Sariwang hangin kaagad ang sumalubong sa kanilang lahat, unang bumaba sa eroplano si Karina kasabay sa likod niya si Giselle at Jaemin.

“Karina, sandali” pagtawag ni Giselle sa kanya noong naglalakad na siya papunta sa service van.

“Some of my friends lives here sa Iloilo so they have their car, that service van is not for us” Jaemin answered her “Saakin na kayo sumakay, dinala ko sasakyan ko” 

“Bakit kasi ang dami mong dala na gamit, you didn’t even put it sa dalawang bag para mas magaan?” Giselle scolded her habang tinutulungan siyang hilahin yung mga bagahe ni Karina

“Wait lang muna natin si Minjeong” With the mention of her name, parang bumagal na kaagad ang ikot ng mundo ni Karina, not in the positive way.

Nakalimutan niyang kasama nga pala nila si Minjeong.

Hindi naman nagtagal when Minjeong appeared in front of them with her backpack, nakangiti pa ito pagkalapit niya, ang kapal ng mukha.

Naiinis si Karina. Naiinis siya kasi ang lakas ng loob ni Minjeong na ngumiti na para bang wala itong ginawang masama, Minjeong sure does look innocent, the type of person that wouldn’t hurt a fly.

Karina hates that usual Minjeong smile, If she’s got a chance buburahin niya talaga yang ngiti ni Minjeong sa mukha nito.

Pero she fell for that smile, she used to love it when Minjeong smiles at her, pero ngayon feeling niya insulto na yung pag ngiti ni Minjeong sa kanya, feeling niya inaasar siya nito.

“Tulungan na kita?” Minjeong got hold of her luggage, Karina’s thinking too much at hindi niya napansin na Giselle and Jaemin is already on their way papunta sa sasakyan at sila ni Minjeong nalang ang naiwan na nakatayo sa waiting area.

Karina snatched the luggage from Minjeong’s hand kahit na it’s really heavy.

“Kaya ko ang sarili ko” She said sternly

“Your bag is heavy, tulungan na kita” Minjeong said, ‘di tumingin si Karina sa kanya.

“I don’t need you” Inalis ni Minjeong ang kamay sa luggage ni Karina

“I don’t need you to help me” Minjeong knows Karina also meant it the other way, Sino ba naman kasi siya para kailanganin ni Karina.

Minjeong didn’t want to piss her off so hinayaan nalang niya ito na bitbitin magisa ‘yung luggage papuntang sasakyan, She made sure to walk behind her just incase Karina loses her balance, It was a natural instinct.

Hindi na nagsalita si Karina noong inalalayan siya ni Minjeong na magbuhat ng luggage para ilagay sa compartment ng sasakyan kasi nga mabigat. They entered the same door at nagkabunggo pa nga ang mga kamay nila, It was awkward.

Karina can feel na nakatingin sa kanya ang dalawang kaibigan sa loob ng sasakyan.

“Una ka na” Minjeong opened the door for her. They entered the car, Jaemin’s Driving and Giselle’s seating at the shotgun seat.

“Saan si Jeno, Jaem? Hindi siya sasabay sa’tin?” Tanong ni Karina

“Hindi eh, may meeting pa sila, susunod nalang daw siya mamaya” Jaemin replied

It was silent dahil Jaemin’s busy driving and Giselle’s sleeping.

Karina felt more awkward than the ride sa service van earlier.

Because now she’s hurting. She hated the feeling.

She hated feeling hurt. It has been 8 years already pero parang kahapon lang siya iniwan ni Minjeong, masakit pa rin talaga.

“Hello? Glad you answered, hindi ka ba busy?” Karina turned to look at her right noong magsalita si Minjeong. May kausap ito sa telepono.

“Yeah, I just arrived. Just wanted to let you know” Hindi na narinig ni Karina yung mga sumunod na sinabi ni Minjeong because she didn’t want to hear it.

when the frequent use of "sorry" made everything tiring

“Galit ako sa’yo” Hindi pinansin ni Karina ang paglalambing sa kanya ni Minjeong. They were supposed to drive papuntang bolinao at 10pm later, kaso mukhang hindi pa nga matutuloy dahil masama ang loob ni Karina kay Minjeong.

“Sorry na kasi love, ‘di ko naman alam na low battery na ‘yung phone ko. Nakalimutan kong magtext” Minjeong followed Karina who’s now walking papunta sa kitchen area ng unit niya, Minjeong rushed out from her friend’s place after siyang gisingin nito dahil nag aalala na daw si Karina

“Minjeong naman! you promised me! Sabi mo magtetext ka pag nakarating ka na” Sigaw ni Karina sa kanya.

“Hindi ko naman hinihingi na magupdate ka every hour. Ang hinihingi ko lang ay yung magtext ka naman kapag nakarating ka na para hindi ako nag aalala” Karina voice sounded hurt this time, She was just asking for bare minimum, just an update but Minjeong couldn’t even give her that.

“I’m…..Sorry” Minjeong said quietly.

Sorry nanaman.

Honestly Karina is getting tired of it. 

Puro nalang sorry, wala namang pagbabago.

“Palagi nalang Minjeong. Palagi ka nalang ganyan” 

“Rina…..Pagod ka na ba sa’kin” 

“Nakakapagod na palagi kang ganito, palagi kang nakakalimot. Para akong nagsasayang ng oras Minjeong”

“Would your life be better without me?”

Tangina, Mukhang magkaka ‘The Hows of Us’ challenge pa nga. 

—

Nakarating na sila Karina sa villa na tutuluyan nila, sinalubong sila ng isang helper pagkarating.

“Goodmorning po” Bati nito

“Goodmorning” Tugon nilang apat

“May dalawang rooms nalang po na available” Nagkatinginan silang apat

Karina was about to tell Giselle to room with her but the helper beat her to it

“Miss Giselle, share daw po kayo ng room ni Miss Yerim, she requested for it po”

She knows that Jeno and Jaemin would room together, given na yun kasi mag jowa sila. Now the only option left for Karina is to room with Minjeong.

“Is it fine if magkasama kayong dalawa sa isang room-” Jaemin wasn’t finished when Giselle cut him off

“I think I should just room with Kari-” Minjeong also didn’t let Giselle finish

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