"AKIN na 'yan, Ate."

Natawa sa kanya si Ate Kaf. "Magtataka sila you got her again this year."

"Papa-tattoo uli ako."

Ngumiti si Ate Kaf. "Nakakatawa 'yong reaction ni Lovi. That was a crazy gift."

Ngumiti rin si Gabriel. Crazy para sa crazy. Kahit sobrang sakit ng tattoo na 'yon, tangina.

"Palit tayo, Kuya," sabi ni Jett.

Tinanggal ni Gabriel hawak sa kanya ng kapatid niya at s-in-ecure 'yong papel na may pangalan ni Lov. "Ayoko."

"Bibilhan ko 'to ng bible, sige. O libro ng satanic rituals."

"Wala akong pakialam sa bibilhin mo para kay Mikee," sabi ni Gabriel. "Akin 'tong si Lov."

"Shh, Tan!" sita ni Kuya Patrick na karga si Bailey. He's wrapped in little baby winter clothes and he's drooling. Gabriel smiles and wipes his saliva off, tapos pinunas niya 'yon sa damit ni Jett habang hindi ito nakatingin. "No one's supposed to know who got who."

"It's called Secret Santa for a reason," sabi ng boses ni Lov, and Gabriel turns around to see her coming down the stairs in a black halter turtleneck under a leather jacket with a white fur collar, flare pants, ankle boots, and braided hair.

Gabriel fists his hands inside his jacket pockets.

Kahit anong suot ni Lov, it always makes him feel like he's a Victorian man seeing a woman's ankle for the first time. Kahit na balot na balot ito.

Hindi maiintindihan ni Gabriel 'yong epekto sa kanya ng Gueco na 'to.

Nilagpasan siya ni Lov at bumunot mula sa ulo ni Nutty, then she frowns.

He smiles, leaning over her shoulder. "Si Dad? Hirap niyan."

Hinampas siya ni Lov.

"Tulungan kita. Mahirap mag-regalo sa billionaire."

She tilts her head at him. "I'm sure I'll figure it out."

"Ba't ayaw mo magkasama tayo? Kabado ka?"

As Gabriel expected, Lov scoffs, crossing her arms over her chest. "Kabado saan? Baka ikaw."

"Yeah, ako nga," he answers her honestly, then he laughs at himself. "Tagal na nating magkasama, tagal na nating close, gan'to pa rin ako sa 'yo."

She gives him a smile. "Pinapakulam kasi kita."

"Hindi mo na kailangan gawin 'yon, fire them." He fingers her collar and his face scrunches. "Whose is this?"

Tinaasan siya ng kilay ni Lov. "Mine."

"Whose was it? Masyadong malaki para sa 'yo, hindi mo 'yan size."

Lov bites her lip at sinampal nito 'yong kamay niya. Ayaw bitawan ni Gabriel. "Akin nga, Gabriel. Kulit mo. Let go."

"Mas makulit ka. Nakaka-frustrate minsan pero walang problema sa 'kin. Tanggalin mo 'yan, hindi ka pwedeng pasuot-suot ka ng jacket ng iba."

"Gabriel, 'wag, malamig!!!"

Pagkababa ng mga magulang nila, sumakay na silang lahat sa van ng mga Gueco. The Ilagans carefully secure Bailey in his seat in the front row while the rest of them pile up in the back.

Pinauna ni Gabriel ang lahat para do'n sila sa trunk ni Lov.

"Umusog ka," sabi ni Lov.

He smiles at her. "Ayaw. Gusto ko dito sa side na 'to."

"Gusto ko rin sa side na 'yan."

"Umupo ka na, may schedule tayo, Lov. Cause of delay ka diyan."

"Ayaw mo umusog, ah?"

Lov sits on his lap.

Gabriel freezes.

"Okay ba kayo diyan, Tan, Lovi?" tanong ni Tito Holder from the passenger seat.

"Okay na, Pa," sigaw pabalik ni Lov through the partition, clearly grinning.

