Serendipitous

There was a Kiss

"ARGHHH! Anak ng siomai naman! Bakit ayaw mag-load?"

Maine's hand is getting tired of holding up her friend's phone. Kanina pa siya kaliwa't kanan kakahanap ng signal.

"Wala ngang signal dito sa loob. Kung igo-google mo din lang si Bae tanungin mo na lang ako. Matagal ko ng na-stalk yan. Pero mamaya na, they're playing my favorite song!"

Reluctantly, Maine hands the phone back to Jan who immediately pockets it and focuses back at the stage.

The band are now singing about isaw and hopia and cheap dates and true love. It seems to be a pretty popular tune with the crowd who are singing it with them. Hindi na niya na maistorbo ulit si Jan when the girl started singing the catchy song and bopping to its beat.

The people on the very front of the stage were making grabby hands to the band, at least the ones who are not holding on to their recording devices, and since their vocalist is the only one with the available hand, he's the one trying to touch them all. Security was having a hard time trying to contain the crowd; at least the ones in the grabbing distance. When the song finishes, Alden kisses the back of the hand of one of the girls near the stage and throw in a wink at another girl's direction.

"What a flirt." Maine huffs.

"Fan service." Her friend counters. "Tsaka bakit affected ka?"

"Bawal na mag-comment?"

"Mabait yan si Papi. Medyo pilyo pero mabait daw yan." Jan assures her. "Syempre hindi tayo sure; hindi naman tayo ang kasama araw-araw. Pero sabi nila mabait."

Maine looks on from the balcony as the guy in question hands their drummer a hand towel for her sweat then messes her hair.

"Sila ba nung drummer?"

"Girl? Seryoso ka ba? Di mo ba nakita si Papi Je at si Valeen kanina?"

"Pwede naman kasi diba?"

"Mag best friend sina Papi Je at si Bae. Boys don't mess with their best friend's girl kahit na sabihing laro-laro lang. Sa tingin mo, kanino sa kanilang dalawa nagre-react si Valeen? Trust me, Jerald and Val- OH freakin' TI freakin' PI."

"Weh?"

"The fandom knows these things. Kalma ka lang, Papi Alden is still available for all of us."

"Not really what I was getting into."

"Meng, shhh... Dumadating talaga lahat tayo sa phase ng buhay natin na magka-crush kay Alden Richards. It's an automatic fandom thing."

"Reminder lang noh, I am not in this fandom."

"Wala pa." Her friend smirks. "Pero step one yung pag go-google kay Bae."

"Ugh! Hindi kasi yun ang dahilan--"

"Step two yung pagtatanong kung may girlfriend na siya."

Napa-face palm na lang sa frustration si Maine.

"Welcome to the fandom, bhe." Jan sniggers.

------------

The fourth time RJ and Maine met, it was a rare sunny day. RJ, feeling dejected, was laying down on a bench.

The trip to New York was supposed to be a breather for his hectic life. Although matagal ng pangarap ng banda ang magbreak through sa mainstream, hindi siya naging handa sa biglaang kawalan ng privacy sa buhay nila. Sa una nakakatuwa ang atensyon ng media at ng mga fans. Pero hindi lahat ng atensyon positive. He knew not everyone was going to like them. Nang magpatong patong na ang lahat- the bashing, the avid adoration, and the expectations, muntik na siyang mag-quit. His band mates, his friends, even his family were a real trooper with everything. Hindi pa lang siguro siya sanay.

Anim na buwan pa lang sila sa limelight pero andaming beses na siyang nagbreak down. Kaya kahit na malapit na ang first concert ng banda, pinagbakasyon muna siya ng manager nila.

Being anonymous in this strange city is making him see what he's been missing out. Being RJ again, not Alden Richards, was freeing. With no worries, he could breathe more easily.

Also there's that girl who doesn't see him as anybody else but RJ.

A stranger in a strange land. Always with a beautiful smile.

He's met her thrice but he still hasn't gotten her number yet. Torpe kasi, sasabihin ni Je.

Hindi niya napansin na napapangiti na pala siya habang iniisip ang dalaga. Maine. Her name is Maine.

And it was as if the wind conjured her in front of him out of his thoughts; suddenly, there she was, leaning down on him, smiling back.

"Hey, stranger!"

Napabangon siya bigla sa pagkakahiga sa bench. Sa pagmamadali niya ay hindi agad naka-iwas si Maine at nagdampi ang kanilang mga labi.

He stopped. She did too. For a brief moment, they were both too stunned to move. His lips were touching hers. It felt like the whole world collectively held their breath.

Then she moved back and he woke up.

"Grabe ka! You haven't taken me out for dinner yet or kahit coffee man lang pero nakaisa ka na ha!" She was holding her blushing cheeks and mock pouting at him.

He opened his mouth to say something but nothing would come out. He just kept staring at her.

"Biro lang, ito naman!"

He opened his mouth and closed it again.

"First kiss mo ba yun? Hala, sorry!"

He looked at her incredulously.

"What?! Malay ko ba. Say something!"

"I want to say sorry but I'm really really not."

Pareho silang nag-blush.

"Breezy mo!"

"Coffee tayo?"

"Oi, I didn't mean it like that. Joke lang yun. You don't have to take me out."

"Ah but I want to. Please?"

"Bakit?"

"Anong bakit?"

"Inaano ba kita?"

You never fail to make me smile.

"Andami-daming tao sa NYC, sa apat na araw ko dito, apat na beses na rin tayong pinagkikita. 4 out of 4. What are the chances? I think the universe is trying to tell us something."

"Maliit ang mundo. Yun lang yun."

"Sabi ko naman kasi sa'yo tadhana."

"Tadhana?" she scoffs, "Huwag mong sabihing naniniwala ka na dun?"

"Hindi dati pero ngayon, I'm starting to."

She gave him a disbelieving stare.

He answered with a playful eyebrow wiggle.

"Ang breezy mo, kainis!"

She said yes to the coffee date.

---

Hopia sa Google haha (sareh na) Hindi pa daw ito ang tamang panahon nila pero naka-score naman si Papi kaya yaan n'yo na.

Thoughts on this chapter?

-Eris