Two

I had just finished showering and getting dressed. I sat on my bed, watching TV while waiting for Yuhan to arrive. I expected him to be late. He always is. I called him to hurry him up because I really hate waiting.

After a few rings, he answered.

"Hey, where are you?!" I greeted my friend angrily.

"Calm down, I'm almost at your corner," he replied, clearly holding back laughter.

"You're so slow, as always! Hurry up, I'm coming out."

"Okay, I'll wait for you outside. Bye," he hung up. I stood up and turned off the TV. I looked in the mirror before leaving my room to make sure I looked okay. Satisfied with what I saw, I quickly went downstairs and out the gate of my apartment.

I looked towards the corner where Yuhan's car would be coming from, and just then, his black car turned into our street. When his car stopped in front of me, he rolled down the passenger window.

"Hey, you look beautiful, can I take you home? How about three thousand pesos?" Yuhan teased.

"You jerk! That's not enough for making me wait!" I replied, annoyed. I opened the passenger door and got in so we could leave.

A few seconds passed, but the car still didn't move. I looked at Yuhan, and I realized he was staring at me, which is why he hadn't driven yet.

"What's your problem?" I asked.

"You're cute, that new dress looks good on you," he flattered me, trying to smooth things over. Yuhan always does this, he's really smooth. He knows how to charm women.

"Stop it! I wore this when we went to Yoej's birthday. Let's go, I'm hungry," I said sharply.

"You're so grumpy, but I know you're blushing," he said with a killer smile.

I didn't reply because I knew he'd corner me if I continued the conversation. Yuhan's car started moving, and I just looked out the window as we drove. I didn't want to talk to Yuhan while my heart was beating so fast.

I've been in love with my friend for a long time. At first, I thought it was just a crush because the word 'love' wasn't in my vocabulary. Then I started missing his teasing and annoying habits. I don't know why, I wasn't like this before I met him. Sex was just a trip, that was it, and then nothing. But why did my perspective suddenly change when I met him?

I didn't know if he had any idea about my feelings for him or if his little remarks, like earlier, were just jokes. I hadn't confessed to him yet. I couldn't rely on Yuhan's jokes. I didn't want to be embarrassed or rejected. As a woman, he might think something else of me.

I wasn't ugly, but I also couldn't compare to someone like Marian Rivera. We were miles apart, physically. That was one of the reasons I couldn't bring myself to confess to him.

I couldn't forget what a friend once told me, 'You are most likely to be in a relationship with someone that has your same level of attractiveness.' In other words, a super-hot Yuhan was meant for someone equally super-hot and sexy.

I didn't know why I believed my friend's words. Maybe because that's what usually happened. The handsome ones were for the beautiful ones, the cute ones for the cute ones, the ugly ones were often in the shadows, and chubby ones like me… good luck. I suddenly felt sad about my thoughts.

I didn't realize we had stopped in the mall's parking lot. I was about to open the car door when Yuhan stopped me. I just looked at him. His face was serious.

"Did I tease you too much?" he asked seriously. "Sorry. I just don't have anyone else to tease."

I wasn't going to say anything, but he seemed genuinely guilty. When he looked at me like that, I couldn't resist him.

"I'm sorry. The poor octopus will be lonely without her alien friend," he added.

I couldn't help but laugh at what he was saying. I wasn't really angry. But I appreciated it when he tried to sweet-talk me when I ignored him.

He suddenly pinched my cheek while laughing. I suddenly remembered something he did.

"You're so cute. Come on, let's buy my shoes so we can have dinner," he invited.

I got out of the car and followed him into the mall. I couldn't help but sigh. Sometimes things are just too complicated, and you don't have a choice but to take a deep breath and move forward.

We walked in silence, me just following him wherever he wanted to go. We went to several shoe stores, and I couldn't figure out what kind of shoes he was looking for. We'd enter a store, he'd look around, pick something up, and if he didn't like it, he'd suggest going somewhere else.

Almost thirty minutes passed, and he still hadn't found anything. I was getting impatient, so I decided to ask him.

"What kind of shoes are you looking for? You've been picking and choosing, but you haven't bought anything," I asked. He looked at me and smiled.

This guy is really something. I ask him a question, and he just smiles at me.

"Anything, as long as it suits me," he replied, then turned his attention back to the shoes on display.

"Anything? As long as it suits you? Everything suits you, what's with the fuss?" I asked, irritated.

"Really?" he asked, frowning.

"Yes, really, you're so difficult."

"Sir, these would look great on you," offered the gay salesman. "Black with a touch of red, for a bad boy look," he added.

"Oh, there you go. Those would look good on you, especially if you wear black," I said, pointing to the shoes the salesman was holding.

"Are you sure? Maybe they won't suit me?"

"They'll suit you, trust me. Then pair them with your black and white cap. Wear shades and high socks. And of course, to be trendy, wear a surgical mask, it's fashion, apparently," I joked, laughing.

He glared at me and crossed his arms, slowly approaching me.

"Do you know what's trendy?" he asked, smiling.

"W-What?" I stammered as he moved his face closer to mine. "Stay away from me," I ordered.

He didn't budge and moved even closer, not content until he held both my shoulders and stared into my eyes. Our faces were almost touching, just a finger's width apart. And my heart was pounding like a herd of horses racing.

