VANE AND ARIA were preparing to watch for their Saturday night date. Naka ready na ang snacks nila when his phone vibrated and a very 'important' message made him sighed heavily. It was an announcement in their group chat. 

It was Sacxer who pinned the message. 

'Inuman session tonight! No oldies allowed so we're good 👍' 

All thanks to their Ate Lucia and Sacxer, they were able and had the permission to drink inside the village without the oldies. Mas magulo kasi sila kapag kasama ang mga 'to. They're much more chaotic than them when they're drunk. 

"Isla?" tawag niya sa atensyon ni Aria.

Humarap ito sa kanya at nagtaas ng isang kilay. Vane licked his lower lip as he scanned her from head to toe. She was really good in their movie night outfit. The hoodies they brought together with her cotton shorts. 

"Change of plans. They want us to go to the village." 

"Kasama talaga ako o ikaw lang?" 

"Isla, you're part of our family now. Of course, kasama ka talaga." Vane repeated his line again. He won't get tired of reminding his lover that she's part of them. Always. 

Lumambot siya nang makita itong ngumuso at niligpit ulit ang mga hinanda nilang snacks for tonight. She didn't respond to him and he let her. He was giving her an ample time to absorbed his words.

Isa pa, hindi siya mapapakali sa village kung iiwan niya ito dito. 

"Wear my jogging pants, Isla," Vane reminded her. 

His clothes were now her clothes. Kasya naman ang iba kay Aria, lalo na kung may garter naman. They went out and Aria was still silent. He was glancing at her from time to time, wondering what was she thinking. Saka lang siya nakahinga nang magsalita na ito.

"Saan pala tayo matutulog?" tanong nito habang nasa biyahe sila. 

"Sa kwarto ko." 

"Hindi ba magagalit sina Tita at Tito?" 

Bahagya siyang sumulyap kay Aria. Her expressions were cute, her nose scrunched, brows furrowed, halata talaga sa mukha nito na concerned ito sa sasabihin ng mga magulang niya kung matutulog lang sila sa isang kwarto.

He already confessed to his mother, her sense of smell was also different, masyadong malakas. Vane's family doesn't know the word 'TMI'. Ibubuga nila ang dapat nilang ibuga. That's how their bonds worked. 

"Don't worry, Isla. Alam nila na sa iisang unit lang tayo nakatira, ano naman ngayon kung sa kwarto ko tayo matutulog?" 

Bumuntong hininga lang ito at nanatiling tahimik hanggang sa makarating sila sa loob ng mismong village nila. Vane already saw how lively the mini bar was. Nakita rin niya ang iba na nasa pool area at nagtatampisaw, inaabutan na lang ng tagay. 

"Am I allowed to drink?" kumunot ang noo niya sa tanong nito.

"Why not?" 

"Okay lang sayo?" naniniguro na tanong nito.

"Yes, Isla. Ayos lang sa akin." 

There's no way na hihigpitan niya ito sa ganitong bagay. Aria had been drinking, partying, before he even asked her to date him seriously. Kaya bakit niya 'yon ipagkakait sa nobya gayong ganon din naman siya?

"Akala ko hihigpitan mo na ako, e! Sasakalin kita sa leeg!" pinanlakihan siya nito ng mga mata.

Vane chuckled. "Heck no, drinking buddy kita, g?" 

"Ay wow, na downgrade?" masama ang loob na sabi nito. 

He laughed at her and cupped her face. "You're still my Isla, my lover, my Netflix buddy, and now my drinking buddy. All around ka, bub." 

Calling her with the endearment she used to him was just for fun. But when Vane saw how red her whole face was? He doesn't think he'll use that endearment for fun starting tonight. He loves to see his lover blushing. 

"Bub? If you're already tipsy or you wanted to sleep, you could go straight to our house and sleep in my room okay? Again, my parents won't mind because Zayndrei will sleep in my sister's room too." Vane reminded her. "Just in case hindi ako patakin ng mga gago, okay?" 

"What do you mean?" kunot ang noo na tanong nito sa kanya. 

Vane pursed his lips before answering, "We won't stop until we finish all the liquor inside that mini bar." 

"Ganon kayo kalala?" gulat na tanong nito. Her eyes widened and held his right forearm. In Vane's perspective, pinagbabawalan na siya nito. He's feeling happy which was so freaking odd. 

