[ Now Playing: Elyu by Ben and Ben ]

Jin Song - Journalism: Ah, elyu? 

                                   next time, maybe? naghahanda kasi kami ng permanent settlement away from manila and I’m one of the ppl chosen there :D

Irene :) : good for you, then

                 teka, saan?

Jin Song - Journalism: Baguio

Irene :) : ok noted, bye :)

Jin Song - Journalism: ingat kayo!!!

I turned off my phone and sighed as I yawn, still feeling the alcohol in my system kahit na isang linggo na ang nakalipas nung inuman namin ni Yerim (nine bottles, hindi ko na uulitin yon) na parang wala man lang nangyari the next day, already up for work nung nagising ako ng seven am.

Nevertheless, inayos na namin ang schedule namin for the week at surprisingly ay nakasama na din pati si Wendy at Joy (na nalaman kong nagday off na ikinagalit ni Hyo-seob ng malala) kaya ang laki na din ng van slash RV car na nirentahan ni Byul para sa two or three day excursion namin sa La Union, planned by me and Jennie since we both have the time in our hands.

Naupo na ako sa tabi ni Yerim na binigyan ako ng candy para di daw ako mahilo sa byahe namin na mahaba, and I nod at that as I pick up the travel pillow from the pile Lisa brought with her na binili niya pa daw sa Miniso, resting it comfortably against my shoulders.

"You sure you don't wanna sleep, bestie? Malayo pa naman tayo sa Elyu." nakangiting sabi ni Jennie habang si Byul na ang naunang nagdrive for the road trip, at isusubstitute daw siya ni Lisa two hours later. 

"Papaantok lang," I said, my finger pointing at the film camera in my hands, one I found lying around at the apartment together with a roll or two of fresh and unused film, at sinearch ko pa talaga kung pano siya mapagana at ikabit. “Tsaka hihintayin ko kayo makatulog, tapos pipicturan ko kayo, duh.”

(I may have or may have not developed a few stolen pictures of Yeri that were my test pictures to see if it worked and stuck it on the guest room she stays in at home as a prank—she got me back by pouring water on my bed.)

“Hala, si Irene nantitrip oh,” sagot ni Lisa habang kinuha niya yung film camera mula sa lap ko at agad na pinicturan si Jennie who rolled her eyes at the antics of her girlfriend, who only laughed as she brought the camera back to my lap, and I immediately take a picture of her.

“For the memories ito, mga bakla.” natatawa kong sabi habang pinicturan ko sila isa-isa na medyo prepared or stolen or both, also taking pictures of the scenery sa daan na nadaanan namin, but soon I could see that the van was slowly getting quieter, so I asked Yongsun na nasa harap na pumasok muna sa loob para matulog since I wasn’t sleepy yet.

“Sure ka, Irene? I mean… I can stay here muna, although I’m quite sleepy na din.” nakangiti niyang sabi and I nod at that, and she holds my hand as she gets up from the front seat and disappears into the cabin, so I sit down next to Byul who clears and keeps her hand on the wheel.

“Byul?” 

“Yeah?” 

“Sorry nga pala for last week. Um… I wasn’t thinking straight, and I failed to consider your own feelings—”

“Irene,” she says, her eyes never straying to the road and keeping her full focus kahit na kinakausap ko siya, “We’re here to protect you and this is your day of enjoying because of what happened. It’s normal naman to feel things, and you should never be invalidated for what you’re feeling.” she says, and I nod at that, listening to her intently.

“Whatever Seulgi made you feel, it is something you have to learn to forget through the time you have, because you have to unlearn everything you learned because of her.” Byul says, and I let out a sigh as my shaking hands bring the film camera to my eye, taking aim to the front of the vehicle as I see a couple walking side by side by the road.

Byul must have noticed because she slowed down, and abruptly stopped to let me take a pic of the sight—or so I thought, because she stops at the side of the road where I could see that the couple is struggling or even quarreling about something I could not hear.

“Uh… hi? Are you guys lost?” pormal na pagtatanong ni Byul which woke up some of the girls na natutulog sa cabin at sa couch na provided ng nirent namin—there’s room left for two, so I don’t mind them joining naman if their destination is on our way.

“Ah… hi, sorry po pero pwede po ba magtanong?” one girl says, at tumango naman si Byul habang tumayo na rin ako mula sa pagkakaupo ko from the front seat to step out, intent on helping the both of them since marami pa din naman kaming time.

“Pwede naman, ano ba yun?” 

“Ano… Are you guys on your way to La Union? Medyo naligaw kasi kami, so we were hoping—:

“Baka serial killers kayo, ha.” natatawang tanong ni Yerim na nagising dahil sa ingay at sa pagstop nung RV at the side of the road, pero mukhang tulog pa rin naman yung iba.

“Hindi po,” the two girls say, and I only laugh as Yerim gives them the stink eye before Byul asks for their names and their IDs and decides to let them join the roadtrip with a promise that they’d be quiet throughout the whole ride, and soon we learn their names.

Nayeon Im and Jeongyeon Yoo, they’re actually two cancer patients who’s part of this big expo sa La Union, and they’re actually nice people based on what I’ve gathered about them; only that they’re already nearing their so called due date—I smile at them, because it’s quite inspiring on how they’re finishing this big bucket list of theirs.

Oh, and did I mention that they’re already on their way of adopting a child?

Anyways, I let them take my bed na I’m supposed to share with Yerms on this trip, content on staying at the front seat with the driver while Yerim then got to know the both of them, and soon it was Lisa’s turn to drive—Jennie takes over in the front seat, and Wendy wakes up to fix the others a meal, so it was my time to sleep.

“Shet, ang ganda!” nakang