Chapter 32

Mikha’s POV

She liked it. No, she loved it.

Sa totoo lang, kinabahan ako. It’s been a long time since I last picked up a guitar. My relationship with music is… complicated. 

Before, when I was still in my parents’ house, my dad enrolled me in the best musical schools—piano, violin, harp—the “refined” instruments. But I secretly loved the guitar. I’d save up my allowance to buy them in secret, from acoustic to electric.

When my father found out, he smashed every single one of them. He said it wasn’t for a “modest girl” like he wanted me to be. That day, I made a promise to myself: the moment I finally escaped that life and left my family, I’d buy every guitar I wanted.

And I did. I bought so many—from the cheapest to the most expensive ones. But life happens. When my house in the States was foreclosed because of my debts, I lost almost everything. This guitar? Ito na lang yung natira sa akin. My favorite. My ever-first guitar that I managed to save from the wreckage of my past.

Tonight, as I played for Aiah, my heart felt warm because it finally made sense. This is the real reason I wanted to play—to sing a song for her.

“Babi… it’s getting late. Hatid na kita?” I asked, noticing the time.

Her face immediately fell. She looked so sad, and honestly, ayoko rin siyang pauwiin. I wish she could just live here with me, but we haven’t talked about that yet.

“Aww, my baby is not sleepy yet?” I teased, fixing her hair.

She was silent, looking deeply into my eyes.

Her eyes were shimmering with unshed tears, reflecting the dim lights of the city outside. She looked so vulnerable, so beautiful, and so certain.

 “Mikha…” She took a shaky breath, her gaze never leaving mine.

“Aiah? Who’s Mikha? My name is Babi,” I joked.

She cracked a small smile. “You’re my Babi, but you’re also my Mikha.” 

Then, her expression turned serious, almost needy. 

Then suddenly 

“I want to marry you.”

Napatigil ako. My heart skipped a beat. Marry her? She wants to marry me. Napaisip ako—did I want that? Then I looked at the girl in front of me. 

the woman carrying our child, the woman who stayed even when I was a jerk, the woman who just asked for forever.

My heart beat in excitement. I’ve never been so sure of anything.

Looking at her right now, everything felt like it had finally fallen into place. For so long, I was running—running from my father, running from my past, running from the fear of being “not enough.” But Aiah? She’s the finish line I never thought I’d deserve. Watching her eyes search mine for an answer, I realized that “forever” wasn’t a scary word anymore. It sounded like home. 

I took her hand. “I will, Aiah. I will… someday, I promise, I will marry you. I love you so much.” My voice cracked I almost cry because it was so true.

She hugged me like I was going to vanish. “Don’t leave me, okay? Kasi mahal na mahal na kita.”

“Same, my love. I’m sure we were born to love each other. Because my whole being says it’s you. Ikaw na, Aiah.”

After a few minutes of just staying there, she whispered, “Babi…”

“Hmmm?”

“Can you get my things sa bahay? I want to sleep with you.”

Napalunok ako. I knew what she meant, but the weight of it felt different. 

“But… I mean, how about Stacey and Maloi? Baka ano isipin nila?”

“Anong iisipin nila? They already know about us, and I already slept here, remember?”

I gulped, remembering that night.

“Now go, Mikha Lim,” she said in her boss tone.

“Yes, boss!” I jumped up, and she gave me the keys. 

“Thank you, baby. Bilisan mo ah, mamimiss agad kita,” she called out as I left.

Paglabas ko, papasok na sana ako sa unit nina Aiah nang makita ko si Jhoanna na akmang kakatok sa pinto. Nag kagulatan kami at

nagkatinginan kaming dalawa.

“Buddy!” sabay naming sabi.

“Ayos ah, parang Grab delivery lang? Meron ba ako riyan?” pagbibiro ko sa kanya habang nakatingin sa dala niyang KFC.

“Buddy naman, oorder na lang kita… aagawan mo pa yung Honey-My-Love-Sugar-Pop kong si Stacey,” hirit ni Jhoanna.

Napatakip na lang ako ng bibig sa sobrang kacornihan ng best friend ko.

 “Grabe, ang tamis mo rin. You’re always here pala, but you can’t even knock on my condo? I’m literally just right there, next door,” sabi ko sabay turo sa kabilang pinto.

“Buddy, ‘wag ka na magselos! Alam mo namang nagbabawi pa ako kay Staks. Teka nga, ikaw ba, anong ginagawa mo rito? Sabi ni Stacey wala pa raw si Aiah?”

“Ahh, hehe about that… tara na, pasok na tayo.” Inunahan ko na siyang buksan ang pinto dahil sa susing binigay sa akin ni Aiah kanina.

Pagbukas namin, naabutan namin sina Stacey at Maloi na seryosong nanonood ng TV. Pagkakita ni Stacey sa amin, agad siyang napatayo at sumalubong ng yakap kay Jhoanna.

“Honey-My-Love-Sugar-Pop ko!” sabi ni Stacey. Inabot naman agad ni Jhoanna ang pagkain.

