Chapter Text
The morning settled lazily around them, sunlight slipping through the thin curtains in soft, golden streaks that barely reached the bed.
Aiah lay on her side, back pressed against Jhoanna’s chest, phone loosely held in her hand as she scrolled through her gallery. Her hair was slightly messy, strands falling over her face, and every now and then she’d tuck them behind her ear absentmindedly. Jhoanna, still heavy with sleep, had one arm wrapped around her waist, the other lazily combing through Aiah’s hair.
She wasn’t really looking at the photos, she was watching Aiah. The way her brows slightly furrowed whenever she focused. The tiny smile that would appear when she saw something she liked.
Jhoanna pressed her face deeper into Aiah’s neck, breathing her scent in. Her fingers stilled for a moment before continuing their gentle strokes.
Aiah, meanwhile, started selecting a few photos—Jhoanna squinted a bit, trying to see, but everything still felt blurry from sleep.
“What are you doing?” she mumbled, voice low and rough. “’Wag mo ’yan ide-delete ah. Ang ganda ganda mo riyan.”
Aiah chuckled softly. “No, love. Mag e-edit ako ng Siargao dump.”
“Okay,” Jhoanna replied, already half gone again.
She yawned, burying herself deeper into Aiah’s neck, tightening her hold just a little. Her lips brushed against her skin as she spoke again, quieter this time.
“Amoy beach naman ang baby. I love it.”
Aiah laughed again. “Have you seen Blooms’ reaction doon sa pinost ni Colet?” she asked, still focused on her phone. “Yung where you and Stacey were hugging and kissing me?”
“Yeah,” Jhoanna answered, voice muffled. “I don’t care. Matagal naman na ’kong halata.”
“Halatang what?” she asked, tone shifting just slightly. “Womanizer?”
Jhoanna lifted her head immediately, eyes opening a bit wider despite the sleep still clinging to her. “Luh?”
She leaned up to look at Aiah properly, trying to read her expression—but Aiah didn’t look back. She was still staring at her phone.
But she was pouting.
“Huy,” Jhoanna said, her arm tightening around her again, pulling her closer.
Aiah exhaled, then spoke “Alam mo ang hirap i-admit, but sometimes I agree with Blooms nga. Bagay ka sa lahat. Nakakainis.”
“Siyempre,” she said lightly. “But don’t worry, you get half of my time naman. VIP ka.”
Aiah slowly turned her head, flat expression and unamused.
“Ay—”
Aiah slipped out of her hold, sat up, then got out of bed without another word, grabbing her phone and walking out of the room.
“Aiahhhhhh.”
By the time Jhoanna found her, Aiah was already seated on the couch, legs tucked under her, fully focused on editing. Her face was calm, but the slight tightness in her jaw said everything.
Jhoanna hovered for a moment before slowly approaching, then plopping down beside her like nothing happened.
She pouted. “Ano ba ’yan,” she muttered, then rested her chin on Aiah’s shoulder. Aiah shifted away.
Jhoanna blinked, then straightened up, thinking. “Love…” she dragged out, voice intentionally cute.
She inched closer again, nudging her arm lightly.
“Tapos kunwari maangas ka kapag nasa camera?” Aiah suddenly said, eyes still on her phone. “Mind you, alam na nilang malambing ka kapag lasing.”
Jhoanna grinned immediately.
“Sure kang pag lasing lang?” she teased.
Aiah clicked her tongue, finally turning to her. “Che. Mag-prepare ka na. Direk’s gonna kill us,” she said, standing up. “At ’wag mo muna akong kausapin dahil meron ako at naiinis ako sa’yo ngayon.”
Jhoanna raised both hands in surrender. “Okay, boss. Copy.” She knew better than to do the opposite.
—
Hours later, the energy had completely shifted.Makeup artists moving around with brushes and palettes, stylists fixing outfits, staff calling out instructions—it was the usual routine.
Jhoanna sat in front of the mirror, a makeup artist carefully blending blush onto her cheeks.
But her attention was across the room.
Aiah sat a few chairs away, getting her makeup done as well. She looked calm and completely unbothered, still not looking at her. Jhoanna pouted slightly, then looked down at her phone, opening TikTok just to distract herself.
Scroll, “Get ready with me as I—“
Scroll, “A day in a life of a—“
Scroll, “Buldak Carbonara Mukbang ASMR”
Liked
“Sarap, gago.” She licked her lips.
Then scrolled again after a few seconds.
Scroll, “Oh kalami, oh kalami—“ It was Aiah’s dance practice promo on tiktok.
Liked. Added to favorites. Added to “My Love” Collection.
Jhoanna smiled. The sighed. She missed her girlfriend so much. (Mag kasama lang sila 2 hours ago)
She checked the comments on that post, ang dami niya talagang kaagaw. Nakakainis. That’s why she couldn’t blame Aiah if she was jealous or upset with her other ships. Nakakainis naman talaga.
Jhoanna then tapped her girlfriend’s profile. She wanted to lurk into her TikTok account to kill the longing inside her.
But she saw something even better.
Aiah’s new post.
“What is this…” She tapped it immediately.
A moment of silence for another lost gae soul.
What. The. Fuck.
SHET.
ANG GANDA NAMAN NG GIRLFRIEND KO.
