Inabot na lang ng gabi ay wala kaming tawag na natanggap mula sa kahit sinong tinawagan ko. Sa buong maghapon ay hindi kami nag-usap ni Hans, nagkulong lang ako sa silid kung saan ako nagising. Hindi rin naman niya ako inabala o ano. Hinayaan niya lang rin ako.

Nasa kalagitnaan ako ng pag-iisip nang marinig ko ang isang katok sa pinto. Tumayo ako at binuksan ito, hindi na ako nagulat pa nang makita si Hans na nakatayo sa labas. Bakit? Eh, kami lang naman dalawa ang tao dito.

He had changed from when I last saw him this morning. He was now wearing sweatpants and a gray shirt, his hair slightly damp from a recent shower. I couldn't help but look. His tall, athletic frame was well-defined, the gray shirt clinging to his chest and shoulders in a way that emphasized his body. His sweatpants hung low on his hips, giving him an effortlessly casual yet striking appearance.

Bakit ba kailangan ko pang mapansin ang mga ganitong bagay?

Hans unabashedly did the same to me, his eyes roaming over my figure, making me want to crawl back into the room and slam the door in his face. I had taken a quick shower in the afternoon and changed into more comfortable clothes—a loose shirt and shorts.

He cleared his throat and raised an eyebrow. Iniwas ang tingin sa hantad kong mga binti at binalik sa aking mukha. "I cooked dinner. Let's eat."

I hesitated, but my stomach chose that moment to growl again, betraying my hunger. I sighed, nodding reluctantly. Kaunti na lang talaga ay iisipin ko nang ipinagkakanulo na ako ng sarili kong katawan. "Fine."

Magkasunod kaming bumaba, parehong tahimik na tinungo ang nakahandang hapag. Hans had set the table, and the aroma of freshly cooked food filled the air. I couldn't help but feel a pang of nostalgia at the sight. He always did know how to cook well. Naalala ko noon sa San Vicente, sa sandaling panahon namin roon ay walang araw na hindi ako pinagluto ni Hans, pinagsilbihan.

Kagaya ng ginagawa niya ngayon. Maging ang ipaghila ako ng upuan ay hindi niya pinalampas. Maybe he was just used to doing it. Iyon lang 'yun.

We sat down, parehong tahimik pa rin. Hans served the food, his movements precise and efficient. I glanced at the spread—grilled fish, steamed vegetables, and rice. It looked delicious, but I couldn't muster much enthusiasm.

"Thanks," I muttered, picking up my fork.

Nanatili siyang nakamasid sa akin. "You're welcome."

We ate in silence for a few minutes, the only sound the clinking of cutlery against plates. The food was as good as it smelled, pero hindi ko makuhang namnamin iyon. Lalo pa kung pirmi akong pinapanuod ni Hans.

"Anong lugar ito?" Tahimik kong tanong matapos makailang subo.

"Puerto Vallarta," simpleng tugon niya. Hindi ko pa rin alam kung ano ang lugar na binanggit niya kaya mas kinunutan ko lang siya ng noo. "Caramoan, Camarines Sur."

Okay. Malayo nga kami sa Manila. Pero puwede naman gumamit ng chopper para makauwi agad. But how could I do that? Wala ngang sumasagot sa mga tawag ko.

Umabot muna ako ng tubig bago muling nagsalita. "Do you have a chopper we can use to get home?"

Pailalim niya akong sinulyapan ng tingin bago muling binalikan ang tahimik na pagkain. "Wala akong chopper, Señorita Caice."

Señorita Caice. There goes that title again. Hindi ako natutuwang ginagamit niya sa akin 'yan dati, mas lalong hindi ngayon. Pero hindi ko siya inimikan, ayaw kong humaba ang usapan namin kung wala namang kabagay-bagay ang pagtatalunan.

