Chapter Text
Kalye Pantropiko was far from well-known. In truth, it lay in quiet serenity, untouched by the bustle of the outside world. Accidents were rare, and disputes among the families who lived there were nearly unheard of. Their homes and lands, passed down through generations, bound them together in a familiarity that only time could weave, where every face was as familiar as an old photograph, and every corner held whispers of a shared past.
The seven most notable families who had long called Kalye Pantropiko their home were the Arceta, Vergara, Ricalde, Apuli, Sevilleja, Robles, and Catacutan. These families, deeply rooted in its quiet soil, had lived there for generations—now, in Maloi’s time, the eighth generation carried their legacy, each name woven into the street’s enduring history.
Jhoanna’s grandfather, a keeper of tales, would often gather the children to share stories of the past. Maloi, always the most eager, waited with wide eyes for the moments when the elders’ love stories were told. Those old romances, tender and full of life, were what stirred her most.
Maloi cherished the history of their place, her small body already brimming with the resolve to pass down these stories to the generations yet to come—though, of course, she would gladly erase all memories of that one child she had despised for most of her childhood.
“Matulog daw ako, sabi ni mama.”
It was a complete lie. Maloi hated afternoon naps.
“Ang totoo, ayaw mo lang akong kalaro kasi hindi mo matanggap na natatalo ka,” Colet smirked, clearly enjoying the way Maloi’s face soured as soon as she suggested a game.
“Hindi ka ba nakakaramdam? Walang gustong makipaglaro sa’yo kasi madaya ka!” Maloi shot back, her words sharp and biting, laced with venom.
Colet’s smirk faltered, the grin fading from her face. “Edi ako na lang aalis kung gano’n.”
Before Maloi could fire off another stinging remark, Aiah—their ‘ate,’ who was watching the tension between them build—quickly stepped in.
“But we want to play with you,” Aiah said softly, offering Colet an apologetic smile before nudging Maloi. “‘Di ba pinaalam kita kay tita, Mal? Pumayag naman siyang maglaro tayo until six.”
Maloi gasped, feeling utterly betrayed. “HAAA?! Kahapon lang um-oo ka na ‘wag nating isali si Colet sa laro?” Her voice carried the sting of accusation more than a question.
“Mal, I nodded to stop you from ranting. But I don’t want anyone left behind. Kawawa naman si Colet if we don’t let her play with us—"
“Okay…” Colet interrupted.
“Okay?” Aiah blinked in confusion.
“Okay lang sa’kin. Para naman manalo na si Mary Loi Yves,” Colet snorted, walking off without looking back. No one stopped her this time.
But truthfully, ten-year-old Colet wasn’t bothered by Maloi’s harsh words. The following days, they continued to play together like nothing had happened— like Maloi wasn’t still fuming every time Colet won, especially when she did it by cheating.
There was a time when they played tumbang preso in front of Sheena’s house, with Maloi guarding the can as the tag. Sheena, being the youngest, threw her slipper first but missed the target. One by one, Aiah, Jhoanna, Stacey, and Gwen followed suit, each missing the can. Then it was Colet’s turn. She stepped up, her focus steady, but just as her slipper flew, Maloi’s sharp eyes caught Colet’s foot on the line.
“STEP IN!” Maloi shouted, pointing accusingly as Colet’s slipper knocked the can over. Yet, in the chaos of laughter and excitement, everyone ignored Maloi’s protest, scattering to retrieve their slippers, leaving her appeal unheard.
She let it go, but it etched itself in her memory.
Like that time when they were supposed to be seekers in hide and seek. Maloi had thought they were searching together, only to find out later that Colet had slipped away to the computer shop, playing GTA with Gwen.
“You spoiled the game!” Maloi fumed, pounding the computer rack in front of Colet, startling her and earning a glare from the shop owner.
“Shh,” the owner warned quietly.
Maloi let it slide, but it stuck with her.
Just like during their game of touch ball, when Colet never bothered to catch a throw from the younger kids, but somehow always managed to catch Maloi’s throws, no matter how low or off-target they were.
She was tired of it, sick of how things always seemed to go in Colet’s favor, yet she let it slip—each moment carved deeper into her memory.
