Living with another person is an opportunity to get to know the other more. Riki and Niko had talked about themselves over their regular video chats when they were still living apart but there were still many things they had to discover about each other.
Riki said she didn't know how to cook but she would always surprise Niko with her simple yet flavorful creations. On the other hand, Niko said that he wasn't really very creative because he always struggled with the activities he wanted to do with his students but he came up with very cute and sometimes amazing bento presentations which Riki often said were too perfect to destroy when eaten.
---
"Nay..." Riki called her mom one day when Niko was out on errands.
"O anak. Kamusta ka na?"
"...gaano nga katagal kayo niligawan ni Tatay bago kayo nagsama?"
"Tatlong taon syang nanligaw. Nagpakasal kami pagkatapos ng dalawang taon."
"Ah...magkabarkada kayo?"
"Naging magkaibigan kami. Mas barkada ko noon ang una nyang girlfriend, si Betty."
"Anong nangyari?"
"Lumipat sina Betty ng bahay. Lumuwas sila pa-Manila tapos ang alam ko, nag-aral sya sa Amerika"
"Ah, so hindi na sila nagkita ni Tatay?"
"Siguro. Eh bakit ka nagtatanong?"
"Nay, masasabi mo bang kilalang-kilala mo na si Tatay?"
"Bakit? Nagisisi ka ba sa paglipat mo dyan kay Niko?"
Riki just stared at the camera.
"Anak, desisyon mo yan diba? Ikaw ang kusang nagpasya na lumipat ng tirahan kahit na maayos ka naman sa sarili mong apartment..."
"...na mag-isa..."
"Bakit? Hindi ba mag-isa rin si Niko? Sabi nyo nasa Laguna ang pamilya nya..."
"Oo..."
"...ngayon na ilang linggo na kayong magkasama sa iisang apartment, nagdadalawang isip ka na?"
"...tama ba tong ginawa ko?"
"Uulitin ko, anak. Desisyon mo yan. Hindi naman naming kilala si Niko so wala kaming basehan kung anong klaseng tao sya. Pero, sa mga pinapakita nya at kinukwento mo, mukhang mabait naman at maalaga yang nobyo mo. Wala sa haba ng panliligaw o panunuyo ang basehan ng isang relasyon, nasa pakikitungo nyo sa isa't isa yun. Ikaw lang ang makakapagsabi kung tama ang naging desisyon mo. Bakit, anak? Nahihirapan ka na ba?"
