The next morning, Ahn woke up to find Ken staring at her. Hindi siya malikot matulog so she couldn't understand why she's facing him. Malapit na malapit ang mukha nito sa kanya. She was still sleepy and it felt snuggly so she didn't resist. Masyado pang tulog ang diwa niya para alalahanin ang galit niya kagabi.

"Ahn?"

"Hmm?"

"What's wrong with us?"

"I'm completely normal. I don't know about you," she murmured.

Tumawa ito ng mahina saka siya hinalikan sa noo. "Good morning."

Hinayaan niyang mauna itong bumangon. Pumikit siyang muli. Masyado pang maaga. Wala pang liwanag na pumapasok sa kwarto niya. The sun's still not shining.

Maya-maya ay bumangon na rin siya. Hindi na rin naman siya nakatulog ulit. When she went down to the kitchen, naabutan niyang nagluluto si Ken ng pancakes habang busy ang mga kapatid niya sa pagkain. When he saw her, agad itong lumapit sa kanya at hinalikan siya sa pisngi.

"Morning!" he greeted again, more lively this time.

Tumango na lamang siya.

She sat down next to Sab, na ngiting-ngiti habang kumakain ng pancakes. Their father or Manang Soling usually makes them for breakfast. Ang daddy niya ngayon ay nagkakape habang si Manang Soling ay nakikipagkwentuhan sa mommy niya.

Inilapag ni Ken ang isang plato ng tatlong patung-patong na pancakes sa harapan niya. Sab handed her the syrup.

"Ate, dalasan nyo naman ang pagdalaw nyo rito. Ang sarap ng pancakes ni kuya Ken!" sabi nito sa kanya.

Ken laughed and messed with Sab's hair. "Hindi pwede. Hindi ko na masosolo ang ate mo 'pag nagkataon."

She blushed at that remark. Tumayo siya at pumuntang CR para maghilamos. Pagbalik niya ay okupado na ni Ken ang upuan nya. Wala na syang ibang uupuan dahil okupado na lahat. Ngali-ngali niyang kumain na lang sa sala.

"You can sit on my lap," he suggested.

Humagikhik si Sab. "Ayeeee. Ang sweet!"

"Sa sala na lang ako," tanggi niya.

"Don't be shy, Ahn."

Sumimangot siya. "Dar, tayo ka muna," sabi niya sa kapatid na lalaki.

"Ayoko. Kumakain pa 'ko e," tanggi ng kapatid niya.

"Daddy..." She gave her dad a pleading look.

Humigop lang ito ng kape saka nag-iwas ng tingin. "Huwag nyo akong idamay dyan."

She looked helplessly around the table. Sapat lang kasi ang mga upuan para sa kanilang mag-anak at kay manang Soling. She can't ask the old lady to give her the chair. She can't ask her mom either. Si Angelo naman, mataas ang chair kumpara sa kanilang lahat.

Ken patted his thigh. "Come on, Ahn. Para makakain ka na."

She ignored him. "Sab, tapos ka na, di ba?" tanong niya sa kapatid. She pointed at the empty plate.

"Hindi pa a. Kuya, pahingi pa nga ng isa."

Ken gave Sab a pancake and innocently looked at her. "Kakain ka ba o ano?"

Grunting, lumapit sya rito. But she didn't sit on his lap. "Tatayo na lang ako."

Ken placed his hand at the small of her back. Akala niya ay pipilitin siya nitong maupo, but he didn't. Instead, pumisang ito ng pancake using his fork. Iniumang nito iyon sa bibig niya.

"Eat."

"I can eat by myself," reklamo niya.

"Ay, ang cold ni ate. Masama ba ang gising mo?" kunot-noong tanong ni Sab sa kanya.

"Nag-away ba kayong dalawa?" tanong naman ng mommy niya.

"Galit ka ba sa 'kin?" tanong naman ni Ken, mukhang sinasakyan ang pagtatanong ng pamilya niya.

She pouted and having no choice, she ate the pancake he was trying to feed her with. Then she took the fork from his hand and fed him in return.

Mahirap sabihin na oo, galit sya sa harap ng buong pamilya niya. They have to act like they were in love, that part's not hard for her to do. Mahal kasi niya si Ken. Masakit lang isipin na acting lang ang lahat sa parte nito. He's fooling everyone but her.

She kissed his cheek. "Sorry."

Ken smiled at her. "It's okay." He faced her family. "She's just not used to being sweet kapag may ibang tao," paliwanag nito sa kanila.

"Hindi naman kami iba sa inyo," may halong tampong sabi ng daddy niya.

"It's still embarrassing, dad."

"No, it's not. Hindi ka dapat nahihiyang ipakita sa iba na mahal mo ang isang tao."

She wrinkled her nose. "PDA na yun."

"Iba naman ang inappropriate, anak," sabat ng mommy niya.

"Pinagtutulungan nyo naman ako e," simangot niyang sabi.

Ken pulled her. Napaupo sya sa hita nito. "Chill."

Pinamulahan sya. "A-Ano ba, Ken..."

He touched her chin. "There's no need to be shy, Ahn. Sabi nga nila, hindi mo kailangang mahiyang magpakita ng feelings mo."

Hindi naman iyon ang pinuproblema niya. Alam lang niyang kapag nakapaghiganti na si Ken at iniwan siya nito, maaapektuhan din ang pamilya niya, especially her dad. He will be very devastated. She just doesn't want to raise their hopes up.

