"SO, Jiya tells me you want to be a doctor," Gerard says, waving away the waiter after he fills their glasses with wine. "Have you decided on your school?"

"I'm working on my applications na po, but I'm leaning towards staying in Ateneo," Migo answers, barely touching his food sa kaba niya, but his voice doesn't shake and he keeps his eyes on her father's face. "The program is good, double degree po of MD and MBA."

"Ah, and then Medical City kayo mag-i-intern, tama?"

"Yes po."

"That's another four long years," Hillary interjects, raising her eyebrow. "And then you have internship, the licensure exam after, and then residency training pa."

It makes Migo's lips turn up. "I like studying po."

"Well." Her mom drums her fingers on her wine glass. "You're in Ateneo's honors program after all, and I heard you got a 4.0 last semester."

Jiya smiles at her food, proud. Under the table, she squeezes Migo's knee, and he glances at her with a small smile. Halata pa rin na kinakabahan siya, but the tension in his shoulders lessened.

Nag-start na sila ng second semester last week. Pagkahatid ni Migo kay Jiya last Thursday, lumabas bigla ang mom niya. "Jiya."

"Mommy," she said, blinking, getting out of the car. She was about to kiss Migo pa! Shit! "Um, you're home."

She was still in her work clothes, but her hair was down from her usual bun. She pursed her lips and looked at Migo's car. "This is him?"

"Hi po, Tita," Migo said behind her quietly, nakalabas na pala siya ng car. He offered his hand to her. "I'm Migo Salas, Va—Jiya's—"

"The boyfriend of two years," Hillary supplied with a hesitant smile, shaking his hand. "Migo, are you free on Sunday?"

"Mom." Jiya's eyes were wide.

"Uh, yes po," Migo said nervously. His Adam's apple bobbed up and down.

"Great. Come to dinner with Jiya's dad and I." Her gaze went to her daughter. "We both made time."

Tapos Sunday morning pa lang, hindi pa gising si Jiya, nagri-ring na phone niya.

"What," she muttered, annoyed, rolling over in bed.

"Babe!" Migo shouted, and she winced, moving away from the phone. "Nasa'n ka na? You told me you were coming over to help!"

"Putangina, Migo," she said sleepily, groaning. "Anong oras na?"

"Nine!"

"Sabi ko three, tulog pa ako." Jiya hung up.

Pagdating niya sa bahay nila at quarter, Maureen pulled her inside with a heavy sigh of relief. "Finally! Kanina pa ako ginugulo ni Kuya, nakakainis na kaba niya!"

Migo ran down the stairs and dragged her back up to his room, and she was met with a heap of his clothes on the bed.

Jiya kissed his lips with a smile, and he pushed her away. "Mamaya mo na ako landiin, Valle! Tulungan mo 'ko!"

She laughed, endeared. In the end, they settled on a simple white shirt with white sneakers, and a blue jacket over jeans. Jiya smoothed the collars with her hands with a satisfied smile. "You're handsome."

"Feeling ko mahihimatay na ako."

Jiya cupped his neck and kissed him slowly. He kissed her back, but it was obvious that he was so anxious and uneasy. "Don't be, they'll love you."

Migo gave her a pointed look.

She cleared her throat and stroked his face. "They'll like you. Even if they don't, we're not asking for their approval. I just want them to see that you love me."

Migo cupped her face. "I want them to like me, baby. Kahit marami silang nagawang kasalanan sa 'yo, I...I still want their blessing sana. I want them to know I'll take care of you the way they never did."

Jiya kissed him again. "They'll know."

She thinks they do. Her mom, at least. From her smile, Jiya knows that Hillary thinks he's handsome, polite, well-mannered, intelligent.

Ang dad niya...it's impossible to tell, but the night hasn't ended yet.

"Yes po," Migo says shyly, clearing his throat. He rubs the nape of his neck.

"May I know what your family does?" Gerard says.

Jiya bites her bottom lip. "Pa."

