□ Learn the language and use it well.
8:00 AM, Christmas Eve
"Where's my mom?"
"Hey, good morning," Gabriel said, looking over his shoulder. He saw Fi saunter into the dining area, disheveled hair and all. She took her usual spot at the table and began tying her hair.
"G'morning, Gabe."
"Your mom went to the market to buy something."
"What, you mean the food in this house isn't enough to feed a village?"
He laughed and almost dropped the piece of tapa he was lifting out of the pan with a pair of tongs. "Nae mari," he agreed, neatly putting the portions of cooked meat on two separate plates. He placed a cup of fried rice each on the plates and topped them with a fried egg. Sunny-side up, well done. Just the way Fi liked it.
"Did my mom tell you to take over the kitchen?"
"Hmm, actually—" Gabriel turned around, a plate in each hand. "I volunteered to cook breakfast today."
Fi's eyes lit up all of a sudden. If it was because she just realized he was wearing her mother's pastel-pink apron, or because the food was ready, he wasn't sure.
"Wow. You should wear pink more often."
Ah. Pink apron it is.
"Duly noted, Ms. Legaspi," he said as he put a breakfast plate in front of her. He took in the expression on her face and figured she was a little suspicious about... all this. "Don't worry. I do know how to cook, you know. I've been living alone for years."
She smirked at him. "Did I say anything?"
"No, but you were thinking it." He returned to the counter to pour some freshly made hot chocolate in two cups. He'd liked the process of making tsokolate de batirol so much, he offered to do it for Fi's mom every day since he learned it. Maybe he should buy tablea and bring it with him to Seoul. A sweet reminder of Diana's approval of him pursuing her daughter.
"Fair enough."
"The dishes are easy enough to make, Fi. Did you really think I'm not capable of frying things?" He put her cup of hot chocolate beside her plate, then settled into the chair across from her.
"Fine. Won't we wait for Mom, though?"
"I... lied—she's actually taking a break right now." Gabriel took his apron off and put it aside. "I gave her an early Christmas present."
She shot him a curious look.
"Spa services at nearby hotel. And buffet breakfast. She'll be back by—" He looked at his watch. "Lunchtime. And she has two friends with her so she wouldn't be lonely."
"Wah. You planned this, didn't you?"
"She'll be fine, Fi. Kain na tayo."
He caught her jerking an eyebrow before the corners of her lips turned up in a smile. Was she impressed at his enunciation? He'd practiced a lot with Carlos' help.
"I see you've been learning Filipino. Is it Carl's idea?"
Gabriel only shrugged and picked up his spoon and fork so he could begin eating. "Jal meogora," he said with a gentle nod.
They ate in silence for a little while and let the noises outside become their music. Silver hitting porcelain mixed with the roaring of tricycles, the shrill yip of the neighbor's dog, and a low voice yelling "Tahoooooo!" made Gabriel smile. In several more hours, he would be hearing someone call out "Balut! Penoy! Charon!" as well as children singing Christmas carols, all while playing instruments made of discarded bottle caps and milk cans.
A few more hours after that, and it'll be Christmas day.
He was leaving for Seoul in twenty-four hours, and Gabriel figured this was his last chance to have alone time with her. The past few days were fun. He'd learned a lot of new things about Fi and life here in Manila, but he needed a quiet moment such as this to tell her things that might otherwise be lost over all the noise. Diana was, thankfully, very generous to let him do what he wanted (so long as he didn't burn the kitchen down).
"Do you want to hear what else Carlos taught me?"
Fi looked up from her plate and narrowed her eyes at him. "Naku! I'm pretty sure he taught you words you can't say in front of my mom."
He stifled in a laugh. She wasn't completely wrong.
"Aside from that."
"Okay." Fi let go of her spoon and fork, took a sip of hot chocolate, and leaned back on her chair. She crossed her arms in front of her chest and said, "Let's hear them, Park haksaeng."
Oh, he'd been Carlos' student, all right, and today was his final examination. Gabriel flashed Fi a wide and ready smile, as though he'd been waiting for this chance his entire life. He set his utensils down as well and pushed his plate forward so he could rest his arms on the table.
"Maganda ka," he began. It wasn't a lie. Even with unruly hair and sleepy eyes, Fi still looked beautiful to him. "Matalino. Malambing. Maalaga."
She propped an elbow on the table and rested her chin in her palm. "Adjectives! I'm impressed!"
"Minsan makyoray."
Fi's eyes grew like saucers and then disappeared as she let out a loud cackle. "Oh. My. God. Did you just—"
Gabriel's feigned confusion. "What?"
He could see how she struggled not to burst out laughing some more, and he knew exactly why. Aside from teaching him some decent Filipino words, Carlos had also given Gabriel an introductory course in gay lingo.
She'll have a good laugh, I'm sure, Carlos had said, laughing as well. You should totally say it. Who doesn't love a guy who can make them laugh, right?
She gestured with her hand, encouraging him to continue. "Anything else, Mr. Park?"
"Um... charot?"
Laughter bounced across the walls. Fi's boisterous cackle first, followed by Gabriel's low chuckle. It came to a point where Fi started tearing up, and she had to pause and take another sip of her drink to calm herself down.
Gabriel waited until she was ready to hear more from him again, and when she finally was, he simply said:
"Mahal kita."
