As expected, Cory woke a little later than usual since getting drunk last night wasn't supposed to happen, but she ended up drinking a few from that beer and she was snoring all through the night.

Nauna akong nagising sa kanya kaya maaga na rin akong naligo. As I walked out of the shower that was the moment she woke up. When she saw me drying up my hair with a towel in front of her, she then realized what was going on. Mabilis siyang napabangon sa kinahihigaan niya at mabilis na dumiretsyo papunta sa CR.

I hold onto her shoulder when she passed by me.

"Kalma ka lang muna," aniko. "Good morning?"

"Anong oras na?"

"Alas y dies pa lang naman," aniko. "Maaga pa naman so 'wag kang magmadali. Okay ka na ba? Mabigat ba ulo mo o kung ano man?"

She shook her head. "Hindi naman... okay naman ako? Bakit ano bang nangyari?"

I grinned shaking my head. "Nothing. Sige na, maligo ka na kung gusto mo."

Hindi ko na siya pinigilan pa at dumiretsyo na siya ng banyo. Nagbihis na rin naman ako at inayos ang bagahe ko. Later today, we'll be finally flying to Cuyo and for the first time after a few years, I'll be coming back home to my homeland.

Some people may not understand the decision I made when I left my hometown to live in Coron, but there's more to life rather than I let myself boxed into a cycle I wouldn't be able to grow. I could always go back to Cuyo, as always.

Later on, Cory shouted my name inside the bathroom.

"Yes? Need mo ba ako sa loob to scrub your back?" I asked.

"Gagi, hindi! I forgot my underwear! Nalaglag ko ata. Nandiyan lang 'yon sa tabi ng kama, pakisilip nga at pakikuha."

"Lumabas ka na riyan," aniko. "Okay lang naman. Hindi naman ako sisilip."

"Leche! Kunin mo na!"

I cackled as she ordered me to grab her underwear. I looked for it and it was there lying on the ground. I picked it up and I went to the bathroom where her hand is already waiting for it. As I handed it over, she snatched it and closed the door abruptly.

Later on, she was rolling her eyes at me when she stepped out of the shower.

"Oh, ano na namang ginawa ko?"

"Napaka mo."

"Huh? Ano ngang ginawa ko?"

Hindi na niya ako sinagot kung hindi tumuloy siya sa maleta niya kung saan niya tinupi ang pinalitang damit. I told her I got us some food from the resto below and I know we wouldn't be able to spend time eating breakfast downstair.

Cory stepped out to the balcony and I was watching her inside the room. I'm not sure what was going in her head right now, but what happened recently brought us much closer. It wasn't the trip we expected to happen since we were meaning to have fun and experience El Nido for the first time, but we fell on the wrong side and I hope she didn't blame herself for it.

I decided to check in on her so I went to the balcony. I put my hand on her shoulder. 

"Sorry, I ruined this for you," malumanay kong saad. "We could've done a lot of things if—"

I grabbed his hand on me and squeezed it that's why he stopped talking.

"It's alright... it doesn't matter if we could've done a lot of things or not, I'm just happy that you're here with me now. Talking me. Smiling at me. Annoying me. That's already enough for me than to see you go breathless... lifeless..."

"Medyo ma-drama ka sa part na 'yon, babe." Tawa ko pa, trying to make the situation lighter.

She smirked. "But I'm not being dramatic. Sa totoo lang tayo. You know what, Douglas, people choose to leave me."

"I did not, I'm still here."

"You almost did," may pagdiin pa sa tono nito nang sagutin niya ako. "Since the day I was born, my parents chose to leave me in an orphanage. I grew up there, I wasn't alone, but the feeling of belongingness seems far from reality even if I was adopted. My boyfriend for years who I was engaged suddenly chose to leave me for someone else. I am that kind of person na ka-iwan-iwan. And if Danny would say, ako 'yong taong pang-temporary lang."

"No, no, don't you say that," I tried to sound calm and less a little worried, but obviously concerned. I turned her to me and hugged her as her head rested on my chest and rub my hand gently behind her back. "Good thing, I don't have a plan of leaving you."

"But you know that I have to come back to Manila soon..." she muttered.

"Yeah, I know..." I answered and it was the reality. "But that's still far far away and we can still make most of our time in here. To Cuyo, here we go."

He let go of hugging me and our eyes locked in one. Suddenly, she was leaning closer to me and her hand reaches for my face and pull me closer to her. At that moment, our eyes close when our lips met. It wasn't sensual or sexual in any way, but it was the kiss that I couldn't explain with words, but the feelings transcends out of this word.

I wasn't actually ready for it, she surprised me.

When we parted away, she wasn't looking into my eyes and avoided my gaze. When it was our time to leave the hotel, I grabbed her stuff and wait for the van to pick us up.

