"Ano na ba, Mr. Faulkerson? It's been a while! What have you been up to?"
"Well, involved pa rin ako sa restaurant ng family ko. Kami na ng mga kapatid ko 'yung nagpapatakbo ng halos lahat-lahat para si Dad, makapag-relax-relax din nang konti. Ikaw, how have you been?"
"I've been fine. Eto, still pretty much the same. Nasa FBS pa rin ako, sa marketing department ng network."
"That's good. Ang family mo, kamusta naman?"
"Okay naman sila. Ayun, do'n pa rin ako kina Nanay at Tatay umuuwi, sa Bulacan. Although some nights, 'pag hectic ang work, dito ako sa Makati nagsi-stay. 'Tsaka, ayun, may pamangkin na naman kaming parating soon!"
It was a chance encounter that day at the mall between Richard and Maine. Just like how they first met 8 years ago.
And since they first met, he had secretly kept a list of her many quirks and other little details that made her what she was—what she liked, what she didn't like, her goals in life, even the exact time of her birth. He observed—and admired—from afar, because he didn't want his feelings to get in the way of their friendship.
"Anyway, I'm sorry I have to cut this short," Maine said, "kasi I'm meeting up with some high school friends really soon, papunta na sila rito, eh. Pero I'm happy to see you again, ha!"
"Oo nga, eh! We should catch up sometime, what do you think?" Richard replied.
"Of course! Ano, gusto mo sa restaurant mo?"
"Haha! P'wede rin. Pero p'wede ring somewhere else. Basta, ano, uh, same cellphone number ka pa rin ba?"
"Yup! 'Di pa rin nagbabago."
"Good, good. Parang ikaw, 'di pa rin nagbabago. Maganda pa rin."
"Ay, 'sus, nambola pa, o!"
****
They met and dated other people through all those years they had been friends. But Richard had remained single for quite a while, after a series of unfortunate dates. Maine, meanwhile, had been smarting from a failed relationship months before.
And since that encounter at the mall, it didn't take too long for the two to meet up again and finally catch up with each other.
"So dito mo ba lagi dinadala lahat ng mga dine-date mo?" Maine asked over dinner.
Richard laughed. "Hay, naku," he then said, "sana nga, merong dine-date."
"Huy, talaga ba? Wala? E ikaw kaya ang heartthrob ng Comm department noon. Don't tell me, wala nang kamandag ang Richard Faulkerson, Jr., ha?"
Richard laughed even harder. "Diyos ko, kung alam mo lang, Maine. Ang hirap din. Mahirap maging pogi."
It was Maine's turn to laugh this time, but she settled down again not too long after. "Uy, wait, 'di nga, Richard? Bakit nga single ka pa rin? E ang guwapo-guwapo mo, tapos mabait, entrepreneur ka, mabait na anak...gano'n..."
"Hay, sa totoo lang," Richard sighed, "sana, nasasagot ko rin 'yang tanong na 'yan. Hindi ko alam, eh."
But at the back of his mind—and his heart too—he knew it was still her he was waiting for. After all the other girls who came and went. After all the time that passed. It was still her.
Yet, even after those coffee runs and dinners together, even when he finally figured she was single again and he might have a shot, he still couldn't find the words to express himself. Until one night, he came across a letter he meant to give her years before, but never did.
"I have always been here for you, kahit na alam kong hindi mo napapansin 'yun. I've always cared even during those times you felt that no one did for you."
Richard read through that whole letter. Even laughed at some points. But the words he wrote for Maine then somehow still rang true.
"I appreciate you. Whether or not I ever get to say the rest of the things I wish I could say...bahala na."
It was still her. And this time, he didn't want to just admire her from afar anymore.
****
"Wow, Mr. Faulkerson, ha," Maine exclaimed in disbelief, "sa makalawa pa naman ang birthday ko, pero kabog 'tong major production mo, ha!"
He invited her out to dinner before her birthday, at her favourite go-to sushi place. And somehow, he pulled out as many stops as he could to make it special.
"Ano ka ba? Siyempre, malakas ka sa 'kin, 'tsaka alam kong pinaka-paborito mo 'yung sushi ng Kyoto House. So...there you go!"
"Aww, salamat!"
A few rounds of the all-you-can-eat sushi, then dessert...Richard couldn't wait any longer...
"May...may gusto sana pala akong ibigay, Maine. Sakto na rin siguro for your birthday," he said as he gave her a little gift bag.
Maine felt like a kid again opening the bag—it had a big lavender-and-vanilla-scented candle. And a card, which also had Richard's letter.
"Wow, grabe ka naman! Alam mo pa rin 'yung favourite scent ko, ha! Thank you, Richard!" she said, smiling her widest.
"Wait, basahin mo na rin 'yung card 'tsaka 'yung sulat..."
"Sure ka? Now na?"
Richard just nodded, as Maine finally opened the envelope. There was silence for a good few minutes as she read intently. Then, she pouted and sighed.
"So...ano? What...what do you think?"
Maine was dumbfounded for a few moments. "Uy, totoo? All this time, gano'n na 'yung feelings mo for me?"
Richard simply nodded, one more time.
"Wow. I wish...I wish I knew how to answer this..."
"Hindi naman kailangang agad-agad, eh. Sa 'kin lang, I hope you could give me a chance na patunayan ang sarili ko sa 'yo. We'll let time take care of everything else."
They looked into each other's eyes as smiles slowly formed again on their faces. One of them was ready to take two steps back, the other gradually taking another step forward.
It seemed their hearts were ready to meet each other halfway this time around.
