Chapter Two

"Kilala mo ako, east. You know I always use protection…" He said that in a low and unsure tone of voice while staring apologetically at me.

Mariin akong pumikit para mapigilan ko ang sarili kong sugurin siya at saktan siya. Binababawi ko na ang sinabi kong walang sinuman man ang may karapatang saktan siya dahil gigil na gigil ako sa kaniya ngayon. I also needed to distance myself from him here at the leisure room so that I could stop myself from hurting him.

Dahil sa nangyari kanina sa ground ay bumalik kami rito at nang mapag-usapan namin ang tungkol sa kalokohan na naman niya.

Fine, this wasn't new, alright. He always screwed up with his flings, hell, I didn't give a damn about his escapades with those bitches! Pero iba ang ipinagngingitngit ko ngayon!

Nang muli kong idinilat ang mga mata ko ay sunod-sunod na paghinga ang pinakawalan ko. Alam kong kapag sinaktan ko siya ngayon ay pagsisisihan ko iyon pagkatapos, at hindi niya alam iyon! 'Cause he was a damn self-centered brute!

"Always? Kung hindi lang ako nag-pi-pills, you could've been a father now, Jimin! Pero hindi iyan ang iss—"

"Fvck, kaya pala hindi ako makalusot." He chuckled not really taking me seriously. Prente siyang umupo sa couch na pinupuwestuhan ni Kuya Yoongi kanina.

Walang tao rito nang dumating kami dahil baka nasa lunch break na silang lahat.

"Jimin!" I screamed irritatedly, my fingers wanting to claw him already. Ang akala yata ng walanghiyang ito ay nakikipagbiruan lang ako sa kaniya? Hindi niya alam na puwedeng gamitin ni Arianne Lacerna sa kaniya ang tungkol doon para lang bumalik siya sa babaeng iyon!

I knew how desperate girls think. They were more vicious than the most dangerous snake existing. Hindi man niya nabuntis ang geek na iyon ay hahabol-habulin pa rin siya nito.

Girls always chase after guys who first got them. Tulad ko, though I didn't chase after him, I knew to myself that I couldn't let him go.

I just couldn't… I wouldn't even, ever.

"Nagtagal ka sa geek na iyon dahil…" I inhaled air before continuing. "Hindi pa siya bumibigay sa'yo."

The truth was more vicious though.

Yes, he always did everything I told him to do, but I couldn't just stop him from doing his sexual escapades, I also didn't know about how he did it but I knew he did. He was just a man of pleasure. He had needs—a lot of it actually and I needed to accept that it was not just me he could get his self laid off.

At kaya nagtagal siya kay Arianne Lacerna ay dahil hindi pa ito bumibigay sa kaniya. Malay ko ba kung virgin pa ang isang iyon at kung may pagka-conservative siya pero dahil tapos na sila ay nakuha na siya ni Jimin.

Honestly, he didn't openly tell me his sexual activities with his girls but every time those girls would commit things and threat him like that, I would always assume that he, of course, got himself laid with those bitches. Hindi ko rin naman gugustuhing malaman mismo sa kaniya ang mga pinaggagawa niya.

Hindi ko rin alam kung ikatutuwa ko ba iyon. Basta alam ko, lalaki siya at may pangangailangan.

"No, huwag kang lalapit sa akin." Inilingan ko siya nang akmang tatayo siya at alam kong lalapitan na naman niya ako. Napabalik siya sa pagkaka-upo at nakanguso akong tinitigan. Dahil alam niya, alam niyang bibigay ako, pinapahina ng mga haplos at halik niya ang bawat kalamnan ko at kapag nangyari iyon, matatakasan na naman niya ang galit ko.

"East, pag-aawayan ba natin ito? Hindi ko siya nabuntis, fvck, never! What do you want? Do you want to slap me? To strangle my hair? To punch me? Just don't get mad, east, please." His pleading voice struck right through my heart in a painful manner. Naka-upo siya roon sa couch, nakapatong ang parehong braso sa mga nakaparteng hita niya habang nagsusumamong nakatitig sa akin.

Oh no, not now, west. I can't spare you forgiveness for now. Hindi ngayong tinakot mo na naman ako.

Sa tuwing maririnig ko sa mga ex-flings niya ang parehong mga salitang sinabi ni Arianne Lacerna kanina ay natatakot ako. Natatakot akong baka totoo… na baka matali na lang siya bigla sa iba dahil sa akin, dahil sa mga ipinapagawa ko sa kaniya, na baka bigla na lang siyang mawala sa akin dahil sa mga kagagawan ko.

