Chapter 22

Mikha POV

Pagkapasok ko ng bahay, sinalubong agad ako ng ingay nina Joanna sa labas. Rinig hanggang foyer ang tawanan at asaran nila—the usual chaos. 

I scanned the living room, thinking baka kasali si Aiah sa gulo nila, pero wala siya roon. The face I want to see..

I just wanted to check if she was doing okay. 

Lately, she’s been my first thought every time.

Dumiretso ako sa taas at binuksan ang pinto ng kwarto niya.

“Aiah?”

Silence. The room was empty, her bed neatly done, and the curtains swaying slightly in the breeze. Baka nasa baba lang? I checked the other rooms,

 until I passed by the mini library.

I pushed the door open, and the noise from Joanna’s group downstairs instantly muffled. It was like stepping into a different world.

And there she was.

Nakasandal siya sa sofa, tulog na tulog. May libro tungkol sa pregnancy na nakapatong sa lap niya—the pages were slightly creased where her hand had been.

While I’m doing my best para ihanda ang sarili ko at maging okay ang lahat, she’s also giving so much effort to become a good parent. 

It hit me then—hindi lang ako ang kinakabahan. She’s pouring her whole heart into this, preparing for the life growing inside her.

I stepped closer, making sure my footsteps were silent. I didn’t want to wake her, but I couldn’t help but lean in. Dahan-dahan, I tucked a stray lock of hair na tumakip sa mukha niya behind her ear.

There was a sudden, Warm in my heart.

For the first time, I looked at her for that long carefully. I let myself stare without worrying about anything else. 

She’s so pretty—no, 

she’s wonderful.

She looked so breathtakingly beautiful in the soft, warm glow of the library lamp.

The light hit the curves of her face just right, highlighting the porcelain glow of her skin. 

Her long eyelashes were casting soft shadows on her cheeks, and her lips—slightly parted as she breathed—looked so soft and pink.

I noticed the small, delicate mole near her eye and the way her hair fanned out against the velvet cushion of the sofa like a dark halo. She looked like a masterpiece.I couldn’t pull my eyes away. Looking at her like this, parang tumitigil ang mundo ko.

I felt this overwhelming urge to protect her. I just wanted to do something—anything—that could make her happy.

What is this?

Napatigil ako..

I touched my chest, right over my heart. I felt different. So different. From the very first time that I met her, she turned my life upside down. My once cold and organized world? She changed it in the most beautiful way.

She looks so fragile right now. 

So soft and peaceful. Para siyang anghel na naligaw sa magulo kong mundo.

Bawat ngiti niya, bawat tawa, even the way she gets mad or when she cries… everything about her feels like it belongs in my life. I’ve met a lot of women before—ambitious, brilliant, and striking. Pero si Aiah? She’s different. She’s a different kind of beautiful. The kind that doesn’t just catch your eye, but stays in your soul.

She makes me feel something… profound. Like I am whole with her. Like for the first time, I am actually complete.

I don’t know exactly what this is yet, but I know it’s something I never want to lose.

I took a deep breath, my eyes still fixed on her face. I’m still afraid. I still have threats and shadows I need to deal with. But looking at her now, I realized that I would face anything—absolutely anything—just to keep her safe.

Dahan-dahan siyang na-alimpungatan. She blinked a few times, her eyes still sleepy and soft, before landing on me.

“Mikha… sorry nakatulog ako. Kumusta? Nakapag-usap na ba kayo ni Papa?” tanong niya, her voice still husky from sleep.

“Hindi nga, eh. Napatawag kasi siya sa barangay…” napakamot ako sa batok, feeling a bit awkward.

She gave a small, understanding chuckle. “Si Papa talaga. Hayaan mo na, madami pa namang araw.”

In that moment, I felt something shift. The way she talked to me… parang wala nang barricade. The walls she built were finally crumbling. She’s now the Aiah that I’ve always wanted to know.

Then she smiled at me. It wasn’t just a polite smile—it was real. 

Is this the new beginning?

“Nakatulog ka na rito,” sabi ko, trying to hide how fast my heart was beating. “Gusto mo ba lumipat na sa kwarto mo? Sige, aayusin ko na para makapag-pahinga ka.”

Tumayo na ako para umalis, but then—

“Mikha…”

Her voice was soft, stopping me in my tracks. Lately, she’s been calling me by my first name, and I can’t help but let a small smile slip. I love the way my name sounds when she says it.

“I don’t want to sleep yet… pero, pwede mo ba akong samahan?”

“Sige… saan ba?”

……..

Naglakad kami patungo sa isang malawak na field, a few minutes away from their house. It was breathtaking.

