[ — SONG YUQI ]

I WENT TO the rooftop and there I spotted Lucas who is leaning on the railings. Hindi ko alam kung bakit pero nakaramdam ako bigla ng kaba. My heart is beating wildly. Kakausapin ko lang naman si Lucas. I can do this!

Pumunta ako sa kinaroroonan ni Lucas but I kept the distance between us. I called out his name in an almost whisper tone. Sige Yuqi, maririnig ka talaga ni Lucas niyan.

I was surprised when he turned his head to me pero binalik niya rin ang tingin sa harap niya.

Maybe I'll just talk to him this way.

Huminga ako ng malalim bago nagsalita. "Lucas, gusto sana kita makausap. I want to talk about us—"

Natigil ako sa pagsasalita when I realized the word I used. Us? That sounded wrong.

"What I mean is, I want to know why you're not talking to me. Please tell me your thoughts. I keep on thinking of reasons on why you're treating me this way—"

"You really want to know the reason?" Lucas faced me with his arms folded in front of his chest. I unconsciously nodded. Ihahanda ko na lang siguro ang aking sarili sa sasabihin niya.

"I don't like you. I don't like you being in the team. I don't appreciate how you act high and mighty just because you're the only girl in the group. Everyone is treating you like royalty when your dancing skills are subpar. Yuqi, you should know to yourself that you're not good. You don't deserve to be in our team."

Suddenly, I couldn't hear anything. It's like I was stuck in that moment. Tears started to brim in my eyes. This is what I wanted in the first place, to hear his reason.

"I know I'm not the best, but I know to myself that I can do something. I can dance, Lucas. Even the guys said that to me, other people as well. I'm not saying this to act mighty, I'm saying this because I appreciate how other people believe in my talent." I stopped for a while. My hands were trembling in nervousness and my vision is becoming blurry because of my tears.

"You see me as the worst person in the team. Thank you, Lucas."

He plasters a surprised expression. I let out a soft laugh bago ako nagsalita ulit. "Now that I heard your reason, I know what I should do now."

I wiped my tears away using the back of my hand. I flashed a bright smile at Lucas and I pointed at him using my index finger. "Let me prove myself to you, Wong Yukhei, that I deserve to be part of 21st. By the time that I prove myself to you, ililibre mo ako ng takoyaki! Inubusan kasi ako ni Yuta kanina." I took his hand then I intertwined his pinky finger with mine. "That's a deal!"

Binitawan ko ang kamay ni Lucas at mabilis na tumakbo paalis ng rooftop.