I wouldn't take it. I couldn't afford to lose him.

"Just go, iwan mo na muna ako." I told him in a low and pleading tone. Nag-iwas ako nang tingin ngunit nasulyapan ko pa kung paanong nalaglag ang mga mata niya at panga niya dahil sa disappointment.

"Pero hindi ka pa kumakain, Hannan," he said in his soft and calm voice, reciprocating my voice.

"Hindi ko ikamamatay kapag hindi ako kumain ng lunch ngayon, Jimin, kaya puwede ba? Just go! Nasa cafeteria na malamang sina Kuya Jin, so go!" Marahas akong sumandal sa upuan ko at humalukipkip.

May ilang minuto pa bago magsimula ang afternoon classes. Kung hindi namin nakita at naka-usap si Arianne Lacerna kanina ay baka nasa Happy Croissants sana kami ngayon at kumakain. Hindi naman ako nagugutom, gusto ko lang talaga ang ideyang kumakain kami ni Jimin sa favorite naming hangout place.

"East…"

Hindi ko pinansin ang biglaang pitik na naramdaman ko sa dibdib ko dahil sa sobrang lungkot niyang boses nang bigkasin niya ang nakasanayan niyang itawag sa akin.

People often wronged as the perfect best friends but little did they know, we often argued even over just trivial things.

Kaya nga kami pinangalanang East and West ng mga magulang namin noon dahil sa magkabilang dulo naming ugali, they said we were both the other end of each other, they said we were in the same line but always having different opinions. Madalas magkaiba kami ng pinaniniwalaan pero hindi naman iyon naging hadlang para maging malapit kami sa isa't isa.

Every after arguments and fights, we would always find ourselves together, laughing and being comfortable with each other.

He was my West just as I was his East. We were inseparable, as people even termed us.

"I said go. Mas magagalit lang ako sa'yo kapag hindi ka pa umalis!" sigaw ko sa kaniya.

Ngumuso siya at dahan-dahang tumayo. Oh yes, kilala niya ako. Kilalang-kilala…

Pinanood ko nang bagsak ang mga balikat na nagtungo siya sa pinto. He was about to say something to me when I glared at him so he firmly shut his mouth immediately and just went out the door silently.

Nagpakawala ako ng malalim na buntong-hininga nang mawala na siya.

That was hard!

Ilang babae na ba ang ginusto kong saktan niya?  Hindi naman ganoon karami, si Arianne pa lang ang pang-apat.

It just started a year ago, with Josephine Romeo as the very first girl. The girl was shamelessly flirting with my not-so-serious boyfriend—my ex now—behind my back. Nahuli ko sila at nakipaghiwalay ako sa boyfriend ko. Hindi natapos ang galit ko ng ganoon lang, I needed to get even, so I asked Jimin to court the girl and then wreck her but in exchange, I lost my innocence to him.

Luckily, the girl was now gone for good. Nahiya siguro na matapos niyang iwan ang boyfriend na inagaw niya para lang kay Jimin ay malalaman niyang pinaglalaruan lang pala siya?

Wasn't that just fair in my side?

Hindi ako nagalit dahil nasaktan ako. People around me treated me like a fragile and breakable glass, all afraid to even lay a hand on me and everyone treasured me so much so it was a big blow to me being cheated on.

Jimin wasn't also pleased about it so he got the shameless scumbag beaten badly. Muntik pa siyang ma-suspend noon kung hindi lang naayos ni Tito Nigel ang lahat plus ang tumulong din ang BTS para hindi siya ma-suspend.

Giving him myself was a kind of leverage I used to make him follow what I wanted back then. I was sixteen back then and he was seventeen when we first did it, grade 9 ako at Grade 10 siya.

We were not drunk! We were both willing and in our very sober state, and no, I didn't regret everything. I knew, aside from what we did was a mortal sin, it made it even worst 'cause we were still too young.

Hindi ako mapapatawad ni Daddy at Ate Milan kapag nalaman ng lahat ang ginagawa namin pero anong magagawa ko?

Pareho naming ginusto ni Jimin ang lahat.

And so, it happened again and again until Arianne Lacerna.

