Beneath The Surface

Chapter 25: Powerpuff Girls

"ATE!" Aika was ambushed by Tricia and Jill the second she stepped out of the arrival hall.

"What's with this unusually warm welcome..." Aika joked as Jill offered to take her luggage.

"We were just glad to see you, ate." Tricia grinned cheekily.

"More like you were glad to see my credit card, right bunso?" Aika teased Jill.

"Can't refute that...you know what's it like being a poor undergrad!" Jill leaned her head onto Aika's shoulder and whined.

"One second..." Aika's phone was buzzing. It was Nat.

"Hey, isn't it like 4am there?" Aika turned on the video function at Tricia and Jill's nudging.

"It is, I happened to wake up and wondered if you reached safely..." Nat was obviously half awake.

"HI KUYA! JILL AND I ARE HERE TOO!" Tricia and Jill squeezed next to Aika.

"Oh hi ladies! Please take care of yourselves and your ate for me! I'll call you later, sunshine..." Nat smiled as he waved.

"Go get your sleep, big boy." Aika chuckled as she saw Nat yawn.

"Sunshine? Big boy? I think I have goosebumps..." Jill and Tricia imitated Nat and Aika.

~

"So...tell us more about Singapore! How was it like meeting the in-laws?" Tricia bugged Aika the second they reached the apartment.

"It was great, better than Nat and I expected? Uncle, Auntie and Karine, Nat's younger sister were really welcoming. Oh, Uncle was friends with papa! He knew papa since he was mayor of Naga and even came for his funeral...although I think none of us really had a memory of seeing him." Aika shared.

"No way...does mama know him too?" Tricia and Jill were equally surprised.

"Uncle mentioned that papa and mama helped him the most when he was struggling with the passing of Nat's mother." Aika nodded as she explained further.

"Woah, so you and kuya were destined for each other?" Jill was amazed.

"Destined or not, we did find each other..." Aika smiled.

"Goosebumps but true. Anyways, we have a full course planned out for us powerpuff girls for the next 3 weeks." Tricia and Jill beamed proudly as Jill whipped out her iPad with their schedule.

"Full force until the 24th of December?" Aika looked at the fully packed timeline.

"It's our last dose of fun before going into campaign season, we have to make full use of it, ate!" Jill reasoned.

"Jill's right. Both of us have been so busy that we deserve a break." Tricia agreed.

"Also, I signed me and ate Trish up for a marathon next week." Jill announced.

"Please tell me I'm not involved?" Aika's eyes shook.

"You are. As our cheerleader!" Tricia winked.

"I'd rather do that over running 21km in winter." Aika chuckled.

"That aside, a new restaurant just opened across the street but we haven't got to try it yet because it's so pricey..." Jill showed Aika pictures from Instagram.