"Hindi ba't piloto ka na? Bakit wala?" Alam kong katangahang tanong iyon dahil hindi naman lahat ng piloto ay required magkaron ng sarili nilang eroplano o chopper. But I was frustrated that there wasn't an easy way out!

Hans lifted a sarcastic gaze on me, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Sorry if I didn't think I had to buy one, considering I was already flying one far too many times than I should."

I felt a bit guilty for pushing him, but I would rather die than say sorry. Pinagkrus ko ang aking mga braso at sumusuko siyang tinignan. "How about a car? Wala akong nakita kanina sa labas, pero baka meron ka somewhere around this place."

Hans shook his head. "I came here to rest and be completely by myself. Nagpahatid lang ako at magpapasundo sa Miyerkules. Gusto ko ng kapayapaan at katahimikan kaya ako lang dito, Señorita Caice."

"Miyerkules?" I practically yelled. "That's five days from now, Hans. Hindi mo puwedeng tawagan ang susundo sa'yo? Kahit maiwan kang mag-isa dito, ako lang ang ipasundo mo."

"Sinubukan mo na bang tumingin sa bintana?" Hamon niya, muling niyuko ang patapos ng pagkain.

I frowned and turned to the slightly ajar window, feeling my hopes slightly collapsing when I noticed the weather outside. It wasn't raining heavily, just a bit, but there were occasional lightning strikes, the waves were harsh, and the wind was strong.

Mukhang babagyuhin pa kami rito.

Hans spoke, breaking the silence. "There's an impending storm. It's too dangerous for anyone to come here right now."

I let out a frustrated sigh, tumayo ako at sandaling tinungo ang bintana. Sobrang dilim na sa labas, kami lang talaga ni Hans ang tao rito. "So we're just supposed to wait it out? This is insane!"

Hans put down his fork and looked at me with a calm yet serious expression. "We don't have a choice, Señorita Caice. Delikado ang bastang pumaparito kapag bagyo. Alam kong babagyo at inaasahan ko iyon, ang hindi ko inaasahan ay ang narito ka rin kapag binagyo ako. We need to stay put and stay safe."

I threw my hands up in exasperation. "Of course, this happens to us. Stuck on an island with a storm coming. Just perfect!"

Hindi talaga mawala sa aking isipan na maaaring sinadya ang pagkakakulong ko rito. At hanggang ngayon ay hindi ko pa rin makuhang bilihin ang ideya na wala ngang kinalaman si Hans.

Kaya lang, bakit niya namang nanaisin na narito ako at kasama siya? Ikakasal na siya! Kung may ikukulong siya rito kasama niya ay si Audrey dapat iyon!

I stopped, bago pa tuluyang mabuo sa isipan ko ang larawang iyon.

He stood up and walked towards me, his tall stature intimidating but also oddly comforting. Tapos na siyang kumain at magmumukha naman akong tanga kung pabalikin ko siya sa hapag. Isipin pa ay apektadong apektado ako sa kaniya. Hinayaan ko lang siyang lumapit rin sa bintana. His presence filled the room, and I couldn't help but notice how the simple clothes clung to his muscular frame, emphasizing his broad shoulders and toned arms. His wet hair had dried into tousled waves, and there was a calm determination in his eyes that made my anger waver.

Para bang inaalis ng mga tingin na iyon ang lahat ng pangamba ko. It was as if he was conveying we would be okay, kahit kaming dalawa lang ang narito.

"Hindi natin mababago ang sitwasyon natin ngayon, Señorita Caice," malumanay niyang sabi, ngunit naroon ang pasimpleng tuya sa kaniyang tinig.

"Limang araw, Hans. Limang araw tayong mabubulok dito! What are we supposed to do until then?"

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "We survive. We talk. Susubukan pa rin natin tumawag at humingi ng tulong, kung may sasagot ay maswerte tayo. Kung wala ay hindi naman natin ikamamatay, Señorita Caice."

I looked away, feeling the weight of our predicament settling on my shoulders. "I hate this," I muttered.

