A Love EXO-perience WiD.O. (With You)

Ms. Nice But Wants Spice

Welcome to my mundane life. Nothing in my life is exciting, from the time na gigising ako sa umaga hanggang makauwi ng bahay galing sa trabaho. And today is no exception. Kasalukuyan kaming naglalakad ng bestfriend kong si Anya pauwi ng flat namin from a hard day's work sa hospital kung saan kami parehong nagtatrabaho. But I'm not complaining, though. Swerte pa rin ako kahit papaano – buhay ako, walang sakit, at may nakakain sa araw-araw. Pero alam mo yun, there's a part of me that's aching to have a break from all this monotony.

"Hoy, Chingu. Ano ba 'yang iniisip mo? Sa sobrang lalim para na akong malulunod. 'Di mo naman ako ininform, nakapagdala sana ako ng salbabida," tanong ni Anya sa akin.

"Hindi ako tsonggo, tao ako," pang-aasar ko naman. Inis na inis ako sa babaeng ito, feeling nakarating na sa Korea kung maka-chingu chingu eh nakuha n'ya lang naman iyon kakanood ng mga Kdrama. Hindi ako masyadong maka-relate sa kanya dahil hindi ako multitasker, mahirap tumingin sa mukha ng artista at the same time eh nagbabasa ng subtitle. Pero kayang-kaya ni Anya yun, habang kumakain pa ng chichirya o minsan naman eh iyong paborito niyang jjajangmyeon para feel na feel niya lalo (Lucky Me Chilimansi lang solb na, ang mahal kaya ng jjajangmyeon eh parang noodles na may squid ink naman ang hitsura). "I'm thinking if it's still possible for me to have some spice in my life," dagdag ko.

Ang nakakainis niyang sagot, "Two words: dating apps."

Sa sobrang yamot ko sa kanya, hinampas ko siya sa likod. Don't get me wrong. I have no prejudice against dating apps. But personally, I'd prefer dating guys the usual way, you know, meeting them in person first before the actual dating begins. However, I guess apps like Tinder and Bumble are now accepted dating media, and as always, 'di ako makarelate sa kanila.

"You know they're not my thing. And life shouldn't revolve around men, you know," ang sabi ko naman.

Anya rolled her eyes at me (sarap dukutin ng mata), habang hinahaplos yung likod niya sa sakit ng pagkakahampas ko. Aside from being the constant victim of my physical beating (I'm not violent, I just express my disapproval over hitting people, pero 'di naman masakit MOST OF THE TIME), she has heard me said that line countless of times before. Every time na may ka-date siya, bago niya tanungin ang zodiac sign ng lalaki para malaman nya kung compatible sila, itatanong muna niya kung may single siyang kaibigan, in the hope of a double date. And every time she na pinipilit niya akong makipag-double date, lalo akong nagpapaka-ermitanyo at nagtatago sa lungga ko.

Tumingin sa akin ng seryoso si Anya. "I don't know what's going on in that heart of yours, Kaia. It's either you're bound to become a spinster for life, or someone must have hurt you pretty badly before for you to swear off men."

I blushed at her comment, said nothing, at nagpatuloy sa paglalakad. Anya and I have been bestfriends ever since we got here in the UK from the Philippines to work as nurses 3 years ago. Lahat ng bagay alam ko na agad sa kanya. FC (feeling close) agad siya habang nasa NAIA pa lang kami. Wala siyang sense of personal space, niyakap niya agad ako kahit kakakilala pa lang namin. I am her opposite, though. Alam mo 'yung diary na may susi? Ganun ako. I rarely talk about my life, and when I do (emphasis on the word rarely), I carefully choose which parts of me I talk about. And believe me, you can count the topics with your fingers. That's how prudent I am. Or playing safe.

"I'm not swearing off men. It's just that--"

"Life doesn't revolve around them. Arasseo, you just said that minutes ago."

It's my turn to roll my eyes at her. I love my bestfriend, but sometimes, Lord forgive me, pero ang sarap niyang saktan talaga.

We were still walking nung makita ko na we are just several steps away from Lidl, which is one of the big grocery stores here in the UK. Dahil wala akong pasok bukas, nasa mood akong magbake ng brownies, at wala na kaming stock na eggs at milk.

"Ves, halika punta tayo ng Lidl! Oi!" Nagkandaputol na yung litid ko, she wasn't answering back. She was looking frantically at her phone, glued to her spot. Inalug-alog ko siya just to get her attention pero deadmadela.

"Omo. Where did I save that video?!" she kept on telling herself with a panicked look on her face as she was scrolling through her phone.

"Ano'ng video ang pinagsasasabi mo?" tanong ko, but it's like talking to a wall. Finally, her eyes lit up and heaved a sigh of relief. "Ayun! Success!" After several clicks on her phone, binalik na niya ito sa kanyang bag.

"Were you talking to me about something?" Finally ay pinansin niya na rin ako.

"Do you want to go to Lidl?" tanong ko sa kanya.

She replied, "Sure. But you just wait, Kaia. Your life is about to change."

"Weird mo," sabi ko naman as we went inside the store.