"It's fine," Migo tells her, grabbing her hand when she tries to take it away. He interlaces their fingers together on his lap. "I have two younger sisters who are still in school po. My mom works as an accountant, and my dad...does business abroad."

"Do you love my daughter?"

Holy shit. Jiya opens her mouth—

"Opo," Migo says. "Very much."

That makes her mom smile behind her wine glass. Gerard's face doesn't change. "Do you intend to marry her?"

"Papa, please," Jiya says quietly, neck flushing hot. "Hindi pa kami graduates, and—"

"Opo," Migo says. "After med school po sana."

"You can't expect her to support you throughout med school," Gerard tells him, eyebrow arching. "She's not inheriting the company, and I'm worried about her future enough as it is. Tapos mags-school ka pa—"

"I don't intend on relying on V—Jiya to support me financially," Migo counters quietly. "There are scholarships available po and I would never ask her to spend what she earns on me. My family is not very well-off, but we can still afford my schooling."

Fuck. Jiya bows her head, but Migo squeezes her fingers and strokes her skin with his thumb.

Bakit siya pa ang nagre-reassure kay Jiya? Dapat the other way around.

Hillary puts down her glass. "You're very handsome and polite, and no doubt, intelligent, Migo. But I would've preferred older and established in career," she says. Jiya's fingers dig in her skin. Si Gelo. "But, well, you're what Jiya wants—"

"He is," Jiya says. "He's all I need and want. I don't need or want older and established in career already. I don't need or want him to be very well-off like we are. He loves me and he takes care of me."

Gerard runs his eyes over his daughter. "Are you sure love is enough for you?"

"He is more than enough for me," Jiya tells him. She doesn't understand rin why they're suddenly invested in her life when they never really cared before, sending her money to spend and branded items for her birthday, leaving her alone on Christmas. If it were up to her, she wouldn't have wanted Migo to meet her parents, but he wanted to.

Her dad leans back. "Well." He raises his glass to Migo. "I'm not going to force Jiya into something or someone she doesn't want. You drink, Migo?"

"I'm driving po," he says quietly, raising his glass of water instead.

Dinner continues. It's a little awkward, still, pero wala naman silang tinapon na tubig kay Migo at in-offer na pera para makipag-break with her.

Sa parking, her dad shakes hands with Migo. "It was nice meeting you," he says in his gruff voice, and then his eyes go to Jiya. "Be good to her."

Migo assures him quietly that he will, and they watch him get in his car pagdating ng driver niya.

May sundo rin na iba ang mom niya. She also shakes hands with Migo. "I'm glad to have gotten to know you," she says with a smile. "I'll see you around the house more often, then."

He clears his throat. "Um—"

Jiya clasps his hand. "Actually po, he's staying over tonight. Is that okay?"

"Well, how many times has he stayed over?"

Migo looks away.

Jiya clears her throat. "Can he?"

"Are you being safe?"

"Mom! Oh my God." She releases Migo's hands to cover her flaming face.

Hillary looks unbothered, raising an unimpressed eyebrow. "I'm asking an important and necessary question. Alam mo naman na i-di-disown ka talaga namin ng dad mo if you get pregnant, Jiya. That would be my greatest disappointment in you."

On top of all her other disappointments. "Mom, that's not going to happen."

"I don't care if he stays as long as you make sure it doesn't," Hillary tells them, and gets inside the car. "I'll see you at home."

"Ingat po," Migo says behind her.

In Migo's car, Jiya's still hiding her face in her hands. "I am so sorry," she whispers.

He leans over and takes her hands off her face, a gentle smile on his lips. "I love you."

Jiya frowns when he kisses her sweetly. She pulls back and blinks at him. "I love you too...?"

"I'm all you need and want? I'm more than enough for you?" Migo asks, smile growing wide, quoting what she said to her parents. "You don't need or want older, established already in career..."

Jiya smacks him away, blushing as she looks out the window. "Drive."

"That was brave of you. And extremely hot. And my heart stopped beating."

"Drive!" He's teasing her.

