Chapter 21

"Good morning, Andrew," pagbati sa akin ni Heikenz.

Kamumulat pa lang ng mga mata ko, ang ganda kaagad ng bumungad sa akin. Ang ikinagulat ko pa, lumapit si Heikenz sa akin. Inilapit pa niya ang mukha niya sa akin at hinalikan ako sa pisngi ko. That was quick, but it never felt good. Napangiti na lamang ako sa ginawa niya. I do really appreciate his kind guesture... it somehow made me forget what happened last night.

"Good morning din," pagbati ko rin kanya. "Kanina ka pa ba gising?"

Tumango-tango siya sa akin. "Yeah, I woke up early. How's your sleep?"

Umayos naman ako sa pagkauupo at saka ako sumandal sa head board. "I actually had a good sleep. Thank you for letting me stay here. I appreciate your kindness."

Nagulat naman ako ng bigla niyang kinuha 'yong unan tapos binato niya sa mukha ko. Nanlaki na lang ang mata ko tapos biglang tumawa si Heikenz na parang tanga. Bigla naman naman siyang tumalon papunta sa akin at niyakap ako. He put his head on my waist and he was just hugging me tightly.

"Heikenz?"

"Yes?" he mumbled.

"Totoo ba 'yong nalaman ko kagabi?"

"Uh... what is it?"

"That person... that guy who found your phone last night was your ex-boyfriend?"

Sa tanong ko na iyon ay iniangat niya ang tingin niya sa akin. Isang mabilisang tango saka niya muling inihiga ang ulo niya sa baywang ko habang nakahilig ang tingin sa kabilang direksyon. Sa pagtango pa lamang niya, wala dapat akong ikaselos o kung ano man. I really don't have a right to do so, nagtatanong lang din naman ako. Bawal assuming.

"Who told you?" he asked.

"Ah, si Tanya... nabanggit lang nila no'ng una kasi nga nagkahiwalay tayong dalawa. Tapos nag-usap sila ni Miles nab aka pumunta ka na naman daw sa kung sino na 'yon. Hindi naman nabanggit sa akin at first, but when he showed up, do'n lang ipinalaam sa akin ni Tanya. 'Wag mong sisihin si Tanya, ha? Nagtanong lang din naman ako."

Natawa si Heikenz sa sinabi ko. "Yeah, of course. Why would I do that? Rune and I are just friends now. There's nothing to worry about. If you think he's coming back for me, I assure you that's not the point why we talked last night. I'm sorry for leaving you alone last night. My bad."

"Ah, yeah about that, I really don't understand what you said to me because the place was so loud so I didn't get it. When you let go of my hand, I actually panicked. I almost cried last night."

Inangat niya 'yong tingin niya muli sa akin saka mas humigpit ang pagkayayakap niya sa baywang ko. "I'm sorry if you felt it that way. I didn't mean to do that."

"Ayos lang..." aniko. Hinagod ko naman ang likod ko and that made him feel better. "Saka nagtatanong lang din naman ako. That really doesn't mean anything. Nagpapasalamat lang talaga ako na pinatuloy mo ako rito sa room mo. Feeling ko nakikisiksik lang ako, e."

He laughed. "No, you're not. You can stay here anytime you want. Even when you go back to Manila and then have a vacation here, you don't have to stay in hotels. You can stay in my place."

"That's so sweet..." Hagikgik ko pa. "Do you know why I stayed, Ketchup?"

He furrowed his brows. Umayos na siya ng pagkauupo at sinamahan ako sa pagkasasandal sa head board. Inilusot pa rin niya ang kamay niya sa likod ko so he could wrap his arms on my waist. Ang kulit talaga.

"I don't know why you really stayed? Is there something I should know?"

I took a deep breath. "Well, you kissed me and that's the reason I stayed."

He giggled. "For real?"

I nodded. "Yes! That moment, I was waiting for a sign to pursue something I never ever had done in my life. I like you, Ketchup, but I know it's impossible for me to pursue something like this when it's not mutual until your kiss enlightened me. That was the sign so I stayed."

"You may think that I've been acting as nothing happened, but I also like you, Andrew. Well, yesterday you didn't know who I really was so you don't have an idea then. But I guess, the kiss was perfect timing?"

"Yeah, you can say that," I smirked. "But, hey! You're really good at pretending, huh? Caro and I really don't have any idea that you're gay—well, she doesn't know it yet."

"Yeah, that's kinda funny and whenever she mentioned that you're my jowa, I tried to act calmly because you know, people might judge me and I'm just protecting myself and my mental health so I gotta keep away from people who have badmouths. Luckily, you're not that kind of person."

"Do you always do this?" I asked.

"Do what?"

"Pretending?"

He shook his head. "I won't call it like pretending... I'm just not comfortable acting that way to new people because just like what I said, judgments are not my responsibility. They can say whatever they want to say. I'm free and happy around my friends—and to you! But one thing I must admit, I was so scared you might push me away and that kiss would hurt our friendship."

"But I'm glad it didn't... and I understand where you're going through. I've been through that situation before. They have a hard time accepting for the first time I said it to them and momentarily, they started understanding my situation. Mahirap talaga sa una, but it's all worth it now."

"Oh, wow. Good for you."

"Me, too. Thank you for sharing to me your story. I know it's hard to tell that to people—like me who you have known just for a week. In that case, you really like me, huh?"

"Fortunately, I do." Hagikgik pa nito saka niya ako sinimulang kilitiin.

