“Leeseo, libre ka ba sa sunday? Ang tagal na rin nung huling bonding natin eh.”

Parang ang demanding naman pakinggan.

“Gusto mo hangout tayo sa Sunday? Libre ko!”

Kaso baka di naman pala siya available ng Sunday.

“Leeseo—”

“Bakit?” Natigil sa kakamonologue si Eunchae nang biglang sumagot ang bestfriend niyang kakadating lang sa sala ng bahay nila. Agad tuloy namawis ang noo at palad niya sa kaba at sa takot na baka narinig siya ni Leeseo at kanina pa siyang pinapanood.

“Uh, ano..”

Owshi.. Eunchae think, bilis!

“Hoy, okay ka lang ba? Bat pinagpapawisan ka dyan?” Lumapit si Leeseo sa kinaroroonan ng electric fan nila para icheck kung bukas ba yun.

“Naka bukas naman yung fan.”Bumalik uli ang tingin ni Leeseo sa kaibigan. “Gusto mo ng juice?” Tanong pa nito.

“S-sige.” Pagalis ni Leeseo, nagkaroon ng chance naman ang kabadong best friend nito para kumalma.

”Alam mo yung movie ni ate Karina?” Eunchae asked nang abutin ang baso ng juice mula kay Leeseo.

“Oo, nakwento sakin ni Niki yan last week. Mukhang interesting nga eh.”

Niki is Leeseo’s suitor. Leeseo had been telling Eunchae stories about it. Hindi naman to first time sa magbestfriend, telling stories about their crushes pero this will be the first time na nagentertain si Leeseo ng suitor. Eunchae was rather relaxed dahil di naman umabot sa ganoong point dati, but now she’s afraid.. She’s scared of losing the girl she likes for so long. Kapag nga naguusap sila about crushes noon, dinedescribe niya din mismo ang bff niya but never sumagi kay Leeseo na siya yun.

Whenever Leeseo asks Eunchae kung sino yung tinutukoy niya, she’ll always answer “Secret” o kaya naman “Basta kilala mo yun.”. And Leeseo actually got tired of asking, wala din naman siyang makukuhang sagot kay Eunchae.

“D-do you want to see it? Binigay kasi ni ate Yeji yung tickets nila sakin since they want to spend their sunday with JJ.”

“Sure!”

“H-here.” Iniabot ni Eunchae ang dalawang cinema ticket kay Leeseo. “Panoorin niyo ni Niki, mukhang interested din naman siya.”


Bago pa makasagot si Leeseo ay inilagay na ni Eunchae ang tickets sa palad ng bff niya saka naglakad patungo sa pinto. Aalis na siya.. moreso tatakas.

“Una na ako, hinatid ko lang talaga yan.” Eunchae said before going inside her car, leaving Leeseo a bit dumbfounded but she just nodded and waved her hands goodbye.

Pagpasok na pagpasok ni Eunchae sa kotse niya ay agad itong napasapo sa noo.

“What was that Eunchae!” She let out a huff, frustrated because of her actions.

“Napaka duwag mo talaga hay nako naman!” She wanted the two of them to go, but she just gave Niki the opportunity to be with Leeseo.

“Hay, bahala na nga!” She said before driving back home.

Pagkauwi ni Eunchae sa unit niya ay dumiretso agad siya sa kusina para kumuha ng tubig.

Again, she let out  another frustrated breath due to her katorpehan.

She went to her sofa in the living area and turned the tv on to distract her thoughts, but seems like her thoughts won her over. Hindi siya makapagfocus sa panonood dahil bigla bigla niyang maaalala yung ganap kanina sa kanila ni Leeseo.

“Hay buhay, parang life!” She took her phone out and typed a message.

Eunchae: Ate yeye :(

Ate Yeye: What's with the face bunso?

Ate Yeye calling..

“Ate..” Eunchae said with a hint of sadness in her voice. Nanghihinayang kasi talaga siya.

“What happened?” Yeji said after fixing her baby's position in her arms, nagbebreastfeed kasi siya, while her wife works at her office within their house.

“Remember the tickets, ate? The one you gave me last week?”

“Yung para sa movie ni Rina? What about it?”

“I-I went to Leeseo and gave it.”

“Really?!” Medyo nagulat si Yeji kaya naman napaungot din ang baby niya sa biglang paggalaw ng mommy Yeji nito. 

“Shh, anak. Mommy’s sorry.” Yeji sounded so sweet as she cooes her son back to its sleep and placed a kiss on top of his head.

“Tumatapang kana bunso. I'm so proud.” She continued after successfully getting JJ back to his sleep.

“About that ate.. I actually gave all of the tickets to her.” Dalawa lang naman ang binigay ni Yeji, and giving all means ibinigay niya rin yung dapat na kanya.

“Huh? Why?”

“When I brought up the topic about ate Karina's movie kasi.. she mentioned Niki, the person she's currently seeing.. so I might've chickened out and given her both tickets for them to use? Hehe.” Eunchae said in a nervous voice while Yeji just let a deep breath out.

“Oh.. are you okay with it though?”

“Hmm.. opo? At least she'll get to enjoy it. We have next time pa naman po.”

Next time.. sana may next time pa.

