Chapter 27

No One’s POV

Hindi nila namalayan ang oras. The orange hues of the sunset had long faded into a deep, velvety blue. The night was calm, almost as if the world had hushed itself just to let them speak. It felt like they were finally giving themselves the chance to truly know each other—no distractions, no other people, just Aiah and Mikha.

Habang naglalakad sa garden path, they decided to just stop and stay still for a moment. Napaupo sila sa isang bench, and Mikha, being her usual attentive self, inalalayan si Aiah hanggang sa makaupo ito nang maayos.

“Here, suot mo muna ‘to,” Mikha said, draping her maroon leather jacket over Aiah’s shoulders. The cool, premium scent of the leather and Mikha’s perfume immediately enveloped her, making her heart race.

“Thank you… and thank you, Miks, for this night. I really enjoyed it,” Aiah whispered, looking at her.

Mikha didn’t answer right away. She turned to Aiah, her gaze dropping to a soft, lingering intensity. it was that heavy, soulful look that seemed to see right through Aiah’s soul. The atmosphere in the air was thick with unspoken words and a raw, quiet sincerity.

“Ako ‘yung dapat magpasalamat,” 

Mikha whispered, her voice like velvet in the night air. 

“Thank you for hearing me out… thank you kasi hindi ka lumayo.”

Aiah tilted her head, her breath hitching at the gaze. “Why would I?”

“Because I know you’re straight… and here I am, acting brave because wala akong magawa. I needed to let out the voice of my heart… that I like you a lot, Aiah.”

 Aiah’s Inner Monologue:

> “JUICE KO MEKALEMM!! ANO BA?! MAIIHI NAKO DITO SA SOBRANG KILIG, HINAY LANG! 

After a few seconds of trying to stabilize her breathing, Aiah managed to find her voice. 

She looked at Mikha, her forehead creasing in genuine confusion because she can’t remember na sinabi niyang straight siya kay Mikha. “Hmm… I don’t think na sinabi ko sa’yo na straight ako. I don’t remember saying that, Miks.”

“Actually you did.. Maybe you just don’t remember.. It’s In Egypt…” Mikha answered simply.

Egypt. The word hit Aiah like a lightning bolt. Her mind suddenly raced back to that blurry night—the loud music, the drinks, and the mysterious, beautiful face of the girl she had impulsively kissed before pretending to be fast asleep all night. It was year ago 

It was her. It was Mikha all along. Finally, everything made sense.

“And hindi ko akalaing magkikita ulit tayo, Aiah,” Mikha continued, her voice filled with wonder. “In a crazy incident… but now it makes sense. The world kept bringing us back together. I believe in that.”

Aiah’s eyes widened in total shock. “I’m sorry! I mean, ghad… I’m sorry, Mikha! I stole kisses two times! Don’t get me wrong… that night, I was so drunk and I don’t know what I was doing… and about Cebu… amm… I really craved the taste of your lips. Sorry!”  Mabilis niyang paliwanag napayuko siya sa sobrang hiya.

Mikha’s soft side surfaced, malamlam pa rin ang tingin at punong-puno ng pagmamahal. “I don’t mind, as long as it was you? Actually… you can ask me anytime.”

Aiah gasped, nearly jumping off the bench. “Mikha Lim!! Stop!” she squealed, her face turning a deep shade of crimson.

“I’m just joking… here,” Mikha chuckled, gently holding Aiah’s arm to steady her.

Aiah couldn’t help but laugh through her embarrassment. “Ewan ko sa’yo!”

Inabot na sila ng dilim sa Antipolo, and eventually, the realization hit that they had to head back. The drive back to their condo was unusually quiet, but it was a comfortable, heavy silence—the kind that felt like a bridge between who they were and who they were becoming to each other.

When they reached their floor, the elevator dinged, and they stepped out into the quiet, carpeted hallway. Since they lived on the same floor, the walk to their doors was short, but they made it feel like a mile-long trek.