Jimin and I would often have occasional sex just out of anything. It became a casual thing for us, we both needed and wanted each other. I had had flings and boyfriends but it didn't stop us and I didn't do with them what I was doing with Jimin. I let them hold my hand and kiss me, but not further.

Ang pinakahuli ko ngang boyfriend na umabot lang ng limang buwan at natapos dalawang buwan na ang nakakalipas ay hanggang halik lang kami.

He was actually Jimin's cousin and my childhood friend.

Tamad akong tumitig sa tatlong pigurang nadatnan ko paglabas ng BTS Leisure room nang marinig ko ang pagtunog ng bell na hudyat na tapos na ang lunch break kapag-kuwan ay umirap ako.

Oras na ng klase kaya bakit nandito pa sila?

But then, I remembered, these guys had special privilege inside this school 'cause Jungkook Jeon's parents owned the school. Kaya nga ba na-itayo rin ang BTS Leisure room para sa kanila, since Jungkook was the youngest son of the school's owners and he had friends, they built this room to be their leisure room during vacant times.

Such a lucky jerk.

"Tsk, she isn't a kid, Jimin. Kaya niyang magtungo sa room ng mag-isa," inis na sabi ni Jungkook kay Jimin ngunit masama ang tinging ipinupukol sa akin. He looked too rude and rogue with his single diamond earring on his left ear and messy brown hair that was almost covering his brows. Himalang wala siyang pasa ngayon gayong kilala siyang pala-away sa school na ito.

Not because his parents owned the school meant students here were afraid of him. Maybe girls were drooling over him but since he was annoying sometimes—most of the time I meant, he would always get into fights with most of the guys here at school.

At dahil pare-parehong jerks ang mga lalaki rito, spared those geeks and dorks, lumalaban sila kahit na anak pa si Jungkook ng may-ari ng school. Luckily, the jerk wasn't that shallow to get those guys expelled.

Nakakatawa. Napakabarumbado niya pero may isang bagay siyang hindi magawa. Tsk. Napaka-ilag niya sa mga babae. Akala mo kakainin siya.

Too bad, I was not an exception.

"Please, Kookie. Hindi ko siya ma-ihahatid kasi galit siya sa akin," ani Jimin sa nagmamaka-awang tinig kay Jungkook.

Nagtaas ako ng kilay sa walanghiya. "Ano ako, bata?" I sarcastically asked him.

Kaya nandito pa siya ay dahil kailangan na niya akong ihatid sa room pero dahil inis ako sa kaniya ay hindi puwede at dahil magkaklase kami ni Jungkook, dito siya humihingi ng tulong.

Of all people!

"That's what I'm saying." Jungkook hissed, loud enough for me to hear.

Sinamaan ko siya ng tingin kahit na sinang-ayunan niya ang sinabi ko.

"Then you want me to walk you to your room then?" Jimin asked me, hopeful.

"You want me to raise hell?" I asked back, spiteful.

"See! C'mon, Kookie! Just make sure she gets to your room safe!" Jimin told Jungkook as he softly tapped the latter's shoulder while jumping at his ground.

He used to walk me to my room always. At dahil galit ako sa kaniya ngayon ay hindi niya ako maihahatid. Mag-aaway lang kami all the way at baka masaktan ko na talaga siya.

I could really be a sadist in mind or maybe, for real.

"And I can probably go to my room alone! I don't need that jerk to walk me! Kaya ko!" inis kong sabi habang itinuturo si Jungkook na masama pa rin ang tingin sa akin.

And what made Jimin think that I was fine with Jungkook? He knew Jungkook and I didn't get along well! Sa lahat ng mga kaibigan ni Jimin, among the BTS, si Jungkook ang hindi ko kailanman makakasundo.

I so hated his guts, I so hated all of him.

"No you can't, you need Kookie—" Jimin got cut off.

"What did you just call me?!" Jungkook angrily snarled at me, eyes sending sharp daggers to me.

"You're a jerk. A mean, snob and girl-freak jerk!" I snarled back, glaring back at him.

Nagsukatan kami pareho ng tingin. Kasabay nang pagtaas-baba ng dibdib ko dahil sa mabilis na paghinga ay ang pag-iigting ng mga bagang niya dahil sa panggigigil sa akin.

"Hey, hey! You're already raising voices. Ang mabuti pa, ako na ang maghahatid kay Hannan. I just received Joon's text, wala pa kaming teacher." Sumingit na si Kuya Hoseok na kanina pa pala kami pinapanood habang ibinubulsa ang phone niya at humarap sa akin.

