Hookup [MikhAiah] [Book #3]

12

—🐶—

3RD PERSON

Aira hums softly, the melody of a song swirling in her mind as her fingers tap the keys of her laptop. She's reviewing files sent over by the main manager of Girls Dead Monster—Chase, Miki, Johanne, and Gale's band. The portfolio is thorough, packed with information about the band members: their origins, their likes and dislikes, fun facts, and even more personal details that Aira knows she should treat with care. The manager had also mentioned that she sent Aira's profile to the band, something that made Aira raise an eyebrow before responding with a simple thumbs-up emoji.

But it isn't the confidential details that hold her attention. It's Chase's songwriting. Aira can't help but hum along to one of their recent tracks, a song that's been stuck in her head for days. There's something about it—its melody is catchy, yes, but the lyrics cut deeper. They feel personal, as if Chase had poured something heartbreakingly raw into them. Aira wonders if Chase wrote it from experience, the kind of pain that lingers beneath the surface, masked by upbeat rhythms.

She shakes her head slightly, trying to refocus. Her phone buzzes on the desk beside her laptop, but she ignores it for now, feeling the dryness in her throat. She needs a break. Pushing her chair back, Aira stands up and stretches, her mind wandering as she steps out of her room and heads toward the kitchen.

As she moves through the quiet house, her thoughts drift, circling back to Miki. Things between them have been... strange, to say the least. Aira still isn't sure what to make of it all—the stolen kisses, the heat between them, the way they both act like nothing happened once it's over.

Is it normal to have continuous make-out sessions with the person you slept with? Aira wonders, her thoughts spinning as she opens the fridge and grabs a water bottle. She unscrews the cap and takes a sip, but her mind isn't on the cold water. It's still on Miki. 

Is it normal to just... pretend like nothing happened after?

She walks back to her room, the bottle in hand, feeling the weight of her unanswered questions pressing down on her. What does Miki think about all this? Aira can't help but wonder if she's the only one caught in this confusing spiral.

Her phone rings, breaking through her thoughts. Startled, Aira glances at the screen. To her surprise, it's her friends. She hadn't spoken to them in a while, not since things with Miki started getting complicated. Maybe it's better that way—telling them what's been happening doesn't seem like a good idea.

She answers the call, and the screen immediately transitions into a video call. Sandy appears first, lounging on her bed with her arms draped over a pillow. Mela is outside, earbuds in, while Selene is at a coffee shop, her laptop open in front of her.

Sandy is the first to break the silence. "Ai! What have you been up to lately? Found any men—or maybe women?"

Aira lets out a quick laugh, brushing off the question. "No, not really on my bingo list to get into a relationship right now."

Mela, never one to let things go easily, chimes in. "Hindi mo naman need pumasok sa relasyon kaagad, just enjoy something with someone, you know?"

Aira's mind flashes back to Miki, to their heated make-out sessions in the car, the stolen kisses in the studio when the lights went out, the way they couldn't keep their hands off each other despite the pretense of normalcy. 

Does that count? Aira wonders, her lips twitching into a small smile. She knows better than to spill those details to her friends.

Instead, she steers the conversation away. "My dad gave me a small gig to keep me in the Philippines for a while," Aira explains, leaning back in her chair.

"So, hindi ka muna aalis abroad ulit?" Selene asks.

Aira shakes her head. "Hindi na muna siguro, I think I'll stay here for a bit, give myself a break from all the academic stuff. It's been non-stop."

The conversation eventually winds down, and when the call ends, Aira sets her phone aside. For a moment, she just stares at the ceiling, her mind drifting back to Miki. She picks up her phone again, her thumb hovering over Miki's contact. 

What are they? 

What have they been doing, falling into these secret, lust-filled moments without ever talking about it?

Aira's chest tightens slightly. She wants answers, but part of her is afraid to ask.

—🦊—

Across town, Miki fidgets with a pen, her acoustic guitar resting in her lap. She stares down at her notebook, where lyrics have been hastily scribbled across the page. It's not like her to write songs. Usually, she leaves that to Chase, but lately, with everything that's been happening... her thoughts have been all over the place.

She chuckles quietly to herself, shaking her head. A one-night stand was all it was supposed to be. Now, it's turned into secret make-out sessions with Aira—her boss's daughter, no less. The absurdity of it all makes her laugh again, but the humor doesn't ease the weight sitting in her chest.

Ano bang ginagawa mo sa buhay mo, Miki?

Miki hums a melody under her breath as she strums a few chords on her guitar, trying to piece together a new song.

The lyrics she's been working on are a little... explicit. She knows this one probably won't make it onto their next album. Hell, it might not even be released at all.

Fans would get suspicious. She'd have to explain why she wrote something like this. Has Miki been like this? To be able to write such song requires a huge amount of feelings..

Unless based on the guitarist's experience.

But that doesn't bother her. Miki's never been one to care much about what people think.

She keeps writing.

The only person on her mind being her.

Aira.