Nanginginig ang mga kamay ni Ken. She couldn't bring herself to hit him. How could she, when her heart was beating wildly in protest?

Muli niyang tinaas ang kanyang kamao para tuluyan nang suntukin si Sage pero sa lupa pa rin ito tumama. Sinubukan niyang sumuntok sa ikatlong pagkakataon pero hindi niya ulit pinatama 'yon sa mukha ng binata.

Mabilis namang hinarang ni Sage ang palad nito sa lupa at doon pinatama ang pangatlong suntok ni Ken. "Stop hitting the ground. You'll injure your hand." He winced at the pain of catching Ken's most recent blow.

"Muntik na siyang mamatay!" Ken growled, forcefully pulling her hand away as she stood up. Her knees were shaking.  Agad ring tumayo si Sage pero humakbang si Ken palayo sa binata.

"Hindi ko sinasadya, I didn't know she was allergic," Sage replied, trying to soothe her.

"It's also my fault... Pinamigay ko lang sa iba 'yong binigay mong chocolates dati pero hindi ko sinabing allergic siya sa nuts." Her voice trembled. Hindi na napigilan ni Ken ang mga luhang tumulo mula sa kanyang mga mata. "Pa-paano na lang ku-kung hindi siya..."

Hindi na maituloy ni Ken ang pagsasalita. The anxiety from Lily's unfortunate allergic reaction and the not being able to hit Sage frustrated her too much. Tuloy-tuloy na ang ang pagtulo ng mga luha mula sa kanyang mga mata at sinipon na rin siya.

"Hey, it's not your fault." Sage said, running a hand through his hair as he exhaled sharply. Palingon-lingon ang binata, halatang hindi alam kung anong gagawin sa kanyang palakas nang palakas na ang iyak.

Napaupo si Ken sa damo. Yumuko siya habang sinusubukang punasan ang mga luha. But the tears won't stop falling and her both hands were already damp. Gagamitin niya na sana ang damit niya pamunas ng luha at uhog pero napatigil siya nang hawakan ni Sage ang pulso niya. "'Wag kang dugyot."

She looked up and saw Sage squatting in front of her. Hinawi nito ang buhok mula sa kanyang mukha at inalok siya ng panyo. Hindi niya kinuha ang panyo, tinitigan niya lang ito.

Sage clicked his tongue. He began to wipe her cheeks with the handkerchief. She was too shocked at his actions to move away.

* * *

She was the one crying but why was Sage the one feeling helpless? The guilt made his intestines twist. Kung 'di niya lang sinubuan si Lily ng cake, hindi iiyak nang gano'n si Ken.

Hindi pa rin tumitigil ang pagluha ni Ken nang sabayan ito ng langit. Kumulog, kumidlat at naging ulan na ang ambon. Naghanap si Sage ng masisilungan pero wala siyang nakita kundi ang malawak na damuhan.

Ken seemed unbothered by the rain as it mixed with her tears so Sage transferred his beanie on her head, grabbed her right hand and ran towards his Aventador. Nakaramdam siya ng deja vu.

Thankfully, nakapasok sila sa kotse bago sila matamaan ng kidlat. Humina na ang pag-iyak ni Ken pero hindi pa rin ito tumitigil. Inabot niya ulit ang panyo sa dalaga. "Ang pangit mong umiyak," he said. It wasn't true though, parang 'di naman magiging pangit si Ken kahit anong gawin nito. Pero ayaw niyang nakikita itong umiyak.

Ken hesitantly took the handkerchief. "Ikaw nga, 'di na kailangan umiyak eh, natural lang na pangit," sagot nito habang nagpupunas ng luha.

"Talaga, pangit ako? Naiinis ka na ba sa deep, adorable dimples ko?" Nakangising sagot ni Sage. Natuwa siyang sumasagot na si Ken."That's exactly how you described them, by the way."

