CHAPTER SEVEN

Just Got Lucky 

[ Jimin’s. ]

[ 6 Months. ]

[“How’s your first afternoon in San Juan, Rina?”]

I couldn’t help but smile wide as Ate Irene was smiling din while we were on video call. Luckily, this Bed and Breakfast that we are currently staying in has a strong internet for these types of conversations, so I lucked out by making Aeri go with me. 

“It’s fine, Ate. I didn’t know the people here in San Juan are so nice, especially Minjeong.” 

[“Oh?”] Ate’s all smiles pa when she’s saying that. [“You already have your first friend there agad, how nice.”]

“Yeah, she’s nice. Tsaka she, plus her friends, cleaned up the farm kanina when we arrived! I think they like it there, so I’m going to just open it for them to hang out in.” 

[“Just take care of yourself, ha? At the end of the day, you’re still just a stranger there—”]

“But it oddly feels like home,” I commented, taking Aeri’s phone from where it’s leaning and then gazing at the window, where I could see the wooden house and the newly built lights illuminating the vast field. 

“Ate, it feels a little bit like Mom.” 

[“Hmm… Just a little bit?”]

“Okay, maybe a lot. I’m not exaggerating, even Jaehyun would agree with me.” 

Nakangiti si Ate nung bumalik yung tingin ko sa phone. “I miss her so much, Ate.” 

[“I miss Mama too… You seriously don’t remember spending a lot of time there with Mama and Lolo?”] 

That question. 

Tinanong na din sa akin ni Ate iyan before I left San Lazaro to go here, and the same answer I always give; I don’t really remember a lot of things from the past, but somehow I feel really familiar here. 

“I don’t. Pero Lolo said that the farm holds most of Mama’s memories, so I think I’m on the right track…?” 

Ate Irene grinned. [“That’s for the top heiress to find out, Rina. Nga pala, can we talk about what you did last night?”]

Panic sets off in my system immediately. 

“Ate, choppy ka—”

[“Don’t pull those kinds of things with me, Rina. I just wanna know why you’re talking to Taeyeon Kim, of all people?”]

I scratch my nape nervously. 

“Would being curious be a suitable reason, Ate? Hehehe…” 

I could hear her sigh and practically see her disappointment on the screen, pero I don’t mind that naman—at least, she’s letting her emotions free around me, unlike before. 

Tsaka I don’t really know what got into me last night din, honestly. 

[“Just… don’t do that again, Rina. Taeyeon Kim is a very mysterious woman, even I can’t predict her. Did she say anything to you that might sound outrageous?”]

Everything she said last night is outrageous, I don’t even know what to pick.

“Wala naman, ate. I just… I just wanted to find out who my father is, and she was the next one who had a lead.”

[“And? Did that lead expand into something?”]

Umiling nalang ako, since I can’t really divulge to her what I’m trying to find for now. I’m a little glad din na she didn’t try to pry further into it, since I don’t want to tell her anything until I’m sure of what I found out. 

Thomas Yoo… Where the hell are you? 

[“Don’t try to overwork yourself, Rina,”] she reminds me, like she hasn't for most of my stay here. [“Remember, you’re there for six months, and not the rest of your life. After that, you’re off to the highest building’s floor, sitting on a swivel chair with the entirety of San Lazaro on your sights.”]

I smiled at that—hindi ko pa alam kung anong gusto kong gawin, so maybe this time away from the big city would do me good for my decision. 

“I have to go eat something for lunch, Ate. Let’s talk soon, yeah?” 

[“Gosh, it’s already 1 pm and you haven’t had lunch yet? Eat a lot, Rina, okay? Bye!”]

Hindi ako sanay sa affection from Ate, actually, but I just nodded at that. I grabbed a small bag that Aeri bought for me to bring here, then put the flip phone there as well as Aeri’s phone. I also put my wallet containing a few bills, as well as a handkerchief and a spare hair tie. 

I grabbed the boots that Minjeong gave me kanina, before I got dunked into the lakewater by my own clumsiness. Medyo natatawa pa rin ako sa katangahan ko kanina, so I was chuckling a little while putting on a clean pair of socks tsaka yung boots. 

