Work Text:
Minsan kahit walang heartfelt conversations, walang seryosong mga topic, dalawang tahimik na paligid lang ang pumapagitna sa kanila — just distant jeepneys, the hum of a tricycle passing by, at mga buntong-hininga lang. It started after that one stormy night in Katipunan when they shared an umbrella and realized they felt safe in each other’s silence.
They were each other’s almost — always near, never quite right. But the calls made the world feel a little less lonely.
——————
Tunog ng electric fan lang ang maririnig sa apartment ni Jhoanna.
Outside, the city refused to sleep — ang maingay na tunog ng kalsada dahil sa mga jeep na tila walang katapusang umiikot sa Maynila, her neighbors who refused to quiet down, and a sari-sari store’s fluorescent light buzzing faintly in the distance.
Tinignan niya ang teleponong nasa study table: 11:11 PM.
No notification. No vibration. Just the usual digital silence.
For the past six months, her phone always rang at this exact time. Lagi — kahit pagod sila, galit, masaya, inaantok, o walang masabi sa isa’t isa. The call would come — short, quiet, and steady — like a pulse.
Pero ngayon, wala. Nanatiling tahimik ang paligid.
She waited. Seconds turned into minutes. Minutes stretched into an hour.
12:12 AM.
Still nothing.
She stared at her phone like it had betrayed her. A part of her wanted to believe Aiah just fell asleep. Another part — the quieter one she usually ignored — whispered: maybe this was it.
——————
Sobrang lakas ng ulan. Yung bangketa, tila naging swimming pool. Malakas at malamig rin ang hangin. Jhoanna hugged her bag tight, na parang pati ito ay maaaring tangayin ng hangin.
She was standing in front of a closed coffee shop. Wala masyadong bumabyaheng pampasaherong sasakyan. Mahirap din mag-book sa mga online app. Nawalan na siya ng pag-asa. Hihintayin na lang niyang humina ang ulan, saka siya tatakbo pauwi.
That’s when Aiah showed up — holding the saddest excuse for an umbrella she had ever seen.
“Tara, it’s either we both get half wet or pareho tayong malulunod sa baha,” she said, habang may malaking ngiti na nakapaskil sa kanyang mukha.
Tinarayan siya ni Jhoanna, pero unti-unti rin siyang lumapit sa dalaga. Their shoulders touched under the tiny umbrella — they walked through the storm, awkward and cold. From the foot of the overpass, their eyes met, and the sound of their laughter echoed against the wet pavement.
Later that night, habang nagpapatuyo ng buhok si Jhoanna, at exactly 11:11 PM , her phone rang.
[Unknown Number: Calling…]
“Hey,” she said, voice low and tired.
“Just checking if you got home dry.”
Sabay tawa — dahil alam nilang pareho silang basang-basa.
That first call lasted four minutes.
The next night, she called again. No reason. Just to say goodnight.
And then she called again. And again.
Until it wasn’t just a habit — it was theirs.
——————
Jhoanna just got home from work. Sobrang toxic ng araw niya — her boss wanted her to finish something na kakabigay lang sa kanya kahapon, and it clearly needed way more time.
It was 11:00 PM. She waited.
And when the clock turned 11:11 , her phone rang. As expected.
“Hi,” bati ni Aiah. “Bilis mo ha, iniintay mo ko ‘no.”
“Baliw ka,” sagot ni Jhoanna.
“How’s your day? Bakit mukhang pagod na pagod ka?”
And with that, Jhoanna started venting her frustrations. That was their usual routine.
But now, when she reached for her phone over the table, it was dead silent.
Once, it was filled with messages from each other — only to remember there hadn’t been a new one in days.
⸻
“Bampira ka ba, ‘teh? Sa gabi ka lang available eh,” Jhoanna once joked.
They were sitting beside each other at the 7/11 near Jhoanna’s apartment — change of setting, daw.
“Like I always say, my mornings are busy. As much as I want to be with you, I just can’t,” Aiah said, each word laced with a bitterness she tried to hide.
