Work Text:
— i.
It's 9 o'clock in the evening, and Aiah is in her own room. With the continuous ideas flowing through her head, she remained working on her papers needed for school. She's so focused on her task that she didn't notice Mikha coming to her room.
"Ate Aiah."
Startled, Aiah tore her eyes away from her papers and looked up to Mikha. She raised her eyebrows and said, "Yes?"
Mikha smiled, thinking that Aiah looked so cute with her messy bun and pretty bare face. She has the face that anyone would want to see everyday.
"Need help?" Mikha said after being mesmerized by Aiah. "Looks like you have a lot to do pa." She continued.
"Oh, no need na. But thank you for offering." Aiah disagreed. "You have an early class pa tomorrow, right? You should be sleeping now, Mikha Lim." Aiah said while narrowing her eyes.
"But you look tired. Papikit na mata mo oh." Mikha argued. "Let me help you para makapagpahinga ka agad."
"Mikha Lim, wag makulit. Matulog ka na." She warned. "I'm really fine. I'll go to bed agad once I'm done."
"Hmp! Fine." Mikha said as she walked to her. "Good night, ate Aiah." Mikha leaned close to her face to give a gentle kiss on her forehead. Then the latter patted Aiah's head before she left the room.
And then Aiah felt the butterflies on her stomach again. Again. With Mikha doing it almost everyday, she always loses her mind everytime. Now Aiah had the urge to stop working on her papers and just continue staring into nothing as she thinks of how good it feels when Mikha kisses her.
You don't know how I am head over heels for you, Mikha Lim. You have no idea how you make me feel.
While Aiah is in her own trance, her phone dings. She checked it and saw a message notification from Mikha. Aiah wondered why she messaged her since Mikha is supposed to be sleeping right now.
From: Mikha
please open your door :)
Confused, Aiah opened her door expecting Mikha outside her room. She opened the door and she was again confused seeing no one and thought Mikha had just pranked her. But something caught her attention on the floor. A cup of coffee, her favorite, with a little note attached to it.
hope it helps! please rest if you're done na ha :) good night ♡
Aiah smiled, touched. Hay nako Mikha, anong ginagawa mo sa akin.
Because of that she found the motivation again to continue her tasks at hand. She's sure she will have a good night's sleep after she's finished.
— ii.
Aiah is nervous. She's been pacing around her room for quite some time now, waiting for her grades to be posted. She's worried that she might have failed a few of her classes because of her performance in their last exams.
When her grades were already posted, Aiah took a deep breath before looking at them. She can't help but shriek and breathe a sigh of relief after she sees her marks. She passed, all her hard work was worth it.
Feeling ecstatic, Aiah was about to go to Mikha to let her know. But before she could do it, someone barged in her room.
It was a frantic Mikha.
"What happened, ate Aiah? I heard you screaming." Mikha asked worriedly.
Aiah can't help but giggle. She finds Mikha's worried face so adorable. At that moment, Aiah just wanted to pinch the other's cheeks—so she did it.
"Silly, I screamed because masaya ako." Aiah said between giggles. "I passed all my subjects! I was about to go to you but naunahan mo ako." She smiled.
Mikha sighed in relief. "Good to know. Akala ko napano ka na eh."
"But anyway…" Mikha patted Aiah's head. "Congrats ate Aiah, all those sleepless nights were worth it." Mikha continued.
"I'm so proud of you." Mikha crossed their distance, she held Aiah's face and tiptoed to place her lips on the latter's forehead.
Aiah was again caught in a whirlwind of emotions. It's insane that just a slight brush of lips can make someone crazy. Ano ba 'tong pinasok ko, help.
"Thank you nga pala for all the help, Mikhs. I wouldn't get by without you."
Mikha was helping her review, helping her with her tasks, always providing her food if she forgot to eat and she's always at her side through all those times even if Mikha herself struggled in her subjects. Mikha did all that without Aiah asking.
Mikha Lim, hulog na hulog na 'ko. Will you catch me?