Para kaming tanga dalawa kama. Pilit kong iniiwasan 'yong bawat kiliti niya sa akin habang patuloy naman siya sa paglusot ng daliri niya sa kung saang parte ng katawan ko hangga't sa mapagod kami at bumagsak na lamang si Heikenz sa ibabaw ko.

"Now I know where to tickle you." Tawa pa nito.

"Don't. Uuwi ako ng Manila, sige ka."

"Oh, you're threatening me now, huh?"

"Well, yeah..." I chuckled. "So... what's for breakfast?"

"Uh..." Dahan-dahan siyang napabangon mula sa pagkahihiga sa akin. Napakamot siya sa kanyang ulo. "Actually... I don't have foods here so I can't make us some breakfast. Maybe we could just go to some convenience store and grab our breakfast?"

"No, I've got a plan," saad ko saka ako bumangon sa pagkahihiga ko. "We're going shopping. Mamimili tayo ng stocks ng food natin dito sa room mo. I'll be staying here for a month so bili muna tayo ng good for two weeks para hindi agad masira."

"Are you sure?" he asked, creasing his forehead.

"Yup. Do you want me to cook some adobo for you?"

"Oooh!" he swooned. "I've never eaten adobo for a long time. I wanna taste your cooking, Andrew."

"Then let's go!"

"Alright! Let's go!" masigasig nitong tugon.

Nang maghanda na ako para maligo, I'm on the shower by myself when Heikenz get inside. Napasigaw pa ako sa pagpasok niya kasi hubo't hubad ako at napatakip kaagad ako sa private ko, but he's not leaving the bathroom until he removed his shirt and dropped his shorts leaving nothing on his body. Natulala na lamang ako sa kanya and my eyes are trying not to look at him from head to toe, but I couldn't resist, I still examined him. Napalunok na lamang ako ng laway.

He walked towards me and joined me under the shower. I'm already wet so he's starting to get soaked under the shower. Nagkatitigan pa kaming dalawa until he gets closer and closer to mine. Hindi ko pa rin inaalis ang kamay ko sa private ko. He's making my heartbeat beat rapidly and his presence made me so much nervous. I'm not prepared for this.

I'm not ready to have sex with Heikenz.

"You have a fit body, Andrew. I like it," he complimented.

Napangiwi ako. "Well... likewise."

He then grabbed the net sponge and started scrubbing my back. We spend roughly half an hour inside the bathroom na puro landian lamang. It also made me comfortable around him at natutunan ko na ring bitawan ang private ko. It didn't even matter to him. Nothing sexual happened between us. It was just a sensual, soapy touch and I feel like it's what we needed after what happened last night.

We wore something comfortable as Heikenz stated na hindi dapat bongga ang damit namin kung mamimili lang ng grocery. I disagree with him pero I still go with what's comfortable with me.

Nagdadalawang isip pa kaming dalawa ni Heikenz kung saan kami pupunta. Would it be a good idea kung sa supermarket o sa isang wet market? Heikenz suggested that it would be better to go to supermarket if I don't want any hassle and that I don't want to meddle with a lot of people, but then I like the opposite option of going to a wet market which would be helpful for me to be familiar around. Madali lang kabisaduhin ang grocery stores so it's nice to experience what's life like in Bangkok.

Heikenz picked the Khlong Toei Market for us to go and buy some stocks of food. With a twenty-five-minute ride, we finally reached the marketplace. Before we could actually buy, dumaan muna kami sa malapit na fast food restaurant since dinapuan na kami ng gutom ni Heikenz.

"I really hope you're having fun here," his tone was hopeful when he said that.

"I'm having fun. Caro and I planned to visit Bangkok last year, it took us a year to finally be here. Akalain mo 'yon, we're just planning it last year tapos ngayon nandito na ako. Ang plano na isang linggo lang, hindi ko naman ine-expect na mapae-extend ako ng one week. I think that's where the fun starts."

"I agree!" he said. "You're such a spontaneous person, Andrew. I hope when I travel to the Philippines, you'll be there as my flight attendant."

"Hindi ko na kailangan maging flight attendant mo, jowa lang okay na," pagbibiro ko pa. Natawa naman siya ro'n. "Yeah, that was funny."

"No, that might happen... we just don't know it yet." Natahimik ako sa sinabi niya. I'm not wishing that it could happen sooner dahil wala namang gano'n. Walang madaliang nangyayari sa panahon ngayon so taking care less of it would hurt me less as well. "So, what did your friends say about your stay here?"

"Well, si Caro pa lang naman ang nakaaalam na nandito ako. I haven't got an opportunity to talk to Mareng Cely, but surely she'll be calling me anytime soon. Gabi pa ata ro'n sa Vegas ngayon and she's busy. Losyang na 'yon sa kaaalaga sa anak niya, but Caro's okay with it. Though she said I could've told her about my plan, but I know she'll stop me to do something reckless... so I kept for myself and here I am now... gonna buy some stock of foods for us."

He chuckled. "That's kind of an interesting turn out of an event, 'no?"

I nodded. "I agree... there's nothing I could've asked for."

When we finished eating, we left the fast food place and just get into the wet market and look what we can buy and stock up at his place. Para bang hubby duties ang ginagawa ko ngayon so it makes my heart full. I'm with someone who likes me and appreciates me. Like I did feel the same thing so... it must really be a good decision I stayed in Bangkok.

At least one thing in my life, I did something good—well as always.

***

Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoy this chapter! Let me know your thoughts! I would appreciate it so much

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