But Jhoanna didn’t press. She had asked before. Aiah always answered with the same word: “Things.”
“Baka mag-resign na ako sa work,” simula ni Jhoanna. It had been on her mind for weeks. And now, sitting beside the girl who made her feel calm, she could finally say it.
“Really? Sa wakas natauhan ka rin. Sabi ko na nga ba, ‘yang boss mo bet ka niyan eh,” Aiah teased, half-joking, mostly relieved.
Jhoanna just stared at her — like all the world’s problems could wait a little longer.
When Aiah spoke, her words always reached straight into Jhoanna’s heart. Walang halong echos, walang pagkukunwari.
“So, ano plano mo? Hahanap ka agad ng bagong work? Or pahinga muna?”
“I was thinking about what you said… na maybe I’m moving too fast. Tapos na ako mag-aral, may savings naman ako, at parents ko lang ang sinusuportahan ko.”
“I have all the time in the world. Hindi ako ‘yung hinihintay ng oras. I have this privilege — to have fun.”
She smiled, crunching on the chips Aiah bought for her.
“Maybe it’s time to go to the places I never got to visit, try drinks I used to avoid kasi may pasok pa kinabukasan, and live the life I missed because I was too busy pressuring myself.”
Aiah looked at her, eyes warm.
“You know, the stars at night are much bigger than the sun. They might seem small and fragile, but some of them are way brighter.”
“And, stars, they help us navigate life. Nandiyan sila sa madilim na gabi para mag-bigay ng liwanag. They are there too, even in a bright morning where the sun rises, nandiyan pa rin sila. They’re like little eyes watching us the whole day, watching every move we make every decision we make”
She reached for Jhoanna’s hand and held it gently.
“I’m proud of you. I hope you know that. In this life, you have me too. In every decision. So don’t worry, okay? Ikaw na ‘yan eh — ano pa bang pwedeng maling mangyari, ‘di ba? Make yourself happy.”
Jhoanna looked at her. When Aiah smiled, her lips moved — but her eyes hesitated, caught somewhere between memory and hope.
That night, the city kept moving. Jeepneys still honked.
But they just sat under the blinking stars, holding each other’s hands.
⸻
The sky looked like it was going to cry — all heavy clouds and no rain. Just like Jhoanna.
The TV was on. She was hugging a pillow on the sofa. Sleep was tugging at her eyes when the ad came on.
A Coke commercial.
Of course. That freaking Coke ad.
Aiah used to scold her for drinking too much Coke. “Masama ‘yan sa kidneys mo, gago,” she used to say.
Jhoanna sat there, frozen. The screen glowed. Her hands trembled as she reached for her phone.
Calling…
One ring… two rings…
“The number you dialed is either unattended or out of coverage area…”
Again.
“The number you dialed…”
Again.
Until the screen dimmed.
1:08 AM.
She was still waiting — not just for the call, but for her .
She thought holding on would keep her close. But all it did was make the silence louder.
⸻
A month later…
The rooftop wind was cooler than usual. The city still buzzed — jeepneys rumbling down EDSA, a distant siren, someone’s TV playing below.
Jhoanna had just come home from Boracay. She was browsing flights to Siquijor.
“Have you ever been to a small island? Try Siquijor! Sobrang ganda doon. Soon, when you get out of your shitty work, let’s go there together!”
She stepped out to her balcony, phone still in her hand. 11:00 PM.
She wasn’t expecting anymore.
But a part of her still hoped — like how the sky waits for stars, even when the clouds don’t clear.
11:11 PM.
Still nothing.
She closed her eyes — not in sadness, but in something close to peace. She was gone. Wherever she was, whatever her reason… Jhoanna hoped she was okay.
She opened their old chat, scrolled up, and read the last message Aiah ever sent:
“Ingat ka, palagi.”
She smiled — a tired, aching smile.
Then she put away her phone and watched the city lights flicker.
11:15 PM. Still no call.
But this time, the silence didn’t sting.