"Kanina ka pa gising?" Sage asked.

"Simula noong pumasok ka sa lobby," Ken replied.

"And you pretended to be asleep?"

"I didn't feel like walking."

"You just wanted to be in my arms, didn't you?"

Ken instantly jumped off his arms. "No one wants that, Airbender." She took a step forward but her legs gave out. Nasalo agad ni Sage ang dalaga.

He placed her right arm over his shoulder and held on to her waist. "Easy. Nasobrahan ka nga ng ininom," sabi niya. Sage typed in the passcode on the keypad attached to the door and it swung open.

Inalalayan niya sa paglalakad papasok si Ken. The interior of Ken's unit had a sleek, minimalist design. Mula sa entrance, kita ang living room na may flat screen TV, glass coffee table at leather na sectional sofa. Ilang metro mula sa sofa, may simpleng glass countertop na may kasamang tatlong barstool at sa likod noon, kita ang kusinang may basic appliances.

Biglang bumitiw si Ken sa kanya at tumakbo papasok ng isang pinto. Based on the retching sounds, Sage figured that it was the bathroom. Sinundan niya si Ken at nakitang nakaluhod ito sa may toilet, sumusuka. 

He swiftly went to her side to hold up her hair even though his nose wrinkled at the stench. "'Yan kasi, shot nang shot. 'Di naman pala kaya."

Ken was panting after emptying the contents of her stomach. "Salamat sa paghatid sa 'kin pero hindi ko kailangan ng tulong mo so can you please just leave?" she said, massaging her temples.

Sage sighed. Lumapit siya sa lababo at nilagyan ng toothpaste ang nag-iisang toothbrush na siguradong kay Ken. "You know, you don't need to act strong all the time," sabi niya, sabay abot ng toothbrush sa dalaga. "Mag-toothbrush ka na lang. Siguradong kadiri na 'yong hininga mong mix ng fast food at alak."

"Siguradong mas malala pa 'yong hininga mo," sagot ni Ken pero tinaggap nito ang toothbrush at nagsimulang magsipilyo.

Napailing na lang si Sage sa hindi magpapatalong attitude ni Ken. "I'm gonna go. Next time ko na ike-claim 'yong panalo ko. 'Pag 'di ka na lasing." Ken ignored him and just stared at the mirror while brushing her teeth.

Nakalabas na si Sage ng banyo nang may narinig siyang suminghot. Napahinto siya. May humikbi. Lumingon siya at nakitang umiiyak si Ken habang nagto-toothbrush. Natulala si Sage. Hindi niya alam ang gagawin. Comforting people was not his thing.

Her whimpers got more frequent and in a matter of seconds, Ken progressed into full on sobbing. Tinapos na nito ang pagsisipilyo at umupo sa bathroom floor. She hugged her legs and buried her head on her knees.

Sage never imagined that he would see her in such a vulnerable state. Natapos niya na ang pabor na hiningi ni Lily. Ken was safely home and he could just walk out of her condo so he could get on with his life pero may invisible force na pumipigil sa kanya. He couldn't leave her looking like that. So nilapitan niya.

Lumuhod siya sa tapat nito. "Ken, what's wrong?"

Ken raised her head and he saw tears streaking down her cheeks. She shook her head and quickly stood up. Naglakad ang dalaga palabas ng banyo habang humagulgol. Sinundan ito ni Sage at pumasok sila sa kwarto ni Ken. Her room had the same modern minimalist style as the rest of the unit. It had a walk-in closet, a queen-sized bed with clean white sheets, a bookshelf spanning a whole wall and a bedside table.

Tuloy-tuloy pa rin ang pag-iyak ni Ken nang umupo ito sa kama. Sage sat beside her, pulled out his silk handkerchief and offered it to her. "Hey, tell me what's wrong."

Tinanggap ni Ken ang panyo. "S-s-sor-ry, An-ni," she said in between sobs as she wiped her tears with the handkerchief.

He had no idea what she was talking about but he did not enjoy seeing her cry. He awkwardly rubbed her back, hoping that it was somehow comforting. "I-it's going to be okay, Ken."

