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During his first year in med, Kuya Inggo has been dropping hints all year round na gusto na niya maging girlfriend si Maureen.
Exhibit A: "Rinn, baby, tingnan mo 'tong shirt ko." Tapos inamoy ni Maureen, siyempre, ang bango-bango niya kaya, tapos he kissed her forehead and said, "Ganda, 'di ba? Boyfriend material 'yan."
Exhibit B: While she was working for her classes and Kuya Inggo's head was on her shoulder, sucking and biting her skin while patiently waiting for bebe time kasi break niya from studying, he said, "Rinn, may kamukhang-kamukha ka talaga, e. Parang first girlfriend ko. Agree ka?"
Exhibit C: While they were making out in his bed sa condo and he slid his hands up her shirt and whispered in her ear, "'Di ako photographer, but I can picture us together."
Hanggang Z, mayro'n e!
Tapos ngayon, ganyan lang ang sagot niya?!
Kanina, bago siya umalis for her OJT, c-in-orner siya ni Megan.
"Ate, may boyfriend ka na, 'no?" sabi niya.
She jumped at the hushed voice in her ear, clutching her chest when she turned to her little sister. "Meggy, ano ba! Tinakot mo 'ko!"
"Sino?" her sister said with a grin and wagging eyebrows. "Sino, Ate? Kilala ko? Tama ako, 'no, may jowa ka na, 'no? Kaya ka palaging nakangiti sa phone mo, 'no? Ha? Ha? Sino? Patay ka kay Kuya. Patay ka talaga kay Kuya, isusumbong kita."
Ang kulit n'ong batang 'yon, ang daldal pa.
"I don't have a jowa yet," sabi ni Maureen with a forced smile, facing herself in the mirror again as she locked her earrings in. "So wala kang masusumbong sa kanya."
Megan narrowed her eyes at her. "E pa'no 'pag ako yung may boyfriend?"
"Hindi pwede," sagot agad ni Maureen. "'Wag kang mag-joke ng ganyan kay Kuya, mahihimatay 'yon."
"So kailan pwede?" she asked, pouting. "Nagpaalam ako no'ng isang araw mag-movie with Joaquin tapos sumama si Kuya. Tumabi pa siya sa kabilang side ko."
My God, Kuya. "'Pag thirty ka na raw," biro ni Maureen, grabbing her bag. "Bunso ka, e. I'll go na, bye!"
Maureen huffs, remembering the conversation. 'Yong sagot kasi ni Kuya Inggo, pwede ring sagot sa:
"What if maging aso na lang tayo?"
"What if makipag-date ako sa iba?"
"What if ayaw ko na sa 'yo?"
As if naman tatanungin niya ang mga 'yon kay Kuya Inggo, but still.
She impatiently taps her fingers on her arm while she and Enzo, a co-intern, wait for the elevator. Kagagaling lang nila sa press launch ng isang mamahaling restaurant for their OJT.
"Sorry," biglang sabi ni Enzo sa kanya with a smile, fumbling with his camera. "Ang awkward ko kanina. Hindi man lang tayo nakapag-usap other than about work."
Sa mga assignments nila, kailangan may isang writer at isang photographer. Naunang nag-dibs si Enzo sa assignment na 'to pagkatapos kunin ni Maureen, kaya silang dalawa ang mag-partner.
They met na during orientation 'tsaka during their weekly office meetings, pero hindi naman sila magkakilala.
Maureen smiles at him. "It's okay, we're both new pa lang. But the food was great and you took amazing pictures."
He bows his head and rubs the nape of his neck, chuckling. "Thank you. I'm sure you'll write something good to accompany them."
"Don't expect too much," Maureen warns, leaning against the wall. "Baka ma-disappoint ka."
BINABASA MO ANG
And Then You
RomanceInggo de Paz has a long line of girls waiting outside his door. He never thought Maureen Salas, his best friend's little sister, would be one of them. DISCLAIMER: This story is written in Taglish.
