I looked at the back of the man who escorted me to my unit. “ Today’s a lot of surprises” he took a glance at me with a half smirk on his face. “So, you happen to be my new neighbor” he added before facing me, stopping in front of my door. I frowned at him in confusion. “I live at 720” he chuckled, my mouth hanging half open at his statement. He laughed more, “so my neighbor Liana, maybe I can borrow the book tomorrow? I’ll just knock and I’ll bring the book as well” he smiled before placing down the bags he offered to carry before striding toward his unit and opening the door. He opened it and looked back at me, gesturing for me to go in as well with a smile.
And I did go inside, in a trance. I shook my head at the revelation before carrying the bags from the department store to my room and the ones from the supermarket to the kitchen. Half of the day was spent organizing the house. I cleaned the kitchen counter and placed the snacks and foods inside the cabinet, placing the drinks inside the refrigerator. I dusted the living room, placing the pillows inside the pillowcases and placing the decorations I bought in their respective places. Finally, I cleaned the closet before scattering my clothes on the bed. I hung all my clothes, and placed my shoes under it and the other necessities. There’s a table already, and I only need to build the drafting table beside it.
‘Maybe a few decorations and lights will make it cozy’ I nodded to myself before closing the closet door and changing the bedsheets and the pillowcases with mine. I left the last bag that contains all my school supplies on the table and slumped down the bed with a groan. I stared at the ceiling above me. ‘Glowing-in-the-dark moons and stars would be pretty, right?’ I asked myself once again, nodding at my own question.
I grabbed my phone that was placed on the nightstand beside me. Messaging on our family group chat that I cleaned and organized the unit and I’ll be resting before I smile tiredly to myself and closing my eyes for sleep.
Who knows how long I slept, no one. All I know is that the room was dark when I woke up. I squinted my eyes at the light that emitted from the living room, my head hurting at the pressure it gave me. Deciding to eat outside, I changed into comfortable clothes, it was pajamas, before grabbing my wallet and keys, along with my phone, and walking out of my unit. Another door closed, making me look at it, only to see Akihiko going out as well. “My new neighbor, why are you out at this time?” he asks, approaching closer to me. Instead of answering him, I looked at my phone only to be shocked. “11 PM? What the heck?” I look up at him with wide eyes. “Why? What is it?” he asked, confused at my reaction. “Akala ko saglit lang yung tulog ko, what the heck” I blinked before frowning at the growl my stomach made. I bit my lower lip, “obviously, it was a long sleep, let’s go eat?” he chuckled. I look at him, “huh? Wala ka bang pupuntahan?” we walked to the elevator and waited in front of it after pressing the button.
“I was about to go out because I kinda want a drink, and I happen to see you, then I remembered I haven’t eaten as well” he shrugged nonchalantly as it wasn’t a big deal that he was about to drink without eating. I gaped at him, “you’re going to drink without eating? Diba masama daw yon” I tell him while we get inside the lift. “Really? I’ve been doing that since last year” he looked back at me, mirroring my expression. “Yes, that’s bad,” I told him.
Another thing about Brye, one that I noticed since we met, is that he only speaks in English but does understand when I speak my own language.
“Hmm, then it’s a good thing that you informed me then, that gives you a free drink from me” he winked, changing the topic before softly laughing.
After that, we fell into silence. We got out of the elevator after hearing the ring and went out of the building. “Do you have any preferences?” he turned to me while we stood at the entrance. The breeze was colder since it was probably nearing midnight. There are still cars that filled the road. Some of the shops are still open and some are closed already. “Kahit ano, I don’t think that I could think of anything to eat since I’m hungry” I shrugged before looking at him. I met his side profile, “I know a place, but it’s a bit far from here, I’m kinda worried that maybe you’re too hungry to travel” he looked back at me, looking down as he smiled softly.
His soft smile doesn’t seem to fit his sharp and mean features. If you’d see Brye at some place, you’d probably strike him as a mean person. That one kind of stranger that you won’t want to speak to or ask to.
“Well, if it’s worth it, why not?” I chuckled at him, “if gutom din naman na ako, it’s better to eat something worth it, di ba? Saan ba yung place?” I added with confusion painted on my face. “We still need to get on a bus, it’s one travel, I kinda don’t want to use my car” he grinned before grabbing my wrist.
His hand which I thought was rough because of the veins that pop out from it was soft and gentle around my wrist.
