*[UPDATED CHAP 08 /12082023] Summer Solstice

08

Sabay na kaming tumaas papunta sa sari-sarili naming kwarto pagkatapos naming maglinis sa kitchen. When I was about to open my door he stopped my hand and pulled me towards him then he gently pushed me until my back is leaning on the wall.

"Anong problema?" I asked, I looked at him and he's already looking at me "Niko?"

"I am, pretty damn sure you're lying earlier" he said and I looked away "you're lying about your feelings, Lemon"

"I am not" I said

"Why can't you look at me?" 

I sighed still looking away. I literally did my best to stop myself from breaking down earlier, from stopping myself to beg him to stay. How can he treat me like this?

"Lemon" he deeply breathe. Sure as hell that's super attractive. I looked at him this time and he's still looking at me

"I thought we are clear about this, Niko?"

"There's this thing bothering me, my mind, sinasabi niya na you are lying"

"Marunong pa yung utak mo sa utak ko?"

He chuckled and placed my hair at the back of my left ear "I like you so much that I am hurting right now" he seriously said and placed his forehead onto mine. I can feel his pain, parang tumagos yon from him papunta sa akin, napahawak na lang ako sa polo niya and I even crumpled it as hard as I could hoping that he would feel na I am really sorry for lying about my feelings, of how can we ended up this way when we talked about us earlier and we agreed to be friends, I hope he would feel that I am very angry at myself right now because we are hurting because of me. 

I saw his hand slowly wrapping my hand na kulang na lang sirain yung polo niya. "Lemon" he said and slowly removed his forehead from mine, looking at me "can we be honest for a little while?"

I just looked at him

"I might kiss you..."

I didn't respond, I just looked at him 

"You can break this tension anytime if you want, I will respect that" he said, I think he gave me a few seconds  then nung hindi ko pa rin inalis yung tingin ko sa kanya, he pulled me and held my face, we both closed our eyes and our lips met.

I was about to return the kiss when we heard the door bell rung. 

We looked at each other and immediately let go and fixed our composure. Sunod sunod yung door bell na nakakainis, it's almost 12 midnight, sino naman kaya ang nanggugulo ng ganitong oras?

"Who in the world?" Niko asked while we are both heading downwards to check on the video door intercom system and nagulat kami pareho nung nakita namin si Kuya Benj and Ate Ada na nasa gate and very happy na akala mo nasa TV show sila.

I pressed on the talk button "before we open the gate, what are you guys even doing here and why didn't you inform us that you are coming home?"

"This is a surprise little sister. Open the door up, I wanna take  a shower so bad"