Chapter Text
The day was almost over when Aira finally retreated to her hotel room. Maloi had invited her to an after-party, but she declined, too drained to keep going. She was ready for the day to end.
The moment she stepped inside, she kicked off her shoes and collapsed onto the bed. Her eyes closed, and the events of the day replayed in her mind—the stage, the applause, the faces in the crowd. And then, inevitably, it circled back to Julia.
To top it all off, she had been bombarded with questions the moment she admitted that she’d seen her.
“Saan mo nakita?” Seline asked immediately, leaning closer.
“Akala ko hindi siya kasama?” Maloi added, her brows knitting together.
“Are you sure it wasn’t a ghost?” Miles said, half-joking as he let out a short laugh.
“Baka nga nagmumulto lang,” Maloi chuckled, shaking her head.
“Bakit hindi nagpakita sa ’tin?” Seline pressed again, her voice firmer, even though Aira hadn’t answered the first question.
And she answered all of their questions the same way, with a single line.
“I just saw her in the crowd. Nothing else. Hindi ko rin siya nakita o nakausap when I met up with Ninong June kanina.”
They all looked at her as if they had accepted her answers.
“Wait, tatawagan ko siya kung nandito pa,” Seline said suddenly, immediately pulling out her phone.
They soon found out that Julia had an emergency at work and couldn’t stay much longer.
After remembering all that had happened, Aira took a deep breath, let her eyes shut for a moment, and after a while forced herself to take a shower before she completely gave in to her tiredness.
After she had taken a shower and changed into her PJs, she went straight to the small kitchen, poured herself a glass of water, then stepped out onto the small balcony of her hotel room. Below, the swimming pool reflected the soft lights around it, and a few huts stood quietly nearby. She leaned against the railing, taking in the cool night air.
She then saw someone step out of one of the huts. At first, Aira didn’t think much of it, until the light caught the figure and she realized it was Nico. It was late, and the area was quiet, making Aira pause and wonder what she was doing outside at that hour.
After a few minutes, Nico went back inside the hut, only to emerge again shortly after, holding something in her hands. From the balcony, it looked like a small box.
Aira immediately grabbed her phone and typed Nico’s name.
Aira: Nico
Nico: Uy, bakit gising ka pa?
Aira replied right away.
Aira: Can’t sleep yet. What about you?
A few seconds passed before a notification popped up. Nico sent a screenshot of a video call with her family. Aira stared at it a moment longer than she meant to and softly blurted out, “Cute.”
Her phone buzzed again.
Nico: Mag-sleep ka na?
Aira: Maybe a little bit later.
She hesitated, then sent another message.
Aira: Oh, look ka sa taas.
Moments later, Nico stepped out of the hut again. Aira lifted her phone, its screen glowing as she waved lightly. Nico looked up and spotted her.
Another message came through.
Nico: Baba ka.
Nico: Pakilala kita sa pamilya ko.
A smile of excitement spread across Aira’s face as she read the messages. She didn’t hesitate, her fingers already moving over the screen.
Aira: Okay, I’ll go down 😀
When Aira reached the hut, she saw Nico seated just inside, holding her phone up in front of her face. She was wearing a simple shirt, a black jacket, and shorts. A smile lifted onto Aira’s face the moment she saw her.
Nico looked up, smiled back, then turned her attention to the phone.
“Nandito na pala si Aira, Nay.”
Aira immediately scooted closer, settling right beside Nico so she could be seen on the screen. On the display was a woman wearing a duster, with a child beside her, fidgeting and doing random things as the call went on.
“Nay, eto pala si Aira,” Nico said, introducing her. “Ai, nanay ko nga pala, and si Matmat, kapatid ko.”
“Hello po!” Aira greeted, her voice warm.
The kid immediately butted in, leaning forward to get a better look.
“Ate, boss mo artista?”
Nico’s mom leaned closer to the screen, eyes narrowing slightly as she studied Aira’s face. “Hala, ikaw ba ’yung nakikita ko sa TV na CEO?” she asked.
The question made both Aira and Nico chuckle.
“Ate Nicooowueeet” the kid murmured Nico’s name in the background.
“Matmat! May shoes ako binili sa’yo,” Nico said excitedly.
The kid leaned closer to the screen again. “Onituka ba ’yan?”
Nico’s eyes widened, her head jerking back a little. “Aba! Napakagaling mo, bata ka. Basta pag-uwi ko, ibibigay ko sa’yo.”
“Owwwkay, thank you, Ate,” Matmat replied.
Aira chuckled quietly, amused by how easily Nico softened around her brother.
“Kailan ka uuwi dito, anak?” Nico’s mom asked, pulling Matmat closer so she could see Nico better.
“Hindi ko pa alam, Nay,” Nico said. “Kapag approved na ng boss ko ’yung leave ko.” She glanced at Aira.
