“CASSIE!!! WHY ARE YOU TWO IN YOUR BEDROOM?!”  Kuya Darren roared and we both jumped from the loudness of his voice. 

“K-kuya, don’t get mad.  I just showed him the school.”  She answered but I could tell she’s afraid.

“Sorry, I shouldn’t have ente-” I started to apologize but he cut me off.

“I’ll have a word with you,  Cassie.  NOW!!!”  He yelled again and she meekly followed him out of her bedroom.

Great.. Just great.

I glared one last time at the pictures then left her room as well.

CASSIE'S POV


"Kuya....  Please don't get mad.  We weren't doing anything wrong!  I was just showing him the school where I'm working.  I swear that's all we were doing."  I explained while following him inside his bedroom.  I could tell he was so angry because his fists were clenched and his footsteps were heavy while we were walking up the stairs.  I gulped as he slammed the door shut.

"You're so NAIVE Cassandra!!! How can you let a guy enter your bedroom!?  Is that what I've taught you?  Is that what our parents and I have taught you?!  And you were alone, for pete's sake!!!  What if he tried to do something to you?  I won't always be there to protect you!  You're too much, Cassandra!  Do you think you're still a kid??  When will you start thinking for yourself?  GROW UP!!!"  He yelled.

"WHAT THE HECK IS YOUR PROBLEM, KUYA?!  You're the one treating me like a child!  You never trusted me to do things on my own!!  You always helped even though I didn't need it!  You were always trying to protect me from useless things!  You worry too much about me!!  You're overprotective and you always exaggerate things and overreact!!!  YOU'RE THE ONE WHO'S TOO MUCH!"  I yelled back and held back the tears that had started to form in my eyes. 

This was the first time we yelled at each other like that.  Kuya Darren just stared at me, dumbfounded at what I had just said.  Anger and hurt were apparent on his face.

"FINE!  From now on, FORGET YOU HAVE A BROTHER!!"  He said bitterly.  I gasped at what he said but if war is what he wants,

"FINE!  I'm glad you're leaving us soon anyway, I'll finally be free from YOUR LEASH!"  I retaliated and slammed his bedroom door on my way out.  I started sobbing as our exchange of words replayed in my head.  I couldn't believe I had said those words that I really didn't mean to him, but at that time I wanted to hurt him too.  Him, who had always been on my side, trying his best to protect his little sister from getting hurt, however small or big of a deal it was.

I kept crying while I hurriedly headed to my bedroom downstairs when I suddenly bumped into something and felt two arms around me.  "Cassie... Sweetie...  It's... It's okay.. It's okay....  SSshhh...  It's okay..."  I heard Yunho's comforting voice and he hugged me closer to him.  For a moment, I got scared if he heard our yells but I remembered Kuya's room is soundproof.

"Do you wanna go talk about it?  Let's go to the garden, okay?"  He asked and I nodded against his warm body.  He then carefully led a crying 'me' out and to the garden.  He sat the both of us down on a bench after letting me cry on his neck for a good five minutes or so.  He then wiped my tears and nose with his own handkerchief.

"There, there..... Aigoo~ Your nose is so red, you look like Rudolph now..  Is your name Rudolpha?"  He joked.  I couldn't help but suddenly laugh at what he said.  Rudolpha?! 

"Yunho *sniggers*  what the, Rudolpha?!  Ahahahahaha!!!"  I laughed even though there were still some tears streaming down my face. 

"Yeah, *smiles* Rudolpha the rednosed Cassie~!"  He half sang, half teased.  I just laughed and shook my head.  I then took a deep breath trying to calm myself and stop sobbing.

"Do you wanna talk about it?"  He asked softly and he wiped my face again with his hanky.  I moved away and stopped him. 

"It's okay, Yunho oppa.  Sorry, I'll have your handkerchief cleaned up, thanks."  I stared ahead of me, trying to prevent myself from thinking about what had happened between my brother and I.  I just feel so guilty about what I had said.  I sighed.  I turned to look at Yunho who was studying me.  I raised my eyebrow at him and he just smiled and looked away.

