SANAY na si Inggo na pinagtitinginan.

Sanay na siya sa mga ulong umiikot when he walks into a room, lalong-lalo pa 'pag kasama niya si Migo. Lalaki muna mata nila 'pag dumapo sa isa sa kanila, tapos mas lalo pang lalaki 'pag nakita yung isa. It used to amuse him kasi alam niyang kaya niya silang kunin with just the right look, the right smile, and the right words. In short, mataas ang success rate niya.

Pero si Rinn...hindi niya talaga alam na men would sign their lives away 'pag tumingin lang siya sa kanila.

He would sign his life away.

Pero pagdating kay Inggo, alam niya kung ano ginagawa niya.

Strategic kasi siya, e. Tingnan mo, nakalugay lang ang buhok niya kasi alam niyang nangangati ang kamay ni Inggo na i-wrap 'yon around his fist 'tsaka i-smooth 'yon down her back. Naka-top siya na crochet na off-shoulder na nga, cropped pa, may mga butas-butas pa, tapos matching low-waisted jeans. Kitang-kita ni Inggo the swell of her breasts that he'd like to bite again and the curve of her hips that he'd like to pin down and mark with his handprints again. Her cheeks are flushed and her lips are this soft pink he's imagined wrapped around his cock so many times in the past year and gasping in his mouth while he kisses her senseless.

Pero parang si Inggo ang nawawalan ng sense na nakatitig sa kanya. She's taking pictures of the place they're staying at and writing notes with her co-interns, laughing and smiling like she's not making him pant like a bitch in heat.

That's his girl. That's his girlfriend.

The word makes him rub his chest unconsciously—the part where his heart is.

It's not any different from what she's been to him for the past year. Hindi pala nakakatakot maging isang boyfriend kung ang boyfriend na 'yon ay sa tamang tao. Pero to have the title, to know that her body and her heart and soul will only have his handprints and no one else's, to be certain na alam ni Rinn na it's her handprints  alone and no one else's on his body and heart and soul...that security is such a relief.

And being with her is as easy as breathing.

Kissing her 'pag red ang stoplight sa kotse. Carrying her shopping bags with one hand and holding hers with the other while she clings to his arm. Sending her messages like

aso ka ba kasi asayo na ang lahat booo000m

tangina rinn pumunta ako sa ref para sa isang snack at wala ka don anong kalokohan

and receiving messages like

Rinn: you have to eat, ok?

ok spread them legs then

and

Rinn: sino paboritong gf mo

ikaw, baby

Rinn: ah so may iba? the f

and smiling at his phone and covering his face. Watching her do a little happy dance when she gets food after being cranky dahil sa work niya. Choosing a nightlight together for his condo para makatulog siya nang maayos. Studying with her on his lap and imagining a future where he comes home after a long day at the hospital and there she is.

"Hi," sabi ng kaibigan ni Rinn na lumapit sa kanila sa kitchen. She's smiling and tucking her hair behind her ear.

Inggo blinks and refocuses. "Huh?"

"Nasusunog na 'yong hotdog," she says, giggling.

Tiningnan ni Inggo si Migo.

Nakatitig lang 'to sa phone na nasa counter, sa picture ni Jiya na wallpaper niya.

Aba'y puta, kanina pa pala silang dalawa nakatayo lang do'n, pareho pang may hawak na spatula.

Inggo smacks the back of his best friend's head. "Nasusunog na pagkain, gago!"

"Pota!" Sinapak din siya ni Migo. "Busy ako, e!"

Busy na nami-miss si Jiya kahit ilang oras pa lang silang apart.

Nasa isang house resort kasi sila sa may Congressional Avenue para sa OJT ni Rinn. Free ang overnight na stay nila rito basta makapagsulat ng review ang mga interns pagkatapos.

Puro gan'to ang mga ginagawa ni Rinn recently—attending events, movie screenings, press and restaurant launches with her co-interns na photographers, tapos magsusulat siya ng content tungkol doon na i-pu-publish. Puro free and exclusive invitations kasi part sila ng media.

Pumayag naman si Tita Sheryl noong nagpaalam si Rinn na kasama siya sa mga na-assign rito sa resort. Pero sinabi niya, "Magpaalam ka rin sa kuya mo."

Mas malala pa 'pag nagpapaalam si Rinn kay Migo e, hindi sa nanay.

Halos magka-heart attack na ang kuya niya nang malaman na may kasama siyang two other guys. All in all, three girls sila 'tsaka two boys.

