Author's Note: F I C T I O N
—
(Facetime)
"Hey, love, pa-airport na kami. Can't wait to see you!"
"Can't wait to see you, too, RJ. What time ba lapag niyo?"
"Baka midnight na love or 1am, mga ganon."
"Daretso ka ba uwi ng Laguna?"
"Condo lang ako, love. May rehearsals pa bukas for new year countdown."
"Okay. So, on the 31st na tayo magkikita?"
"Huh? Bakit? Pupuntahan kita later sa condo mo, uwi lang akong condo, to put all my things, tas pahinga kunti then, puntahan na kita"
"Eh, Tans, andito ako sa Bulacan eh, sa 31st pa balik ko."
"Ganon ba?"
"Aw, wag na sad, isang araw lang naman eh."
"Yon kaya ang pinakamahirap, yung same country pero di pa rin nagkikita."
"Sus, ito naman parang isang araw lang. Tiis-tiis muna tisoy."
"Eh, wala naman akong magagawa eh, inform me if nakabalik ka na on the 31st, okay?"
"Of course, tans, cge na, nasa airport na kayo. Babye na, call me pag lumapag na kayo mamaya ha. I love you, RJ."
"I will. I love you, too. Bye. See you soon."
(End facetime)
—
Manila. December 30, 2019
1.14 AM
RJ calling...
RJ calling...
RJ calling...
"Oh, bakit ka nakabusangot, RJ?"
"Kasi, ayaw sagutin ni Meng yung tawag."
"Ala-una na, baka tulog na yon. Ipagpabukas mo na yan."
"Yes, dad. Hindi na ako sasama sa Laguna ha. Bunso, Angel, kita nalang tayo sa new year!"
"Yes, Kuya. Thank you uli sa gift Kuya."
"Thank you, Kuya."
"Thank you, nak."
"You're most welcome guys, Ingat. Text niyo ako pag nasa bahay na kayo. Andyan na si Aga sa labas."
—
"Surprise!!!!"
"Susmaryosep! Mendoza!!! Nanggugulat ka!"
"Welcome home, RJ!!!!!!!!"
"Sarap ng yakap, love!"
"..."
"Nope. Don't move. Please give me this moment to savor you here in my arms."
"..."
"..."
"Enough na, pigang-piga na ako."
"Nope. I need some more, I am still at 30% recharged."
"Grabe siya."
"40%"
"50%"
"Nope. 41%"
"hahahaha"
"42%"
"Bakit bumagal, RJ? Ganon ka ba ka drain?"
"Sssshhhh...wag maingay, nag coconcentrate ako. 43%"
"I miss you, RJ"
"I miss you, too. 44%"
"RJ, no hands, saan papunta yan?"
"I want to feel your skin, under your shirt, love. It makes the recharging more effective. 45%"
"RJ! Why are you unhooking my bra?"
"Part of the recharging, love. 46%"
"..."
"Your smell never changed! And it's making me insane. 46.5%"
"hmmm...patingin ng insane, tans...huy wag diyan, nakikiliti ako."
"What? Noon ko pa ginagawa 'to sa'yo, bakit ngayon ka lang umaangal, bango mo, love. 47%"
"Stop biting my neck! Pag yan nagmarka, ewan ko nalang talaga!"
"Eh di, takpan mo nalang. 48%."
"RJ! No teeth please! Ouch."
"49%"
"hmmm..."
"Are you ready, love?"
"For what?"
"50%...and the next 50% will be devouring your lips like I used to, and making love to you like there's no tomorrow."
"..."
"I love you, Maine."
"..."
"And I miss you so much."
"...put me down RJ."
"Nope. Let's go to my room."
"RJ! Put me down."
"There..."
"You need to shower muna."
"Join me, please."
"Nope. I won't kaka shower ko lang. Can't you see?"
"And you're wearing my shirt..."
"...and your boxer..."
"Okay. Let me take my shower first. Pero pa kiss muna ulit."
"No! Namimihasa ka na! Go, get your shower! Do you want to eat? I bought pizza before I went here, I can reheat that."
"Coffee would do, love. I am full. May iba kasi akong kini-crave."
"Diyosko! Ang harot mo! Tse! Mag shower ka na nga uy!"
"Mendoza! You're blushing! Don't deny it, you're craving the same too."
"Gaaaah! Diyan ka na nga!"
"Pabebe mo! The only pabebe I love!"
"Hahahahaha. K. Bye!"
"Hahahaha"
—
Author's Note: Sa puntong ito guys, alam niyo na ang kasunod. Next time na ang SPG, kasi iniisip ko pa paano gagawin ang SPG in a convo! nyeta lang diba? hahahahahahaha
—
(after an hour or two)
"Thank you for your letter."
"You're welcome. Did you like it?"
"Like? I LOVED IT, Maine. Sobra. Yung puso ko gustong sumabog sa saya."
"..."
"You're really are glowing. I love seeing your eyes that way, Maine."
"And thanks to you. It's true, I like this version of me better."
"And I love how you're making me feel too, now love. You just don't know how much your presence made me better too."
"...but RJ, will we ever survive this time?"
"Wait...I hear uncertainties, there."
"..."
"Maine...look at me, tell me what you're thinking. Honesty, remember?"
"..."
"Is there something I need to know? Your silence gives you away. You have to tell me, please."
"..."
"Lalim na naman ng buntong-hinga. Love, look at me. Yes, that's better. Now, tell me what's bothering you?"
"May nakarating kasing balita sa akin."
