"WHERE ARE you, Sera? I'm at the exit."

"Palabas na ako, wait—I can see you na Kuya!" I said before quickly ending the call and running towards Kuya Baker.

I immediately hugged him. "I've missed you!"

"How was your flight?" he asked after we pulled away.

"Tiring... and I'm famished!" I pouted at him, and he just tousled my hair like a kid.

"Stop doing that! I'm not a kid anymore,"

"You're still a kid to me," sabi niya, at tumawa siya nang sumimangot ako. "Let's go."

Si Kuya Baker na ang nagdala ng mga maleta ko. Pinagpapawisan na ako agad kalalapag ko pa lang sa Manila. Palinga-linga ako sa paligid habang naglalakad kami papunta sa SUV niya.

Ganon pa rin naman ang Manila. Ang pagkakatanda ko 4 years ago pa noong huling umuwi kami ni Mom dito sa Pilipinas dahil sa Silver Wedding Anniversary ng parents ni Kuya Baker.

Grabe ang tagal na pala! Matanda lang ng isang taon si Kuya Baker sa'kin pero kung ituring kasi niya ako parang akong bata sa paningin niya! Kung alam lang siguro ni Kuya kung anong mga natutunan ko sa LA, baka magulat siya hindi na talaga ako bata mag-isip!

"How's Tita?" tanong niya habang nasa daan na kami. Sobrang dilim na sa labas dahil 3 AM na. Madaling araw kasi ang arrival ko sa Manila from LA.

I sighed before answering, "S-she's... fine, I guess?"

Kuya Baker didn't ask any more questions because he knows how hard it is for me to leave Mom alone in LA. It's not like I have a choice naman. Si Mom mismo ang nagpadala sa'kin dito sa Manila at wala akong magagawa kung hindi ang sundin siya.

Ang family ni Kuya Baker ang pinaka-close ko sa mga family ng kapatid ni Mom. Madalas kasi sakanila kami nakiki-stay kapag bumibisita kami dito sa Manila simula noong bata pa ako at mas nakakasundo ko sila kesa sa ibang mga pinsan ko.

Dahil wala namang traffic at madaling araw na kaya nakarating kami agad sa condo ni Kuya Baker. For the meantime, dito muna ako sa condo niya dahil hindi pa nakakaalis 'yung nakatira sa unit na lilipatan ko sa Empire. Excited na nga ako kasi noong nag-search ako ng pictures ng Empire sobrang ganda noong building! Parang mga condo buildings lang din sa LA, 'yung alam mong sosyalin ang mga nakatira. Tapos kwento pa ni Mom na mahirap palang makakuha ng unit doon dahil madalas occupied lahat kahit na mahal, pero dahil sa tulong ni Kuya Baker and his friend daw kaya agad kong nakuha 'yung unit kahit na may list of people na nakapila pag may biglang vacant unit.

Maganda rin 'tong condo ni Kuya Baker. He told me na half an hour lang din 'to from Empire, kaya madali lang niya akong mapupuntahan in case na I needed something.

Kanina medyo nalulungkot pa ako dahil maiiwan ko si Mom sa LA pero ngayon parang excited na akong mag-ikot sa buong Manila dahil nakaka-miss din pala!

I'm just really lucky rin that I have a cousin who takes care of me, dahil kung hindi? I don't even know where to start. Kaya, he's my favourite cousin talaga!

Nasa kitchen kami ni Kuya and I'm eating a sandwich dahil nagugutom na talaga ako! Puro kasi tulog ang ginawa ko kanina sa flight.

"Kuya, can you show me around Manila tomorrow?"

"I'll try... I'm quite busy at work,"

Sayang. Gusto ko pa naman mag-gala na agad tomorrow para masanay na ako agad dito. When I was at the airport kasi, I browse tons of places na puwedeng puntahan dito kaya I already made a list kaso busy si Kuya sa work.

Napansin at ani Kuya 'yung pagsimangot ko. "...But I can ask a friend who can show you around," sabi niya kaya agad akong napangiti.

"Really ba?!" I beamed.

"Stop being conyo first."

"Epal you!" I said, and I stuck my tongue out at him. Napailing nalang siya.

Dapat siguro mabawasan ko na 'yung pag akto 'to nang ganito ko kay Kuya Baker para hindi na niya isipin na bata pa ako.

I gave him a sheepish smile. Ang laki nang pinag-bago ni Kuya simula ng huli ko siyang makita. He grew taller and he's a bit more muscular now compared dati. Mas lumaki kasi 'yung mga biceps niya kaya mas lalo siyang gumwapo.

"Do you have a girlfriend now? Or are you still NGSB?" I wiggled my eyebrows at him, pero agad siyang tumayo sa upuan niya.

"Goodnight kid." sabi niya bago ako iniwan sa kusina. Napailing nalang ako. Looks like I need to be his cupid para naman mabawasan na ang pagiging masungit niya at magka-love life na siya! Mukhang mas madami pa akong experience kesa sakaniya, e!

#

After I ate my sandwich, I took a quick shower dahil feeling ko ang lagkit ko na. Masaya namang mag-travel pero minsan ang hassle talaga lalo na pag ang haba ng flight mo. Wala naman kasing shower room sa airport. Ang alam ko lang na may shower ang airport is sa Incheon Aiport sa Korea. Sobrang laki kasi ng airport nila compare sa ibangairport. They have a "Relax Zone" if you want to sleep. They also have a "Kpop Zone" and many more!

