"narahuyo" | YJW

Seven

Past 4 sun rays, afternoon friend group chitchats settling for the day, Jace saying good bye and turning her back against the two riding the ignited motorcycle.

Of all these mundanity, one is odd.

Has this always been like this? Jace knows it's not. But she debates if her brain is playing with her.

For the way her heart leaped and throbbed, one she tried to conceal through maintaining her pace despite wanting to walk swiftly towards the boy, has rested in her system with familiarity.

It's not always like this. Or at least, before him.

Now that he is here, Jace can't bring herself to walk past Jungwon who's waiting on the same spot he'd found her under the not-very-rain-proof shed.

"May hinihintay ka ba?" Jace asks even before she reaches in front of him. This is to ensure she's not pausing for something not meant for her.

"Ikaw.." Jungwon, whose face has Jace thankful she gets to see this much, answers. As if this is not yet enough to bombard her mind with unspoken thoughts, Jungwon adds, "hinihintay kita."

Jace wishes she can be as blunt. That she can tell the boy the exact same thing. That she's been waiting for two weeks to see him again.

Jungwon walks to the passenger seat and opens it for her. Jace is flustered at the scene: Jungwon waiting for her to enter with a smile on his face. He's cool with this. Not knowing the other's gut is churning over something. She climbs to the seat and waits for the other as he turns to enter the driver's.

"Bakit ka pa naghintay? Natagalan ba ginawa niyo dito?" Jungwon is back beside her. Less than a meter away. The windows are down and the familiarity of his scent mixed with the air freshener, despite the heat of the afternoon, attacks her nose. She plays all the emotions sipping through her off by asking.

Vienna's trivia dawning to her conscious. Because the school is preparing for a sports event, something she's aware as being part of the school's student government.

"Medyo. Exempted naman na kami sa klase dahil malapit na cluster meet." Jungwon is looking at the side of her face. He waits for her to look back— she doesn't. Still, Jungwon thinks the two hour wait was worth it. "I figured I'd wait for you para sabay na tayo."

Jace unconsciously bites the inside of her lower lip at the information, own eyes still on the road despite seeing the beautiful face facing her on her peripheral.

"If you're wondering what we did here, we registered."

Jace nods, realizing why some are being exempted from their own class. "Ah, host nga pala ang school namin this year." Jungwon tears his eyes off of her as he starts driving.

"Yup. It's gonna be this weekend na."

That's two days from now. Jace she figured she'd be busy in those two days. And even on the said event. Excitement rushes to her as she nod again.

She looks around the vehicle now feeling more comfortable than the last time. He sees the purple air freshener hanging on the vent, a polaroid photo dangling from the rare view mirror. It's facing the highway so she couldn't clearly see what it's captured. Jungwon notices this.

His hand leaves the wheel and turns it to her. He smiles at the sight of him and the white fur visible from the flash. "It's my dog.." His faces her and proudly introduces his pet for three years now. "Maeumi."

Jace takes the opportunity to look at the photo. Jungwon puts his hand back to drive, satisfied with the photo facing Jace and at the awe on her face. He lets Jace examine the photo.

Jungwon in black plain t-shirt sitting on a couch, hair covering almost his left eye, his hand holding onto Maeumi's neck, and the dog's ear covering his mouth.

She forces herself to focus on the dog.

"Babae ba o lalaki?" Jace is curious as to how to address the little. While Jace is not fond of kids, dogs are a different matter. It just so happens that they can't have one since Miggy has allergies.

"He's a he. He's been with us for three years now, a rescue dog." Jungwon is brought back to Maeumi's first days with them. His heart warms at a littler and younger version of Maeumi, less calm and unaccepting of his new home.

"My brother, Jino, the one who brought him home, told me kung gaano siya kailap nung una. Jino used to live with my aunt before he moved here with us since he wanted to finish his first year in high school in his old school. Pinag-adjust niya muna sa kaniya para may pamilyar sa kaniya bago niya dalhin dito."

Jace takes in the new character. She imagines he'd be a shorter version of Jungwon. Looking at the other, Jino would probably have more baby fats. Jace couldn't imagine another person with the same feline eyes so she leaves that part alone.

"Actually, hindi ako na naniwala. Kasi the first time I met him, pagkapasok ko palang sa pinto nagtatatalon na agad siya." Jungwon worries the other is finding him too much so he glances on her way. "I'm not making things up here, ah.."

Jace chuckles and shakes her head at him. "Hindi naman. You sound genuinely proud."

Jace shares this part of Maeumi. Being what a normal being would be around his fur dad. Jungwon chuckles with her.

"I am." His laugh rests on his warmed stomach. "Ikaw ba, any pets?"

She slowly shakes her head off, eyes meeting his. Her nose scrunch along the motion. "Hindi pwede, eh. Allergic si Miggy, pinsan ko."

Jungwon's first thought is that, he's satisfied at the name. His mind dates back to that sunday morning, two kids giggling over something. But a deeper space of his conscious only thinks of one thing: this is another piece of Jace she willingly unraveled.

"That's really unfortunate especially if you like pets." Jungwon is eager to know more. From the shallow to the deeper parts of her. "Do you?"

Jace does. And although the younger her who used to envy classmates for their dogs had buried that sadness because that's what she trained herself to do— not ask for anything— is still there. Somewhere it can still dig up but she buries back.

"I don't trust people who don't like dogs."

Their laughter again echoes in the car.

Maybe the only con of driving Jace home is when it's done. When her street comes into view and she insists on dropping her off a few meters from their lot.

The rest is all for Jungwon to cherish on his way back.

-

first, sorry for being out for two week i was on another writing slump. second, PLS DO VOTE ENHA ON MAMA THE RANK IS ALARMING GOODNESS.