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116

thursday, 6:12 pm

"2nd floor daw ng tiyatro," lhia says after ending the call from jazen. agad na nagmadali ang apat sa pagpasok ng mall at pag diretso sa kanilang mga kaibigan.

"parang mga gago, ang aga aga naginuman!" rosie says as she groans, already tired at climbing the stairs.

"dinamay pa si mayor," ani jane at umiling iling.

"oo nga pala, bat uminom yon? may problema kayo, jira?" lhia shortly glanced at jira before walking again.

agad na umiling ito at sumagot. "wala, ah! magkasama lang din kami kanina, hinatid niya sakin yung lunch. baka naman yung ibang lalaki?"

"tara na!" jane panics as she made her way towards the entrance of tiyatro, even apologizing to some people whom she almost bumped to.

"pagsasapakin ko talaga mga yon," rosie mumbled.

"hello-"

"uy, jira! lhia!" before they could even talk to the lady, a student from their university recognized them. "jane! rosie!"

"jansen!" jira greeted. "you're with your friends? josiah?"

"ah, oo!" he nodded and smiled. "nagktv kaming magkakaibigan. lalabas lang ako susunduin ko sila rylie. kayo ba, kakadating niyo lang? nakita ko si mayor kanina-"

"nasaan?!" sabay sabay nilang sigaw.

"kakabayad lang kasi umorder ulit ng alak-"

"punyeta," jira sighed.

jansen chuckled before pointing at a room somwhere near their left. "doon yung ktv room nila."

"thank you, sen!" lhia says when the girls immediately went towards it. kumaway lamang si jansen at lumabas na din.

"you idiots!" jane harshly opened the door only to be cut off when they heard the loud noise of music coming from the speakers.

agad silang tinulak ni lhia papasok ng kwarto upang hindi na marinig ang ingay mula sa labas, habang si jira naman ay pinuntahan ang tahimik na si vien sa gilid.

dahil ikaw bro,
dahil ikaw bro,
ang star ng pasko!

jazen even made high notes causing sean and saint to copy him. vien laughed out loud, not noticing the girls.

"ako naman, ako naman!" ani saint at inagaw ang mic kay jazen na ngayon ay hinahatak na ni lhia paupo.

"uy, bat kayo nandito?!" sean exaggeratedly gasps as he pointed at the four girls. hindi na ito pinansin ni jira dahil nabatukan na ito ni rosie.

"love.." bulong ni jira at lumapit pa lalo kay vien na nananahimik muli, tumatango tango lamang sa maingay na tugtog.

she tried lifting his face just so he could look at her, but vien moved in an instant. "wag malapit!" hindi pa siya tapos magsalita ay sininok na ito.

"ano?"

"wag kang malapit," he repeated. "isusumbong kita kay jira," he says in a low voice, pouting like a kid.

"i'm jira," natatawa nang sambit nito at hinawakan na ang kamay niya. "lika, uwi na tayo? bat ka ba kasi naglasing-"

"ikaw si jira?" he tried opening his right eye to glance at her but closed it again aftertwards. sumandal ito sa sofa at bumulong bulong na nahihilo na.

jira could hear jane lecturing the other three boys when she saw how many bottles were left empty. mukhang wala namang pakialam ang mga lalaki dahil kumakanta parin hanggang ngayon.

"ikaw si jira? hindi ikaw si jira," vien continued saying and shook his head even though his eyes were closed. "she's with eunwoo.."

gulat na napalingon ito sakanya. lumapit pa ng kaunti at pinakinggan ang kung ano mang sinasabi nito.

"my baby's with eunwoo.." he mumbled. "eunwoo.. that bastard-"

"huy! pinagsasabi mo?" jira tried tapping vien's cheeks so he could atleast be sober but he only remained talking about her and eunwoo.

"sabi nila saint gago daw yun. oo gago siya," sambit niya at may kasama pang pag tango.

"mas gago sila saint," tawa ni jira at binalingan ang mga kaibigang nagkakagulo. jazen was on the other side of the sofa getting stopped by lhia, while saint and sean kept singing their lungs out na patuloy namang sinasaway nila jane at rosie.

"mas gago si eunwoo," panlaban pa ni vien kahit pa nahihilo na. "gago yun, papansin kay jira.."

"vien."

"oo nga! wag mong sasabihin kay jira na sinasabi ko to, magagalit yun," he raised his index finger as if telling her that he'd get doomed once jira finds out.

"bakit magagalit?"

"kaibigan niya si eunwoo," he shrugged his shoulders.

"eh boyfriend ka niya."

"there's no difference," vien laughed.

"of course there's a difference," jira immediately says. "i love you."

"siya hindi?" parang batang tanong ni vien.

"hindi," natatawang sagot ni jira. "kaibigan ko lang naman yun. naglolokahan lang kami. ayaw mo bang lumalapit ako?"

vien went silent for a few seconds before he told her, "ayaw. but why would i stop you? buhay mo naman yun."

"i don't like to control you. hindi pwedeng ganun, ayokong matakot ka sakin.."

"i'll never be afraid of you.."

vien said nothing.

"i'll lielow, love. sorry, ang daldal ko lang talaga kaya madami akong nagiging kaibigan. i'm sorry," jira smiled genuinely as she reached for a peck on his lips.

nanahimik lamang muli si vien at hindi na nagsalita. he held her hand quietly withoug even getting bothered by their friends noise.

"jira," malambing nulong nito matapos ang ilang minuto. "uwi na tayo.."

"okay.. tara na?"

"hoy, jira! paano natin iuuwi tong mga to?!"