I shrugged my shoulder in agreement. Mas mabuti pa nga kaysa sa dalawang iyan. Kahit na magkaklase kami ni Jungkook ay hindi talaga kami good vibes. Masyado siyang salbahe, salbahe ako kaya siguro hindi kami magkasundo.

We always clashed.

"Kuya Hoseok, please, look out for her." Narinig kong sabi ni Jimin nang mauna na akong maglakad. He was acting like I would be in danger inside the school's premises. May mga pagkakataon talagang masyado siyang overacting.

"Go to your room, Jimin, ako na ang bahala kay Hannan. Tss, ano na naman ba kasing pinag-awayan niyo? Jungkook, let's go."

Marahan akong tinapik ni Kuya Hoseok sa balikat bago niya ako hinayaang makapasok na nang makarating kami sa room. Siyempre, tinanong ng teacher kung bakit ako late pero nang mapatingin siya sa likod ko ay hinayaan na niya akong tahimik na makapunta sa upuan ko. Kasunod si Jungkook na nasa pinalikod ang upuan.

Seriously, why was he so grumpy? Kaya hirap ang ilang estudyante na lapitan siya sa tuwing may mga group works kami. He looked like someone ready to snarl the hell out of anyone who would go near him, but despite that, there was still a lot of girls who liked him.

Like what the hell? He was a jerk!

"Nag-away raw kayo ni Jimin, I mean, inaway mo raw?"

Mula sa pagba-browse sa IG habang nakadapa ako sa ibabaw ng kama ay nag-angat ako ng tingin kay Ate Milan na hindi ko man lang namalayan ang pagpasok.

"You should've knocked first, Ate M, you know." I told her as I rolled my eyes. Umayos ako ng upo sa kama at tamad siyang tinitigan. "So, nagsumbong na naman sa'yo ang walanghiyang iyon?"

"He was asking me for help since you're making it hard for him. Alam mo namang hindi iyon matatahimik hangga't hindi kayo nagbabati," aniya sa malambot na tinig na tipong awang-awa sa walanghiya. She walked towards me and sat on the edge of my bed.

Napansin ko ang malaking chips na dala niya at hindi pa nabubuksan. I assumed, she was here for a long talk. Madalas sa tuwing gusto niya akong maka-usap ay nagdadala siya ng pagkain na puwede naming pagsaluhan habang nag-uusap.

Isang simpleng baby blue spaghetti strap night dress lang ang suot niya at nakalugay lang ang may kahabaan niyang light brown na buhok.

My Ate Milan had a European beauty that she got from her Greek mother. Malalalim ang mga mata niyang may mahahabang itim na itim na mga pilik-mata, hooded eyes and long curly lashes. May maninipis na mga labi at matangos na ilong. She had natural brown eyebrows and her reddish cheeks had freckles—that I envied a lot.

We didn't come from the same mother. I was a pure Filipina. Ang Mommy ko ang legal na asawa ni Febrero Urduja. Ate Milan's mother was my father's old friend way back in Santorini, Greece but despite us being half-sisters, we didn't treat each other as just that.

Para sa akin, buong kapatid ko siya at ganoon din siya sa akin.

"Anyway, I heard from him that you got back your spot. Congrats, S, I'm so proud!" aniya habang yakap-yakap ang malaking chips na dala niya at malapad na nakangiti sa akin.

Iniisip ko kung paanong naipuslit niya patungo rito sa kuwarto ko ang chips na iyon gayong ipinagbabawal sa amin ang mga ganoong klase ng pagkain. Agad na makakarating kay Daddy ang tungkol dito kung may maid na nakakita sa kaniya. I knew my father didn't care about us pero may mga paraan siya para pagbawalan kami ng kung anu-ano.

Damn, we just even barely saw him in the house!

"Thanks, Ate M. Now that you mentioned it, I remember that I haven't thanked the brute yet," sagot ko bago ko pa man mapagtanto kung anuman ang nasabi ko.

"Oh, talaga?" she smiled even more widely, as if seeing a resolve already.

"You see…" Nag-iwas ako ng tingin bago magpatuloy. "Sinamahan niya ako sa pagri-review bago ang exams," pagsisinungaling ko kahit na sa buong panahon ng examination ay hindi kami nagkita ni Jimin. Natuon sa mini-living room ang paningin ko para itago ang guilty kong mukha dahil sa pagsisinungaling.