Call her a loser, but Maloi knew she wasn’t one to bend the rules. That’s why she hated Colet—a total rule breaker, a spoiler, and an undeniable buzzkill. She often swore that if it weren’t for their other childhood friends who adored playing with Colet, she would never even consider joining in on those games.
So, when the news broke that Colet would be leaving the neighborhood to migrate abroad with her family, Maloi felt no twinge of sadness—she openly relished the thought of finally being able to play in peace.
“Ate Maloi! Hinahanap ka nila Tita. Nagluto siya ng spaghetti!” Sheena called out from the window of Colet’s room, which was just across from Maloi’s.
Maloi desperately wished she could hide beneath her sheets, but it was no use; Sheena had already spotted her squirming on the bed. Resigned, she got up and scrawled a message on a piece of paper in large letters: SUNOD AKO.
Of course, it was a lie. What would she say to Colet? That she would miss her?
That was the last thing she wanted to do that day.
Holding the paper up to the window for Sheena to read without revealing her face, she let out a loud sigh just as Jhoanna called out to her, followed by Gwen, and Stacey.
“Ate Maloi, halika na!
“Alis na sila ate Col bukas.”
“Ang KJ mo naman, ate Maloi!”
A few minutes later, Aiah popped into her room, playfully tugging her out of bed with a determined grin plastered on her face.
“Mal, you should at least show your face. Kahit na naiinis ka kay Colet, she still wants to see you before she leaves. She still considers you a friend,” Aiah urged, making Maloi pause and wonder if their bond was strong enough for Colet to genuinely care about her presence at the farewell party. Unbeknownst to her, a twinge of guilt pierced through, and she reluctantly allowed Aiah to pull her along.
“And don’t give her that pout. Smile, Mal,” Aiah added playfully as they approached the Vergara’s house next to Ricalde’s.
The living area hummed with quiet activity; each person absorbed in their own world. Maloi’s gaze wandered to her parents, who were laughing at what she guessed was one of Jhoanna’s father’s familiar jokes. Her mother caught her eye as she stepped inside with Aiah, a gentle reminder on her lips, “Nasa taas sila,” while Colet’s mother called out for them to grab food from the dining area.
With plates in hand, Maloi and Aiah made their way to the table, each selecting their favorite dishes. As soon as the familiar taste of spaghetti hit Maloi’s tongue, she couldn’t help but admit, if only to herself, that she was really going to miss Colet’s mother’s cooking.
After gathering all the food they wanted, they headed upstairs, ready to join the others. Just then, the soft thud of the screen door closing caught their attention.
There stood Colet, cradling her grey cat, Juyon, in her arms like a baby.
“Hi,” she greeted with a smile as she walked past them, gently motioning for them to follow her upstairs.
As soon as they entered Colet’s bedroom, Gwen greeted them with an awkward smile, her gaze flicking between them and the chaos unfolding in the room—Stacey and Jhoanna caught in a playful scuffle, with Sheena's laughter ringing out loudly in the background.
Colet’s room was in complete disarray. She sighed in quiet defeat, gently placing Juyon atop Stacey’s head in an effort to stop Jhoanna from landing yet another playful pillow strike.
“Juyon!” Sheena, Stacey, and Jhoanna called out in perfect unison—a rare moment of stillness that vanished just as quickly as it came, as they soon dove into another frenzy, scrambling over each other to get to the grey cat.
Maloi settled beside Gwen, who was still finishing her plate, while Aiah sat cross-legged on the floor. The noise in the room felt overwhelming, but they continued eating until Colet broke the tension with a somber announcement: "Iiwan namin si Juyon." Her expression revealed how upset she truly was.
"Sa’kin na lang si Juyon, please,” Jhoanna chimed in with her signature puppy-eyed pout.
"NO. Obviously, sa akin siya mapupunta. Kasi may cats na kami sa bahay,” Stacey countered confidently.
“Hah? Unfair. Dapat sa’min siya kasi wala pa kaming pusa," Sheena argued back.
“Sorry, girls. Napag-usapan na. Si Tita Maggie daw mag-aampon kay Juyon,” Colet explained, causing Maloi to visibly perk up. She persistently asked her mother for a cat. She had wanted a cat for her birthday—but definitely not a cat from Colet.
