MAPAIT na ngumiti si Vyrlle sa kambal niya nang ibalita nito sa kanya na umalis ng bansa ang buong pamilya ni Light kasama ang fiance nito. Hindi na niya inalam kung bakit but she has an idea, and she kept on pushing it away to save herself.

Mas nagpursigi siya sa pag-aaral niya. At least, she can make her parents proud of her. And maybe, highschool helped her a lot, she enjoyed playing and performing with her classmates. More time for herself and less time to think about her unrequited love.

Sometimes she's helping her brother, minsan naman ay siya ang secretary ng Daddy niya sa Clinic nito. It was fun. She can't decide which path she'll take.

"Take it easy, Vyrlle," her mother reminded her.

She give her a small smile to assure her that she's fine. They're now grade 12. Her twin choose STEM while she choose ABM. They're identical, sometimes they swapped and attend each other classes. It's bad, but she's curious what's up with STEM strand. Pinagbigyan lang siya ng kambal niya.

"Last na 'to ah?" Rayos asked.

Nangingiti siyang tumango. She's now satisfied. Her twin was planning to take Psychology just like their father so she can help their father to run the hospital, habang siya naman ay tutulong sa kapatid at mga pinsan nila.

"I met your boy friend, he's cute." Vyrlle said.

Lumingon sa kanya si Rayos, "Leo?" She asked.

"Oh, his name is Leo? Just Leo?" Magkasunod na tanong niya.

Well, she only met him once. He was animatedly talking to her about their past lesson which happened she understands because she studied it before swapping with Rayos. What caught her attention was that he likes Coffee and Cafe so much. They have a small cafe, kaya nakuha rin 'yon ng interes niya.

"Yes, just Leo." Tumatango na sagot ni Rayos sa kanya. "You like him?" Nakataas ang kilay na tanong nito.

"Oh no, what's yours is yours, my dear twin sister!" Natatawang depensa niya. "I just want to know him. Paano siya nakalusot kay Kuya at Daddy?" Salubong ang mga kilay na tanong niya sa kambal.

Knowing those two. Wala ni isang lalaki ang nakakalapit sa kanila sa school. First, her brother's record. Basagulero ang kapatid nila at palaging suki sa guidance plus their cousin, Laur. Second, their friend, Jillian was allergic to men. Ayaw na ayaw nito na may lumalapit na lalaki sa kanila. Kaya kahit sa groupings, nahihirapan sila.

"Just because?"

"What kind of answer was that?" Iritado na tanong niya sa kambal.

"Ion, let's just say... Leo is so pure that our dear brother and father likes him so much!"

Nanliit ang mga mata niya rito. "Tinakot nila no? Umamin ka?"

Nangaasar na tanong niya at inilalapit ang mukha sa kambal niya. Rayos rolled her eyes and pushed her face away.

"Yes! They did!" Asar na sagot niya.

"And?"

"Leo told them that if he's feeling change, and he made me cry, they're free to beat him." Her twin sighed.

She laughed and knocked the table. As expected! Her boyfriend give them assurance slash consent to beat him if he made their Rayos cry.

"How did you know?" Tanong sa kanya ni Rayos.

Vyrlle shrugged. "I just did. He was talking to me nicely and sweetly even though he's discussing about your lessons but after a few minutes, maybe he finally sense that I am not you? He stop talking and treat me a coffee and told me to stop pretending I was you." Natatawang kwento niya.

"Wow, let's meet him now! Gusto ko makita kung kanino siya lalapit!" Rayos pulled her up.

"Seriously?!" How ridiculous!

And so, that's what they did. Leo easily figured what's the difference between the two of them. She wasn't good faking her emotions, while her twin smile was always genuine.

"Stop playing, Rayos." Leo softly uttered. "Hi, Rayos twin."

Natawa siya rito.

"Hi, Rayos boyfriend?"

Nailing ito sa kanya. "Let's go to our Cafe? My treat."

