Kelvin didn't know why the thought of Yuan and Celine sharing the same breathing space annoyed him so much. Ni hindi niya kilala ang lalaki. Malay ba naman niya kung may nobya na ito. Ni hindi niya sigurado kung type nito si Celine.

But Celine likes him, paalala niya sa sarili. Why do I even care?

Hindi pa niya kilala si Celine nang lubusan. It shouldn't even bother him, but it does and it's annoying. Pagkatapos sana ng trabaho niya ay pupunta siya sa isang bar or club, just to meet new people, get himself back in the game. Kaya lamang ay tinamad na siya. He went to his mother's shop instead.

May mga ilang kumakain sa loob ng pastry shop slash café ni Moira. He saw his mom behind the counter. Kinawayan niya ito. He could feel the stares of the people inside as he walk towards his mother, but he ignored them.

Hinalikan niya ang ina sa pisngi. "Hi, mommy."

"Bakit nandito ka?"

"I just want to see you."

She gave him a questioning look. Bihira kasi siyang dumalaw sa shop nang walang dahilan. "Magkikita naman tayo sa bahay e. Kumain ka na?"

He shook his head. "Ikaw, ma, have you eaten?"

"Hindi naman ako nagugutom dito e. What do you want to eat? I can only offer you pastries. Kung gusto mong magkanin o pasta, just go to the nearby restaurants, okay?" Hinawakan siya nito sa pisngi. "Mommy's busy at the moment."

"I'll help," he volunteered.

"Hindi ka na kakain?"

"Later na lang. I'm not that hungry."

Naghanap siya ng gagawin. Hindi naman busy sa shop. May staff rin kasi na tumutulong sa mama niya. So naglinis na lamang siya ng table.

He used to pick up girls there. If he sees someone interesting, lalapitan niya iyon at kakausapin. Before the day ends, may dates na siya for a few days. Ngayon, kahit may nagpapapansin sa kanya ay hindi niya magawang lumapit at daldalin iyon. He can't flirt back.

"Kanina pa 'yang mga 'yan dito," his mom told him when he return to the back of the shop. "You can talk to them if you like."

He shrugged. "Nah. I'll pass."

Nagsalubong ang kilay nito dahil sa sinabi niya.

"Are you still hung up on that girl? What's her name again?"

"Celine," he answered.

"Do you still like her?"

Umiling siya. "I just need to get her out of my system. She's like a habit that I need to break. Like that one time when I learned how to smoke."

Moira huffed at the memory. Sa lahat yata ng naging girlfriends niya, pinakang-inayawan nito ay iyong ex nya na nagturo sa kanyang manigarilyo. Two months lang ang itinagal ng relationship nila, but he didn't quit smoking right away.

Naghanap pa siya ng diversion. He turned his cigarette break into coffee break. And just when he's just starting to get addicted to coffee, saka naman niya nakilala si Celine.

"Hindi ko alam kung ano'ng nagustuhan mo sa babaeng 'yon. She's too promiscuous."

"Eliza has her moments," he admitted. "But she's fun to be with."

"Masyadong party girl."

"She just likes to have fun."

"Too much fun," pagtatama nito.

She's right, of course, as always. He just liked Eliza back then kaya hindi siya nakinig sa ina. Pero nang napansin niyang nagiging pabaya na siya sa trabaho at nalululong pa sa paninigarilyo ay nakipaghiwalay rin siya rito.

"I hope Celine's not like that."

"She's not. She has low alcohol tolerance, hates smoking and never been to a club in her life."

Moira's eyebrow arched in amusement. "You seem to know a lot about her."

"Not so much. She dumped me before I could know more," he said with grump.

Natawa ito at tinapik siya sa balikat. "Yeah. You're still hung up on her."

Hindi siya umalis hanggat hindi nagsasara ang shop. Tuwang-tuwa ang mommy niya dahil dumami ang customers nang nandoon siya. The shelves were almost empty before they close.

"Mom, can you make those fudge brownies again?" tanong niya habang naglalakad sila papunta sa sasakyan.