Like NO? That wasn’t enough. Aiah looked insane. MAMA MARY. Hindi e, ‘yung ganda niya, hindi na makatuwiran?! Jusko po. Her beauty can make you question if you were even seeing her properly because how does someone look like that and just exist normally?
Her skin glowed like it had its own light source, sun-kissed and soft, like the beach never really left her. Her hair framed her face perfectly, slightly tousled in that effortless way people tried so hard to achieve but never actually could.
It wasn’t even directed at the camera fully, and somehow that made it worse.
Jhoanna’s fingers moved faster than her brain. She typed—
“AKIN LAHAT TO??? AKIN LAHAT TO EH TANGINAAHSHAJAJAJSJWHAH AKIN TO BABY KO TO EH MAHAL NA MAHAL KO TO!!!!!”
“Huy, Jhoanna! ’Wag ka nga malikot. Pag itong blush mo makapal mamaya, ikaw rin mapapahiya.”
Jhoanna flinched slightly. “Ay sorry na po, Kuya Julius! Labyu!”
The girls nearby laughed. Even Aiah.
Okay. Calm down. You’re THEE Jhoanna Robles.
She stared at her comment.
…yeah, no.
Delete. She took a deep breath, then typed again.
“shett.”
—
Lunch meant piling into the van, the usual chaos of who sits where already starting before they even reached it.
Aiah got in first, naturally taking a spot at the back.
“Excuse me, excuse me!!”
She squeezed past everyone without hesitation.
“Ano ba, Jhoanna! Makakasakay ka, teh ah!” Stacey rolled her eyes.
Jhoanna just stuck her tongue out at her before sliding into the seat beside Aiah. Mission accomplished.
But Aiah didn’t even look at her.
The van started moving, the chatter slowly dying down as some of the girls leaned back to rest. Jhoanna shifted closer.
“Love, galit ka pa rin?”
“Oo.” Aiah said flatly.
“Luh? Gusto mo lang malambing eh.”
“Shut up, Jhoanna,” Aiah muttered. “Or patatabihin ko talaga si Mikha sa akin, sinasabi ko sa’yo.”
“NO!!!!” she blurted, her hand instinctively reaching for Aiah’s, fingers wrapping around hers before she could even think twice.
She tightened her grip, intertwining their fingers as if sealing the deal, then leaned her head against Aiah’s shoulder. “No mekaya. Aiahnna only.”
“It’s Jhoaiah, stupid. Pati ’yan ’di mo pa alam?” Aiah muttered, rolling her eyes.
“Parehas lang ’yun!!”
Aiah clicked her tongue, rolling her eyes again before looking away again. “Pero pag iba alam na alam…” She said, almost in a whisper, but Jhoanna heard it.
“Luhhh?” Jhoanna lifted her head, looking at her. “Tampo ka?”
Aiah turned her head toward the window.
“Baby naman…” Jhoanna softened, resting her chin on Aiah’s shoulder so they were both facing outside.
“Jho, lumayo ka sa’kin or tatadyakan talaga kita.” Aiah warned, whisper-shouting, though the threat didn’t quite match the way she still hadn’t pulled her hand away.
“That’s so not mama mary of you, love.”
“Isa.”
“Eto na nga!” She leaned back up, raising her hands again in surrender.
Aiah rolled her eyes, then pulled out her phone, scrolling.
-
Nananahimik nalang si Jhoanna. Glancing at her girlfriend from time to time, trying to see if she’s calmed down. But no. Right now, her brows were still furrowed… maybe a little scarier than usual. But she was scowling at her phone. Baka may nakitang ‘di niya gusto. Jhoanna figured then sighed.
She decided to just close her eyes to kill time.
But then…
“Aray naman, love!” Jhoanna suddenly yelped, rubbing her arm. Aiah had smacked her.
“Delete your comment! Boang ka talaga, direk is going to kill you!”
“Why? Shet naman talaga eh!” Aiah slapped her again.
“Arayyyy!”
“I’m serious, Jhoanna. I don’t want you to get troubled. Kapag ikaw talaga, sinasabi ko sa’yo ha!”
“Relax, Ate Aiah,” she said, still pouting but smiling a little. “They won’t. If they do, ano gagawin nila? Aalisin ako sa BINI?”
“You’ll never know!!”
“Oa naman, baby. Hindi ’yannn. I’ll deal with it. Ako bahala.”
Aiah clicked her tongue. “Tsk. Ang tigas ng bungo mo ah. ’Di ko ’yon ila-like, baliw ka talaga.”
Jhoanna grinned. “You’re so hot when you’re mad at me. Shettttttt.”
Aiah was about to slap her again—
“Can you guys turn it down a little? I’m trying to rest here.” Mikha said, yawning.
“Bump. Kanina pa kayo ah. Paki-lugar paglalandian, please,” Sheena added.
“Batiin mo na kasi, Yang. Nakakairita boses eh,” Colet chimed in.
“Agree! ’Di naman kaya ipakita sa camera!” Stacey laughed.
“Ooooooooh!” The van erupted.
And at the back, the two of them froze.
Red. Very red.
Gwen’s voice sliced through the noise sharply, her tone enough to immediately shut everyone up. “Kayong lahat maingay eh. Pagta-taliin ko kayong lahat talaga!”
No one dared
to argue. Everyone was silent after that, going back to whatever they were doing.
But best believe the lovebirds at the back were red as tomatoes right now, with their fingers locked together.