 The province vibes were at their peak—high trees decorated with fairy lights, the cool breeze, and a peaceful atmosphere that makes you forget the world.

Kami lang dalawa. no noise, no shadows.

“This is my favorite place, Mikha.”

“Yeah… ang ganda rito,” I whispered.

But I wasn’t looking at the field. My eyes were fixed on her—my true definition of beauty. Sa ilalim ng liwanag ng buwan, lalong lumutang ang ganda niya.

Bigla siyang humarap sa akin, catching me staring. It was awkward, but I didn’t look away. The way I looked at her already said everything: She is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.

Suddenly, our world stopped.

She gently held my hand.

 “Let’s sit here…”

Para akong na-hypnotize. Sumunod lang ako sa kanya at umupo kami sa ilalim ng isang malaking puno. The atmosphere was so romantic, and my heart? It was doing gymnastics inside my chest.

“So, tell me your story,” she said, her eyes searching mine. “The whole story…”

​I looked away, staring at the distant lights. I took a deep breath, letting the walls I’d built for years finally crumble.

​”I was the black sheep in the family, Aiah. Mula noon, feeling ko hindi ako belong sa kanila.” I started, my voice slightly raspy. 

“My family… they had my whole life planned out. They wanted me to marry a business partner—some guy I didn’t even like. They didn’t want me to have a career. For them, my only purpose was to be a housewife.”

​I let out a bitter laugh. “But they didn’t know the truth. Since I was young, I knew… I was never attracted to guys. I fought for my identity, but they just saw it as rebellion.”

​Aiah remained silent, her grip on my hand tightening as if telling me it was okay to continue.

​”Noong hindi ko na kinaya, I demanded my share and left. I wanted to prove them wrong. I moved away and started my own restaurant business. I love cooking, Aiah. It was the only thing that made me feel alive.”

​I paused, the memory of my failure stinging like a fresh wound.

​”But then the pandemic hit. Everything I worked for… gone. I lost it all. In my desperation, I turned to the one thing that promised a quick fix: gambling. It became an addiction. I lost track of reality until I realized I owed a massive amount of money to a syndicate.”

​I looked at her then, my eyes reflecting the guilt I’d been carrying.

​”They’re dangerous people, Aiah. Kaya ako nagmadaling bumalik dito sa Pilipinas. I was desperate for a way out, a way to be safe. According to the trust fund rules or the situation I was in, the only way I could secure my future and my safety was to have a child. That’s why I decided to invest in IVF.”

​I looked down at our joined hands, my heart thumping against my ribs.

​”And then this happened. You happened. At first, I thought I didn’t have a choice. I thought this was just a deal… a transaction to save my life.”

​I looked back into her eyes, my voice dropping to a soft, vulnerable whisper.

​”Pero ngayon… I realize I’m not just doing this to survive I think I’m starting to have the real life”

The silence that followed was long, but it wasn’t cold. Aiah didn’t look at me with judgment; she looked at me with something that felt like… understanding.

I took a shaky breath and squeezed her hand.

“But more than the story… I want to say something else.” I leaned a bit closer, my gaze locked onto hers. “Thank you, Aiah.”

 the air was thick with emotions—until a loud, sharp voice pierced through the romantic silence.

“Stop right there! I’m telling you, Joanna, the lighting here is so pang-indie film! Maliligaw tayo mamaya maging wrong turn tayo dito!”

“Shut up, Stacey! I know this place—oh my God, wait!” Joanna stopped dead in her tracks.

They both froze, eyes wide, looking at me and Aiah like they just discovered a gold mine.

“Hoy! Sabi ko na nga ba, dito nila balak mag-re-shoot ng Hello, Love, Goodbye!” Joanna shrieked, pointing at us. “Kulang na lang yung jacket at maleta, teh! Joy and Ethan version 2.0!”

“Ow my Ghadd!” Stacey added, clutching her chest dramatically while trying not to trip on her heels. ” the tension! I can feel the kilig from here! May holding hands ceremony na nagaganap! Close na sila, oh!”

I immediately let go of Aiah’s hand, feeling the heat rush to my face. I cleared my throat, trying to regain my “cool” persona. 

“What are you guys doing here? Seriously, you’re so istorbo.”

I squinted at them, looking at how they were standing side-by-side. “And wait… aren’t you two supposed to be fighting? Like, you literally wanted to strangle each other an hour ago. Why are you suddenly together nambubulabog here?”

Joanna and Stacey exchanged a look of pure “ew,” but they didn’t move away from each other.

“Excuse me, Mikha,” Stacey said, flipping her hair. “Don’t get it twisted. We are not friends. We are just ‘allies’ in the mission called #OplanMarites. We were actually in the middle of a very intense argument about her pag ka mayabang at pag ka babaero but we saw you two instead.”