"Ipagtitira na lang kita bukas. Ilan ba ang gusto mo?"

"One dozen."

"Ubos mo 'yon? Di ba nauumay ka sa matatamis? Pati nga 'yong favorite mo dating ice cream cake, hindi mo na matagalang kainin e."

"They're not for me," he said with a smile.

"E kanino pala? For Celine again? How are you supposed to break that habit if you keep on coming back to her?"

"I just want to be her friend this time," paliwanag niya. "If we end up being friends, then my feelings for her might change--" He stopped abruptly when he realized what he just said. His mother smiled knowingly but didn't say anything. Hindi na rin nila pinag-usapan si Celine hanggang sa makarating sila ng bahay.

--

Kinabukasan, kagaya ng napag-usapan nilang mag-ina, dumaan si Kelvin sa shop para kunin ang fudge brownies na ipinahanda niya. He stayed there and helped his mother until ten. Saka niya ito inihatid pauwi, then he went to his father's company to visit Celine.

Alam niyang nandoon na ito nang ganoong oras dahil hindi naman ito nali-late. And he was right. Naabutan niya itong pabalik sa pwesto nito, galing pantry. May dala itong isang plastic cup na may kape.

"Hi!" bati niya. Medyo nagulat ito at muntik nang mabitawan ang hawak.

"Bakit nandito ka?!"

"I'm visiting a friend," sagot niya.

"Ganitong oras ka bumibisita? Kami na lang ang tao rito."

"I know."

"Friend mo si Yuan?" lito nitong tanong.

He scowled. "Of course not. You are!"

Itinuro nito ang sarili. "Ako? Kailan pa?"

"You told me that we could be friends, right? So, here I am," he said casually. Ibinigay niya rito ang mga brownies na dala niya. "My mom made these."

Nag-aalangan nito iyong tinanggap. "Thanks."

Sinundan niya ito pabalik sa pwesto nito. Agad na naningkit ang mga mata niya nang makita si Yuan. Napatingin din ito sa kanya.

"Who's this?" tanong nito sabay turo sa kanya.

"I'm her best friend," agad niyan sagot.

"Kanina, friend lang. Ngayon, best friend na?" nakangusong sabi ni Celine. "Si Janelle ang best friend ko."

"I'm your guy best friend," he insisted.

"Hi. I'm Yuan Karlo. Ka-team ko si Celine sa global."

He shook his hand. "I'm Kelvin, her best friend," he said with emphasis.

Celine rolled her eyes. "Ipipilit mo talaga e, ano?"

Ngumiti siya saka naupo sa isang empty cubicle.

"Uhm, employee ka rin ba rito?" tanong ni Yuan. "Ang alam ko kasi, bawal ang outsider sa office."

"Tatay nya ang big boss. He can come in anytime," was Celine's dismal reply.

"Oh..."

"Don't worry. I won't bother you."

"Bakit hindi ka na lang umuwi? Wala ka namang gagawin dito e."

Itinaas niya ang dalawang paa sa isa pang upuan at saka prenteng sumandal.

"Don't mind me." Ikinumpas niya ang kamay. "Keep working."

Dahil sa ayaw niyang umalis, hindi na lang siya pinansin ng dalawa. They continued working habang siya ay naglaro sa phone. He didn't like their closeness. Parang matagal nang magkakilala ang dalawa. At one point, nag-share pa ng earphones ang mga ito. Nakikinig kasi sa music si Yuan. Then he asked her to listen to the song he's listening to. Mukhang nagkakasundo ang dalawa pagdating sa music. Nakakalimutan na siya kaya nilakasan niya ang volume ng phone.

Celine glared at him. Siya naman ay ngumiti saka hininaang muli ang volume.

But eventually inantok na rin siya at kinailangan nang umuwi. Nalungkot siya nang hindi man lang siya pinansin ni Celine nang magpaalam siya. Pero imbes na panghinaan ng loob ay mas lalo siyang naging determinado.

He won't stop until he's finally over this addiction.