Her twin immediately cling to her and pulled her towards Leo's car. Wala na siyang nagawa nang isama siya ng mga ito sa date nila. She's happy for her twin. Maybe... Just maybe... Kung sa kaedad nila siya nagkagusto. It won't be too hard. Maybe it won't be a one sided?

Her twin was right. Her boyfriend was too pure and too good to be true. He treats her twin nicely, he made sure of her comfort, he made sure that her twin was loved by his actions and words. He knew that she was playing a big part of her twin's life, so he made sure that Vyrlle doesn't feel being left out.

After class, palagi sila nitong dinadala sa cafe nila para mag group study. And of course, ginagamit rin siya nito to promote their Cafe.

"I'll post it on my Instagram, is that okay?" Leo asked while looking at his camera.

Vyrlle sipped on her coffee before answering. "Hindi ba dapat ang kapatid ko ang nilalagay mo sa Instagram mo?" Sita niya rito.

Umangat ang sulok ng labi nito. "Care to tell me how wicked can you be?" He asked, making Vyrlle raised her brow.

"Depends." She shortly answered.

He sighed and shake his head. "Don't worry, this won't be counted as cheating. I have another account. It was my personal account. The other one, kung saan ko balak ipost ang mga pictures mo ay para sa mga kuha ko." He answered and raised his camera.

"You have two?"

"Yes, naka follow ako sa inyo both accounts. Check your Ig, miss." Leo pointed out.

Mabilis na kinuha ni Vyrlle ang cellphone niya at binuksan ang IG application niya. She checked her followers and saw the two accounts of Leo.

"Ah, don't follow me back." Pigil nito sa kanya nang makita siya sa balak niyang gawin. "Pinapasabi lang ni Rayos." He added.

Hindi na siya nagtanong kung bakit. She took a photo of Leo and sent it to her twin. Wala ito ngayon dahil busy ito na manggulo sa Clinic ng Daddy nila. And she was here with her boyfriend, taking some pictures to help him promote their Cafe.

Vyrlle was startled when Leo's phone rang. Bahagya lang ito na sumulyap sa kanya bago sinagot ang tawag habang siya naman ay panay ang kain sa mga hinapag nito sa lamesa. Different types of sweets. Their pastry chef was pretty good!

Hinayaan niya lang magusap ang kapatid niya at si Leo, while she was eating and playing, practicing the technique that Tito Xyrus taught her. She didn't stop playing online game, and since Light wasn't living with them anymore, mas malaya siyang nakakapunta sa bahay ng mga ito.

He's now living with his fiance. Sa bahay ng mga ito sa Pearl Village.

Well, his brother was planning to buy a house there but he backed out. Masyado pa raw kaming bata para iwan. Vyrlle rolled her eyes mentally. He's not just ready to leave their house because he won't have any control of the news of him —doing every women who's willing to warm his night. Malalaman 'yon ng Daddy nila at sigurado na malilintikan ito.

Napangisi siya nang makita na tumaas ang rank niya, doon lang siya tumigil at binigyan ng pansin ang boyfriend ng kapatid niya.

"What?" She asked.

"May inuutos si Rayos, patulong ako, tapos hatid na kita sa inyo." Leo said.

Vyrlle know that it was one of her sister request. Rayos always take care of her and she'll do the same for her. Tahimik lang siya na nakasunod kay Leo, he even showed her a photo, na kahit siya ay hindi alam kung ano 'yon. It was one of her sister crazy likes.

When they reached their destination, they decided to split para mahanap agad ang gusto ng kambal niya. But before that, Leo pulled her and handed her a red ribbon.

"Tie your hair. Mainit." Reklamo nito kahit air-conditioned naman ang shop.

She shake her head and tied her hair using the red ribbon he gave. Tamad siyang lumayo kay Leo hanggang sa mapadpad siya sa mga sofa set at kama.

"Vyrlle, what are you doing here?"

Nanlaki ang mga mata niya nang marinig ang pamilyar na boses na 'yon. She was right. It was Light. He was smiling brightly at her again. Pasimple na gumala ang mga mata niya. He's with his partner.