They stopped right in the middle of the hallway, halfway between their units. Aiah was still draped in Mikha’s maroon leather jacket, the sleeves slightly too long for her. They looked at each other like two teenagers who didn’t want the night to end, even though their beds were just a few steps away.

“So… pasok na ako?” Aiah whispered, her feet glued to the floor.

“Yeah. Late na rin,” Mikha replied, her voice low and velvety. She stood there, hands tucked into her pockets, looking at Aiah with sincere gaze.

“Goodnight, Miks.”

“Goodnight, Aiah.”

None of them moved. They stayed there for another thirty seconds, just breathing in the same space in the empty hallway, until Aiah finally giggled, gave a small wave, and slowly walked toward her door, looking back one last time before slipping inside.

……

Aiah’s POV

It was much later that night. Maloi and Stacey were already settled on the couch, We decided to have movie marathon. 

They focused on a movie on Netflix, but my attention was anywhere but the TV screen. I was curled up in the single armchair, still wearing Mikha’s maroon leather jacket, my thumbs flying across my phone screen.

I was so busy exchanging messages with Mikha that I didn’t even know what was happening in the movie.

I bit my lip so hard, feeling the heat rise to my cheeks.

​I bit my lip so hard, smiling ear to ear as I stared at those four words. My face felt so hot it could probably boil water.

​I was just there, staring at the screen with the biggest, most obvious eye smile, completely oblivious to the two pairs of eyes watching me from the couch.

“Hoy, Aiah Arceta! Ano na? Pinapatay na ‘yung bida, nakangiti ka pa rin dyan?” Maloi barked

“Busy-busy-han tayo ah? Usapan movie marathon diba?” Stacey teased, leaning over the back of my chair. 

“It’s just… a funny meme!” I said, quickly hiding my phone against my chest, but my expression was already betraying me.

“Meme? Eh bakit namumula ‘yang mukha mo hanggang leeg? Mapudpod labi mo dyan kaka kagat” Maloi laughed, nudging my shoulder. “Sus! Aminin mo na, hindi ka na nanonood kasi lunod na lunod ka na kay Mikha!”

“Girls, please! Kinikilig lang ‘yung tao!” I admitted, 

Stacey rolled her eyes playfully, but she couldn’t hide her smirk. “Naku, ate Aiah… sa una lang ‘yan!” she joked. “Enjoy-en mo lang ‘yang sweet sweetan phase, Kulang nalang hanggang pag ligo dalin mo yang cellphone mo. Kapit bahay lang natin siya puntahan mo nalang kaya”

“Whatever, Stace!” I laughed, throwing a nearby throw pillow at her. But deep down, I knew they were right. I was completely gone for her.

I slowly pulled my phone out again.
I ignored the TV completely and focused on my screen. We just kept going, the messages flying back and forth as if we hadn’t just spent hours together.

……….

No One’s POV

The Golden Hour

​The sun was beginning to dip, painting the sky in strokes of burnt orange and soft lavender. Inside the car, the atmosphere was just as warm.

​It had been a few weeks since Mikha and Aiah finally cleared the air.

The setup was their “usual” routine: the daily hatid-sundo, the carefully packed lunches, and the non-stop updates. Pero may mga bagay na unti-unting nagbago. Every morning, Mikha would show up with three pieces of flowers—always three. whispered by the petals even before Mikha could say it out loud. And the clarity? It was undeniable. Mas naging vocal si Mikha, mas malambing, and she wasn’t afraid to show her sweet side anymore.

Isang hapon, sinundo ni Mikha si Aiah sa workplace nito. They were both exhausted after a long day, but the moment their eyes met, the fatigue vanished. The excitement was always there, parang laging first time silang magkikita.

Nasa sasakyan sila habang ang langit ay dahan-dahang nagkukulay kahel. The sunset was orange, peaceful, and almost cinematic. Nang mapadaan sila sa isang park, napansin ni Mikha kung paano titigan ni Aiah ang kalangitan. She looked so mesmerized.

But for Mikha? Aiah was the better view.

“Pasyal muna tayo saglit? Maaga pa naman,” Mikha suggested, her voice soft and full of care.