Aira caught the hint immediately. “Ahh, nagpaparinig ka,” she said, squinting playfully.
“Sige… pag-iisipan ko, hmm…” Aira tilted her head slightly, as if weighing her options. “Sige, approved.”
“’Yun!” Nico’s smile widened. “Oh, see you this month, Nay!”
Aira shook her head, a small smile playing on her lips.
“’Ne, nakita kita kanina sa TV,” Nico’s mom said.
“Galing nga niyan kanina, Nay,” Nico blurted out. “Nag-present ’yan.”
Aira was caught off guard by the sudden compliment, her smile pausing for just a moment.
On the screen, Nico’s mom smiled and leaned closer, as if a playful thought had just crossed her mind.
“Alam mo ba, lagi ka kinukuwento sa’min ni Nico kasi sobrang bait mo raw,” she said, her face breaking into a wide grin.
“Nay… ano ba,” Nico replied, suddenly shy at her mom’s revelation.
Aira’s heart tugged, a warm rush spreading across her face as she tried to keep her smile steady.
“Mabuti naman napunta ka sa mabait na boss, anak” Nico’s mom continued, unaware of Nico’s growing embarrassment.
Aira felt flustered by the comment but didn’t want the compliment to stay one-sided.
“Magaan din po ’yung trabaho ko dahil kay Nico. Magaling din po siya,” Aira said sincerely, making sure to give credit to Nico.
“Alam mo ba, idol ka rin ng anak ko,” Nico’s mom added, clearly enjoying the moment and continuing to embarrass her daughter.
Nico’s eyes widened in panic. “Nay! Sige na, maaga pa si Matmat bukas… bye!” she rushed out, barely giving anyone time to react before tapping the end call button.
The screen went dark.
Aira turned to Nico, still a little stunned, a small laugh slipping out. “Oh, bakit mo naman pinatay agad?”
“Masyado ka nang maraming nalalaman. Tama na,” Nico said, a mix of embarrassment and playful warning in her voice.
Aira shook her head, laughing softly under her breath. She hadn’t moved, her shoulder still brushing against Nico’s.
Aira’s eyes drifted to the box on the table, something that looked like a lunch box. She furrowed her brows and looked back at Nico.
“Hindi ka pa ba kumakain?”
Nico’s gaze followed hers to the lunch box. “Ah, leftover lang ’yan kanina. Kakainin ko sana,” she said lightly.
“Kainin mo na kaya ngayon,” Aira suggested, trying to keep her tone casual.
Nico shook her head. “Bukas na lang siguro, bago tayo umalis. Ikaw ba, kumain ka na?”
“Hmm..I’m still full,” Aira replied quickly.
Nico slowly nodded. “Ah.”
Then she blurted out, “You were amazing kanina. Kahit nung nagpa-practice ka pa lang.”
Aira gulped, bowing her head as she stared at the pavement beneath her feet.
“Hindi ko alam paano mo nakakaya ’yon,” Nico went on. “Siguro ikaw lang ang gising nung nagpaulan ng biyaya si Lord.”
Aira let out a small breath and smiled. “Approved na ’yung leave mo. Hindi mo na ’ko kailangang bolahin,” she said jokingly.
Nico chuckled. “Hindi nga. Ang galing mo.”
Aira laughed softly, still looking down. “Hey… I wouldn’t be able to do it without you guys.”
Then, more quietly, “So thank you.”
Then silence settled between them.
Aira’s hand tightened around the edge of her seat, her pinky finger still only centimeters away from touching Nico’s.
She slowly replayed everything she had just heard, trying to keep her lips from curling into a smile. The thought that Nico spoke kindly about her to her own family lingered, warming her chest.
Then, to break the silence—
“Sooo, idol mo pala ako,” Aira said teasingly, lightly bumping her shoulder against Nico’s.
“Oo, masama ba?” Nico said directly.
Aira didn’t expect the answer. Still facing the pavement, she slowly turned to look at Nico, only to find her already looking back at her. Their eyes locked, and for a moment, everything else seemed to fade.
Her breathing turned uneven as the background slowly blurred, the night sounds growing distant. In Nico’s eyes, Aira saw sincerity, unguarded and real, the kind that made her chest tighten.
She blinked, her heart pounding hard against her ribs as her grip tightened on the edge of her seat. Without meaning to, her gaze slipped from Nico’s eyes to the bridge of her nose, then lower, lingering on her lips a second longer than she should have.
Her lips were plump, tinted a soft shade of pink that made Aira gulp.
Oh.
“Shit,” Aira blurted out, startled when the word slipped past her before she could stop it.
“Ha?” Nico’s head jerked back slightly, brows knitting together. “Anong shit? Minumura mo ba ako?”
Aira blinked rapidly.
“Ah… kuan,” she said, scrambling back to reality, searching for something believable. “Hindi. Ano kasi… malamig.”
“Okay?” Nico didn’t question it further. She slipped off her sweater and gently placed it over Aira’s shoulders. “Eto.”
