We spent half of our day trolling around the resort.

"You should join those two," I told Hairo as we watch kuya James and Kino having fun in the swimming pool.

Since I have my monthly, I can't join the fun in swimming pool, I also told Hairo that he should join the two but he refused to do so.

"Nah. Swimming's not my thing," he replied nonchalantly.

"Why? It's fun." Sabi ko at mabilis siyang sinulyapan. He's looking at the two, playing in the pool like how kids play.

"I can see that it's fun," he said.

"Hindi mo pa ba naitry mag swimming?" I asked, curious.

He nodded as an answer. I grinned.

"I'll make you swim the next time we went to a place with swimming pool," I grinned.

He chuckled. "Yeah. Make me."

I slightly pout and think about topic I should open up. Napaka-boring naman kasi kung mananahimik lang kaming dalawa habang nakatingin sa mga taong naliligo sa swimming pool, diba? Oo, diba.

Itinaas ko ang dalawang paa ko sa inuupuan ko at umupo ng naka-fetal position. I put my chin on my knees.

"What's your favorite movie?" I randomly asked.

He chuckled once again. "That's so random," natatawang aniya. "But it's Avengers." Sagot nito sa tanong ko.

Bahagya akong sumimangot. "I hate the ending of Endgame!" I exclaimed, still frowning.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah! Nath died. Tony died. But billions of people were saved because of their sacrifice . . ." Halos bulong nalang ang huling sinabi ko.

"Hmm," he agreed. "I admired those two."

"Uhuh. The more reason to love Robert's character. Iron Man," nakangiting sabi ko.

"You're whipped by Iron Man, aren't you?" he asked, slightly teasing me.

I faced him and smirked. "Isn't it obvious?" I asked, smirking. "Oh! Not just by Tony, but also Steve, Thor, and Strange!" I grinned.

He shook his head with a smile on his face. "I see."

"Speaking of ... have you watch the movie?" I asked.

"What movie?" He asked, forehead creased.

Sandali akong nag-isip. "Uhm ... I forgot the title but I'm pretty sure it has the word 'see'," I quoted the word see. "Can you see me? Argh, I don't know."

Hairo's lips slightly formed a smile. He reached for my hair and messed it.

"You're cute," he blurted out.

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko at mabilis na nag-iwas ng tingin sa kaniya. I can feel my cheeks heating up and the loud palpitation of my heart. I feel like I'm getting a heart attack but of course that's just an exaggeration.

Punyeta kasi. Bakit may gano'ng atake?!

Hairo cleared his throat. "That's awkward," he said. "But I meant what I just said."

Mas lalong namula ang pisngi ko kaya ang ginawa ko ay isinubsob ko ang ulo ko sa tuhod ko at hindi mapigilang ngumiti dahil sa kilig na nararamdaman. Punyeta talaga.

"Uhm, Zai, ano'ng nangyari sayo?" It was kuya Kino's voice. "Ayos ka lang?" He asked.

Still head on my knees, I raised my other hand and gave him a thumbs up.

"Oh. Okay." He said. "By the way, dala mo ang camera mo?" tanong nito.

I slowly raised my head. Nangunot ang noo ni kuya Kino at akmang magsasalita na nang umiling ako sa kaniya. I mouthed 'don't mention it.' He nodded and eventually smirked.

"The camera? Nadala ko. Nandoon sa suite namin. Why?"

Gamit ang kamay niya, umakto siya na parang kumukuha ng litrato. "Picture."

"Oh." I nodded. "I'll get it then." I was about to stand up when Hairo did it first.

"I'll go get it," he volunteered.

Napatingin ako sa kaniya. Tumango lang siya. "Nasa maleta ko lang. Ikaw na bahalang maghanap," sabi ko sa kaniya.

Napailing nalang siya bago umalis para bumalik sa suite naming dalawa. Nang makaalis na siya, umupo si kuya Kino sa upuan ni Hairo kanina.

"Oy. Ba't namumula yata pisngi mo kanina, Zai?" tanong ni kuya Kino.

Hinarap ko siya. "Makiki-chismis ka rin eh noh, kuya?" tanong ko sa kaniya habang tinataas baba ang mga kilay.