​Aiah turned to her, a radiant smile breaking across her face. She nodded excitedly, her exhaustion from work seemingly vanishing into thin air.

Dahil hapon na, halos wala nang tao sa park. It felt like the world had given them this private moment just for themselves. Inalalayan ni Mikha si Aiah sa isang duyan at marahang itinulak ito.

They were both smiling ear to ear—na para bang Mhie at Dhie ang eksena. The tension was light, playful, and filled with affection. Out of nowhere, Mikha playfully tickled Aiah’s armpit.

“Mikha, stop! Sige ka, maasim ‘yan!” Aiah shrieked while laughing, her voice echoing in the quiet park.

“Maasim ba?” Mikha teased, tapos kunwari ay inamoy ang kamay na pinangsundot niya kay Aiah. “Hmm… maasim nga!”

“Hoy, grabee ka! Joke lang ‘yun, ‘no! Hindi ‘yan maasim kahit dyan ka pa tumira!”

“Talaga lang ha?” Mikha grinned, stopping the swing to lean closer.

“Ah ganun? Maasim talaga?” hamon ni Aiah, looking at her with a pout.

“I’m just kidding… it’s not. Actually, it smells like perfume. Your scent is my favorite,” Mikha whispered, her sweet side showing again.

“Edi wow…” Aiah muttered, blushing furiously.

“Let’s eat later sa food hub near the lake, okay?” Mikha added, her eyes full of adoration.

“Okay…”

Sandaling natahimik ang paligid. The only sound was the distant rustle of leaves. While they were both smiling, Aiah took a deep breath and looked at Mikha.

“Mikha?”

“Po, Aiah?”

Aiah looked her straight in the eye, her expression unreadable, almost cold for a split second. The silence between them felt like a physical weight.

​”May… may sasabihin ako sa’yo.”

“Hmm? ” Mikha hummed softly, stepping closer.

“Tinatanggap na kita… bilang manliligaw. And you can officially start waiting for my answer now.”

Parang nanalo sa lotto si Mikha. Her heart hammered against her chest, and she felt like she was floating. The joy was written all over her face.

“Really? Ghad, I’m so lucky…” Mikha breathed out, holding Aiah’s hands. “I mean, courting you is a privilege… I really, really like you, Aiah.”

……..

Naglakad sila papunta sa food hub malapit sa lake. The air was much cooler now, making the warm lights of the stalls look even more inviting. Nakahanap sila ng pwesto sa isang rustic wooden table right by the water’s edge.

“Wait here, Princess. Don’t move,” Mikha said with a playful wink.

Naiwang nakangiti si Aiah habang pinagmamasdan si Mikha na lumakad palayo. After a few minutes, Mikha returned, balancing dalawang cups ng hot chocolate. Pero ang nakakuha ng atensyon ni Aiah ay ang tatlong piraso ng puting wild flowers na ipit sa mga daliri ni Mikha.

With a proud, happy grin, she presented them to Aiah before sitting down.

“Wow, forda effort tayo ah Thank you! Saan namang lupalop mo nakuha ‘to?” Aiah teased, though she was already blushing as she took the humble bouquet.

Mikha let out a soft, confident chuckle. “Ah, actually… pinitas ko lang ‘yan sa gilid-gilid. Haha, sorry nature.”

Aiah burst into a melodic laugh, touching the delicate petals. “Seryoso? I didn’t know you have a side of that! Pinagdiskitahan mo pa talaga ‘yung mga halaman.” Aiah said, her heart fluttering at the simple yet sincere gesture.

“Diskarte tawag doon,” Mikha smiled, her eyes locked on Aiah’s. “I just wanted to celebrate. First official day of me waiting for your ‘yes or no.’ I wanted you to have something.”

The atmosphere shifted. The laughter settled into a comfortable, warm silence as they both looked out at the lake. 

“Aiah?” Mikha called out softly.

“Hmm? Ano ‘yun?” Aiah hummed, turning her head to look at her. She noticed how the playful glint in Mikha’s eyes had been replaced by a gaze so sincere, it made her heart skip.

