Ngiting-ngiti akong pinagmamasdan ang leeg niya habang nagmamaneho pabalik sa Manila.
Segu-segundo akong sumusulyap doon habang natutulog siya. Nakasandal ang ulo niya sa bintana kaya kitang-kita ko 'yung work of art ko.
Yes, it's a work of art of mine, and I'm proud to say that I'm the artist.
After what happened last night, halos parehas na kaming hindi nakatulog, kaya parehas din kaming puyat.
Parehas din kaming hindi nakapag-ayos kaninang gumising kami, kaya hindi niya napansin 'yung mga hickeys sa leeg niya.
Kapag siguro nandito lang si River, papa-ulanan nanaman niya ako ng asar kasi halos hindi na mapawi ang ngiti ko sa labi ngayon.
She allowed me to court her, ang rason niya e nahawakan ko na raw kasi... but after a minute, she also confessed that she likes me. Parehas lang kami.
Alas singko kaninang umalis kami, and I need to work later at 8 am. Sakto lang dahil 7 o'clock kami makakarating.
Hindi pa rin ako maka get over. Shit. Parang dati lang pinagsasasabihan ko ang sarili ko na hindi kami puwede.
Who would thought that I did the first move to court her?
There's nothing wrong naman, diba? As long as I can handle her... and ilang months naman na, she'll graduate na from studying.
We can support each other naman na, soon.
All I need now is her parent's approval for the both of us, pero hihingin ko naman ang permisyo ni Eve, if it's okay for her.
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"Good morning, Yashi. How are you?" I asked via video call.
Via call na ang naging session namin dahil hindi nakayanan ng oras ko, gladly, Yashi agreed.
I apologize to her and her parents, at nag imbento na lang appropriate and acceptable reason.
Think wise.
"Doing good, doc." I heard her respond in the other line. I nodded my head to show her that I'm listening.
"Great. How have you been managing your anxiety over the past three days?" I asked again.
Napatingin ako sa taong nasa likod ng MacBook, taas kilay niya akong pinapanood kaya napalunok na lang ako.
Plus the fact that her legs are crossed while sitting and eating a chips.
Bantay sarado.
"I've been practicing deep breathing exercises daily and taking my medicine as prescribed. Overall, my anxiety is slightly better but still fluctuates."
Nabalik ang atensyon ko sa MacBook ko nang marinig kong sumagot si Yashi. I nodded my head again.
"That's indeed a good progress, Yashi. Continue what you're doing, and I suggest you to do some physical activities such as jogging, and start doing your hobbies so it can help your anxiety attack to lessen. We'll check in the next 4 days to see how these strategies are working for you." I responded. Nakita ko pa sa peripheral vision ko ang pag-awang ng labi ng pumpkin ko, animo'y namamangha.
Idol nanaman ako, hays.
I talk to Yashi for almost half an hour like we're just talking personally. Ganon naman talaga ang trabaho ko.
Nang matapos ay niligpit ko ang mga gamit ko.
Napatingin ako sa pumpkin ko nang napaka sama ng tingin niya sa'kin. I blinked multiple times, nagbabakasaling namamalik mata lang ako.