WHILE HE'S packing, Rayos was lazily resting on his bed. He loves how she doesn't care about her looks. Her hair scattered on his pillow, wearing his shirt, with no make-up on but still managed to be beautiful.

"Pinapatanong ni Mama kung hindi ka raw ba talaga sasama sa amin?" He asked while zipping his luggage.

Lumingon sa kanya si Rayos at tumagilid nang higa. "I want to. Pero may lakad din kami."

Rayos was pouting her lips that he couldn't help leaning in and pressed his lips against hers. Halata na nagulat ito sa ginawa niya dahil sa biglaan na umatras ang ulo nito.

"I'm still sore, Leo!" She reminded him.

He chuckled. "Baby, I'm not that heartless?"

Tumaas ang sulok ng labi niya.

"And may I remind you… ginusto mo 'yan." He teasingly said. Emphasising the last part.

Pinalobo ni Rayos ang pisngi nito at tamad na umupo. Umupo si Leo sa kama at inayos ang magulo nitong buhok. It was a good thing that their brother taught him how to braid hair.

"Talikod ka." Utos niya na agad naman sinunod ni Rayos.

He was carefully braiding her hair, hanggang sa matapos siya. It wasn't perfect, kagaya noong gawa ng kapatid nito.

Rayos lips parted and touched her hair. "Marunong ka…"

Leo smiled and answered, "Your brother taught me."

Sumandal si Rayos sa dibdib niya, her hands were on his waist, hugging him.

"I'm going to miss you…" Hinalikan niya ang gilid ng noo nito.

Bahagya na tumingala si Rayos sa kanya. "I'll update you. Then, we'll do video calls at night?" mahina siyang tumawa. "Para namang doon ka na titira!"

Leo spend his day with Rayos, cuddling while watching the movie she wanted. Nakahinga si Leo nang maluwag dahil kahit papaano ay nakakalakad pa rin ito. She can walk straight. But after a minute or so, minumura na siya nito na may kasamang 'I love you' sa dulo.

***

"SAYANG! Wala si Rayos…"

Leo glanced at his sister. Hindi man lang siya pinansin. He's actually glad that his family likes Rayos, his girlfriend, but this was too much! Halos itaboy na siya ng mga ito in exchange of Rayos.

"Tingin ka sa akin, Ate!"

Pisces looked at him boredly and took a picture of her, saka niya 'yon sinend kay Rayos. They're updating each other from time to time.

Leo Erese: Hanap ka :)

Rayos sent a picture of her and Vyrlle eating Ice cream. Unconsciously, a smile appeared on his lips. May Ice cream kasi sa gilid ng labi ni Rayos.

Vraiose Cay: Ate Pisces looks good! Hbu? I wanna see you.

Napangisi si Leo nang mabasa ang reply nito sa kanya. She was asking for his selfie…

Naghanap siya ng lugar na maganda para doon kumuha ng picture niya. And when he finally found one, a woman appeared in front of him. Kumunot ang noo ni Leo dahil sa sobrang lapit ng mukha nito sa mukha niya.

He sighed. Barely holding himself back not to curse. It was a woman, after all.

"It's nice to see you here, Leo," aniya at mas lalo na lumawak ang ngiti sa mga labi.

"Who… are you?" nakataas ang kilay na tanong niya. Tanda pa niya kahit papaano ang mga mukha ng mga kaklase nilang babae noong Senior high pa sila.

And the woman in front of her was not definitely one of them. Dahil kung oo, hindi magtatangka ang mga ito na lumapit sa kanya. Kahit hindi niya kasama si Rayos.

They know how possessive Rayos was… when it comes to him. He doesn't mind because he likes it. He loves it.

Pabiro nitong tinampal ang dibdib niya, he flinched because her hand was heavy!

"Ano ka ba! Kaklase mo ako," sagot nito.

Tinaasan niya lang ito ng kilay.

"Sa psychology," dagdag nito.

He clicked his tongue and remembered how Rayos dislikes her female classmates. They're annoying. According to his girlfriend.

"Bakasyon? Sino ang kasama mo? Yung bantay mo ba?" Tumatawa na tanong nito, nang-iinsulto.

"Bantay?" He scoffed. Bahagya siyang tumango at tiningnan mula ulo hanggang paa ang nasa harap.

Hindi nabura ang ngiti na nakaguhit sa mga labi nito, kahit pinapahalata na ni Leo ang iritasyon sa mukha nito.

"Si Rayos?"

"She's my girlfriend. Hindi bantay." Matalim niya itong tinapunan nang tingin.

Umiling ito. "So, kasama mo?"

Hindi na siya sumagot. She was disrespecting his girlfriend, right in front of him. Bakit pa niya kakausapin? She's not worth his time.

