Back to You || Maiden/Aldub

s i x

2016 - Two years ago.

"Meng, dinner natin mamaya. Don't forget." He reminded her for the third time today - once over the phone and the other when she had arrived the set of the new movie the two were filming together.

"Opo!" She laughed, giving him a quick hug and peck on the cheek before running off to the van that waited to take her to her endorsement shoot. "Ikaw ang magpick up sa akin, right?"

Alden nodded, giving her a thumbs up before he was whisked away by Direk Joey, so that he can finish his last scene for the day. "Text me pag nakadating ka na sa shoot!" He called over his shoulder. "Don't forget to rest--"

"Oo na, gets nya na!" Direk Joey chuckled, pulling Alden along. They were a bit behind schedule due to the weather, and Alden's over-protective nature at the moment was not helping.

"Hayyy, ang sarap ma in-love." Maine's road manager, Kathy, sighed dramatically as she climbed into the van, grabbing Maine's attention who was still busy laughing at Alden and their director. "Grabe na kayo ha, relationship goals na talaga to."

"Ay nako I wish, Tita." Maine frowned, as she began to get comfortable in the vehicle - knowing for a fact that their car ride will be a long one; from Batanggas to Quezon City.

Since there was rarely any down time in her schedule, she was so used to taking advantage of the small moments where she can squeeze a relaxation or some shut eye.

"Bakit hindi mo nalang kasi sabihin sa kanya what you really feel?" Kathy suggested, turning to face the girl who was now sprawled out in the back seat, with her favorite 'Alden' pillow tucked behind her neck. It was the matching pillow given to them by fans at the beginning of the Aldub phenomenon; and since then the two seemed to have brought the pillow everywhere. From shoot to shoot, Alden and Maine wouldn't be caught dead without the pillows that had each others' faces printed on them.

"Kayo kasi, pakipot pa, alam na alam naman ng tao'ng bayan na gusto nyo ang isa't isa." She added.

"I'm a girl, Tita. I can't be making the first move." Maine reasoned. "Besides, parang hindi pa naman sya ready sa relationship."

"Eh ano'ng tawag sa inyo ngayon? Kulang na nga lang mag live-in kayo." Her manager turned back to face the front. "You guys act like an old married couple."

This wasn't a new conversation that Maine had; she had heard this from many of the people that were there to witness the two's relationship from the beginning. At first they were as patient as Maine, but over time they took notice of Alden's actions and began to push her to make the first move instead.

But of course, Maine would tell them no and simply reason that she was willing to wait until he was ready to be the one to come up and finally put a label on what it is the they had.

Though, there was always that one voice in her head that kept on asking ' But what if...?'. And as time passed, it was beginning to get harder and harder for Maine to silence that voice - letting it grow louder and louder each time someone teased her about making the first move.

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"How was your shoot?" Alden asked, pushing his now empty plate away from him, focusing on the girl sat across from him.

He couldn't help but notice that she was eating much slower than usual, not to mention much quieter too.

Maine replied with a 'Mabuti' before going back to playing with her food that she barely took any bites from.