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– asan ka na ba by zack tabudlo playing in the background.
“...kahit saan tumingin, andaming nahuhulog sa isa’t isa, ba’t sakin ay wala?...” mio kim sang along with the song in their favorite place that they are in right now while looking and pointing at the eldest and the so -called cupid-slash-matchmaker named jeo yoon. min hong-lee also joined the teasing of the eldest in their circle, “...lumapit ka, asan ka na ba?...” habang si jisu hong-lee, min’s husband of 2 years and boyfriend for 4 years ay binatukan ng mahina ang asawa dahil sa mga ginagawa nito kay jeo.
their barkada is having a small get-together-slash-stag party for the other couple, mio kim and won jeon, who yet again are paired by the one and only, jeo yoon.
drinks keep on coming as these friends haven’t seen each other for so long because of their busy lives.
just like jisu and min hong-lee got busy as they build their own home and family. jisu is 2 months along with his pregnancy; while the other were you know, getting ready for their big day and as for jeo, it is the usual him—he's such a workaholic.
jeo was the target for tonight’s celebration, kasi naman ever since na naging magkakaibigan sila si jeo lagi ang pasimuno sa mga gantong kalokohan but the tables have turned.
pero there was this one time that he dared min, shuji’s husband, when they also had a welcome party for min to welcome him to their family, jeo teased and even dared min some ridiculous things; such as asking for a number of a stranger and after he get it he’ll tell them that his married or even that one time mio lose the bet he made with their kuya jeo, so jeo made him wear thongs on their beach trip, which was hilarious and even won, who's mio soon-to-be husband laughed at the thought everytime he remembers it.
ahh~good old days. they were so young and now one of them is building it's dream family, while the other is getting ready for new chapter of his life with his spouse soon, but how about jeo? what would life open up to him this time around.
jeo have always been this mischievous and jokester type of guy, but he is quite simple about his life. he’s life is basically perfect. his parents are retired and now enjoying their remaining time in this world. he has a stable job as well as stable income, he have some investments into everything he can invest on as he earn more from his money.
well, enough with the glamorous and background of our main guy. let’s go straight on how he gained the title—the matchmaker.
as you may know, min and jisu met because of jeo as well as mio and won. the friend group was originally only consist of three people: jeo, jisu and mio. the three of them met in high school but got along in college. as for min, he's a junior sa department nina jeo and apparently get along well with jeo as soon as they met, which was an unbelievable thing. si won naman, childhood friend siya ni jeo and he apparently fit with mio's type and vice versa, which jeo thought as a match made in heaven.
—
the night is still young and they are catching up together of they missed with each other's life which apparently alam na nilang lahat yung tungkol sa pagbubuntis ni jisu but to their surprise won and jisu aren't talking just like the usual and mio as clumsy as he is spills the tea both figuratively and literally—that's how clumsy he was to which the tea was the one na iniinom ng mapapangasawa niya and the other tea? it was won and mio is expecting a little one too, on the way.
matapos ang mga rebelasyon ng mga kaibigan, jeo was happily celebrating his friends' life successes and goals come to life. he remembered how these two talked to him about such thing and now it's coming true, it's making him tear up and which jisu catched him while trying to wipe a tear from his eyes.
"jeo, jey, jey, hey~ okay ka lang? why are you crying?" jisu asked his friend to comfort it but he also started crying too as the mood swings sets in which made jeo switch its mood too, now he's laughing and crying.
min panicked by that and asked their kuya, "kuya, bakit kayo umiiyak? anything wrong?", which jeo snorted and answered min, "there's nothing wrong, am just proud how far y'all have come. that's just it and am so happy for all of you." which made the other hug him, a tight one.
but their beautiful moment was ruined by mio as it jumps it realized something as if a light bulb was light above his head and said, "kuya, you know. we'll be having our own families now and almost settled in with our lives. so i suggest, why don't you start your own too? i mean, you may not want a family but atleast a partner, maybe?" which clicks min's thought too, so he said, "i agree, with mio! let me set you up with someone to make it easier." that made jisu and won jolt in joy and squish jeo in a hug.
jeo can't say no to his friends, he have been declining this kinds of things and they eventually gave up but now his friends try once again and maybe, it's his time to give it a shot—one more time.
it wouldn't hurt to try again, if nothing comes out from it he'll prolly just focus on his soon to be nieces/nephews from his friends and live like that until his death bed.
it's getting deeper, the night and as well as their talks the two vouple bid their goodbye sa kuya ng barkada and make their way to their own homes while jeo, he asked his friends taht he'll stay in a nearby cafe which was jeo's favorite place.
—
"hi, sir. are you alone?" a deep abut has a soft tone voice asked him. jeo's mind was wandering off somewhere and didn't notice the other question to him. he continue to stare at the cafe's glass, look at the floor then back at the glass and finally notice a figure near him.
the other asked him again, "sir? hi, i just wanted to ask if you're alone kasi there aren't seats left available, I'll be quick lang naman, i just need a place to leave my things and sit for awhile." jeo gasped and almost turned pale as he realized who was it. 'out of all the places, dito pa kami uli mag kikita after so many years? grabe ka na tadhana. ang galing mo sa part na 'yun.' jeo thought.
he turned at the man and the man welcomed him with it's smiley face with a matching dimples that dips into it's cheeks making him so charming.
"oh! ikaw pala yan, jeo! didn't notice it was you, you're...still beautiful as ever. sorry about that but it was nice to finally meet you again." the man greeted jeo.
jeo has no choice but to entertain the man and let him sit together with him at 'that' table.
