The Man in Strings

IX. Chaos

She raised an eyebrow. "Anong uri ng hug na naman 'yan, Rj?"

"Comfort hug," I grinned sheepishly. "Exclusive for a tired Maine Mendoza."

"You mean a power hug?"

"Hindi," I shook my head. "Iba nga 'yon."

"Ang dami mo na namang pauso. Baka makatulog ako," she sighed. "Ang dami ko pang gagawin."

"Sleep for another ten minutes, then I'd wake you up," I tapped my shoulder left shoulder using my right hand. "Mas comfy ako kesa sa desk mo."

She looked reluctant at first, but smiled then leaned forward to hug me. Her face now rested where my shoulders and neck meet, and I can't see her face, but if she's comfortable, then I'm okay. "Ang lambot mo," she giggled, and buried her face more. "Para kang human couch. Wala ka bang ginawa kundi kumain nu'ng wala ako?"

"Yeah," I tried to make her relax by massaging her head lightly. "Wala na kasing nang-aagaw ng pagkain ko, so I eat all the food by myself."

"Loko," she yawned, and hugged me tighter. Bakit ang sarap sa pakiramdam masyado? "Pero hindi pa tayo, ha? Hindi pa kita sinasagot."

"Don't worry, Maine," I chuckled. "I won't take this against you. I just wanted to help. But I love you still, okay?"

"Okay..." she murmured, and I could tell she's falling asleep. "Love you, too..."

The next day, she greeted me a good morning with a pillow. "RJ!!!"

Tatawa-tawa akong lumapit sa kanya. "Good morning too, baby. Breakfast?"

"Breakfast mong mukha mo!" Isa na namang unan, and I tried so hard not to laugh. "Bakit hindi mo ako ginising?!"

"But you slept so peacefully," I reasoned out. "I found it so hard to wake you up."

Hindi ko kasi sya ginising. I had fun hugging her (I'm a shallow person, I know) so when I felt she's already in deep sleep, I carefully lifted her up and tucked her in bed. Bahala na bukas, kung magalit sya sa akin, e 'di okay lang. Maine needed sleep.

"Ugh!" Napahilamos sya sa mukha nya. "I missed an important conversation with someone!"

Medyo napataas 'yung kilay ko du'n. "Sinong someone? And how important?"

"Kung ginising mo sana ako kagabi, e 'di nalaman mo rin," angil nya. Maine then slammed the door on my face.

Patay. Galit nga yata.

I gathered the pillows she threw and knocked softly on the door. Surprisingly, it wasn't locked. "Maine..." I slowly opened the door and saw her standing near her desk, typing furiously. She had never looked so frustrated before this, and it felt like I really screwed things up. Naglakad ako papunta sa kanya at hinawakan sya sa balikat.

"Maine..." I pleaded. "Sorry na."

She just glared at me. May topak na nga siguro ako at sobrang cute pa rin nya kahit galit na galit. Kinuha naman 'yung phone nya at tumawag. She looked so frustrated at sobrang distorted ng mukha nya kaya bigla akong napatawa. Sobrang wrong timing, pero nakakatawa talaga, eh. Everything she does is cute. Kailan ba sya titigil sa pagiging cute? "Sorry," sabi ko habang natatawa pa rin. "Sorry. Ang cute mo lang."

She frowned. "Hindi mo ako sineseryoso."

"I'm always serious with you," I replied. "Pero at times like these, you just really look... too adorable. I'm having a hard time believing na galit ka."

But Maine didn't look amused.

"Ganyan ka naman lagi, eh," she spoke in a low voice, at doon ako na-alarma. "Palagi na lang bata ang tingin mo sa akin kapag nagagalit ako. You don't take my feelings seriously, do you?" Hindi sya ngumingiti. "I'm really mad, Rj."