Ilang buwan na ang nakalipas, but the setup remained the same. Namamangha na lamang si Ahn minsan kung paano iyon natitiis ni Ken. Should she feel glad that he could live without her? They see each other during weekends, but he wasn't as demanding of her time as before. Hindi na ito masyadong nangungulit na magkita sila tuwing weekdays. Minsan, nakakalimutan nitong tumawag sa kanya tuwing gabi.
Napa-paranoid na siya. She wants him to miss her as much as she misses him, but Ken seemed to be growing too comfortable with the situation.
She groaned in frustration. Sa kaiisip niya sa sitwasyon nila, wala tuloy siyang mapiling regalo para rito. Birthday ng kambal ng araw na iyon. Nag-undertime siya sa trabaho para maghanap ng regalo. She couldn't do it last weekend dahil kasama niya si Ken.
Mabuti pa ang hipag niya, bilhan lang ng kahit anong Hello Kitty item ay okay na. With Ken, it's difficult. He doesn't like anything in particular.
Sa kahahanap ng regalo ay nagutom siya. Kaya naman lumabas muna siya ng department store and headed off to the supermarket. She was craving for Stick-O at the moment. Nang makapunta siya sa aisle na meron noon, she immediately grabbed two plastic jars. Hindi pa siya nakontento. She also picked five little jars of Champola and two Superstix and dumped them in the push cart.
Nakahanay siya sa counter nang tumawag si Ken.
"Hey, I'll be out in an hour."
"Okay. Wala na 'ko sa office."
"Asan ka?"
"Uhm, supermarket."
"What? Are you alone? What are you doing there?"
"Yes. Namimili lang ako ng wafer sticks. Nagki-crave kasi ako e."
Ken sighed. "Sana sinabi mo na lang sa'kin para naibili kita."
"May iba pa kasi akong bibilhin e."
"Ahn... I told you to not buy any gift for me."
She bit her lip. Nothing escapes him.
"I want to get you something."
"Okay na sa'kin yung nandun ka sa birthday ko."
"Ken, it's sweet but seriously, what do you want?"
"If I say it, will you give it to me?"
"Wait lang." Inilagay niya sa table ang mga pinamili. "Ano ba kasing gusto mo?"
"Let's get married," he said in a sweet voice.
She tried her best to hide her smile. The cashier lady's already giving her a weird look.
"Wait lang ha. Tawagan kita mamaya."
Ken grunted. "You're avoiding the topic again."
"Magbabayad ako. Wait lang."
She ended the call and took out a few cash saka niya iyon iniabot sa cashier lady. Pagkabayad ay inihabilin niya sa baggage counter ang mga pinamili. Saka siya bumalik ng department store. Naghanap siya ng magandang pang-regalo pero nakailang ikot na yata siya ay wala pa rin siyang magustuhan.
Naniningin siya ng relo nang muling tumawag si Ken.
"Malapit na 'ko sa mall," sabi nito.
"Saang mall? Alam mo ba kung nasa'n ako?"
"I think so. Isa lang naman ang mall na malapit sa work place mo e."
She smiled. "Okay. Nasa department store ako."
"Are you still looking for a gift?"
"Yes." She grunted. "Ang hirap mong bilhan ng regalo. Huwag ka na lang kayang mag-birthday?"