"Unfortunately, yes, Isla. Ganon kami kalala." Pilit siyang ngumiti sa girlfriend niya. 

"Ganito rin ba kayo sa bar?"

"Nope. We're just warming up there, uuwi kami, dito namin itutuloy." 

Marahan itong tumango sa kanya. Iniintindi ang mga sinabi niya. They grow up watching their father's drink and getting wasted. As kids, they thought it was fine. But when they tried drinking for the first time, they almost lost their intestines, and swear not to drink again. It was a scam. 

"By the way, Isla. Leave the door slightly open, okay?" isa pa na habilin niya.

She looked at him and sarcastically replied, "Hindi ko naman i-la-lock? Takot ka ba na hindi kita patutulugin sa tabi ko ngayong gabi?" 

"What?" Vane chuckled heartily. "Isla, Mom always checks our room every night." 

It was a habit that she couldn't help. Sinisuguro lang ng mommy nila if they're sleeping comfortably and locked their room after she made sure they're fast asleep. 

"Aria! Come here!" Tally held Aria's hand and brought her towards the pool area. Ladies started to swarm around her and Keiji was also approaching his lover with a bottle of whiskey in her hand.

"Hey!" He was about to pull her out and bring her to his side again when Ky wrapped his arm around his neck. Choking the hell out of him.

"Late ka na nga, tatakas ka pa?" pang-aasar nito sa kanya. "Hoy! Ibigay niyo ang tagay sa gagong 'to!" 

They set up the videoke and started to sing, kahit wala naman sa tono ang iba. Vane was surprised when he saw the Hernandez siblings, they all knew how busy they were. With the upcoming series and kabilaan pa ang mga interviews na naka set, he doesn't have any time to celebrate nor rest. 

He was eyeing Aria all the time. Kumalma lang si Vane nang makita na tumatawa na ito, that only means she's getting comfortable with his family. 

"Look at him smiling like an idiot!" Love clicked his tongue. 

"Ikaw nga 'Love' pangalan pero laging iniiwan." Vane snorted. 

"Foul, gago!" Love playfully punched his arm. 

"Tang ina, ayaw patalo ni gago. Pinersonal agad si Love!" Asther burst out. 

Mayabang niyang nginitian si Love na ngayon ay masama ang tingin sa kanya. His smirked widen as Love raised his middle finger. Pinilig niya nang bahagya ang ulo at tumingin sa gawi ng mga babae na nasa pool area. 

"Love, my friend! May nabalitaan ako!" Havi snaked his arm around Love's neck.

"Tang ina mo, Havi. Wala kang narinig." Pagbabanta ni Love sa kaibigan nila.

He playfully wiggled his brow. "You can't stop me, my Love." 

Vane brows furrowed. His eyes unconsciously looked at Archer, dikit na dikit ang dalawa kaya malamang ay may alam ito sa sinasabi ni Havi. 

"Dude, we're friends, yes. Pero hindi ako tsismoso. I don't rely on mere gossip." Archer defended himself. 

"Wala naman kaming sinabi?" they all said unison.

Vane chuckled. Hindi na siya sumali sa pang-aasar dahil baka sa kanya mapunta ang atensyon ng mga ito. They drank until midnight and almost, almost emptied the bar. Sacxer was mixing the drinks and it was all a bomb. 

On the other hand, Keiji was the one mixing the drinks for girls. Hindi kagaya sa kanila, light drinks lang ang ginagawa nito. Keiji knows how to take care of her drinkers and Sacxer doesn't care about them. His only goal was to finish the liquor inside the mini bar. 

He was already on the brink of death when their Tito Light appeared just to check on them and shook his head in disbelief.

"Hindi niyo pa ubos ang laman nitong bar ni Alistair? Kanina pa kayo ah? Hina niyo naman." He taunted and clicked his tongue.

Vane shook his head when his son stood up, kinuha nito ang alak na hawak ni Sacxer at inabot 'yon sa tatay nito.

"Shot puno ka muna, Pa!" Syxto drunkenly said. 

His father, Light, flicked his son's forehead before accepting the drink and drank it straight. "Sa susunod galingan mo sa inuman. 'Wag kang papakabog!" 

