———

Lola Dhalia appeared from her back, holding a plate full of potatoes sliced into cubes. She first poured all of it into the pan nearby, and then did a couple of stirring before facing her a bit. Lyca could already smell good food! It made her stomach grumble.

"Mukhang nag-eenjoy ka na riyan ah!" The older beamed, slightly wrinkling the corners of her eyes.

"Oo nga po," Lyca said while still doing her work. She put some amount of tuyo and suka just how Lola Dhalia instructed. Seasoned some pepper and salt and it's done. Adobo's served.

When Lyca woke up, she saw Lola Dhalia all worked up at the kitchen. She had nothing to do so Lyca volunteered to help the older but ended up having free cooking tutorials. She taught Lyca what to do, step by step and she was a great teacher, Lyca supposed.

Maayos na inilagay ni Lyca ang adobo sa bowl bago niya ito ilapag sa lamesa. Lola Dhalia went to get some utencils to taste the food. The older was all poker faced as she slightly sipped the Adobo. Medyo napangiwi pa ito, napangiwi rin tuloy siya.

Lyca swallowed hard. "Is it bad?"

Still, the older's face was hard. "Sigurado ka ba talagang ngayon ka lang nakapagluto?"

Dahan-dahan siyang tumango.

Lola Dhalia's pressed lips broke into a big smile. "Grabe! Sobrang sarap nito!"

Napabuga siya ng hangin dahil roon. "Talaga po?"

"Oo naman!" Masiglang sabi ni Lola Dhalia. "Gab, tikman mo nga 'tong adobo ni Lyca! Naku first time niyang magluto at ang sarap-sarap na!"

Doc Gab was on his white dress shirt rolled halfway his arms, bottomed with some gray slacks and paired with loafers. He put down his stethoscope and slowly entered the kitchen and took a sip of the adobo.

"It's good!" He said, giving his signature genuine smile. "First time mo ba talagang magluto?"

"Iyan din ang sinasabi ko kanina," Lola Dhalia said. "Ang galing na bata."

Doc Gab shrugged. "Well, cooking could be a natural talent. You just proved it."

Uminit ang pisnge niya at napayuko na lamang.

"Sandra!"

They were in the middle of breakfast when Sandra walked in, with her pink outfits. Still a walking pink enthusiast.

"Mom's at work, can I stay here?" She said that with her usual high pitch voice.

Sandra joined the breakfast and sat infront of Lyca, just beside Doc Gab. The narrowed eyes, twisted lips, the exaggerated pout, and the arched brows were all present through out during the meal. Sometimes Doc Gab would notice, Sandra would immediately cover herself. Minsan nauuntog pa ito sa mesa. It made Lyca laugh, on the contrary it made Sandra rolls her eyes more.

"Mukhang napapadami ang kain mo Sandra," masayang sabi ni Lola Dhalia. "Masarap ba?"

Masiglang tumango si Sandra. "Yupp," prolonging 'p' on the word.

"Ang sarap ng adobo!"

"Lyca cooked that."

Napaubo si Sandra, agad naman siyang inabutan ng tubig ni Doc Gab.

"Hinay-hinay lang Sandra... kita mo na sa sobrong sarap nabibilaukan na--"

Malakas na inilapag ni Sandra ang baso. Lahat sila napatingin doon, nang bigla itong tumalon paalis sa kinauupuan nito.

"Hindi masarap!" She scoffed.

After the breakfast, Doc Gab went off to work, while Lyca volunteered to clean the house, and Sandra went outside to play with Sunny... the dog. Lyca started wiping the wooden windows. It's not even dusty, so madali lang siyang natapos doon. She then proceeded to wipe the antiques, like vases and painting and later on she was already sweeping the floor.

This house was indeed a home of unique old stuffs. Medyo napahinto pa siya nang makuha ng kaniyang attensiyon ang isang portrait. It was a portrait of a man in his early 20s probably.

Napahinto lang siya sa pagtitig nito nang may tumama sa paa niya.

It was Sandra. Lyca immediately went to fetch the ball.

"Panget!" Sandra walked way, well before she rolled her eyes at Lyca.

"Hindi masarap ang adobo! Lasang foot!"

Days passed, fleeting. Today's Monday, her second week in the Human Realm. During those firsts days, she stayed with Lola Dhalia, she would help her cook or buy groceries. Luckily Judge was fine during those days, she supposed. As long as her wrist watch doesn't beep like crazy.

Judge's safe.

Lyca got out from her room, suited herself with some white tees, jeans and of course her black fedora. She wouldn't miss that.

"Hali ka na!" Masiglang sabi ni Lola Dhalia.

Agad niya itong dinaluhan at tinulangan sa mga hawak nitong basket. Ngayon sasamahan niya si Lola Dhalia sa pinagtratrabahon nito at para tulungan na rin ang matanda.

"Naku! May maliit akong pwesto sa Canteen." Lola Dhalia said. "Doon lang sa St. Augustus."

They stopped just before the gate of the school. Ngayon ay nagdidiskarga na sila ng mga dala.

"Hija ako na riyan!" It was one of the men Lola Dhalia hired to help them.

"Okay lang po." Tuluyan na niyang binuhat dalawang magkapatong na kahon. Lyca was careful while carrying the boxes. Lalo pa't wala siyang gaanong makita dahil nakaharang ang mga ito sa mata niya.

Lyca was very careful, but she didn't expect a hump along the way. She tripped over it and slipped. Luckily, there weren't any fragile stuff inside. Mga disposable cups, table napkins lang na sa loob noon. It scattered on the ground though.

