The next morning, Mikha sat at her desk, her coffee untouched as she stared blankly at her laptop. She was attempting to get back into her usual work routine—planning the next event, reviewing invoices, and double-checking the club's calendar.
But every few minutes, her mind drifted back to the night before: the park lights, Aiah's teasing grin, the soft hum of the gondola ride, and... the kiss.
Her phone vibrated beside her, breaking her thoughts. She reached for it without much thought, her thumb swiping across the screen to open her notifications.
And there it was: Aiah Arceta posted a new photo.
Mikha froze. Her heart skipped a beat as she clicked the notification.
The post was a photo set from last night. The first photo was of the Ferris wheel, its lights glittering against the night sky. The second was of the two ice cream cones—one chocolate, one vanilla—sitting on a brightly colored table. The third photo, however, stopped Mikha in her tracks.
It was blurry, slightly out of focus, clearly taken mid-walk. In the frame was a figure with unmistakable red hair, caught in motion under the soft glow of a lantern. It was Mikha, or at least it had to be, though her face wasn't visible.
The caption read: "Last night was fun. Boss mode: temporarily off. 🎡🎠🍦"
Mikha's stomach twisted as she stared at the blurry image. Her red hair was the only clue, but it was enough to make her instantly recognizable to anyone who knew her. Her first instinct was to text Aiah, but she hesitated.
It's not even obvious it's me, she reasoned. Right?
Her phone buzzed again, this time with a message from Aiah.
Aiah: Don't worry. No tags. The mystery adds to your charm. 😉
Mikha sighed, setting her phone down and burying her face in her hands. "What did I get myself into?"
The day dragged on with little relief. Mikha managed to power through most of her work, ignoring her phone except for the occasional email. By the time lunchtime rolled around, she was starting to feel like she'd successfully avoided the fallout from Aiah's post.
And then Colet walked into her office unannounced, her grin already wide and dangerous.
Mikha didn't bother looking up. "What do you want, Colet?"
"Wow, walang 'hi' or 'hello,'" Colet said, plopping down into the chair across from Mikha's desk. "Baka masama ang gising mo. Or should I say, masama ang gising sa social media?"
Mikha froze for half a second before schooling her expression and glancing up. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Really?" Colet said, her voice dripping with mock innocence. She pulled out her phone and held it up, the screen displaying Aiah's post. She zoomed in on the blurry red hair in the third photo. "Kasi ako, parang kilala ko to. Medyo... familiar, eh."
Mikha pinched the bridge of her nose, exhaling slowly. "You're impossible."
"And you're caught," Colet said, laughing as she leaned back in her chair. "Aiah didn't tag you, sure, pero hindi naman siya subtle, Mikha. Alam mo, hindi ka pwedeng magtago ngayon."
"I wasn't trying to hide anything," Mikha said defensively, though her cheeks turned pink.
"Oh, sure. So, yung pag-blur ng picture, kasama ba yan sa professional boss mode aesthetics mo?" Colet teased.
Mikha shot her a glare. "Are you done?"
"Not even close," Colet replied, her grin widening. She leaned forward, resting her elbows on the desk. "So? Kamusta ang date niyo kagabi?"