Mikha took a deep breath. 

“I just… I just want to, you know… thank you. For letting me. Thank you for giving me the chance, Aiah. It really means everything to me.”

Aiah looked down, then back up at Mikha. She didn’t lean in; she stayed right where she was, letting the distance between them hum with electricity. She gave Mikha’s hand a gentle, reassuring squeeze.

“Keep it up lang, okay?” Aiah whispered with a small, knowing smile. “Baka mapaaga ang ‘yes’ ko niyan kung laging may ‘stolen’ flowers.”

Mikha let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding, her grip on Aiah’s hand turning firm and steady. “I will. I promise. Kahit maubos ko pa lahat ng bulaklak sa park na ‘to para lang sa’yo.”

They sat there in that beautiful, high-tension silence—just staring at each other under the warm glow of the food hub lights. No more teasing, just the quiet weight of a promise.

…..

Mikha’s POV

The drive back was chill. Matapos naming mag-ikot sa park, nakauwi na rin kami sa wakas. The cool night air from outside was quickly replaced by the scent of Aiah’s vanilla diffuser the moment we stepped into her unit.

We are now at Aiah’s condo.

Sabi niya gagabihin daw sila Maloi at Stacey, kaya samahan ko muna daw siya. Honestly? I didn’t mind. Kahit abutin pa kami ng umaga dito, basta siya ang kasama ko, I’m good.

While we are in the living room, we settled on the sofa. We started to watch TV, pero halos hindi ko na maintindihan yung palabas. My mind was busy trying to act normal, even though my heart was pounding against my ribs.

Then, suddenly, Aiah shifted.

Without saying a word, she stretched her legs and comfortably put her foot on my lap. I froze for a split second, my breath hitching in my throat. I’m fully aware that this is too much to handle for me—I mean, now that I finally admitted to myself that I like her.

“Massage…” She said looking so cute

She was pouting her lips, her eyes soft and sleepy, literally asking for a massage like a spoiled princess. She looked so effortlessly feminine, her skin glowing under the warm lamp light.

Kaya agad ko naman minasahe.

I don’t have a foot fetish, but even her feet… I admire them so much. They’re pinkish-white, malambot, and they always look so clean and fresh. As my thumbs pressed into her arches, I felt her relax completely, her head leaning back against the cushion.

“Miks… lower part please,” she whispered, her voice like velvet.

The room was so quiet, only the low hum of the AC and the muffled sound of the TV filling the space. It was peaceful—the kind of peace that feels heavy with things we aren’t saying yet.

I looked down at her, my hands still working their magic. I felt so protective, so pogi in that moment just being the one she turns to when she’s tired. I leaned forward a bit, my face just inches away from her knees.

“Okay na ba ‘to?” I asked

​Suddenly, a playful idea popped into my head. Instead of a massage, I started lightly tickling the middle of her foot.

​”Hala! Mikha! Huy!” Aiah squealed, her eyes snapping open. She tried to pull her feet away, but I held on firmly, laughing as she squirmed on the sofa.

But I didn’t stop tickling. I actually went faster, my fingers dancing over her soles

​”Mikha! Hahaha! Stop it! Sabi nang—”

Aiah suddenly shifted her position because it tickles. Napabalikwas siya ng upo—from lying down, she scrambled to a sitting position, facing me directly. She reached out and firmly grabbed my hands to stop me from tickling her again.

​”Isa pang kiliti kakagatin na kita!” she threatened, laughing breathlessly.

​”Hahaha, sorry…” I chuckled, my eyes dropping to our joined hands.

​”Babi naman oh!” she complained, pouting again.

​I froze for a second. “Babi?”

​”Ammn Hehe… you look like a babi,” she teased, her eyes sparkling under the dim lights.

​”What’s babi?” I asked, my voice dropping into that deep,  tone as I looked her straight in the eye.

​”Baby, I mean…parang kang bata napaka-childish…. But it’s cute,” Aiah whispered.