Jimin was busy making a fool of Arianne Lacerna so he didn't have time help me study. Not that I needed him to but usually, we would always study together. Nag-o-overnight siya rito sa bahay o kung minsan ay ako ang nag-o-overnight sa kanila na palagi namang nauuwi sa mga makamundo naming gawain—that only we knew.

It was our best-kept secret, like I had said.

"Seriously, and now you're mad at him? You should make up with him, S," sabi niya na ipinagkibit-balikat ko na lang. Siyempre, wala namang alam si Ate Milan. Alam niyang hindi kami bati ni Jimin pero hindi niya alam ang dahilan.

Inginuso ko sa kaniya ang pabilog na mesa na napapalibutan ng tatlong cushioned chairs sa may gilid ng sliding door palabas sa balkonhe sa kanang bahagi ng kuwarto ko. Kita mula roon ang madilim na kapaligiran sa labas dahil nakahawi ang makakapal na kurtina.

On that part of my room, there was my mini-living room. My television set, my couch set, my magazine stand and my desktop leisure were all there.

"Walang drinks?" I asked her as I stared at the bag of chips she was hugging while I was starting to imagine Jimin's face while warning me not to eat junk foods but the brute couldn't sometimes help it, madalas ay sa kaniya ako nagpapabili ng mga junk foods na ini-stock ko sa refrigerator.

He would really get mad about it but would always do as I said. Pinapalagpas niya basta huwag niya lang akong makikita.

"Oh right!" She nodded in realization. Tumayo siya at naglakad naman siya patungo sa kaliwang bahagi ng kuwarto ko at agad na dumiretso sa maliit kong refrigerator katabi ng bedside table ko.

I rolled my eyes once more.

"Babayaran ko, S, don't worry," she said as if she just visited my mind.

Tumayo na ako at nagtungo sa mesang nasa mini-living room ko dala ang phone ko habang hinihintay ko siyang lumapit dala ang ilang lata ng sodas at naglabas din siya ng isa pang bag ng chips.

"Hundred pesos for that chips, Ate M. Galing iyan kay Jimin." I told her as I saw her hugging the bag of chips that Jimin gave me.

He didn't want me eating junk foods but he couldn't also say no to my demands and requests.

Well, that was how it always was.

"Look at you getting mad at the poor man, alam naman natin pareho na hindi mo rin siya matitiis." She carefully occupied the chair in front of me as she put all the foods on the table.

Pagkalapag ko ng phone sa mesa ay kinuha ko ang chips na kinuha niya sa ref ko.

"Tsk. Hindi iyon ang ibig kong sabihin, Ate M. I just forced him to buy this, he hates it when I eat junk foods, you know." Binuksan ko ang chips at nilapag sa mesa, sunod kong kinuha ang isang lata ng soda at binuksan din. Ganoong din ang ginawa niya. Baka hindi na kami mag-dinner after nito. We actually didn't eat dinner very often 'cause it felt sad for the both of us to eat without Daddy.

Kung minsan ay pinipilit namin ang mga maids na sabayan kami pero hindi madalas napipilit namin sila.

Daddy would surely freak out if he caught us now eating such unhealthy foods but I would be glad, ikatutuwa ko talagang pagtuunan niya kami ng oras para lang sermunan.

Too bad, it wasn't like that. It wouldn't be like that anymore.

Ate Milan was just two years older than me. We went to same school, she was now in her last grade in Senior Highschool at kaklase niya ang seniors ng BTS na sina Kuya Jin, Kuya Yoongi, Kuya Namjoon at Kuya Hoseok. Sina Jimin at Taehyung naman ang magka-batch at parehong grade 11. Unfortunately, Jungkook and I were batch mates, even classmates, grade 10 kami.

Of course, kilala ni Ate Milan ang BTS dahil bukod sa best friend ko si Jimin Park ay pareho naming childhood friend ni Ate Milan ang walanghiya.

Park family just lived next block in this village, Park family actually owned this whole village.

"Just make sure Daddy won't see your fridge, he'll freak out."

"Oh, I wish! Wala nga siyang panahon na saluhan man lang tayo sa mesa, ang katukin pa kaya ako rito sa kuwarto? Don't make me laugh, Ate M." I scoffed at her. Kumuha ako ng isang piraso ng chip at isinubo. Sumandal ako sa upuan ko sabay patong ng dalawa kong paa sa upuan ko para yakapin.

