LOVE IS WAR(M).

36

Lost in my own thoughts, I suddenly felt a pair of warm hands wrapping around my waist from the back. I didn't have to turn my head to know who it was. Of course it was him, my boyfriend, he was the only person who could give me such sense of comfort with only one touch.

"Good morning, gorgeous." I heard him whisper in my ear, his warm breath softly touching my skin.

I turned my head to the side a little bit to plant a soft kiss on his cheek. "Good morning, love."

Sebastian volunteered to take care of the food that I cooked while I washed the dishes. I declined his help but he still insisted to do it because according to him, he just couldn't allow himself to just sit and watch especially when I'm doing something for him.

"Mahal, do you want coffee?" He asked after he got two mugs out of the dish cabinet in the kitchen. "Or milk?" Dagdag na katanungan niya pa.

Sandali tuloy akong napaisip dahil doon. But unfortunately, my indecisiveness suddenly took over my body. "Uh... hindi ko alam, love."

"Hmm, ok. I'll get to choose for you then." He gently replied as he proceeded to prepare our morning beverages. The soothing sound of the spoon swirling in the cups instantly brought a warm smile on my face. Facing towards the sink suddenly felt like a fortune because it hid my flushed cheeks away from his eyes.

Why do we seem like a married couple right now?!

"How... is it?" I carefully asked as I watched Sebastian munch on the food that I cooked. Beef pares, garlic fried rice, at mainit-init na sabaw lang naman ang mga iyon but I wanted to know kung nagustuhan niya ang timpla ko.

My lips parted slightly as I observed how his eyebrows formed a deep furrow when he sampled the dish I prepared, allowing his palate to relish each flavor thoughtfully. As time goes by, I started to feel conscious kasi baka hindi niya nagustuhan ang luto ko. Pipigilan ko na sana siyang magpatuloy roon but before I could, he suddenly took another spoonful of the dish instead.

"Wow," He uttered beyond belief. Napaawang ang bibig ko habang nakikipagtitigan niya, confused as to why he looks so surprised when he tasted everything. "Baby, to say that your cooking is delicious would be an understatement." He stated with wide eyes as he continued to dig himself in the food that I prepared for him.

Napatawa naman ako dahil doon, baka mamaya ay todo comfort lang siya sa'kin ngayon dahil ayaw niya akong madiscourage sa cooking skills ko. "Oh come on, Sebastian. Be for real right now." Mapang-asar na wika ko.

He confusingly looked at me as if he could not figure out why I said that. "I'm telling the truth, babe. You know I'm not the type to sugarcoat. Believe me when I say your cookings taste exactly like lola's." He casually responded. Saglit na tinangu-tanguan niya pa ako bago siya magpatuloy sa pagkain, as if he wanted me to let that sink in to my mind.

Napaawang ang bibig ko nang mapagtantong hindi nga nagbibiro si Sebastian nang hindi niya bawiin ang kaniyang sinabi. Sapat na sa'king magustuhan niya ang luto ko, I was already satisfied knowing that my cooking wasn't terrible, but being complimented that my cooking is just like his grandmother's feels especially better.

"You're blushing."

Bigla akong natauhan nang magsalita si Sebastian na kanina pa pala nakatingin sa'kin. Agad naman akong napairap sa kaniya, walang balak umamin na kinilig nga ako roon sa sinabi niya kahit na alam ko namang halata iyon sa mukha ko ngayon dahil sa init ng magkabilang pisngi ko. "H-hindi, ah!" Depensa ko sa sarili ko dahilan para matawa siya.

"Eat up, matatapos na ko rito pero wala pa ring bawas 'yang sa'yo." Umiiling-iling na sambit niya at tsaka itinaas ang kaniyang kutsara. "Or do you want me to feed you pa?" Mapang-asar na dagdag niya pa dahilan para manlaki ang mga mata ko. "Sabihin mo la-"