WRAPPED up in Rinn's small frame on his bed, Inggo feels her warmth clothing his skin and bones.

He feels like he moved from one dream to a better one, waking up like this beside her.

Dati, after he's done using the warm body and the warm body is done using his, Inggo felt sick hating their skin, their prints, their smell, their indentions on his bed and pillows.

Pero ngayon, with Inggo resting his head on Rinn's chest and his arms wound so tightly against her small frame, and her cradling him like a cherished child and a respected lover, holding him like holding him isn't quite enough—Inggo feels like this is a promise for warmer sheets and better days and a love a far cry from breadcrumbs.

How can such a small body house so much love in her? Hindi gets ni Inggo.

She stirs at the sound of her alarm on her phone na nasa bedside table.

Inggo's hands go under the ATENEO MEDICINE sweatshirt she's wearing, tracing the line of her spine. "Leave it," he rasps sleepily.

"Can't," Rinn croaks, one of her hands smoothing down his bare shoulders and the other reaching out to turn it off. "I have my OJT orientation."

Last week na ng first year med si Inggo. Patapos na ng third year si Rinn.

Nag-usap na sila nang maayos tungkol sa time management skills ni Inggo dahil hindi napapagaan ang loob ni Rinn sa previous setup nila. That way, hindi masyadong pagod si Inggo, hindi na-gui-guilty si Rinn kahit wala naman dapat ika-guilty, at parehas silang masaya.

He smiles in her neck and brushes his lips against her skin. "Okay. Good morning, baby."

"Morning," she whispers back, threading her fingers in his hair and back, and he almost moans out loud at how good that feels. "Breakfast?"

"Mm."

She looks like the morning he never knew he's always wanted and needed in only his sweatshirt and cotton shorts, skin golden from the sun passing through the windows and hair in beautiful tangles, barefoot and humming in his small kitchen.

Avocado and toast and coffee lang, pero paborito na ni Inggo, and it has nothing to do with the food.

Rinn spreads the avocado over the bread so carefully and meticulously, and sprinkles the tomato on top as if she were presenting him a gyro sandwich garnished with mint leaves.

Then she brings hers and his over, a breakfast that becomes a favorite, simply because she and he were in the same room at the same time, just rolled out of bed in which there were two head indentations on the pillows instead of one when they left it, and there was such care and joy in how she made the breakfast, like the soft smile and gentle gaze on her face meant she was passing her love onto what she was making for them.

"What?" tanong ni Rinn, wide-eyed, before the rim of the coffee cup hides the lower half of her face.

Nakatitig lang pala si Inggo sa kanya with the corner of his mouth lifted.

He winks.

Rinn covers her face and nearly kicks the table. "Kuya Inggo!"

He laughs. Isang gano'n niya lang e, may butterflies na 'yan sa tiyan, nagpa-party.

He leans forward and takes her free hand and kisses the back of it, brushing his thumb over her knuckles, all the while keeping his eyes on hers. Slowly, he whispers, "Thank you for breakfast."

Rinn smiles. "You're welcome, Kuya Inggo."

*

"Bilisan mo pa. Sige. Isagad mo," sabi ni Inggo.

"'Yan? Ganyan?" tanong ni Migo.

"Oo, sige, bilis," singit ni Anton.

"Bilisan mo, baka pumutok," sabi ni Cas.

"Palit tayo position," inis na sabi ni Inggo. Tinulak niya si Migo.

"'Yan, sige," encouragement ni Cas.

"Ah! Ang bilis!" Isco moans. "Lumalaki na siya!"

"Tumitigas, ayan, tama," sabi ni Migo. "Sige pa, ibaon mo."

Tumigil lang si Inggo sa pag-pump sa inflatable pool float na watermelon nang puno na siya ng hangin.

Tapos inutos pa sa kanila ng mga kaibigan nilang babae 'yong isa pang inflatable na popcorn naman, tapos sila pa ang nagbuhat papunta sa beach.

May karapatan ba silang umangal? Wala. Sila rin naman ang naglalaro-laro sa mga inflatables na 'to pagkatapos mag-picture-picture ng mga girls.

Malapit nang malunod si Anton nang tinulak-tulak ng mga boys ang inflatable at kinalog-kalog. Si Isco, pinaiwan ni Van nang naka-bury sa sand at ang ulo lang ang nakalabas. Nakita nila lahat pwet ni Cas nang hinila ni Migo ang shorts niya habang nakahiga siya sa popcorn. Si Inggo, nag-pose-pose sa watermelon floater na para siyang male model sa isang magazine tapos tinatapik-tapik siya ng tubig sa mukha hanggang sa mag-choke siya.