"S, intindihin mo na lang si Daddy. You know… it's his getaway," mahina niyang sabi sa akin.

Hindi ko na naman napigilang ikutan siya ng mata. She was just too nice and too soft actually.

Magkaiba kami ni Ate Milan. Masyadong malawak ang pananaw niya sa bawat bagay. She had every reason, good reason to everything while I only saw things as what they were. I only believed what was lent to me and she always looked beyond, looking for good reason. At naiinis ako sa kaniya dahil doon.

I hated it when she was telling me that. Galit ako. Galit ako sa Daddy ko dahil ginagawa niyang dahilan ang pagkawala ni Mommy para iwasan ang responsibilidad niya sa amin ni Ate Milan. He was acting like it was only him who had lost my mother… hindi na niya inisip na apektado rin kami ni Ate Milan.

Masyado siyang selfish.

"Tsk. Bakit ba siya ang pinag-uusapan natin? Just spill the beans, isang lata lang ang kaya kong ubusing soda," sabi ko sabay nguso sa ilang latang inilabas niya dahil umiiwas ako ngayon sa acid, it just wasn't good for my diet.

I ignored the sting in my heart because of my mother's death and my father's selfishness. Tumango siya at bago magsalita ay uminom siya sa lata ng soda niya at bumuntong-hininga.

Normally, my sister was a relaxed and composed lady but what exactly I was seeing now was a little bit shook and bothered… para bang hindi siya sigurado sa gagawin niya.

Hindi ko inaasahang acads ang problema niya ngayon dahil pareho kaming nag-e-excel doon. She also had a spot in their batch ranking, though hindi siya ang nangunguna dahil si Kuya Namjoon ang topnotcher sa buong batch nila.

Of course, it wouldn't be about financial. We had our own source of money, pareho kasing may mga negosyong tumatakbo na nakapangalan sa amin though hindi kami ang nag-ma-manage ay kumikita kami at stockholders kami ng ilang mga kumpanya.

My father did that so there was only one thing she always sought help from me.

"It's about Kuya Hoseok?" I asked her.

She bit her lower lip and slowly shook her head. "No, not really. It's about Kookie, S."

"What about that jerk?" kunot-noong tanong ko. At bakit naman poproblemahin ni Ate Milan ang salbaheng iyon? Hindi kaya ina-away niya rin ang Ate ko?

I gritted my teeth as I felt my nails dig on my palms. Malaman-laman ko lang talagang pati ang Ate Milan ko ay ina-away niya, malilintikan talaga sa akin ang salbaheng iyon! Pinagtitiisan ko ang ugali niya dahil kaya ko, pero hindi ang Ate Milan ko.

She was just too soft and nice for him.

"S, kasi, I really don't know if this is right, if this is fine for you… basta, alam ko, kailangan ko itong gawin para sa'yo, gusto ko itong gawin para sa'yo." Kitang-kita ko sa mga mata niya ang sobrang kalituhan. She drew her can of soda near her mouth and tensely sipped on it. "At hindi ko alam kung papayag ba si Hobi rito at si Jimin."

Hobi… well, Hobi was Kuya Hoseok and he was my sister's boyfriend, but Jimin, what was with the brute? Bakit nasali siya? And what about me?!

"Seriously, Ate M, just tell me. I hate riddles, you know that. Huwag mo nang pasakitin pa ang ulo ko, what is it?" Nagkamot ako ng ulo dahil hindi ko talaga gusto ang mga paligoy-ligoy na usapan. Naloloka ako sa paputol-putol at walang direksyon niyang mga pinagsasabi.

Mas niyakap ko ang mga tuhod ko kasabay ng pag-ilaw ng phone ko para sa isang notification. I ignored it when I saw it was just an IG notif. Ibinalik ko kay Ate Milan ang atensyon ko.

Humugot siya ng malalim na buntong-hininga habang pinaglalaruan sa magkabilang kamay ang lata.

A bothered Milan Hannen Urduja was damn bothering me too. Sanay kasi talaga ako na parati siyang nakikitang composed. So maybe, what she was keeping to herself until now was really bothering her.

Until now 'cause it was not too long ago when she finally spilled the beans.

"S… hinalikan ako ni Kookie—"

And it just boiled even more my irritation towards the jerk.