"Douglas! Naghihintay nasa baba 'yong sasakyan. You should've done that earlier pa kasi!" sigaw ni Cory sa akin.

"I'm finished!"

Quickly putting the belt tightly and rushing out the door, I saw her so pissed looking at me. She just grabbed the handle of her luggage and walked out. I followed her and checked if I properly locked the door. While we're away, Danny would be checking into her condo just to see if everything is working and nothing bad happened.

We both got into the elevator as soon it reached the ground floor, we walked out and the driver called Cory again asking where we are. Dali-dali kaming lumabas ng condominium and found the car waiting for us outside. We put our luggage in the trunk and jumped inside for us to go to the airport. Our flight would be in three hours and we're feeling a little nervous, especially Cory that we might miss our flight.

It didn't take us too long when we reached the airport. When we arrived, good thing the check-in counter for our flight is already open so we headed there straight. We'll have our connecting flight to Singapore and then from Singapore, we'll be flying to New South Wales. Our flight would be around less than fourteen hours including the waiting time for our connecting flight.

Once we checked in our luggage, we headed straight to the immigration which was smooth for both of us. When we proceed to the boarding gate, we have to wait for another couple of hours for the boarding time.

"This isn't your first time to go out of the country, 'di ba?" she asked.

I shook my head. "No... when I was fifteen, me and my parents went to Hong Kong for a family vacation. We were supposed to go to Japan, but then father decided to run into politics so that never been planned again. The funny thing is, I haven't visited the Cook Islands where my mom's birthland. How could it would be to go there one day."

"I think you should," she said. "It's good to discover your parent's roots. Maybe it's a good thing!"

She turned to me and her face lit up as if she thought of something great.

"Why don't we do to the Cook Islands and know your family ancestors there? We don't have to put it on a vlog or anything, but let it be a personal trip. What do you think? I think that would be great since you mentioned you haven't been there, I haven't, so let's do it?"

I slowly nodded my head even though I was unsure. "Sure... let's think about it and plan ahead. It could be interesting."

While we're waiting, we've come across someone who is familiar to both of us. Nakaupo lang kaming dalawa ni Cory sa metal gang chair sa tapat ng boarding gate namin nang makilala namin iyong isang lalaki.

"Would that be Danny's boyfriend?" pagtanong ko at pagtukoy sa lalaking isang metro ang layo sa amin.

I was about to point him when she quickly snatched my hand away dahil baka sabihin kung anong tinuro-turo ko. Lukas' seems to be unbothered. Hindi siya nakikilala ng mga tao sa paligid, but clearly we do recognized him kahit naka deep shades at hoodie pa ito. 

Later on, another man sat next to him and they started talking and laughing.

"Did Danny mention Lukas would be going out of the country?"

She shook her head. "I don't think so... but I guess, they're fine. 'Wag na tayo gumawa ng issue. Mukhang naman pupuntahan niyan ni Lukas. Baka may modeling gig siya sa abroad."

"Should we approach him?" I asked.

"Hindi na," pagpigil nito sa akin. Hinawakan pa ako sa braso ko para 'wag umalis sa kinauupuan ko. "Hayaan na natin sila. Let him recognize us na lang kasi kung baka lapitan pa natin, makuha pa atensyon ng ibang tao at pagkaguluhan pa siya so hayaan na lang natin."

I shrugged off. "Okay, sabi mo, e."

We stayed in our seats for the rest of the hour until our flight is being called to onboard the plane. As soon as we found our seats and settled inside the craft, later on, we saw Lukas enter the same craft we do. Todo iwas pa sana si Cory, but he quickly looked in my direction noticing me and Cory.

As he passed by our seats, he greeted us and then went straight to his designated seat.

"Mukha namang harmless si Lukas," aniko. "It doesn't look like we should be worried about anything, should we be?"

Napakibit balikat nama si Cory sa akin. "Wala naman. Nagulat lang din ako. Hindi kasi chinika sa akin ni Danny, so malay ko ba? He wasn't even telling me anythingabout them lately."

"But I think they're okay naman?"

"Feeling ko rin naman..."

Cory stopped assuming about something to Lukas when the aircraft took off. Our flight is kind of chill. Cory slept for the four-hour flight and once we arrived in Singapore, she was still avoiding Lukas when we were picking up our luggage since we booked another airline going to Australia. Cory didn't even have a chance to go to the lavatory since she might be bound to meet Lukas along the way so she stayed in her seat for the whole flight.

"What's up? I didn't expect I'll see you guys on the same flight," he started with a smile on his face.

"Right? We're surprised to see you, too! Danny didn't tell you'll be going out of the country."

"Oh, maybe he just forgot about it," Danny answered. "What will you do here in Singapore? Are you working on another project of yours?"

Cory shook her head. "No, we're going to Australia. We just have our connecting flight in two hours so we'll spend some time here in the airport while waiting for boarding. What about you?"

