Hachiro's POV
"Yow." I took a seat on the stool and fist-bumped Dylan. "How's Andrea?" I asked, grabbing a glass of wine.
"Doing great. Just a few weeks left, and she'll be giving birth to our son." he sounded incredibly proud and happy.
"Yun naman. Congrats, bro. Kahit sino mapapa'sana all nalang e." Kevin said as he joined me on the adjacent stool.
"Pfft. Tama na kasi ang pagiging mamas boy, Kevs." natawa kami sa sinabi ni Dylan. "Oh! How was the vacation, bois? I really wanted to come and join the fun, but I couldn't. Daaaarn! You all had fun, didn't you? Tsk." He took a shot of his drink with a hint of bitterness. I just grinned.
He actually looks like a mess. Honestly, I've never seen him looking this worn out. Who would have thought that taking care of a pregnant woman could be this stressful? And I can only imagine how it'll be once his son arrives. It's kind of scary, but he seems genuinely happy and satisfied.
"It was a blast! Especially that lick and bite moment. Pfft." Dave tapped my shoulder. "Mojito, Sir John." He took a seat next to Kevin. "Man, if you had been there, it would have been hilarious watching Hachiro in pain. Pfft." ngumisi si Dave sa sakin saka umiling.
Pssh. They knew there was more to my vacation than just a getaway.
And they were right. I'm actually into Kamala Angela Tingson. The way I acted around her, the way I jumped off the cliff to save her when she was drowning—there was no second thought. I just acted instinctively.
It felt heroic, but it wasn't the usual me after my breakup.
"Wait, what?" Dylan asked, looking confused. He glanced at me as if he wanted to know more. I shrugged and took a sip of wine.
"I don't know what they're talking about," I denied with a smile. Damn. Naalala ko na naman ang mga nangyari sa Isla last week. I remember how she bit me a little too hard when she was thinking of something unpleasant. But honestly, I found it really cute.
"Honestly, dude, we had no idea why Hachi decided to go to Siargao in the first place. Turns out, there was something there we didn't know about. Pfft," Kevin laughed.
I stayed silent. Habang pinag-uusapan nila ang naging bakasyon, bumabalik sa isip ko ang masasayang nangyari. She's a really great person, just by how she takes care of her crew. And despite her hesitation, she didn't get mad at me for pushing her to jump off the cliff.
What really got me interested is that she's a fantastic chef and incredibly humble. She has so much potential as a cook, and there's got to be more to her talent than just hiding it in her restaurant.
"Huy, nakangiting tulala ka na dyan. Thinking about her?" Dylan nudges me. Napailing nalang ako, but I knew I was smiling. Damn it. I haven't felt this way about a girl in a long time. Even though it isn't exactly romantic, it's more about my admiration for her as a fellow chef.
"Well, yeah."
-----
Kamala's POV
Over the past few days, we've been extremely busy. Palaging puno ang restaurant and we barely have a break, but in a way, I welcome the chaos. The relentless pressure is a welcome distraction, pulling me away from the whirlwind of thoughts that have been occupying my mind.
Jay's unexpected visit a few days ago feels like a dark cloud hanging over me. May mga sinabi siyang kapani-paniwala. Now I find myself torn between wanting to confront Monique and the fear of being wrong.
I was feeling somewhat content and hopeful recently, but that sense of peace has evaporated, leaving my heart feeling shattered once more. The joy I had been clinging to is now replaced by an overwhelming sense of confusion and sadness.
BINABASA MO ANG
Under The Same Sky (ON-GOING)
Romance--- In two different worlds, they walk separate paths, each carrying the weight of their own heartbreak. Two souls, once whole, now shattered, longing for something they've lost but can't quite name. In their solitude, they gaze at the same sky, a s...
