Inked Star

four.

Cal picked me up at exactly three in the morning so we could beat the traffic to Nueva Vizcaya, our hometown. On a good day, it would take us four hours.

We rarely had good days.

He took the whole week off, and because we were already at the end of the quarter and I still had a few holidays to spare, I decided to do the same.

I stowed my small luggage in the trunk before occupying the passenger's seat. Cal's car had the subtle scent of fresh laundry. Without a word, he handed me a piece of meat bun, which I gratefully took.

"Thank you," I said.

"There's water beside you, as well," he said, reaching out from the back seat to get the fleece blanket. He tossed it on my lap.

"It's going to be hot later," I pointed out.

"Don't complain if I have the aircon in full blast, then."

I clutched the blanket and rolled my eyes. "I didn't say I won't use it."

The travel was generally smooth. We parked at a pitstop once to use the toilet and buy more snacks. After six hours, we reached our family home. I saw my older brother's shoulders relax the moment he stepped into our house. The smell of rice and breakfast food wafted in the air. Our place changed over the years, with the little renovations Cal and I did here and there. We used to have plastic floor mats, but they soon got replaced with tiles. We were able to extend our space and build a second floor. The rooms got modernized, as well.

The three of us ate in silence, but we were comfortable.

After unpacking, Cal and I settled in our respective rooms. It was comforting to hear the birds and the soft rustling of the leaves instead of the blaring honks of cars. I could keep my bedroom window open without worrying about the dust. Cal and I became financially stable because we opted to move to the city. Deep inside, however, I knew I would always—always—have a soft spot for this province of mine. I could easily imagine myself moving back here, and with that being my last thought, I fell asleep.

I woke up at dusk. The air was undeniably cooler, and I could hear Cal and Mom's muffled voices. They must be in the kitchen. I stretched, stood up from my bed, and proceeded to go downstairs.

"You're awake," Cal didn't even bother looking at me. He was busy chopping onions. "Good timing. Could you go to the wet market for me?"

"What do you need?"

"Water spinach and tilapia."

I yawned and nodded away as I scratched my belly. "I'll get changed first. Mom, do you want anything?"

"No, anak, thank you."

The wet market was a few streets away. As I was walking, I looked up, only to stop dead in my tracks. The sky was studded with stars—as if the Earth were shrouded in a blanket filled with holes. I exhaled upon realizing I had been holding my breath for too long. My fingertips tingled at the beauty of it all. I felt giddy. I felt free.

"Aster?"

My attention quickly shifted to the direction of the voice. It took a moment for my eyes to adjust, but the person's vivid hair confirmed my hunch.

"Cairo?" I called back.

He grinned. His eyes sparkled, and it was evident despite the dim lights.

"You remembered," he said. There was this certain tenderness in his voice.

"No, wait," I said. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm going to the wet market to buy something," he replied. "And yourself?"

"No, Cairo," I pushed. "What are you doing here?"

"This is my hometown," he pointed out.

"Small world," I remarked.

We went to the wet market together, and as we talked, I learned that we attended the same school but were never in the same class. This also happened in university. He did Architecture, and I did English. Cairo passed the licensure exam, and he worked professionally for some time. However, he resigned.

"Why did you resign?" I looked at him. We were already walking home, then. "If you don't mind me asking."

"I don't," he assured me. "It didn't bring me joy. That was all there is to it."

"How did your parents take it?"

He chuckled. "They didn't take it well at first. But for me to be happy, I had to disappoint them a little."

"My mom said something along those lines, too," I said. "Although it had nothing to do with my education."

Cairo stared back at me, his gaze steadily holding mine. "Am I allowed to ask for you to elaborate?"

"You are," I said. "But it doesn't guarantee an answer."

"But of course," he said, amused.

"What are you up to these days?" I asked.

"Me?" he looked up at the starry sky. The crickets' chirps filled the silence. "I attended a wedding recently."

My heart skipped a beat. Somehow, hearing about a wedding reminded me of my ex. "I see. Did you enjoy it?"

"Just so-so," he admitted. "The groom and I used to be colleagues."

"In the tattoo parlor?"

Cairo shook his head. "In the firm."

I nodded, not really wanting to prod deeper despite being curious.

"It's strange how we grew up around each other, but we never crossed paths until recently," I remarked.

"It's not strange at all," he said. "There's something providential about it, though."

"Providential," I echoed.

He smiled. "What I'm trying to say is we met at the perfect time."

I cocked my head to the side. "How so?"

"I don't know," he said. "But I trust that idea."

We stopped in front of our gate.

"Thank you for walking me home," I began.

"It's my pleasure, Ma'am," he replied, as he handed me the plastic bag he was holding. "I'll see you around."

I smiled, and nodded. "I'll see you around."