Sa inuman nila sa beachfront na may kasamang fish and chips 'tsaka lumpia rolls, hindi na natutuwa si Jiya sa mga jokes ni Inggo ("Anong tawag sa CR na bago?" tapos si Migo ang sasagot: "Ban-new! O, 'di ba, gago! Who you kayo sa med!") at mas lalong hindi pa siya natuwa nang may bigla na lang lumapit na babae habang nag-o-order si Migo ng drinks at umupo bigla sa lap niya.

"Shit," sabay-sabay na sabi nina Van, Addie, Cas, Anton, at Inggo.

Nasa sand pa kasi si Isco.

Tinulak naman palayo kaagad ni Migo yung babae, gulat na gulat, pero: "Tangina," Jiya grits out na sobrang lutong, slamming her glass shot on the table and going after her.

"Go, Ji!" sigaw nilang magkakaibigan.

Inggo raises his glass and shouts, "Knock her out, Elorde!"

"Ayan na si Thanos, pota!" sigaw ni Isco na natatawa.

"Ano, gusto mo ng upuan?" sigaw ni Jiya sa babae pagkatapos niyang itulak at isiko. Kumuha siya ng upuan na itatapon sa kanya pero binuhat siya ni Migo, nagkukunyaring he's restraining her kahit hindi naman. Ngumingiti ang gago. "Ibabalibag kita sa upuan! Puta, halika dito! Uupo-upo ka sa kanya, ha?!"

Nang tumayo ang mga lalaking kasama n'ong babae, sabay-sabay nag-down ng shot sina Inggo, Cas, at Anton tapos tumayo rin sila para i-back up si Jiya.

Ayan, nagsialisan sila kasi outnumbered ng puro mga six feet.

"So hot," Migo whispers, giving Jiya a kiss and smoothing her hair down. "You got me so hard, baby."

"Alis," sabi ni Inggo kaagad. "Alis, mag-kantutan kayo sa kwarto."

Umalis naman ang dalawa at bumalik an hour later nang nagbo-bowling na sila nang lasing.

Nakakatawa ang mga itsura nila. Natutumba-tumba sila, nagsa-slide sa sahig kasama ng bola. Nag-swing pa si Isco ng kamay niya sa harap ng pins pero wala siyang dalang bola, pota.

"Bobo!" sigaw sa kanya ni Anton na natatawa. "Ako na!"

O, ito rin, tanga. Wala rin siyang bola na dala pero nag-swing ng kamay.

"Tanong ko lang kung pa'no n'yo nakakaya ang pagiging tanga araw-araw," sabi ni Inggo, kumukuha ng bola niya when his phone buzzes in his pocket.

Sluggishly, he looks at his message.

Rinn: enjoying, kuya inggo? miss you.

Ahihi.

Hugging the ball, nahihilong nag-type si Inggo.

yes but mis my baby too

Kanina pa naman siya in-u-update ni Inggo tungkol sa early birthday celeb ni Jiya. Hindi na kasi sila lahat available sa actual weekend dahil sa trabaho at mag-to-tour na naman si Van, kaya nauna na si Jiya kaysa kay Rinn.

Rinn: kuya inggo, i was thinking, since ure done w med na first year

Shuta, nahihilo na siya, gago.

Done with men? Ano raw? Ah, oo, akala niya dati may crush siya kay Anton o kaya kay Migo pero na-ga-gwapuhan lang talaga siya sa kanila. Ang gwapo talaga nila, lalo na si Migo, kingina, ganda ng genes.

"Oy, ikaw na!" sabi ni Migo sa harap niya, may hawak na rin na bola, pulang-pula ang mukha.

"Sandale, gago!"

Rinn: what if tayo na

ok 👍🏾

Nahulog ni Inggo ang bowling ball sa paa ni Migo pagkatapos niya 'yon i-type.

"PUTANGINA! ARAAAAAAAAY!"

Binato din ni Migo yung bola sa paa ni Inggo.

"GAGOOOOO!" sigaw niya, tapos parehas silang gumulong sa sahig, hawak-hawak ang mga paa nila.

"Tangina mo," iyak na sinasabi ni Migo, pulling Inggo's hair. "Tangina mo, inutil ka, bwisit kang tangina kaaaaaa, huhuhu."

"Mga tanga, ampota," natatawang sabi ni Anton, hugging the ball to his chest on the floor. "Hindi ko kayo gagawing pedia ng anak ko!"