--

Halos alas dyes na silang nakauwi dahil napasarap ang kwentuhan nila with Ahn's family over breakfast. Ken just called his boss to let him know na sa third shift na siya papasok. During the ride, nakasiksik lang sa kabilang side ng kotse si Ahn, nakatunganga ito sa bintana.

She's in a foul mood again. Hindi na nga niya mawari kung araw-araw ba itong may buwanang dalaw dahil palagi itong galit sa kanya.

Nagluto siya ng pananghalian bago maligo. After taking a bath, he noticed that she already ate. Napasimangot siya. Akala naman niya ay magsasabay sila pagkain. Ahn took a bath after him. It took her a while and he really should be going, but he didn't know he stayed for a little bit longer.

Maya-maya ay narinig niya itong kumakanta. He pressed his ear near at the bathroom door. Unang beses yata niyang marinig si Ahn na kumakanta. In all fairness to her, she really has a nice voice. O baka lang dahil nasa loob ito ng shower. Hindi niya alam.

When she turned the shower off, agad siyang lumayo.

Nang bumukas ang pintuan, lumabas ito na nakatapis lang ng tuwalya. He grinned. So this must be why he stayed.

--

Napamulagat si Ahn nang makita si Ken. His eyes were dancing with mischief. Napakapit siya sa tuwalya. Don't you dare fall! sabi niya rito. Akala niya ay umalis na ito. She was so sure that she heard the front door slam close!

"W-What are you still doing here?"

Lumapit ito sa kanya. Unti-unti syang napaurong, hanggang sa mapasandal siya sa pintuan ng banyo. Muntikan pa siyang mabara dahil nakabukas ito. Lucky for her—or can it really be considered luck?—he caught her by the waist on time.

"I forgot to say goodbye."

She could imagine steam coming out of her ears when he kissed her on the lips.

"Goodbye," bulong nito sa kanya.

He steadied her before leaving. Napasandal siya sa pader. Why is Ken doing this to her? How can he subject her to this kind of torture? It's unfair that the slightest of his touch could render her weak. Iba kasi siguro ang epekto kapag in love ka sa isang tao.

Siya kasi, walang epekto rito. How could she have any effect on him? Hindi nga pala siya mahal nito.

--

When Ken arrived at around nine, he was a bit surprised to find the house empty. Nang tawagan niya si Ahn ay nasa bahay na naman ito ng parents nito.

"Susunduin kita."

"Okay."

Ahn's still scared of this non-existent ghost dahil sa napanuod nitong movie kahapon. Maybe the house looked ominous to her because she's all alone. Kasalanan din naman niya. Masaya kasi sa bahay nina Ahn. Dahil mapang-udyok ang mga kapamilya nito, gumaganti si Ahn ng pagiging sweet. He didn't even need to pretend anymore.

He got to kiss and hug Ahn more. And she had no choice but to return them, dahil bawal tumanggi.

Pagkarating niya sa bahay ng mga biyenan ay naghihintay na si Ahn sa sala. Pinapagsabihan ito ng daddy nito.

"O, nandyan na pala si Ken."

"Kung gusto ninyo, pwedeng sa inyo na muna mag-stay si Manang. Para naman may kasama si Ahn," her mom suggested.

"Pwede rin po," pagsang-ayon niya.

Everybody agreed except Ahn. She gave him a knowing look, yung tinging gustong mag-convey ng message. But he couldn't read telephatic messages—unfortunately.

Sinabi na lamang niya na bukas na lamang niya susunduin si Manang. Dadaanan na lamang niya ito bukas ng tanghali. Pinakain muna siya ng mga ito ng hapunan bago sila payagang umuwi. In the car, as usual, Ahn was quiet.

Mag-a-alas onse na nang makarating sila sa bahay.

"Bukas, kakailanganin na nating matulog sa isang kwarto," sabi niya rito.

She just nodded.

"Good night, Ahn." Pumasok na siya ng kwarto para matulog. Maaga pa siya bukas.

Kakaupo pa lamang niya sa kama nang marinig niya itong kumatok. "Ken?"

He stood up and opened the door. Nakita niyang nag-alangan ito.

"Bakit?"

"P-Pwedeng makitulog?"

Nagulat siya sa tanong nito. Todo iwas ito sa kanya kapag silang dalawa lang ang magkasama. At hindi lang isang beses siya nitong tinanggihan when he offered her his room to sleep in. Now, because of that ridiculous fear, she even considered sleeping with him—literally—on the same bed?

He gave her a smile. "Sure."

Nilakihan niya ang bukas ng pintuan. Ahn entered the room. She sat on the bed and looked back at him.

"Kung ayaw mong may katabi, I can sleep on the floor."

"N-No, it's okay. You can sleep here."

Ahn slid under the blanket. Nasa kabilang side ito ng kama. He slid next to her.

"Are you sure you're alright?" he asked.

"Y-Yeah. I guess..."

"Okay. Good night na."

Tinalikuran niya ito.

"Ken?"

"Hm?"

She didn't answer. Yumakap lang ito sa likuran niya.

"Ahn? What are you doing?"

"Can you turn around please?"

Humarap naman siya agad. Tumingala ito sa kanya.

"I don't know why you're so nice to me this week. Pero... pwede bang lubusin mo na kahit hanggang sa linggo lang?"

"S-Sure," nag-aaalangan niyang sagot.

"Thanks." She smiled at him. "Then next week, you can stop feeling guilty about anything."

"Ahn..."

"Good night, Ken."