“Exactly!” Joanna chimed in. “Kaysa naman mag-away kami, mas masaya kayong asarin. I mean, look at this! In the middle of a field, may naglalandian. I thought you were the cold, mysterious type, Mikha? You’re so breezy, ha!”

“We were just talking!” Aiah defended, her face now a deep shade of crimson.

“Just talking… or ?” Stacey wiggled her eyebrows mischievously. “Is this a date? Because if it is, are we ruining it? Should we go? Kasi if you want, we’ll leave… but we’ll just hide behind that tree and take videos for the ‘gram!”

“Go away! Seriously!” I snapped, 

“Eto naman, so hot-headed! Baka mabinat si Aiah nyan!” Joanna laughed, suddenly grabbing Aiah’s hand and pulled her to leave. “Let’s go inside, Aiah. Its getting late baka malamigan ka.”

As they started walking, Stacey hissed at Joanna, “Stop following me so closely, your perfume is giving me a headache.”

​”It’s expensive perfume, you just have cheap taste!” Joanna snapped back, but then they both leaned into Aiah, whispering. “But for real, Aiah, did she kiss you? Tell us everything!”

​” STACEY!” we both shouted at the same time, but they just ran toward the house, their bickering voices fading into the night.

…..

Hinatid ko na siya sa room niya para makapag-pahinga nadin. 

The hallway felt longer than usual, and the air was awkward with the kind of silence that makes your ears ring.

Pag dating namin sa kwarto

“Sorry about Joanna, she’s just being playful sometimes,” I said, trying to act cool but my voice was a bit raspy.

“Ah, same as Stacey. Alam mo naman yung mga ‘yun,” she replied with an awkward laugh, avoiding my eyes.

​”But it’s good. It seems like they’re getting along…” I trailed off, scratching the back of my neck. “Amm, so, are you sleepy? Or hungry? Do you want a snack before getting to bed?”

I was babbling. I was literally offering her snacks like a flight attendant because I didn’t know how to handle the vibe.

“Thank you, Mikha…” She looked at me, her eyes suddenly deep and… needy.

“Just stay here.”

My heart skipped a beat.Oo nga pala, she wants me to sleep with her. I almost forgot—or maybe my brain was just trying to protect me from the inevitable heart attack. How can I say no to those eyes? I need to be strong for her, but dang, it’s hard.

​I practically ran to the other room, but as usual, bwisit si Joanna. Inasar na naman ako ng gago. 

“Ehem! Lilipat na ng home court si Mikha Lim? Tumira ng tres… shoot!” 

she barked, laughing like a villain Kaya medyo napatagal ako bago nakabalik sa room ni Aiah because of defending my self.

​Pagbalik ko sa kwarto ni Aiah, she had already changed into her night attire. She was sitting on the bed, reading silently. The sight of her in her sleepwear, looking so soft and vulnerable, made me freeze by the door.

​”Mikha, ‘wag ka nang bumaba. Use my mini bathroom if you want to wash,” she said. Her voice was so calm, so steady, it was almost mesmerizing.

​I nodded and scurried inside. Nakakahiya naman, ‘di ba? I didn’t want to smell like the field when I’m sleeping next to her. I took a quick shower, letting the water hit my face, desperately trying to cool down my head.

​AIAH POV

​I was pretending to read my book, but I was literally staring at the same sentence for ten minutes. I acted cool, flipping pages every now and then, but the truth is, I was vibrating with excitement. Bit nervous? Yes. But the longing to be with her was the only thing on my mind.

​After a while, the bathroom door opened. Even the vanity mirror went blurry because of the steam drifting out.

​Everything went into slow motion.

​There was Mikha. She stepped out wearing a cut-off T-shirt, her skin still glistening from the water. Her hair was damp, and she was casually drying it with a towel, her movements slow and effortless. I felt a sudden electric jolt in my body and a wave of heat that had absolutely nothing to do with the weather.

​It was like a movie. The way she ran her fingers through her damp hair to push it back, the natural blush on her cheeks from the heat of the shower… and the stray droplets of water still drifting down from her jawline to her collarbone.
Her lips were naturally plum-red, still slightly damp from her bath.

​I couldn’t help but gulp hard. 

My heart was thumping against my ribs so loudly I was afraid she’d hear it. I stared at her for a long time, my gaze lingering on the way the light caught the moisture on her skin. She looked so raw, so beautiful—and she was staying here. With me.

“Aiah… Aiah?”

Nagising ang diwa ko nang marinig ko ang boses niya. Hindi ko napansin na she was already talking to me and asking something. Hindi ko alam kung gaano na ba ako katagal nakatanga sa kanya o kung tumulo na ba ‘yung laway ko sa sobrang pag titig.

