Nang umuwi sina Mona galing Boracay, una nilang sinadya ang apartment ni Fresia. Nag-order sila ng takeouts at doon naghapunan. They were impressed. The style was different from Felix's, but it has its own charm.

Pero mas impressed sila dahil gwapo raw ang lalaking gumawa noon. Sayang nga lamang at hindi nila ito naabutan. They asked Fresia if she could contact Bullet, just to meet them pero ayaw ng kaibigan nila. For Fresia, it was a one-time thing. She didn't like what they were suggesting, which was to date the guy and see where it goes.

--

A few days later, Fresia came by the shop to ask her about something. Pero hindi niya ma-accommodate ang kaibigan dahil sa napakarami niyang ginagawa. Hindi na niya maisingit sa utak ang concerns nito.

She had no idea what Fresia was asking her about until Aika spilled the beans. Nakikitulog daw si Bullet sa bahay ni Fresia. To make the long story short, the guy couldn't get a decent sleep anywhere else. In return, Fresia asked him to cook for her. Sagot din ng lalaki ang groceries.

Of course, alam na nila kung ano ang posibleng puntahan ng ganoong setup. Gusto lang nilang masiguro na hindi dehado ang kaibigan nila. So, one night, they decided to pay Fresia a surprise visit. Pinuntahan nila ang kaibigan sa trabaho, na isang tingin pa lamang sa kanila ay nalaman na kaagad kung ano ang pakay nila.

"Kapag regular na lakad, ang hirap nyong hagilapin. Kapag lalaki, kahit hindi planado, go kayo. Ang tindi nyo rin, e!"

Humalakhak siya. "Gano'n talaga, Beh! Nakakaumay ka rin naman kasi minsan. At least ngayon, may bago kaming titingnan."

Brandi agreed. "Don't worry, if he's not as hot as we expect him to be, hinding-hindi ka na namin dadalawin sa apartment mo."

"I hate you!"

"He's hot. Papatulugin ba naman ni Fresia 'yon sa apartment nya kung hindi?" sabi naman ni Aika.

Sinamaan ito ng tingin ni Fresia. "Gano'n agad? Hindi ba pwedeng naawa muna ako do'n sa tao?"

"Pity didn't let him in. His looks did," she told her friend.

Hindi nila tinanggap ang kahit anong paliwanag nito. Maging ang pagtanggi nito sa pagpupumilit nilang pumunta sa apartment nito, hindi nila pinansin. Brandi took Fresia's car keys kaya wala nang nagawa si Fresia kundi isama sila pag-uwi. Kasi kahit naman magpaiwan ito sa shop, pupunta pa rin sila sa apartment nito.

When they arrived there, the first thing they noticed was the smell. It was more than just the smell of delicious food cooking. It's also the first time that the apartment smelled like home.

Excited na silang matikman ang lalaki—este, ang luto ng lalaki. Masarap daw kasi sabi ni Fresia. She warned him beforehand that they'll be having dinner there kaya ipinagluto na rin sila nito.

"Be nice, okay?" sabi nito sa kanilang tatlo nang makarating sila. "And don't ask inappropriate questions."

"Oo na! Buksan mo na 'yong pinto!" pangmamadali ni Brandi.

Fresia exhaled and opened the door.

Sumilip si Bullet mula sa kusina. Ngumiti ito nang makita sila. At mahina naman siyang napamura nang makita ito. Shit! Ang gwapo! Gusto niyang sapakin si Fresia. Napakaswerte nito. Gwapo-magnet (except for Richard)!

"I'm almost done," sabi nito.

Kagat-labi niyang kinurot ang kaibigan nang mawala sa paningin nila si Bullet.

"Beh! Ang yummy!"

Fresia simply rolled her eyes.

--

Naghintay sila sa sala dahil pinigilan sila ni Fresia na makiusyoso sa kusina. Ayos lang naman dahil abot-tanaw nila ang lalaki mula sa kinauupuan nila. Sunod ang tingin nila sa bawat galaw nito.

