Winter Heat

Chapter 5 - Heaven's Suggestion Box

Chapter 5 - Heaven's Suggestion Box

Heat was rearranging the flowers when I woke up the next day. He seemed to be enjoying what he was doing, but his smile even grew wider when he noticed that I'm already up. Tuwang-tuwa ang gago na mayro'n na siyang mabubwisit.

"GOOD MORNING, WINTER!"

I just snubbed him and walked towards the bathroom. Aabutin ko na sana ang knob ng pinto nang bigla akong unahan ng gago. "What the fuck is your prob—" I couldn't do anything but sigh when I saw him wipe something on the sink. Must be his toothpaste spill again.

Ngiting-ngiti pa sa 'kin ang siraulo nang lumabas siya. Yumuko siya sa gilid ng pinto saka iminuwestra sa 'kin ang banyo. "Malinis na po, madame."

I just rolled my eyes, went in, and shut the door. I didn't hear any other thing from him, but his fading footsteps and the slight creeking sound of the chair he sat on.

Heat finished what he was doing just when I was almost done with my morning routine. We didn't talk, nor exchange glances, but we went out of the cabin together.

"Heat," I called him. He was still locking the door so he didn't look at me.

"Hmm?"

"Thank you for listening."

Heat dropped the key to our cabin. Instead of picking it up, he just slowly turned to me. Gulat na gulat?

"H-Huh?" he almost whispered.

"I needed that," I said. "Thank you." And then, I smiled. Sincerely.

His jaw almost dropped and his eyes widened. For a moment, he looked like he was gonna say something but then he sealed his lips. Nakakatawa ang pagmumukha niya kaya napatawa ako, tapos lalo naman siyang napatulala. Siraulo.

Akala ko iniwan na talaga ng kaluluwa niya ang katawan niya kaya nagulat ako nang bigla niya akong itulak. Tumama ang likod ko sa pinto habang lumapat naman ang mukha ko sa dibdib niya.

Nakakabingi.

"A-Anong ginagawa mo?!" I asked him in panic. He was looking at his back, and that's only when I noticed that a group of other campers were passing by. Oh, tapos?!

"Nakangiti ka pa ba?!" tanong niya na lalong nakapagpakunot sa noo ko.

"Sinong ngingiti 'pag may saltik ang kasama niya?!" sigaw ko saka ko siya itinulak palayo. Tumayo ako nang maayos.

"Tara na pala." The idiot had the audacity to just smile, pick up the key, and casually walk away while I was still catching my breath from what he did. Wala man lang pakiramdam ang hayop! Normal na normal lang sa kaniya ang gano'n, habang pinagpawisan ako?!

I walked fast and when I caught up to him, I kicked his back.

"BAKIT?!"

Hindi ako sumagot at nauna na lang pumasok sa Grand Cabin, kung saan sinalubong naman ako ni Precious.

"A-Ano..." She looked scared at me again, holding on to the tip of one of her braids like the time she talked to me after we tried to find her. I frowned. Habang ilang linggo na rin siyang feeling close sa 'kin? "If you're okay ka na... m-movie night daw sa common room. Sama ka?"