Migo grabs her hand, laughing, and kisses her knuckles as he turns on the engine.

They wake up with their limbs tangled together. Migo makes champorado in the kitchen at Jiya's request, and she hugs him around the waist at his back, closing her eyes at the scent of chocolate and him, and they move around the kitchen laughing because Jiya won't let go, and they eat the dish together on the table, across from each other, like the first time.

Only this time, Migo is hers.

*

Thesis season na. And on top of that, Migo and Inggo are applying to med schools.

Migo's birthday comes around again. Jiya gifts him a watch with a V engraved on the strap. "Palitan ko na kapag S na ako," she says.

He sinks down on the couch and covers his face with the box. "Puta ka," he mutters.

Jiya crawls over him, laughing at his flaming cheeks and neck, and kisses him. "May isa pa akong gift."

"Swerte naman ng birthday boy," he muses, standing up when she takes his hand to lead him to his room. "Oh, shit, I like where this is going."

Akala ni Migo the normal way lang. Pero when he reaches over the desk to grab a condom, pinigilan siya ni Jiya.

He blinks. "What?"

"I'm on the pill na," she says. "More than a week, so you don't need that."

"No jokes," Migo snaps, hand freezing in the air from where he's holding the rubber. "Birthday ko, Valle."

"Birthday mo nga." She giggles and sits up to kiss him. "I take it regularly, naka-alarm ako. I swear we're good."

His breath falters at the prospect, but he shakes his head. "Oh my God, ayoko. Nagkaka-nightmares pa rin ako sa sinabi ng nanay mo."

"Migo!" Jiya frowns. "Bilis na!"

His face looks like he's in pain before he pushes in. Tumingin siya ulit kay Jiya, eyebrows furrowed. "Baby, sure na sure ka ba talaga—"

Naiinis na siya. She grits her teeth, loops her arm around his neck to pull him flushed to her, and pushes him inside.

"Oh my fucking God, holy shit," Migo breathes out in a gasp and a groan, somewhere in between, head lolling back from the pleasure agad. "Oh, fuck, best—best birthday ever," he struggles to say, panting.

Jiya grins and lies back down on the bed when he hovers above her.

Pagkalabas nila, Jiya's jaw drops nang makita lahat ng mga kaibigan nila nasa living room. Pati si Maureen.

"Sabi sa inyo mamaya na kase," Inggo mutters, scratching his head with one hand. His other hand is holding up a cake.

"Happy birthday!" Addie tries, almost about to laugh, making jazz hands.

"Oh my God." Jiya covers her face.

"Parang nag-celebrate na si Migs," Cas says annoyingly. All of them snicker.

Migo smacks him. Siyempre hindi nila pinalagpas na asarin sila.

Jiya's face and neck is red sa mga pang-aasar ni Isco.

"Tumahimik ka na!" she barks.

"Ikaw muna, yie," Isco says, laughing. Then, in a high-pitched voice, he moans, "Migo, oh my God, fuck—"

Jiya lunges at him to punch him.

And pinakanakakahiya is narinig ni Maureen, but she only says, "Well, normal naman, kahit traumatized na ako," and then proceeds to offer Jiya cake.

On Valentine's, tinatamad umalis ni Jiya, pero itong si Migo, kanina pa siya ginugulo sa text na gusto raw niya mag-dinner sa labas, magbihis daw sila.

Pogi: baby
Pogi: my love
Pogi: wife
Pogi: princess
Pogi: hottest girl in the world
Pogi: my girl forever
Pogi: please
Pogi: pleaseeeeeeeeeee si mau may
date tapos ako wala? tama ba YON
sagot
Pogi: jk lang baby di ako galit pero
please :( gus2 ko lumabas hehehehehe
plsssss
Pogi: mamaya na ang thesis finufuck
ka ba niyan? hinde, ako ang nagfufuck
sayo
Pogi: sige ka hindi ko gagawin for two
weeks.

Jiya's eyebrow raises.

ah sige.

Migo furiously types again.

