"Hey, Karina. Andito na tayo."

 

 

 

I woke up from my trance nang marinig ko na ang malambing na tinig ni Winter. I looked around to confirm and yup, nasa may parking lot na pala kami ng SMU. I mentally pouted. Ba't ang bilis naman ata ng byahe?

 

 

 

"Oh, right. Sorry." I got down from her motorcycle.

 

 

 

"It's okay. Although, natakot ka ba sa pagpapatakbo ko? Kapit na kapit ka eh." My brows raised. Is she teasing me?

 

 

 

"You're the one who told me to hold on to you tighter kaya." She laughed and I just wanted to purr out loud again but thankfully, I held it in. Gosh, talagang hindi ko na mapipigilan ang pagiging pusa, ano?

 

 

 

"Haha, I'm just kidding." She smiled so brightly with matching twinkle-twinkle pa ng mga eyes niya. Haist, so pogi talaga. "Anyway, you should get going na. Baka tuluyan ka nang ma-late niyan."

 

 

 

"Ay, oo nga pala."

 

 

 

, I almost forgot about that. Masyado ko kasing na-enjoy ang amoy-amoyin siya– este, ang byahe pala namin! I looked at my wrist watch and baam! Almost five minutes left and I'm legit going to be late na nga talaga.

 

 

 

Nagmamadali ko namang inayos ang bag ko sa likod atsaka nagpaalam na sakanya. "Winter, I cannot thank you enough. But I really need to go na ha. I promise, I will make it up to you."

 

 

 

"It's okay! Walang kaso sa'kin. But a coffee this weekend will do, maybe? Anyways, goodluck on your class, Rina. Have fun!" She waved her hands to me while I was sprinting for my life towards my department building when I realized something.

 

 

 

"But a coffee this weekend will do, maybe?"

 

 

 

I stopped on my tracks. Oh my Gods, was she asking me out on a date? I immediately shook my head. No way, that's absurd. Baka 'yun lang talaga ang gusto niya as a payback.

 

 

 

Nevertheless, I still ended up being late. Turns out, ang sobrang layo pa pala ng department namin from the parking lot at hindi ito kayang takbuhin ng limang minuto lamang.

 

 

 

Oh well, it is what it is. Nawala man ang streak ko for being an early bird, atleast, nasakyan ko naman si Winter.

 

 

 

Teka, mali. Atleast, nakasakay rin ako kay Winter. Wait, mali ulit! Atleast, nakasama ko rin si Winter na sumakay sa motor niya. Ay ewan ko ba!

 

 

 

When I finally got to my classroom's backdoor after fifteen minutes of being late, I stealthily opened it and got inside.

 

 

 

Now, I don't know what came to me next or is it because of the symptoms pero I just found myself walking like a cat. You know, on fours and like as if I have paws and .

 

 

 

Buti nalang talaga I was wearing pants because it would be awkward as hell if I was wearing a skirt.

 

 

 

Papalapit na sana ako sa silya ko nang saktong may humarang sakin na mga paa. Yung kaliwa ay nagta-tap pa sa sahig na tila naiinip.

 

 

 

Nakayuko ako when I got into this kind of situation kaya naman I immediately look up and gulped when I saw my professor sporting a furrowed eyebrows matching with an arms cross. Patay. Si Prof Strikto pala 'to.

 

 

 

"Miss Yu, what do you think you're doing?" Napakagat ako sa labi ko. Actually, Sir. Hindi ko din alam huhu.

 

 

 

"Uhmm hehe. May nakita kasi akong daga kanina, Sir. Gusto ko lang sana hulihin." Umani naman ang masigabong na tawanan sa buong klase. Jesus, what the did I just said!? Naiiyak na talaga ako sa mga pinanggagagawa ko ngayon.

 

 

 

Like this isn't the the Karina Yu that I knew before. 'Yung mabait at seryoso sa buhay na Karina. Ngayon, I don't know what happened to her. Nainlove lang naman siya eh.

 

 

 

Halos hindi naman maipinta ang mukha ng professor ko.

 

 

 

"Ms. Yu, I don't know what you've been on lately or nagpapractice ka lang for acting per sé pero please, act properly on my class. This is also the first time that you're late at ganito pa ang ginawa mo. Please reflect on your actions." Parangal nito sa'kin atsaka umalis na.

 

 

 

I only scrunched my face and then I quickly stood up properly to finally sit down on my seat. Right, did I also mentioned na nasa may unahan din pala ang silya ko? Well now you know.

 

 

 

Nang makaupo na ako, may lumapit naman kaagad sa'kin na dalawang demonyo– which is my friends, Ningning and Yeji. They are my seatmates at napapagitnaan nila akong dalawa.

 

 

 

"Girl, what the hell was that? Ang super funny mo af."

 

 

 

"Hayna'ko, Ningning. Tigil-tigilan mo'ko." 

 

 

 

"For a second there, I thought you were a cat."