He pulls us to the nearest stop and waited for a bit before we got inside a minibus. We were standing since it was already full. No, it wasn’t just full, it was loaded with people who are desperate to go home already, who were left with no choice but to stand up during the ride. I frown at the closeness of the man behind me, trying to squeeze himself comfortably which made me uncomfortable because of the way his body brushed against me. Not to mention his sly arm that seems to cage me so that he can ‘hold’ the rail well to balance himself. A sudden stop causes the people inside stir. And because I was focusing on the man, more like focusing on trying to be far away from him, I tripped in Brye’s side and the man behind me pressed his body on mine, making me push slightly with a frown.
A hand snaked on my shoulder in a protective manner, the man looks up at Brye, gaining his composure and clearing his throat. I look up at him, “careful” he muttered while pulling me close to his chest this time, closing the gap between us and widening my gap from the man.
It didn’t take long for us to arrive at the place Brye was pertaining to. It was a restaurant just beside the road. I look at it, the warm ambiance matched the time. As soon as we walked in, my eyes were glued from the flooring to the interiors of the place. The patterned floor matched the dark brown wooden chairs and tables. The blackish corners of the walls made the cream wall stand out, which was filled with pictures of different people, or events that happened from past eras. “Well, if it’s the infamous Lim, the youngest of all” the guy on the counter smirked, leaning on the counter while he watched us approach him. From eyeing Brye, his gaze shifted to me, making his eyebrows raised in confusion, or in surprise even. “Finally going to break the long list of families who wanted to be tied with you?” he asked while standing up straight.
“Shut up, Karlos, we’re here to eat, not gossip about the rumors that stupidly fly around the air” he spat the guy, who was apparently, named Karlos. Karlos chuckled at the cold reply of his friend, “just asking, it’s tiring to hear stupid rumors that someone is dating you when they aren’t, it’s free to delude” he shrugs before turning to me with a smile. “What can I get you, pretty?” he grinned at me. From looking at him, I turned to look at the menu above us, then turned my head to Brye, “is there something?” he asks with a frown. “Any recommendations?” I raised both my brows at him, waiting for his answer.
Brye looked at the small lady compared to him. Her height, and her physique, even though she is a grown woman already, she's small compared to those that he had seen. It was as if he was talking to a teenager who is still in their puberty phase if it was in terms of physique. He half smiled, “hmm, I’d suggest the usual that I’d take, that’s not on the menu but it’s what we’ll take” he smirks at Karlos before pulling the lady with him to a seat beside the wall. Brye watched her eyes wander around the places, looking at the frames that hung on the wall. Different pictures of the valued people the owner, Karlos, has placed, or the events from the past that he had taken an interest in. Soft music was playing in their background, “he’s your friend?” she finally asks something, muttering the words softly as if she was scared that Karlos will hear her. He laughs at her, “yeah, but he’s graduated already” he tells her, eyes landing on each other. She nods at him then falls into silence again.
“Gaga ang aga aga tapos nakakunot yung noo mo” Luke, who dropped by so early in the morning grins. “Alam mo dapat sana sinabi mo na pupunta ka pala kagabi pa, edi sana natulog ako ng maaga” I rolled my eyes at him while getting myself water from the fridge. “Eh, surprise nga e” he retorts, making me roll my eyes again at him. “Ano? Wala ka bang pakape jan?” he wandered around the kitchen, looking for something to eat. “Wala, I’m still about to buy an induction stove and other equipment” I tell him while I walk to the bathroom to freshen myself. “Ano bayan, may unit walang pangluto” he complains, while he tailed behind me. “Ano bayan, may cellphone pero walang load pangtext manlang” I answered him back, making him snort with a smile. “May pupuntahan ka?” I asked him while taking my wallet and phone. “Oo, may kikitain lang” he shrugged and I squint my eyes at him. “Weh, kikitain tapos sunod boyfriend mo na” I chuckle at him before I gestured him to go out. “Lilibre mo ko?” he grins, “hin
“Wait lang, sorry I was in the middle of tidying up the kitchen, kakatapos ko lang kasi iayos” I gestured for him to sit down on the couch while I went straight to the kitchen to throw away the boxes where the equipment was placed. “I have drinks here, wanna have some while we read?” I heard him say, making me turn to him with a frown, witnessing the man was just sitting down on the couch. “Brye, it’s just past noon?” I look at him with bewilderment. Brye laughs at the face I made, “yeah, and? Please get the glasses?” he chuckled, and I blinked before turning again and continuing on cleaning. Despite that I did say it was past noon, I took glasses and placed them on the coffee table, “I’ll take the book” I told him before proceeding to my room and leaving him nodding. I came back again and Brye was opening the bottles ready, pouring them fully into each cup. “Are you just in the mood na uminom or may problem ka?” I commented before placing the book gently on the table and sitting down