"No, no, it was all you. I'm just on the sides, but you're welcome." Mikha said.
Mikha thinks that if it will be for Aiah, she'll do it without hesitation. She knows what she feels, but is afraid of the consequences.
"I like you" is what I always wanted to say, but will that make you stay?
"Anyway, this calls for celebration." Mikha suddenly said. "Wanna go get some ice cream, pretty?" Mikha stretched her hands to Aiah.
"Gladly." Aiah intertwined their fingers.
— iii.
In the middle of a grassy field, Aiah is there sitting on the bench. This is the same place where it all started. It is the beginning of the Mikha situation she's in right now. She can't help but reminisce of what occurred that day.
[flashback]
Aiah feels like the world is always against her. Despite learning how to love the student life, or life in general, because of people and things around her, there are times that she'll just question, "why me?" with all the bad circumstances comes in her way.
She's with her friends in the school field. Aiah's all gloomy while sitting on the bench alone, while her friends play with each other in the grassy field.
Mikha noticed Aiah's gloomy mood, she got worried. She informed their friends about Aiah, then she asked them a favor. After that, she decided to go to Aiah.
"Ate Aiah?" She softly called Aiah.
"You don't look well. What's wrong?" She said it with so much concern in her voice.
Mikha sure is observant, Aiah thought. They've just been roommates for 2 months, but her gratitude to the world was overflowing for bringing Mikha to her life.
"Nothing..." Aiah faked a smile. "Just life." She chuckled humorlessly.
"Want to talk about it? Makikinig ako." Mikha said genuinely, while patting Aiah's back.
After a minute of tranquility, Aiah finally spoke. "It feels like everything I do is not enough."
"Just felt sad all of a sudden. I'll be fine, don't worry." Aiah said with a meek smile.
"Want me to talk? Alone time?" Mikha asked carefully, not wanting to offend Aiah or something.
"Just stay, please." Aiah said it so quietly, but enough for Mikha to hear.
Mikha stayed quiet, for Aiah to feel herself. To absorb what she feels in order to navigate it well. In the silence, she's thinking about how to improve Aiah's mood. And she thought of something Aiah might like.
After minutes of solitude between them, Mikha asked "Are you a fan of physical touch?"
"That's so random, Mikha Lim." Aiah chuckled lightly.
"But yes, I am, I feel loved and appreciated."
Mikha smiled at that answer. That's perfect!
"Then can I do something?" Mikha said. "I hope you don't get uncomfortable." She said worriedly.
"I'm comfortable with you." Aiah looked into Mikha's eyes, while saying those words. And Mikha melts at that.
Delikado ka na, Mikha.
"Oh…then, please close your eyes." Without questioning, Aiah closed her eyes.
Aiah felt something warm in her forehead. Mikha had kissed her there. She felt something in her stomach—butterflies. She felt the warmness in her heart, it burns—so good. That gesture completely improved her mood. Finally, Aiah flashed a smile that reached her eyes.
"When I was a kid, my mom always kisses my forehead. She said she does it to make me feel I'm loved, because sometimes words aren't enough." Mikha told her. She spoke of her mom so fondly. Aiah thought it was very cute and sweet.
"Now, I wanna do it with you too. I want to make you feel loved and appreciated, and that I will always be proud of you."
Aiah felt like crying. Mikha's words will always affect her, in a good way, of course. To hold back her tears, she decided to tease the other.
"Wow, I didn't know Mikha Lim has a sweet side." Aiah teased.
"Ngayon mo lang na realize? Ang sweet ko kaya." Mikha pouted and Aiah laughed.
Of course Aiah knew that, she experienced it a lot of times. Being the receiving end of Mikha's sweetness is the best feeling ever.
"Thank you, Mikha. I appreciate you so much."
"You're always welcome." Mikha smiled widely. Then her phone rings.
"Wait, gotta take this call, sorry."
Aiah wondered who that was, but she shrugged her shoulders and closed her eyes while waiting.