Pogi: JOKE LANG ITO NAMAN
SFHKSHFKSHKGHKSSJKJS :(

Hay. She pushes away her laptop and closes it.

okay fine. ure so cute. ill pick 
you up

Pogi: OMG totoo ba hehehehe wait kinikilig ako HGNKGH

She can't contain her smile. Ang dali lang talaga pasayahin ni Migo.

Sa bahay nila, nagulat si Jiya sa lalaking nakahintay sa labas, nakabihis. Ah, ito ba date ni Mau?

Jiya types a message to her boyfriend na nasa labas na siya,

Pero bago niya 'yon i-send, lumabas si Migo sa bahay and her heart soars to her throat. My God. Kailan kaya titigil si Migo na maging gwapo? Masama na sa health niya.

Dumiretso siya roon sa lalaki na tumayo nang maayos. "Sino ka?" sungit niyang sabi.

"U-um, Josh po—"

"Kuya!" Maureen follows him out the house in a pretty dress and heels, naka-makeup and nakaayos ang hair. Her purse swings over her shoulder. "Ano ba! Don't scare him away!"

"Asan sasakyan mo?" tanong ni Inggo na lumabas din ng bahay. He's sneering at the poor boy looking like he's about to piss his pants, and he looks around for his car. "Don't tell me na dadalhin mo si Rinn sa dinner by MRT when she's all dolled up?"

Maureen stares at Inggo, hands closing and open into fists, but he doesn't look her way, focused on her date.

"Um, wala po akong car, I—"

Jiya gets out of her car and puts a hand on Migo's chest. "Babe."

"So paano ka pumunta dito?" Migo questions, sliding a hand to her waist, but he doesn't look at her.

"I took a Grab—"

"Kuya, please," Maureen snaps. "Stop it. Go with Ate Jiya, umalis na kayo. Kayong lahat." She bumps past Inggo's shoulder and grabs her date's wrist and leads him inside.

"Mau, how are you getting there? Grab din?" Migo asks with a sigh, stepping forward to follow her, pero pinagilan siya ni Jiya.

Nang tuloy-tuloy si Maureen, Inggo grabs her arm. "Kinakausap ka ng kuya mo."

She yanks it away angrily, facing him, and says with clenched teeth, "Oo, Grab."

"Get in," Jiya says before Migo can open his mouth to protest against taxi. "I'll give you guys a ride."

The kid named Josh shakes his head profusely. "'Wag na po—"

"I won't ask him questions anymore, hahatid lang namin kayo," Migo says, raising his hands in surrender, looking at his sister. "It's safer than a taxi and booked masyado ang Grab today. Tapos susunduin ko na lang kayo after. I promise I won't talk to him."

Maureen gives him a hard stare. "Fine."

When Jiya gets on the road, ang palpable ng silence and tension in the car.

"I said fine to giving us a ride, but why is he here?" Maureen snaps, squeezed in the backseat between Inggo and Josh.

Migo looks at her.

"My motorcycle's broken," Inggo says casually. "Bababa ako kung saan kayo bababa, may date din ako. May problema?"

"You have a problem with Inggo, Mau?" diretsong tanong din ni Migo. Sa tono pa lang kasi 'tsaka sa galaw ni Mau, parang may virus si Inggo.

She merely sighs and looks away. In the rearview mirror, Jiya sees her eyes water. "Wala," she mutters.

When Jiya reaches their destination, Migo tells his sister, "Call me when you're done, ako na susundo sa inyo."

Maureen mutters a small, "Thanks," and leaves with her date.

Inggo gives them a salute. "See ya, bossings."

Migo heaves a loud sigh pagkaalis nila. "Shit, sorry, ginawa kang carpool."

"You need to lay off on your sister," Jiya tells him softly, driving the car back to the main road. She reaches out to rub his knee. "Hindi na talaga siya natutuwa sa inyo ni Inggo. Why was de Paz there pala?"

