Mag-log inSINARA ni Eca ang pinto ng apartment bago siya bumaba para harapin ang lalaking gusto raw siyang makausap.
“Eca,” masiglang sambit ng naliligaw na prinsipe. Para na naman kasi itong may photoshoot sa suot nitong magagara. Nakakasilaw din ang magara nitong big bike na agaw-pansin sa tabi ng daanan. Pinagtitinginan nga ito ng mga tambay doon dahil sa hitsura nito.‘Malaprinsipe talaga ang kagwapuhan nito eh. Pero wala pa ring dadaig sa baby ko,’ wika ni Eca sa isip. Nais niya“PLEASE don’t tease me, po. I can’t help it,” bulong ni Hiro sa namamaos na tinig. His hot breath shaking against her skin. “It never happened to me before. No one’s ever talked to me like that. It’s just your w-words… they’re making me feel t-things. Things I don’t understand. Please s-stop,” he added in a shaky voice. His breath sounded rugged and torn, hot against his lips as he struggled to keep it steady. His arms tightened around her waist, which was a wrong move. Lalo lang nagdikit ang mga katawan nila. Mas lumaki pa nga yata iyong bulge niya. Hard, insistent, pressing against her with nowhere to hide. He felt it… move. On its own. Nanlaki ang mga mata niya sa gulat. His breath hitched. “Bakit… bakit po gumalaw?” nagtatakang tanong niya kay Eca. Nakagat ni Eca ang ibabang labi para pigilan ang sarili na tumawa rito. Hindi maipagkakaila na ito ang unang beses. Unang beses na tigasan ito at siya ang dahilan. ‘Hmm… My innocent ba
“BABY?” asked Eca. Her voice breaking into a surprise whisper. Her eyes widened, because who wouldn’t react like that? Basta na lang siyang kinabig ni Hiro. Walang babala. Walang kahit anong salita. His strong arms wrapped around her waist on his own, without being told. It was the first time he did this. His chest pressed against hers, warm and steady despite how exhausted he looked. The scent of him found her first, faded cologne mixed with a weariness she recognized. Parang nakikita niya kay Hiro ang sarili niya kapag drain na siya sa trabaho at pamilya niya. “Hmm,” he hummed against her hair. His voice sounded low, rough, and heavy with fatigue. But his arms didn’t loosen. Mas humigpit pa nga ang pagkakayapos nito sa kanya na para bang ayaw na siya nitong pakawalan. “What happened? Is there something wrong?” nag-aalalang tanong niya sa binata. Kagagaling lang kasi nito sa university. Walang imik itong pumasok sa apartment at tumabi sa pagk
“OMOOO… I’m so happy! That’s good news!” Hiro’s Nanay beamed. Her eyes crinkled at the corners like she’d just won the lottery. She clasped her hands to her chest, literally bouncing on her heels from excitement. Tuwang-tuwa talaga. Walang halong arte. She let out a delighted little squeal and even jumped a bit. “I knew it! I knew you two would work out!” sabi nito. Then she pulled Eca into a warm, tight hug. It was a hug without hesitation. Just pure support. “Thank you, daughter,” she whispered against Eca’s hair, voice soft but full of relief and pride. “Thank you for choosing my boy. For seeing the good in him.”Eca froze for half a second, then melted into the hug. Her own eyes welled up. She hugged back, just as tight. Kung dati pinagtatabuyan siya ng mga ina ng lalaking espesyal at napalapit sa kaniya, ngayon ay kabaliktaran na ang nangyayari. Tanggap siya ng Nanay ni Hiro. Hindi siya hinusgahan. Hindi siya minaliit. Wala siyang narinig na kahit anong masa
“OMOOO… I’m so happy! That’s good news!” Hiro’s Nanay beamed. Her eyes crinkled at the corners like she’d just won the lottery. She clasped her hands to her chest, literally bouncing on her heels from excitement. Tuwang-tuwa talaga. Walang halong arte. She let out a delighted little squeal and even jumped a bit. “I knew it! I knew you two would work out!” sabi nito. Then she pulled Eca into a warm, tight hug. It was a hug without hesitation. Just pure support. “Thank you, daughter,” she whispered against Eca’s hair, voice soft but full of relief and pride. “Thank you for choosing my boy. For seeing the good in him.”Eca froze for half a second, then melted into the hug. Her own eyes welled up. She hugged back, just as tight. Kung dati pinagtatabuyan siya ng mga ina ng lalaking espesyal at napalapit sa kaniya, ngayon ay kabaliktaran na ang nangyayari. Tanggap siya ng Nanay ni Hiro. Hindi siya hinusgahan. Hindi siya minaliit. Wala siyang narinig na kahit anong masamang salita. She was
HIRO walked through the gates of DLSU and was immediately swallowed by the morning rush. Students everywhere— some pushing past him, others talking in groups, and a lot more rushing to class. Diretso lang ang lakad ni Hiro papuntang Gokongwei Bldg. One hand clutched his thesis portfolio to his chest like it might fall apart. The other balanced a tube of plans under his arm, bumping against his side with every step. His textbook was already open in his free hand. He was reviewing the steel design formulas kahit naglalakad. He was mouthing the equations under his breath like a prayer. Finals were in a week. Isang linggo na lang. Pero hindi pa tapos iyong thesis portfolio niya. Research, design plans, computations… lahat sabay-sabay, lahat humihingi ng atensyon. He looked like every other CE fourth year na pagod, puyat, pero lumalaban pa rin. Hindi nga lang halata kay Hiro ang pagod at puyat dahil sa angkin niyang kagwapuhan.Biglang sumulpot sa gilid niya si Lance, classmate niya s
PAGPASOK sa apartment, naabutan nilang naghahain na ng agahan si Hiro. “Good morning, baby!” magkasabay na bati nila kay Hiro. Gulat na nagkatinginan pa sila pagkatapos. “Pasensiya na po. Ayaw kasi ni Hiro na tinatawag ko siya sa pangalan niya, eh,” nahihiyang paliwanag ni Eca kay Zaniyah. Tinawanan naman siya nito. “I don’t mind at all, dear. It’s perfectly fine with me. We can both call him that, daughter. But if it ever bothers you, I’m more than happy to use other nicknames for my son. Whatever makes you comfortable,” she replied warmly, reassuring her with a motherly smile. Nakahinga siya roon nang maluwag. ‘Ang bait talaga ni Tita,’ she told herself. Sinuklian niya rin ito ng magandang ngiti. “Nanay, you’re too early,” puna ni Hiro na bahagya pang nakasimangot. Hindi niya kasi maso-solo si Eca sa breakfast. Hinalikan niya ang ina sa pisngi nito tapos ay lumapit siya sa dalaga para gawaran ito ng isa ring halik sa pisngi. Napatili pa nang mahina si Zaniyah dahil sa ginawa n







