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"Kanina ka pa tahimik," ani Jarvis. They were at his place watching a movie together while cuddling on the couch. "Is there something bothering you?"

"Ah, wala naman," aniya nang hindi inaalis ang tingin sa screen ng TV. Then he shifted making her roll on top of him. "Jarvis!"

"What? Masyado ka kasing engrossed sa pinapanoon mo, nakakalimutan mo na ako."

His boyish grin flashed as his arms wrapped around her body. She can't help but swoon. Pero siyempre hindi niya ipapahalata iyon.

"Clingy mo," aniya failing to hide the giddiness from her voice. "Ikaw kaya nagsuggest manood ng movie."

"Have you ever heard of netflix and chill?" he joked while wiggling his eyebrows. Tinapik niya naman agad ito sa braso.

"Hoy!"

Tumatawang hinapit siya nito palapit sabay halik sa kanyang pisngi. He loves doing that. And she's not even complaining. Then he busied himself again by fixing her hair that kept falling on her face.

"Hey, Jarv..."

"Hmm?"

"Who was your first love?"

She felt his body stiffen. Kitang-kita din sa mukha nito ang pagkagulat. Pero agad din naman nitong natago iyon.

"It was a long time ago," anito clearly dodging the subject. "I barely even remember—"

"It was me, wasn't it?"

Hindi ito nakasagot. Yvo must've kept his word and didn't say anything judging by how shocked he looked. Nang makumpirma niya mula dito na si Jarvis nga ang nasa larawan, she blackmailed him not to tell his cousin about what she found out.

"How did you...?"

She sat up straight at kinuha mula sa bag ang larawang ilang linggo niya nang tinatago. She's been contemplating whether to confront him about it or not.

"It fell out of one of the psych books you had sa shelf," sagot niya. "So tell me, Jarvis. Why do you have a picture of us? At bakit sabi ng pinsan mo ay first love mo ang nasa picture na 'to?"

Jarvis heaved a heavy sigh as he straightened up. Sinuklay pa nito ang sariling buhok gamit ng kamay.

"You're my first love," anito.

"Yes. We've already established that fact," sambit naman niya. "My question is, how? I mean, I don't even remember this. At ang sabi pa ni manang, it was your brother who I played with before. Si Inno."

Kinuha nito mula sa kanya ang larawan. Tinuro nito ang batang nakatalikod mula sa camera.

"This is my brother, Inno," simula nito. "He was eight that time and I was seven. We were always at the hospital dahil doon nagtatrabaho ang mommy namin. And you were there because of your mom's treatments.  This was the first day we've met and lagi ka na talaga 'non nakabuntot kay kuya. I—on the other hand, was the one who followed you around."

Then he held her hand and gently squeezed it. Bakas sa mga mata nito ang kaba.

"But you never really saw me back then," patuloy nito. "You'd would always call him and try to get his attention. Pero Kuya Inno was really into video games that time kaya hindi ka niya pinapansin. You'd always cry and I'd be the one to play with you instead 'coz I hated seeing you cry. Noon pa lang eh malakas na 'yung tama ko sa'yo."

"I... I don't remember any of that," mahinang sambit niya whilst still trying to recall the memory.

"You lost your mom," saad nito. "And that's a fairly traumatic experience for a kid to even remember. So forgetting memories about that experience—or anything related to that, must've been your mind's own coping mechanism."

It was partly true. Wala din naman talaga siyang gaanong maalala sa childhood niya. Even her memories with her mom, she only knew some of them dahil sa mga kwento ni Manang Judith.

So maybe this is why she felt like she knew him. Na parang ang dali napalapit ang kanyang loob dito. Because even if her mind forgot, her heart remembered the boy who was there for her. Kahit pa hindi niya ito pinapansin noon.

So that's why the seven-year old kid was looking at her so fondly while she smiled at the camera.

"Hindi ka naalis sa isip ko mula noon," dagdag pa nito. "Even if I was just a kid, I knew my feelings for you were real. Hinanap kita noong bigla na lang hindi ka nagpakita sa playground. I begged for them to help me find you. Pero hindi kita nahanap. I gave up and tried to forget you. For a while, I did. I graduated and took up my masters. And then I saw you again."

Napatingin siya dito. "The incident with Elise?"

Umiling ito.

"I saw you before that," kwento nito. "'Nung halos isang linggo pa lang si Yoon sa café at binisita mo siya. I knew it was you the minute I saw you. My Naia."