He leans against the window and sighs. "Ewan ko, bumisita bigla. Babe, hindi naman kasi talaga safe ang taxi—"

"That's why I offered them a ride, but stop interrogating and scaring every guy she interacts with," Jiya tells him. "You could've asked her instead kung may ride ba siya, you could've asked her kung sino ang date niya and how she met him, come on, Migo. If you were the younger sibling and she did that to me, would you be happy?"

Migo huffs. "No."

"Apologize to her later." She takes his hand and kisses his knuckles. "I know you worry about her a lot, I know you're protective of her because you love her, you've taken care of her your whole life. But she's going to resent you for suffocating her. Let her do things on her own. Okay?"

The smallest of smiles appears on Migo's face. "Why is Ate Jiya so hot?"

She rolls her eyes and smacks him lightly. "Okay?" she asks again, raising her eyebrows.

"Opo. I understand."

"Good. Now, saan mo gusto kumain?"

Pagkasundo nila kay Mau, her date is gone and her cheeks are wet. Migo goes to get out of the car, probably to hunt the asshole down, but he stops at the last minute when his sister gets in and says, "Just take me home, Ate. Please."

Jiya looks at Migo. Remember what we talked about?

With a clenched jaw, he sinks back in his seat. "Mau—"

"Kuya, don't ask. I'm still mad at you, but I promise I'm fine. I just want to rest."

Jiya parks in front of their house. Maureen gives her and Migo a kiss on the cheek. To him, she smiles and says, "I'm fine, okay? I didn't like him naman talaga, this is about something else."

"He could've had the decency to wait for you to be picked up," Migo says slowly.

"He would've if..." Maureen says quietly and stops, but she pats her brother and smiles at him again. "I'll go in na and sleep. Ate Jiya, thank you for the ride and for talking sense to him, mahal talaga kita. Kuya, stop worrying and go have...lovey dovey time. Ew."

Migo smacks her head. "Kadiri ka. Pumasok ka na. And also..." He sighs. "I'm sorry, Mau."

She smiles. "Love you, Kuya. And mas kadiri ka."

"Call me if you want to talk," Jiya tells her with a smile.

Maureen goes in and waves at them.

Jiya knows Migo is still a bit bothered by his sister, but her goal is to distract him and get things off his mind. Maureen will call and tell Migo or Jiya if she wants to—she knows they're there for her. She takes his hand and drags him inside with a smile, but stops at the living room.

May maliit na bouquet of red roses on the table and a card. Manang shuffles closer to them. "Anak, may delivery para sa 'yo."

Jiya closes her eyes and sighs.

Migo brushes past her and picks up the card. Hindi nagbigay ng flowers si Migo kasi alam niyang ayaw ni Jiya—namimigay naman siya ng preserved kapag VIA. "Happy Valentine's Day, Jiya," basa ni Migo flatly. "Good luck with thesis. Gelo."

Jiya takes the card from his hands and puts it down on the table, sliding her hands to his waist. He's stiff. "They're just flowers," Jiya whispers, tilting her head to nip at his jaw. Buti na lang umalis na si Manang. "Are you going to let flowers I don't want stop you from fucking me?"

In a flash, Migo has her in the air and bounding up the stairs.

"You're mine," he rasps, hand on her neck, pulling her necklace with his name, and his other hand hikes her thigh around him. "Ah, fuck, you feel so good. Say you're mine."

"I'm—I'm yours," Jiya struggles to say in between moans, shaking underneath him. "Only yours, Migo."

He seems satisfied with that.

Jiya stashes Gelo's card deep inside her drawers kasama ng necklace na bigay niya, and then she told Manang to put away the flowers. Ayaw niyang mainis pa si Migo if he continues seeing it in the house.

Nang palapit na thesis nila, nawawalan sila ng oras lahat makipaglandian and inuman. Kahit nasa Burgundy si Addie and Jiya, hindi sila nagpapansinan ng mga boys because everyone's focused on their work. Holed up in the library, Migo can only steal a few kisses while working beside her sa usual spot niya sa second floor. Nakatulog pa si Jiya sa sobrang pagod on her desk, and he strokes her hair with one hand.

