Gusto ni Ken na mainis sa kakambal. She just stole Ahn's thunder. He's happy for the baby, of course, pero alam niyang may tamang oras naman para rito. Inimbitahan nila ang mga ito para pag-usapan ang kasal, pero dahil may pagka-childish si Iya, she chose the exact moment to announce her pregnancy.

Ahn seemed genuinely happy for his sister, so he just let it go. They spent the rest of the evening talking about the baby. After a few attempts to join the conversation, Ahn decided to just listen. Lantaran kasi ang pambabara ni Iya rito.

"I'm sorry," he told Ahn after they left.

She frowned. "For what?"

"Sa inasal ni Iya kanina. We were supposed to talk about our wedding pero sa baby nya napunta yung usapan."

"Hayaan mo na. Mas importante naman yung baby."

He cupped her face then kissed the tip of her nose.

"Thank you for being so wonderful."

--

"What?"

Kanina pa pasulyap-sulyap si Hans kay Iya. Dalawang beses na niya itong nahuli. Wala naman itong sinasabi. Titingin lang ito sa kanya tapos ay iiling.

"Nothing."

"If you have something to say, just say it."

"Okay. I think you were horrible back there."

"I am not!" tanggi niya. "Masama na bang sabihin ko sa kanila na magkakaanak na tayo?"

"Pwede namang sabihin sa ibang time, di ba? We were supposed to discuss their wedding."

"Kasalanan ko bang mas interesado sila sa baby ko?!"

Hans sighed. "Iya, stop being a brat."

"I'm not being a brat!"

"Then stop this childish nonsense and start acting like an adult!"

When the car came to a stop, they were enveloped in silence. Naka-red ang traffic light. They were in an intersection. And to add to the drama, it started raining. Ngayon lang niya hindi matagalang kasama si Hans sa isang lugar.

Ngayon lamang sila nagkasagutan ng ganito ang it's not even their problem! What's it with Ahn and ruining relationships?

Pagkaparada pa lamang ni Hans ng sasakyan ay bumaba na siya kaagad at mabilis na naglakad papasok sa bahay. Hindi niya ito pinansin nang tawagin siya nito. She went inside their room and changed. Maya-maya'y kumatok ito.

"Iya, why did you lock the door?" he asked, his voice resigned.

"Sa ibang kwarto ka matulog!" sagot niya.

"Fine, pero kailangan kong magpalit ng damit."

Kumuha siya ng pambahay mula sa closet saka tinungo ang pinto. She opened the door and threw the clothes on his face. Then she slammed the door close.

Dahil hindi niya ito agad nai-lock, Hans was able to go in. Tinalikuran niya ito.

"Iya..."

"Bakit ba lahat kayo kumakampi sa kanya?" She faced him. "You're supposed to be on my side!"

Hans sighed. "Not when you're wrong."

"Oh, okay. So si Ahn na naman ang tama? Why don't you just marry her too?!" she snapped.

Kinabig siya nito. "Iya, calm down." Cupping her face, he said, "Do you remember the time when my dad and I fought? He was sorry but I couldn't forgive him. Tanda mo pa yung sinabi mo sa'kin noon?"

Sumimangot siya. "Iba naman 'yon."

Ignoring her remark, he continued, "You told me to stop being a baby. I was expecting na sa akin ka kakampi but you even threatened na makikipag-break ka kapag hindi kami nagkaayos. I forgave my dad because of you."

She remembered. Iyon yung panahong magulo pa ang pamilya ni Hans. His father was about to leave the country for good dahil ayaw pa ring makipagbalikan ng mommy niya. Nagkaroon kasi ito ng affair noon. But even then, his father was willing to forget about the whole thing para hindi lang masira ang pagsasama ng mag-asawa.

But guilt caught up with his mom. She felt like she doesn't deserve his dad anymore. Kaya nakipaghiwalay ito. Natatakot daw kasi itong baka gawin na naman nito iyon. But his dad was persistent. Pero kalaunan ay nagsawa na rin ito, just when his mom's about to give in.

There are moments where Hans will just snap and go back to his old habits. That was one of those moments. Kung hindi siguro niya ito tinakot na makikipaghiwalay siya rito ay baka sira pa rin ang pamilya nito hanggang ngayon.

"I love you and I want you to be happy. Kapag may galit ka sa puso mo, hindi ka magiging masaya. You taught me that."

--

"Wala ka na bang nalilimutan?" tanong ni Ahn kay Ken. Nasa backseat sila ng sasakyan ni Paris. They called him up para may maghatid sa kanila sa airport. Mukhang okay na ang dalawa. Nag-usap na raw sila pero hindi ni Ken matutupad ang gusto niya. Paris can attend their wedding, pero ang kaibigan nitong si Zanjo ang best man.

"Wala na. There's just something that I wish I could take with me to Canada."

Ahn frowned. "What?"

Hinawakan nito ang kamay niya. "You."

Paris barfed. Siya naman ay napangiti.

"I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you more."

They kissed.

Paris grunted. "Guys, it's just two weeks, not two years."

"Hayaan mo nga sila," sabat ni Jasmine na nasa passenger's seat.

"I'll call you whenever I can," Ken promised.

Nang maihatid nila si Ken ay nagpahatid naman siya sa bahay ng parents niya. Doon muna siya for two weeks para hindi siya nag-iisa.

