Given the very short time since they formally met each other until the present, they both struggled to get to know more about each other. Niko couldn't quite explain why he was suddenly drawn to Riki even if he only saw her from afar. He didn't even know (then) if Riki was already a neighbor when he moved into his own apartment. He only started showing interest in her when he 'caught' her regularly dancing in her unit. He had been working from home for some time before he paid more attention to the occupants of the buildings across from his. But when he started observing Riki, Niko seemed to forget about the other residents, occupants, and building activities.
Riki also often wondered who her neighbors were when she moved into her apartment and began living alone. Growing up, she easily became friends with the kids on their street because they either went to the same school and rode the same bus service or regularly saw each other outside their houses in the afternoons or on weekends. On certain occasions, their street would be closed, and this allowed the neighbors, especially the kids, to interact more with each other. Similarly, Niko considered himself as a 'batang kalye' because he and his brother would spend hours outside their home; only coming home to eat and sleep.
"...meron ngang time na pinasundo kami ng Pops ko sa katulong kasi kakain na raw ng dinner. Eh busy kami sa paglalaro na di namin pinansin si Ate Virgie. Mamaya-maya, dumating na si Pops mismo, nakapulpot na yung belt sa kamay nya...takbo kaming magkapatid pauwi...pagpasok namin sa gate, sinalubong kami ng walis ni Lola..."
"Ay hala!"
"...pagkatapos kaming paluin ng walis...pinaluhod kami sa garahe namin na nakaharap dun sa bintana sa may dining room...naka-ganun yung arms..." Niko continued and demonstrated, stretching his arms to his sides. "Di ata kami nakapagdinner e..."
"How old were you then?" Riki asked.
"Ten? Eleven? I think na-wiwi pa ako sa shorts ko nun..."
"Aww..."
"I remembered crying and crying kasi masakit yung palo ni Lola ng walis...dito..." Niko touched the back of his shins.
"Aray!" Riki scrunched up her face.
"Ikaw?"
"Anong ako?"
"Anong pinaka-malalang punishment ang nakuha mo nung bata ka?"
"Hmm..." Riki tried to recall. "...kinukulong ako ng yaya ko sa banyo pag-pasaway ako..."
"Napalo ka rin ba?"
"Oo..belt..."
"Aww...wawa naman...bakit?"
"...dahil ayaw ko kainin yung breakfast ko..."
"Huh?"
"Mga 5 ata ako nun, nakita ko na nagp-prepare si Tatay ng cornflakes para sa breakfast nya. Gaya-gaya naman ang Regina Mikela kaya naglagay din ako ng sugar sa cornflakes. Tapos, pinapak ko lang yung cereal..."