“Sorry, Sugar Pop… sobrang traffic talaga. Kain ka na, ayokong nagugutom ka.”

“Ano ba ‘yan! Ang sakit niyo sa mata!” sigaw ni Maloi mula sa sofa, halatang naririndi sa dalawa.

“Ehem,” singit ko para mapansin nila. Medyo hindi ko kasi alam kung paano magpapaalam na sa akin matutulog si Aiah.

“Oh, Mikha! Nandiyan ka pala? Anong ginagawa mo rito?” tanong ni Maloi.

“Kaya nga, Miks. Wala pa rito si Ate Aiah,” dagdag ni Stacey.

“Ah, ano… ammm, nasa condo ko si Aiah. Doon daw muna siya matutulog tonight. Pinakuha niya lang sakin yung ilang gamit niya sa room,” nahihiya kong sabi.

“Yown! Ayun pala ‘yun, Buddy! Ikaw ha, kaya pala laging wala si Ate Aiah dito,” pang-aasar ni Jhoanna sabay kindat. “Tsaka anong sinasabi mo kaninang hindi kita binibisita? Dapat nga matuwa ka pa, para may quiet time kayo.”

“Uyy, quiet time!” hirit pa ni Stacey.

“Argh! Sakit niyo talaga sa mata, puro kayo couples! Sige na, mauuna na ako sa kwarto! Mag-quiet time na kayo rito!” asar na asar na sabi ni Maloi bago nagmartsa papasok.

“Alam mo Maloi, napaka-bitter mo. Mag-seryoso ka na kasi… What if papuntahin ko rito si Ate Colet para may partner ka rin?” pangungutya ni Stacey.

Biglang binato ni Maloi si Stacey ng unan. “Stacey!!!” sigaw niya, na parang tinamaan sa biro tungkol kay Colet.

Natawa na lang ako habang nagmamadaling pumasok sa kwarto ni Aiah para ayusin ang gamit niya. Kailangan ko nang bumalik agad—paniguradong hinahanap na ako nun.

Pagpasok ko ng unit, halos mapatalon ako sa gulat. Aiah was right there in the living room, sitting on the sofa with her arms crossed. Her foot was tapping impatiently against the rug.

“Bwabi!! Ang tagal mo naman! Sobrang miss na kita,” she said sweetly, but with that hint of a tampo pout that always makes my heart melt.

I immediately sat down beside her and kissed her cheek. “Sorry, baby. I bumped into Jhoanna; she’s visiting Stacey.”

Aiah’s eyes narrowed slightly, “Is she going here tonight? Text her. Sabihin mo we need Babi time.”

She was so cute I couldn’t help but smile. 

“No, she’s not. They also have ‘quality time ng baby niya. Don’t worry Ma-sosolo mo ako tonight.”

Wait. What did I just say!? My tongue totally slipped.

“I mean—I mean, you know… this is our own quality time together,” I stammered, hoping she wouldn’t read too much into it. Ghad, Mikha Lim. Fix your brain.

Aiah smirked at me, her gaze turning playful and a little naughty.

“Okay then. Give me my things, I’ll take a bath… you know, get ready for our quality time,” she teased, giving me a slow wink that sent my blood pressure sky-high.

My blood felt like steam. Halos mamula ako hanggang batok. I didn’t know how to think straight when my dream girl was saying things like that to me. Kahit malamig yung aircon, pinawisan ako bigla.

“Alright… I-I’ll just fix something sa room so you can sleep comfortably,” I said, trying to act cool while looking as innocent as possible.

While she was in the shower, I was pacing. My heart was pumping so fast. Hey, Mikha Lim, be a man! Kaya mo ‘to! I took a deep, shaky breath to steady the vibration in my chest.

Then suddenly, the bathroom door opened.

Aiah walked out, finished with her shower and already wearing her nightwear. She smelled like fresh vanilla and expensive soap. I quickly grabbed a book from the nightstand to act like I was deeply busy reading, but she crawled onto the bed, moving closer until I could feel the heat radiating off her.

“Babi?”

“Hmmm?” I kept my eyes glued to the pages, pretending to be focused.

She reached out and gently tilted the book in my hands.

“How can you read that? It’s upside down”

“Ah… yeah! Right! Nagpa-practice kasi ako magbasa nang baliktad,” I lied, giving her a fake, nervous smile. Nice save, Mikha. Not.

She just chuckled and sat right beside me, hugging my arm. Kakaligo niya lang, but bakit ang init ng skin niya? Or maybe it was just me. The tension in the room was so thick we could literally burn each other up just by sitting this close.

I put my arm around her to embrace her fully and finally set the book on the side table. Being together is one thing, but having her in my bed like this? It’s a whole different level of self-control.

“Let’s sleep… it’s getting late,” I whispered, trying to break the tension as I pulled the covers up and we both lay down.

She lay down beside me, facing me, looking so peaceful and cute. “You know… I feel like I’m your real wife na.”