"Bawiin mo 'yon!" sigaw pareho ni Inggo at Migo.

"Dibs kay Buenca!" sigaw ni Migo na sinabayan ni Inggo ng, "Dibs kay Fuentes!"

Migo: "Dibs kay Cuencs!"

Inggo: "Dibs kay Andres!"

Nagreklamo si Isco, "Hoy! Iisa lang kami ng anak niyan!"

"Tumahimik ka, ililibing kita ulit sa sand," sabi ni Van.

"Vanessa, alam mo ba ang English ng baka ay cow at ang Tagalog ng cow ay baka gusto mong maging tayo na lang ulit. Yieeeee."

*

Late nang nakauwi si Inggo.

Ayan, na-lock out tuloy ng nanay niya.

Inggo texts his dad. Ang sakit ng ulo niya at ang sakit rin ng paa niya.

Tanginang message ni Rinn 'yon.

dad, pabukas naman ng gate hehe kakauwi ko lang

Nag-reply nang mabilisan ang tatay niya.

Dad: wala rin ako sa bahay hehe WAIT MALAPIT NA AKO

Ayan, parehas silang lagot ng tatay niya.

Parehas din silang buhay bobo. Alam talaga ni Inggo kung kanino siya nagmana kasi hindi pala naka-lock ang gate.

Balak na nilang mag-parkour, e, pota.

While sneaking up towards the stairs, keeping their footsteps light at hawak ang mga shoes nila, biglang nag-on ang mga ilaw.

Patay.

"Jasmin."

Inggo winces.

Both he and his dad freeze from where they're hunched over the staircase. The voice that came from behind them was disapproving, and the de Paz men just know Carmen is standing with her hand on her hip, eyebrows raised.

"Huy, ikaw daw," bulong ni Mac sa kanya.

"Baka ikaw kasi," bulong pabalik ni Inggo. "Pota, pareho po tayong Jasmin kung nakakalimutan n'yo lang."

"Amp," sabi ni Mac, scratching his head. "Oo nga pala."

"Jasmin," sita ulit ni Carmen. "Kayong dalawa. Turn around. Anong oras na, ha."

Inggo sighs.

Macario huffs, straightening his posture. To his son, he whispers, "Akong bahala sa 'yo." Then he turns around to face his wife with a big smile. "Hon, pahamak 'tong anak mo, e. Nahuli ko lang kakauwi, binabantayan ko yung gate."

Inggo's jaw drops. Traydor?! "Birthgiver, nauna pa akong umuwi! May resibo ako sa text!"

"Aba, wala ka nang respeto, ha!"

"Mommy, o!"

"Mac, bitawan mo 'yang anak mo."

Bumitaw agad sa buhok ni Inggo ang tatay niya.

Inggo sticks his tongue out at him.

His mom narrows her eyes, wrapping her robe around herself. "Domingo, next time, okay lang na lumabas ka, okay lang na gamitin mo yung mga kotse o yung truck, basta be back here before morning. You're used to living alone, alam ko, pero dito sa bahay ko, 'pag nandito ka nakatira, ang curfew mo is five, okay? Ikaw rin, Mac."

"May girlfriend na po ako as of yesterday," sabi ni Inggo.

"Wala ka nang curfew, joke lang 'yon," masayang sabi ng mom niya, gasping. "OMG, sweetie, kailan mo ipapakilala?"

O, 'di ba. Ang tagal na ring nangangarap ng nanay niya na tigilan na niya ang pagiging fuckboy niya. Sa dami ba naman ng condom wrappers na nakita niya sa Burgundy when she visited that one time?

'Tsaka since she and Inggo are close, gusto na rin daw niya ng daughter. Kailan daw siya magkaka-girlfriend.

Dati, tatawa-tawa si Inggo at sinasabing, "Never. Sorry, lods."

Ayan na ang never na joke time lang.

"Well?" his mom insists. "When do I get to meet her?"

"Secret po," asar niya.

Sinapak siya ng tatay niya.

'Pag alam na ni Migo...kung buhay pa si Inggo. "Soon, Mommy. Meet the parents agad? Baka makipag-break sa 'kin, 'di pwede."

Ang saya-saya ng nanay niya, halos hindi niya mabitawan si Inggo hanggang sa kwarto niya.

In his exhaustion, he falls asleep faster than he can close his eyes, walang kaalam-alam na ang bago niyang girlfriend ay baka maging ex agad-agad.