"Hey!"

Pabalik na sana si Andy ng elevator nang makita siya ni Niki. She immediately removed her mask as she approached. She was smiling from ear to ear. Andy put his hands in his pockets and waited for her to reach him. He wanted to ask about the date but he couldn't bring himself to do it. Mukha namang nag-enjoy ito. There was spring in her steps, aakalain mong trampoline ang sahig because of her lively walk.

Her cheeks were a bit flushed, and judging from the dry weather outside, it wasn't because of the weather. Andy leaned closer to smell her breath and he was right. He made sure to express his disapproval at her drinking alcohol on the first date. What if something happened to her because she got drunk? She shouldn't lower her guard down just because she liked her date.

Niki gave him a questioning look. "Why do you look so upset?" tanong nito.

With a frustrated exhale, he turned his head away, his eyes shifted to the side. "Ponkan had me sneezing all night." He sniffed a couple of times to make it sound more convincing.

"Oo nga. Ang pula ng ilong mo." Niki touched his nose in concern. "Did you take your meds?"

Pinalis ni Andy ang kamay nito. "Yeah." He then started walking towards the elevator.

Sumabay naman si Niki sa kanya at kumapit pa sa braso niya. "You're not gonna ask me about my date?"

"I don't care."

He pushed the open button and entered the elevator with Niki clinging to his arm. Nakasimangot ito sa kanya. Kita niya sa salamin ng elevator. She looked at their reflection. "Why not?"

He pressed their floor's button. Bumuntong-hininga siya. "Because I already know how it went."

Niki beamed at him. Kumikinang pa ang mga mata niyo. It annoyed Andy more. Kung may makakakita sa kanila sa elevator, aakalain na she was just a girlfriend annoying her boyfriend on their way back to their unit.

Maybe this was what people saw back then. It was something that he never considered before. Well... that was not entirely true. He did consider it a few times, but he always told himself no. Because it came and went and he understood the unpredictability of this feeling.

–

The following morning, Andy woke up to Niki cooking breakfast. It was a sight he didn't think he would ever see in this lifetime. Nagkusa itong magluto ng almusal.

"Good morning!" bati nito nang lumabas siya ng kwarto. Ponkan was following Niki's movements earlier. Nang lumabas siya ng kwarto, lumapit kaagad sa kanya ang pusa at idinikit ang mukha nito sa binti niya.

Andy has not taken any medicine yet, kaya umiwas siya sa pusa. Ponkan, not understanding the concept of personal space, proceeded to push himself towards Andy.

Natawa si Niki nang magsimulang makipaghabulan si Ponkan sa kanya. Pumwesto si Andy sa likod ni Niki at ipinangharang ito para hindi makalusot si Ponkan. Ponkan began playfully biting Niki's feet, which made the latter shriek. Nawalan ito ng balanse at muntik nang matumba kung hindi siya nakakapit sa likod nito.

Niki immediately wrapped her arms around his chest for support and Andy could have sworn his heartbeat doubled that instant.

"Help me up!" sabi nito sa kanya habang paulit-ulit siyang tinatapik sa likod. Iniayos niya ito ng tindig. Niki scolded both him and Ponkan for playing around her.

"Doon nga kayo maglaro!" pagtataboy nito sa kanilang dalawa ng pusa. "You're ruining my breakfast!"

Sumilip si Andy sa nakasalang na pagkain. "Looks like it's already ruined," he teased.

–

Andrew

She went out on a date again

PJ

Di ba kagabi lang yung first date nya?

Andrew

Yep

Mike

Did she like the guy?

Andrew

Think so

Mike

And you're not even bothered?

Sumandal si Andy sa headboard ng kama at saka tiningnang mabuti ang huling chat ni Mike. Was he bothered? Maybe a bit. Ni hindi man lang isang linggo ang pagitan from the first date to the next. Kinabukasan, magkikita agad ang dalawa. Niki must have loved the date so much because she saw Jake again the following day.

But it was not like he was upset or jealous. Well, maybe a little jealous. But like he told his friends before, he didn't want things to change between him and Niki.

"Meow."

Ponkan was on his bed again. He was rubbing his face against his leg. Sa dami ng cathair na iniiwan ni Ponkan sa higaan at mga unan ni Andy, pakiramdam niya ay immune na siya rito. It was like he was always feeling sluggish around Ponkan. Naluluha at namumula ang mga mata at palaging may runny nose. He was getting so used to it, na halos normal na iyon sa pakiramdam.

Ponkan likes to rub his face against Andy's legs. Gusto yata nito ang pakiramdam ng buhok niya sa balahibo nito. He couldn't get him out of his face when he had stubbles. Tuloy, mas napadalas ang pagsi-shave niya para hindi ito matulog sa mukha niya.

"Do you want to do something?" tanong niya sa alaga.

"Meow."

"Okay. Let's go outside."

Mabilis siyang bumangon para kunin ang leash ni Ponkan. Niki brought too much cat stuff a few months ago. Ang dami nitong na-add to cart na leashes. Sampu ang binili nito. Hindi naman nito madalas ilabas si Ponkan para maglakad-lakad. Andy was the one who liked taking Ponkan out for a walk because it was the only exercise he got before he decided to buy a treadmill.