Inirapan lang siya nito sabay palit ng subject. "Bakit nasa 'yo 'tong kotse ko?"

Kumunot ang noo ni Sage. "Anong kotse mo?"

"This is my car." Binuksan ni Ken ang glove compartment at kinapa ang loob noon. "Sabi na, naiwan ko 'to dito eh," she said as she pulled out a lip gloss.

"What the... sa 'yo yan?" He started to laugh. "Pinag-awayan pa namin ni Claire 'yan. Sinumbat pa no'n sa 'kin na may babae daw ako kaya siya nanlalaki."

"Ah, talaga? Sorry." Her tone implied that she was either sarcastic or just had zero fucks to give. Either way, masaya na si Sage na ex niya na si Claire.

"So bakit nasa 'yo 'tong kotse ko?" Ken asked.

"I won Erica, fair and square. Ipinusta ni Mr. Ringo ang sasakyang 'to and some of his other properties at ako ang bumawi para sa kanya. He gave this to me as a token of appreciation. I'm sure that this is mine and not yours."

"Fine, it used to be my car. I sold it to Mr. Ringo. Pero sabi ko sa kanya, mag-iipon ako at babawiin 'to," Ken replied. Nilibot nito ng tingin ang loob ng kotse. "I'll buy this back from you. Even if you've probably desecrated it multiple times with multiple people. Ipapa-detail ko na lang."

"It's not for sale, favorite ko nga 'to, 'di ba? And I've never done that in this car." Sage began to rub his chin. "Ito na nga lang ang kotse kong 'di pa nabibinyagan—"

"Hindi pwede! Bibilhin ko 'to sa 'yo bago mo pa mabinyagan. Name your price! Kung kailangan kong magbenta ng kidney, atay—"

"Sandali, walang magbebenta ng internal organs," he said, holding up his hand. Though it was highly unlikely that she'd actually do it, Sage made it clear that no organs shall be redistributed.

"Then sell this to me," Ken insisted.

Sage sighed. For some reason, nahihirapan siyang tanggihan si Ken. "How about we have a bet instead?" Sage said. Alam niya namang walang pambili si Ken at hindi niya rin naman kailangan ng pera. Mas masaya pang makipagpustahan.

"Anong gusto mong pagpustahan?"

"Saan ka hindi magaling?"

"Wala akong weakness."

"Sige nga, lagyan natin ng alcohol 'yong sugat mo," Sage taunted.

Ken quickly hid her left hand behind her. Magaling na ang sugat na nakuha nito sa yacht pero siguradong naaalala pa ng dalaga ang hapdi ng alcohol na nilagay niya. Sage smirked. "Wala daw weakness."

"So anong pagpupustahan natin, paramihan ng malalagay na alcohol sa sugat?" Ken rolled her eyes.

"Of course not, ang boring naman kung hindi pa nag-uumpisa, umiiyak ka na kaagad. Gusto ko naman ng thrill. Give me time to think and I'll come up with a bet where you'll surely lose," he said, flashing a mischievous grin at the girl.

"Good luck with that." She scoffed. "Anyway, 'di pa tayo tapos. Hindi ko mapapatawad ang ginawa mo kay Lily."

"Wow. Siya, napatawad ako tapos ikaw, hindi?"

"She's too nice for her own good." Ken clicked her tongue. "Bakit ba ayaw mo siyang tantanan?"

"Because it's true love."

"'Are you sure? If I ever get proof that you have no actual feelings for her or that you have some sort of ulterior motive, hindi na makakaligtas 'yang mukha mo."

"Wala kang mahahanap na gano'ng proof." Sage managed to hide his discomfort. Medyo natakot din kasi siya sa banta ni Ken. "I'll take you home." He changed the topic before starting to drive.

* * *

The storm raged on but Sage continued driving on slippery roads amid the poor visibility. It was just their luck that a minor landslide occurred and caused a certain part of the road to be unpassable. Wala silang nagawa kung 'di mag-U-turn at maghanap ng ibang daan.