Nahihiyang pinulot niya ang mga iyon habang may mga estudyanteng napapatingin sa kaniya. Namula pa ang pisnge niya nang may huminto sa harap. Kalaunan ay lumuhod ito at nagsimulang tulungan siya sa pagpupulot.

It was a guy.

Agaw pansin ang pulang buhok nito at kumikinang na hikaw sa magkabilang tenga. Bukas ang unang tatlong butones ng uniporme nito, kaya kita ang itim nitong t-shirt sa loob.

"It's okay. Kaya ko naman."

He ignored her and continued picking up all the stuff.

"Hoy Jeru!"

That voice was familiar.

"Anong ginagawa mo diyan? Gago. Ba't hindi mo ako hinintay--"

It was indeed familiar. It was Judge, in his uniform, gray slacks and button down shirt with the school's patch just right over his left chest. Nakasukbit ang bag nito sa likod.

Nagpalipat-lipat ang mata ni Judge sa katabi niyang lalaki at sa kaniya. Sa kabilang banda, inabot ng lalaki ang panghuling supot ng table napkin. Hindi niya napansin iyon dahil nakatitig parin siya kay Judge, kaya ang lalaki na mismo ang naglagay nito sa box.

"Thank you," sabi niya sa lalaki nang inabot nito ang box sa kaniya. Tumango lang ito at naglakad papasok sa loob.

Judge glared at her.

Naglakad papalapit ito sa kaniya.

"Lampa," sabi nito at linagpasan siya, dala ang boxes niya.

Ano? Dala ang mga boxes niya--

"Wait!"

Agad siyang humabol sa mabilis na pagbagsak ng paa nito. Sa haba ng biyas nito, halos magkadapa-dapa siya para masabayan lang ito sa paglalakad.

"Really? May balat ka ba sa pwet?" Tanong ni Judge nang nasubsub siya sa likod nito nang bigla itong huminto sa harapan niya.

"Ba't palagi ka nalang nadidisgrasiya?"

Bumaba ang tingin nito sa kaniya. "Kulot ka kasi."

"Ano?"

"Kulot salot."

Lyca pouted. "Ganon ba 'yon?"

"Ganon 'yon para sa'yo. Lakas ng kapit ng malas eh." Judge shrugged. "Kaya 'wag kang masyadong magdidikit sakin. Layo ka mga one mile."

Napahawak tuloy siya sa buhok niyang kulot na kulot. Para namang may magagawa siya sa buhok niya.

"Anong magagawa ko ganito na buhok ko."

"Pakalbo mo."

Hindi niya iyon pinansin. Nanatiling tahimik sila hanggang nakapasok na sila sa canteen.

"Saan ko 'to ilalagay?"

Nandodoon na rin si Lola Dhalia pagdating nila, tinanong niya ito kung saan ilalapag. Tumango si Judge at inilapag ito sa kalapit na mesa.

"Thank you," Lyca smiled.

Judge nodded a bit. Umamba itong maglalakad na ngunit tumigil ito at humarap sa kaniya, para bang may gusto itong sabihin. But he ended up closing his mouth and stormed off.

What was that?

The day started pretty well, she helped serving the food, sometimes she would do the cashier. It was simple at first, until lunch break began. Nagdagsaan ang mga estudyante sa canteen. Ang daming tao, ang init, ang ingay at isa pa, hindi niya gaanong gamay ang mga gawain.

"Kaya pa?" Tanong ng isa sa mga kasamahan niya sa pwesto.

Pilit niyang pinasigla ang galaw at tumango. Honestly, she was already exhausted. The sweat all over her body was making it even harder!

"Anong sa inyo?" She smiled.

Judge cleared his throat, "Hotdog? 'Di ba obvious?" Tinuro pa nito ang malaking signage, which says 'Tender Juicy Hotdog'. Well, she's in the hotdog stall.

She smiled shyly.

"Right. How do you want your hotdog?"

"Cooked."

Napapikit siya ng bahagya. "I mean do you want it fried or steamed?"

"Does it matter? I just want it cooked well," He shrugged.

She bit her lip and decided to just fry it. Katabi lang nito si Jeru. Medyo napatagal pa ang titig niya sa mukha nito, ang dami palang pierce nito sa tenga. In the end, she just smiled at him.

Isang tikhim at muli siyang natauhan.

"Why did you fry it?!" Judge asked suddenly. "I told you to cook it well!"

That's what she's doing right now. She's basically frying the hotdog to cook it well, just like how he wanted.

"I'm cooking," Lyca said innocently.

Ano bang ginagawa niya?

"Ang ibigsabihin ko sa lutuin mo ng maayos, ay i-steam mo tapos pritohin mo para lutong-luto," sabi nito. "Hindi sa nakikipagngitian ka sa tabi-tabi."

Her brows furrowed a bit. She's puzzled, but she nodded anyway. Jeru even gave Judge an impossible look.

"Dude you're fussy," Jeru said. "Gusto mo bang kumain ng durog na hotdog?"

"Oo, bakit? Respect someone's taste preference," Judge said. Inabot ni Judge ang hotdog na durog-durog nga. Iningatan pa ni Lyca ang pagpriprito nito pero nadurog talaga dahil dumaan na sa steam.

"Bakit ka ba nandito? Ang dami-daming hotdog stalls sa paligid," duro ni Judge.

Nagkibit-balikat si Jeru at naglalakad palayo. While Judge glared at her before he walked out.

"Stop smiling, hindi bagay sayo."

###