He let Ponkan smell the leash that he would like to put on. He chose a pink sparkly leash na may ka-partner na white at pink vest. Niki bought five vests. Dalawa lang ang kasya kay Ponkan dahil masyado pang malaki yung iba.

Niki also bought Ponkan a cat tree, a cat hammock, the fancy cat litter na parang washing machine ang hitsura, a couple of beds, and two cat bags for traveling. None of which was ever used by Niki. Lahat ng iyon ay nakatambak sa isang sulok ng kwarto ni Andy.

He was debating on whether he should bring or leave his phone but he ended up leaving it in his room. Niki would probably be gone for the whole day and he wouldn't be texting anyone other than Niki.

–

The streets were still not as busy as they used to be. Habang tumatagal, parami nang parami ang mga tao sa labas. The malls have reopened, but the hours were shorter. Maraming establishments ang sarado. Limited ang dining seats. Ang daming requirements bago makapasok sa loob.

Some people were allowed to go back to the office. Pero sa mga katulad ni Andy na pwede naman sa bahay na lang magtrabaho, work from home until further notice sila.

Lahat ng tao naka-mask, parang kasalanan ang magpakita ng mukha. Nasanay na rin si Andy dahil ilang buwan na, pero noong mga unang linggo, hirap na hirap siya. He likes showing his face and he likes seeing people's faces. It was easier to measure people and their intentions when he could see their faces. Mukha na lang kasi nina Niki at Ponkan ang nakikita niya araw-araw.

He kinda envied the cat because it didn't have to wear masks.

Andy and Ponkan walked on the side of the road. Ponkan would go up to any tree and plant to inspect them. He didn't bring any money kasi ilang blocks lang naman ang layo nila sa unit. Susi lang ang dala niya. He followed the cat wherever it went until Ponkan got tired. Humilata ito sa sidewalk.

"Pagod ka na?"

Ponkan didn't answer but tapped his tail on the cement instead. Umupo si Andy sa tabi nito at hinayaan lang ang mga taong magpadaan-daan sa tapat nila. Some people stopped by and asked for his permission to pet Ponkan, which he thought was amusing.

They really should be asking the cat for permission.

Ponkan was not exactly friendly. He kept swatting at people's hands whenever they tried to pet him. He was orange like that.

"Cute mo naman!" A woman stooped down to pet Ponkan without asking Andy first. Ponkan swiped at her hand, like he did the others, but that did not deter the woman. She went for it again, but this time, inilapit nito nang paunti-unti ang kamay sa mukha ni Ponkan.

Then, she let the cat approach. When Ponkan sniffed her hand and stayed close, she took the opportunity to pet his chin. Ponkan loved that. Nakatingala ito, pikit-mata, enjoy na enjoy ang libreng kamot sa mukha.

The woman turned to him and smiled. He could only see her eyes but she looked happy because the cat permitted her to pet him. Naka-casual dress ito na bulaklakin. Nakapailalim doon ang puting t-shirt nito. May suot itong salamin at brown bucket hat na kakulay ng tote bag nito.

When she stood up, he saw that she was wearing an old and worn pair of running shoes.

"Bye!" she said sweetly to the cat. She scratched his head, for good measure, before walking away.

Tiningnan niya si Ponkan, slightly amused because he was nice to that woman. Tapos ay natawa siya nang mapansing naglilinis na ito ng katawan.

–

They ended up going around a couple of blocks before Ponkan decided that he had had enough of the outside already. Buhat-buhat na niya si Ponkan pabalik sa unit.

When they arrived there, nakita nila si Niki sa tapat noon. She was pacing back and forth. Kumunot ang noo ni Andy. It was not even lunchtime yet. Bakit bumalik na ito? And she looked upset. Did the date not go well?

He mentally reprimanded the voice in his head for sounding optimistic.

"Oh thank god!" bulalas ni Niki nang makita silang papalapit.

"Bakit nandito ka sa labas?" tanong niya. "You didn't bring the key?"

"I thought you weren't going out! Kanina pa ako tawag nang tawag–"

"I left my phone inside," he explained. Kinuha niya ang susi sa bulsa at saka binuksan ang pinto. "Bakit pala nandito ka na?" tanong niya nang makapasok sila sa loob.

Niki sighed exasperatedly as she removed her bag and threw it on the couch. "He's sick."

"What?"

"He went out to party last night after our date. Tapos kanina inaantay ko sya. May sakit pala kaya biglang hindi makakapunta."

"Teka.Di ba bawal mag-party ngayon?"

"Ayun na nga!" inis nitong sagot. "I can't believe na tumuloy sya. I told him not to. Pero ayun! Kating-kati ang paa na gumala."

"But the symptoms don't manifest that quick. So he might have caught the virus prior to your date."

Niki's eyes widened. "You don't think–"

"Better to be safe than sorry," sabi niya.

"I don't wanna get sick again," she moaned.