A/N: Helloooo everyone!
Kamusta ? Ang daming ayuda this weekend! Kaya na pa update ako haha!
Remember to ship responsibly and drink some water! This is a work of fiction!
AYAN tapusin na natin tong universe na to!
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It was the kind of afternoon meant for lingering.
Soft indie music played under the low hum of chatter and clinking utensils. Sunlight filtered through the café's linen curtains, bathing everything in an annoyingly peaceful glow. People were smiling. Dressed in pastels. Laughing like nothing hurt.
Mikha stirred her cappuccino absently.
Across from her sat Colet, Gwen, and Sheena, all halfway through their drinks, stealing glances at each other like they were silently forming a game plan. Mikha, for once, was giving them nothing.
She looked fine.
Impeccable, actually.
Low waist black trousers, fitted button-down slightly open at the collar, minimal jewellery in place. Her hair was down, soft waves tamed, sunglasses perched in her hair like always.
But she was quiet.
Too quiet.
No playful digs.
No sarcastic one-liners about last night's adventures.
No "guess who got lucky" smirks.
Just... silence.
And that was how they knew something was definitely wrong.
"Okay," Gwen said eventually, sipping her iced Americano. "Can someone tell me why our resident chaos queen is acting like she's in a breakup montage?"
Mikha blinked, finally looking up. "Ha?"
Colet leaned forward. "Mikha. Bai . Wala ka pa ring sinasabi simula nung dumating tayo. You haven't even insulted Sheena's drink order and that's usually your warm-up."
"Which, rude," Sheena added.
Gwen eyed her over the rim of her cup. "Bakit tahimik ka? What's going on?"
Mikha glanced at all three of them, then back down at her coffee.
Still stirring.
Still not drinking.
She shrugged. "Wala naman."
Colet snorted. "Yeah, that's believable. Wala daw. You? Tahimik? Parang impossible 'yon."
Mikha exhaled, lips twitching—like she wanted to say something snarky, but didn't have the strength.
"Okay..." Sheena leaned back, folding her arms. "Let's try this again. This is about the girl next door, no?"
Mikha stilled.
Gwen arched a brow. "Aiah, right?"
Silence again.
Then—finally—Mikha let out a long breath.
"Yeah."
There it was.
Colet nudged her lightly. "Okay. Spill. Anong nangyari?"
Mikha was quiet for a beat. Then another.
"She asked for space," she said finally. "And I gave it."
Sheena frowned. "Why?"
"Because I... messed up."
Colet leaned forward again. "Like, how bad?"
Mikha hesitated. Swallowed.
"Grocery run," she said. "We ran into someone from my past. Someone I used to hook up with. And I—" she paused, dragging her nails across the sleeve of her shirt. "I didn't say anything. I didn't introduce Aiah. I froze."
