Mikha watched as Aiah packed the last of her belongings into her suitcase, the once lived-in hotel room now looking empty, stripped of all the little touches that had made it feel like hers these past two weeks.
Mikha hated it.
Hated how final it felt.
Hated that after tonight, Aiah wouldn't just be ten minutes away.
She had taken the day off today—Jho had graciously agreed to cover for her, not without her usual teasing, of course.
"Sige, sige, mag-leave ka na, Lim. Pero in-exchange, gusto ko ng full chismis pagbalik mo. 'Wag mong i-gatekeep ang long-distance drama!"
Mikha had just rolled her eyes, knowing full well Jho wouldn't let her hear the end of it for weeks.
But right now?
Right now, she couldn't even think about that.
Because watching Aiah close her suitcase felt like a kind of torture she hadn't braced herself for.
Even though they had both promised to keep this going, to make it work, Mikha still felt that familiar lump in her throat—the one that only came when she was trying too damn hard not to cry.
She was going to miss her.
Seeing her.
Touching her.
Kissing her.
This was going to be hard as hell.
Mikha let out a heavy sigh, forcing a teasing smirk. "Urgh, sama nalang kaya ako sa Manila?"
Aiah, who had been fussing with her bag, immediately turned, walking over until she was standing right in front of Mikha, looking at her like she was considering it.
Then, without a word, she climbed onto her lap, wrapping her arms firmly around Mikha's neck.
"Don't even joke about that, Mikha. I will literally pack you in my suitcase in an instant."
Mikha snorted, hands instinctively resting on Aiah's waist. "Uhm, grabe. You can also buy me an actual seat, you know. Ang stingy naman ng—"
She paused.
The word had almost slipped out naturally, before she could even register it.
But Aiah caught it.
Of course, she did.
Her lips curved into a knowing smile as she tilted her head, eyes dancing with amusement.
"Ng ano?"
Mikha stalled, feigning innocence. "Ano?"
Aiah leaned in, brushing her nose against Mikha's, voice dropping to something softer, sweeter.
"Sinong kuripot?"
Mikha groaned, burying her face into Aiah's shoulder. "Aiah..."
"Ano nga?"
Mikha huffed, voice muffled against her skin—
"Girlfriend ko."
The room felt different after those words left her lips.
The weight of it.
The truth of it.
Aiah pulled back slightly, and when Mikha finally met her gaze, she found her looking at her like she had just won something important.
Like she had been waiting to hear it.
"At pa-baby ang girlfriend ko." Aiah laughed, pressing a kiss to Mikha's cheek.