After a few minutes of thinking... Well, trying to think of something else, my mind drifted to Yunho.

"Yunho oppa, don't you have to go to the grocery?  You probably need a few things..."  I said.  That, plus I want to get out of the house for the meantime.

"Uh, you sure you wanna go out?  I can just buy them some other time..."  He asked and I nodded.

"Yes, I wanna get out of here.  I'll go get ready.  Let's go in 10 minutes?  Oh, by the way, uhm, dress simply..  You catch too much attention already coz of your height...."  I smiled and he nodded, "Got it!"

I hurriedly went to my bedroom, washed my face, and changed clothes.  I tried putting on makeup on my eyes but they still looked swollen from crying.  "Dang it...  How am I gonna ask permission from Mom and Dad...  Tsk..."

With no choice, I went to their bedroom and knocked.  "Mom, Dad, I'll just go to the mall with Yunho.  We'll buy some stuff for him, okay?  We'll just have dinner there!  Don't worry we won't be home late!  Bye!!!!"  I yelled through the door.  I didn't dare come in, or else they'd notice I'd been crying because something happened. 

"Okay dear!  But come inside for a mo-"  Dad invited but I dashed away before one of them opens up the door.  Yunho met me downstairs.

"Is this okay?"  He asked and modeled his outfit. 

"Great!" I smiled after staring at him from head to toe.  "Although, you can take off the red chain..."  I added.  He sniggered and took it off. 

"I knew you'd say that."  He boasted.

"Oh really, now..."  I replied as we headed to my car. 

"Yup!"  He grinned.


"Where are we going?"  He asked while we were cruising down the busy streets.

"We're going to one of  my favorite malls.  The crowd there is good, even though somebody might recognize you, I don't think he/she will bother."  I answered.

A few minutes later, we arrived at EDSA Crossing.

"Wow, there are so many people crossing here...."  Yunho commented.

"Yup!  This crossing/intersection is one of the busiest.  It has jeepney terminals around, MRT - that!  That passing train, see?  Did you see?; malls, offices around.  See that yellow-orange-ish mall?  That's where we're going."  I said and pointed to the mall on the corner of EDSA and Shaw Blvd.

"Oooh....  I wanna ride that train someday.  Can we, Cassie?  Can we???"  He asked hopefully.

"Whoa.. The MRT?  You wanna?  Sure!  I love the MRT.  Even though sometimes it's so hot and jampacked like sardines, I still enjoy the ride.  I don't know why but it's my favorite mode of transportation.  One day we'll ride that one.  I promise.  You just have to be ready against heat and stuff."  I said happily, momentarily forgetting about what happened at home.

"Yeeey!  And I wanna experience riding the famous jeepney too!"  He said excitedly.

"Ahaha!  Okay, we'll ride that too.  And the tricycle....  And the pedicab....  The taxi...."  I enumerated.

"How about the bus??"  He asked.

"Uhm, I'm not sure.  Somehow, I'm afraid of riding a public bus...."  I admitted.  There's just so many things that could happen while riding a public bus.

"But you're with me!  I won't let anything happen to you!  See this arm?"  He flexed his arm and his muscles bulged out.  I looked at him quickly sideways and concentrated again on the road.

"Popeye, is that you?"  I joked.

"Yes, Betty Boop."  He kidded as well.

"Wait, isn't that supposed to be Olive Oil and not Betty Boop?"  I grinned as we entered the EDSA Shangri-La Plaza parking building.

"Oh.... Well... Olive Oil it is, then."  I saw him scratching his head at the corner of my eye out of embarrassment. 

"Yunho oppa, you're cool, you know that?"  I blurted out.

"You think soooo?  Well, you're right.  Like, I'm THE LEGENDARY UKNOW YUNHO."  He proudly said and I saw him puffing his chest out.

"Oh gosh, and you're still full of yourself!"  I shook my head and laughed.  "Fine, Legendary UKNOW Yunho, close your eyes or else you'll get dizzy."  I instructed.

"But why?"  He asked.