Even though I'm jetlagged pa rin, I still can't sleep kaya lumabas muna ako ng kuwarto at saka nag-ikot ikot sa loob ng condo.

Simple lang naman 'tong loob ng condo. A typical guy's condo. Plain black and white. Walang masyadong furniture sa loob, tapos TV and couch lang ang meron sa sala and coffee table. That's it. Nothing really special, but I'm so bored that I've noticed the two picture frames under the TV stand.

I took the first picture, and it was a family picture. I smiled while staring at it for a second before putting it back and taking the other one.

Wow.

In the second picture, there are four guys, including Kuya Baker. It was probably his friends because they were all laughing at the guy na nakaupo sa sand at bukod tanging hindi nakaharap sa camera dahil hula ko ay nadapa. They all look close together, plus there's a beach in the background, so I bet it was a trip that they had. It looks recent though, dahil ganito 'yung itsura ni Kuya Baker ngayon hindi kagaya noon na payat pa siya.

I kept on staring at the photo when the guy in the far-right corner caught my eye... He has the most innocent face among all of them – of course I know Kuya Baker and hindi siya inosente sa paningin ko. The guy has a deep set of bright brown eyes, white skin tone, and thick brows.

A smile appeared on my lips. Sana siya 'yung kaibigan na tinutukoy ni Kuya Baker sa'kin! He looks so cute talaga!

I'm not really into innocent-looking guys dahil ewan ko ba, madalas sa bad boy ako na-a-attract kaya rin siguro madalas akong naloloko. Kaya I really hope that this is the guy who will tour me around Manila tomorrow! I'm not really looking for a relationship, but why not 'di ba.

The next morning, I was already feeling excited when I woke up after 4 hours of sleep. I brushed my teeth, slightly fixed my hair, and put on my bra—because I never really sleep with my bra on before I head out.

"You still here, Kuya?" I called.

"Kitchen," rinig ko kaya napangiti ako at mabilis na kinuha 'yung picture na nakita ko kagabi.

"Let's eat. I cooked bacon and eggs," he said. I sat on the chair beside him while he started eating.

Napansin ata niya ang pagtitig ko sakaniya, kaya sandali siyang tumigil sa pagkain at tumingin sa'kin. "What?" he said.

"Sino sakanila 'yung magto-tour sa'kin mamaya?" I asked and then I showed him the picture that I was holding.

I was smiling like a creep while waiting for Kuya Baker's answer. He looked at me with a weird gaze.

"That guy," sagot niya and pointed at the cute guy!

"Really ba? You're not kidding me?"

His forehead creased, "Of course, why?" He gave me a doubtful look.

I shook my head at him. "Nothing,"

He just shrugged at me before resume on eating his breakfast while I was grinning so wide and scoop myself some fried rice and eggs.

Today's going to be a good day! Unang araw ko palang sa Manila at sinu-swerte na ako agad.

#

Kuya Baker left to work kaya naiwan na akong mag-isa sa condo. But he didn't leave until he was done telling me lahat nang paalala niya sa'kin. He said that he was really busy with their new project kaya he gave me his company number para madali ko siyang makakausap agad in case of emergency – which I really doubt dahil nasa loob lang naman ako ng condo niya.

He also gave me a new sim card para magamit ko naman 'yung cellphone ko dito sa Pilipinas. Para rin matawagan niya ako.

I spent my whole day organizing my stuff dahil wala naman akong ibang magagawa dito sa condo. Mamaya pa kasi dadating 'yung friend niya para makagala ako sa labas. Kuya Baker said that Arlo, his friend who will tour me around Manila, will be here by 5 PM. Even his name is really cute! And I'm really, really excited about meeting him!

I don't have anyone here in Manila except Kuya Baker and I really want to have some friends. Sayang, kung puwede lang kasing sumama si Curtis sa'kin dito sa Manila edi sana may friend man lang ako kahit isa!

I was taking all of my clothes from my luggage nang biglang may nahulog na card. I took it and it was a company ID of Mr. Cash Evander – who I had sex with inside his expensive Hellcat outside Braxton just a couple of nights ago before I left LA.

I didn't know na nadala ko pala 'to. Might have been slipped sa mga damit ko noong nag-aayos ako bago umalis.

I've been eyeing this VM Corp. for some time, dahil isa 'to sa mga sikat na company in Manila, and they actually have great raves and reviews in the Philippines. It looks like I'll be contacting Mr. Cash Evander earlier than I'd planned to.

I quickly dialled the number that he gave me, and while I was waiting for him to answer the call, I heard the doorbell ring. I quickly ended the call and ran towards the front door. I checked the person on the peephole first, and I automatically froze in my spot when I saw who was outside the door!

I inhale and exhale and calm my nerves before I open the door.

"Hi." I was greeted with a warm smile on my face.

"Hi," he said, smiling back.

I extended my arm, "I'm Sera, and you are?" I said, kunyari hindi ko pa alam 'yung pangalan niya.

"Just call me Arlo," he replied, before shaking my hand.

Sobrang lakas nang tibok ng puso ko! Kung cute na siya sa picture e mas cute siya sa personal! Parang ang sarap niyang mahalin!

W H A T Y A S E Y