Artificial Love | SB19 Justin ✓

12

Nag-hibernate lang si Ayi matapos ang araw na iyon. She never had a hangover before, but she must have exceeded her drinking capacity the previous night. Sumakit nang husto ang ulo niya at wala siyang maalala bukot sa libong beses niyang sinabi ang 'fuck you, Ken'.

She got up at 10 AM that day. Lumabas siya ng kwarto at napakunot-noo nang makitang wala si Justin sa kusina.

Where did he go?

"Justin?" She called out, pero mukhang wala ito sa unit.

Naiuwi ba nila yung robot? Hala. Paano niya yun cocontactin? Hahanapin? Panicky, Ayi got her phone from her room and dialled Sejun's number.

"Sej? Nandiyan ba si Justin?" Tanong niya agad pagkasagot ni Sejun sa tawag niya. She felt her hands get colder, so she began to walk around the house.

"Ha? He went home with you last night," Sejun said, which made Ayi worry more.

"I don't remember," Ayi said, her voice starting to break. "And he's not here."

Sejun was speaking when Ayi heard the door click open.

"Hang on, Sej," sabi niya sa telepono.

She slowly made her way to her open bedroom door to check who entered the house. Did she even lock the door last night?

Thankfully, the intruder was just the right person she was looking for. "Nevermind. He's back."

"Thanks, Sej. Bye," Ayi said before dropping the call.

Lumabas si Ayi ng kwarto.

"Saan ka galing?" Kumpronta niya kay Justin.

"Sa grocery. We ran out of food," sagot naman nito.

"Didn't we establish that it's dangerous for you to go out in public alone?" Ayi asked in frustration.

"Same goes to you, Ayi," sagot ni Justin.

Ayi rolled her eyes. Ayaw pa niyang pag-usapan ang nangyari kahapon. Sa totoo lang, kinakahiya rin niya ang ginawa niyang pagdikit kay Justin.

Buti nalang, si Justin na mismo ang nag-iba ng topic."Do you have hangover?"

Marahang tumango si Ayi.

"Anong gusto mong kainin?" Tanong pa ni Justin. "Lugaw? Champorado? Sopas?"

"Marunong kang magluto nung mga yun?" Ayi was surprised.

Justin nodded.

Tangina nung robot. Husband material, Ayi thought. If only...

"Sopas nalang," sagot ni Ayi.

Justin began to cook. Meanwhile, Ayi kept her throbbing head rested on the kitchen counter. A while later, she looked up. "Did I do anything stupid last night?"

"I mean, when I was drunk," dagdag ni Ayi. "I can't remember a single thing besides a couple thousand repeats of Ken Suson's name."

Justin stopped stirring what he was cooking for a moment. Then, he answered, "Wala."

—

Justin went to Sejun and Stell's that afternoon while Ayi continued to nurse her hangover. Magcha-charge siya, paalam niya rito.

"Ayi did what?" Sejun freaked out when Justin told him and Stell what Ayi did when she was drunk.

Their friend usually just passes out in random places. It was the first time she ever did that.

"She kissed me," ulit ni Justin na para bang hindi pa rin makapaniwala.

"No. I heard you the first time," sabi ni Sejun. "But what the fuck???"