❝ STRANGER DANGER? ❞

"Pst! Kakucho! Halika rito! May tanong kami ni (Y/N)!"

Halos manlaki naman ang mga mata mo sa sinigaw ni Hakkai, lalo't nang lumingon pa si Kakucho kasama ang mga barkada nito.

Nagtaka muna si Kakucho dahil nagsisigaw ang mga kaibigan mo habang tinatawag siya. Ikaw naman ay halos magtago nalang sa likod ni Hakkai. Ang dami pa nila kasing alam!

Mas kinabahan ka pa nang todo nang tumayo ni si Kakucho galing sa couch at naglakad papunta sainyo.

"May tanong kami. Halika rito! Upo ka." Banggit ni Hakkai at umusog papalayo para may space si Kakucho na umupo sa tabi mo.

Napansin naman ni Kakucho ang nangyayari, kaya't umupo parin ito sa upuan na malayo sa'yo.

"Sabi ng umupo ka rito!" Sigaw nina Hakkai at hinila si Kakucho para tumabi sa'yo.

"Ano ba meron?" Tanong ni Kakucho at hawak parin niya ang kanyang glass of whiskey.

"Question and answer. Sali ka sa laro namin. 'Wag ka na sumali sa laro nina Ran, pang bata lang nilalaro nila." Sagot ni Hakkai. Napalingon naman sina Sanzu rito. Pang-batang laro raw pero bawat talo, five shots of tequila?!

Nag-ikot ka naman ng mata dahil alam mong para-paraan nanaman sina Hakkai. Kung ano nanaman ang balak.

"Okay, so. Easy lang naman 'yung game. Dapat may magaganap na aminan, ah!" Sabi ni Hakkai.

"Asus," bulong ni Kakucho bago uminom ng alak.

Pansin niyo rin na medyo lasing na si Kakucho dahil sa mga salita niya.

"So ano siya, parang fast talk by Boy Abunda. Ako si Tito Boy." Dagdag pa ni Hakkai.

"Sakto, bagay. Parehas naman kayong kalbo." Komento ni Ashanti.

"Aba lakas ng amats mo ah."

"Simulan mo na nga," sabi ni Kakucho kay Hakkai. "Para matapos na agad."

"Okay, okay. Sex or chocolates?!"

Halos mabuga mo naman ang iniinom mong alak sa mukha ni Hakkai, habang si Kakucho ay chill at composed lang. He just raised a brow and shrugged.

"Or," sagot ni Kakucho.

"Tangina– 'Yung matino!"

"SEEEX! Hoy, Kakucho, alam mo na sagot mo! Naneto pakipot pa eh." Sigaw nina Sanzu. Kung maka-sigaw ng salita akala mo si Robin Padilla ro'n sa isang episode ng Boy Abunda.

"Sex," sagot ni Kakucho.

"Lights on or lights off?!"

"Dim."

"Tangina! HAHAHA!" Napatawa nalang sina Ran sa mga sagot ni Kakucho. "'Di pala good boy 'to eh."

"Hot or cold?!"

"Hot."

"One thing you're good at?!"

"Bringing someone to heaven."

"Uy! Uy!" Tawa at sigaw nina Rindou, habang sina Hakkai naman ay nagulat sa kanyang sagot.

"---Literal. Kaya ko manuntok. Diretso silang langit." Pag-eexplain ni Kakucho.

"Ah," tumango nalang sina Hakkai. "Akala ko–"

"Next question," utos pa ni Kakucho.

"Have you ever had your first kiss?!"

Kakucho paused for a moment, halatang nag-iisip. "I think?"

"At sino ito?!"

Tumaas naman ang parehong kilay ni Kakucho as he chuckled and shook his head. "Wow."

"A stranger from a club." He answered, and gulped the drink straight.

"Tangina si Helian nga!" Sigaw nina Hakkai at napatingin naman kayong dalawa ni Kakucho.

"I'm out," Kakucho said as he raised both of his hands with a glass of whiskey on the other. He then walked away at bumalik kina Sanzu.

You rolled your eyes. "As if I want him to be my first kiss." Isip mo pa at uminom nalang sa baso ng alak.

Ilang minuto ang naka-lipas at tuloy parin ang inuman habang nagk-kwentuhan at laro ang mga kaklase mo.

"Come with me sa c.r.," pag-aaya mo kina Emma. It became a habit of you already na whenever you're going to the c.r., kailangan may kasama.

"Ha?" Ngunit mukhang hindi nila naiintindihan ang sinasabi mo dahil halos humiga nalang sila sa sahig sa sobrang lasing.

"Nevermind," you said at dumiretso na ng c.r.

