Airworthy

Airworthy is meeting the standards of a national certifying authority, especially in regards to whether an aircraft can fly safely or not.

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My intial plan is to go sightseeing. By myself. Well, iyon naman talaga ang intention ng trip na ito. To cure my heartbreak. Kaya wala akong binabalak na something special. Pero...

Hindi pa rin ako makapaniwala na magbabago ang destiny ko kaagad-agad dahil lang sa flight na iyon.

Sage ensures that he has the entire day finally free pagkatapos ng sudden duty niya as a reserved pilot kahapon. It turns out na iyon lamang ang naisip ng mga kasamahan niya sa board to tease him through an impromptu video call meeting. And also, with the contents of the brown envelope na nasa may vanity ngayon habang nagsusuklay ako ng buhok at naghahanda para sa whole day date namin.

Nothing is different, but neither is anything the same anymore...

Lalo na 'yong nangyari kahapon...

"Can I?" mahinang tanong ni Sage just close to my ear after a heavy sigh.

"Sage..."

"I want you, Yvonne," sagot niya bago ako hinalikan sa may leeg.

And...

I mean, his deep voice reverbrates in my ear. The way his fingers glide across my skin, and memories of him are imprinted all over my body.

Pinisil ko ang aking mga pisngi noong naramdaman ko na namang namumula ako. Pero hindi mawala sa mga labi ko ang ngiti.

I mean, ang daming nangyari kahapon...

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"I can't wait to try the wine," I remark with great glee that causes Sage to chuckle.

"Hindi mo kailangan mag-alala. Dalawang bote 'yong binigay nila," he says. "It's a little surprising to find out that they've been a messy bunch hanggang ngayon. Ngayon tuloy, hindi ko alam kung tutuksuhin lang nila ako or what kapag napatawag ako to serve as a sudden reserved pilot ng hindi ko naman schedule."

Nagawa naman namin magkita ni Sage without any problem. It appears like bihasang-bihasa na rin siya around here to easily note where I am based sa mga description na binanggit ko sa kanya. And ngayong naglalakad kami, paniguradong patungo sa hotel, ay na-ikwento naman sa akin ni Sage ang tunay na dahilan kung bakit siya napatawag sa trabaho. At 'yon nga na nabigyan siya ng dalawang bote ng Bordeaux wine, which is fresh from France courtesy of "Boss and Madam"; and he even went on saying, "Pinasabay lang nila sa isang flight from Paris to Manila 'yong ilang boxes. They're in France celebrating Madam's resignation from her former airlines and official instatement with Malyari; and also Boss's upcoming birthday. And also of the holidays and some sort of pre-honeymoon."

It is still a surprise to me how Sage can be quite a chatter. Sa pagkakakilala ko sa kanya, may pagkatahimik siya; pero ngayon, hindi lang nagiging madalas ang ngiti niya but maging ang pag-oopen up niya ng mga bagay tungkol sa trabaho, pamilya at mga kaibigan niya sa akin. It suddenly makes me feel that we're truly in a relationship.

"By the way, there's a place na gusto ko munang daanan. Okay lang ba?" tanong niya sa akin habang naghihintay kami sa may crossing.

"Yeah. Saan mo gusto pumunta?"

"Sa grocery. May mga ingredients akong kailangan bilhin para sa dinner."

I smile. Knowing Sage, gusto niya kumpleto lahat. And also, he'd said that for tonight, he plans to cook dinner for me than kumain kami sa labas. I assure him then, "Sure! Go ahead."

"It's a special night, after all. Gusto kong masigurado na ang iluluto ko na food para sa iyo ay kasing-special lang din."

"Mas lalo lang tuloy akong na-eexcite sa kung anong iluluto mo."

"Promise, it'll be good." We then cross the street along the others by the time that the lights turned, and then I notice he's grinning to himself na parang may na-realize siya. "I can't believe I'm treating the same woman a second time."