One night, facing her laptop, naiyak na lang bigla si Jiya sa bigat ng acads and pressure ngayon before graduation. Ayaw na niya makita thesis niya, puta.

She calls Migo crying. "Migo," she sobs.

Gets na niya agad bakit siya umiiyak. She's sure he's also working on his thesis and she feels a little bad distracting him from it, but she needs him. "Drive-thru break? McDo lang or KFC or whatever you want, let's eat sa car and recharge."

Jiya quickly dresses in his hoodie and puts on his cap on her head, keeping her boxers on. She grabs her phone, wallet, and keys, and steps out the front gate as soon as she hears his car pulling up.

"This reminds me of that time when sumama ka sa 'kin mag-drive-thru sa Starbs," he murmurs after he kisses her in greeting. He taps the rim of his cap on her head and grins. "And nakaganyan ka lang din but my heart dropped to my stomach when I saw you."

"Cheesy mo," she mutters, cheeks heating, hugging his arm. "I miss you."

Migo rubs his thumb on her skin. He sighs. "I know. Lapit na, baby."

Umiyak pa si Jiya ulit bago siya pumasok sa house pagkatapos nilang kumain kasi ayaw niyang humarap sa thesis niya. Migo has her in his lap, smiling and stroking her back. "Princess."

"Ayoko na," she sobs. "Ayoko na mag-aral."

"Hindi ka talaga pwedeng mag-doctor."

"Ayoko na, Migo," she wails, hugging him tight.

Migo laughs quietly and kisses her temple. "Baby, kayang kaya mo 'to. I would offer to study with you and give you some actual support, pero alam natin both na mapupunta lang tayo sa kama and wala tayong matatapos na trabaho."

"Ang gusto kong trabaho is physical exercise on your lap—"

"After thesis," he mutters, brushing her hair away from her face and kissing her softly. "You can exercise above me all you want."

Jiya's eyebrows raise when she realizes they haven't had any sex for almost two weeks na, baon na baon sa schoolwork.

"Quick one?" she suggests, moving forward on her hips. Migo's hands go to them to still her with a warning glare. "Almost two weeks na pala. Please, please."

"No." Migo grins. He carefully moves her off his lap. "After thesis."

Jiya's jaw drops. "Who are you and what have you done to my boyfriend?"

"Your boyfriend wants you to do well sa thesis mo para ang reward mo is a day of just fucking. Call it delayed gratification."

Her smile widens at the thought. "Motivation ko ba 'to or yours?"

Migo kisses her on the mouth and pulls away quickly, smirking. "Both."

It works. When they both pass it, Migo hunts her down like a madman sa school and drives her to her house, knuckles turning white. Jiya can see the bulge in his pants from his sexual frustration bago pa sila makarating sa kwarto niya.

"I'm proud of you," he murmurs in her skin, hands impatient, ridding them of all their clothes. "So so proud."

Jiya breathes the words right back. They're the words she treasures hearing from him and saying to him, because they achieved something together.

It's also what they say to each other when graduation comes.

"Picture!" Addie screams, bouncing in her heels and holding onto her cap nang malapit na mahulog, dragging Van and Isco with her. "Where are the boys!"

"Picture!" Inggo yells, jumping on Anton's back. "Graduates na tayo, mga gago!"

"May NMAT pa tayo 'tol," Migo reminds him with a snicker, hand sliding to Jiya's waist and her stomach dips. He looks glorious in his toga and cap and she's so, so proud of him and herself and their friends.

Mag-aaral pa si Inggo and Migo for the National Medical Admission Test next month before med school.

Inggo punches his shoulder. "Shut up."

Jiya reaches up to stroke his face. "Congratulations, Salas."

He grins, leaning down to kiss her. "Congratulations, Valle," he breathes out, presses their lips together.

"Picture muna, mga malalande!" Isco screams and gets in between them, throwing his arms in both Jiya's and Migo's shoulders. "Game!"

