"Five. Pang-limang buntong-hininga mo na 'yan, Bea."
That was Maki. It's Saturday so they decided to see each other. Nasa La Creperie sila ngayon. Inaya siya nitong lumabas, at dahil wala naman siyang ginagawa ay pumayag na siya.
Also, she wanted to talk to her friend about the dilemma that she's currently facing.
Her mind wandered to somewhere.. rather someone.
These past few days, lagi na silang magkasama ni Thirdy. Ginagawa nila ang lahat ng ginagawa nila noon. They always go out to play arcade games like they used to do then. He always wait for her to finish her training and then they will eat together. And he was also accompanying her during her therapy sessions.
Was it normal for friends to do such things?
Probably, yes.
Pero ang pinoproblema niya ay ang sarili niya. Hindi kasi niya maiwasang mag-isip at umasa na baka may iba pang dahilan kung bakit ginagawa ni Thirdy ang mga pinapakita nito sa kanya.
Napabuntong-hininga na lang ulit siya.
"Ay, may problema ang lola," sambit ni Maki. "Sino na naman iyan?"
"Paano mo nalamang tao ang pinoproblema ko?"
"Wala. Hula lang. Eh, umamin ka naman so, tama ako." Pinagmasdan siya nito nang maigi."Si Thirdy ba?
"Paano mong---"
"Hula lang din." Seryoso pa rin ang mukha nito. "Am I right?"
"No." She denied. She sipped on her fruit juice.
"Tell that to the marines, Bei."
She sighed again. Bakit pa ba siya nagde-deny, eh kaya nga siya nakipagkita kay Maki para maihinga niya ang nararamdaman niya.
"Yeah."
"Anong 'yeah'?"
"It's Thirdy."
"Ooh. So kumusta naman kayo? Ano na ang status niyo?"
"Good friends pa rin."
"Ang sarap mong sabunutan, alam mo ba?
"Eh good friends nga lang. At ilang araw ko na ring gustong sabunutan ang sarili ko, Maks, kung alam mo lang."
"So ano ngang problema? Good friends kayo. So what else is new?" Tuwang-tuwa si Maki. Hindi niya alam kung bakit. "And wait, the last time we talked, you were avoiding him. You didn't even say your thanks when he did you a favor. Paanong biglang nagbago ang ihip ng hangin at pinoproblema mo na si Thirdy ngayon?"
"Ikaw rin naman, ah. Sabi mo noon, wala kang gusto sa makulit mong officemate. Biglang nag-iba ang ihip ng hangin and now, you are already official." She tried to divert the topic. Baka kasi asarin lang siya ni Maki kapag nagkwento siya.
"That's because I've fallen in love with him, at inamin ko naman iyon." Tinitigan siya nito. "Are you in love with Thirdy?"
Muntik na niyang maibuga ang iniinom niya sa tanong ni Maki.
"No." She still denied.
"Sus. But you think of him all the time."
She nodded.
"Not to mention I also dream of him. And it's really weird seeing him all the time and yet not getting sick of it---" Biglang natutop niya ang bibig. "Oh, my gosh! I can't believe I said that."