"If matagal mo na pala akong nahanap, why didn't you approach me before?" nagtatakang sambit niya. "Third year pa kami 'nung nagsimulang magtrabaho si Yoon sa Café Haven."

"Café Haven wasn't really mine," pagtatapat nito. "Isa 'yon sa mga businesses ni Mom so I asked if I could manage it for her. Pero sa sobrang excitement niya dahil I suddenly took interest sa isang business, she gave it to me. And thanks to that, halos isa hanggang tatlong beses sa isang linggo kitang nakikita."

"Isn't that a bit too... stalker-ish? You could've just talked to me."

"I wanted to pero I saw how you turn down every guy who tried to ask you out sa café," paliwanag nito. "So ayun, inunahan ako ng takot at sinaniban ng katorpehan. My brother even teased me about it."

He played with her hands as he spoke.

"A year passed and I'd just watch you from afar. Siguro napagod na yung universe sa pagiging torpe ko kaya gumawa na siya ng paraan para magkaron ako ng lakas ng loob kausapin ka."

"That day in your café. The one with Elise..."

Tumango ito. "Nagkataong narinig ko 'yung sigawan sa may kusina. And I heard your voice. You were defending my employee. And siyempre, I needed to step up since I should be the one responsible of the place and my employees."

Again, he gently squeezed her hand and their eyes met.

"I took that window of opportunity to finally talk with you. I decided then and there na hindi na kita pakakawalan. That I'd do everything I can para mahalin mo rin ako. Maybe not immediately, but eventually."

"Jarvis..."

"Pero wrong timing kasi. Naging professor mo ako. I really didn't know na saakin ipapasa ni Miss Rivera yung klase niya," paglilinaw nito. "I knew you'd be uncomfortable but I had to try. Ayoko na kasi 'yung nasa malayo lang ako lagi nagmamasid. I wanted to hold you. To touch you. To be with you."

"But you agreed when I broke it off," she whispered. Totoo naman iyon.

"I couldn't force you to be with me kung hindi ka kompurtable," katwiran nito. "I could've waited. I would have waited. Nakapaghintay ako ng ilang taon, kaya kong maghintay ng anim na buwan pa."

There was a deafening silence between then as he finished. Hindi niya kasi alam kung ano ba ang sasabihin. And would she believe him? Should she?

"You do know averting from telling the truth is the same as lying, right?"

"I know," he said heaving a sigh. "And I'll make up for it, I promise. Just please don't run away. 'Coz even if you do, I'd still follow you around. Like when we were kids."

Muli ay hindi nanaman siya nakaimik. Why does he always know the right words to say? Ang unfair lang dahil gusto niyang magalit dito. Dapat ay galit siya dito. Pero bakit hindi niya magawa? Bakit—after everything he just said, eh mas lalo pa siyang nahuhulog dito?

"Naia? Baby, please say something," pagsusumamo nito. She sighed.

"I'm pissed at you."

"Okay lang 'yung pissed basta hindi galit," anito sabay yakap sa kanya. And she let him. Kung magagalit siya dito at iiwan ito... siya din lang naman ang masasaktan.

She's too much into him to let go.

"So when were you planning on telling me?"

"Kapag mahal mo na rin ako," sagot naman agad nito. "Ayoko gamitin kung anumang koneksyon natin noon para lang magawa mo akong piliin. I wanted our relationship to be on a normal pace—"

"We slept together the first time we've met. I don't think that's the definition of 'normal pace'."

Ngumiti ito sabay mahinang piningot ang tungki ng kanyang ilong.

"You know what I mean."

Napairap siya. Sa totoo lang ay hindi naman talaga siya galit. She had all the right para magalit dito pero for some reason, hearing that they've known each other before justified some of the questions running inside her head. But she needed him see that she didn't like being kept in the dark.

"So, mahal mo ako?"

"Yes. We've already established that fact," panggagaya sa kanya nito.

Why was he so damn charming?

"I love you, Naia," saad nito as he cupped her face. "You don't have to say it back. Just please let me. I'll earn those three words even if it takes me forever to do so."

Bilang tugon ay niyakap niya lamang ito. Not because she didn't feel the same way but because she needed to teach him a lesson.

She stretched her arms as she woke up the morning after. Suot niya pa rin ang long-sleeved polo ni Jarvis na naging paborito niya nang gamitin kapag nakikitulog siya sa pad nito.

"Morning," bati sa kanya ni Jarvis.