Jiya rolls her eyes, but she smiles anyway. Cas, Van, and Anton get to the floor and kneel, throwing up peace signs and posing, and Addie hugs Jiya with one arm and puts her other hand on Cas's shoulder, while Inggo jumps on Migo on his other side.

"Everyone say 'mabuhay ang casaddie'!" Isco shouts, and it's ridiculous, but they all follow him when they take the picture.

Si Cas and Addie kasi ang nagdala sa kanilang magkakaibigan together.

After ng group photo, nag-picture rin ang mga Powerpuff Girls with Professor Utong, and then ang mga boys. Jiya also sees a couple of her other friends from different classes and orgs, pati na rin sina Jeremy and Cole.

Migo pulls Jiya away from Cole when he leans down to kiss her cheek, offering his hand instead. "Congrats."

Cole grins and shakes it. "Congrats."

Jiya rolls her eyes and sees Maureen running towards them in her heels.

"Congrats, Kuya and Ate!" Maureen shouts, giving them a bone-crushing hug, and then she steps back, holding her phone up. "Picture ko muna kayo."

"Tama 'yan." Migo drags Jiya in front of the wall na may ATENEO DE MANILA UNIVERSITY letters sa Leong and pulls her to him. They smile at the camera, leaning to each other, holding up their diplomas and medals.

Summa sila pareho.

Jiya cups his face and kisses him. His hands are on her waist, squeezing, and Jiya hears Maureen's squeal.

Nahanap rin sila ni Meg and Tita Sheryl after. Jiya takes a picture of them, and then sinama siya sa picture after. Nag-picture rin si Migo with his sisters.

They hold hands, still in their togas and caps, as they walk along the school. Susunod na lang sila sa Shakey's with his family after.

"They didn't come," Migo notes quietly, dragging his feet along Red Brick Road.

May work pareho ang parents niya, but they sent her two separate flower bouquets kaninang morning with a congratulations card, and they sent her messages.

Papa: congratulations. have lunch
with me this weekend. i'll give you
your grad gift also.

Mommy: jiya, you made me proud.
congratulations. let's have dinner
together.

She wanted them to stand up when her name was called on stage, but Migo's, her friends', and Migo's family's claps and cheers was enough.

"It's fine," she says, smiling bitterly and squeezing his fingers. "It's enough for me to know that they're proud of me. Finally."

"I've always been proud of you," Migo murmurs, stopping them. He pulls her arm to make her face him. His eyes are genuine and serious, and he means it sincerely when he says, "Achievements or failures. I've seen you work so hard buong college natin, and I'm so proud to see you get here—with me. They're not here to celebrate you today, but I am."

Jiya pulls her hand free from his and covers her eyes. "Stop talking," she whimpers, stomping when she feels a tear go down her cheek. "Stop, I hate you, naka-makeup ako—"

He takes her hands away from her face and wipes her tears. Migo is smiling. "I've seen you work tirelessly on acads and orgs and internships these past four years...and I'm constantly inspired by you," he whispers, and she knows he means it. His thumb brushes her cheek. "By your dedication and passion and the woman that you are now. I am proud of you, I will continue to be proud of you, and I will support you, comfort you, cheer you on. Gawin mo akong tahanan mo, Valle, and I will make sure you won't ever feel alone or abandoned or neglected again. Pangako."

Jiya can't help the tightness in her chest. She leans her face on his palm and covers it with her own, looking up at him with tears in her eyes...and nods.

*

Ang graduation gift sa kanya ng dad niya is a fully furnished, three-bedroom apartment.

He hands her the key. "All paid for. Of course, since you're just starting out sa work, we'll still support you financially until you tell us you can handle yourself. Even if it takes a few years."

Jiya nods, grateful. She closes her fist, feeling the coldness of the key in her hand. "Thank you, Papa."

"And if..." He takes a deep breath, and the lines on his face look much harder and rougher with age. "If you plan on living with Migo there, that's fine. You're a big girl, you're an adult, you can make decisions on your own."

