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During his first year in med, Kuya Inggo has been dropping hints all year round na gusto na niya maging girlfriend si Maureen.

Exhibit A: "Rinn, baby, tingnan mo 'tong shirt ko." Tapos inamoy ni Maureen, siyempre, ang bango-bango niya kaya, tapos he kissed her forehead and said, "Ganda, 'di ba? Boyfriend material 'yan."

Exhibit B: While she was working for her classes and Kuya Inggo's head was on her shoulder, sucking and biting her skin while patiently waiting for bebe time kasi break niya from studying, he said, "Rinn, may kamukhang-kamukha ka talaga, e. Parang first girlfriend ko. Agree ka?"

Exhibit C: While they were making out in his bed sa condo and he slid his hands up her shirt and whispered in her ear, "'Di ako photographer, but I can picture us together."

Hanggang Z, mayro'n e!

Tapos ngayon, ganyan lang ang sagot niya?!

Kanina, bago siya umalis for her OJT, c-in-orner siya ni Megan.

"Ate, may boyfriend ka na, 'no?" sabi niya.

She jumped at the hushed voice in her ear, clutching her chest when she turned to her little sister. "Meggy, ano ba! Tinakot mo 'ko!"

"Sino?" her sister said with a grin and wagging eyebrows. "Sino, Ate? Kilala ko? Tama ako, 'no, may jowa ka na, 'no? Kaya ka palaging nakangiti sa phone mo, 'no? Ha? Ha? Sino? Patay ka kay Kuya. Patay ka talaga kay Kuya, isusumbong kita."

Ang kulit n'ong batang 'yon, ang daldal pa.

"I don't have a jowa yet," sabi ni Maureen with a forced smile, facing herself in the mirror again as she locked her earrings in. "So wala kang masusumbong sa kanya."

Megan narrowed her eyes at her. "E pa'no 'pag ako yung may boyfriend?"

"Hindi pwede," sagot agad ni Maureen. "'Wag kang mag-joke ng ganyan kay Kuya, mahihimatay 'yon."

"So kailan pwede?" she asked, pouting. "Nagpaalam ako no'ng isang araw mag-movie with Joaquin tapos sumama si Kuya. Tumabi pa siya sa kabilang side ko."

My God, Kuya. "'Pag thirty ka na raw," biro ni Maureen, grabbing her bag. "Bunso ka, e. I'll go na, bye!"

Maureen huffs, remembering the conversation. 'Yong sagot kasi ni Kuya Inggo, pwede ring sagot sa:

"What if maging aso na lang tayo?"

"What if makipag-date ako sa iba?"

"What if ayaw ko na sa 'yo?"

As if naman tatanungin niya ang mga 'yon kay Kuya Inggo, but still.

She impatiently taps her fingers on her arm while she and Enzo, a co-intern, wait for the elevator. Kagagaling lang nila sa press launch ng isang mamahaling restaurant for their OJT.

"Sorry," biglang sabi ni Enzo sa kanya with a smile, fumbling with his camera. "Ang awkward ko kanina. Hindi man lang tayo nakapag-usap other than about work."

Sa mga assignments nila, kailangan may isang writer at isang photographer. Naunang nag-dibs si Enzo sa assignment na 'to pagkatapos kunin ni Maureen, kaya silang dalawa ang mag-partner.

They met na during orientation 'tsaka during their weekly office meetings, pero hindi naman sila magkakilala.

Maureen smiles at him. "It's okay, we're both new pa lang. But the food was great and you took amazing pictures."

He bows his head and rubs the nape of his neck, chuckling. "Thank you. I'm sure you'll write something good to accompany them."

"Don't expect too much," Maureen warns, leaning against the wall. "Baka ma-disappoint ka."

"Unlikely," sagot ni Enzo, grinning. Then he looks away and clears his throat.

Silence falls on them until they step inside in the elevator.

He turns to Maureen, inhaling quickly. "Sorry, I'm nervous around you, but I really want us to get to know each other...since we'll be working together for three months."

That makes her laugh. "Sure. Tell me about yourself, aside from the fact that you're a photographer."

