"So? How did it go?" nakangising tanong sa kanya ni Vico kinabukasan. He put the steaming coffee on her table saka ito naupo sa visitor's chair.

Napasapo siya sa noo. "Wala na ba talagang iba?" tanong niya rito.

"Wala na nga kasi, Red. It's either Troy or Vincent," sagot nito.

"Fuck! It's like trying to decide which the lesser evil is!" Napasabunot siya sa sariling buhok, not minding if it took hours to get it up like that. Tumayo nman si Vico at isinarado ang pintuan, para na rin hindi makasagap ng tsismis ang mga tsismoso at tsismosa nilang empleyado.

"I've never seen you so worked up over guys," nakangisi nitong kumento.

She glared at him. "You're not helping!"

"What do you want me to do?"

"Nag-psychology ka, di ba? Help me analyze this problem!" utos niya rito.

Vico resumed his seat and played with his scarf. Nangangati ang kamay niyang ipulupot iyon sa leeg ng pinsan. She wanted to kill someone and since the two devils are untouchable, Vico seemed to be the easiest prey.

But she needs his help. Or anybody's, for that matter. Kung kaya niyang solusyonan ang problema ng mag-isa, hindi na sana niya kailangang lumapit kay Troy. That was a huge mistake!

"Bakit kasi ayaw mo kay Vincent? He's perfect! Mauubusan ako ng adjectives kapag inisa-isa ko ang great qualities nya, Red!"

"I don't like him!"

"You don't have to like him naman, di ba? You just have to marry him. Nobody said anything about liking him. And besides, it's not as if you're capable of liking anyone."

She wanted to get mad but he spoke the truth. Despising people is a lot easier than liking them. And she's good at hating people. But still, when you're under marriage, your partner has a hold on you. And they'd have to live in the same house and sleep on the same bed and possibly...

She shook her head.

"I can't stand being around him."

"Can you stand being around Troy?"

That's easier to answer. Troy's a lot easier to be with. Mas bearable. Panira lang kasi iyong kundisyon nito e. Okay na sana. Kung gusto nitong mas malaki ang makukuha nito, papayag siya! But a son? There's no way in hell.

"I can stomach Troy. Not Vincent."

"Pero willing kang anakan sya?" tanong nito.

Napangiwi siya. "That's the problem."

"Problem? Problem 'yon sa 'yo? If I were you, I'd say yes in a heartbeat! Making children with him would be fun." He gave her a knowing look, with matching wiggling of his eyebrows.

"You're disgusting, Vico," she said with a grunt.

"Can't you take both?" nakangisi nitong tanong.

"Seriously!" She's getting more impatient talking to Vico. Mukhang puro kalandian ang alam nito sa buhay.

"Okay, okay! Kidding aside though, I think na mas matino si Vincent kesa kay Troy."

"But I don't want Vincent!" she insisted.

"Then choose Troy!"

"But—"

"Ano ba talaga ang gusto mo? Do you want me to convince you to choose Troy or to like Vincent?"

"Fuck!" Napasubsob siya sa lamesa. "I want you to get me out of this mess!"

"I'm not a genie, Red."

"Then find me one!"

Vico let out a laugh.

"You're kidding." But when she stared at him with intense anger, napalunok ito. "Oh, you're not kidding."

Regina rolled her eyes.

"I want to take a vacation," sabi niya rito.

"Pero, di ba, binigyan ka lang ni tito ng isang buwan to decide? Time's running out, Red."

She only has two days to decide. Pero ayaw talaga niya. Ayaw niyang pumili. Ayaw niya sa dalawa. True, she does not believe in true love and her past relationships were just for fun and connections, but to be married to someone whose existence she doesn't even care about? That's absurd!

And her dad's not even around anymore. Bakit naman niya ito susundin? Still, she loves her father. And her mother as well. But she really can't take the idea of marrying Vincent.

"Do you want my advice?" tanong ni Vico sa kanya.

"If it'll help solve my problems, then fire away."

"I'm not sure, ha. But this is just an option. No need to take it seriously naman."

"Don't beat around the bush, Vico."

"I think you should give them both a chance. Say, live with them for a month? You might learn to like Vincent. You might also learn to like Troy enough to bear the idea of having a child with him."

"Live with them? Ano 'to, teleserye? Ayoko nga!"

"Suggestion lang naman."

"Neighbors, pwede pa."

Nagulat ito nang mag-reconsider sya.

"So, you'll do it?"

Kumunot ang noo niya sa kaiisip ng mga posibleng mangyari.

"What if I ended up liking Vincent?"

"And what's wrong with that?"

"Everything!"

"Well, that's why coins have two sides, Red. Because for every problem, there are two solutions. Who knows? You might end up liking Troy."

"But it's risky."

Vico sighed. "I know. But isn't that what life's about? Thrills? Risks? Think of it this way, if you convinced them to undergo this test, then it will buy you more time. Malay mo makahanap ka pa ng ibang solusyon, di ba?"

For the first time in a long time, ngayon lamang niya na-appreciate ang existence ng pinsan niya.

"My gosh, Veronico, who knew that you can think of stuff like that?" Ngumiti siya, satisfied with his plan. "Go buy me three houses. Yung magkakatabi. I'll go talk to them."

"Okay. Should I buy already o hihintayin ko pa yung result ng pag-uusap nyo?"

"Natural hihintayin mo muna. Paano kung hindi sila pumayag, e di nag-aksaya lang ako ng pera? Ano ba naman 'yang common sense mo, Vico, ang ikli ng lifespan!"

"Sorry na. Naninigurado lang."

Regina talked to Troy first. She didn't necessarily turn him down last night, but she didn't say yes either. Akala niya ay hindi na ito makikipagkita sa kanya. But he seemed pretty interested to hear what she has to say this time.