"Coz we're about to ascend this parking building.  We'll be going up in circles for about 8 times before we reach the parking floor.  Be ready or else you'll throw up."  I warned and hit up the gas pedal.

And we went up going around in circles.  This is the only thing I hate in this mall.  It's sooo hard to park a car.  The parking floor is way up high and the way up there makes me dizzy.  And once we get to the parking floors, parking spaces are limited, forcing cars to go up another floor again until we find a vacant one.

"You okay?"  I glanced at him and he looked...okay.

"Of course!! Cassie, you underestimate me...."  I could sense he was currently pouting.

"Sorry...  Now help me find a parking spot!" 

Luckily, we found one after around 5 minutes of searching.  We then crossed the connecting bridge between the mall and the parking building and finally entered the mall.

"Are you ready to be mobbed by fans?  No, just kidding.  Well, welcome to Shangri-La!"  We smiled at each other and I instantly felt so much better. 

"Let's go!"  I led him towards the main atrium and pointed to the two long escalators that connect one floor to two floors below.

"See those two long escalators?  Well.. Nothing.. I just love riding those!"  I exclaimed happily and he laughed and pinched my cheek.

"Cassie, you're such a kid... Cutie Cassie~"  He sang and pinched my cheek harder.  I slapped his hand away and glared at him.

"Sorry Cassie, I can't help it......."  He suddenly grabbed my hand and held it firmly.  "Now where shall we go?"  He asked but I just looked at our connecting hands. 

"Why are we holding hands?"  I asked, trying to steady my nervous voice... and my fast beating heart.

"I don't wanna be lost, Cassie.  Hey, is that an ice cream shop down there??  Come on!  My treat!"  He half-pulled, half-dragged me to one of the short elevators and we went down. 

"Yunho oppa, we haven't even had dinner yet!  And we're supposed to go to the grocery, remember?  It's in the basement.  Do you wanna ride the elevator instead?"  I asked him.  I didn't question his 'answer' anymore because somehow....holding his hand makes me feel secure.

"Nope!  I wanna use the long escalators."  He smiled at me.

"OKAY!"  I exclaimed.

"Uwaaaaa....."  He said in awe as he looked around.  I sniggered.

"Come on, Yunho.  Close your mouth.  You look funny!"  I giggled.

"Hey, I thought I told you to call me Yunho Oppa!"  He scowled.

"SSShhhh!!  Don't yell out your name like that!  Somebody might recognize you, sshhh!"  I said as we rode a long escalator.

"Hmph!"  He replied.  I giggled again and shook my head.  He finally smiled and started swinging our hands.  I can feel my face starting to blush.  I can't help but to feel like we're a couple.

"Cassie, that's a carousel, right?"  He pointed to the carousel on 2nd floor.

"Uhh.. Yes?"  I answered.

"LET'S GO RIDE IT!!!!"  He said and once again, half-pulled half-dragged me to the carousel once we reached the 2nd floor.

"WAIIT!  We can't ride that!"  I tried to pull him back but to no avail.

"HELLO!!!!!!  The two of us would like to ride the carousel, please."  Yunho told the ticket seller, who looked startled.  The ticket seller blinked up at him several times, trying to decide whether Yunho was joking or not.

"Uh, I'm sorry, Sir, but the carousel is for kids only."  He managed to croak out and pointed to the long line of kids waiting their for their turn.

"Oh.  Thanks anyway."  He said disappointedly and I pulled his arm away from the carousel. 

"It's okay, Yunho oppa.  Come on, let's go to the supermarket."  I squeezed his hand as I led ourselves down to the supermarket. 

We got a pushcart.

"OH SNAP, I FORGOT!!!!"  I slapped my head and panicked.  "Oppa, I'm so sorry I forgot to bring you to a money changer.  Shucks, don't worry I hav-"

"Relax, Cassie.  I already exchanged a couple hundred dollars at the airport."  He informed. 

"Oh, good!  But I hope you didn't exchange all of your pocket money there.  I know one place that has a high rate.  I'll bring you there tomorrow after school.  I totally forgot to bring you there earlier.  I'm sorry."  I apologized.