Yeji sighed, thinking of Eunchae’s situation right now. “Alright. Kung saan ka masaya, but remember.. opportunity knocks once, and sometimes it never does again after that. So think about it hmm?”

Eunchae nodded as if nakikita siya ng Ate Yeye niya.

“Opo ate.”

Just before Yeji dropped the call, Ryujin silently went inside their bedroom and a smile immediately formed on her face upon seeing her wife and child in her arms, sleeping so cutely.

“Done with work na, hon?” Ryujin kissed Yeji before nodding then went to their child and kissed it's head as well.

“Yep. May bisita pala tayo.”

“We do?” Yeji stood and placed JJ in his crib, and once sure na siyang komportable na ang anak at hindi ito mukhang iiyak anytime soon, she faced her wife.

“Nasa baba si Gigi. Hinahanap ka rin niya.” Yeji fixed herself before the both of them goes out to where their friend is. Iniwan din nilang bukas ang pinto just in case umiyak ang baby nila at maghanap sa mommy niya.

“Gi.” Yeji calls out to her friend na mukhang wala pang tulog, ang lalim kasi ng mata nito at prominent yung dark circles under her eyes.

“Yeji.” Giselle tried smiling but ended up yawning. She's too sleepy.

“What brings you here?” Yeji asks. “At nasaan yung asawa mo? Di mo kasama?” She added, looking around to search for Ningning.

“She's not with me.. actually I'm here to ask for a favor.” Napakunot ang noo ni Yeji, also looking at her wife beside her to ask for a clue if Giselle already said something about it to her. Ryujin just shrugs, wala namang nabanggit si Giselle kanina pagdating nito bukod sa hinahanap niya si Yeji.

“Sure, what is it?” Giselle looks down.

“C-can I stay the night here?” Agad na nagkatinginan ang magasawa, and as if they're one body, Ryujin left to prepare drinks and snacks for their friend while Yeji took the seat next to Giselle.

“Hey. Nagaway ba kayong magasawa?” Giselle nods, ilang araw na silang nagaaway. Lagi kasing iritado si Ning sa kaniya. Kada ata galaw niya inaaway siya, pati nga ata paghinga niya kinagagalitan ng asawa. Giselle said it all to Yeji.

“Have you tried talking it out with her?”

“Yes, but we always end up shouting at each other. Ayaw niyang makinig na hindi ko naman kasalanan kung hindi ko alam saan niya nilagay yung mga gamit niya.. or if it took me an hour to buy her midnight cravings, dahil wala nang bukas na store.. or if I have a ‘kabit’ daw in her dreams! It's so frustrating Yeji, she even woke me up last night just to throw me out of the house. Kaya ang ending natulog ako sa kotse, wala talaga kasi siyang balak papasukin ako.”

Giselle ranted all her frustrations to Yeji. Siya talaga ang takbuhan nila sa mga ganitong bagay. Pwede na nga ata siyang magtayo ng consultation firm dahil siya ang nagmistulang punong tagapayo sa kanilang magkakaibigan. And of course, every time this occurs, she'll always be glad to help.

“You know she might've been just like that because she's pregnant, Gi.”

“Are you like that as well nung pinagbubuntis mo si JJ?”

“Nako Gi, baka mas malala pa yan kay Ning.” Ryujin said as she placed a pitcher of juice, glasses, and a few snacks on their coffee table.

Nakatanggap naman agad ito ng hampas sa asawa. “Aray, hon! Totoo naman kasi.” Yeji just glared at her before facing their troubled friend again.

“Well.. I could say that that's probably normal? I don't know pero case to case basis pa rin yan Gi, it just happens.” Yeji said at sinegundahan naman ni Ryujin.

“Just talk to her. When I say talk, wag mong sisigawan, wag mo na ring kalabanin yung sinasabi niya if ever. Not to invalidate what you feel but.. just be there to understand her. Mas matindi pa sa vikings boat ride ang pag swing ng mood ng mga buntis, so just try to understand. Mahirap din kasi yan sa part niya, imagine waking up crying just because you want to eat a damn fruit in the middle of the night, tapos sasabihin sayo ng asawa mo na it's unavailable anywhere? It's probably hard too.. Just trust me, I've been there.”

Giselle continued to listen carefully as she played with her finger, digesting every word Ryujin said.

“Sige na, you should sleep. I'll just tell your wife that you're here para hindi magalala.” Yeji said tapping Giselle's shoulder after nilang ihatid ito sa guestroom nila.

The two now went back into their room after it. Paglapat na paglapat ng pintuan ng kwarto nila ay naramdaman nalang ni Ryujin ang pares ng mga kamay na pumulupot sa bewang niya, while Yeji’s chin rested over her shoulder.

“Hon?” Ryujin hummed to answer Yeji's call.

“Did you also feel this way? Nainis ka rin ba sakin when I was jealous or frustratingly annoying to you back then?” Yeji asked. It's been months since Yeji birthed their greatest gift but along the way, may mga naging problems din sila. And hearing Giselle made her worried.

Ganito rin ba kami while I carried JJ? Did Ryu also have a hard time just like Giselle?

Ryujin faced her and took her hand and kissed her there.

“I did, at first. But eventually I came to understand why. I understood that you have it hard too, na hindi mo naman mapipigilan kung nagugutom ka sa gabi just to throw it all up in the morning. It's not