Naglakad ka naman sa madilim na hallway papuntang c.r., ngunit may mga LED lights pa rito kaya't kita mo naman ang daan. Ang hindi mo lang maiwasan ay 'yung mga naghahalikan sa gilid, kaunti nalang maghubaran na.

"Ew what the hell," bulong mo at iniwasan sila dahil muntik ka nilang mabangga.

Pumasok ka na rin sa cubicle at pagkatapos ay nag-ayos sa labas dahil nando'n pa ang sink, including the large mirror mounted on the wall.

Binuksan mo na rin ang pintuan ng c.r. at lumabas, hanggang sa naka-banggaan mo si Kakucho na papasok din ng c.r.

Kinabahan ka nang kaunti dahil sa ganap din kanina, such as your friends' rumor na si Kakucho nga ang naka-first kiss mo, at malamang, narinig din ito ni Kakucho.

Dumapo muna ang tingin ni Kakucho sa'yo, ngunit naglakad din papasok sa c.r. nang parang hindi ka nakita.

"Didn't even hear a sorry," you thought as you rolled your eyes. Bubuksan mo na sana ang pinto until you hear him speak.

"Were you in Xylo last December?" He asked, the slur and rasp in his voice is noticeable, probably from the alcohol.

"Yeah," sagot mo naman.

You heard the sink still running, and you can't see him since you're facing the door. You just have a hunch that he paused for a moment, thinking what he'll say next.

"So it was you."

  FLASHBACKS 

"You good, bro?"

Kakatapos lang ng midterms nila in their grade eleven, and it's time to unwind in their go-to club, Xylo. Magkakasama ang limang magkakaibigan na sina Ran, Rindou, Sanzu, Koko, at Kakucho. May mga iba rin silang kasama, ngunit halata naman na ang iba ay natutulog na sa mga upuan o kaya umuwi na dahil hindi na kaya ang alak.

"Sakit ng likod ko, tangina," Kakucho groaned while half-asleep on the couch, clearly knocked down due to alcohol.

"'Di 'yan, isang bote pa." Pag-aaya ni Ran. Isa pa 'to, ang palagi ring pasimuno sa inuman.

Umiling lang si Kakucho, refusing. Tumayo na rin ito muna nang saglit. "C.r. muna ako."

Kakucho yawned at ramdam na rin nito ang antok niya kaya't naghilamos muna saglit ng mukha pagtapos tanggalin ang salamin. He also felt light headed because of the alcohol and felt over inebriated. Hindi niya rin na nga alam kung lasing pa ito o hindi na.

"I saw him!" Narinig naman nito ang sigaw at tili ng mga babae na papunta rin ng c.r. He ignored them until someone bumps on his back.

"Oops, sorry." Malakas mong tawa. Lumingon si Kakucho sa 'yo, but cannot clearly depict your face because of his blurry eyesight.

"Oh, is this your eyeglass?" Tanong ng babae na si (Y/N) Helian.

Kakucho just nodded and grabbed his eyeglasses from you after washing his face. Nagtaka rin ito kung bakit naka-tayo lang si (Y/N) sa gilid at naka-sandal sa pader. He finds it a little weird dahil sila lang din dalawa sa may area, at medyo madilim pa sa area na 'to.

"You know, all my friends are outside, making out with a stranger they don't even know." Biglang pagk-kwento mo.

Kakucho had a confused, questioning expression on his face. "The fuck am I supposed to do with that?"

You just gasped loudly and dramatically as you covered your mouth. "Okay, Mr. Rude. I thought you were going to be Mr. Right or whatever. Bye."

Aalis ka na sana, walking out of the area until you hear a man speak, at kaboses ito ni Ran, your crush, and the reason why you're here in Xylo.

"Uhh, move!" Agad kanamang nagpanic at pumasok muli sa c.r., ngunit sa womens c.r. na ito naka-pasok. Natulak mo pa si Kakucho kaya't nasama na rin ito sa loob ng isang restroom stall!

"What the fuck are you doing?" Ngayon lang na-realize ni Kakucho ang nangyari dahil wala rin ito sa sarili kahit naghilamos na.

"I'm really sorry, whoever you are... I accidentally pushed you into the women's c.r." Bulong mo. "I'm so so sorry!"

Kakucho's brows furrowed, also realizing that both of them are inside a small restroom stall, and for women pa. "What? Let me out. Who are you? Are you out of your mind?"

"Helian!" Rinig niyong sigaw ng mga kaibigan mo "Where are you? Kanina ka pa namin hinahanap. Akala namin sumabay ka na! Papunta raw 'yung dad mo! Tito will scold us if nakita niya kami nang 'di ka kasama!"

"I don't want to go home." Bulong mo kay Kakucho.

