THE WAY WE LIVE

XVIII. This ain't love

Emma was waiting for him in the hotel room that she rent for the night. Wearing black oversized hoodie, dark ripped jeans and sneakers, he almost didn't recognize her.

"Em, what's wrong?" He carefully raised her chin and saw her eyes swollen from an obvious crying. "May problema ba?"

"Wala Babe" She hugged him tight. " Congratulations!" she looked at him and forced a smile.

"Sigurado ka ok lang?"

"Yes Babe, namiss lang kita sobra"

He knows there was something wrong but he couldn't ask any more questions. Rules are rules.

She opened the wine bottle on the side table and poured in two glasses.

"Di ba sabi ko magcecelebrate tayo today?" She gave the other glass to Sejun. "Cheers!"

She emptied her glass and hopped on his lap. She put their glasses aside and entangled her hands on his nape, her fingers playing with the thickness of his smooth, black hair.

She looked tenderly to the image just an inch away from her. She will never forget these pair of uniquely shaped eyes surrounded by beautiful eyelashes, and these pair of eyebrows that would always turn her on.

He felt weird at how Emma looks at him, as if memorizing every part of his face. There was something in her sad eyes that he couldn't read. He put his arms around her waist and pulled her closer for a kiss.

Emma will always treasure how his moist, pink lips would respond to her kisses. How her lips and tongue would struggle a little everytime they touch his braces but he was always careful and gentle. Just like today.

"Babe, let me" Sejun whispered in her ear when he noticed that she's having a hard time taking her hoodie off.

He stopped for a while when he noticed a purple bruise on her shoulder and some on her arms.

"Emma did he do this to you?" He asķed.

"N-no, just forget about this, let's enjoy this day Babe, please?" She begged, almost teary-eyed.

"Em please baka pwede nating pag-usapan? Nag-aalala ako sa yo" He touched her cheek gently.

"Don't worry, I'll be ok trust me. Di naman ako pupunta dito kung may problema"

"Pero Em-"

"Babe please, I need this. I need you."

He just sighed. He couldn't say no to her when all he could do is this, quenching her thirst and giving her desires.

She quickly undressed and kisses him deeply this time, longing and wanting, as if time is running out for both of them.

He is once again drowning in her touch and kisses, even if he's truly worried for her. But for two years of being together, it's the first time he felt this way for her. He is responding more eagerly, touching her with such need.

But he knows this is not love, because he lost that feeling four years ago.