“Are you okay with that?” he muttered, the warmth of his hand leaving my wrist, disappearing. “Yep, it’s not like may gagawin kang masama” I shrugged before throwing him a smile and walking to the kitchen. I took a glass and poured myself some water. The moment I turned again Akihiko was still sitting on the couch while looking at me. “Di ka na ba inaantok?” I raised a brow in confusion and walked closer to him. It was a short stare competition. Akihiko took a while before answering and he only stared at me while he did. But after a few more seconds, Akihiko shakes his head with a laugh, “no it's nothing, let’s go back to sleep” he stands up and held my wrist again, rubbing the inside part of it a bit. He led us to my room and closed the door behind us, making it dark inside and only the lights from the outside illuminated the room. He removes his hand and I lay on the bed before he lay on the side. There was a deafening silence before I let out a sigh and got myself more comfortable
Brye: Sorry, can’t make it today, let’s go next time. 😊 With that, I placed my phone back beside the night table and stuffed my face into the fluffy pillows that lay below me. That’s fine, at least I have time to do the things that I needed to do. Since it was almost time again to start my 2nd year, I stood up from bed and made it before heading to the closet to pick out home clothes and started freshening up myself. After taking a bath, and wearing the most comfortable clothes that I have, I set up my laptop, the tablet that I owned, and the papers, reviewers as well as workbooks that I have. My table was filled with studying materials that I arranged, papers were stuck on the corkboard and there were notes written on my whiteboard, waiting to be erased. The productive morning started with tea, and I was making some flashcards that I would need for review. The silence was excellent, at least I was able to focus my mind and body with the peace that surrounded me. The scratching o
“So, what happened?” my voice was groggy. It was just a past few minutes when I woke up because of the constant ringing of my phone. “So ayun nga, remember that may guy ako na mineet? During that time na naglalakad kami, nakita ko si Kari” Luke, the source of my somehow daily headache, blabbered. “Anong gagawin ko?” I frowned, rubbing my face. The drowsiness was gone after minutes of waking up and my body was awake. “Gaga, it’s been years, syempre nagulat kami parehas tapos she said kelan daw tayo maghahang out ulit” he continued, using the tone of voice that I knew well, the tone that he uses when he wants to make me realize something, to make me understand what he is talking to. It was a bit of a high-pitched and sounded like a nag to me if I would be honest. “Maybe next week? Packed na kase yung week ko this week and I have plans already” I tell him while standing up and walking straight out of the room. “Sure yan? Icclear ko na rin yung schedule ko tapos inform ko siya para di siy
The door opened with a swipe of the card. Perfect for a maximum of five people and there was a diffuser in the middle of the coffee table. Behind the couches that faced each other, a shelf with a few books was placed. Brye entered after closing the door, immediately slumping down the couch with a sigh. “Do you want some coffee?” he muttered while opening the book and looking up at me. I looked at him before sitting down in front of him. I shook my head before sitting down at the other end of the couch he was sitting on. We sat in silence while reading and my eyelids fluttered heavily with each hour that pass by. “You wanna sleep?” Brye muttered, making me look at him, only to see that he was looking at me with a soft smile on his face. I chuckled, “nope, I can manage” my voice raspy may be due to the drowsiness. “Are you sure? You look like you’d pass out any second now” he teased, his left brow going up. I let out a small laugh before closing the book, leaving the bookmark inside of
We went back to his car after deciding that we should have lunch at Karlos’ restaurant. “You didn’t bring Paradiso today” Brye takes a glance at me while he drove to the place. “I read before matulog, it’s like a lullaby to me” I chuckled lightly getting comfortable in the passenger seat. Brye only nodded after that, nothing to say, and silence swallowed us, only the soft roar of the car was the noise that interrupts the silence. It was somehow in between the border of comfortable silence and uncomfortable silence. Or maybe it was just me. I looked over the window, the shops were in a blur as Brye drove. The vibration from my phone took my sight away from the outside. Mama: Kelan ka bibisita ulit? Hindi ka manlang nag uupdate. I read the text. I fought the urge to frown my eyebrows. Liana: Maybe next week Ma, before po magsimula classes. Sorry po, busy lang magreview. I was left on read. I took a huge sigh before looking out the window. “Something wrong?” Brye muttered softly as