He was holding two cups of coffee as he entered the room—bare torso and all. His body was the just the right mix of muscular and lean. And his chocolate abs remain as such a breathtaking view in the morning.

"Coffee?"

"Wow ha. Bumabawi talaga," komento niya nang inabot nito ang hawak sa kanya. Then he lovingly kissed—more like nuzzled, her cheek.

"You really know how to bruise one's ego, babe," anito. "Kung hindi pa naging malinaw kagabi then I must've sucked."

Natawa siya. He didn't suck at all. Actually, she really enjoyed the 'making-it-up-to-her' performance. Gusto niya lang talaga itong asarin.

"Uh-hmm," she answered as she carefully placed the fresh cup of coffee on the bedside table.

Jarvis looked both adorable and sexy as he pouted. She couldn't help but chuckle. Napataas ang isang kilay nito.

"So you have the audacity to laugh at me, huh?"

Nilapag nito ang hawak na baso before he playfully tackled her on the bed. Isang impit na tili ang kanyang pinakawalan as he started to place multiple butterfly kisses on her face down to her neck and collarbone. Kasabay pa nito ay ang pagkiliti nito sa kanyang tagiliran.

"Jarvis!" hiyaw niya habang tumatawa. "Jar...vis!"

"Hmm?" anito animo walang naririnig. "May sinasabi ka, baby?"

"Stop!" Napakalakas na ng kanyang tawa. "Please!"

But her pleas fell on deaf ears. Tuloy lamang ito sa pagkiliti at halik sa kanya.

Parang naging isang battle arena ang kama nito sa pagpigil niya dito. But of course, Jarvis was far stronger than her that he managed to pin her down easily.

"Who's laughing now?" nakangising sambit nito as he towered over her. They were both catching their breaths.

"Hindi na po," tumatawa pa ring sagot niya. "Magbe-behave na po ako, Mr. Montecillo."

"Do you know how much it affects me when you call me that?"

His voice descended two bars lower sending shivers down her spine. It was the sexy kind of husky and she felt like her ovaries just exploded.

"Do you know how much you affect me?" sagot niya dito. One hand cupping his face. "Are you sure that it was your brother that I liked before?"

"You pretty much worship the ground he walks in, babe," anito. "But can we not talk about my brother? Nakakaselos kasi. I'm here, hovering on top of you half-naked and you're still mentioning someone else. You wound me."

Hindi niya napigilan ang matawa. She pinched both his cheeks before pushing him to the side and rolling on top of him. Awtomatikong napahawak ito sa kanyang baywang.

"Bakit ba ang insecure mo?" bawi niya. "I'm here, sitting on top of you wearing only your shirt. Doesn't that mean anything to you?"

"It does," sagot nito. As his hands started to unbutton her shirt. "And I'm one lucky bastard."

Tinapik niya ang kamay nito. "Not so fast, Mr. Montecillo!"

"What? Why?" He whined. "Can I not have my reward after making you that delicious coffee?"

"Unlike me, you have a class to show up to," pagalit niya dito. She was about to roll off him nang hapitin siya nito't muling paibabawan. "Hey!"

"I'd rather stay here all day with you, baby," saad nito. "Hindi mo i-eempose yung pagbawi ko sa mga kasalanan ko sa'yo? I promise to be better next time."

He had this sheepish grin plastered on his face as he leaned in closer. She grabbed the pillow next to her and hit him straight on the face.

"Oho! I didn't know my baby wanted to play rough—"

"Now this is a sight to watch."

Agad silang napatingin sa may pintuan. There stood a tall man with his arms folded. Hindi niya gaanong maaninag ang mukha nito dahil sa liwanag na nanggagaling sa bintana.

"I knew you finally got the girl but I never expected you two to be doing it like bunnies. Baka ikaw pa maunang magbigay ng apo kay Mommy."

Hindi siya makagalaw. One was because they were caught by surprise and two, she was barely wearing anything.

"Hello to you, too. Anong masamang hangin ang nagdala sa'yo dito?" turan ni Jarvis—his voice still playful, as he rolled off her. Without forgetting to hide her body from those peering eyes, of course.

"Nagsumbong 'yung bunso. Mabo-brokenhearted ka nanaman daw uli kaya I thought of helping out my baby brother," simpleng saad nito.

Wait... brother? So he's...

Jarvis sighed. Bumaling naman sa kanya ang lalaki.

"Long time no see, Naia."

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