**
---
The morning sun was just starting to rise as Aiah tied her shoelaces tightly, her heartbeat already picking up—not from the jogging, but from the nervous energy swirling inside her. This wasn't just any run. This was *the* run. The first official public "date" with Mikha, all part of the management's plan to squash the recent controversy. Jogging at the UP Sunken Garden was Aiah's idea. It had always been her favorite spot for clearing her mind.
She pulled out her phone to check the time. *Ay grabe, late na ko!* She was supposed to meet her friends—Ria, Fons, and Princess—there too. They were her solid crew from Enderun Colleges, and if anyone could make this situation less awkward, it would be them. But deep down, she knew they also had a lot of unspoken things to deal with, especially regarding Mikha.
Aiah let out a deep breath. *Bahala na si Batman.*
Just as she was about to head out, a voice pulled her out of her thoughts.
"Aiah, ready ka na ba?" Mikha stood there, her eyes calm but lips slightly tense. The quiet, unsure energy between them buzzed like static.
"Uh, oo naman. Tara na, baka hinihintay na tayo nina Ria." Aiah managed a smile, pero alam mo 'yung feeling na parang... awkward? Yeah, that was exactly it.
---
**At the UP Sunken Garden**
When they arrived at the Sunken Garden, Fons and Ria were already doing stretches, while Princess was scrolling through her phone, leaning against a tree. The peaceful green of the garden was punctuated by the morning breeze, but the tension between Aiah and Mikha felt like a boulder blocking the path.
"Hoy! Late!" Ria teased as she spotted them approaching. She gave Aiah a knowing look, then her eyes flicked to Mikha. Oh, Ria knew *everything*—the whole story, every drunken confession from Aiah after she and Mikha broke things off months ago.
"Ayy, nakoooo! Sino tong kasama natin? *Public date* daw ito, pero parang too private, ah!" Fons, ever the joker, grinned widely as he gestured toward Mikha with playful eyebrows.
Aiah laughed nervously, feeling her heart race for different reasons now. "Ah, kilala nyo naman si Mikha, 'di ba?" She introduced casually, hoping to lighten the mood. *Act natural lang. Natural lang. Kaya natin 'to.*
"Of course, sino ba naman ang hindi nakakakilala sa Mikhaiah!" Princess quipped with a smirk, nudging Fons.
Mikha, who was clueless about the *true* backstory between Aiah and these friends, smiled politely. "Nice to meet you all again. Aiah always talks about how much fun you guys are," she said, trying to play it cool.
Ria raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Talaga ba? Fun nga naman kami... especially kapag may chika na hindi dapat palampasin!" Her teasing tone made Aiah's cheeks burn a bit. She could sense what was coming.
Before Ria could continue teasing, Aiah interrupted, trying to steer the conversation back to neutral territory. "O, game! Stretch na tayo, and then we can start jogging."
They all started warming up, but Aiah could feel Fons and Ria's glances. They knew about the *complicated history* she shared with Mikha, and while Mikha was busy doing her stretches, Ria leaned over to Aiah and whispered, "Uy, girl, sure ka dito? How are you feeling? Alam ko pa rin yung nangyari, ha."
Aiah bit her lip and nodded. "Wala, past na yun. Kailangan ko nalang ito gawin... for work, pero, I don't know, parang... weird."
"Parang *weird*?" Ria gave her a pointed look. "Aiah, 'weird' lang ba talaga? Ibang level na 'to, especially with what you guys had before. Naaalala mo ba nung umiiyak ka sa amin nung gabi na yun?"
Aiah cringed, remembering that one night she got too drunk, spilling all her feelings after the breakup with Mikha. "Ria, stop it," Aiah whispered, feeling more embarrassed.
Meanwhile, Fons, who had been listening quietly from behind, casually said, "So Mikha doesn't know that we're, what, part of the *Ex-Files*?" He chuckled.
Aiah shot him a glare. "Fons, seryoso? Tumahimik ka nalang, please. Iba to. Ibang situation. Wala na nga yun, eh."
Princess, ever the calm voice in the group, stepped in. "Tara na, before things get too awkward. Besides, we're here to jog, not to spill all the *tsismis* in the world."
"Too late for that!" Ria joked, throwing a glance at Mikha, who was now ready to start the jog, completely unaware of the whispers happening around her.
---
**The Jog Begins**
They started their jog, pacing themselves with light banter in between. Mikha ran beside Aiah, silent but her presence palpable. Aiah tried her best to focus on the rhythmic beat of her feet hitting the ground, but her mind kept wandering back to Mikha's quiet demeanor beside her. It felt so much like the old days—those sweet, secret jogging dates when things were simpler.
"So, you've always liked running, huh?" Mikha finally broke the silence, her voice soft but curious.
Aiah smiled, memories flooding back. "Yeah, it helps me think. Clears my head." She glanced at Mikha, catching her eyes briefly. "Remember that time I tried to teach you? You hated it," Aiah teased.
Mikha chuckled, the sound both nostalgic and warm. "Yeah, because you're too fast. I remember trying to keep up with you and feeling like I was gonna die."
"Haha! You were so out of breath, para kang maaano na," Aiah laughed.
Ria, who had been jogging behind them, couldn't help but add, "Hoy! Seryoso? Parang hindi mo binanggit yan dati ah, Aiah! Saan ba tong *sweet jogging dates* na 'to nagaganap ha?"
Aiah's face turned beet red. "Ria! Tumahimik ka nalang please."
Fons, running beside Princess, also chimed in, "Ayan na! The secrets are out! We need the full story, Aiah. Parang dati mo pa gusto ikwento yan pero 'di mo matuloy-tuloy."
Aiah groaned. "Guys, jogging tayo, hindi storytelling! Focus nalang sa takbo, please."
But Fons just grinned and continued, "So Mikha, what's the deal here? You two pretending for publicity or is this the start of something new?"
Mikha glanced at Aiah, who was clearly flustered, and then shrugged. "Well, I guess we'll have to see where things go, right?" she said with a small smile.
---
**The Cool Down**
After what felt like hours, they finally slowed down and decided to rest by one of the benches near the garden. The air was cool, the sun just starting to warm up the day.
Princess handed Aiah a bottle of water. "So... paano kayo ngayon, Mikha?" she asked carefully. "I mean, after everything, ano yung status?"
Mikha looked down at the ground, her expression thoughtful. "We're figuring it out. Hindi pa naman official... well, publicly lang for now. Pero... it's complicated."
Aiah bit her lip, nodding silently. *Complicated* was the perfect word to describe it.
