//Philippines' POV

.
.
.

"MAHARLIKA!"

We all ran to her and hugged her, trying our best to keep it down as to not attract too much attention.

We buried our faces around her on her blouse, trying to hide our tears. I Maharlika softly giggle.

I slowly raised my head up, sniffling and still trying to cover my likely red and puffy eyes from her and anyone else in the Dining Hall. "Hoy... anong nakakatawa sa'yo?"
("Hey... what's so funny to you?")

"Wala lang. I'm just enjoying this sight while I can."
(It's nothing. I'm just enjoying the sight while I still can.")

Kuya Greg sniffled and spoke up. "Anong ipihig mo sabihin?" He asked; his eyes all watery, red, and puffy.
("What are you trying to say?")

Maharlika giggled. "I'm saying that for someone who claims to not have a soft heart, you seem like big softie right now."

.
.
.
.
.

"I'll give you P5oo ($10) if you promise to never speak of this again."

We all laughed. But it seemed Maharlika had other surprises for kuya Greg and I.

"So... when do you want me to get your things from the car, anak?" Tatay asked her.

"Things? For what? Where are you putting them?" Kuya Greg asked.

Maharlika giggled again. "Didn't you hear, kuya Greg? I'm moving to this school. I'm moving in!"

Kuya Greg and I looked at her; our eyes wide in surprise for a few second, before giving her our widest smiles. But she wasn't done yet.

"And the best part is, Principal Earth agreed to give me a while separate room on the Asian floor, Southeast Asia Hall. And kuya Greg, you're moving in with me!" She said happily.

Kuya Greg took a step back. "Th-That's great! Sa wakas, 'di na 'ko makasama ng mga walang kwentang- walang magawa kundi lagi away ng away. Nakakabaliw, eh."
("Th-That's great! Finally, I won't be rooming with those useless- they don't do anything but argue. It's driving me crazy."

Maharlika giggled and smiled, happy at kuya Greg's excitement at the idea of rooming with her. Then she turned to me.

"Ikaw, kuya Phil? Gusto mo ba kasama kami sa isang dorm?"
("What about you, kuya Phil? Do you want us three to live together in one dorm?")

I was about to accept her offer, but then I caught a glance at Malaysia and Indonesia with their families. Then I remembered how this past summer, we'd always text each other, hoping that we'd all live in the same dorm. Talking about how'd we'd run things, who'd be responsible for what, how often we'd party, and many others.

In other words, I've made up my mind. As much as I'd love to share a room with my siblings just like old times, I also don't want to throw away what I have now.

Because unlike my brother, I actually like my roommates.

I looked back at Maharlika and kuya Greg, who was trying to convince me with his best puppy dog eyes, but is failing miserably.

I took a deep breath, then exhaled loudly. "As tempting as that offer sounds, I'm quite contempt with the people I'm living with now. Unlike some people." I said, shooting a look at kuya Greg.

Maharlika gave me a sad, but understanding look; while Kuya Greg rolled his eyes. "Waw, big words. Naging Englisero agad-agad." He teased me.
("Wow, big words. He used English so suddenly.")

Maharlika did me a favor by lightly punching him on his upper right arm before talking back to me. "It's okey, kuya Phil. Besides, you're always welcome to visit us in our dorm." She told me with a gentle and reassuring smile.

Kuya Greg nodded in agreement as he rubbed the spot on his upper right arm where Maharlika lightly punched him. "Yeah... and you can even sleep over on weekends, breaks, and holidays, if you want."

I almost forgot that Nanay and Tatay were there until Tatay fake-coughed into his right elbow.

"How about we continue this conversation after we take a seat, hm?"

___________________________________________

"Wait... so you really did mail them your slippers?" Maharlika asked, obviously trying to hold in her laughter.

"And you really slapped each other with it?" Tatay asked, also obviously trying to hold in his laughter.

As I looked down to my lap, trying to hide my embarrassment, kuya Greg owns it with a chuckle and a wide smile. "What can we say? We missed our Mom~"

While Tatay and Maharlika bursted out laughing, Nanay sighed with a small smile and giggled softly. "And I missed your stubborness, my boys."

