January 20, 2019, 1am:
"Uy! What are you doing here?" She beams as she opens the door for him.
"What do you mean what am I doing here? Ayaw mo na ba akong pumunta dito?" He pouts, the famous dimple on his left cheek deepen and his eyebrows furrow.
"Sira! Wag ka ngang maarte diyan. I meant tonight ang flight mo, right? Nag-IGS na nga si Kuya Sam. Akala ko nasa Cebu ka na."
"Well... I'm here." He grins. "I moved my flight."
"Why?"
"Mas masaya may kasama bumiyahe."
"Kasama mo si Mama Ten at Kuya Sam. Ano talaga?"
"Gusto ko ikaw ang kasama ko bumiyahe, okay? Okay na? Pwede na pumasok?"
She giggles. "Bakit parang galit ka?"
"Ang hirap kaya. Ang hirap magpa-pogi dito na kunwari hindi kita nami-miss makasama outside of work at kunwari cool lang ako kahit di tayo sabay bumiyahe kahit na pwede naman talaga." He sighs.
"So? Miss mo ako?" She smirks.
"Sinabi ko na nga di ba? Ikaw ba?"
"Miss din kita." She smiles. "Tara sa loob."
"Kakauwi mo lang? Di ka ba matutulog?" He asks as they walk inside.
"Hindi na. Masakit sa ulo yun. Umuwi lang ako to shower and change tapos watch a movie on Netflix to kill time. Tapos airport na. Ikaw ba? Bakit di ka natutulog? Naglalaro ka noh?"
"Naglalaro habang naghihintay din."
"Ng ano?"
"Hindi ano. Sino. Ikaw."
"Alam mo ikaw..."
"Ano?"
"Cute ka. Umupo ka na nga diyan." She chuckles and they both sit on the couch.
"Sabay na tayo mamaya ha?"
"Uy! Maraming tao sa airport. Ma-chismis ka sa akin niyan." She laughs.
"Yaan mo sila." Nagtataka nga ako kung bakit ako na lang ang di nachi-chismis sa'yo." He grins.
"Since when have you been this brazen, Alden Richards?"
"Matagal na. Di mo lang halata. Tsaka madaling araw pa yun. Walang masyadong tao lalo na sa private hangar."
"Private hangar?"
"I booked a plane for us."
"Wow. Ikaw na talaga. Binibisyo mo na yang private planes na yan ah. Okay naman sa commercial flight ah. Bakit may paganyan pa?"
"Mas kumportable yun tsaka para makaidlip ka naman sa biyahe. Walang istorbo."
"Talaga lang ah. Ikaw kaya kasama ko." She laughs.
"Exactly. Kaya makakatulog ka. Sarap kaya ng tulog mo pag ako katabi mo. Sabi mo dati di ba? Parang may built-in pillows sa arms ko at kama sa dibdib at shoulders ko." He flexes his muscles and wiggles his eyebrows.
"Fine. Sold." She giggles. "Ang rupok ko sa'yo kainis."
"Sold agad? May pa-free sample pa ako eh."
"So hindi na pwede maka-sample?" She frowns.
"Siyempre pwede." He grins and pats his shoulders and chest then opens his arms. "Mas marupok kaya ako sa'yo." He chuckles and encloses her into his embrace as he lays back and she snuggles on his chest.
He sighs and closes his eyes as he relishes the feeling of her body perfectly moulding with his as they lay face to face on their sides on the couch. He nuzzles her hair and inhales her sweet scent as she tightens her arm across his torso and rests her leg on his hip, her head comfortably nestled just above his armpit.
They stay quiet for a while, eyes closed, limbs tangled, bodies fused, hearts at home.
"RJ?" She whispers after some time.
"Akala ko tulog ka na." He smiles and looks down. He sees her eyes still closed. "Ano yun, Maine?"
"I'm glad you're here. I'm happy you stayed." A little smile forms on her lips and she burrows deeper into his embrace.
A warm feeling sparks from his chest and spreads throughout his body then settles on a smile on his face. "Me too, Maine. Masaya akong nandito ako kasama ka."
"Tulog ka lang diyan. Babantayan kita."
"Don't fall asleep. We'll miss our flight." She yawns.
"We won't. I promise." He kissed the top of her head and gently rubs her back to help her relax. Shortly after, he hears her breathing in a calm and steadily rhythm.
He looks down and sees her fast asleep. "Wag kang mag-alala, Meng. Di talaga ako makakatulog. Lalo at may gising na gising. Bakit ko na naman ba kasi nakalimutang mag-brief?" He thinks.
********
Happy 184th Weeksary, ADN.
Unbeta'ed and not proofread. Thank you for reading.