Iyon na talaga 'yong relationship namin sa isa't isa, ano? I'm the first woman he's ever done anything more than once with.

In other words, talagang girlfriend na ako ni Sage.

Hindi ito panaginip, ano?

Ang hirap lang kasi isipin na lahat ng ito ay nangyayari dito sa New York mismo. Parang hindi tuloy totoo ang lahat-lahat. Especially now that he's right here in front of me, pero pakiramdam ko ay maglalaho lang siyang parang bula kapag triny ko na hawakan siya. Habang nakatingin naman ako sa kamay niya ay inabot ni Sage iyon sa aking direksyon.

"Here," sambit niya, stopping a few meters away from the crossing.

"Here?"

"Take it. Hindi mo naman kailangan magdalawang-isip pa."

"Sage..." A smile spreads through my face as I give a slight nod and take his offered hand. The bags I tried to transfer to my other hand also wind up in his somehow.

What a smooth operator... Though ganito naman talaga siya ever since magkita muli kami a few months ago.

Naalala ko na naman tuloy 'yong una naming pagkikita ulit sa VIP lounge. He smoothly leads the way despite my confusion. Lalo na 'yong mga bulaklak na hinanda niya at binigay pa sa akin pag-uwi...

Siguro that's just how smooth he is when it comes to courting.

I swing back and forth like a pendulum with everything he does. Itong simpleng hawak-kamay nga lang is enough to make me feel over the moon. Pinipilit kong hindi maging awkward and unfazed with all of this, pero alam kong kitang-kita niya na napaka-inexperienced ko sa mga bagay na ito.

Pero...

Today, of all days, hinayan niya ako maging parang batang excited sa lahat-lahat ng ito. Kasama ko si Sage, the man I'd always yearned for. Pinaghirapan ko rin ang lahat-lahat para ma-in love siya sa akin, at sa dulo ay natupad nga. Now, I'm his girlfriend.

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"Madalas kang pumupunta rito?" tanong ko sa kanya, nakabuntot habang tulak-tulak niya ang cart through the alleys.

"Yeah. They've got a nice selection, and more importantly, open sila kahit medyo late na. Okay lang din naman ang kumain sa labas, pero iba pa rin ang magluto ng pagkain na swak sa panglasa ko. That's basically a treat," sagot niya habang tinitignan ang mga available na vegetables, fruits and dairies.

Sure, this is a supermarket. Wala namang masyadong pinagkaiba sa mga supermarket sa Pilipinas; pwera lamang sa presyo na dollars and the fact that most of the things are bought in large quantities and packs. All the while, I look on as Sage carefully chooses his ingredients.

He casually looks on the cart for a second, muttering under his breath, "Tomatoes, shrimp... ano pa ba?"

Para namang we're living together. Hindi ko inaasahan na mag-grogrocery ako na kasama si Sage...

"Gusto mo pa ng isang side dish or appetizer?" kaagad na tanong ni Sage.

At ako namang si tanga na lumulutang ang isipan ay nabigla na lamang din. "A-Ano?!"

He blinks, surprised with my immediate reaction. "Bakit ka nagpapanic bigla-bigla?"

"Ah, wala," I lie. Hindi ko naman masasabi sa kanya na I am here fantasizing about us living together.

"So... may gusto ka bang appetizer or side dish dito?" He ushers a hand sa malapit na rack na punong-puno ng iba't ibang uri ng side dishes. "Parang masarap silang lahat... how about the smoked salmon salad?"

"Hmm... I am thinking that cheese will be fine."

I bite my lower lip. "Ah, right. Salad's are easy to make at hindi naman kailangan bilhin as a whole. Cheese na nga lang."

"Pwede naman pareho." Sage didn't hesitate to take a pack of each, placing it on the cart. "Pwedeng pang-appetizer 'yong salad, tapos 'yong cheese is ka-partner ng wine afterward."