"I haven't seen you after that night. Hindi ko tuloy naibigay sayo ang regalo ko." He said.

"I was busy. Kung nandyan pa sayo 'yon, paki abot nalang kay kuya." She answered quickly.

It's been a long time since she last saw him, kaya tutok ang mga mata niya sa mukha nito. His forehead crease as his gazed settled on her neck. Kumuyom ang kamao niya. She's wearing a round chain necklace with a Letter 'L' pendant.

He cleared his throat. "Your necklace, it's good. Sino ang nagregalo sayo?" Kunot pa rin ang noo na tanong nito.

Vyrlle held the pendant and smiled sweetly at him.

"It was a gift from my friend, Jillian. Lahat kami mayroon nito, katuwaan lang. Initial ng mga crush namin ang nakalagay. Although, lahat kami 'L' ang pendant." She explained and chuckle as she reminisced that time, sabay sabay pa sila na kumuha ng letter 'L' na pendant.

It wasn't expensive. Sa labas lang ng school nila ito nabili.

"Ion! Let's go, nakahanap na ako!" Leo called her, he was now holding the same thing na nasa picture.

"It's nice to see you here, aalis na kami." Nagmamadali na paalam niya at tumakbo papunta kay Leo.

After nila mabayaran ang pinabili ng kapatid niya. Leo kept on throwing glances at her.

"You know... I am not in the position to ask you or what? I am just your twin boyfriend, not officially part of your family. But to me, you're my friend. You can talk to me... Kung gusto mo lang." Marahan na sabi ni Leo.

"What? Silly. You're now part of our family, just don't make our Rayos cry, talagang patatalsikin ka." Natatawang sagot niya rito.

"You like him..." He said.

Nawala ang ngiti sa labi ni Vyrlle.

"And... It looks like he's older than us." Leo uttered. "Don't worry. Cupid sometimes love to play with his targets, malay mo delay lang ang pagkapana sa kanya." He joked.

"I don't think so. This feelings, it's not right from the start. Ano na lang ang iisipin ng ibang tao na kilala kami? If ever, we dated, let's say nasa tamang edad na ako. In this era where every single things matter, people would say that he groomed me. That he's a pedo?" Frustrated na sabi niya. "Blessing in disguise na rin siguro na wala siyang gusto sa akin. Kasi ayaw ko na may tumawag sa kanya na ganoon."

Leo just smiled at her. Because of that, mas lalo pa silang naging close, they're best of friends, and his relationship with her twin grew stronger. Although, there's some time that she'll distance herself so they can have time for each other.

Palagi siyang nasa bahay nina Grex, nakikipaglaro. Light's sister, Xyria, also taught her another online game. Ayon palagi ang nilalaro nila sa nakaraan na buwan. Vyrlle never asked how was Light and his partner. Pero hindi rin naman niya mapigil ang bibig ng Tito Xyrus niya na magkwento about sa anak na lalaki nito.

"He passed!" Masaya na sigaw nito.

Nakisilip si Vyrlle sa screen ng laptop nito. His name was on the list.

"He passed, Vyrlle! Architect na ang anak ko!" He proudly showed her the laptop screen.

Vyrlle smiled warmly. He made it. Her heart was filled with happiness as she stared at his name.

Light Perez.

"Tito, do you have a gift na po ba for him?" Tanong niya rito.

Tito Xyrus clicked his tongue and shake his head. "I was busy playing with you. I forgot to buy a gift for him." Nagkakamot sa batok na sabi nito.

"Then, can you give him my gift? Paki sabi na lang po galing sayo. It was supposed to be my graduation gift for him. Hindi ko lang naabot."

"What's with you and my son? Palagi niyo na lang nakalimutan na iabot ang mga regalo niyo." Natatawa na reklamo nito sa kanya. "Ano ba ang regalo mo dapat sa kanya?" He asked.

Vyrlle scratch her cheek a little. "A white hard hat." She answered smiling.

☕