“Ahh—ano ulit ‘yun?” trying to play it cool kahit feeling ko ay nagliliyab na ang buong mukha ko.

“I said, can I use your hair dryer?” she asked, a small, playful smirk tugging at the corners of her lips. She definitely knew she caught me staring.

“Sure, sure… nasa pangalawang row ng cabinet,” I stammered, pointing vaguely towards the vanity.

Ghad, what is happening to you Aiah? 

Ganun na ba ako kabaliw sa isang Mikhaela Lim? The way she moved, the way her damp hair clung to her skin—it was like my brain had completely short-circuited.

Kinuha niya ang hair dryer at nagsimulang patuyuin ang buhok niya. The sound of the dryer filled the room, but my mind was even louder. I tried to look back at my book, but the pages were just a blur. I could feel her presence just a few feet away, and every time the scent of her shampoo reached me, my heart would do a little somersault.

MIKHA POV

I was finally done with my thing. Nagpapatuyo na rin ako ng buhok, but even after all that, I was still standing by the edge of the bed like a complete statue. Para akong security guard na hindi alam kung saan pupwesto. 

Should I wait for her to fall asleep first?

But I saw it. I saw how she looked at me a while ago.

Habang nag-aasikaso ako, I could feel her gaze. It wasn’t loud it, heavy stare that followed my every move. It was lowkey, but the intensity was the

“Mikha…” she called out.

Her voice was sweet but different. It was soft, and had this needy undertone that made my heart do jumping.

“Yes, Ma’am?” Gosh, why did I call her Ma’am? My brain is literally fried.

“What’s taking you so long? Tara na dito” she murmured. It wasn’t a command; it was a plea.

“Umm alright..” Dahan-dahan akong umupo sa kama na para bang ayokong makabasag ng kahit ano. 

I even let out a fake cough just to mask the sudden surge of shyness.

“Is the air-conditioning okay? Gusto mo lakasan ko pa?” Aiah asked softly, her eyes never leaving mine.

“No, it’s okay. ‘Di ba lamigin ka? I’m okay,” I stammered, looking everywhere but at her.

She didn’t say anything at first. 

Instead, she moved closer, her presence wrapping around me like a blanket. 

She reached out, her fingers slightly as she wiped the sweat from my forehead.

“But you’re sweating, Mikha,” she whispered, her voice so low it was almost a secret. “Kaliligo mo lang.”

“Ah, wa-wala ‘yan… ano, ano kasi…” I was a mess. A total “tense rat” caught in her quiet gravity.

“Mikha…”

“Aiah?”

She looked at me, her eyes dark and reflecting the lamplight just a raw, lowkey desperation. 

“I think… naglilihi na ako.”

The moment those words left her mouth,  I said to my self I was ready for this slammed into high gear. I forgot the tension. I forgot how she was looking at me. All I cared about was her and the baby. I stood up immediately.

“Sige! Lalabas ako. Ano ‘yun? Bibilhin ko agad!” I said, frantic.

Her face suddenly turned a deep shade of crimson. She looked away, her fingers nervously tugging at the sheets. She looked so small, so hesitant.

“Don’t be shy… I will do it. Kahit ano pa ‘yan, I will give it to you. It’s for the baby,” I said firmly, sitting back down right beside her to let her know I was serious.

Napayuko siya. She looked so needy, like she was afraid to ask. I moved closer, my shoulder brushing hers, trying to be the strength she needed.

“Anything, Aiah… anything. I promise. It’s okay, I understand you. I will give you anything you say. If it’s impossible, gagawan ko ng paraan.”

Aiah finally looked up. The shyness was still there, but her eyes were fixed on my lips.

“Anything, Mikha? Are you sure?” she whispered, her voice so soft I had to lean in to hear it.

I nodded, completely mesmerized. “I’m sure.”

“I want… this.”

Then—snap.

1-2-3-4-5-6-7. Seven seconds of pure, breathless chaos. She reached out, delicate hand clipping my face and pulling me in. slowly, her lips meeting mine in a kiss that was deep, lingering, and filled with a quiet need to finally taste what she had been staring at all night. She didn’t just kiss me; she tasted my lips as if I were a forbidden dessert she had been craving

It was hot, it was intense, and it left me absolutely shattered.

I was so shocked, I couldn’t even move. My heart was thumping against my ribs like it wanted to escape.

“Goodnight, Mikha,” she whispered, her voice returning to that sweet, innocent tone.

And just like that, she turned around, tucked herself in, and fell asleep—leaving me alone in the dark with the ghost of her lips still burning on mine.