Matangkad si Bullet. Maskulado pero hindi OA. Malapad ang balikat. Masarap yakapin ang likod. Mukhang masarap ding yumakap. Mahahaba ang mga biyas. Parang modelo sa tangkad. His shirt and jeans fit him well. It's really obvious why Fresia told him it's okay to sleep in her place.

Kung siya siguro ang tinanong nito, baka higit pa roon ang naibigay niya. Like, probably a daily supply of her cupcakes, which may or may not be an innuendo for something else.

She wished his butt was bigger though. Parang 'yong kay Felix.

Nang tawagin sila nito, si Aika ang naunang tumakbo sa kusina. Bullet pulled a chair for their friend. Kilig na kilig namang naupo ang bunso nila.

Syempre, hindi sila nagpatalo ni Brandi. They waited for him to give them the same treatment. Nailing na lamang si Fresia nang walang nagawa ang lalaki kundi pagbigyan sila. And since they've already occupied all the seats, sa may sink na lang kumain si Bullet. He was leaning on the kitchen counter, holding his plate on one hand. Nakakamay itong kumain.

Not wanting to make him feel left out, ikinuha ito ng upuan nina Brandi at Aika habang siya ay patuloy na kumakain. Hindi niya matigilan. His cooking reminded her of her dad. Medyo pareho ng technique na ginamit sa adobo. Minarinate, iprinito saka sinabawan.

"Ayan! Problem solved!" nakangiting sabi ni Brandi.

"My god! This is the best adobo ever!" kumento niya.

Bullet grinned. Medyo natigilan siya sa ganda ng ngiti nito. "Thanks. My lola would be pleased. Timpla nya kasi 'yan, e."

"Lola's boy ka?" Aika asked.

Bullet simply nodded and said, "I guess you could say that."

She resumed eating. Tinapik naman ni Brandi ang kamay niya. "Girl, ang diet mo!"

"One week pa lang naman akong nagda-diet!" reklamo niya. One week na siyang nagda-diet pero wala pa ring epekto. At ngayon, alam niyang sira na iyon dahil masarap ang pagkaing nakahain.

"E, pa'no kasi... linggo-linggo mo ring sinisira 'yang diet mo!"

"Guys, can't you eat quietly? Nasisira ang appetite ko sa inyo!" saway ni Fresia.

"May nakakasira pala sa appetite mo?" taas-kilay na tanong ni Bullet.

"So... he knows!" Brandi looked amazed. "Hindi ka na-turn off sa katakawan nya?"

Tumawa lang si Bullet. "Hindi naman. Na-shock lang. Kinalahati nya agad 'yong dala kong lasagna kagabi, e." Ibinalik nito ang tingin sa kanya. "Mas malaki pa pala syang kumain kesa sa 'kin."

"Kapag nag-tag team 'yang si Mona at Fresia, for sure, malilimas ang kusina ng kahit sino."

"The only difference between the two," Brandi added, "is that Fresia has a blackhole inside her. Si Mona mahal na mahal masyado ang mga kinakain nya. Hindi sya maka-let go. Kaya ayan."

Sinamaan niya ng tingin si Brandi. Kailangan pa talagang i-point out? Pero wala naman siyang magagawa. Nagsasabi lang ito ng totoo.

--

The dinner took a while. Ang dami kasi nilang tanong. Aika asked Bullet about some personal things. Ang dahilan nito—na palagi nitong excuse—for research purposes. Siya naman, puro tungkol sa pagkain halos ang tanong. Si Brandi, mas na-enjoy ang pakikinig, with occasional droppings of side comments and snide remarks.