"I'm with my friend," he said, pointing to the guy who was looking for their luggage on the conveyor. "That's Davide. Well, if you know him in the Philippines, I'm sure you'll have a guess who he is."

Nagkatinginan kami ni Cory dahil wala kaming ideya kung sino 'yon.

"Anong gagawin niyo rito? Modelling?"

Tumango kaagad si Lukas sa tanong ni Cory. "Yup. We have a modeling project here and it's gonna be fantastic. I'm actually inviting Danwell to come with me, but he doesn't want to. Maybe next time, he will."

"I'm excited for you and your modeling project!"

"To you, too!" Lukas' said. "Where are you in Australia? Maybe I can hook you up with some of my friends there."

"We'll be going to New South Wales."

"Oh, I see," he said, nodding his head. "That's great since all my friends are in Sydney right now, do you want me to let them know?"

Cory quickly shook her head. "Uy, hindi na. 'Wag ka na mag-abala."

"Are you sure? Okay, just say when you need."

"Okay. No worries, Douglas and I are excited to explore the country on our own."

"Lukas!" Davide finally called him with two pieces of luggage pulled on each hand. "I've got our bags."

"Great! Again, this is Davide... nice to see you around, but we have a meeting to catch up to so, adios."

"Ciao!" Davide said waving at us.

When they both left and finally got out luggage, too. We went to the check-in counter to see if we would be able to check in our luggage again.

"See? I don't think there's anything to worry about it. I've met Lukas a few times and I think he's cool."

"He's such a piece of God's artwork," she commented. "That's why I'm always gonna be so intimidated by him. But did I mention this before?"

"What?" I creased my forehead. 

"Their relationship was never known in public."

Mas lalong kumunot ang noo ko sa binanggit niya. "Really?"

She nodded confirming it. "Yes..." she lowered her voice as if she was already whispering to me. "They met I guess if I remember it correctly sa isang club? They talked and eventually got to know each other, they've developed their relationship secretly. It was actually Lukas' condition. It was like he was still living in his own closet."

"But they've been going out in public and people could see them hanging out together."

"As friends," she corrected. "It was still a secret. Hindi ko nga alam diyan kay Danny kung bakit napagtiya-tiyagaan niya iyong relationship nila ni Lukas when he was out and could date anyone else na out din."

"I guess, let's just understand where Lukas coming from. He's well-known, a public figure, and he might just try to keep his image safe until he's ready to come out. Just like you..."

"Anong ako? Hindi naman ako gay?"

"I mean, not that I meant you are gay, but you had your time to process what happened in the past few months of your life. Same to Lukas, he could still be in the process of learning how to navigate this side of him. It wasn't easy, alam mo 'yan."

Napabitaw na lamang nang malalim na hininga si Cory.

"You're right... but I'm happy for both of them. I hope when the time comes, pwede na ma-IG story si Lukas."

"Iyon talaga ang nasa isip mo, 'no?"

"Syempre, I'll do a soft launch with you when the time comes..."

Napangisi ako sa sinabi niya. "I'll wait for it."

We waited for a few minutes until the staff open the counter for checking our luggage. After that, we proceed to wait in the boarding area where we will wait for our flight to be called. Two hours isn't that long and so when the time flies quickly and we didn't realize we're being called off by the ground crew, Cory and I hurriedly come over to the boarding gate not wanting to be left by the aircraft.

We'll be having an eight-hour flight all the way to Sydney. This is going to be a rough flight for us since it was long and both of us were exhausted already. Both of us just slept throughout the flight. Magigising lang kami kapag mag-serve na ng pagkain ang mga attendant and we were famished.

With two hours difference from the Philippines, we arrived at the Sydney Airport around ten in the evening. It was like a whole day flight for both of us since it took us fourteen hours just to get here.

"Finally!" I stretched out my arms up in the air. "We're here in Sydney."

Inakbayan ko si Cory at napansin ko ang pagiging tahimik niya. I looked a her and she won't give me the same look.

"What's up? Inaantok ka pa rin ba? I think you've slept most of our flights."

Napabitiw siya nang malalim na buntonghininga. "I still couldn't believe I could do this for my job. I feel like umaabuso ako and I don't deserve this. I'm happy that I also get to do this with you."

"You'll have the best time of your life here in Australia... hindi ko man alam masyado ang lugar na 'to, but we'll make the best out of it. Summer din dito so we can do a lot of things. It's about time to take a dip back in the water."

And we both said, "Bondi Beach."

We both giggled as we were looking forward to being there because one of Cory's plans was based there. She tried reaching out to this lifeguard who drowned at the beach which has been going on in the newspapers and online tabloids before. If I'm not wrong, his name would be Valerio.

As soon as we got our luggage back and find our way out of the airport, the weather seems to be tropical, but very different.

We're excited to seek wonders with you OZ, see you around.

***