This wasn't the first time our faces had been so close, and we'd stared at each other. There were many times, and it wasn't just staring; there were endless kisses. But even now, I still felt a different kind of thrill whenever our faces got close and we gazed into each other's eyes. I breathed a sigh of relief when he turned his head and brought it close to my ear.

"Sex in the mall, that's the trend," he whispered. I pushed him away quickly because of what he'd whispered. He shook his head, laughing at his own joke, and then pinched my cheek.

"You're shameless, you have no sense of place. Get those shoes and pay for them so we can eat," I said. He obeyed and went to the counter, still with a grin on his face.

While waiting for Yuhan to return, I decided to take my phone out of my pocket. I browsed through my messages until I found his name. I remembered him when Yuhan pinched my cheek. He used to do that to me. I sent him a message even though I knew I wouldn't get a reply. It's been more than a year, and I haven't heard from him since. I'm clueless about what happened. Yuhan said he got a project in Iloilo and was assigned there. But what I don't understand is why he doesn't even chat. I know I'm not his girlfriend, but at least as a former friend or someone he used to know, he could reply to my chats.

I was lying on Kit's bed, eyes closed, having just finished another round of sex. A deep sense of satisfaction washed over me, a feeling so complete that I thought I might finally be able to surrender to the moment. I could hear his heavy breathing from the other side of the bed. I knew he was just resting, gathering his strength, and that soon he'd be playfully teasing me again. I was planning to resist this time, to put a temporary halt to our physical intimacy. However, he was so incredibly skilled at this, so persuasive in his touch, that I doubted my ability to truly refuse him.

"Why are you so far away from me? Come here," Kit said, his voice soft.

"I'm tired. Can we rest for a little while?" I replied, my voice slightly weary.

He chuckled softly.

"I didn't say we had to do anything else. I just want you to rest here beside me. I know my bed is big, but we don't need to be this far apart," he coaxed, his tone laced with affection.

I moved closer to him, closing the gap between us. He gently placed his arm under my head, cradling me. I leaned in, until I was almost resting on his chest. He held me tightly in his arms, enveloping me in a warm embrace. I could smell his natural scent, a comforting and familiar fragrance. I wrapped my arms around his torso, holding him close.

"And the bed isn't the only big thing here," I whispered playfully, sliding my hand down to his groin.

He chuckled again, a low rumble in his chest.

"You better stop teasing me, or you're going to get yourself into trouble again," he warned, his voice laced with amusement.

I laughed along with him, enjoying the playful banter. I snuggled closer to him, reveling in the feeling of being held after such an intense physical connection. There were many men I had been intimate with, but not all of them offered this kind of tenderness. Some would simply get dressed and leave after sex, offering a quick goodbye. Sometimes, we'd just fall asleep on opposite sides of the bed, a silent divide between us. And the worst were those who bypassed foreplay altogether, rushing straight to the act, and then practically ushering me out the door.

But it was different with Kit. I didn't even realize I had fallen asleep. I woke up to the feeling of repeated kisses on my forehead. I opened my eyes slightly. It was Kit. He kissed me again, this time on my lips. It was just a quick, tender kiss, and then he smiled at me.

"I've been watching you sleep for a while. You took so long to wake up, so I showered you with kisses. Surely, eight hours of rest is enough for you," he teased, his eyes twinkling.

"You're unbelievable," I replied, laughing.

"Hahaha, I'm just kidding. Come on, let's eat. I cooked us some food. I'll even drive you home to QC," he said sweetly, pinching my cheek and then quickly running out of the room.

At that moment, I couldn't help but think how wonderful it would be to have Kit as a boyfriend.

We ate a leisurely late lunch, savoring the food and each other's company. We took a shower together, enjoying the shared intimacy, and then indulged in one last passionate encounter before he prepared to take me home. He insisted on driving me all the way to QC, but I refused, feeling a sense of shyness and not wanting to impose on him further. He compromised by dropping me off at Trinoma.

That was the last time Kit and I saw each other. After that, we chatted every minute of every day for over a week, a constant stream of messages flowing between us. Then, one day, he simply stopped messaging me. I tried calling him, but he wouldn't answer my calls either, leaving me in a state of bewildered silence.

"Hey! Are you okay? Why are you staring off into space?" Yuhan asked, his voice cutting through my thoughts.

"Ah, nothing. Let's go, I'm hungry," I replied, trying to sound casual, attempting to conceal the lingering unease within me.

Yuhan simply smiled at me, a gentle, understanding smile that made my heart skip a beat. But I couldn't bear to look at his handsome face for too long, afraid I'd become lost in its captivating charm. It wasn't the first time I'd felt this way, and I didn't want to repeat the experience. It was dangerous, I thought, to let myself be so easily swayed, so easily drawn in. I couldn't risk him noticing the subtle shifts in my demeanor, the way my heart quickened in his presence, the way my eyes lingered a moment too long. If he were to discover the depths of my feelings, the vulnerability I tried so hard to conceal, it would expose a part of myself I wasn't yet ready to share, a part I wasn't even sure I fully understood.

The abrupt cessation of communication from Kit had left me feeling raw and exposed, a stark reminder of the fragile nature of connection. It had stirred up a sense of unease within me, a fear that perhaps I was destined to always be left behind, to always be the one waiting for a call that never came. And now, Yuhan's presence, his warm smile, his gentle concern, threatened to unravel the carefully constructed walls I had built around my heart. I had to maintain my composure, to keep my feelings in check, to prevent them from spilling over and revealing the truth that lay hidden beneath the surface.