His smile grows wider. "My name is Enzo Macaisa," panimula niya. "I'm twenty-one. My birthday is on December 3rd. I'm going on my fourth year sa Benilde, taking up film. I have a younger brother and I live with my parents."

They step out of the elevator and into the lobby. Enzo keeps his eyes on hers. "I have a car, I'm single, I think you're beautiful and intelligent, and I would really like to drive you home right now and take you out on a date some other time...with no cameras or notepads involved."

Maureen stops sa labas lang ng pinto. "Oh."

He scratches his ear, toying with his camera again. "Pwedeng after the OJT.  'Yong date. Pero your turn muna."

She clears her throat. "Um...I'm Maureen Salas, I'm also going on my fourth year sa Ateneo, taking up AB Communication. I'm turning twenty-one on May 1st, and I have an older brother who acts like my dad and a younger sister."

Enzo's eyebrows raise. "And the date?"

Maureen has rejected a lot since Kuya Migo graduated—lahat n'ong nagbigay ng flowers sa kanya during VIA, lahat n'ong nakakuha ng number niya from her classmates and friends, lahat n'ong nag-offer na maglakad with her pauwi, at lahat n'ong nag-invite sa kanya for lunch or dinner with more than friendly intentions. A lot, kaya alam na ni Maureen ang sasabihin. "I'm sorry, pero I'm not interested, Enzo. I would appreciate staying friends and colleagues instead."

He takes the rejection like a champ, na para bang he was expecting it. "That's fine. You have a boyfriend na?"

Natigilan si Maureen. She winces and stammers, "I—well, n—"

"Yes," sagot ng boses ni Kuya Inggo from behind her, and then she hears the car door slam. "Meron na, kaya 'wag mo nang i-try."

"Kuya Inggo," she greets in a calm voice, like she's not about to fall to her knees right now at seeing him and hearing his voice since he's been in La Union with his college barkada. His skin is darker than it was before, so gloriously tanned, and he's wearing a gray shirt, black jeans, and a cap with the rim facing backward. His cross earring is dangling and shining under the light, and Maureen wants to kiss the shit out of him and punch him at the same time. "Hi. Kuya told you to come get me?"

"Mm." Behind her, he sticks his hand in the back pocket of her shorts, and Maureen chokes on her gasp. Thankfully, hindi kita ni Enzo because their bodies are shielding the...intimate and inappropriate gesture.

Okay, una sa lahat, gusto mo, 'wag kang pabebe, sabi ng devil, iniirapan si Maureen.

Pangalawa sa lahat, gusto mo, tuloy niya.

Shh, sagot ni Maureen, already whimpering inside.

"Ready to go?"

Her mouth is dry as Kuya Inggo continues palming her ass through her pocket. She sucks in a shaky breath. "I'll, uh, coordinate with you regarding the photos para sa article. Thanks for today."

Enzo's smile is still there, pero halatang natakot na siya sa laki ni Kuya Inggo. "Sure, no problem. Get home safe, Maureen."

Maureen slaps Kuya Inggo's hand away as soon as Enzo turns around. She faces him with wide eyes. "What the hell was that?"

He opens the passenger door and leans against the car with a wink. "Hi, baby. Missed me?"

Maureen's hands close themselves into fists.

The cap. The earring. The wink. The endearment.

Him, him, him.

Palibhasa alam niya na kaya niyang kunin si Maureen just by existing kaya kailangan she holds onto her resolve.

Tandaan mo na binigyan ka lang niya ng ok 'tsaka thumbs-up. "Ewan ko. Did I?" sagot niyang masungit.

His laugh makes all of her insides churn. "Sa condo tayo, Rinn. Hindi ko alam kung bakit naiinis ka sa 'kin but I assure you, mas may karapatan akong mainis sa 'yo."

Maureen raises her eyebrow. "Really."

"Sa condo," ulit ni Kuya Inggo, gesturing to the passenger seat. He raises one eyebrow. "Or do I have to haul your pretty ass inside?"

Sige! sigaw ng demonyo.

Maureen clears her throat and gets in, swallowing the lump in her throat.