Curious kasi sila sa lalaki. How did a hot guy end up sleeping on Fresia's couch every night? Para makakuha na rin sila ng tips. Single kasi silang tatlo. Si Fresia, mukhang makakaalis na sa single-zone dahil kay Bullet. At isa pa, para masigurado rin nilang safe si Fresia sa lalaki. Although, kung siya ang tatanungin, kung ganoon kagwapo ang lalaki, she wouldn't mind a little danger.

Little lang. Basta walang involved na drugs, psychopathic tendencies at beatings.

Sa kwento ni Bullet, napag-alaman nila na kauuwi lang nito galing Canada. He spent his last five years there, trying to get over the loss of his then girlfriend, Leila. Cancer daw ang ikinamatay nito.

Since then, Bullet had been having nightmares. For five freaking years! Nawawala lang daw iyon tuwing may katabi ito sa pagtulog. That statement made them turn their heads to Fresia, who quickly clarified that they don't sleep on the same bed.

"Sa couch ako natutulog," sabi ni Bullet sa kanila. "It's the only place where I can sleep alone and not have nightmares."

"Why don't you just buy that couch?"

"Fresia won't let me."

Nagtaas siya ng kilay.

"Baka naman kasi gusto nyang nandito ka," Aika chimed in.

Bahagyang pinamulahan ng pisngi si Fresia.

"I did that because he can cook! Para hindi ako nagugutom!" dahilan ng kaibigan nila.

Bullet nodded. "And besides, hindi ko rin alam kung 'yong couch ba 'yong may epekto o 'yong apartment."

Or si Fresia, gusto niyang idagdag. But she kept her mouth shut although they're all probably thinking the same thing.

"Tell them how you ended up fixing my apartment instead of Felix," utos ni Fresia kay Bullet.

Nagkatinginan silang magkaibigan. Alam nitong liliko ang usapan kapag nabanggit ang pangalan ni Felix. Liliko sa pabor niya, which will give her a turn on the hot seat.

So, Bullet told them the story about how Felix was so fed up with Fresia's whining because he became an instant therapist during the renovation of the place, na naulit nang naulit hanggang sa magsawa ito.

When Bullet came home and met with his friends, doon nakakita ng oportunidad si Felix na makawala sa obligasyon nito kay Fresia.

"So, what made you accept the job?" she pried.

Tumingin muna si Bullet kay Fresia bago ito sumagot. "Felix showed me her picture."

"Ah! Nagandahan ka sa kanya?" tanong ni Aika.

Nagkibit-balikat si Bullet, para bang sinasabing konti, medyo, pwede na.

"Felix looked exasperated so... medyo naawa ako."

Fresia kicked him under the table.

"Yeah, she's a handful," she said with a nod. Nagpangalumbaba siya at saka sinabing, "Talk more about Felix."

"Crush nya," Fresia told Bullet.

"Uy, hindi a!" tanggi niya. "Pinagnanasahan ko lang nang konti."

Tumawa si Bullet.

"Does he know?"

She wrinkled her nose. "No. So kung ayaw mong ma-kick out ka rito, keep it to yourself. Okay?"

"Okay."

"Sila pa ulit no'ng girlfriend nya?"

"Andrea?" Kumunot ang noo ni Bullet. "Yeah, I think so."

"Gaano na sila katagal?" At bakit hindi na lang sila maghiwalay permanently?

"College pa lang kami, sila na."

Nadismaya siya sa sagot nito. A part of her commends Felix for being loyal. College was like... a decade ago for him. Andrea must mean a lot to him kung sampung taon na nito iyong girlfriend, kahit pa on and off ang mga ito madalas.

On the other hand, kung ganoon na pala katagal ang dalawa, dapat by this time, kasal na ang mga ito. Unless there's something wrong with their relationship. Pero ano?

And if she finds out about it, will it help her for her quest to get married at 35? She's not in love with Felix yet, but she might. She could. It's not that hard because she's already very attracted to him. And attraction can only either intensify or disappear once you get to know a person.

What would it be for her? Kay Felix na ba siya magpu-focus or hihintayin na lang niya si Baste?