No, she adored Juyon—but not Colet.
And yet, she couldn’t help herself.
She didn’t even know how to react. A cat was a dream come true, but...
“Ayaw ko,” she said, her tone cutting through the air, drawing every gaze in the room.
“Sa akin na lang,” Jhoanna huffed, crossing her arms defiantly.
“Jho,” Gwen exclaimed, facepalming in disbelief, “eh, kase naman…kawawa lang ‘yung pusa kapag pinanggigilan mo,” she added, her voice laced with a blend of concern and exasperation.
“Agree sa’yo, ate Gwen!”
“Oo nga. Tama.”
“Why, Mal? Haven’t you been asking Tita Mag for a cat for ages? Now that there’s one available, bakit ayaw mo na?” Aiah inquired; her gaze fixed on Maloi.
Under the weight of the eager gazes upon her, Maloi replied with a hint of hesitation, “Wala lang. Ayaw ko kulay ni Juyon.”
It was a lie—Maloi had specifically requested a grey cat.
Aiah cast her a disbelieving glance that quickly morphed into laughter, well aware that Maloi had been yearning for a cat just like Juyon all along.
“Sabihin mo na lang kay tita Maggie kung ayaw mo, para kay Aiah na lang,” Colet said coldly, yet her eyes told a different story, revealing her disappointment at finding out that someone didn’t share her fondness for the cat.
In the background, Jhoanna, Stacey, and Sheena engaged in a spirited debate, with Gwen stepping in occasionally to quell their arguments about who could take Juyon.
“Sige. I’ll take care of Juyon,” Aiah declared, silencing the room once more. “I’ll tell Mom downstairs.” Rising to her feet with her plate still in hand, she started toward the staircase, prompting Maloi to follow closely behind. Just as they reached the middle of the stairs, Aiah paused.
“Don’t worry, Mal. You’ll still get Juyon,” she said with a chuckle, her gaze fixed ahead.
***
“Take care of Juyon, Aiah!” Colet called out; her voice raspy from the morning chill that hung in the air.
“Thank you, Col!” Aiah replied, wrapping her arms around Colet, Juyon nestled snugly between them. The others quickly joined in, forming a warm group hug.
Maloi stood on the sidelines, merely observing, until Gwen nudged her forward to partake in the embrace. Reluctantly, she stepped in, but her gaze remained fixed on the cat in Aiah’s arms, its wide, round eyes staring back at her with an enchanting allure.
As the Vergara’s service pulled away, everyone scattered to their homes, leaving Aiah to make her way to Maloi’s.
“Here. He’s all yours,” she said with a radiant smile, passing Juyon to Maloi. The cat nestled into Maloi’s arms, instinctively seeking her warmth, causing tears to brim in her eyes. Nearby, her mother, unaware of the previous night’s exchange, watched the scene unfold with a heartfelt “Aww.”
“Are you sure?” Maloi asked one last time, uncertainty lingering in her voice.
“I know you love Juyon more than anyone else in this neighborhood. You can’t just accept him from Colet,” Aiah replied, a knowing smile dancing on her lips. “I know, Mal.”
“Thank you, Ate Aiah.”
***
A few weeks later, a moving truck pulled up outside the Ricalde residence, catching Maloi's attention as she peered from her room. Another truck arrived in front of the Vergara home, soon followed by a car that trailed behind the cargo vehicles.
She dashed downstairs, excitement bubbling within her as she called to her mother, “Ma, bumalik na sila Colet?”
“Ha?”
“May mga truck sa harap nila.”
“Ah, nandyan na ba sila? Mga bago nating kapitbahay ‘yan,” her mother replied, unaware of Maloi's mounting surprise.
A whirlwind of unfamiliar emotions quickened Maloi's heartbeat as she dashed back to her room to get a better look at the newcomers while Juyon scampered alongside her to the window. Three children darted across the lawn while two adults—presumably their parents—fiddled with the keys to the house that had once belonged to the Vergara’s.
One of the children, a girl with vibrant red hair and a strikingly cute face, noticed Maloi and turned to her, offering a bright smile and a quick wave.