She plopped her fucking ass on his lap and she's sitting there like she's snug and comfortable.

She turns her neck around to look at him, and this close, Gabriel can see the wisps of hair framing her face and the length of her lashes and the pink of her lips and

"30 - 15," she whispers cheekily.

And this fucking menace.

Gabriel takes a deep breath and shuts his eyes tightly, fisting the seats under him.

Oo, palagi silang nag-aasaran ni Lov. Skirting around...whatever this is. But they were never this brave and upfront.

Dati, hinahayaan ni Gabriel itong kung ano mayro'n sila ni Lov. Hindi siya nagmamadali kahit minamadali na siya ng nanay niya.

But now, he can't wait any longer. He can't wait lalo na no'ng nakita niya sa email na may dadalhin dapat si Lov sa Anderdal. The panic began to seize him—if she actually brought someone, how was he going to get through the holidays, then? How is he going to sit across her in the dining room the next time she actually brings someone else?

Hindi na kaya ni Gabriel hintayin 'yong araw na 'yon. Hindi na dapat dumating ang araw na 'yon.

Kaya this Christmas, they're upping the ways to get a score.

This Christmas, Gabriel proposed. Lov is sitting on his lap.

This Christmas, things between them are changing.

She wiggles when the van jolts into motion.

Putang—

"Lagay mo phone mo sa kabilang pocket, ang tigas," sabi nito.

Despite the situation, despite his running thoughts, Gabriel manages a choked laugh. He runs a hand through his face. "Hindi ko 'yon phone, Lov."

Natahimik si Lov. "Ah."

"Ah?"

She turns around and smiles. Brightly.

Like she's flattered.

"Ah," she agrees, nodding.

Oh, this girl. Fuck.

Gathering all his self-control, Gabriel puts his hands on her waist under the fucking jacket and wraps them there. Then, to her ear, he whispers, "Mamaya ka sa 'kin."

Hindi na gumalaw si Lov.

Gabriel smiles.

She pinches his arm, trying to get him to let go.

"Ang sarap palang maging upuan mo."

"Shut up," she grits out.

"Pa'no kung mukha ko?"

"'Wag mo 'kong tapang-tapangan diyan, Gabriel," Lov tells him, spinning around again and narrowing her eyes. "'Pag ginawa ko talaga 'yan, you will shut up and use your smart mouth."

He loves, loves, loves a fucking challenge.

Putangina talaga. For Gabriel, intellectually, emotionally, and physically stimulating 'tong si Lov. Alam na niyang compatible sila sa first two. Sa last, kahit wala pang nangyayari, wala siyang doubts.

Ngayon pa nga lang, e.

"Yes, ma'am. Nag-si-skincare nga ako para malinis. Pero bago 'yon, I'll get you to say yes first," he promises.

Lov scoffs and turns around, whipping her braid to hit him in the face. He grins. "Not happening," she murmurs.

"Mm-hmm."

Muntik nang mahulog si Lov. He tightens his hold on her and laughs under his breath.

For the rest of the ride, hindi bumitaw si Gabriel.

Kahit ga'no kahirap pa, he doesn't want to let go.

*

Tama siya.

Ang hirap bilhan ng isang billionaire, pero nagawan naman nila ng paraan.

Sa Main Street sila nag-shopping. Para kay Bailey, hati sila ni Lov na bumili ng maliit na sapatos para sa first steps nito. Kahit hindi nabunot ni Gabriel 'yong iba sa pamilya ni Lov, he gets them a little something, anyway. Lov also shops for her own sisters, parents, brother-in-law, Kuya Aze, and Jett.

Hinuli nila 'yong Secret Santa ni Lov. After endless walking and browsing, she ends up getting Gabriel's dad lightsaber chopsticks.

While she's paying at the cashier, Gabriel keeps his hand on her back and she doesn't shrug it off.