The wind was howling while the heavy rains persisted. Their cell phones had no reception and to top it off, the fuel was running low and there was no gas station in sight. Hindi pa rin sila nakakahanap ng ibang daan.

"We need to stop and find a place to stay. It's too dangerous to keep going," Sage said. Give up na siya. Tanggap niya nang nawawala sila.

"But I don't wanna be stuck with you." Ken groaned.

"And you think I wanna be stuck with you? I just prefer to be stuck with you in a decent location rather than in the middle of the road in this incessant storm."

Ken just sighed. Pagod na rin ito.

* * *

They managed to find an inn right beside a gas station before the car's fuel completely ran out.

The inn's lobby was filled with other travellers who were also stuck in the storm. Pumila si Sage sa mahabang linya papunta sa front desk para kumuha ng mga kwarto habang pilit pa ring naghahanap ng cell phone signal si Ken.

"Good evening. Welcome to The Silver Sky Inn," the receptionist said when he reached the front of the line. A lady in her mid-twenties was manning the front desk and she gave Sage a coy smile while she not-so-subtly checked him out.

"Two rooms please," Sage replied. "Parehong executive suite."

The receptionist giggled. "Walang gano'on dito. Parehong double room lang and last two na sila. You're very lucky. Paki-fill out na lang 'tong form." Binigyan nito si Sage ng ballpen at form tapos nag-announce sa pila sa likod niya. "Good evening everyone! I'm very sorry but we won't be able to accommodate any more guests tonight as we're already fully booked."

Lumingon si Sage at nakita ang mag-asawang senior na nasa likod niya sa pila. "Mahal, hanap na lang tayo ng ibang matutuluyan. Pagod ka na ba?" sabi ng matandang lalaki.

He cannot, in good conscience, make an old couple go out into the storm. "Miss, ibigay mo na lang kina Lolo 'yong isang room."

The receptionist smiled at him. "Sure, sir."

Sage proceeded with filling out the form. Nakita niyang kailangan ng mga pangalan ng guests. He wrote down his name. Then, without a second thought, attached his last name to her given name.

Kendra Selene Hersmoso. He had to bite his lip pretty hard to stop himself from smiling.

* * *

Wala pa rin siyang mahagilap na signal no'ng binalikan siya ni Sage. She sighed, the cell site in the area must've been damaged.

Ken held out her hand. "My room key, please."

"You mean our room key," Sage corrected her before placing a key on her outstretched palm. "Room 203. Double room daw 'yan sa second floor."

Sage started walking towards the stairs as Ken stared at him in disbelief. Did he really expect her to calmly agree and go with this?

Realizing that he wasn't going to give any further explanation, Ken ran after him. "Seryoso ka ba? You don't seriously think that I'd agree to sleep in the same room, right?"

"It's the last room. Kung ayaw mo 'kong kasama, you can sleep outside," he replied flatly.

Ken was, again, left with a stunned expression, mouth agape and eyes wide open. She couldn't believe her luck, or rather, the lack of luck she's been experiencing today.

Bumalik siya sa huwisyo nang marinig ang shutter ng camera. Sage took a photo of her. "Cute," he said.

Sa sobrang gulat, hindi siya nakaisip ng sasabihin. Um-extra pa 'yong puso niyang bumibilis na naman ang tibok.

Nanlaki rin ang mata ni Sage bago ito nag-iwas ng tingin at kumagat ng labi. What he said was obviously a slip up but she won't dare point it out.

Feeling her cheeks heating up, she briskly walked ahead of him, only stopping in front of Room 203. She unlocked the door using the key.

Nahabol siya ni Sage at sabay nilang nasilayan ang kwarto. It was, indeed, a double room and it should have been comfortable enough for two people. Just not the two of them.

"No fucking way," Ken said, looking at the queen size bed she'd have to share with Sage.