Would You Mind? ✓

WYM? 27

Uno didn't want Yaya Paning's suggestion, more so he didn't want to do it. But as he pondered over it--if it was the only means he could comply with to prove Dos his sincerity in romancing her--why would he not?

From almost the whole tiring and frustrating day because Dos wouldn't talk nor glance at him--he'd been desperate to search for a man he'd date, that he was wide awake until the next sunrise.

Groggily, he pulled his suffering-from-headache self from his bedroom to freshen up while swiping on Tinder for a potential date. Yet, he hadn't reached the restroom when he heard Dos' squeal echoing. He hurriedly strode his way to the terrace where he assumed she was at. There he caught her silhouette casting over the table of his Bistro set. He took steps closer to check if she was doing fine, and she was. She was all-smile while talking to someone over the phone, careless of the hot rays of the sun that were turning her cheeks red. He would have left after knowing she was sound but didn't when she uttered his best friend's name.

"You're so silly, Yari!" she said, much to his capacity to handle jealousy. "I hope Uno's like you, kasi he's so upright and boring parang I'm living with a golden-ager."

His hands automatically balled into fists, itching to land solidly on the face of his philander of a best friend. He could stand playing the game of 'May the best man win' had it not been him whom he'd be competing with because he was by far sure he'd just concede. Not because he knew Yari's good with the game, but because he'd rather give way than lose one of his favorite persons.

"Zero. Duh! I can't find any redeeming qualities in your best friend's personality. It just so happened that he's overly-dashing, and it covered up for the entirety of his lapses as human."

He smiled, almost feeling his lips tearing. I'd rather be a dashing devil then-quite a perfect redemption.

"Back to our topic na nga!" She stomped her foot on the ground.

No! Talk about me more! He wanted to hear more of what she thinks of him and how she sees him. However, she said no more of those, yet he accidentally gave an ear to something he didn't know was planned.

"Yaya Paning did her part yesterday, so it's now your turn to make chika with him. Then you'll offer him a hand on finding himself a date! Just make sure the guys you'd be picking wouldn't level my beauty, ha?! Baka ipagpalit niya talaga 'ko! I will kill you if that happens!"

He giggled, not feeling betrayed at all because as sure as the birds could fly--he's inarguably weak at the knees for her.

"But on second thought, my sightliness is incontestable naman, so yeah. Just do your role and forget about what I said." She giggled. "Anyway, I'll hang up na, bestie, ha? I'm starving na, eh. Call me whenev...er..." She trailed off at her last word, almost tripped on the leveled ground when she stepped inside only to see Uno.

"Good morning, my lady." He grinned.

"How...how long...how..." she pointed her trembling forefinger at him, "how long have you been standing there?"

He filled the distance between them till he had her pressing her back on the glassdoor, which he slid shut while cornering her with his hands on the wall. He saw how blood departed every inch of her face, how visible were the rapid movements of her eyes that were settling everywhere, and how she clenched and unclenched her lips to presumably give a mouth to whatever could save her from the troubling situation.

"So you planned everything, huh?" He smirked. "You could have just told me, Dos. I'm willing to do it anyway," he added in his underwear-dropping voice.

"W-what are you...what are you t-talking about?" she feebly said, reflecting her failure to keep her plan on the wraps. She even tried whistling to appear calm.

He laughingly pulled himself away from her, for she seemed hysterical, close to throwing a fit or hiring up a panic attack on how awkward their position was.

"Let's eat. I'd just be reheating one or two of the meals Yaya Paning brought yesterday."

He decided to leave to give her some time to garner back her composure, which, technically, was half-baked garnered back by her when she showed up at the kitchen with her not-so-convincing sassy aura.

"What will you be reheating?" She took a seat in her usual spot. Her eyes couldn't land somewhere equalling Uno's height else their eyes would meet.

"Lasagna and fried chicken," he replied. "Would you like something else? Like a hot chocolate drink?"

"Nah. Water's fine."

Since she said water's okay, he didn't oblige. He still prepared a chocolate drink for her.

After serving her drink, he occupied the seat in front of her to fully view her face he so missed to lay his gaze on.

"How are you?" he asked, putting a slice of Lasagna on Dos' plate.

"Still ravishing and slaying," she replied, way braggy than ever.

"Well, I couldn't agree more." He placed the platter of Lasagna back on the table, then took the platter of fried chickens to put some on the blushing Dos' plate.

Stillness ran for so long over their breakfast. He could hear the touch of her slippers on the floor as she repetitively swung her feet to and fro. He could also listen to her humming a song close to the rhythm of 'Malay ko," by Daniel Padilla. A piece, which the KathNiel stan Uno knew, had hit the popularity in the movie entitled 'The How's of Us'.

Progress. She could sing an OPM, he thought, bethinking how hard she could straighten her tongue.

"What are you staring at?" she snapped.

He wasn't aware he was eyeing her the whole time. "Nothing." The incredulity dripping on her face made him take back his words. "The song you were humming earlier just now, it's OPM. How could a tongue-tied you, know how to sing such?"

"I memorized it. You know I'm a KathNiel stan like you are, 'di ba?" She rolled her eyes. "Anyway, I'm through." She wiped her mouth then pushed to her feet.

Uno, being determined to romance her, had followed her to the living room, where he found her comfortably seated on the couch with the television's remote on her right hand. He stood behind her and rested his chin on her head with his forearms on her shoulders.

"Move, I dare you," he threatened, leaving them with that position for some time till Dos' phone rang, displaying Yari's pouting face on its lit-up screen.

He hurriedly answered the call and put it on speaker for both of them to be spared by Yari's whatever news.

"Bestie!" Yari squealed. "I found the perfect first date for Uno! Need na lang gumora ni watabels there later para chumika kay beks!"

"No need to come here, Melch. Just message me the details, I swear to show up on my first date," Uno said, taking an ear on the seconds of silence that ensued on his best friend's line before he disconnected the call and faced the edgy Dos who was pressing her fists on the throw pillow on her lap. "Three dates, Dos. Three dates with men. If they no longer sway me, you're mine."