Fervent Keeper (FK Series #3)

Kabanata 35

"Mon!" sigaw ni Angela na kumakaway nang nasa NAIA na ako. The familiar breeze of Manila welcomed me. I could see from afar that she was smiling from ear to ear. I waved back and waited for her to come near me. Kasama niya si Christoff. Mabilis niya akong sinalubong ng yakap.

"I miss you, Mon!" bungad niya. "Omg! Ang ganda mo lalo!"

Napangiti ako. "Miss ko na rin kayo."

Christoff also hugged me. "Welcome home. Gumanda ka talaga, a."

"Thanks, dude. Hindi n'yo kasama si Aizelle?"

Umiling si Christoff. "Binilin ko kila Mama."

I was honestly hoping that I'd get to see their daughter.

Their faces warmed my heart. They felt like my home. Seeing them made me realize how much I've missed a lot of things about them. We decided to eat in a nearby restaurant. We were already eating when Neo arrived.

"Sorry. I had some stuff to finish," he said when he sat beside me. He stared at me for a while before he muffled my hair. "You look great."

"Thanks. Matagal na," I told him.

He chuckled. "Oo naman."

"Kamusta, Mon?" Christoff asked me. "Tagal na rin."

"Yeah. It's been a long time," sabi ko pa. "Kayo, ba't ba hindi pa kayo nagpapakasal?"

"Angela wants you here when we get married."

"Yeah. Eh kasi, dapat nandito ka. Since, you're here naman, why don't we plan it out?" She turned to her boyfriend. "Ano, baby?"

"Ikaw lang naman hinihitay ko," Ani Christoff sa kanya. I smiled at them. They didn't know how I rooted for them to stay together and glad that they did.

"You look different now," Neo told me. "Not that it's a bad thing, but you've become mature."

"Yup. That's how life is. We mature as we grow old. Ikaw ba, how's your life?"

"It's still the same. I work hard for my family and for myself."

"Wala ka man lang nakuwento ni isang babae. Seriously, not even once. That's seven years, dude and you never dated!"

"Why are you pressed about me not dating?"

"Because you have to find someone who will make you happy?"

"I'm happy," he uttered. "I don't need someone to make me realize that. I'm happy living alone."

"You told me before that sometimes even the person who's content in his life would still wish for someone to be with him, isn't it the case for you?"

"Maybe." He shrugged and narrowed his gaze on me. "Wait. Why are we talking about my love life?"

"Of course, I'd ask you that. Hello, we don't call often kaya."

He smiled. "You missed me, huh."

"Of course, dude. Miss ko kayong lahat."

"Hay nako. Baka gusto n'yo kaming idamay!" Angela muttered. "Palagi na lang kayong may sariling topic. Ever since ganyan na kayo."

I chuckled at my cousin. "Nagtatanong e."

"Kamusta ka naman ro'n, Mon? Wala bang nagparamdam sa'yo?" Christoff's eyes darted to me.

"Wala," I answered. "I don't have time for that."

"Not even once, Mon?" Angela asked to confirm whether I was saying the truth. "Really?"