Just in time before lunch, the van picked us up to go to the airport. Hindi naman gano'n kalayo. Halos thirty minutes lang din ang itinagal namin at narating namin ang airport.

On our way, we were both discussing what else we could do in Cuyo. I told her a list of things to do there and what we could feature there. She was excited to see those places I told her, especially meeting my parents. I don't know what excites me more, but I think the latter one.

Imagine, bringing home the girl I just nearly three weeks ago. Unbelievable, yet I pulled it off. But to be clear, this is just a business trip for her.

When we arrived at the airport, we checked in our luggage and wait for our flight to be called. Cory didn't speak about the kiss again and it seemed like we should talk about it again or else, she'll do bad things to me. 

But even though that kiss was surprising for me, it was kind of special.

An hour later, our flight is called. We get on board a turboprop plane that only accommodates a few passengers and we're the lucky ones to ride on it. 

Cory and I are both awake all throughout the plane ride and as soon as the pilot announced that we were almost descending to Cuyo airport, I was so excited and she noticed that.

"Ito na... ito na..." I chanted repeatedly. "I'm so excited, babe."

As soon as we landed, I took a deep breath and my smile wouldn't go away. When we were off the craft, I couldn't handle my emotion and shouted,  Welcome back to me, Cuyo!"

Other passengers laughed at what I did and I can see that she was a little annoyed at me. I'll let her be, she's in my hometown and she'll get to know me even more.

"Hindi alam ng parents mo na darating tayo, 'di ba?" tanong nito.

I nodded. "Yup. Para surprise."

"Tandaan mo, we haven't book a hotel here. Saan naman tayo matutulog?" nag-aalala nitong tanong sa akin. "Oo nga pala, Vice Mayor ang tatay mo so you probably have a bigger house than some."

"Tama ka. Kaya nga hindi na kita pina-book pa ng hotel. May guest rooms din ang bahay ro'n sa amin. Hindi ko nga lang alam kung occupied o hindi. Pero sigurado akong pwede tayo sa kwarto ko ro'n. Simula nang umalis ako ro'n, hindi naman nila ginalaw 'yon so... we'll sleep there together."

"Hindi. Sabi mo may guest room naman so sa guest room na lang ako. It's time for me to get a privacy."

"Ikaw bahala." Kibit balikat kong sagot sa kanya.

Right after we got our luggage, isang rental minivan naman ang magdadala sa amn sa Maringian kung saan ang municipality kung saan nakatira ang pamilya ko—ang mga Alejandria. I know Cory was weirded out when people called me as they knew my family and that happened a few times.

"Douglas! Ikaw pala 'yan!" sabi ng driver ng van nang makilala ako.

"Yo, boss!"

"Dito ka sa harap, o! Bakante."

"Sige, boss. Okay na ako rito. May kasama kasi ako at ayokong iwanan 'tong girlfriend ko."

"Sige, sige..." tugon nito.

Napapalingon pa akin iyong ilang pasahero na kasabay namin sa van. Hindi naman nila ako kilala, and I don't need to introduce myself to them. Sadyang kilala lang din ang pamilya ko dahil Vice Mayor ang tatay ko. Hindi rin naman nagtagal, mula airport hanggang sa barangay ay inabot lamang kami ng twenty five minutes.

Cory was about to argue with me again dahil sasakyan ulit kami ng tricyle papunta sa bahay namin. She said I could've just called my parents to pick us up straight from the airport, pero ito raw kami ngayon ay nagpapakahirap na buhati ang mga gamit namin.

But the ride didn't take more than five minutes and when we got into our house, Cory couldn't believe what she was seeing.

"Sure ka ba na ito talaga 'yong bahay niyo?"

"Hindi, joke pa lang 'to, babe," aniko. "Pero joke lang, ito na talaga 'yon."

I push the doorbell and a moment later, isang house staff namin nagbukas ng gate. Nang makilala niya ako ay hindi ito nag-atubiling pagbuksan kami ng pinto at pinapasok na kaagad kami sa loob. She even called some people to carry our stuff away from us.

One thing that I told Cory before we get here, I would be the one who will tell my parents what happened in El Nido, at kung hindi ko raw gawin, she would do it for me.

Cory looked around scanning the place around. She would be surprised if she saw what was in the backyard as well. 

When we walked inside the house, I noticed Cory's mouth a little open as her eyes playfully roam around the room. A second later, I smiled when I saw someone who was on her phone and stopped when she saw us.

"Tawag ulit ako later... bye," she said and hang up the call.

"Ma!" Sigaw at nagpanic ito ng ma-realize nang makita niya ako. I quickly get on to her and hugged her tight. She was crying and I know it was all happiness in her eyes.

"Ikaw ba talaga 'yan?"

I laughed as we both parted away from hugs. "Yes, ma. Akong-ako 'to."

"Ang gwapo-gwapo mo, anak..." Pagpisil pa nito sa pisngi ko.