His face was getting numb because of too much liquor. Malapit na rin siyang bumagsak but Vane forced himself to be awake dahil may pustahan silang lahat. Ang unang makatulog ang maglilinis sa mini bar. Of course, exempted ang mga babae. 

"Bub…" Aria went beside her and whispered, "I'm going to sleep. Nagpaalam na rin ako sa mga pinsan mo and sa iba rin." 

"Do you want me to accompany you?" 

Nakangiti itong umiling sa kanya. She doesn't look drunk.

"Stay here and enjoy the night with your family. I can manage, bub. Maliit lang ang village niyo, alam ko naman kung saan ang bahay niyo." 

Vane just nods her head before pressing his lips on her temple. For the first time, he couldn't bring himself to kiss Aria on her lips. He knows how her mind works, and she easily gets shy.

WHILE VANE was drinking and having his own fun, siya naman ay kausap ang mga pinsan nito and his extended family. Nakahiwalay ang mga babae sa lalaki. 

"We're not actually like this." Lucia said. 

"Ha?" 

"Your face says it all. You're wondering bakit magkahiwalay tayong mga babae sa kanila?" Lucia smiled warmly. "They're a bit wild when they're drunk. This is your first time drinking with us and we don't want to traumatise you." 

Tumango si Ayze. "Later on we'll see them punching each other to death or they're going to do something dumb." 

They're fun to be with and even added her to their group chat. Luca's village princesses. 

"Hiwalay ang group chat ng mga lalaki. Magulo e," sabi ni Keiji at inabot sa kanya ang alak na gawa nito. "Anyways, can you tell us when was the time you started to like Vane? Spill the tea, please?" 

Nahihiya siyang ngumiti sa mga 'to nang lumapit lahat sa kanya. 

"I only liked Ate Ayze, back when we're still freshmen. Then I saw Vane, he looks exactly like his sister kaya pati siya… nagustuhan ko. They both fascinate me, to the point na hindi ko matanggal ang tingin ko sa dalawa." Aria answered honestly. She inhaled a large amount of air before she continued, "I wasn't even aware of the bond we have not until we live under the same roof." 

Aria continued to talk and they were all listening to her attentively. Aria smiled when she remembered that she's always in front kapag tumutugtog ang banda ng mga 'to sa university, or even sa mga bar na pinupuntahan nila. 

Nakikipagsiksikan pa siya para lang mapunta sa harapan and if there's a seat reservation? Kailangan pa niya na suyuin ang organizer para i-reserved siya kahit hindi naman siya ang naka-assigned na photographer for the program. 

"Are you okay?" nag-aalala na tanong ni Ayze sa kanya. "No good, Hanisla. Go to my brother and say you're going to sleep." 

Gusto niyang magpasalamat pero hindi na niya kayang ibuka ang bibig niya. Aria thought that she'll puke once na bumuka ang bibig niya. Keiji let her drank water first, bago siya palapitin ng mga ito kay Vane.

"Stay here and enjoy the night with your family. I can manage, bub. Maliit lang ang village niyo, alam ko naman kung saan ang bahay niyo." 

Aria heard his family teasing Vane pero hindi na niya 'yon pinansin at dumeretso sa bahay nila Vane. When she entered their house, nakasalubong niya ang Daddy ni Vane.

"Good evening… I mean, morning po pala." Lasing na bati niya rito. 

"Hindi pa sila tapos?" he asked.

"Hindi pa po, e," 

"Ako na naman ang susundo nito?" He clicked his tongue and faced her. "Sa taas ang kwarto ni Vane, left wing, may pangalan naman niya na nakaukit sa pinto kaya hindi ka maliligaw." 

"Thank you po…"

"Oh, Aria?" Jyrelle called her. 

Aria sobered up because of how strict his voice was. "Po?" 

Vane's father smiled at her warmly. Aria was a little awkward around him because she grew up without a father. She never received any love from her father. Fatherly love was unfamiliar to Aria. 

"Feel at home, 'nak. Our house is yours too." Jyrelle smiled at her. 

"Thank you po. Good night…" 

"Good night, 'nak." Aria heard him utter. 

Mabilis na tumalikod si Aria dahil ayaw niya na makita nito ang luha na namumuo sa mga mata niya. Para siyang nahimasmasan sa narinig niya. Being called 'anak' by someone who was basically a stranger to her… It was heart melting.

☕︎