Between Typing and Silence

Chapter 2 - Between Replies

Alyssa's POV

Umaga pa lang pero ramdam na ni Alyssa ang pagod. Another shift, another set of guests, another day na parang paulit-ulit.

Habang inaayos niya ang hair niya sa harap ng salamin, naalala niyang hindi pa pala niya chine-check ang Messenger niya.

Pag-open niya—

Ayun.
Yung message ni Kael kagabi.

She paused for a second.
Nakakatawa... kung gaano kabilis magbalik ng memories ng isang simpleng pangalan.

She typed habang naglalakad palabas ng room:

Alyssa: Kaya nga e haha. Barka-barkada kaya tayo noon 😂

She slipped her phone into her bag and headed to the elevator. Habang nag-aantay, nag-vibrate ulit ang phone.

Kael: True haha.
Kael: Kamusta naman?

Alyssa smiled.
Same vibe. Same softness.

Alyssa: Ayos pa, buhay pa naman haha. Ikaw?

Seconds later—

Kael: Same here. Nabubuhay pa naman 🤣
Kael: Sa Minante ka pa rin ba? Or rather sa Kael: Cauayan ka pa rin ba?

Before she could reply, her phone rang.

Leon calling...

Napasinghap siya nang bahagya.

Leon.
Her boyfriend.
Her secret boyfriend.

Hindi dahil kabit. Pero dahil hindi pa rin tanggap ng family niya ang idea ng "love regardless of status."
Ganun kahigpit.
Ganun ka-complicated.

She answered quietly, turning her back from her coworkers.

"Babe, papasok na ako... oo mamaya na ulit... yes... ingat."

Pag end ng call, she placed her phone face-down.
Breathe in, breathe out.
Another day of balancing two worlds.

Hindi niya namalayang naka-ilang messages na pala si Kael.

⸻

Two hours later, during her break, she finally opened her phone.

Alyssa: Meron parin naman sa Cauayan pero di na ako nalalagi.

In a snap, he replied.

Kael: Ohh I see. Lumipat ka na or work-based ka sa Cauayan?

Nag-coffee muna siya bago nag-type.

Alyssa: Working kasi.
Kael: I see. Ano work mo now?
Alyssa: Receptionist sa isang hotel, ikaw?

Saglit lang—

Kael: Ohh. Something new sa akin.
Kael: Job order employee lang sa isang government agency.
Kael: With 3 mos contract 🤣

She laughed softly.
Same humor. Same dorky charm.

⸻

Kael's POV

Nakahiga lang si Kael sa kama, hawak ang phone, naka-blanket pa kahit hindi naman malamig. Sunday mode. Lazy. Chill.

Pero iba yung ngiti niya nang makita niyang nag-reply si Alyssa.

Alyssa: Ay wow, first job mo?
Kael: Hmm. Hindi, third na.
Alyssa: Ah see.

He shifted, hugging his pillow.

Kael: 1st job ko eh govt. agency rin sa Tuguegarao.
Tapos nag Manila tapos balik dito sa Isab 🤣

Alyssa: Ang dami din pala.
Kael: Oo try lang ng try habang bata pa hahahaha.
Kael: Hanap lang ng hanap kung saan magfi-fit na work 🤣
Kael: First work mo diyan?
Alyssa: Pangalawa na actually.

Napangiti siya.
Hindi sila nag-uusap dati ng ganito kahaba.
Hindi ganito ka... personal.

Kael: Kamusta naman ang working life?
Alyssa: Nakakastress pero enjoy naman.

Kael laughed.

Kael: Stress super lalo na first job.
Madali lang naman.
Kaso yung ka-office ang toxic.
At syempre government.

Nag-reply si Alyssa after a moment.

Alyssa: Daming problema sa work.
Sabagay a. Ano mga common problem sa inyo?

He rolled his eyes, remembering the drama in their office.

Kael: Like sa workplace ba or ka-work?
Kael: Sa work hmmm... usually about lang naman sa situations ng data sa system.
Kael: Sa workplace naman eh super sipsip ng mga kaposition ko.
Kael: At agawan kasi and palakasan for the permanent position 🤣

He threw his phone beside him, stretching his arms.
Ang gulo ng government settings.
Pero ang ayos ng mood niya today.

After an hour—

Alyssa: Ay sa true yan. May mga feeling tagapagmana.

Kael burst into laughter.

Kael: True kainiss.
Kael: Kaya wag ka na u papasok sa govt. Sobrang nakakaurat hahahahaha

Message sent.
Seen.
No reply.

Pero for the first time in a long time, Kael didn't overthink.
Didn't feel bad.
Didn't feel ignored.

Maybe nagwo-work.
Maybe may ginagawa.
Maybe matutuloy later.

All he knew was...

After years of silence,
someone familiar
someone soft
someone from a part of his life he never expected to return—

was suddenly talking to him again.

Slowly.
Casually.
Naturally.

A quiet reconnection starting
somewhere between
a notification ping
and
another moment of silence.

To be continued...