"No worries, Cassie.  And nope, I didn't.  I remember you told me about that high rate ForEx place before."  He patted my head and pushed the cart.

"Okay...  Now, let's go through each aisle so that we won't miss anything."

We went through aisle after aisle.  He picked up some toiletries and necessities and we reached the snacks aisle.

"I wanna try Philippine chips, Cassie.  What do you suggest??"  He asked as he eyed the rows of junk food on display.

"Uhm... Well, I like eating Nova-cheese, Clover-bbq, Piattos-sourcream&onion, Oheya!-FrenchOnion, PotatoFries-plainsalted, and a whole lot more sitsirya!"  I enumarated giddily.

"Sitsirya?"  He tilted his head.

"Yup.  Tagalog term for junk food!"  I explained.

"Wow.  You're a big sitsirya eater, tsktsk!!!  That's baaaad, Cassie.." He shook his head and wiggled a finger at me.

"But, but you asked...."  I pouted and felt sad that I disappointed him.

"Don't worry, I'll be bad with you."  He whispered to my ear and I slapped his arm.

"What?  You're thinking naughty thoughts, Cassie!"  He accussed.

"O-of course not, you meanie!!" I frowned at him and he laughed. 

"Okay, okay.  Sorry. Haha.  What chips did you mention again?  Let's put all in the cart."  He said and we searched for those chips. 

"How about this one?"  He showed me a pack of DingDong mixed nuts.

"Ooh!  I like that, too!!!  But I like the green one better, it tastes less salty."  I pointed to another variation of DingDong mixed nuts.  He took it and threw it into the pushcart.  He picked a few more along the way and we reached the biscuits and cookies section.

"Cassie, you like this kind of Oreo, right?"  He picked up the double-filled Oreo, DoubleStuf. 

I nodded eagerly with big eyes.

"Cassie, your eyes are shining!!"  He then tried to imitate my eyes but with exaggeration, of course. 

"Harhar."  I sarcastically replied.

"Oooorrreeeooo~"  He waved the pack of Oreo at me.  I stuck out my tongue at him and he laughed while putting it into the pushcart.

"Oh!"  He exclaimed.  "Cassie, chunky or chewy?"  He asked and held up two packs of Chips Ahoy. 

"CHUNKY!  Ooh, that tastes good dunked in cold milk!"  I clapped after imagining its taste.

"Haha, okay.  Chunky, it is!"  And he put it into the cart.  "Which one tastes better, Bingo or this Presto Cream biscuits?"  He pointed to rolls of biscuits.

"Oppa, are you trying to be fat while you're here?"  I asked as I eyed the growing mountain of food on his pushcart.

"I just wanna try EVERYTHING!"  He spread out his arms and accidentally hit an old man on his nose. 

"ARAY! (OUCH!)"  The old man threw Yunho a dirty look while holding his nose.

"Oh no!  I'm sorry, Sir.  I'm sorry, I've been careless.  I'm sorry."  Yunho bowed deeply.

The old man seemed surprised at Yunho's actions.

"Oh, u-uhm.. It's okay, young man.  Just be careful next time."  He said.

"Pasensya na po (I'm sorry)."  I apologized and the old man smiled softly before walking away, still rubbing his nose.

"Be careful!!"  I hissed at Yunho.

"I will."  He giggled to himself.  "Now where were we?"  He asked as he walked off.

"Aren't you done with food yet, Oppa?"  I asked as I peeked at his pushcart.

"Just a little more..."  He said while looking around.

"What else are you looking for?"  I saw him hurrying off to the end of the aisle.

"Aha!  There it is!" I looked where he was pointing to.  It was Dried Mangoes.

"I remember Tita Lora gave this to us before we left your house before, Cassie.  I craved for it right after I finished mine."  He then placed 10packs of dried mangoes into his cart.

"10 PACKS!?"  I was bewildered with huge eyes and he just nodded.

"Yup!  It's yummy!"  He praised while looking lovingly at the dried mangoes.  I smiled to myself.  He looked so relaxed and carefree.  I wanted to hug him coz he looks like a child. 

