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XIV. Old Wounds

The air felt heavy between them as they sat, opposite to each other, in a Japanese restaurant, words waiting to be exchanged. His words were at the tip of his tongue, but his uncertainty of her response steeled his resolve to just let it linger a bit longer.

"I know what you want to ask me about."

How...?

"Mel told me," she continued, as if telepathically knowing the question in his head.

He nodded mutely, for her to carry on.

"I guess I do owe you some sort of an explanation."

He didn't respond.

"Oh, this is hard!" her voice broke slightly and she buried her face in her hands.

He reached over and tugged on her forearms, prompting her to look up at him.

"Later," he whispered, "let's just enjoy the meal now."

At his words, her heart felt somewhat lighter - strangely. It was as if she was being reassured. But of what? Regardless, now that the elephant in the room has been somewhat addressed, it moved to the back of her mind, as they sunk into comfortable conversation, complete with jesting and teasing from both ends.

"Remember the time when I went to the set, finally on time, and I texted you, 'Someone's early!' Only to find out that I got the date wrong and it's our day off?"

"Oh yeah, that one! I was still catching up on beauty sleep. It really was the funniest joke I've woken up to in a long while. I really couldn't stop laughing. Oh, and speaking of good times, do you recall how crazy we went at the NBA match?"

"Gosh, in your own words, you were 'screaming like a banshee'. I didn't think you'd still be able to sing the next day, but you still did."

She laughed hard, "I didn't think I'd be able to sing either."

"Thank goodness for our anonymity in the U.S.?"

She nodded, "Thank goodness only a handful would be able to recognise us. Or we'd be splattered on the headlines the next day. And it wouldn't be the pretty sort."

He snorted in response, covering his mouth as soon as he did, and they broke into hysterics again, tears spilling out of their eyes.

"Lea Salonga and Aga Muhlach - no respect for reputation."

"Oh gosh," she responded, laughing and shaking her head at the same time, "we'd be so embarrassed."

"I'd cut it out and frame it though," he said in a contemplative tone, and she laughed harder.

"You know what? I think I might have gotten full from laughing."

"So have I. Shall we leave?"

Getting a positive from her, he raised a hand for the bill.

"We'll go Dutch," she warned. He had the tendency of picking up the tab. She's not sure if it's just with her, or with everyone else. But being the independent woman she was, she wasn't about to let anyone pay for what's in her stomach - male or otherwise, friend or not.

"Unless he's your significant other?" a voice resounded in her head.

"Get out," she hissed back at it.

Misunderstanding the look on her face that was meant for the busybody devil in her mind, he raised both his arms in surrender, "Alright, alright!"

After splitting the bill, they left the restaurant to walk along the pier.