is Yeji, do you wanna meet her?” Giselle rambled, and I could hear the excitement in her voice. “I know you're still settling in, so maybe I can introduce you guys next Saturday? I swear, Rina, you'll like her!”

Making new friends wouldn't be much of a bad idea.

I agreed with her plans, and just let her continue and do the talking. 

Also, I just got here earlier, which meant I had no energy left in me. 

Giselle and I talked for a few more minutes before she noticed how tired and sleepy I looked the entire time, and when she finally did, she decided to end the call and let me rest. 

We promised to hang out tomorrow, and then the next one, the day after it, then Saturday to the mall along with her friend Yeji.

“Rina, Winter was here pala kanina, ah? Inayos nila ng ate niya yung ref. Nakita mo?” Ninang Tiff asked as she chewed on her food.

It was dinner time, and since Ninang promised na she would cook my favorite dish tonight, I didn't bother eating with Giselle and Yeji sa mall kanina, but nonetheless, we still had lots of fun. Giselle wasn't lying when she said na I'd like Yeji. 

She was very outgoing, and it just turned out that we both have a lot in common – such as our love for dancing. That alone made everything easy for the both of us to engage in a conversation that we actually enjoy.

“Hm?”

Inabot ni Ninang yung glass of water niya from across her. “Si Winter, sabi ko. Kilala mo pa ba 'yun? Minjeong tawag mo sa kanya dati.”

Suddenly, nawala na sa head ko yung iniisip ko earlier. 

Minjeong.

Of course, I remember her.

“Oh? Minjeong…?”

“Oo, yung anak nila Taeyeon.” Ninang nodded, then she continued eating. “Yung crush mo dati,”

Crush?! I widened my eyes at Ninang. 

Okay, as far as I could remember, I am well aware of the fact that Minjeong, my childhood friend, was cute. Adorable, even – but no, I wasn't crushing on her!

What I felt for Minjeong when we were kids was just mere adoration. Fondness. Something one would feel whenever they'd see that one thing they adored.

And I adored Minjeong.

It wasn't a crush.

But! 

I still couldn't wait to see her.

“O, ba't ganyan itsura mo?” Ninang laughed teasingly. “Sus, lagi ka kayang kinikilig pag naglalaro kayo nun. Sabi mo kasi ang cute cute niya tapos ang bango pa–”

“Ninang!” I whined. “Stop saying nonsense. Sure, she was cute and mabango, but that didn't mean I had a crush on her!” 

It was true!

Tumawa pa lalo si Ninang as if she was actually having the time of life teasing me.

“Eh bakit ka pala laging umuuwi nang nakasimangot dati dahil si Ningning na naman ang pinakasalan ni Minjeong?” she said playfully. 

She continued teasing me when I just glared at her, probably thinking that she already won. 

I was completely supportive of Winter and Ningning's marriage, thank you very much.

“Ninang, hindi nga!” I frowned at her, but then it soon turned into a smirk when I just recalled something. “If there's one of us here na may crush sa isa sa mga Kim's–”

“Okay, okay, okay, fun time's over!” Ninang cut me off with a pointed look.

Pikon.

I won.

“Pero on serious note,” Ninang suddenly changed our topic, along with the atmosphere. “Alam kong ayaw mo pang lumabas labas muna since sabi mo medyo nahihiya ka pa sa mga kapitbahay natin,” she started.

Right, I told her about this a few days ago when she asked me na makipag “halubilo” naman sa neighbors namin. 

“But Rina, I promise, you have nothing to worry about. Mababait naman yung mga yun, at for sure, kilala ka pa nila – lalo na 'yang sila Yuri. 'Di lang tayo sure dyan sa mga Kims dahil ulyanin 'yang mga 'yan, but still. You can talk to them. Hindi naman pwedeng mag kulong ka lang dito sa bahay or sa room mo, dear. Lagot ako sa mommy and daddy mo,” Ninang chuckled at the last part.

“I know that naman po,” I murmured, looking down on my plate. “I'm just… taking my time?”

“And there's nothing wrong with that,” she smiled gently at me. “Just… when they approach you, don't shut them out, okay?”

I returned her smile, “Of course.”

She probably thought that this was my "America" situation over again – when I didn't speak to anyone else besides my family for at least six months just because I was feeling homesick.

But this is different.

Why would I go through all that trouble again?

Why would I feel homesick when I'm