"Karina? What are you doing here?"

 

 

 

I ended up knocking on Ate Chaewon's door the night after because I can feel it. I can feel myself transforming anytime soon. Sinakto ko din na wala si Winter ngayon. She informed me kasi na mag-oovernight daw sila ng mga kaibigan niya.

 

 

 

Ininvite niya pa nga ako but then, I declined kasi nga lumalala na ang mga simtomas ko.

 

 

 

Dala-dala ko din si Ate Yunjin ngayon sa mga bisig ko. She was so against at the idea at first but then I asssured her that everything will be okay. I know that she will be in proper hands basing sa mga sagot ni Ate Chaewon 'nung nag-playful shovel talk ako sakanya last time.

 

 

 

"Remember what I asked you the last time, Ate Chae? 'Nung sa cafe. About sa weird and bizarre situation." Her brows furrowed.

 

 

 

"Uh... yes? Why?"

 

 

 

"Well, here it is." I took a deep breath first, ready to drop the bomb. "You're asking kung saan pumunta si Ate Yunjin, diba? But the truth is, she's just here."

 

 

 

"Ha? Really? Asan? Hindi ko naman siya nakikita dito sa building?" Gulong-gulong tanong nito.

 

 

 

"Wait, can we get inside first?"

 

 

 

"We?" Then she saw the dog– Ate Yunjin. "Oh, right.  Sure, get in. Hehe." She opened her apartment door widely and ushered us in.

 

 

 

"Cute dog by the way." She petted the Maltese in the head at ito namang malanding pinsan ko, mas dumukwang pa sa kamay ng crush niya. I think she just melted.

 

 

 

"Oh, . Ang lambot talaga ng kamay niya, Couz."

 

 

 

I almost rolled my eyes.

 

 

 

"Before I say anything, I want you to sit down first and hear me out properly, okay?" Seryosong utos ko sakanya.

 

 

 

"Uh, okay?" Tila naguguluhan man ay sinunod niya pa din ang payo ko.

 

 

 

"Couz, take it easy naman sa crush ko."

 

 

 

"Ate, I don't have time na. I need to drop the bomb."

 

 

 

"Haist, ang wrong timing naman kasi ng mga family na'tin. Ba't ba kasi nagsi-bakasyon ang mga 'yun? Tsk."

 

 

 

"Siguro naging kampante sila when they gave you into my hands knowing that I won't be falling in-love anytime soon. But happens nga naman."

 

 

 

"What about Ryujin?"

 

 

 

"Isa pa 'yun, Ate. Mukhang inlababo din si gaga."

 

 

 

"Gosh, this is so stressful."

 

 

 

"Sinabi mo pa."

 

 

 

"Uhmm, Karina?" My attention went back to Ate Chaewon again who was obediently sitting sa couch niya.

 

 

 

"Yes?"

 

 

 

"Are you gonna say something na? Kanina pa kasi kayo nagtitinginan ng aso mo." Ay.

 

 

 

I immediately cleared my throat at mas pinaseryoso ang ekspressyon ko.

 

 

 

"Okay, uhm. I don't know how else to say this but regarding kay Ate Yunjin, she's here. As in, nandito siya ngayon, kasama na'tin."

 

 

 

"Ha?"

 

 

 

"Ate Chaewon..." I stared at her deep and serious atsaka tinuro ang aso. "Ate Yunjin is this Maltese dog I'm holding right now."

 

 

 

Mukhang may isang anghel na naman ang muling dumaan sa'min dahil sa sobrang nakakabinging katahimikan. Bumuka-buka pa ang mga bibig nito na tila'y may gustong sabihin habang palipat-lipat ang tingin samin ni Ate Yuyu, until eventually... she laughed.

 

 

 

Isang masigabong na tawa.

 

 

 

Haha. I mean... kung ako din naman ang nasa posisyon niya ngayon, I too, would have laughed my off because of how ridiculous it is to hear what I had just said. But right now, in reality, this is not a laughing matter.

 

 

 

I just kept my face straight and serious while waiting for her to finish laughing. Nang matanto naman niyang seryoso ako, she calmed down and composed herself on her couch.

 

 

 

"Teka, Karina. Prank ba'to? Nasaan na ang mga cameras ha? Prankerist ka pala eh."

 

 

 

I just kept mum for a second and heaved a deep sigh.

 

 

 

"When I told you about the weird and bizarre, this is what I meant, Ate Chae."

 

 

 

Her jaw dropped again and she looked at the Maltese dog I'm holding. Nakatingin na din si Ate Yunjin sakanya bago ito yumuko and gave a sad whimper. Her cute puppy eyes looks like it's about to shed some tears too.

 

 

 

Para namang natauhan si Ate Chaewon sa nakita. Then, she slowly got up and went closer to us– right on the Maltese I'm holding.

 

 

 

"I don't what is happening but seeing you sad tugged a peace of my heart." She said while looking at Ate Yunjin's cute eyes. "But I'm sorry because I really don't understand anything right now."

 

 

 

I sighed.

 

 

 

"Ate Chae, to put it simply– our family is basically not what you can refer as... 'normal.'" I emphasized with matching air quoting pa. Then I continued, "We have this spirit animal thingy na lumalabas when we fall in love with someone. And as you can see, Ate Yunjin fell in-love with you and thus, transformed into this cute little fella."

 

 

 

"So, hindi talaga 'to prank? Like how is it even possible?"

 

 

 

"Honestly, I don't know too. It just so happens in our family."

 

 

 

"But if you want some proof na hindi talaga ako nababaliw at gawa-gawa lang 'to, then here, hold her paws." Itinaas ko ang kamay ni Ate Yuyu.

 

 

 

Remember the Yu telepathy thingy during our spirit animal week? Turns out, we can also relay it sa kahit na kanino– even non-Yu's, just as long as willing ang mga spirit animals namin at pati na din kami na makipag-communicate.

 

 

 

It seems like na gusto din naman ng spirit animal ni Ate Yuyu na makipag-usap kay Ate Chae.

 

 

 

Ate Chaewon reluctantly held Ate Yuyu's paws and as the moment that she did so, lumaki ang mga mata niya kasabay ng pagsinghap.

 

 

 

"Uhm, Hi Chae?"

 

 

 

"Holy !" She cursed so loudly while looking at the dog. Then she gulped. "Y-Yunjin, is that really you?"

 

 

 

"Yes. Yes, it is really me, Chae."

 

 

 

"You know, I'm really sorry about this."

 

 

 

" And I didn't mean to ghost you din after you confess. It's just that... this happened. So there's that."

 

 

 

"No, it's alright. Pero akala ko talaga, natakot ka kaya ka biglang tumakbo 'non, haha. Turns out, ito pala talaga ang nangyari."

 

 

 

Ate Chaewon's... surprisingly taking this well.

 

 

 

"Yes. And just so you know that I also feel the same way about you too. And that your confession didn't scare me away but my family's curse is."

 

 

 

Curse. So even ate Yuyu is also treating this Yu's wonders' phenomenon as something like a curse too, huh?