​”So I’m cute? Do you think I’m cute, Aiah?”

​I didn’t pull my hands away. Instead, I leaned closer—close enough that I could see her breath hitch. Aiah gulped, her gaze flickering down to my lips for a split second before meeting my eyes again.

The air between us turned heavy, peaceful but electric.

​I was just centimeters away from her face. I could feel my heart thumping. This was it. I was going to kiss her—

​”HON! WE’RE HOOOOOOOME!”

​The door didn’t just open; it practically flew off the hinges.

​We both jumped back like we’d been electrocuted. Aiah was suddenly very interested in the ceiling, her face turning a deep shade of crimson. Maloi and Stacey stood there, frozen. Maloi was holding a plastic bag of siomai, and Stacey was mid-sip from a milk tea cup.

​There was a solid five seconds of pure, agonizing silence.

​”Oh…” Maloi finally said, her eyes wide. She slowly turned to Stacey. 

“Hon, parang may dumi sa mata ko. Wala akong makita. Ikaw ba? May nakikita ka?”

​Stacey, catching the vibe immediately, squinted at the wall. 

“Wala, Hon. Zero visibility. Sobrang dilim dito sa condo, parang kailangan natin ng flashlight”

​”Ah, oo! Blurred vision ko tonight,” Maloi added, nodding aggressively as they both started walking—sideways—towards the kitchen, trying to act natural. 

“Grabe ‘tong siomai, Stacey. Parang lasang awkward.”

​Aiah groaned, burying her face in a throw pillow. “Girls andyan na pala kayo.”

​I tried to regain my composure, clearing my throat and leaning back with my arms crossed, though I knew my ears were probably glowing red. “Late na kayo nakauwi. Lasing na yata kayo.”

​Maloi peeked from the kitchen counter, wiggling her eyebrows. “Hindi kami lasing, Miks. Pero feeling ko, ikaw, lasing sa pagmamahal.”

​”GUYSS Stop” Aiah screamed, throwing a small cushion at them, but they both squealed and ran into the hallway, laughing like maniacs.

Aiah panicked. She let out a loud, fake cough—napaubo siya bigla—trying to act normal but her voice was shaking.

​”Ah… guys! Ah, eh…” Aiah stammered, smoothing her hair frantically and looking everywhere but at them. She glanced at me, her eyes wide as if pleading for an exit strategy. 

“Uuwi na si Mikha… diba Miks?”

​I cleared my throat, trying to regain my “pogi” composure despite my own heart racing. I stood up, rubbing the back of my neck.

​”Oo girls, una na ako,” I said, my voice a bit deeper than usual. “Sinamahan ko lang naman si Aiah dahil sabi niyo gagabihin kayo.”

​”Ah, talaga? Sinamahan lang?” Maloi teased, walking toward the kitchen but looking back with a mischievous grin. “Kasi ‘yung nakita namin, parang hindi lang ‘samahan’ ang tawag dun, eh. Parang midnight snack”

​” hayaan mo na! Baka kasi ‘full service’ with extra service,” Stacey chimed in, laughing as she followed Maloi. “Muntik na tayong maging ninang!”

​Aiah grabbed my arm and practically dragged me toward the door. “Sige na, Miks! ! Gabi na, baka antok ka na!”

​”Wait, ‘yung jacket ko—”

​”Ito na! Bye! Ingat!” She shoved my jacket into my chest and opened the door.

​I stopped at the threshold, looking at her flustered, beautiful face. I leaned in just a tiny bit, ignoring the giggling sounds from the kitchen. “Babi…” I whispered, just to see her reaction.

​”Mikha! Sige na!” She whispered-yelled, her face turning even redder if that was even possible.

​She pushed me out of the door and closed it with a quick click. I stood in the hallway, smiling like an idiot. I could still hear Maloi from inside: “Huy, Aiah! Bakit pinapaalis mo agad? Wala naman kaming nakita?!”

​I shook my head, walking toward my unit That’s almost, I thought, but I knew one thing—Aiah’s reaction confirmed everything. I’m definitely more than just a friend now.