"Ah, sure..."

Shit, Yvonne. Get a hold of yourself. Hindi naman pwede na sa lahat ng pagkakataon ay pareho kami ng magugustuhan, 'di ba?

"Oh, yeah. 'Yong parsley pa nga pala." At mukhang hindi naman bothered si Sage about it as he proceeds on to the next area, making me hurry behind before I lose sight of him in the crowd.

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"Apple crêpe or chocolate muffin for dessert... Anong gusto mo?"

"..."

"Yvonne, are you listening?"

Sa sobrang excitement ko, nakalimutan ko na kaagad kung paano kami at lahat-lahat ng ito ay nagsimula.

We're a couple that started with an almost perfect match, at mas madalas pang nasusubok iyon dahil parang hindi totoo.

Ngayong gabi na ba talaga kami lalong magkakaalaman?

"Yvonne."

Ugh, ano bang ginagawa ko? Hindi pwedeng ganito ang nararamdaman ko lalo't first time ko talaga kapag nagkataon!

"Hoy, Yvonne—"

Not a second passes between the sudden backward motion from being pulled by my arm... and the loud honking of a car grating at my ears. A large car only just manages to pass by us.

Huminga ng malalim si Sage at mahigpit pa rin ang hawak niya sa braso ko. "Be careful. Traffic is a lot less forgiving here."

I gulp in hard. "Sorry."

"Anong problema?" Sage draws me to face him before he lowers his gaze to look at me, and his voice sounded pained and confused.

Noong ipinaling ko ang atensyon ko sa kanya, medyo nabigla ako na ang lapit lang ng mga mukha namin sa isa't isa.

"Hmm?" he insists.

Umiling ako at bago ko pa pigilan ang bibig ko ay nasabi kong, "Wala naman. Napagtanto ko lang ulit na ang gwapo at ang hot mo."

"Ha?" His eyes widen slightly, gaping at me. A second later, he smiles sheepishly. "That?"

"That? Iyon lang ang sagot mo sa sinabi ko?"

"Well, wala naman talaga akong ibang maisasagot. But..." His smile turns to a wolfish grin. "Go on, enjoy the view."

Kung sinabi ko sa kanya ang mga katagang iyon dati, panigurado ay tatawagin niya akong obssessed or what. But now, I am taking this opportunity that seems like only possible once in a lifetime. Nodding, I answer, "Yes, captain!"

"Ha! As honest as ever." Sage lowers his grip from my arm until he is already holding my hand.

Nagpatuloy kami sa paglalakad, this time, mas maingat na ako, and patungo na talaga sa hotel. And amid the fancy restaurants and high and low-rise buildings, one very tall structure stands out kaya hindi ko na naman napigilan ang sarili kong mahiya at magulat.

Mahinang sambit ko sa sarili. "Shit... Is that...?"

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A/N: Still struggling with having no laptop right now... But I'll be buying next week, so, another update next week with no assurance of a laptop at all, I guess? Hence, the continuation of writing FLIGHT series 3 is still a question about a continuous update?

Anyway, after deciding to rewatch Reign after years (about 5 years) of discontinuing it since (SPOILERS!) F's death, I watched beyond last night! But mentioning his name still pricks my heart and make me miss him. Yeah, the impact of a character to me because he and M reminds me of my own characters from the Rays of Gold series, and it had been a struggle that I've cried my eyes out at the episodes leading to his death and the aftermath, and I've been rereading sad scenes from the RoG series, too. I know, I am the one killing myself with the angst. But, swear, it might be a historical fiction, but yeah... it is sad.

But that's basically how I am spending most of my days without a laptop at hand. However, vote, comment and share! 👀 Also, follow me on twitter @23meraki for more updates, trivia about the story, aesthetic boards, and etc. Love, love, love! <3

UPDATED: 08 June 2024 | 1416H

#FLIGHTseries02 || #FSFlightDeck