__________________________________________

"So tell us, boys, any notable things you did this month?"

I let kuya Greg answer first, but it turns out that he didn't really have anything interesting happen to him lately.

Kuya Greg frowned. "Beyond piles of school work and two roomates who just won't shut up? Nothing, really."

Tatay smirked. "Really? You haven't even met any cute girls lately?" He got a smack to the back of the head from Nanay.

"Anong babae-babae ka pa dyan, hah? Bata pa 'ko maging lola agad-agad, no."
("What's all this talk about girls, huh? I'm too young to be a grandma.")

After giving a little chuckle, kuya Greg decided to transition the spotlight to me and call me out.

"But I could hear Phil a hall down having a blast last Friday." Kuya Greg said, quickly looking away and crossing his arms. "Without me. Can you believe that?"

"Oh, and what exactly was the purpose of this party, hah?" Nanay asked.

"Well... I met some new friends in my World Economics class-"

"The class taught by Mr. SEA?" Kuya Greg interrupted and asked.

"- Yep. And we celebrated that new friendship with a party."

"Why in your dorm of all dorms?"

"Hoy, it was Indo's idea, not mine. If anything, I volunteered for Fridays to be my laundry day, and I wanted to handwash my laundry in peace."

"And you all partied without anyone filing complaints against you?" Tatay asked.

I shrugged. "Pretty much everyone was having parties in their own dorms, anyway. Besides, it was the weekend. The admin is pretty lenient about these kinds of stuff."

"Damn, Phil. Next time you guys have a party, be sure to tell me. Heck, Maharlika and I will even host it for you."

Upon hearing that, Maharlika almost choked on her complimentary water before turning to him. "O? Sino ng sabi?"
("Oh, who said?")

"Says your oldest brother."

"Actually, we already agreed that the MyanCamLaos trio will host our next ASEAN bonding." I interjected before the bickering starts.

"'ASEAN'?" They all asked in unison.

I mentally facepalmed as I realized that I forgot to tell them about our group name in the first place. "'ASEAN' stands for the 'Association of SouthEast Asian Nations'. You know, since everyone in my class with Mr. SEA is South East Asian-"

"- and 'ASEAN' sounds like 'Asian'!"

I laughed along with them. They sounded and reacted just like Thailand.

.
.
.
.
.

There was a slow clap from a man who walked behind Nanay and Tatay. They stiffened, glanced at each other, and slowly turned around. Nanay gasped as softly as possible, while Tatay's eyes furrowed, his teeth gritted, and veins popping out of his forehead.

I looked over to kuya and, to my surprise, I saw a hint of fear in his eyes.

But I looked at Maharlika, and she seemed just as lost and confused as me.

"Lo siento, I hope I didn't interrupt anything..."

.
.
.
.
.

... Who's this man?
_____________________________________________

//Singapores' POV

.
.
.

The double doors burst open, and there appeared two figures that I didn't recognize.

The chaos slowly subsided into shocked gasps across the Dining Hall as the two figures stood by the doorway. For a while, I saw their eyes scan the room, until they landed on me, and they smiled.

I looked at māmā and bà, and their expressions where a mix of shock and... worry? I then looked to taiko, who also had a similar expression on his face.

Then, they slowly turned to me.

I heard the figures by the double doors call out my name, taking me by surpise.

"Singapura!"

.
.
.
.
.

Wait, who are they? How did they know my name? And what are they doing here, lah?

•••

word count : 1386 words

Coming up ---> 'chapter 15 : 'Memories Best Left Forgotten'

Some things happened between the time the Sunshine family's mysterious... 'acquaintance'... appeared, and when The Malayan family's old friends appeared as well. But I decided to put those details in the next chapter! Trust me, yall are gonna wanna read what went down...

I couldn't be bothered to put the juicy details in one whole chapter, ok? I'm already over 1000 words, and I don't feel comfortable writing more and boring yall. Same as I not wanting to write less that 1000 words and feeling like I could've done more, you know?

Anyway, as always, stay safe and healthy!

And ayye, thank you! -3-