Hookup [MikhAiah] [Book #3]

24

—🦊🐶—

Miki's mind is in turmoil. Thoughts she's tried to ignore – images and ideas that stir something deep within her – cloud her focus. She attempts to dismiss them, shaking her head slightly, forcing herself to stop. She doesn't want to lose herself to the dizzying pull of it all.

As they enter the cabin, Miki places her bag on one of the beds, taking in the room's tropical theme with mild disdain. The wallpaper is a striking red, patterned with oversized floral designs that clash against her usual taste. She sighs in relief, noticing the two queen beds – thankfully, they wouldn't have to share. Sharing a bed with Aira would just be... too much to handle.

Aira follows her inside, placing her luggage on the other bed. For a moment, silence takes over, filling the room with a strange tension neither of them acknowledges. Then, breaking the silence, Aira clicks her tongue and turns toward the door. Miki, caught by an urge she doesn't fully understand, reaches out instinctively, her hand finding Aira's wrist.

"Where are you going?" she blurts out, her grip gentle but firm.

Aira blinks, surprised by Miki's sudden touch and question. A small smile tugs at her lips. "Diba gusto mo muna matulog pagdating natin? I was thinking you could rest—"

"Ah, that was a lie," Miki admits, realizing she's still holding Aira's wrist. She lets go, feeling her cheeks flush. "I just... wasn't in the mood for coffee kanina," she explains, sitting down on the edge of the bed.

Aira nods slowly. "Okay..." she murmurs, casting a look that lingers a bit longer than usual. Miki wants to say something more, to reach past the unspoken barrier between them, to grasp whatever this is between them. "Aira," she begins, her voice soft but determined. "What do you think of m—"

Her words hang unfinished as the door bursts open, revealing Gale, Chase, and Johanne, their voices filling the room as they laugh and joke. Johanne grins wide, oblivious to the interrupted moment. "Tapos na kayo mag-unpack? Tara, lunch muna tayo!"

Miki sighs internally, though maybe it's for the best. They're not ready for that conversation – not now, anyway. "Hindi pa kami nakakapag-unpack," she says, flashing a warm smile toward Aira. "But it can wait, diba, Aira?"

Aira's gaze softens as she catches Miki's expression. A subtle spark lights her eyes. "Yeah, tara? We can have lunch na rin, onti lang din kinain kong breakfast."

The group grins in unison as they head out of the cabin, descending the stairs. Before they reach the exit, Chase pulls out some printed posters. "Here," she says, distributing the copies. "We might want to start promoting the con habang naglalakad tayo. Boss said we can post them around the resort – the owner gave the okay."

Each of them grabs a few copies, and they step outside, the sun casting a warm glow over the resort. They head toward the large cafeteria, a vibrant buffet filled with a range of dishes. Tables are covered in fresh seafood, milkshakes in all colors, and a separate section is dedicated to spicy cuisine, with staples like sinigang and spicy Filipino and foreign dishes on display.

After setting the posters on their table to avoid staining them, they each go their own way to gather food. Miki gathers a few scoops of salad and water, while the others fill their plates with their favorites. As they return to the table, their conversations flow naturally, laughter and chatter filling the air. Johanne fangirls over the salad bar, and Chase recounts how the chef recognized them and wished them luck on their performance later.

Miki smiles along with the others but finds her gaze drifting. Across the table, Aira is focused on her plate, carefully eating a piece of lumpia. She tries to pay attention to the conversation but can't help feeling entranced by the subtle expressions on Aira's face. Completely lost in her own thoughts, she barely registers the lunch chatter around her.

Eventually, as the meal winds down and they prepare to leave, Chase mentions stopping by a vending machine. "Ay, kuha lang ako drinks," she says, pointing at the machine a bit farther down the hall.

Aira decides to join her. "I'll get one rin, feeling ko hindi ako natunawan sa milkshake masyado," she says with a laugh, standing and following Chase. Watching them walk away together stirs something uneasy within Miki. She tries to brush it off, but the feeling gnaws at her, an unwelcome jealousy prickling her chest as she watches Chase's friendly gestures toward Aira.

At the vending machine, Chase tilts her head with a playful grin. "Anong gusto mo?" she asks.

Aira rolls her eyes, unable to hide her amusement. "Sasabihin ko kung hindi mo kukunin para sakin," she jokes. Chase chuckles, nudging her to go first. Aira lets out a laugh, reaching into her bag to retrieve a bill. She selects an energy drink, her fingers brushing the cold metal of the machine's slot as she takes the can. Chase raises an eyebrow.

"Energy drink? Mahilig ka pala dyan?"

Aira laughs, inserting her own bill and choosing an energy drink. "Sakto lang," she explains, "I just need something different today lang."

But Chase's attention is caught by something else – the necklace around Aira's neck. It looks oddly familiar, and a name surfaces in her mind, unbidden. "Aria..." she mutters under her breath.

"Sorry?" Aira asks, looking confused.

Chase repeats, "Aria. Do you know anyone named Aria?"

Aira hesitates, her brow furrowing slightly. The name stirs a faint, unrecognizable feeling within her, but she shakes her head. "No... not really."

"It's just that... pareho kayo ng necklace, a locket." Chase murmurs, almost more to herself than to Aira. She reaches for Aira's wrist, examining the locket more closely, and Aira feels a flicker of discomfort. She doesn't like talking about the necklace, not with anyone. But before she can react, she catches a glimpse of Miki standing in the distance, watching them. Guilt prickles under her skin as Miki turns and swiftly walks away.

Pulling her wrist from Chase's grasp, Aira clears her throat. "Sorry, Chase. I don't know anyone named Aria," she says softly before excusing herself. "I'll.... I'll see you back at the cabin na lang."

Miki walks back to the cabin alone, the weight of her unspoken feelings bearing down on her as she crumples a poster in her hand. Lost in her thoughts, she doesn't even notice when a stranger accidentally bumps into her. The girl apologizes, "I'm so sorry—" retrieving a volleyball that had fallen to the ground. Miki quickly flashes a tight smile, "No worries! Kasalanan ko rin," she says before jogging away, not realizing that the crumpled poster had slipped from her pocket, she cusses herself for not even helping the girl..

She enters the cabin, heading straight to her room. But before she can fully settle into her thoughts, she hears a familiar voice behind her.

"Miki." Aira's voice is soft, laced with a hesitant tenderness. Miki's chest tightens at the sound, and she doesn't want to hear words that might feel like pity or hollow comfort. But the silence stretches, charged and heavy. Before she can stop herself, Miki takes a step forward, standing face-to-face with Aira, her heart racing.

"What are we, Aira?"