She was unable to speak then, eyes fixed on his face for a good, long while. It was as though she was trying to determine if he'd only said the words because he knew them, or because he actually meant them.
He challenged her gaze, knowing she'd heard him loud and clear. If she didn't feel the same way, he would be fine with it. This feeling had simmered quietly in his heart for quite a while, and it was only now that he had the courage to actually say it. There was that kiss a few months ago, sure, but he knew not to consider it as anything but her saying she liked him too. And if he had to wait until she could tell him she loved him as well—then wait, he will.
"Gabe..."
"That wasn't a punch line."
"I know."
Gabriel took a deep breath, then let out a relieved sigh. "I'm not expecting you to say it back, you know. And I know it sounds selfish, but this—telling you that I love you—is more for my sake than yours. I haven't said these words to anyone and meant it as much as I do now. And I know that because now I'm willing to wait until you're ready.
"What's interesting is that Carlos told me the word mahal also means 'expensive.' Dear. Precious. It was only then that I realized it was possible for a single word to perfectly capture everything you are to me, Fi. Mahal kita, and I've never done anything like this before, but... Puwede ba kitang ligawan?"
Light danced in Fi's eyes as they began to brim with tears. She laughed softly, and Gabriel thought he mispronounced the word ligaw again.
"If this is your way of getting me to return to Seoul..."
"You don't have to come back if you don't want to," he quickly said. "I have no other agenda but to tell you that I want to pursue you. This. Us."
"So you'd just hop on a plane so we could go on dates."
"Why not?"
"Just how much does AmEnt pay you?" she asked. Her words were still punctuated with soft laughter, even as tears slid down her cheeks.
"Enough," he simply replied, reaching across the table to wipe her tears away.
"Aigoo, Mr. Park."
Gabriel left his seat then, moving to the empty one beside Fi. He dug into his pocket and pulled out the red gift box he had been keeping in his luggage. "I was going to give this to you tonight, but I figured it'd be busy and all..." he trailed off, putting the box on the table.
Fi gazed at the pretty little box and traced the line the gold ribbon made on the lid. She looked at him. "Shall I open it now?"
"If you wish."
She undid the gold ribbon with a gentle tug, then pulled the lid off. Inside was a heart-shaped charm, gold and dainty, attached to an exquisite gold necklace. Fi admired it for a moment, touching the pendant delicately, as though it'd crumble if she were any less careful.
"It's beautiful," she whispered, smiling up at him.
He took the necklace out of the box and proceeded to put it on her, smiling in satisfaction when he pulled away and saw the tiny heart fall on a spot between her collarbones. "Beautiful," he echoed softly, staring into her eyes now.
"Don't just hop on planes and knock on our door without warning, okay?" she said, the expression on her face shifting to something he was more familiar with—Fi's road manager mode. He liked that. Some days.
"I can't promise you that."
"Gabriel Park."
"This is you saying yes, right?"
"Ask me again," Fi teased.
He let out a laugh, clearing his throat right after. It was difficult to school his expression into one of seriousness, not when his heart was making a happy jig against his rib cage. "Mahal kita, Fi," he said again. "Puwede ba kitang ligawan?"
"I must say... Carlos should consider shifting careers," Fi remarked, grinning. Without another word, she leaned forward and wrapped her arms around his neck. And for every version of her reply—"Oo, puwede. Yes, you can. Ne, hal su isseo."—she pressed a tender kiss on his cheek.
Gabriel held her tight and let her go, only so he could watch her eyes twinkle under his gaze. He had so much more to say, but her face was so close, it was impossible to resist those lips. The words can wait, he decided, leaning in to kiss her chocolate-laced mouth. That was it. He was definitely taking some tablea home.
He took his time, and she let him, her fingers familiarizing themselves with the curve of his jaw as they kissed. She was learning, he realized, sensing how she mimicked the force of his kiss and the rhythm by which he pushed and pulled. He smiled.
"What?" she mumbled.
"You're a fast learner. I like that." Gabriel rewarded her with a gentle nibble on her lower lip, and she responded with another kiss that left both of them breathless.
"We should stop, or I'll get used to these damn kisses and crave for them when you're not around." Her hands were still resting on the nape of his neck.
Another kiss. "Tell me so I can book a flight back."
She got even. "Have you ever heard of bankruptcy?"
Two kisses. "I have a feeling you'll still take me in."
"Tsch. You're infuriating, you know that?"
"I've been told."
Fi shook her head and glanced at the table, at their food, almost untouched. "Breakfast, Mr. Park."
Oh, how he'd miss this. Her. Gabriel wished he had more time to spend with Fi, but this was fine. This was perfectly fine. He'll figure everything else out later, but right now he was happy to be given a chance by the woman he loved.
"Maligayang Pasko, Fi."
She smiled and Gabriel saw a fondness in her eyes that wasn't there before. It wasn't the same sparkle he usually saw when she talked to him about her band, or Carlos, or her mother. It was new, and Gabriel wanted to believe it was his.
Fi touched a spot on his cheek and drew an invisible line from there to the base of his jaw. She kissed him again.
"Maligayang Pasko rin sa 'yo, Gabe."
She was the best Christmas gift he'd gotten in years.
THE END