He grinned. "You bet," he playfully said. "Chismis mo na kasi. Ito naman." Bahagya siyang ngumuso kaya natawa ako ng mahina.

"You'll probably tease me. And worst, baka ipagkalat mo pa kay kuya James." Umiiling na sabi ko.

"Wala kang tiwala sa akin, noh?" nang-aakusang tanong niya.

I playfully grinned. "Mismo, kuya! Hindi ka talaga mapagkakatiwalaan," nang-aasar na sambit ko.

"Awts gege nalang, Zairene. Salamat nalang sa lahat," madamdaming sabi nito at tumayo.

Nagpakawala ako ng tawa dahil sa inasal niya. He went back to kuya James and whispered something to his ears. Napailing nalang ako habang tumatawa parin.

I watched them as they play together. Nagwiwisikan pa silang dalawa ng tubig na para bang bata. Natatawa ako dahil pati ang batang hindi naman kakilala ay dinamay pa nila.

The most hilarious part is that when kuya Kino said something to kuya James and the latter ended chasing him but he tripped on the water. Hindi ko mapigilan ang sariling hindi mapahagalpak ng tawa.

"Punyeta," natatawang bulong ko. "Kaya mo 'yan kuya James! Cheer kita!" natatawang sigaw ko. Kuya James looked at my direction and winked at me.

Hinabol niyang muli si kuya Kino at mabuti nalang at hindi na siya muling natapilok. Nang maka-recover ako sa tawa, kinuha ko ang cellphone ni kuya James na pinahawak niya sa akin kanina bago sila maligo.

I opened his phone. My lips formed an oh when I saw his lockscreen. Ito iyong babaeng pinakita kahapon ni kuya Zach sa video call. I swipe up to unlock his phone, good thing that it's not protected by password, pin, or pattern.

"Pfft." I reacted when I saw his wallpaper. It was his epic picture taken by me. It was the picture from yesterday.

Binuksan ko ang camera ng cellphone niya at kinuhanan silang dalawa ng video. Naghahabulan parin silang dalawa. Pero may mga salbabida na sila. Hindi ko mapigilang matawa nang biglang patigilin ng isang bata si kuya James.

"Stop na po. That's mine," the kid said with a frown. "And you're big enough for that."

Tumigil si kuya Kino at pinagtawanan si kuya James. But his laughter died down when a kid also told him to give the salbabida to him.

Tawa lang ako ng tawa habang vini-video-han ang pangyayari. Hanggang sa isauli nila ang mga salbabida at pumunta sa direksyon ko ay tawa lang ako ng tawa.

Ahh. I really wish that my monthly didn't come so I can enjoy with them now.

"You might die because of your laughter, Zai," kuya Kino said with sarcasm.

"Lame naman yata nun kapag namatay siya dahil sa tawa niya," sapaw naman ni kuya James.

Napailing nalang ako sa kanila at pinigilan ang sariling tumawa pa ulit. When I recovered from laughing, I stopped the video.

"I recorded the whole scene with the kids," I said, chuckling from time to time.

"Sigurado akong mukhang tanga si Kino doon," nakangising sabi ni kuya James.

I shook my head. "Hindi. Kayong dalawa 'yung mukhang tanga sa video." Natawa nanaman ako. "Para kayong mga bata."

"Gano'n talaga siguro kapag cute," umiiling na sabi ni kuya Kino.

"Tama! Tama!" pag-sang-ayon ni kuya James at nakipag-apir kay kuya Kino. Tinawanan ko nalang ang dalawa.

"Anyway, tapos na kayong maligo? I mean, hindi na kayo babalik do'n?" tanong ko sa kanilang dalawa.

They shook their head. "Nah. Hindi na. Lumalamig na eh," kuya James answered. "Malapit naring mag-four. We need to take pictures, right?"

"Right. Are we using my camera?" I asked.

Kuya Kino nodded. "Uhuh. And you'll be the photographer too," he grinned and wiggled his eyebrows.

I frown. "Wow naman. I'm no photographer, mga kuyas."