Migo hasn't brought it up yet after that time no'ng Christmas.

Jiya nods. "I'll talk to him. Pa...I'm really sorry about Valle Holdings."

Gerard smiles wistfully, and for a moment, she feels like she's a little kid again. "I can't force you, Jiya, into doing something that you don't want to do. Ever since your mom and I..." Another deep breath. He takes off his glasses and swallows. "Ever since your mom and I began fighting, I left you alone. We both did. And I don't plan on making you hate me more than you already do by giving you Valle Holdings, by asking you to see Gelo instead of Migo."

She doesn't hate her father...does she?

She resented them both for neglecting her, for giving her anxiety and breakdowns whenever they fought, for tossing her around like a doll. But things like—like the apartment, her car, her dad's connection to Theo & Brom—those are things she still uses to her advantage kahit sabihin man niyang ayaw niyang binibili ang pagmamahal niya with money. Jiya recognizes her privilege, she's grateful that her parents care about her future enough to give her these things—pero it would've been nice to just spend Christmas together, to have dinner together in the evenings without fighting, to have them ask about her friends and her hobbies and anything beyond her studies.

"Papa, I'm grateful," she says carefully, slowly. "You've given so much for me to live as comfortable and luxurious as possible—"

"But I wasn't able to raise you like a parent should have," Gerard finishes. "I was good to you when you were a child, Jiya. And then wala na akong alam when you stopped playing with Barbies and grew up. You grew up by yourself, and I don't have a right to be proud, but I am. Hindi ko napansin when you stopped being as tall as my knee lang."

Wala na siyang masabi. He's right. "Thank you po," is all she says.

"Congratulations on graduating," he says again, serving her wine. "I know you'll be busy with work and moving out and being an adult, but I hope we don't stop having a meal together. It's shameless of me, but kahit 'yon na lang, Jiya."

When she and her mom have dinner naman, Hillary asks, "Did Gerard give you the apartment na?"

Jiya nods. "Yes po. Thank you, Mommy."

"You deserve it. You should be proud of yourself for graduating Summa, too," she says. "Are you planning on living with Migo?"

"I don't know yet po," she answers quietly to her plate.

"Jiya. Don't depend on him."

She raises her head to look at her mom. "Po?"

"I depended on Gerard and look where that got me," Hillary mutters. "If I didn't have my career, I would be nothing now."

Jiya can't help but scoff. She drops her utensils on the plate. "You would have had me."

"You are still a reminder of Gerard, and if he left me with nothing but you, it would've made me miserable."

Ouch. Grabe.

"So make sure you don't trade your career for anything else," sabi ng mom niya. "Your career will not leave you. Men will."

She wants to say that daughters don't either, but wala na 'yong point sa mom niya.

And she knows Migo won't.

Jiya crawls to bed after that disturbing conversation with her mom and calls him.

"Baby," he greets, smiling. "How was it with your parents?"

"You said you'd ask me to move in with you again before grad," she starts, swallowing thickly. "And you haven't. So I wanted to ask you."

Migo's silent for a few moments. "I haven't asked you kasi na-realize ko na wala akong maiaambag," he answers finally with a long sigh. "I'll still be in school, you'll be working for the both of us, and ayoko—"

"I have an apartment," Jiya says. "Bigay ng dad ko. I'm still financially supported until I can handle myself—we can handle ourselves. And if you want, when we're both secure already, we can find a place of our own na bago, something that my dad didn't buy. Something ours. This one is just temporary."

"Yes," Migo says.

Jiya's eyebrows shoot up. "Yes? Agad? Walang pag-iisip?"

"I told you I want to eat your ugly eggs."

Jiya laughs out loud. "Ang panget pakinggan!"

Migo is laughing, too. Happily. "I like the idea," he says quietly, "of this one being temporary muna. When I'm out of school and we're both secure about money, I'll propose to you and then we can find a new house."

There's a hoard of butterflies swimming in her stomach. "That sounds like a plan," she whispers.