She adjusted it slightly. “Okay na ba?”
Aira held onto the sweater, the fabric warm, too warm. “Ye—yeah,” she said, though her heart was anything but okay. It was still flipping over itself, and she had to steady her breathing. “Paano ka? Hindi ka ba nilalamig?”
“Okay lang ako,” Nico replied easily. “Mas nilalamig ka. Kaya sa’yo na ’yan.”
Aira bit her lip to keep it from curling.
One thing was for sure. I wasn’t on the list of the Lord’s strongest soldiers, Aira thought.
“Nico…” Aira said, wanting to say something more, but her voice came out too soft for Nico to hear.
“Uy! Ang ganda ng buwan!” Nico blurted out, loud enough to startle her.
Aira snapped back to her senses, brushing the moment away. Stop, Aira, she told herself.
“Uhm..akyat na ’ko,” she said.
Nico quickly spoke up. “Hatid na kita sa room mo.”
Aira simply nodded. They stood up almost at the same time and headed straight for her room. When they reached it, they lingered for a few seconds in front of the door, neither of them moving just yet.
“Here we are,” Nico said softly. “Good night, Ai. See you in the morning.”
“Pasok ka na, ”she lifted her hand, gently urging Aira to go inside.
“Thanks, Nico,” Aira said, giving her a warm smile. Then something clicked in her mind. “Oh, by the way!”
Nico looked at her, attentive. “Hmm?”
“Miles is inviting you to her birthday celebration pala,” Aira continued. “Sa beach resort siya gaganapin.”
Nico nodded slowly, thinking it over. “Hmm… okay. Sure kayo ni Maloi na makakasama?”
“Yes!” Aira said right away, reassuring her.
“Then, sige. Sama ako,” Nico confirmed.
“Cool. Okay, good night, Nico,” Aira said as she opened the door. “Thanks again!”
Nico wore a warm smile as Aira closed the door behind her.
Aira went straight to the bathroom, and the moment she caught her reflection in the mirror, she realized she was still wearing Nico’s jacket.
“Oh, shoot!”
She rushed out of the room as fast as she could, hoping she might still catch Nico in the hallway.
As soon as Aira stepped out of her room, she caught a glimpse of Nico’s back turning right at the end of the corridor.
“Nico! Wait!”
She broke into a run, panic flickering through her at the thought that Nico might already be in the elevator.
She turned the corner—and crashed straight into her.
The impact knocked them both off balance. Aira let out a startled gasp as they went down, the two of them tumbling onto the carpeted floor in a mess of limbs. The sound echoed softly down the hallway before everything went still.
Aira’s head had landed against Nico’s chest. For a moment, neither of them moved.
She felt a heartbeat thumping beneath her cheek—fast and steady—and realized it wasn’t hers.
Aira lifted her head, and their eyes locked, breaths uneven as they lay there on the floor, their lips only inches away from kissing.
Then Nico spoke.
“A-Aira…” Nico said, concern slipping into her voice. “O-okay ka lang?”
Before Aira could answer, she snapped back to her senses.
She pressed her hand against the carpet and got up quickly, then reached out to help Nico up. Nico grabbed her hand at once and pulled herself upright.
“Ye—yeah… your jacket,” she said, already shrugging it off. She handed it to Nico before either of them could react.
“Good night again, Nico,” Aira said quickly, and before Nico could reply, she turned away and started walking straight.
Aira blinked fast. There was too much going on in her head, and before she could think it through, she heard Nico call after her.
“Ai!”
“Yeah?” Aira answered, not looking back.
“Diba sa kabilang hallway ’yung room mo?” Nico called out, her voice loud as she tried to stop her.
Aira froze and quickly scanned where she was headed.
Fuck. fuck. fuck
She quickly turned back, passed by Nico, and gave her a small nod.
“Sorry,” Aira said softly.
Aira walked as fast as she could to her hotel room, trying to outrun her embarrassment, murmuring to herself, “Diyos ko, kunin n’yo na po ako,” as she covered her face with her hand.
Until she finally reached her room, opened the door, and shut it behind her.
As soon as she closed the door behind her, she stopped right there, her back resting against the wood as she tried to catch her breath. One inhale. Then another. Too shallow. Too fast.
She blinked once, then twice, as if that might make everything settle.
It didn’t.
Her eyes replayed the moment without permission.
How close it had been.
How she’d felt another breath just inches from her own.
Her heart refused to slow, thudding hard enough that she pressed a hand against her chest.
The scent lingered, faint but unmistakable, clinging to the air like it had nowhere else to go.
Then the silence broke.
Her phone rang.
She flinched slightly before reaching for it. Maloi’s name glowed on the screen.
“Hello?” she answered, her voice steadier than she felt.
“Nico, na-receive mo ba ’yung sched na sinend ko sa’yo?” Maloi said.