WINTER'S POINT OF VIEW

"Good morning, girls!" I was awakened by Flinn's morning greeting.

I slowly opened my eyes and I was startled when I saw Louiegie's face. "What the hell?!" I shoved away from his face and sat down. "Why are you here?" I raised my brow.

"I went here for my sister, not for you. Right, little sister?" he looked at Flinn.

She smiled. "Yes, Kuya. You really came here for me, but you first asked me if Winter's already awake, right?" Her smile became a smirk.

Louiegie's face became colorless. "What are you saying, little sister?"

"Hays. Don't act like you don't know, Kuya. 'Hi, little sister! Where's your future sister-in-law?' That's just the exact words that you told me after I opened the door for you, Kuya."

I rolled my eyes. "You two, can you please shut up?" I asked, getting irritated by their noise. I stood up and went to the restroom to brush my teeth.

Our friends were surprised when they saw me yesterday in the girls' room. I told the girls my reason after the boys left. After it, we ate our dinner and went back to our room. That's what happened yesterday.

"Why are you taking so long brushing your teeth, Bad Girl?" I heard Louiegie's voice that made me startled.

I glared at him from the mirror. "What the hell are you doing here?" I asked, raising my brow. Uh, I'm not comfortable when there's someone who's watching me brush my teeth.

"Just continue brushing your teeth, Bad Girl. Don't mind me here."

"Go outside, will you?" We stared at each other, and I was the first one to divert my gaze away from him. I continued brushing my teeth. "Now, can you please go out? I'll take a bath, you know?"

He giggled before he went outside. I took a bath and went outside after. "What do you want for breakfast girls?" Flinn asked. Her Kuya is still there.

"Bacon and egg," Lauren answered.

"Me too," Aerin seconded.

Flinn looked at me, waiting for my answer. "Anything, just make sure that you have a smoothie," I answered, combing my hair.

"It's still early, then you want a smoothie, Bad Girl?" Louiegie winced. "Won't your stomach hurt?"

I rolled my eyes. "You don't care about what I like, Louiegie."

"Yeah, I don't care about what you like, but I care for you." I stopped combing my hair and looked at him, he's just smiling. "What, Bad Girl? Don't look at me like I commit a crime because caring for your future wife isn't a crime at all."

I felt my cheeks reddened. Uh, why am I blushing again? "J-Just shut up," I stuttered.

"Ayiee!" Flinn shrieked. "Winter's blushing. Tell me, Winter, are you falling in love with Kuya now?" she smirked.

I rolled my eyes. "As if that would happen."

"Let's just say that we're in a fictional world, Bad Girl. Nothing's impossible from happening," Louiegie jested.

I just ignored him and continued combing my hair. If we were in neither the fictional world nor reality, I won't still fall in love with him.

Because falling in love is a big word. I can't just fall in love with him like that. That word is risky. Very risky that many had experienced being hurt by that word. It's powerful that it can make you cry all night while thinking of your ex-partner. And I won't let that happen to me. Never.

"Why do you seem preoccupied, Bad Girl?"

I looked at Louiegie when he spoke. "Huh?"

He sighed. "You're just staring at the window even if you're finished combing your hair. I've been calling your name, but you seem preoccupied. Mind sharing what's making you preoccupied, Bad Girl?"

I looked at the girls, and just like Louiegie, they are waiting for me to answer. "I'm just thinking what flavor of smoothie will I order," I lied, smiling.

They sighed in relief before we went outside to get Rye and Ryu. Louiegie went to me and held my waist. I just let him just like what I did yesterday. "You're really not complaining anymore, huh?"

I stared at him. I wonder what will happen if I ever fall in love with this man beside me. Crap that thought! I'm only letting him hold my waist because I need it to watch him. And it's not because of that stupid thought!

"What's really making you preoccupied, Bad Girl? I'm not really buying your reason earlier. You're not that shallow." I went back into reality after he said it.

It would be awkward for me if I will really tell him what's making me preoccupied, so I lied. "I'm thinking of the words that are still lingering around my head, Louiegie. RS, AK, and JS."

He sighed. "I think, I have an answer for the first two words, but I'll tell you later. Let's enjoy Camarines Norte first, please?"

"Fine."

After Rye and Ryu went outside, Lauren went to Ryu while Flinn went to Rye. And Aerin? Well, she's just by herself as always. "When will you answer me, Ava?" Ryu asked Lauren when we're at the elevator.

I tried my best not to wince. "Just wait, Ryu," Lauren answered playfully.

"I can't wait, Ava." They continued giving each other sweet lines and that's it! It's supposed to be stopped!

"Ryu, Lauren, can you do that in private, please? When there's only you two," I said, looking at them.

Ryu nudged Louiegie who's still beside me. "I think, your girlfriend is envious, dude. Why don't you talk to her and say sweet lines also?" I heard him whispered.

I raised my brow. "Excuse me, Ryu? Who told you that I am envious? And especially, who told you that I am his girlfriend?"

He just smiled at me as Louiegie whispered, "You really look like envious, Bad Girl," he smirked. I nudged his stomach with all my force that made him winced. "Aww. What was that for, Bad Girl?"

"That's for you, obviously," I rolled my eyes.

"I'm not joking, Bad Girl."

"And so as for me." The elevator opened and we went to the restaurant where we ate yesterday.

We sat on the table for us. "Hey, Bad Girl." I looked at Louiegie when he called me and raised my brow. "Come on." He stood up and so as I. "We will just talk, guys," he said to our friends.

He went outside and followed him. "What do you need?"