Kanina niya pa ginagawa 'yon. A hand on her back, a hand on her hair, a tap on her hip when he asked her to move para siya na kumuha n'ong nasa top shelf. Minsan deliberate, minsan accidental na hindi na napapansin ni Gabriel na ginagawa niya na pala. To him, she has a pull that makes his fingers itch, like he needs to be touching her at all times.

Hindi naman touchy person si Gabriel. Pagdating kay Lov, kailangan niya pigilan ang sarili niya.

The thing about her—she hates it when people touch her. Kahit 'yong simpleng kalabit lang, ayaw niya. Hindi siya komportable. Ayaw niya rin nagpapamasahe kasi hinahawak-hawakan daw siya ng mga hindi niya kilala. Kahit sa pamilya niya, hindi rin siya masyadong affectionate.

Pero wala itong problema 'pag si Gabriel.

To the both of them, it's easy and natural.

"'Di mo bibilhan Secret Santa mo?" tanong ni Lov habang hinihila ito ni Gabriel papunta sa isang store pagkatapos nilang ipabalot 'yong chopsticks.

"Nabilhan ko na," sabi ni Gabriel.

"Huy, ano ginagawa mo—"

"Miss, mayro'n ba kayo ng jacket na 'to sa size ko?"

"Baliw!" sabi ni Lov sa kanya, nagtatangkang umalis. "Guard! Baliw!"

"'Wag kang magulo, wala 'to sa shopping list ko pero ginagawan ko ng paraan, putanginang jacket na 'yan," matigas na sabi ni Gabriel. "Magkano po?"

Pagkatapos n'on, nang maitapon na finally 'yong putanginang suot ni Lov na jacket ng iba at suot na nito 'yong binili niya and new gloves he got her for her trembling fingers, Gabriel gets her a hot cocoa because she needs to drink something sweet. While holding Gabriel's eyes, Lov takes a long, wet slurp of the whipped cream, then she licks her lips.

Gabriel's gaze snaps to her mouth.

She smiles.

He takes off his beanie and puts it on her head to pull it all the way down her chin. Malamig na kasi mga tainga niya, namumula na.

Tapos kinuha ni Gabriel ang kamay nito.

Lov automatically tries to let go. "Gabriel!"

"'Pag binitawan mo 'ko, haharanahin kita. Alam mong gagawin ko."

If there's anything Lov hates at all, it's public and grand gestures.

She huffs, her cheeks red and eyes wide. "Kanina mo pa 'ko minamandohan, ha. Sa trabaho, papayag ako kasi boss kita. Dito—"

"Lov, alam mong pinaghirapan kita?"

The words get stuck in her throat. Gabriel takes a deep breath and moves her hair away from her eyes under his beanie. "Ilang beses mo 'kong b-in-lock sa Facebook? Ilang Pasko ang pinagdaanan natin bago na-accept follow request ko sa Instagram dump mo? Ilang dead-end conversations ang tiniis ko kasi gusto ko lang marinig boses mo, ilang kalokohan o pagpapapansin ang ginawa ko para lang sa atensyon mo, para lang makita kita kasi baon ka na sa trabaho? When we were first introduced, you didn't speak a word to me. Lahat ng nalaman ko sa 'yo, everything—I earned that. So itong kulitan, tawanan, landian natin, akin 'to. I earned this because I want this. And ngayon, I want to hold your fucking hand. Kasalanan mo kasi umupo ka sa 'kin. I warned you."

Lov takes a shaky breath. She whispers, "I didn't ask you to do all that."

"I did it, anyway. Para sa 'yo lang at wala nang iba."

"Bakit?"

"Because no matter how hard you are to be around, I always want to be around you," sabi ni Gabriel. "'Di ko na alam ang tawag dito, pabayaan mo na 'ko, tangina. Ang kulit mo rin, e."

She rolls her eyes, cheeks still flushed and breaths still labored, and mutters, "Sabi mo walang problema sa 'yo kakulitan ko. Deal with it."

"Then deal with the 30 - all."

"Fine."

"Fine."

Hindi bumitaw si Gabriel.

Hinayaan siya ni Lov.