 

 

 

Nagpantig naman ang tenga ko sa sinabi ni Yeji thanks to my hightened hearing. Nafeel ko pa nga'ng gumalaw-galaw sa loob ng sumbrero ko ang nakatago kong cat ears.

 

 

 

"Really?"

 

 

 

"Yup. Although clearly, you're not stealthy enough." I rolled my eyes. Ang lakas talaga mang-asar. Tsk. Nakaka-inis.

 

 

 

"Ewan ko sainyo. Makinig nalang kayo."

 

 

 

"Okay, miss low-budget catwoman." Napahagikhik naman si Ningning sa comeback ni Yeji. Minsan na nga'lang 'to mang-asar pero almost all of the time that she do, parang ansarap niyang sabunutan.

 

 

 

I didn't conform to their teasing and instead nakinig na lamang sa Propesor. Gosh, I wish natubuan din ako ng cat claws para matic na scratch sila sa'kin. Purr.

 

 

 

After a what seems to be a five long hours of continuous draining lessons, natapos na din sawakas ang klase at agad din naman kaming nakipagkarerahan palabas ng silid-aralan. To hell with waiting for everyone to come out. Gutom na gutom na kami and we want to eat na already.

 

 

 

Hayop din naman kasi si Profesor Strikto, nag-extend pa ng 30 mins. Tsk.

 

 

 

Andito na kami ngayon sa may canteen at kasalukuyang humahanap ng table na pwedeng maka-inan. Pero it seems like luck wasn't on my side today. Punong-puno na kasi sa loob.

 

 

 

Hayst, as usual, kakain na naman kami sa labas niyan. Ba 'yan, nakakatamad pa naman lumakad ng malayo, tsk. Bat ba kasi ang dami-daming tao today. Nakaka-inis. Angry purr.

 

 

 

Aalis na sana kami when we heard someone calling my name.

 

 

 

"Ate Karina!" I looked around to see kung sino ito and sighed in relief when I saw my cousin Ryujin walking to us. Dito rin pala siya nag-aaral.

 

 

 

"Oh, Ryujin. Tapos na din class mo?" I asked to her.
She's a sophomore din pala taking up Automotive Technology course.

 

 

 

Suddenly, naalala ko na naman si Winter. Mahilig din sa car mechanics 'yun eh as I observed. Kaya hindi malabo na baka magkapareho din sila ng course na tini-take.

 

 

 

"Yes po! Early dismissal kami today." She answered.

 

 

 

"Oh okay. We'll go ahead nalang muna. Wala nang table eh."

 

 

 

"You can just sit with us, Ate." Napataas naman ang kilay ko. Usually, she don't want us to sit with her. May beef kasi sila ni Yeji. About what it is about? Aba'y hindi ko lang alam. Basta magka-away sila.

 

 

 

"Bakit?"

 

 

 

"Anong bakit?" Mas lalo ko siyang tinaasan ng kilay. I was about to answer when Yeji beat me to it.

 

 

 

"Okay, Jinjin. Take us to your table hehe." Pinamulahan naman ang pinsan ko.

 

 

 

"O-Okay. This way, please."

 

 

 

I looked at my friend who only looked away in return. Gagang 'to. May hindi 'to sinasabi sa'kin. Pati na din si Ryujin. Now I really wish for that claws. Parang trip kong mang-kalmot. Purr.

 

 

 

Okay, I really can't stop with this Purr thingy now. .

 

 

 

"Ryu, diba Automotive Technology course mo? May kilala ka bang Winter?" Tanong ko sa pinsan ko. Kumakain na kami ngayon. Medyo natagalan pa dahil ang haba ng pila sa bawat stall. Tsk.

 

 

 

"Si Ate Winter? Winter Kim? 'Yung senior namin?"

 

 

 

Senior. Oh, so she's a year older pala sa'kin. Even better. I've always wanted someone who's older at me by the way. Purr.

 

 

 

"Yeah? The one with the awesome tattoos and ash-gray hair, Winter?"

 

 

 

"Yup! Siya nga! Si Ate Winter. Ba't mo naman natanong?"

 

 

 

"Hmm, wala lang. Neighbor kasi siya ni Ate Yunjin." I answered, nonchalanty. Kunyari walang pake.

 

 

 

Tila bumuka naman ang bibig niya when she heard Ate Yunjin, realizing something. Then, tumingin-tingin pa siya sa mga kaibigan namin bago dumadus-os paharap palapit sa'kin.

 

 

 

"Kamusta na pala si Ate Yunjin?" She whispered. I immediately shoved her face away. She's too close for my liking. Kahit pa na pinsan ko pa 'to, still, hindi pa'rin siya makakaligtas sa love of personal space ko.

 

 

 

Well... except siguro kay Winter. Purr. Uwu.

 

 

 

"She's doing good. Inaalagaan ko naman siya ng maayos."

 

 

 

"That's good to know. Grabe, totoo