I looked at her, my heart swelling with so much love. I leaned in and pressed a slow, sincere kiss on her forehead. “You do. You are my real and one and only future wife.”
……

The Midnight 

The room was drowning in heavy shadows, the only light being the cold, blueish tint of the city skyline peaking through the blinds. I was dead to the world, buried deep in a heavy sleep, when I felt the mattress dip beside me.

Nagising ako sa marahang paggalaw ng kama. At first, I thought I was just drifting into another dream, but then I felt it—a soft, warm weight pressing against my side, and the intoxicating scent of vanilla filling my senses. It was thick, sweet, and dangerously close.

“Mikha…”

The whisper was like velvet against my ear, low and dangerously raspy. I felt a small, warm hand slide under my shirt, tracing the line of my ribs with a touch that made my skin electric. I groaned, my eyes fluttering open just enough to see her silhouette hovering over me in the dark.

“Aiah…?” My voice was thick, barely a croak. “What time is it? Are you okay? May masakit ba sa’yo?”

“Wala,” she breathed, her voice shaking just a little. I could feel her breath hitch against my skin, hot and uneven. “I just… I can’t sleep.”

“Why? Do you need anything? Water? Just tell me, Baby, I’ll get it for you,” I asked, my protective instincts instantly waking me up. I started to move, thinking she needed me to run to the kitchen, but her hand pressed firmly against my chest, pinning me back to the pillow.

“No, I don’t need anything from the kitchen,” she whispered, her fingers tightening on my shirt, pulling me closer until our noses brushed. 

Her eyes were dark, hooded, and fixed entirely on mine. Her cheeks were so red, even in the dim moonlight, flushed with a feverish heat that had nothing to do with the weather. “I want something else. I crave… you.”

Before my sleep-deprived brain could even process those words, she moved. Slowly, deliberately, she crawled over me. The thin, cool silk of her nightgown glided over my skin, creating a friction that sent sparks through my entire body until she was straddling my lap.

I can’t believe this is happening. My heart skipped a beat, then started thumping so hard I could hear it in my ears. 

Her skin is burning me—she is so hot. It felt like she was radiating a fever, but it wasn’t from sickness. It was a heat that was starting to consume me too.

Wait. Hold on.

Nangyari na ‘to. This exact scene. The moonlight, the way she’s looking at me with those dark, needy eyes… this is a dream. It has to be. I’ve had this dream a thousand times. 

Wake up, Mikha Lim. Don’t fall for it again. Hindi ‘to totoo.

Without thinking, I raised my hand and slapped my own cheek. Hard. The sharp sound echoed in the quiet room.

“Baby! No! Bakit mo naman sinasampal yung sarili mo?!” 

Aiah gasped, her hands immediately flying to my face. She gripped my jaw, her fingers digging into my skin as she checked the sting. Her touch was firm, grounding, and—wait—it was too vivid. I could feel the individual pads of her fingertips. It was too real.

“I… I thought I was dreaming. This is a dream, right? You’re not actually…” I stammered, my breath hitching as her thumb traced my lower lip, pulling it down slightly to reveal my teeth.

“No…” she whispered, her gaze dropping to my mouth. She leaned in, her forehead resting against mine, her eyes intense. “I’m right here, I am real.”

Then, she claimed me.

She didn’t start with a soft kiss. She crashed her lips against mine with a hunger that caught me completely off guard. Her hands tangled in my hair, pulling my head back to gain better access. 

I was still in a daze, until she bite my lower lip—hard enough to make me hiss, sharp enough to snap me into a heated, pulsing reality.

The sting was the final proof. This wasn’t a dream. This was real.

The shock vanished, replaced by a dark, overwhelming surge of desire. I stayed on my back, letting her take control, but my hands slid down to her hips to steady her. I let my palms rest firmly on her thighs, my fingers tracing slow, suggestive lines upward, feeling the soft skin beneath the silk.

“Aiah, you’re driving me crazy…” I groaned against her lips, my voice dropping into a deep, gravelly tone.

She didn’t listen. She was being naughty, her hands wandering under my shirt and raking lightly over my skin. She leaned down, her lips finding the sensitive spot on my neck, nipping and sucking until I knew there would be a mark. Her cheeks were still so red, glowing in the dark as she lost herself in the moment.

“I don’t want to wait,” she murmured against my skin, her breath hot and smelling of the mint she used before bed.

I gripped her waist a little tighter, my touch possessive. I let her set the pace, my eyes locked onto hers in the moonlight, watching how her hair fell over her shoulders like a dark silk curtain as she moved. She looked like a goddess—my goddess. Every arch of her back, every muffled sound she made against my mouth, it was all for me.

……

🌈🌈🌈 Hi guys! Medyo busy lang lately, but I’ll try my best to update. I’ll wait muna for 100 votes, then I’ll post the next chapter—paunti-unti lang. Babawi ako this April, I’m planning to start a new story. Sana patuloy niyo pa rin akong suportahan. 💖Thank you