Summary: Snippets of how Karina and Winter’s mornings usually go.

 

Karina

 

“Hon, paki-abot nga nung iPad ko, nandun sa ilalim ng pillow mo sa left.” I asked.

 

I saw Winter stopped fixing the sheets in our bed.

 

She’s now giving me a weird look.

 

I almost rolled my eyes at her.

 

Alam ko ang dahilan kaya she’s giving me this incredulous look right now.

 

It’s about my endearment to her, alright.

 

Hon.

 

Honey.

 

Recently, I’ve been calling her that - maybe two or three times now, and she’s still not getting used to it.

 

She still makes a face whenever she hears it.

 

I just think the term sounds… sweet.

 

Hon.

 

Diba?

 

I overheard some of my colleagues call their SOs that and I just wanted to try that to my own wife.

 

Kinuha ni Winter yung iPad na pinapakuha ko at nakatingin pa rin sa akin weirdly nung inabot yun.

 

“Thanks, hon.” I repeated just to stir her further.

 

“Bakit ang dami nating tawagan?” Bumalik na si Winter sa ginagawa niyang pag-aayos ng kama namin.

 

I plugged the iPad in to charge and answered innocently. “What do you mean?”

 

“May babe, may baby, sest, love… tapos yang bago nga ngayon, hon.”

 

I went back to what I’m doing on my laptop, stealing a glance occasionally at my wife, who already has a slight frown on her cute face while she smoothes out the creases in our comforter.

 

“Ayaw mo ba?” I asked.

 

It's just 7:30am and I’m currently browsing work e-mails in a desk sa corner ng room namin.

 

Winter dramatically sat down on the bed and heaved a sigh. Tinukod niya yung dalawa niyang kamay backwards and stared at me.

 

She said in a serious tone, “Hindi sa ayaw pero nagugulat lang kasi ako pag paiba iba, parang akala ko di na ako yung tinatawag mo.”

 

See? Leave it up to Winter to make these little things seem like a big deal and make it a hot topic for conversation in the morning.

 

I chuckled deep inside as I continued to casually scroll my e-mails. “Fine.”

 

When I looked up at her, she had one of her eyebrows quirked at me. “Anong fine?”

 

I stared at her some more, enjoying her ‘masungit’ na aura. Lately, it’s her mood in the mornings. I don’t mind usually, she looks a little y this way. I shrugged, “Fine. Di ko na iiba ibahin, ayaw mo yata eh.”

 

“Hindi sa ayaw nga.” Winter sounded frustrated. She plopped to lay down on the bed with one of her arms covering her eyes.

 

There was silence between us after that as I opted not to respond.

 

I closed my work e-mail and checked my personal planner next.

 

This includes all of our plans ni Winter - mostly dates (our couple dates quadrupled now that we’re married), family visits, meetups with friends, and out-of-town or abroad trips.

 

“Babe?”

 

“Hmm?” I replied, not taking my eyes off my planner.

 

When I looked up from the laptop to check on Winter, nakaupo na ulit siya sa side ng bed at nakatingin sa akin.

 

I waited a bit for whatever she has to say pero nung napansin kong nakatingin lang siya sa akin na parang nag-zzone out, I turned my attention back to what I was doing.

 

I heard her ask again after a while. “Di ka pa ba tapos diyan?”

 

“Hmm, not yet, why don’t you shower na? Sunod na lang ako.” I started jotting down plans for the week.

 

Winter groaned at what I said and laid down on the bed again. Nakayap na siya sa isang pillow with her eyes closed.

 

Wait, nasaan ba yung phone ko? I remembered I have to message Selle for the details of our upcoming friends trip with Ning.

 

I saw it on the bedside table sa tabi ni Winter.

 

I called her on, “Paabot naman ng phone ko, please.”

 

Winter did not move on the bed na parang walang narinig from me.

 

More time passed.

 

“Minjeong.” I called her first name.

 

At that, she violently reacted. “Minjeong??!”

 

I tried to hide the amusement in my face. “What? Sabi mo not to call you anything.”

 

Winter’s now glaring at me full on. “Sabi ko… ewan.”

 

She trailed off and then pagalit niyang kinuha niya yung kakaayos niya lang na comforter at nagtalukbong.

 

I playfully rolled my eyes.

 

Being a baby again in the morning.

 

To again I said, “Psst. Yung phone ko sabi paabot.”

 

With a muffled voice under the comforter, may sinabi siya na I didn’t quite understand.

 

Openly chuckling now, I stood up from the work desk and neared our bed.

 

Pa-bounce kong niyakap yung body ni Winter nakabalot ng comforter. I spoke to her covered form, “Psst, bawal matulog. I thought we’re gonna shower together this morning.”

 

Pagigil na tinanggal ni Winter yung comforter na nakatalukbong sa kanya at sinimangutan ako.

 

Since I’m hugging her from outside the comforter, when she removed it, our faces were now just an inch apart.

 

“Anong pusit tinatawag mo diyan…” Pagtaas niya ng kilay sa akin. I could feel her hot breath on my face.

 

I stuck my tongue out at her and quickly moved to get inside the comforter as well.

 

Bago ko pa mayakap si Winter, tumalikod na ulit siya sakin at dumapa sa kama, burying her face on the soft pillows.

 

I proceeded to swing my legs to climb and hug her from the back.

 

Winter’s face is still buried on the pillow, ignoring me even if I’m clinging to her like a Koala now.

 

I brought my face to press on her left cheek. “I said psst not pusit, gusto mo ba pusit?”

 

Winter groaned on the pillow again and I giggled.

 

I gave her a wet kiss on her cheek. “Sige na nga, what do you want me to call you ba?”

 

Nag-angat na ng ulo si Winter to face me.

 

My breath hitched when our faces were now centimeters apart.

 

Oh God, Jimin, get a grip.

 

Years being with her… and she still affects me the same like we’re back in college.

 

I could see Winter’s searching eyes alternate looking at mine.

 

She frowned and pouted cutely, “Wala, wag na.”

 

She buried her face on the pillow again.

 

I giggled again and this time gave her a long sweet kiss on her cheek.

 

Then another chaste one on that same cheek, my favorite part of her na panggigilan these days.

 

And another one on the corner of . I urged her, “Ano nga?”

 

“Kahit ano!” She responded on the pillow again.

 

“Kahit ano ha?” I challenged.

 

Winter turned her face again to me and I playfully raised an eyebrow at her, nearing her face to taunt her.

 

She was trying hard not to smile but her dimple was already showing.

 

I quickly leaned in to steal a kiss on her lips.

 

I softly called out to her, “Love you, Chucky…”

 

Nawala ang ngiti ni Winter and she looked taken aback at what I said.

 

She bit her lower lip as she stifled a threatening smile.

 

I yelped when I felt a finger poked my ribs, tickling me in the process.

 

More of her fingers joined in the torture.

 

“Sest, stop it!” I said, laughing hard and at the same time struggling now, trying to catch her fingers.

 

Winter easily maneuvered me so I could lay flat on my back while she went to straddle my hips and pin me in place. Pinandilatan niya rin ako, interlocking both my hands with hers and bringing them above my head. “Anong sabi mo… chucky pala ha… you wanna play?”

 

I let out a girlish shriek when she attacked my neck with a playful bite and soothed it with a searing kiss after.

 

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