"Sus. Kapag nag-graduate ka magp-photographer ka din naman eh. Kagaya sa kuya mo." Kuya James stated.

Right. Like Kuya, I also took photography as my course. We had the same interest. We both like photography. Bago kaming mag-college ni kuya, napag-usapan na talaga naming dalawa na photography ang kukuhanin naming dalawa. And about our parents business ... well, since we're not interested in handling the business, kuya Zure, our cousin, was told that he should handle my parents business. And he was now training at our company.

"Fine. Fine," I said dismissively. "Kayo nalang muna gawin kong model, then."

They both thumbs up. "Gusto ko 'yan. Bagay naman kaming maging model. Diba?" Kuya James asked.

"Pwede na," I answered but at the back of my mind, I was saying: Mas bagay kay Hairo.

I mentally smiled. Bagay naman kasi talaga sa kaniyang maging model. He had the kind of face that will stop you in your tracks. He had a tousled dark hair, which was thick and lustrous. His eyes were a sweet and luminous brown, framed by graceful brows. He had smooth flawless skin, which was like a sheet of well done cloth. His lips looks soft, attractive, and captivating. He was surely the man of every girl's dream.

Including mine.

Moments later, Hairo arrived and handed me my camera. I smiled to him and said 'thanks'. Tumayo ako sa kinauupuan ko.

"Pwesto na kayo, kuyas," utos ko sa kanilang dalawa habang inaayos ang camera ko. "I'll take a shot of you two first."

Tumango ang dalawa at pumwesto. Kuya Kino put his arms on kuya James' shoulder and did a pose while kuya James crossed his arms and plastered a sweet smile on his lips. I chuckled because of the two. Talagang kinarer nilang dalawa ang pagiging model, ah.

Nang maayos ko na ang camera, I positioned the camera and take a shot like a professional photographer I wanted to be.

I smiled when I saw the shot. It's pretty awesome.

"Oh! Kayong dalawa naman ni Hairo!" may bahid na ngising sabi ni kuya James. I raised my head and gave him a questioning look. He grinned at me. "Oh c'mon, Zai! Minsan lang kaya 'to. For keeps lang, ganon!" he urged.

Tinignan ko si Hairo at tinanguan lang ako nito. I sighed and handed my camera to kuya Kino. Good thing that his hands aren't wet anymore.

Hairo and I posed in front of the camera. Komportableng umakbay siya sa akin. I gulped and ignored the loud palpitating of my heart. Dapat masanay na ako. I mean, kahapon pa naman niya ako inaakbayan. Kaya dapat lang na masanay ako, diba? Oo, diba.

We did the peace sign in front of the camera. Did the the wacky pose. And after the shots, we did the groupie.

"Kuya James!" tawag ko sa pangalan ni kuya James habang naglalakad kami papunta sa rest room. Humarap siya sa akin at agad kong pinindot ang capture. Tatawa tatawang lumapit ako sa kaniya at pinakita ang picture niya. "Look at your face!" I said, laughing.

He frowned. "What the hell, Zai," reklamo nito.

Natawa lang ako sa naging reklamo niya. "Transfer ko maya sayo."

"What-evur," he said, putting an accent on evur. What accent? I don't have any idea.

"Hairo!" tawag ko sa atensyon ni Hairo. He looked at my direction and raised his brow. I immediately took a shot. I ran towards his direction and showed him the picture with a grin on my face. "Aren't I awesome?" I asked with a grin. "The shot is so awesome, isn't it?"

Tinignan ko ang reaksyon niya. Like kuya James, he also frowned. "What the hell is that? The shot wasn't awesome at all. Look at my face. That's epic!" mahabang litanya nito habang nakasimangot.

Imbis na sumimangot sa reklamo niya, tumawa ako. Bakit ang cute naman yata niyang mag-reklamo?

"It isn't," giit ko. "Tignan mo nga oh. Guwapo mo kahit epic shot yan." I laughed as I pointed his face.

He cleared his throat. "Gano'n na talaga kapag guwapo." Pagyayabang niya.

I chuckled. "Hangin mo yata ngayon, ah?" nang-aasar na sabi ko. "Ano'ng nakain?"

He just shrugged and grinned.