Then suddenly she heard someone shouting, "Ate Aiah! Come here!"
And she opened her eyes and saw Mikha's little waves and tiptoes. She's so cute.
She was with her friends, Aiah didn't notice them disappearing a while ago. She saw them fixing something on the ground, it was a picnic blanket and a lot of snacks. This was the favor Mikha asked them a while ago, and of course they did it for the free food and Aiah.
Aiah walked to them, and flashed a confused face.
"Why a sudden picnic?" Her friends shrugged and subtly looked at Mikha. Aiah saw that, and of course it was Mikha's plan.
Aiah looked at Mikha, a look that says… Thank you.
Always.
[end of flashback]
What a great memory.
— + 1
Aiah is not sure what to feel at the moment. It is her birthday and her celebration with their friends just ended a while ago. It was already late and their friends needed to go already. She and Mikha are the only ones remaining. They decided to stroll in the park near the restaurant they just went to.
They are both quietly walking. It's usually normal for them, but now, they know that there is something wrong. Two of them are worried, for different reasons.
Mikha has not been doing her consistent gesture of kissing her forehead in the past few weeks—and that bothered Aiah a lot. She thinks she's just busy and Mikha will continue it on her birthday. But the world said no. Mikha greeted her in the morning, she's expecting a kiss but only a pat on the head was bestowed upon her. She knew that's not really Mikha's responsibility but you know…. Nasanay na ako eh.
While Mikha's overthinking. She thinks she's taking advantage because of her actions to Aiah, even if that gesture is welcomed. She likes Aiah, and Aiah is not aware of that, right? Isn't her actions considered taking advantage?
But even if Mikha had stopped the kisses, she did not stop to care. Mikha thought that she probably is not making any sense, but she already made her decision.
At least I can still be with her, and that's enough for me.
They may or may not be aware that they like each other. There were lines that were crossed, words spoken with true feelings and actions that spoke love, but both of them chose to ignore those. Ignorance is bliss, they say. Because in ignorance, there will be no relationship at stake.
But tonight, they might take the risk with no hesitation.
"Where do you want to go? Uwi na ba tayo?" Mikha said, breaking the silence.
"What do you want to do right now?" Mikha asked again, looking at Aiah who is very quiet.
"I want to kiss you." Aiah said, unconsciously. Mikha thinks that's the case, because what?
"Pardon?"
"I said I want to kiss you. Can I?" This time Aiah's fully aware of what she said.
"What?" Mikha still can't process what she heard.
"I like you. A lot." Mikha has stopped functioning because of that confession.
"Also, it's really annoying you stopped the kisses, so I want it now and I'll be the one doing it."
Mikha was speechless and Aiah understood that.
"So Mikha Lim, do you feel the same?" Aiah asked.
Mikha's mouth gaped. She can't believe she's hearing those words from Aiah. It's just too good to be true.
"I need an answer, Mikha Lim." Aiah impatiently said.
"Y-yes, I like you t—" Before Mikha finished speaking, Aiah gave her a quick kiss on the lips.
"Sorry, can't help it. It's not my fault that your lips look very tempting." Aiah winked, and it's Mikha's turn to lose her mind. Oh how the tables have turned.
"Ate Aiah, are you sure about this?" Mikha asked nervously, thinking that Aiah's just playing with her.
"I'm sure of you, are you not?"
"And please, don't call me ate, it's very annoying." Aiah continued.
Recovering from earlier shock, Mikha shows off her charms.
"Okay, my love." Mikha winked.
And they both laughed. Their overflowing happiness is evident on their faces.
If this is a dream, I don't want to wake up.
After their moment, Mikha said, "Ang dami natin kailangang pag-usapan. Maraming magbabago and there's so much to consider. But let us set aside that first, and just allow ourselves to enjoy the night."
"I agree. But are you in for the ride, though?" Aiah asked.
"I was born ready for that."
Oh, what a beautiful birthday gift.
end.