Plus two sina Migo at Inggo na naging chaperones bigla. Pwede naman daw according sa boss ni Rinn, mas maganda pa nga raw kasi may tagabantay while they work.

At para daw useful sila, inutusan sila ni Rinn na magluto for them dahil wala namang pagkain dito. E 'di sunod naman ang dalawang 'to.

Si Inggo rin mismo ang nag-volunteer na sumama para "may kasama ka sa pagdudusa mo." 'Yon ang rason niya kay Migo.

Pero gusto niya lang talagang makasama girlfriend niya.

"Magluto ka na, hindi ka naman nami-miss ni Ji!" sigaw ni Inggo sa kaibigan, tinuturo ang spatula sa kanya.

"Bawiin mo 'yon!" sigaw pabalik ni Migo at pumiyok pa talaga siya, parang naiiyak.

Peste.

Nang i-serve na Inggo yung tapos na pagkain sa kanila, nag-twitch ang mata niya nang makita na naka-wedge si Rinn in between the two boys who have hearts for eyes.

"Mau, here, o," sabi ng isa with a smile, binibigay kay Rinn ang tinidor na may hotdog. "Kain kang marami."

"Ito, Mau. This is juicier," sabi ng nasa kabilang side, binibigyan rin siya ng tinidor na may isa pang hotdog. "Go on."

Mga putang gago.

Hindi na natapos, kingina. Una, 'yong Enzo. Ngayon, itong dalawang gago.

Nagtusok si Inggo ng fork niya sa hotdog at kinagat 'yon bago pinrisinta kay Rinn. "O. This one's longer and thicker. Pinakamasarap pa."

Rinn takes it with a sweet smile and a knowing look. "I'm sure it is. Thank you, Kuya Inggo."

He winks, wipes the corner of his mouth with his thumb, and goes back to the kitchen with Migo para tapusin ang ibang breakfast.

'Yong dalawang girls naman, kanina pa nagpapaganda sa kanilang dalawa ni Migo. Their jaws, quite literally, dropped when Inggo and Migo stepped out of the car this morning with Rinn.

Naka-plain black shirt si Migo 'tsaka navy blue shorts. Suot niya ang anklet at watch na bigay ni Ji sa kanya.

Si Inggo, naka-white polo na bukas ang first two buttons, may suot na dangling earring, watch, and shades.

Tapos parehas silang nakabaliktad ang cap sa ulo.

Ito, ngayong tapos na mag-picture ang mga interns around the house, nagbihis sila para mag-chill na sa pool.

Nakahiga na ang mag-best friend sa lounge sun beds with their arms behind their heads. Naka-shades na sila pareho at naka-cap pa rin, pero naghubad na ng pang-itaas si Inggo.

"Una sa lahat," panimula ni Migo bigla, and Inggo groans, kasi ito na naman siya sa: "Bakit hindi pa ako pinapakasalan ni Valle? Pangalawa sa lahat, bakit hindi pa ako pinapakasalan ni Valle?"

"Kasi wala pang Bluetooth ang kotse mo," sagot ni Inggo.

Nainis si Migo kasi tama siya. "Potangina."

Natahimik na silang dalawa. Nag-close na ng mata.

Kaya naman wala silang pake nang naunang bumaba ang dalawang girls na naka-bikini na. Nakatago ang mga mata nina Migo at Inggo sa shades kaya hindi alam ng mga girls na 'yon na hindi sila tinitingnan at walang silbi ang pag-s-strut nila along the gutter sa harap ng sun beds nila.

Nagkunyari pang nalulunod 'tong isa. E 'di nagkunyaring tulog sina Inggo at Migo.

Sinabi na nga ni Rinn kanina na hindi pwedeng mag-flirt with either of them kasi "may girlfriend na si Kuya, susuntukin kayo n'on" at "Kuya Inggo isn't interested". Diniin pa ni Rinn ang rason niya sa kanya.

Totoo naman.

Taken na kaya siyang gago.

Gusto niyang mag-ocho-ocho 'tsaka gumulong-gulong sa sahig.

Pero ayon na nga ang nangyari sa katawan niya the second he feels Rinn's presence, like there's a tangible thread in the air that just makes his whole body convulse before he even turns. 'Yong seizures, the swelling, the shortness of breath, the pounding in his heart—

Gano'n kalala.

His head bangs against the headrest. Rinn is wearing a purple bikini na tube top 'tsaka literal na triangle sa pang-ibaba.

Hindi man nakikita ni Rinn ang mga mata niya behind his shades, he knows she knows he's getting his fill from head to toe. Slowly.