Nagulat naman ito nang narinig nilang pumasok ang iba pang mga babae sa women's restroom, at pinagbubukas ang ilang mga stall. (Y/N) and Kakucho are inside the last stall.

"Helian! If we ever find you with a man, nako! I mean, gora, pwede naman lumandi hehe, but your dad! He's waiting for us na! May curfew ka pa, 'di ba?!"

"Hala, Helian, nasa labas na si tito! If he caught you with a man, ewan nalang namin! Hoy! Kami mapapagalitan neto!"

Kakucho heard that particular sentence, and he rolled his eyes dahil nadamay pa talaga ito, especially during his drunken state.

You were about to move, until Kakucho placed his hand on your mouth to suppress your noises.

"Helian! Mapapagalitan talaga kami ni tito, I swear!" Sigaw pa ng mga kaibigan mo. "Papunta na siya! Puta, susugurin pa yata 'yung buong club!"

Then, an abrupt, prolonged silence followed.

"Can I go out now?" Bulong ni Kakucho.

Nang napansin niyo naman na tahimik na, and your friends probably left the restroom, you nodded.

"Okay," you whispered, at bubuksan niyo na sana ang pintuan ng stall when Kakucho saw your friends still inside, waiting.

"Shit," nagulat ka nalang nang tinulak ka ni Kakucho papasok muli sa stall.

Suddenly, bumukas ang pintuan ng stall nila, and their eyes widened. Nahuli ka na talaga.

You thought it was your end until Kakucho turned you around, and now your back is against the wall. Kakucho just held your chin as his face inched closer to yours, with his arm above your head para mukhang may ka-halikan ito, pretending to kiss you.

"Ay! Sorry, sorry po! Akala namin kaibigan namin. Sorry!" Sigaw ng mga kaibigan mo nang nakita ang senaryo sa loob ng stall, kaya't agad naman silang lumabas ng restroom.

Agad namang lumayo si Kakucho, and he just sighed. You're still stunned in your place, still processing the whole thing! But you're well aware that he just saved your life!

"You'll have to pay for this," napabugtong hininga nalang si Kakucho. "Welcome."

He was about to walk away, but you grabbed his collar and the next thing he felt was your lips against his. Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Kakucho dahil tinotoo ito ni (Y/N).

Kakucho easily succumbed to your little scheme, at hindi na rin niya napigilan ang sarili niya as he returned the kiss, grabbing the back of your head to press harder on your lips.

He didn't know what drove him to this, kissing a stranger inside a club's restroom. Is it because of the alcohol?

Both of them soon pulled away, panting between their heavy breaths.

Hindi ka na nagsayang ng oras as you're the first to walk away immediately, also because your friends are probably waiting outside for a long time now. 

They have no slightest idea that their friend just kissed a stranger in a club.

"Sorry, I don't have money at the moment. My kiss is my payment nalang. Sorry and thanks!" (Y/N) casually said na akala mo bumili lang ng gamit.

Kakucho raised his brow, feeling a chuckle erupt from his throat as he graze his lips, still refusing to believe what just happened.

Hindi rin alam ni Kakucho na his friends are waiting for him outside.

"Wait— Where's Kakucho and Sanzu?" Tanong ni Ran sa kanilang table. "Tagal mag c.r. ni Kaku amputa. Tumae rin yata 'yon, e."

"Ewan. Si Kakucho nakita namin pumunta sa kabilang C.R. nung nagising. Si Sanzu naman, hindi pa namin nakikita." Sagot nina Kevin.

"Ayan na pala si Kakucho." Banggit ni Ran nang nakita ang kaibigan nito.

Kakucho returned from c.r. However, akala mo nakakita ng multo, with a pale, yet agitated expression, having a pink hue on his cheeks.

"'Nyare sa 'yo?" Tanong ni Ran.

END OF FLASHBACKS

Your eyes widened, and all the vivid images flashed in your head. You refused to believe that your first kiss is the guy you had a car accident with at the skyway; the guy you have a debt in; the guy whom you hate because of his ego, and many more you could think of!

Kakucho just sighed, crossing his arms as he leaned against the wall. "I have a question, but answer it honestly."

You raised your head to meet his deep stare. "What?"

As soon as you hear him as the question, ikaw naman ang may pink hue sa pisngi ngayon. Tho' it's hard to admit, his question is better than the fast-talk questions a while ago

"Was I a good kisser?"

A/N: hala naknampucha gumalaw kademonyohan ng aking keyboard. anyway hehe I'll try to be quick with updates since exams are near, another hell week 😒tas sinabay pa nila ung projects and tasks pffptf. thank you guys for the reads and votes again MWA  🤍