IV.

If there's something I am nervous about going to someone's place, it is the idea of going to hers.

"Argh." Halos itapon ko na sa sahig ang phone ko matapos kong mag send ng message sa kaniya. Like what was I even thinking? Just because she messaged me twice I could just ask her for a meal? I even mastered the courage of messaging her after a week of that incident

I didn't even tell her about having a meal!

Darn, stupid Haru.

I was pacing back and forth in my living room when Manager Sofia called me.

"Where are you?"

"My unit? Aren't you supposed to know?"

"I just find it odd that media doesn't figure out you two both live on the same floor."

Napailing ako at agad na napaupo sa stool ng kusina. I do also find it odd. I was expecting it to be known 2-3 days after the news of our past broke out. Baka hindi pa rin  nila natunugan? Veronica and I never crossed paths since that incident though we're neighbors.

"Huwag ka munang lumabas. May iilang paparazzi sa ground floor at parking lot. Wala ka namang sched so yeah. I just feel like there's something odd. Anyway, got to go."

Ibinaba nito ang tawag habang ako naman ay nakipagtitigan sa refrigerator ko. I bought groceries yesterday, for today's my rest day. Though today isn't really my rest day.

Tumayo ako at binuksan ang ref. I guess I should cook... like I used to do when we come over to each other's place before.

Goodness! It's not like before Haru.

I decided to cook a beefsteak. It was her favorite I wonder if she still eats it? What if she's on diet? I messed it up.

Habang hinahanda ko ang iilang tupperware na paglalagyan ko ay biglang nag-ingay ang doorbell. Someone's on the door. Who was it? I'm not expecting any visitors. 

Kinuha ko ang pamunas na nasa bulsa ng suot kong apron at agad na nagtungo sa monitor na nasa gilid ng pinto. Kabado akong tumingin rito at nakita ang isang babaeng nakashades at naka mask. She was wearing a loose white shirt paired with tattered pants. Nakasukbit sa balikat niya backpack habang sa mga kamay niya ay may hawak siyang supot na hindi ko alam kung among laman.

Nagmamadali kong binuksan ang pinto ko at agad siyang pinapasok sa loob.

"Why are you here?"

"I was actually on Aoi's place when you messaged and I, unfortunately, left my key to her place. Dumiretso nalang ako rito. Should I just go back?"

"No... I mean we could just stay here. Ahh..lunch?"

Itinaas niya ang dalang plastic at ipinakita sa'kin. "I bought an ice cream?"

Ngumiti ako sa kaniya at kinuha ang plastic mula sa kaniya. "I'll put this on the freezer. You can sit on the living room. I'll prepare our meal."

Tumango-tango siya at nagtungo sa living room. Dumiretso ako sa kusina habang nakahawak sa dibdib ko ang kamay ko. I didn't know how I manage to talk to her normally. It's like never lost communication with each other.

"Hey, Haru?"

There wasn't any noise in my unit except for the sound of the plates and spoons hitting each other as I prepare our meal. Her soft voice echoed throughout the kitchen. I could hear her footsteps entering the kitchen and before I know it her hands had already wrapped around my waist hugging me from the back.

"I don't know why you invited me but I missed you Haru. After all these years... A—after all these years... it's always been you."

Naramdaman ko nalang ang ulo niya na nakasandal sa balikat ko. I don't know what to do. I could feel her grip on my waist tightens. 

"Hayaan mo kong sabihin sa'yo to'. I don't care if you've moved on but let me feel this way again even just for this moment... just for this moment hayaan mong mahalin kita."

That's it.

Ibinaba ko ang pagkakahawak niya sa akin. I turned around and before she could even react I grab her arm and wrapped it around my neck and kissed her. 

I've kissed people before for work-related purposes but this time I felt like this was the first time I've kissed somebody. I feel like someone who was so naive that wants more. 

She was responding to my kisses and before we knew it we were gasping for air as we lean to each other's forehead, smiling at each other. Without words, we know exactly what we feel at this moment. We're still in love. 

"I love you, Veronica Velasco," I whispered in her ear before I hugged her real tight. She could barely reach my shoulder as I looked up thinking everything might probably be a dream. "Totoo to' hindi ba?"

"Yes. I'm here. We're here."

"Natakot akong masira kita dati Nica. I—I'm afraid I'd be the cause of your downfall. Being an idol was your dream. But I'm sorry. I'm sorry I had to be selfish this time. It's been five years, can I have you now?"

Inalis ni Veronica ang pagkakayakap niya at inabot ang mukha ko. She wiped my tears that I didn't even notice were falling. I held her hand to my cheeks. I smiled at her. This is real. She's here.

"I've been always yours, Haru. This time I wouldn't let the world separate us." 

We can now be together, right? 

During that intimate moment, sunod-sunod na nag-ingay ang mga phone namin ni Veronica. Pareho kaming napabitaw sa isa't-isa at sabay na kinuha ang mga phone namin. Mine was from my manager.

"Haru! What the heck are you doing?!"

"What am I doing?"

"You've been caught!"

"What?! I don't care about them!" Narinig kong napasigaw si Veronica na ngayon ay nasa living room. "What's wrong with going to someone's unit the heck? We are not teenagers!"

"Oh goodness, don't tell me that Veronica, Haru." I could tell my manager stressing over the phone.

"She is indeed Veronica." I looked at her as she sighed and turns off her phone. Did she look stressed? I immediately turned my attention to the call. "Anong problema?"

"The media saw Veronica entering your apartment and apparently they're probably in front of your door."

I immediately headed to the monitor that views outside my door. The manager was right, there were a few people waiting while holding their cameras.

"Don't do anything stupid, Haru." I could hear that manager was running on an empty area, probably an underground parking lot. This condo's parking lot. "I'm heading up. Nabwebwesit na rin ako sa mga taong 'yan. Goodness, you two were still human. As if they could judge you because you fall in love? Mga bobo parang hindi tao."

I laughed as I heard the elevator from her side ring. "I'm on my way. Where's Veronica? Can I talk to her?"

"Nica?" I called her from the living room where she was sitting. She looked at me worryingly. "Don't stress out we got this. By the way, my manager wants to talk to you."

"Ako?" She looked at me confused and at the same time scared. "Papagalitan ba ako?"

"No. She's chill. Ewan ko kung anong gusto niyang sabihin sa'yo."

Veronica still answered the call and the moment she said hello my manager just seems to know how to rap on how fast she was talking.

"Veronica! Thank goodness. Paki-ingatan si Haru. I just have enough of his stories when he's drunk. Puro Veronica gan'to ganiyan. He could even compare you to his leading ladies. But anyway dear don't stress out okay? We got this. Pinagkaitan na kayo ng panahon at ng mga pangarap niyo and now that you're together I can't just break you two. I won't even let that happ—Hoy! Mga tangina umalis na nga kayo diyan!" There was a short chaos on the background before Manager Sofia's on the phone again. "Anyway, just do what you two wanted to do. Don't let this shitty industry hold you back."

"Thank you po." Veronica looked at me and held my hand. "I would never let him go this time."

"Manager? Thanks but you don't have to spill everything." I just heard a laugh from the call before she turned it off. 

Napatingin kaming dalawa ni Veronica sa monitor at nakitang nakatayo sa labas ang manager ko. The media was no longer there and security was negotiating her.

"We should tell them very soon." I looked at her as she stared at me with confused face. "Your fans, I mean."

"Yours too."

One day, we'll tell the world and wouldn't care about their opinion. As long as we are not stepping on anyone. As long as we are genuine. I know we could make it out this industry as a couple.