Panay pa rin ang kausap nito sa kanya kahit hindi siya sumasagot. Hirap makiramdam. She's talking. He's not listening. Mukhang nahalata 'yon ng kapatid niya kaya siya nilapitan nito, even his father.

"Your friend? Or…" His father trailed and glanced at him. Umiling siya.

"Hello, I'm Kale. I'm his former blockmates po. Sa Psychology. Lumipat na po kasi siya sa Marketing."

Marahas siyang suminghap. His father doesn't have any idea about him, taking psychology for the first month. Pilit siyang pinag takpan ng kapatid at Mama nila.

"You took… Psychology?" Tumaas ang kilay nito sa kanya.

His sister glared at the woman. Pero parang wala lang 'yon dito. He sarcastically laughed. Tang ina.

Marahan siyang tumango. Ganoon din ang Papa nila. Wala na itong sinabi. Probably because they're on a trip, ayaw nito na masira ang mood nila. Which was good to him and his sister. But he's still pissed.

"Leo, samahan mo ako. May nakita ako na bookstore." Hinila siya ng kapatid niya palayo sa babae. Wala rin naman siyang balak na magpaalam. "Damn, she's so nosy! Alam ko naman na wala itong alam, but… hindi ba siya marunong makiramdam? Ang manhid, grabe!"

Nailing na lang si Leo. When they went inside the bookstore, kaagad na humiwalay sa kanya ang kapatid. Iginala niya ang paningin sa kabuuan ng bookstore. Naalala niya si Rayos.

He mentally noted to bring her in a bookstore. Sigurado na matutuwa 'yon. She loves books. Kung pwede lang ay ikulong na niya ito sa library.

Leo immediately looked books Rayos likes. Tanda niya ang mga libro na wala si Rayos. He also remembered Rayos talking about some books na hindi nito mahanap online, kahit sa mga physical store.

Tumingin siya sa kapatid at nakita ito na busy nang nagbabasa ng libro. Hindi na niya ito inistorbo. Umikot lang siya sa buong bookstore hanggang sa makuha ng atensyon niya ang mga libro na hinahanap ni Rayos. Sherlock Holmes.

"Are you a fan of Sherlock? Ako rin!" She said, giggling.

Agad na nakaramdam ng iritasyon si Leo nang makita na naman ang babae. Iniwan na nga nila, nakasunod naman agad!

Leo sighed. He suddenly feel tired. Sa kada libro na nahahawakan niya, lagi rin na may side comments ang babae na dinadaldal siya. Some people were already looking at them. Some were envious. Some already raised their brow and got the real picture.

She could talk, but he won't listen. Kay Rayod lang. Sa girlfriend niya lang dapat. Ito lang ang papakinggan niya.

He licked his lower lip when he finally found the books his girlfriend wanted. A study in Scarlet and The Valley of Fear. Agad niya 'yon na kinuha.

The girl beside him squealed. Sakit sa tainga.

"Goodness! Gusto ko ang mga 'yan!"

Oh tapos?

"This book…" Kumuha ito ng isang copy ng A Study in Scarlet. "Dito unang ginamit ang magnifying glass as a tool used by detectives to solve crimes! Ang cool lang." Tumawa ito.

Tumaas ang kilay niya. "Alam ko."

Leo was always with Rayos and her twin. Natural lang na alam niya 'yon. A simple fun fact from the book he's holding.

"Really? So, you're really a fan—" He cut her off.

Leo sneered. "You don't need to be a fan or a reader of Mr. Holmes to know that fun fact." He said. In a matter of fact tone.

Imbes na ma-offend ay mas lalo lang ito na ngumiti sa kanya. She's pissing him off.

"Ano ka ba, major turn on kaya sa aming nagbabasa na… kahit minor details lang ay alam ng lalaki tungkol sa libro na gusto namin."

Major turn on, huh?

He rolled his tongue over his lips. Kung ganoon ay uumpisahan na niyang basahin ang mga libro ni Rayos. So they could talk about it.

"Oh, this one… Alam mo ba?" naghahamon ang tingin nito.

He smirked and said, "That novel is loosely based on agent James McParland."

Leo, pertaining to The Valley of Fear. Bukang bibig 'yon ni Rayos. He breathed heavily. He suddenly misses her.

"Yay! We're really meant to be! Sa tingin ko, magkakasundo talaga tayo! Ngayon, sa future rin!"

Doon na mas lalong nairita si Leo sa babae. Grabe ito mag forecasting. She's already engrossed in predicting and estimating their future growth. She really identified the full range of possibilities. Sadly, it won't happen.

"I know these fun facts because of my girlfriend. Leave me the fuck alone."

☕