After the "CUT!"

Yes

"Wag ka madaya Menggay, you owe me this."
"Sino kaya nandaya? You ran before I even said GO, siyempre mauuna ka sa kabilang side."
"Tama na excuses, be a good sport come on."
"OK fine. What's your prize?"
"A day of YES"
"uhh what?"
"Just one whole day of agreeable Maine; I got Kuya Michael and Leysam to arrange our schedules. We have a free day on Sunday."
"Uhhh and what am I saying yes to?"
"You will find out on Sunday. So pinky promise?"
"Ay ang daming alam, pinky promise pa talaga."
"Aba siyempre, baka bigla kang umatras eh."
"OK, pinky promise."
----------------------

YES #1
"Ricardooooo! Bakit ang laki ng galit mo sa akin? Hiking pa talaga? Alam ko naman na gusto mo ito, and susupportahan naman kase talaga kita... pero kailangan ba may immersion din ako? Kailangan kasama ako? PAANO?"
"Nicomaaaine. Ang usapan natin 1 whole day of yeses diba? Wala pang 5hrs oh puro ka na reklamo."
"Exactly, wala pang 5 hours nagsisimula ang Sunday ginaganito mo na ako. Why are we hiking at 5 in the morning? At Ricardo, ang usapan ay 'agreeable Maine' pero wala sa usapan na bawal 'speaking out her mind Maine'. I'm just telling you what I am thinking at this exact moment."
"Oh eh di ikaw na ang nag-tthinking out loud. Oh siya, mg think out loud ka na ng naglalakad, para hindi sayang sa oras.
"Papatayin mo ako Ricardo. Mumultuhin kita."
"Anong patayin? Andito ako, magalusan ka nga lang hindi na ako papayag. Hindi kita papabayaan."

YES #2
"Mamamatay ka sa gutom pag hindi mo kinain ito."
"Adobo talaga? Adobo? Hindi ba pwedeng fried chicken or potato chips? OK na ako sa tubig, busog pa ako."
"Menggay, sige isang subo lang. Isang sandwich lang kinain mo kanina. May 2 hrs pa tayo ng hike, baka himatayin ka sa daan."
"Pero RJ..."
"Sige na Maine, ako naman nagluto niyan. I ensured na masarap at hindi masyado maalat. Ikaw iniisip ko habang niluluto yan."
"In fairness, masarap nga. Mukhang kakain na ako ng adobo, basta luto mo."

YES #3
"Try mo lang sige na."
"Ayoko nga. Ang kulit. I'm not that kind of girl."
"Wala namang mawawala, sabi mo nga may self-control ka naman. So you know when to stop."
"Paano if I don't know? Paano if maaksidente?"
"I will be here. Hindi naman kita papabayaan. Hindi kita iiwan."
"Ang kulit, sige na nga. Install mo na yan Pokemon Go sa phone ko."

YES #4
"I don't have time to start on a new series RJ. I barely have time to complete an 8 hour sleep."
"Maiksi lang ito, 8 episodes. And trust me, you will enjoy this."
"Pero kasi..."
"Please. What is a few hours away from the toxic social media? From the bashers? Please Nicomaine."
"Sige na nga."

YES #5
"I know what you're doing, RJ. Thank you."
"Ano?"
"Everything we did today, it's for me. Akala mo siguro hindi ko napansin. Yung hiking, it's to conquer my fear of heights; the adobo, to get over a childhood trauma; Stranger Things marathon, to distract me from all the senseless and baseless hanashes. Thank you. Pero yun Pokemon Go talaga, yun pangsarili mo na yun"
"Grabe ka sakin. But you're welcome, always welcome."
"Pero totoo diba? Kaya thank you. Sobrang na-enjoy ko itong araw na ito.
"Maine... I would like to ask for one more yes from you sana."
"Napa-hike mo na ako ng alas singko ng umaga, what's one more. Sige give me your best shot."
"5 years na tayong nagpapabebe, nagpapahaging lang. Medyo nakakapagod pala."
"What do you mean?"
"I don't want to answer 'basta po special', 'no labels',  and'happy kami'. I want to define our relationship, Menggay... are you ready to take that jump with me?"
"Uhh umm... I'm I'm so sorry RJ. Sorry, I I can't answer that now. I have to go."

And she ran out of the room leaving him there dumbfounded.

With tears running down his face, he looked at his wall clock and laughed bitterly because technically, she didn't break her promise.

12:01 AM October 5, 2020

--------------
A/N: sorry sabaw -___- and updates will still be slow. I am still on a self-imposed hiatus from the world (because beach). Access to internet is very very intermittent and access to laptop is just once a day.

But I'll be back soon. Malapit na maubos leaves ko.

Hope you enjoy this.