Her cheeks are flushed pink as she smiles at him, then turns to go inside the pool with her friends.

"Tanginang 'yan," reklamo ni Migo sa tabi ni Inggo, running a hand over his face. "Ang sakit sa ulo, aray, nakakataas ng blood pressure."

Inggo grips the sides of his sun bed, image after image of fucking her right here flooding his brain.

At dinner, halos magamit na ni Inggo ang bread knife bilang murder weapon when Rinn says, "Ang lamig," tapos tatlo silang nagtanggal ng polo o jacket.

Tinignan ni Migo yung dalawang interns.

Sinuot nila ulit.

Inggo smirks and hands his polo over to Rinn.

Somehow, worse pa 'yon, seeing his clothes sexily draping over her small body. Lalo na nang naka-open pa at kitang-kita ni Inggo ang bawat pulgada ng katawan niya—except for the parts that are for him to see alone.

Hindi na niya kaya.

When everyone goes to sleep in their respective rooms, Inggo texts Rinn with two words.

room. now.

He doesn't have to wait long, because Rinn is as affected as he is.

Buti nga.

"Inggo," she breathes when he yanks her inside to his lap on the bed, one hand cupping her nape to capture her mouth.

The sound she makes and the first touch of her body against his sends all the blood rushing to his dick.

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck.

Tinotoo niya ang sinabi niya kay Rinn all those months ago: 'pag sila na, he was going to rail her all the damn time.

...Sa iba't ibang positions, sa iba't ibang parte ng condo niya—sa wall, sa table, sa sahig, sa banyo, sa counter—sa kotse when he blew smoke into her mouth and when he got an eyebrow slit, sa dressing room no'ng pumasok si Inggo with her while she was shopping, at sa flatbed ng truck when they drove to Hulugan Falls her last birthday and she kissed him with tears in her eyes kasi binigyan siya ni Inggo ng printed movie tickets of everything they watched together with the dates and locations written on the back. Hindi na rin siya nag-wish kasi natupad na daw ni Inggo lahat.

He's fucked every part of her body because it's his and no one else's—mouth, tits, thighs, pussy, ass.

He craves her body just as much as he craves her heart every minute of every fucking day.

"You like wearing my shirt?" tanong ni Inggo sa kanya, his hands on her arched back, her ass, and legs. "You like teasing me, baby? Feel this." He grabs her hand and puts it in between his legs and he groans, breathes faster, tilts his hips upwards. "This is for you. Fuck. This is yours."

Rinn traces the head with her fingers and goes lower, trailing along the shaft, her entire palm stroking him. "Mine," she whispers in his mouth just as Inggo yanks the sorry excuse of a tube top down to her stomach and latches his mouth on her chest.

"Fuck, yeah, baby. Your tits." He grips her hips hard, squeezes them, slowly rocking his own until his throbbing length finds the folds between her legs and settles there. "Ah, Christ. Putangina, putangina, basang-basa ka para sa 'kin."

Rinn buries her head in his neck as she rakes back and forth over the length of him, gasping. "Inggo..."

"I want to fuck you, I want to fuck you, FUCK, Rinn." He doesn't care anymore if he's desperate, Jesus, he needs to come.

She makes a sound of pleading and approval and Inggo tucks her bottoms aside.

He's so goddamn horny. One of his hands palms her ass as he guides her against him, and the other fists her hair to pull it, arching her back further against him.

"Feel so good," Inggo says, panting, pushing his hips upward and meeting her thrust for thrust. "You feel so fucking good."

"Please, please," she whimpers.

"Oh, fuck," he groans, head falling back. He grips her hips and guides her to move against him. "Come on baby, ride me."

"Oh my God," Rinn gasps, clutching his shoulders, hips pumping faster. "Inggo, Inggo, Inggo—"

"Good girl," he gasps out. "Good fucking girl, come on, baby."

"Inggo," she breathes, thighs trembling on either side of his hips as she shudders.

"Mm, Rinn, tangina, fucking hell." Inggo's hips move upward and he shoots his release all over her body.

Then he spreads it with his fingers on her skin. Pushes it around between her legs. Cups it and squeezes it while he whispers, "So good, so good, so good, baby. Such a good girl."

Captures some of his release on his fingers and pushes it in her mouth.

They're both catching their breath. Inggo dips his head to kiss her shoulder. "You're fuckin' perfect," he slurs against her skin, still holding her against him. "So perfect."

She's massaging his scalp with her fingers, hugging him.

This...this goes beyond the physical.

Sex with Rinn is soul-destroying.

It feels like the easiest and hardest moment to give her his love.