We wandered around the grocery, making sure that he got everything he needed.  Then we went to the cashier to pay.  He pushed my hand away when I also took out my wallet.

"S-Sir, the t-total p-p-payment is P1384.75 o-only."  The girl at the cashier stuttered.  I choked at the amount, mostly spent on food.  Yunho pulled out his wallet and a wad of colorful bills squished out.

"The blue one is P1000, yellow is P500, violet is P100.  Here, let me."  I offered when he seemed confused and didn't get what I said.   He gave his wallet to me and I pulled out 1 P1000 bill and 4 P100 bills.  I handed it to him and he studied it for a moment.

"Here you go!"  He smiled at the girl while handing her the money and she gasped a little.  She started blushing and looked flustered.  But I don't think she's a fan of Yunho's.  I think she's just overwhelmed by his.... *gulp*  handsomeness.....

With shaking hands, she managed to give him his change.  I checked it and nodded.

"T-thank you, Sir."  She said and Yunho gave her a wink.  My jaw dropped.

"Did you just wink at her?!"  I asked, baffled, as we walked towards the package counter to deposit the groceries for the meantime.

"Yes, jeaaaalouuus?"  He teased.

"Ppppfftt.. Why would I be?  I bet you gave her a sleepless night.  Poor girl.  Victimized by a flirt.  Tsktsk."  I sniggered.

"Don't you want me to wink at you, too?"  He asked, with a sad expression.

"Huh??  Maybe you're already hungry, Oppa."  I laughed.  We deposited our groceries and went out of the supermarket area.

"I'm hungry.  How about you, Yunho oppa?"  I asked.  The food court is also in the basement. 

"How about this Max's or Jollibee?"  He asked about the two establishments which were right on the outskirts of the supermarket area.

"I'm okay with any of the two.  Both serve yummy chicken.  Max's is pricier than Jollibee, though.  Fine dining."  I explained.

"Hmmm, let's go!"  He suddenly grabbed my hand again and pulled me towards Max's Restaurant.

I smiled as I gripped his hand back and went inside Max's. 

[A/N]  KAMUSTAAA?  Finally, I got to update! Bwahaha.  It was a bummer, I couldn't access the whole AFF website, hence I couldn't transfer my typed updates in .doc to here.  *sigh*  I'm so sorry for the delay.  I hope you'll still be with Yunho's adventure to Philippines.  I can't wait to let you see what Yunho did here! bwahahaha!! ^______^

HELLO TO NEW SUBSCRIBERS/SILENT READERS/NON-MEMBERS. <3

@kidamazone - Welcome to my fic! Yehey! Thank you for appreciating the original concept and title. ^_^ I hope you'll stay with us until the end!

@tifannycay - Salamat dahil gusto mo ang kwento! haha! Nako, mas nakakaasar pa si Kuya Darren dito sa bagong chapter, noh? >_<  Pero sadjang napaka protective lang talaga nia kay dear Cassie. ;)

@aejae22 - Salamat Mrs. Park! Actually, hindi ko sadja na si Mark Herras ung gamitin ko, na isa pang halimaw ng dance floor tulad ni Yunho.  Nagkataon nlang talaga na Mark ung pangalang nailagay ko nung nagOJT pa sila. Hakhak.

@cherry1001 - HAHAHA! Ang layo ng kuya ni Cassie sa parents nila noh?  Daig pa nia, grabe!  Yep, i REALLY MISS HEENIM ALREADY. *sobs*

@Patty12 - Itutuloy ko talaga, bwahaha! :D  Pasensya na matagal ang updates. *sigh*

@melanarbs - HELLOO! Welcome to my story! Hahaha!  Katuwa naman yung comment mo. :) It's nice to know ganun ang reaction na nadudulot ng kwentong ito.  I hope you'll read until the end!  :D

@mamEngluvhOney - Chill lang! Hahaha! Pero tama, OA na si kuya darren.  hayayaay.  Yun nga ata balak nia eh, tumandang dalaga si Cassie. LAGOT!