Chapter Text
Mikha stared at the glow of her computer screen, her fingers swiftly moving across the keyboard as she played yet another round of her favorite online game. Gabing-gabi na, pero buhay na buhay pa rin siya, thanks to the two cups of coffee she'd downed earlier. It had been like this for months—she’d become a certified night owl, stuck in an endless cycle of gaming, late-night snacks, and coffee. Sobrang hirap niyang matulog, kahit anong pilit.
"Ugh 3am na, Lawrd, Let me sleeeep," Mikha muttered as she glanced at the clock, but sleep seemed impossible. She had tried everything—white noise, meditation apps, even avoiding caffeine (though that never really lasted long). Walang tumatalab.
Nag-scroll siya sa TikTok, aimlessly flipping through random videos, hoping na baka sakaling antukin siya. And then, something caught her attention—a live stream.
“@aiah: LIVE NOW”
Mikha clicked on it without thinking. She had no idea who Aiah was.
Ang ganda naman nito... she thought, with a soft smile and long hair cascading over her shoulders. Her voice was light, almost comforting as she greeted her viewers.
“Hey, guys! Kamusta kayo? Grabe ang daming nangyari sa school and work, pero kaya pa naman.”
Mikha found herself unexpectedly drawn in. She wasn’t even sure why. Hindi naman siya mahilig sa mga ganitong livestream, pero iba si Aiah.
The way Aiah talked, it felt personal, like she was talking directly to Mikha.
"Today was rough, but I'm glad I have this time with you guys," Aiah said softly, her fingers running through her hair. "I’ll sing a bit later if you guys want. Parang na-miss ko na rin."
Mikha couldn’t explain it, pero parang may kung anong humatak sa kanya papunta sa live ni Aiah. As the minutes ticked by, Mikha felt something she hadn’t felt in a long time—calm.
Then, Aiah started to sing.
Her voice was smooth and soft, blending perfectly with the quiet night. Mikha closed her eyes, letting the melody wash over her. She didn’t even realize she was falling asleep until she woke up the next morning, still clutching her phone.
"Luh. What happened?" Mikha muttered, blinking at the screen. The live had long since ended, but something was different. For the first time in forever, nakatulog siya ng maayos.
She quickly searched Aiah's profile, found her TikTok page, and followed.