"I will tell you the answers regarding the words that are bothering you. RS and AK. As of the JS, I'm still don't have answers for that."

I nodded. "Now, will you just tell me what does RS and AK stands for?"

He sighed. "It's just easy, Winter." He sounds serious. Yes, whenever he calls me by my name, it means that he's serious. "Remember the name of Tita Fiona's killer and the name of my Dad? RS stands for Richard Salazar while AK stands for Anthony Kingston."

"Oh, I never thought that it's for that." Yeah, I really never thought of that one. I mean, I see it as a complicated one where in fact, it was just easy. "Wait, does Richard has a brother or sister or someone who is related to him by blood and uses the same surname?"

His forehead twitched. "I don't know, Winter. Why do ask?"

"The S on JS stands for Salazar, I guess?"

"I'll contact Mom later and ask her if he can ask it to the police."

He was about to go back inside when I stopped him. "Wait, how's your Dad now?" I asked. Since the day that Richard Salazar had been caught, I rarely see Tito Anthony.

"He's still being investigated by the police." His tone suddenly turned to a sad one. I know that it's sad for him, especially to his sister's part.

"Hey. Cheer up, Louiegie. We aren't still sure if he's really allied with Richard Salazar," I smiled.

He forced a smile back. "You're right, Winter. So shall we come back?" I nodded before we went back inside.

Flinn who's on my left side teased me after I sat. "Why are you smiling, huh, Winter? Does something happened between you and Kuya?" she teased.

I rolled my eyes. "We just talked about something important."

"Something important that made you smile?" she smirked.

The smile on my face faded. I ignored her and started eating when I remembered something. "Hey, Aerin," I called her.

She looked up at me. "Why, Winter?"

"What time is your graduation?"

"It's at the same time as yours. You don't have to attend if you don't want to," she smiled.

Lauren wiped her lips before she spoke. "When is it, Aerin?"

"The same day as your birthday, Lauren."

Lauren's mouth formed into an 'o'. "I don't know that three important events will happen on May 22, 2020, huh," she said that made our forehead twitched.

"It's only two important events, Lauren. Your birthday and Aerin's graduation," Flinn jested.

The man beside her, Rye, faked a cough. "It's also the day of Ryu's graduation, Flinn."

"Oh, your Kuya?" Rye nodded to answer Flinn's question. I wanted to say, 'Of course, it's his Kuya. No one is named Ryu here except for him, Flinn.' to Flinn, but uh, nevermind.

Our heads, except for Lauren and Rye, all turned to Ryu who's just eating. He looked up at us, confusion in his face. "What, guys?"

"Maybe, they are irritated because you didn't tell them that it's your graduation on May 22, Ryu," Lauren, who's beside him, answered.

He sighed. "I didn't know that I still needed to say it to you, guys."

"Of course, you needed to. We are all friends here, Ryu," I scowled.

He raised both of his hands. "Woah, chill, Winter." He looked at Louiegie. "Dude, your girlfriend is furious just because I didn't tell you when is my graduation."

My brows furrowed. "I told you that I am not his girlfriend, you dummy!" I rolled my eyes.

"I am not dummy, I am Ryu Kyst Gutowski," Ryu chuckled.

I turned to Lauren who's laughing as she watches us. "Hey, Lauren. Do you mind if I kill your suitor here?" I smiled.

"No, not at all," she chuckled.

Ryu's face tightened. "Ava! What are you saying?"

"I guess your suitor is furious because you didn't complain when I asked you if I can kill him," I smirked as I copied Ryu's voice earlier.

"Stop that, Bad Girl," Louiegie stopped me.

I looked at him, raising my brow. "Why would I even listen to you, Louiegie?"

"Because I'm your future husband," his lips formed into a smirk.

I rolled my eyes. I was about to speak when Flinn spoke. "Can we go back to our main topic now, guys?"

"Yeah, right," I seconded. "So what time is your graduation, Ryu?"

"The same time as Aerin's."

I nodded. "How can we all attend, then?"

"I told you, you don't have to attend if you don't want," Ryu and Aerin both answered.

I frowned. "I also told you two that we are all friends here, so we needed to attend the important events in your life just like your graduation."

"Stop jesting, Bad Girl," Louiegie restrained me.

I glared at him, but he just glared back and I was the one to give up first. I looked at them. "I will just listen and I won't talk anymore," I said and I saw Louiegie smiled from my peripheral vision.

They started talking first about who will attend each graduation. Lauren told us that her birthday celebration is in the afternoon after their graduation, so there is no problem with that one. All of us can attend it.

"Excuse me, guys," Flinn said before she went to the direction of the restroom.

"The girls can attend Aerin's graduation while the boys can attend Ryu's graduation. But I will come with the boys," Lauren smiled.

I raised my brow. "And why is that?"

"Because I needed to be there for Ryu," she answered.

I winced in disgust. "Girls should be there for Aerin and you aren't excluded, Lauren because you are also a girl."

"No, it's okay for me if she would attend Ryu's graduation, Winter," Aerin smiled at me.

I rolled my eyes. "But you are her siㅡ"

"Winter!" Aerin warned me that made our friends' forehead twitched.

"Why did I heard you shout Winter's name, Aerin?" Flinn asked after she came back.

Aerin immediately shook her head. "Nothing, Flinn," she faked a smile to hide the true reason why did she shout my name.

"So is it okay for us all if that will happen on May 22?" Lauren diverted the topic.

All of them agreed except for me. They turned to me, waiting for my answer. "Fine," I agreed, rolling my eyes.

(To be continued...)

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