"narahuyo" | YJW

Four

Jace finished the rest of her tasks after changing into normal clothes and taking her afternoon nap. That makes her freedom for the rest of the afternoon.

Just as she was coming out of their old rusty gate, the elders are planning to change it along with its color, she hears her lola Pria. It's her mom's mother, aunt Loli's older sister. To complete the family tree, they have aunt Vina who stands as the oldest. Loli solidly refuses to be called a granny.

"Miggy, tawagin mo nga iyong ate mo at sabay kamo kami kila Mandy.."

Jace could hear her marching out of the house, towards the gate. She hears Miggy's sandals clicking as it disappears into what seems to be the stairs, then comes down running.

"She's not in her room."

That causes Jace to walk faster, bending a bit so she's out of the front window's frame. Lola Pria is also descending to the terrace, telling the kid to look for Jace outside. Jace walk-runs at this.

She hides in one of the street's turning point, knowing too well Miggy is too lazy to further the road.

"Jace?"

Almost as if she escaped, somoene's loud voice decides to intrude. A part of her celebrates at the reunion, seeing Jungwon in his Chicago hoodie in a not so humid afternoon. But right at the moment, to flee is her greater priority.

"Ingay!" she signals, her right hand paralleled across his shushed lips.

Jungwon particularly doesn't like being interrupted, cut and not given time for what it is he has to say. He believes this is not an exception. But something in Jace's panicked eyes and adorably pouted lips, her cheeks inflating after the shush, has Jungwon stuffing his words back. Now stiffling his chuckle, his dimple for a second popping behind her palm.

Jace lets go of him and instead, leads them forward just until they disappear into the highway.

"Bigla ka atang napadpad sa street namin?" Jace looked back one last time and figured they're in the safe zone.

Jungwon looked at the other, slightly surprised she initiated a conversation. Jace had calmed down now from slight jogging farther, dragging Jungwon with her. Her hands rest in a fist on her hip now, but Jungwon could still trace its warmth on the sorrounds of his mouth, afternoon breeze not able to wipe it off.

"Mom just asked me to relay a message to someone around the neighborhood." Jungwon bit his lip, maintaining the slow pace Jace is keeping. "Is this where you live?" he asked, observing the area.

This is not the first time he entered the neighborhood, but he's also not a frequent passerby.

Jace glanced at him, up specifically. Jace is not particularly short, but beside the oddly found acquaintance, she appears to be. Not to mention that the guy's broad shoulder highlights the difference in size more.

"For how long I could remember, yes."

The sky is now in a hue of pink from the nearing finale of the afternoon. Quarter to six afternoons and the way it romanticizes the whole town is probably the only favorite thing of Jace about her city. It could be an exaggeration, but she genuinely feels like she should be somewhere else. She glances at the other, and notes how he smoothly took the roadside, leading Jace to move more to the safer side of the sidewalk. She covers the shyness with a question.

"What do you like about this town?" her hands leaving her sides and now resting before her chest crossed together. The action traps a few strands of her hair, but it doesn't last long as the breeze carry them out into the open.

Jungwon watches it unfold before his eyes. The strands brushing Jace's arm, he notes about the mole right before the crease of her bent right arm. He could see her jaw from this side, and how its slope mean she has both a pretty, and pretty small face. She looks at him with eyes both serious and curious, reflecting the cotton candy sky.