Karina's

Present

This week's been really hectic for me and Winter.

We were so busy with work na we're usually OT these days.

And ngayon naman, I'm driving my car to Bulacan for my business trip there.

Bulacan.

That was where I spent most of my life.

I lived in Bulacan since birth, and I can say na nandon den ang mga most memorable experiences ko. And I will always be thankful dahil dun napili ng mga parents ko na mag-reside, dahil dun ko den nakilala si Winter. 

Dun kami gumawa ng maraming memories together.

Kaya nga I told her na sana after namin mag-retire, bumalik nalang kami sa Bulacan away from the noise, stress, and pollution ng Manila. 

Simple lang naman ang gusto ko. Actually, now that I'm thinking about it… it doesn't matter kahit saan kami tumira ni Winter as long as kasama ko siya.

She's my rest anyway.

She's the most important person to me.

She's the one I want to spend my life with.

Winter's the one I want to spend my life with.

—

"Rina! I'm glad you made it safe." Mom told me as she hugged me tight. I'm pretty sure she missed me as much as I missed her, or maybe she missed me more than I did to her. Anyway, I'm glad talaga na dito sa Bulacan yung business trip namin.

"I'm glad na sa Bulacan ang business trip niyo anak. Finally, I can get to see you again personally at hindi lang sa screen." Oh, haha. Parehas din pala kami ng iniisip.

"Oo nga Mom eh. I miss being here, sobra." 

"How about me? Did you even miss me?" Sabi ni mom with a hint of disappointment sa mukha.

"Yes of course Ma! How can I not!" I said as I settled on the couch. "Where's Jaemin?" I placed my things on the center table while Mom's busy preparing snacks for me.

"Ahh. He's been hanging out kila Ate Taeyeon mo since… last week ata. I heard from mare na bumisita daw yung inaanak niya sa kanila, vacation ata. Since then, Jaemin's been spending more time dun kesa dito." There's this hint of a smile sa expression ni Mom. Haha, I should make chika this to Winter. I'm sure she'll tease both of them once she hears this. 

—

"ANO?! HAHAHAHA! SI JAEMIN? AT SI CHAEWON? HAHAHAHAHA!" I knew it! Look at that smile! Basta tea, for sure gaganahan siya! So cute!

"Dibaaa! I was shocked as well!" I think mas better pag-usapan to kung kasama ko siya ngayon instead of having a video chat. I really love seeing that smile of hers. Pero siguro it's a blessing in disguise na din, kasi for sure hahampasin niya ako kung magkatabi kami ngayon.

"I'm sorry babe ah… pero feeling ko wala talagang pag-asa si Jaemin sa kaniya. Feeling ko talaga bakla yang si Chae eh!" Ooohh, interesting.

"You never know babe." I showed her my signature smug face. "Anyway, I'll tease Jaemin mamaya pag-uwi niya, then maybe tomorrow bisitahin ko si Tita, tutal the day after tomorrow pa naman yung meeting namin ng client."

"Ok, ok. Pasama ka kay Jaemin ah! Kuha ka pictures, send mo sakin. Gusto ko makita kung pano kiligin si Jaemin!"

"Sure, sure. I will, babe." I yawned. Maaga-aga pa naman pero I think kaya ako inaatok is dahil pagod din ako sa byahe.

"Oh, inaantok ka na babe. Sige pahinga ka muna. Usap nalang tayo bukas. Yung pictures ah! Miss you! Love you! Ingat!" I smiled as she bid goodbye. Hay, ang cute talaga.

"I love you too, Winter. Always."

—

"Ay nako! Alam ko yang mga ngiti na yan ah Jaemin! Ganyang ganyan din ngumiti si Winter noon pag kasama si Karina! Hay nako ang mga kabataan talaga! Tsk tsk." Sabi ng Mom ni Winter when she caught Jaemin staring at Chae.

"Really tita?"

"Hay nako! Oo Karina! Kung alam mo lang ang nga nakita ko, tsk tsk. Kung kiligin yang si Winter sa mga chat chat niyo eh parang may kiti-kiti sa puwet!" Haha, Winter. 

"Nako tita, pati si ate Rina one time nakita ko ding parang tanga kiligin! Akala ko kung ano na nangyari sa kanya!" What? Really Jaemin?!