I was still wearing Minjeong’s clothes from earlier, and oddly enough it smelled like… like that one brand of baby cologne that Jaehyun’s father, Tito Younghoon kept putting on me before I played when I was a child? 

Pero ang cute lang, tsaka ang bango. 

I put the sling bag over my shoulder, then locked the door securely in the room we rented here. I kept a mental check of the places Minjeong toured me kanina, hoping to find something to eat even if it’s just a sandwich—

Miss Waterbender: hi karina! kumakain kami ni chaewon ng nilagang baka, gusto mo makikain? may extra plate kami dito :D 

Omg, eto nga pala yung nirename ko sa contact niya since napakaformal nung Minjeong Kim na pinangalan ni Aeri when she saved it a few days ago. Ang cute!

from jiminyoo: Uy, sarap. Coming in a few minutes!

The boots certainly felt comfy while I was walking through the rough terrain. Ilang minutes lang tinagal ng paglalakad ko since I learned earlier that Chaewon’s house, where Minjeong is staying at the moment, is just two houses away from the BnB. Medyo natagalan nga lang ako since I brought my camera with me as well as extra sets of storage chips, so I took a picture of almost everything. 

Gosh, San Juan is so beautiful, I might just fall in love with the place. 

I already made my way to the last house on this street, and the first thing that greets me is a puppy running out of control from an open door. 

It ran towards me, sniffing my boots and then threatening to run away pero mabilis ko siyang binuhat and cradled it gently. 

“WHITEY! MINJEONG, SINASABI KO SA’YO—Oh, hi!” 

I could almost laugh with the duality of Minjeong’s friend when she saw me carrying what seems to be her dog. I handed it to her safely, the dog whining a little but then it adorably fell asleep in her arms immediately. 

“Karina, right?” the girl whose name is probably Chaewon said, and I just nodded at that as she signed for me to follow her inside their home. “Salamat, hindi mo masyadong pinalayo si Whitey!” 

I know I heard the name of the dog the first time, pero nagtataka pa rin ako. 

“Whitey is the name of the dog but it’s black?” I asked, and Chaewon glared at Minjeong who was laughing because of my comment. 

“Wala lang, para cool. Tsaka yun na yung tinatawag ko sa kanya simula kanina, so hindi na pwedeng palitan—”

“Mas cute kaya yung Peachy!” pagdisagree ni Minjeong, and I think mag-aaway pa sila if not for me who’s standing awkwardly by the door and watching the whole exchange happen. 

“Karina, upo ka na dito.” Minjeong says, tapping at the seat next to her by the window. Binaba ko muna yung DSLR ko sa safe spot na hindi maaabot ni Whitey, since baka mabagsak and that would take a lot of time to repair. 

“Thank you, Minjeong. Hmm, it smells nice!” 

I put a little rice on the plate plus some of the soup and the meat. I took one sip as a test and immediately smiled—gosh, it tastes so good? 

“It’s so good!” I said, taking a little more rice. I judged both of their reactions and saw Minjeong smile as I said it—she must have been the one who cooked this. “Thanks for this, Minjeong.”

She almost choked—why do people choke when I say something?—and I gave her a glass of water that she takes and drinks from as soon as I handed it to her. 

“Paano mo nalaman na ako nagluto—”

“Masyado kasing kita mga reactions mo,” natatawang sabi ni Chaewon nang matapos na siya kumain at kinacuddle na niya si Whitey sa sofa. “Karina, pwede ko ba picturean si Whitey?” 

“Sure,” I said with a smile, waiting for her to ask for help if ever but I just nod as I see her getting the hang of it. 

“Ah, can you take a pic of me next?”

“Sure!” 

I strike a pose for the camera, and Minjeong tries to move but I pull her close and force her to pose with me. 

“Minjeong, ayusin mo yung ngiti mo!” natatawang sabi ni Chaewon. I couldn’t look at her expression since we’re sitting next to each other and she’s in front of me with her back in front of me so hindi ko alam kung ano bang ngiti yung ginagawa niya. 

“Yan, very good! Karina, dikit pa konti!” 

I pulled her close and put my chin on h