The grocery store was unusually crowded for a weekday evening.
Mikha lazily steered her cart down the produce aisle, scrolling through her phone with the other hand.
Itlog. Tinapay. Kape. Something green para hindi ako sermonan ni Jho.
She exhaled through her nose, weaving through the maze of carts and distracted shoppers.
It had been weeks since the school event, weeks since she last saw Aiah slumped over her steering wheel.
Mikha hadn't seen her at drop-offs or school events since. Not that she was looking.
Much.
She turned the corner into the snack aisle, her mind elsewhere, thumb still tapping her phone.
And then—
THUD.
"Shit—sorry!" Mikha's head snapped up, realizing she had crashed her cart into someone else's.
Correction: directly into someone.
Aiah.
Of course.
Because the universe clearly had nothing better to do.
"Grabe—watch where you're going!" Aiah snapped, gripping the edge of her cart.
Her eyes widened when she saw Mikha.
"Oh."
Mikha blinked.
And blinked again.
Because if Mikha was a mess in an oversized hoodie and sneakers, Aiah looked like she had just stepped out of a magazine.
Tailored coat, sleek slacks, minimal makeup—perfectly polished, like nothing in her life was even slightly out of place.
Classic Aiah.
She had always been like this. Beautiful. Collected. Impossibly composed.
Mikha had spent years in awe of it.
Of her.
And maybe that had been the problem.
Aiah was too good at hiding the cracks.
Too good at holding everything together until it shattered.
Mikha cleared her throat, forcing herself to speak.
"Oh god, sorry, I didn't see you there."
Aiah exhaled sharply, brushing imaginary dust off her coat.
"Clearly." Aiah muttered, shaking her head.
Mikha raised a brow. "O, rude ka ngayon? Hindi ko naman hobby mangbangga ng cart."
Aiah crossed her arms, eyeing Mikha's nearly empty cart.
"And you're still shopping like a college student. Kape tsaka chips?"
Mikha smirked. "Excuse me, balanced diet 'to."
Aiah's lips twitched, but she quickly caught herself.
For a beat, they just stood there, surrounded by shelves of chips and biscuits.
Mikha gestured to Aiah's cart, filled with healthy snacks, fresh produce, and a bouquet of flowers.
"Let me guess. May grocery list ka pa rin na sorted per aisle?"
Aiah raised an eyebrow. "At ikaw pa rin 'yung walang listahan, bahala na si Batman."
Mikha chuckled, rubbing the back of her neck.