Lumakas ang iyak ni Ken sa mga salitang iyon. She suddenly grabbed Sage's shirt and buried her head on his chest, muffling her sobs.

Sage was shocked. For some reason, her closeness made his heart pound. Hindi sila close pero hindi niya magawang itulak palayo si Ken. Instead, he gingerly wrapped his arms around her. "Sige, Ken, iiyak mo lang," he said as he continued to rub her back.

Hindi niya maalala kung gaano sila katagal nanatili sa ganoong posisyon pero unti-unting humina ang pag-iyak at panginginig ni Ken. Until she finally stopped completely. For a few moments, they sat there in an embrace, motionless and silent. Nakatulog na ulit siguro si Ken.

Nagsimulang kumalas si Sage mula sa yakap nila pero bigla ring gumalaw si Ken. Before he could process what was happening, he found himself lying on his back on Ken's bed. The girl had pushed him and crawled on top of him. She was pinning him down using her own weight.

Ken looked down at him through lidded eyes as she trailed her soft finger from the tip of his eyebrow to his chiseled jawline. "You have such deep, adorable dimples. Did you know that?" she said in one of the sultriest voices he had ever heard. Magaan si Ken at kayang-kaya niyang itulak ito palayo pero hindi niya 'yon nagawa sa sobrang gulat.

Naglakbay pababa ng katawan niya nag kabilang kamay ni Ken. May kakaibang init siyang naramdaman sa bawat parte ng balat niyang nadaanan ng mga daliri nito. "Oooh, hard!"

Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Sage at napalunok siya. "Wh-what do y-you mean?"

Ken giggled. "Your abs, they're really hard. Tell me, anong kinakain mong tuna?"

Nakahinga nang maluwag si Sage. 'Yon pala ang tinutukoy ni Ken. His heart was beating so fast that he had half-expected his blood to flow into unwanted regions.

Bago pa siya makasagot nagsalita ulit si Ken. "Hindi pa pala kita nababati, happy birthday." Nginitian siya ni Ken. Iba ito sa usual na ngisi ng dalaga. There was something seductive about the curl of her lips. "How about I give you a gift?"

Without warning, Ken brought her lips to his neck. It was kisses at first but she slowly transitioned into sucking his skin.

And damn, it felt so good. He threw his head back, giving her more access to his neck. Napapikit si Sage habang kinakagat ang labi niya. Fuck, I need to stop her now.

Kung hindi pa titigil si Ken, siguradong hindi niya mapipigilan ang sarili niya. As tempted as he was, he didn't want to take advantage of a drunk girl. Lalo na't si Ken pa 'to. Baka malalang facial reconstruction ang kailanganin niya 'pag natuloy 'to at bumalik na si Ken sa tamang pag-iisip.

She had already placed three hickeys on his neck and was unbuttoning his shirt when Sage managed to grab her wrists. "Stop it, Ken. You're not thinking clearly. Kung itutuloy mo 'yan, pagsisisihan mo 'yan bukas."

"But your gift, don't you want it?" she asked, still using her seductive voice. "Or 'di ka lang magaling?"

Pumikit si Sage at huminga nang malalim. Kaunting-kaunti na lang, papatulan niya na ang babaeng 'to. "Kung gusto mo talaga akong bigyan ng regalo, sabihin mo na lang sa 'kin ang tungkol kay Selene."

Ngumisi si Ken at pinakawalan sa pagkakadagan ang binata. She stood up and went into her walk-in closet. Sage was about to follow her but she quickly emerged and threw something at him. "Try mo, baka magka-cleavage ka rin."

He caught the garment and held it up. It was a lacy red push-up bra. Kumunot ang noo ni Sage. "Anong kinalaman nito kay Selene?"

Humiga sa kama si Ken at saka tumawa. "'Yan ang ginagamit ni Selene para magka-cleavage."

"Huh?" This night has been crazy but right now, he was just lost.

Ken yawned and hugged her pillow as her eyelids fluttered shut. "Sage, my name is Kendra Selene, baka..." She mumbled something else that Sage wasn't able to decipher.

"Baka ano?" Sage asked. Pero wala namang point magtanong sa tulog na.