"..and that is?"
"Sinabi na ni Arjo yung nangyari sa amin sa pamilya niya, and galit daw sa akin mama niya. Parang they will have a presscon daw."
"Go on..."
"Ayokong makasakit ng tao, RJ, as much as possible. Kung pwede ako nalang, pero, is it bad na ganito ako, RJ? Alam ko some people find my personality too strong. Is my being honest and brutal at times in words a bad thing?"
"No, of course not. Maine, that is who you are, and you don't have to explain to people, na ha-highlight lang because we are in the public eye."
"Paano ba maging ikaw pagdating sa tao at sa fans, RJ?"
"No. Maine. Magkaiba tayo, that is who you are, this is me. You have to know that I've accepted all your flaws, and I hope, you've accepted my flaws too. I don't want you to pretend either to be someone you're not. I don't want you to force yourself to change just because people say you have to. I don't want you to think that there's something wrong with you, every time people can't handle your truth. I want you to be just you, because in the first place that is what I love about you."
"Am I making you better, RJ? Because, to me, you make me better."
"The pessimist in you is showing again. Love, Define better?"
"..."
"You think I make you better and you're not making me better?"
"Yes."
"Ganito nalang. If waking up in the morning and seeing myself in a mirror as genuinely happy as I can be, and because that happiness comes from within it shows outside and that makes me more inspired to be the best version of myself to my family and friends, co-workers, and especially to you. Tell me, love, hindi pa ba sapat yun to say that someone's presence in my life makes me a better person?"
"Thank you, RJ."
"We are defined by relationships, Maine. Our motivations to work, to reach our dreams, to love and be loved, those are all connected by the relationships we create. How we treat others reflects the relationships we have for ourselves too. If you want to make yourself better, then we look at how we handle our relationships."
"And I want that, RJ. I want to make better my relationship with others, too."
"You can do that. I know you're introvert by nature, but that can always be learned. Basta ang isipin mo palagi, when we talk about others—we use this, our hearts. Okay? You will learn that, but don't force yourself, because that is not you anymore if you'll force yourself. Pero lumalayo tayo sa usapan, we will discuss this some other time, Okay, love? So anong kinakatakot mo sa kanila?"
"Hindi naman ako takot, pero di ako comfortable lang."
"You know the truth. Yun ang mahalaga dun. Kahit pa anong sabihin nila, alam mo at ni Arjo ang totoong nangyari. Don't mind them, let them have that presscon, let them talk, that will pass. Pero ito lang masasabi ko, wag lang silang magsalita ng below the belt. I can't promise na wala akong gagawin."
"Ready ka na mag public about us?"
"Kahit bukas o ngayon, gusto mo?"
"No! We will do this slowly, ang importante sa akin, you're here."
"Andito lang ako, Maine. Hindi man ako masalita sa publiko, nabansagan man ako ng ibang member ng pamilya mo na walang paninindigan, pero alam kong alam ng puso mo kung anong kaya kong gawin para sa'yo at para sa atin. I am just so sorry na we are in a dog eats dog world! Walang sinasanto."
"But you love the industry."
"I love the craft, Maine, there's a difference."
"Yeah. Tama nga sinabi mo sa akin noon, we don't know who's for us and against us."
"Yes. You have to know how to play their games, or else lalamunin ka ng industriyang ito."
"And I am so grateful na andyan ka for me."
"You put me in perspective, too, Maine. We are a team here. As much as you've given me too much credit, I want you to know, you make me sane. Your presence makes me focus on things that I want to do outside this world of make-believe."
"Thank you for always having my back, RJ."
"And for having mine, too. I love you, Maine."
"I love you more."
"Ngayon pa ba tayo susuko, Maine?"
"Yes. Ngayon pa ba?"
"I need to say this. Whatever happens, Mendoza, wag kang susuko, kasi this time di kita susokuan."
"I love you."
"Is that a YES na hindi mo ako susokuan? I need a Yes. Maine."
"It's more than a YES, RJ! Of course! YES!"
"Come here, give me a hug."
"Hmmm. I love love love, bossy RJ!"
"Hahahaha, let's go to bed, and I'll show you who's really the boss!"
"Hahahahaha ang harot mo talaga unlimited."
"It is, pagdating sa'yo."
"Teka! Anong pagdating sa'yo? May iba pa ba?"
"Dragon, is that you?"
"Umayos ka RICARDO!"
"'To naman! Syempre sa'yo lang!"
"Yan ganyan! Subukan mo lang talaga!"
"Ang daming daldal, dragona! Halika na! We still have 2 hours to spare before I will go to rehearsals."
"By the way, love. Uuwi akong Bulacan after dito ha.
"Sure. I'll fetch you there, pagkatapos ng countdown, okay?"
"Hala, pupunta kang bahay?"
"Bakit? Ayaw mo? Bakit ko pa papatagalin? Tas sama ka sa bahay after ha."
"Okay, Boss! Nakaplano na pala eh."
"Oo naman, pa recharge na ulit, love."
"Luh! kaka recharged mo lang few hours ago."
"That's right, that was few hours ago."
"..."
"..."
—
Author's Note: Sssshhh, wag maingay guys, nag re-recharge na sila. hahahahaha
Honestly? I believe, maharot talaga sila 100% sa totoong buhay! nyahahaha bahala kayo diyan!
Yan lang muna for now! Thanks sa pagbabasa!
BTW, kaway-kaway sa #TeamPopcorn / #Teamhopeful hahahaha