"Let's have coffee first," Jasmine suggested.

"Okay lang sa 'kin."

They stopped at Figaro. Pumasok na sila sa café habang si Paris naman ay ipinaparada ang sasakyan. They gave their orders at saka sila naghanap ng pwesto sa loob.

"I already ordered for you," Jasmine told Paris when he came back.

"Thanks." Naupo ito sa tabi ng girlfriend at saka siya tinanguan. "So, okay na ba talaga kayong dalawa?"

She nodded back. "We're more than okay."

"Nagkausap nga pala kami. I mentioned to him na kagagawan namin yung mga bulaklak. He almost punched me," natatawa nitong sabi.

She smiled and took a sip of her coffee.

"Sana kasi hindi mo na lang sinabi." She turned to Jasmine. "Nga pala, pwede mo ba akong samahan? Balak ko kasing maningin ng wedding dresses e."

"Sure! Kelan?"

"This weekend sana."

Sasamahan sya ng mommy at mother-in-law niya. Kasama rin si Sab na mukhang mas excited pa sa kanya. They made it an all-girls affair so hindi kasama ang daddy niya sa lakad. Gusto niyang maging kasing-surprised ito ni Ken kapag nakita nito ang isusuot niya during the wedding.

Ken's mother will also bring Iya along. Hindi naman siya makatanggi. After all, ito naman ang maid of honor niya kung sakali.

Kasama rin daw si Rica. Pamihadong para may kakampi si Iya that day.

Jasmine will be like a reinforcement. Kailangan niya ng extra positivity sa araw na iyon, lalo na't madali siyang panghinaan ng loob. One bad comment might ruin the whole thing.

--

When Ken arrived in Canada, agad niyang kinontak ang mga mutual friends nila ni Aubrey. Since he got married kasi ay naging ilag na rin ang mga magulang nito sa kanya. Si Aubrey naman ay hindi niya alam kung nasaang banda ng bansa.

Aside from the fact that he needs to apologize to Aubrey, Iya also mentioned that he needs to take a picture with her and post in online. Ganti raw sa pag-a-announce niya ng kasal nila ni Ahn noong hindi pa siya nakikipaghiwalay dito.

He knew why she was making him do that. Gusto nitong makita ni Ahn iyon. But Iya won't have it any other way. Sabi nito kapag nakita nito ang picture, she will 'forget everything and move on' and will even be Ahn's maid of honor.

He just hopes na sana pagkatapos ng lahat, wala na silang maging problema. Ayaw na niyang madagdagan pa ang alalahanin ni Ahn. She's been through a lot already.

--

Weekend came...

Nasa loob na sila ng boutique para magsukat ng wedding gown niya. She already picked three. Ipakikita na lamang niya sa mga ito iyon dahil hindi siya makapili.

Iya and Rica stayed on one corner. Panay ang irap ng mga ito sa kanya kanina pa. Good thing there's Jasmine. Ramdam nitong kanina pa siya pinanghihinaan ng loob. She knows the exact moments to give her little pep talks.

Ito at ang mommy niya ang isinama niya sa loob ng dressing room. She first tried the one with the mermaid structure. Fit ito with ruching details hanggang sa kalahati ng hita niya. The rest of the skirt was designed with soft waves.

Halos maiyak ang mommy niya nang matingnan nilang maigi ang damit sa harap ng salamin. She felt confident enough to show it to everyone else.

Natuwa rin ang mommy Jazz niya pati na si Sab. But her smile faded when her eyes landed on Iya and Rica. They were whispering something. Tumatawa pa ang mga ito.

Choking back the tears, she told her mom, "I'll try another one."

Next, she tried on the sheath dress. It has a simple cut with a simple bow at the back. She feels like herself in that dress kaya niya iyon kinuha as one of her options. But apparently, it was too simple for the cousins.

"It's so plain," Rica commented.

"Yes. Kinda boring," Iya seconded.

"Girls!" saway ng mother-in-law niya.

"Okay lang po. Kailangan ko rin naman ng honest opinion."

She went back to the dressing room for the third one. She was hoping na sana ay magustuhan na iyon ng lahat. It was the most expensive and the most intricate dress out of the three.

Empire cut iyon. Satin ang ilalim tapos ay napapaibabawan naman ng tule. Underneath is the sweetheart neckline, then the tule makes up the straps. Below the chest area was the jeweled beading. It goes down in a scattered way to her knees.

She also wore the veil for the full effect. When her mom cried, that's when she knew that it was the one.

Nang lumabas siya, walang nakapagsalita agad. She was beaming. Alam niyang pare-pareho ng iniisip ang mga ito. That's the dress that she'll be wearing to her wedding.

"I'm sorry." Her heart sank when Iya stood up. "You look ridiculous in that dress."

Umalis ito pagkasabi noon. Nag-aalangan naman sumunod si Rica sa pinsan nito.

"Don't mind her, anak."

"I'm sorry Ahn. Pagagalitan ko si Iya," sabi naman ng mommy Jazz niya.

"Is this the dress, ma'am?" tanong ng consultant.

Nagulat ang mga ito nang umiling siya. They were pretty sure na iyon na ang kukunin niya. Sigurado na rin siya kanina. But that one comment broke her confidence with the dress.

"No."

She ran back to the dressing room to change.