"I know," simpleng sabi niya bago abutin ang bintana at maingat iyong ipinid ng husto. "Lalakas ang ulan mamaya, baka pasukin tayo ng tubig. Kailangan natin pakibagayan ang sitwasyon natin. We didn't need to be friends or even like each other, pero kailangan natin magkasundo kahit paano."

I glanced at him, our eyes meeting. Despite everything, there was a sincerity in his gaze that made my anger waver. I sighed, feeling a mix of frustration and resignation. Tama naman siya, eh. Kahit hindi ko gusto ay alam kong tama siya. "Fine. But don't expect me to be happy about it."

Hans nodded, a small smile tugging at his lips. "I wouldn't dream of it, Señorita Caice."

We stood there in silence for a moment, the tension between us easing just a bit. I turned back to the glass window, watching the storm gather strength outside. The wind howled, and the waves crashed against the shore with increasing ferocity.

Nagsisimula na nga ang bagyo.

Binalikan kong muli ang kinakain ko at mabilis iyong tinapos. When I was done, I looked at him. "I'll wash the dishes. It's only fair since ikaw naman ang nagluto."

Hans raised an eyebrow but didn't argue. "Alright," he said. "I'm just going to head upstairs to do some work. If you need anything, just shout."

Work? Baka tatawag kay Audrey. Pinigilan ko ang aking sarili na sabihin iyon dahil parang tanga lang. Tumango na lang ako, kunwaring walang pakialam sa kung anuman ang gagawin niya. Bahala nga siya!

I just wanted to keep myself busy and away from my thoughts. Hans stood up and left the kitchen, heading upstairs. I could hear his footsteps on the wooden stairs and then the soft creak of a door opening and closing.

I gathered the plates and utensils, bringing them to the sink. Sinubukan kong ibuhos na lang ang aking atensyon sa ingay na nagmumula sa malakas na ulan. As I scrubbed the dishes, I let my thoughts wander.

The storm outside mirrored the storm of emotions I felt. Anger, confusion, and a lingering sadness that I tried so hard to bury. Being here with Hans, seeing him again after everything, was like opening old wounds. It hurt, but it also made me realize how much I had missed him. Alam kong dapat ay hindi. Pero ewan. Tanga nga ata talaga ako pag dating sa kaniya. Kunwari lang matapang. Kunwaring malakas.

I shook my head, trying to focus on the task at hand. The last thing I needed was to get lost in my emotions. I finished washing the dishes, drying them off, and putting them back in their places.

The kitchen was small but well-organized. The countertops were clutter-free, and there was a sense of simplicity and order that contrasted sharply with the luxury of Hans's loft in Manila. This place felt like a refuge, a place where he could escape from the complexities of his life.

I wiped my hands on a towel, taking a moment to just stand there and breathe. The storm outside was getting worse, the wind howling like a beast. I could hear the rain pounding against the windows, a relentless assault that showed no signs of letting up.

I turned off the kitchen light and made my way to the living room. The house was small, but it was cozy. There was a fireplace in the corner, and a small stack of firewood beside it. I considered lighting a fire but decided against it. The last thing I needed was to accidentally burn the place down.

Instead, I settled onto the couch, pulling a blanket over myself. I could still hear Hans moving around upstairs, the occasional creak of the floorboards reminding me that I wasn't alone.

I grabbed a book from the small shelf beside the couch and tried to read, but I couldn't focus on the words. My mind kept drifting back to Hans, to the way he looked at me, to the way he kissed me. It was infuriating and intoxicating at the same time.

The minutes turned into hours, and eventually, the exhaustion from the day caught up with me. I let the book slip from my hands, my eyes growing heavy. I closed them, letting the sound of the storm lull me into a restless sleep.

As I drifted off, I couldn't help but wonder what the next few days would bring. Being stuck here with Hans was the last thing I wanted, but maybe it was exactly what I needed.