#Wattys2023 Winner: Best Characters Award
❝This was probably what people meant when they said they disappeared into a moment.❞
*****
College exes Laurine Antoinette "Laurie" Navarro and Simeon Lee Aguirre didn't really expect to meet again. But with...
Rất tiếc! Hình ảnh này không tuân theo hướng dẫn nội dung. Để tiếp tục đăng tải, vui lòng xóa hoặc tải lên một hình ảnh khác.
❝It sounded like a plea.❞
— ❁ —
THE DOOR chimes twinkled. For the nth time that day, Laurie smiled. Saglit lang din ang itinatagal ng mga ngiting iyon. Kaagad niya kasing nilulunok. Ever since meeting Lee again, checking the café's entrance became a habit.
Muling umingay ang door chimes. That made her gulp some of her Americano.
"Lauwie naman! Sabi na, 'di ka nakikinig, e!"
Sumulyap si Malie sa kaharap nilang painting. After that, she sighed exasperatedly. Laurie was about to deny whatever Malie was thinking when the latter puller her. Dinala siya nito sa may bintana ng café kung nasaan si Theo.
Theo set his lighting equipment by the windows. He and Malie even argued earlier. Mas mainam daw kasi kung natural light ang gagamitin. Ang sabi naman ni Malie, mas mabibigyang-pansin 'yong intricate design ng pastries kung artificial light ang gagamitin.
Eventually, Laurie stepped in. May mga customer na kasing napalilingon sa direksyon nila. Laurie sided with Theo, declining her best friend's puppy eyes.
Mukhang sigurado naman kasi si Theo sa ginagawa. Pinaliwanag na lang niya iyon kay Malie.
"What is it this time?" tanong niya sa dalawa.
"I need help retouching the food." Inabot ni Theo iyong pinggan ng waffles at pancakes. "Padagdagan na lang ng syrup para magmukhang appetizing."
While Laurie glossed the plates with more syrup, Malie brought the plates of eclairs and croissants over. Pati ang mga iyon ay nilagyan nila ng syrup upang kuminang ang ibabaw sa pictures. Ipinatong niya ang pinggan ng eclairs sa stool. Katatapos lang kasi ni Theo sa waffles.
"Are there more of these?" Theo was referring to the eclairs. "I need to lay them on the counter. That way, makukunan ko rin 'yong marble. I'll just edit my shadow in case I'm visible."
"We made six of them, pati 'yong croissant. Is that enough?"
"Yep, I can just clone them." For the next few minutes, Theo did his job. Tumungtong pa ito sa stool, makuha lang ang shot na gusto. Mayamaya ay inilahad nito ang kamay. "We're onto the main dishes. I need a plate of carbonara and the cheese tortellini."
Laurie took the readied plates from the fridge. Si Malie kasi ang umaapak sa paa ng stool para mabigyang-balanse si Theo. Kinuha niya ang lemon meringue slices. Ang carbonara naman, ipinatong niya sa countertop. Ilang minuto niya iyong pinaikot-ikot para kay Theo.
"There, that's okay," he finally said.
"May discount dapat 'to, kami nag-aayos, e," bulong ni Malie. Ngumiti ito nang labas-ngipin matapos itong titigan ni Theo. "Joke lang," she said with a V-sign.