"Hey!"

"Hahaha oo nga Jaemin. Kaya nga di nako nagtaka nung nalaman kong sila na! Ewan ko ba kay Winter bakit kabang-kaba pa siya eh obvious naman!" What? Kinampihan pa siya ni Tita? Ugh.

"Tita, may nga picture po ba sila ni Winter nung mga panahong yan? Baka po may naitatago kayo?" Chaewon said while eating cookies na binigay samin ni tita. Speaking of pictures, may binilin nga pala si Winter. Buti na-remember ko.

"Ayy oo nga pala. Sandali't kukunin ko mula sa baul." 

"HAHAHA! Is this you ate? Really? I wonder how Ate Winter didn't notice na gusto mo siya!" Here we go again, I'm the one who's supposed to tease Jaemin pero mukhang ako naman yung napagdiskitahan nila Tita. 

"Patingin." Chaewon says as she proceeds to move closer to Jaemin who's currently holding tita's photobook.

Awww, look at them. Haha, Jaemin's blushing so damn hard right now! Let me take a video of them right now, wait.

"Ninang, kailan po ito?" Chaewon said, then she starts to point something sa photobook. I can't really see it from here, so I scooted closer to them while still holding the camera. 

Hahaha! Winter, what the heck is this? She's in front of their dining table with utensils in her hands. I think she's nakatulala. I wonder what happened?

"Ahh iyan! Valentine's ata niyan. Pag-uwi ni Winter akala ko may sakit siya dahil sa sobrang pula niya. Ni hindi nga niya nakain yung paborito niyang sinigang na aking niluto dahil nakatulala lang siya buong gabi. Ito namang ate mo pinagkadiskitahan pa si Winter at kinunan ng picture." 

Oh wait… Valentine's? 

Oh.

That's why familiar yung white t-shirt na suot niya…

Wait, if that's Valentine's day… then…

"Naaalala ko lutang padin siya kinabukasan, kaya di ko muna pinapasok. Tapos matatawa nalang siya bigla mag-isa! Dinala ko nga siya sa albularyo dahil sobrang nag-aalala ako, akala ko dine-dwende na siya." My train of thoughts was interrupted when tita continued.

"Ano daw po sabi nung albularyo tita?" Jaemin asked.

"Hehehe, sikret!"

"Ninang! Pa-bitin ka naman eh!" 

"Hehe, sikreto na namin yun ni Winter. Siya na ang tanungin ninyo tungkol diyan."

Valentine's… 

That day is one of the most memorable days I've experienced.

It was that day.

---

Past

It's Valentine's na naman. I remember Winter telling me how this day's unnecessary dahil may anniversary naman daw. 

Pero actually, I think Valentine's is really important lalo na kung you have someone you want to spend it with.

Plus, it's a good day to confess to your crush and show how much you care for the people around you.

I even heard that 10% of marriage proposals each year happen on February 14.

"WINTER!!!" Woah… ang lakas talaga ng boses ni Ning!

Grabe… I can hear her shouting kahit nandito ako sa room namin sa 2nd floor, and she's there sa ground floor. 

"Hahaha! There goes Ning and her president duties once again! Kanina pa niya hinihintay si Winter, it's either di na naman siya nagbayad ng PTA fee or tumakas na naman siya sa cleaners." said my seatmate, which is Giselle.

"Anyway Rina girl… don't you think this is the right day para mag-confess ka diyan sa sinasabi mong crush mo? I mean, it's Valentine's Day na. You told me ang tagal na niyang feelings mo and you have to do something about it or otherwise, you'll regret it." 

Napaisip ako sa sinabi niya.

"Well, matagal ko na din naman kasing pinag-iisipan yan Gi. But you see, what if wala naman pala akong chance? What if masira lang yung current relationship namin because of my feelings?" If umamin ako sa kanya, baka magbago lang ang pakikitungo niya sakin. What if iwasan niya lang ako? Then being friends nalang with her is better kesa iwasan niya ako. What if may gusto pala siyang iba—

"What if hindi?" Gi said.

"Huh?"

"What if hindi naman pala mangyayari yang iniisip mo? What if may chance ka pala, and you're wasting that chance kasi masyado kang takot sa future?