"Living under the same suburbia? Ano naman ang purpose no'n?"

"I can't have sex with a stranger. Hindi ko masisikmura."

"Kahit kasing gwapo ko?"

She made a face.

"I just have to know you enough to make it bearable for me."

Troy chuckled. "So, you want to grow feelings?"

"I'm not like you, Troy. I don't hump anything with a skirt on it."

"Playful way to say that you're a virgin."

Agad siyang pinamulahan. "I'm not!"

"Oh, so you're just prude then?"

"Huwag mong iniiba ang usapan!"

Tumawa ito ng malakas. Tuwang-tuwa yatang napapahiya siya.

"Fine. I'll do it."

"Good."

"On one condition."

She rolled her eyes.

"Ano na naman?"

"Buy me a car."

Napamura si Red nang sabihin ni Troy sa kanya kanina kung ano ang gusto nitong kotse. A 2008 Lamborghini Murcielago Coupe 6.5L V12 worth 24 million pesos lang naman, on SALE pa 'yon sa lagay na 'yon!

Oo, mayaman siya. Kayang-kaya nyang bumili ng ganoon kamahal na kotse. Ilang kotse rin naman ang pagmamay-ari niya. May lambo rin siyang kanya. But what purpose would that serve? Para lang pumayag itong maging magkapitbahay sila?

She wanted to say no, but doing so would not do her any good. So she said yes, provided na pagkatapos ng isang buwan ay ibabalik ni Troy ang kotse sa kanya. Every scratch will have its price. Mukhang wala naman talagang halaga rito ang kotse. Gusto lang siyang inisin. He readily agreed with her proposal.

Talking with Vincent was surprisingly easier.

"Okay," he said.

"Okay?"

"Yeah."

"Yun na 'yon?" maang niyang tanong. She was actually waiting for him to give her conditions of his own. But none came.

"Gusto mong pahirapan pa kita?"

"No. Okay then."

Agad niyang tinawagan si Vico pagkatapos niyang makipag-usap sa dalawang lalaki. And then, she gave them their keys. Vince, with the house's and Troy, with the house's and the car's.

Vince gave them a stern look but didn't say anything.

Weekend silang lumipat na tatlo sa bago nilang bahay. When night came, they all gathered inside her new house with Vico to lay out some ground rules.

"You can't bring women over," bungad niya.

Troy laughed. "So, on top of asking me to give up my eligibility, you're also asking me to be celibate for a month? That won't do, Red."

"It's fine by me," sabat naman ni Vince.

Napabuntong-hininga na lang si Troy nang tumingin silang tatlo rito.

"Fine, fine."

"You also can't come inside my house without my permission or invite."

"Why would I want to go inside your house?" kunot-noong tanong ni Vincent.

Tumawa na naman si Troy. "Haha! Good one!"

She grunted. "Never mind."

May ilan pa syang si-net na ground rules but both men got tired of listening. They just made Vico write them all and give copies.

"I can't believe that the house is still standing after all those hotness!" kumento ni Vico nang makaalis sina Troy.

"I shouldn't have listened to you. This is the worst idea ever."

"Ano ka ba, Red. You don't know that yet. Have fun while you're at it. Wala namang masama kung mag-eenjoy kayo pare-pareho, di ba? Single naman kayo."

"What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean."

He wiggled his eyebrows. Nasapak tuloy niya ito.

"Dito ka na rin tumira for some time. Kailangan ko ng katulong."

Napanganga ito. "What?!"

"Ano, uulitin ko pa?"

"Pero Red! Alam mo namang hindi pwede, di ba?"

Vico's living together with Mitch, his boyfriend. May plano na ngang magpakasal ang dalawa sa US. Sya lang naman ang humahadlang sa kaligayahan ni Vico. Until he's free from her clutches, hindi ito pwedeng mag-settle down.

Ilang taon pa ang kailangan nitong gugulin bago ito makawala sa limang taong serbisyo nito sa kanya.

"Red, you don't need me here!" pangungumbinsi nito.

"Of course, I do! No one can make my coffee like you."

"But Red—"

"No buts, Vico. You'll do as I say kung ayaw mong i-extend ko ang five-year contract mo with me!"

"Vincent won't allow that to happen!"

"Vincent answers to me now."

Sumimangot ito lalo. "I hate you."

"Alam ko. Don't worry, I've never been liked before. Sanay na ako sa ganyan."

Vico covered his face with his scarf and cried silently. Siya naman ay umakyat na sa kwarto niya para matulog. Her room's window is facing Vincent's. There's a little space between their houses for her garage. Yung garage ni Vincent, nasa kabila namang parte ng bahay nito.

Literal na magkakadikit ang mga bahay na binili ni vico. She was expecting something bigger. Yung tipong may bakod at may gate na naghihiwalay sa kanila. But, no. Three identical houses ang binili nito, tanging garage lang ang nagbibigay ng breathing space sa mga bahay. There are no fences or gates. Ilang hakbang lang ang pagitan ng mga bahay nila.

Nasa isang tabi ang kurtina ng bintana ni Vincent. She saw him take off his clothes, leaving only his boxers. Vico's right. The man's hot.

Napatingin ito sa gawi niya. He didn't flinch or look surprised, as if he knew all along na nakatingin siya. In the end, she had to close her own curtains just to put something between them. But she couldn't get his stare off her mind.

Vincent's quiet. His mystery is what keeps the girls interested. Walking enigma raw ito and it adds to that hotness that Vico's been drooling about. But to her, his silence is nothing more than a danger, like a trap waiting to catch her off-guard.

Troy's the easy-going one. But behind his fun nature, there's mischief lurking there. He'll make an honest woman out of any woman while hiding behind his own lies. Another danger.

Makatagal kaya siya ng isang buwan with those two?