I chuckled. I know, ma... pero may gusto lang akong ipakilala sa 'yo." Inabot ko ang kamay ni Cory at hinila ko siya papalapit sa amin. "We're really sorry for saying nothing to our arrival today pero alam kong magsasaya kami rito. Here's Corentienne—"

"Cory na lang po for short," pagtatama pa nito.

"Yes." I chuckled. "Dinala ko siya rito para makita niya ang Cuyo."

"Hindi po pinilit niya po akong papuntahin dito. Wala po talaga sa agenda ko ang magpunta ng Cuyo, but he insisted. Almost every day po."

Natawa si Mama sa paliwanag nito. Siniko ko naman siya.

"Ba't mo naman ako binuko?"

"So... girlfriend ka ba nitong anak ko?" tanong ni Mama.

Hindi ito sumagot kung hindi ay lumipad ang tingin niya sa akin.

"Oh, no, ma. Hindi ko pa siya girlfriend. But we're getting there, 'di ba?" 

I winked at her and she tried so hard not to hit me so she scrunched her face at me.

"Dito ba kayo tutuloy?" tanong ni Mama.

"That's the plan," sagot ko. "Pwede naman sa kwarto ko, 'no?"

"Oo naman. Maayos naman ang kwarto mo ro'n. Pwede kayo mag-stay dalawa ro'n."

Pasimple naman akong siniko ni Cory. "Ah! Ano, ma... okay ba 'yong guest room natin?"

"Hmmm... hindi ko pa ulit natingnan. Sa tingin ko tinambakan ng ilang gamit ang mga guest room kaya hindi pa pwedeng matuluyan ngayon. Pwede naman siguro kayo sa kwarto mo. Kasya naman kayo ro'n."

"Okay lang. Kasya na kami sa kwarto ko," sagot ko.

"Pumunta muna kayo sa kwarto niyo at makapagpahinga kayo saglit. Magpapataway lang ako ng delivery upang may makain kayong dalawa. Walang aangal. Kakain kayong dalawa. Sige na, sa kwarto muna kayo. Ipatatawag ko kayo mamaya. Saka Douglas, Ingiidlao ako kanimo." (I miss you.)

When mom let us go to our room as she believe it was already tidy, we can go ahead there. 

"Nakaaasar ka, 'no? Pwede naman siguro 'yong guest room niyo?"

I laughed. "Wala ka ng choice."

She grunted. "Kainis.

When we got into my room, Cory quickly laughed and I got offended at it. 

"Ang bata naman ng kwarto mo," komento nito.

"Well, matagal naman na akong hindi umuuwi. Nilalabhan na lang nila 'tong ilang sa mag gamit ko every week para ma-maintain ang kalinisan. Kaya 'wag kang mag-alala, malinis dito. Tayo lang pwede gumawa ng dirty." I wiggled my brow.

When there were only two of us right now, she finally gets to hit me on my shoulder. I caressed my arm while she sat on my bed and lay down on her back. She took a deep breath while I fixes our stuff and then look for my stuff on the bookshelf checking if it was still there.

"You know what I've planned for the next video?" tanong nito.

"Hmm?"

"Gusto ko interview-hin ang parents mo. Hindi naman buong episode, but what we'll be filming next is about Cuyo kaya mabuti na 'yong may knowledge na nanggaling sa kanila."

"We'll see, I'll try to talk to my Father later."

"Ano ba 'yang hinahanap mo? Parang busy ka."

I grabbed the pouch out of the bookshelf. I walked in her direction and showed her what was in my hand. I open it and drop what was inside of it and it was a pearl necklace. 

I grabbed the locks of the necklace. "Talikod ka."

She get up from bed and do as I said. I put the necklace around her and locked it. The chain looks good on her and I think that really suits her.

"Ayan," anusyo ko nang matapos ang pagkabit nito. "Sa 'yo na 'yan. Totoong pearl 'yan."

She turned to me. "Seryoso ka ba?"

I nodded. "Maganda 'yan. 'Di ba nagtatanong ka na kung nakakita na ba ako ng kabibe, oo naman, madalas." Ngisi ko pa. "Pero itong pearl, matagal na 'to sa akin... I'm letting you own them now."

"I think this is too much..."

"No, babe... that's priceless—well hindi sa pawnshop pero it's yours to keep."

"Thanks..."

She was about to stand up and I'm not sure what she will do, but we were interrupted when a knock on the door caught our attention.

"'Noy, baba muna kayo sa kusina, may hinanda ang mama mo."

"Sige po. Susunod kami." I looked at Cory. "Tara?"

As we went downstairs and found my mom busy in the kitchen, we were both surprised to find a lot of food on the dining table. While I assisted Cory to settle down and as I did, someone arrived. 

When I found out who was it and she looked in my direction, she smiled and I smiled.

It has been a long time... finally.

***