"hi, cleo. nice to see you again. it's been 4-5 years 'no? and yeah, you can sit. let's have a chat, i assume we had a lot of things to catch up on." and nagbilang pa talaga su jeo but he said it cooly, cleo proceeded and told the latter, "i'll just go and order my usual here. I'll be back."
after cleo go to the counter and left jeo at the table, jeo let out a deep sigh. to be honest jeo isn't please about this meeting, he really isn't expecting to see someone he knows right now but destiny has other plans for him.
jeo can't seem get out the moment that he met cleo once again, which he never expected to happen. cleo choi was his and jisu's former classmate-slash-bestfriend, which developed feelings for him that he just discovered recently, when jisu and him are shopping for baby things. he had never ever realized that, he really thought it was one-sided, that he's the only one who has feeling for the other at masyado siyang torpe para sabihin ito.
would be the thing called signs really make sense?
before jeo could've continue his thought, cleo's presences intervenes the latter sat and place it's usual coffee, an iced americano.
it reminded jeo how the two of them sat here at this very spot everytime they are the one one's available in their group when min and mio joined them.
'ahhh that was good old times, missed that.'
jeo didn't realized that cleo was staring at him and kinda heard what he said, especially the last part.
"you missed it? i missed it too, especially those time with you...and jisu too. oh! how's jisu, heard him and min got married, now expecting a little one on the way. they're so amazing. they know what is life ahead of them now, so happy for them. i also heard mio and won is finally getting married, they sent me an invitation. grabe, ambilis ng panahon. ikaw? kamusta ka?" cleo said this plainly but it's evident that he's happy with his friends life right now but jeo was taken aback by the latter's question.
as a polite person, he answered, "it's good, mom and dad are now enjoying their lives, worry-free from anything and am working the job i dreamed of and just living life as it should be, but what about you?"
cleo, he's amazed how jeo talk, he still talk the same just a bit mature with his aura and voice. he paused for a moment and reply to jeo, "worry-free? but why do tito and tita is worried about you not having someone and how do i know? jisu told me, a few weeks ago.
and you know, i am the same as you. life is all settled to me, atleast from what and how i see it but people around us, they are worried about us not having someone." jeo chuckles at that and thought of something stupid.
"cle, you know i have something to tell you." cleo hums as a reply to jeo's statement and cue for jeo to continue, "did you know, nung high school tayo, i really like you." cleo intervene and said, "i know...", jeo was shocked but he continued, "it's not that like, i mean the like, LIKE, almost love level." jeo hides it's face from the latter with hsis hands and on the other hand, cleo was watching on how cute his 'friend' is. 'why does he talk like he's drunk? kasi sabi nga nila drunk thoughts are sober thoughts' cleo thought as he look at jeo.
"jeo, really? kasi if that's true, i like you too, like for real. i was a coward back then and to be honest, up 'till now i was waiting kasi baka may chance pa na masabi ko 'to sa 'yo and look at what destiny has done from us. so i am shooting my shot, i have one question for you, would you hold this hand of mine and try if we can be with each other forever? it sound childish but that's how i feel." cleo just blurted put those words to jeo while looking at it, intensely.
jeo just smiles at him and nods, but cleo don't know whether it was true or not and jeo seems drunk at that.
but cleo is forgetting that the man before him is jeo yoon and now it said, "wow, really? why are we so young and dumb before? wanna exchange numbers, so you can tell me later in the morning that i, jeo yoon, just confessed and would love to take this risk. if i deny it, please sent me this recording." cleo is in awe, kasi akala niya anlakas lakas na ng loob niya but turns out, jeo still won.
'oh, god. jeo yoon, you really are the owner of my heart' cleo thought.
and even before cleo got to talk again, he just heared a sound, a snore coming from the other. peacefully sleeping at its seat and now he need to get him home before night gets deeper.
actually, itong tagpuan nila wasn't really a mere coincidence or planned. this just happened naturally.
supposedly, pupunta din si cleo sa ganap ng bardaka kaso he needed something to do and he's feelings for jeo complicate it more.
but he tried to get to the venue and texted with jisu. told him the details while teasing him a bit about jeo. yes, jeo knew after all this years.
kaya si jisu and min din ang tinawagan ni cleo to get jeo home.
'i really need to thank jisu and min for this one, for playing cupid for me and jeo.' cleo talks to himself as he tries not to laugh by vhis friends set up to him and jeo. they were so smooth about it tho. walang mintis.
—
*ring ring*
"mmhhmhm...he-hello? jisu, if this is you, please for the love of god, yung asawa mo abalahin mo." jeo groan as he tries to wake up from his sleep to talk to the phone. he doesn't seem to realize that it wasn't jisu he's talking to right now but cleo and cleo has other plans to tease the other.
"hi, is this mr. cupid? are you looking for your psyche?" jeo didn't need to hear that twice to know who it was, he felt every nerves of his sending messages to his brain to wake him up, while staring at nothingness while wearing that shocked face that he has, it was comedic if you'll see it.
"what..." jeo's mouth can only said that word, he was in awe and about the realization, he had it awhile ago as soon as he heard his voice.
"hi, this is cleo. your psyche, finally i have found my cupid. mr. cupid, i think you're still in daze, sorry about this wake up call. get ready, I'll be there in our. you didn't forget what we talked about last night, didn't you?" cleo talked again and jeo, he's still in daze and consuming all of this with all of his will.
"a-ahh, yes...i remember. please, stop na. baka mamatay na ko sa kilig. mr. psyche, I'll see you later." jeo replied.
'ahh, ito ata yung sinasabi nilang, if this is a dream, its a dream that i don't want to wake up. but am fully awake and aware, it's true.' jeo blushed at his own thought.
this might be unreal but it's real. jeo once again took the risk as well as cleo. they're isn't cowards like they were in high school, they are now grown adults, still makes mistake but no one's perfect and now they're live will finally bloom after years of waiting.
cupid finally found his psyche.
psyche finally found his cupid.
end.