Chapter 17 (1/2)
¹Yakapsul - ”Yakap”while the ”-sul” came from ”Capsule”
²Kisspirin - Kiss + Aspirin
³Paracetamolove - Paracetamol + Love
The above are famous ”medicines” for those who are love sick
⁴Wiggle - Mentioned on 23:11's Chapter 70, 83, and 85 as
Miko's ”very e
⁵Wo met in the
restaurant before and the woman she met in the washroom
today are two different people; they're twins
Remember when Miko asked back then,
”Are you Raf? Or Sef?” The twins and Ulysses are both characters
from the author's another novel
⁶Paper Dance - Each pair dances around a newspaper/manila paper/etc
Once the music stops, the pair needs to be inside the paper's area
If they stuets folded in half
every round and is repeated until one pair is left standing
DepthOfUncertainty
“Facing uncertainties in life is an exciting story to be told”
-x-
Jhing was trapped inside her own cage with a key of a lock that didn’t exist After all, since the beginning, the door was open for her As she stepped near the exit, her grip tightened at the cage’s bars The uncertainty wasthan the last time she checked
“Yakapsul¹?”
Julycould hear her… or them
“Kisspirin²,” Yayo as sitting beside July laughed mischievously
July followed “Paracetamolove³!”
They are currently in their year-end party for the co their ears and the cheers fro can clearly hear Yayo's and July's voices Obviously, their topic was her and how sheill for a week
They were seated next to each other, for Pete’s sake!
She should’ve just stayed at home
Jhing was forced to see the Executive Director July gossiped that he was hot, and she was right Mr Uriah Flynn Valentine was one hell of a handso He and his coant at the table except for one: a wo beside Mr Valentine who looked uncoher entity
Jhing wanted to pull the girl away froher crowd and tap the woman’s shoulder and say, I feel you because she can understand the aard feeling when you're with someone filthy rich
She got lost in her thoughts when the MC announced, “Please welcome, our own Pork, Chop, and Ketchup!”
A lot of people got excited thinking that the fa, Billy, and Vice Ganda ca, stared due
Ulysses, a guy she’s not familiar with… and Miko
Yayo almost made everyone on her table deaf when she screa out!! That's Miko! Our team! Go book team! And the two hotties whose name I don't know!”
Oh, that pregnant woman
They all wore casual clothes; the unfaht long sleeve polo with suspenders and skinny jeans looked like a sexy star of so in the park with his shi+rt, skinny shorts, and loafers
And heck, girls were screa!
Except for Jhing, of course
She didn't want to watch whatever they will be doing but when the fa's world stopped for a second
You knohat to do with that big fat butt
The three guys placed their hands on their hips and started circling their hips
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle¹
Notried to look away, she couldn’t take her eyes off of Miko She watched as he moved his body, swayed, and circled like a professional
He looked… manly
Was that even possible!?
So the reason why this man is tone-deaf was that…
He was one hell of a dancer
Until the end of their dance number, Miko was all s was panicking sowith his friends, Miko walked towards the book tea
“Hoas my dance?” he asked as sweat drips on his face
Yayo was fangirling when Miko nudged Jhing at the side
“What?” Jhing frowned
“Did you like it?” Miko grabbed her wine glass and drank fro deeply, he said, “Let me drink ah?”
“What's the use of asking?” she rolled her eyes “I wasn't paying attention”
“Oh? I think you were staring atthe whole performance?”
Why were her cheeks burning?! “Wow” She felt like slapping hi at you”
Miko laughed “Just staring at my body ah?”
Jhing was out of words! How could he? And why is he alwaysher speechless?
“Uyy, what's this? You created your own bubble again,” July teased which made the others look in their direction
That was the cue for Jhing to excuse herself and go to the washrooht
Jhing saw Ulysses in the hallway He s the washroom She stood in front of the mirror when a familiar woman went out of a cubicle and washed her hands beside her; the woman with Ulysses last time
She wanted to s friendly, but eirded out when the latter didn’t even look at Jhing like they hadn’t smiled at each other before As if they never met⁵
Ugh Soto be friendly That's why she doesn't like s at other people ah, she felt dumb
Jhing could hear the MC talking when she entered the function roo towards their table, her co-workers started pushi+ng each other to join the ga can sit down, July pulled to raise her hand
“Miss Zue!” July screa wants to join!”
Before Jhing can react, she was already pulled to the center to join a ga fast It al paper dance game⁶ and her partner? Who else?
“Win this ga on you two!” Miss Zue cheered “The book teaame!”
Jhing was an aard person with dancing, crowd, and everything That's why she felt anxious when the music started If only she can pretend as if no one was looking at her and that only Miko is in the roo can calm down But of course, it wouldn’t Who can cal
But Miko knew she was unco it with his as if dancingThey looked ridiculous! But at least, they both look ridiculous
When theinside the Manila paper His grip on her hand tightened while Jhing’s heart was killing her She couldn’t look at hi her head
After the first round, Jhing re her body just to look like she was dancing When the music stopped, they both stepped on the folded paper After three rounds, Jhing was sure the paper was too small for both of them to fit
This is the moment where they will flirt as Miko would need to carry her just to win the prize of this silly game
The ain Her eyes stared at Miko’s shoulder The 's heart dropped Miko was anticipating he would carry Jhing, but Jhing didn’t move Even an inch
They stared into each other’s eyes
Miko’s eyes begged ju replied with I’m sorry
They lost the game
The Book Teaet the pride and honor they wanted but at least they won 1st place for the Successful Innovation award
Jhing felt horrible, Gods, what has she done?
When Miko went out of the function rooize? Miko went to the washroom so she waited for hi in the hallway but still smiled
“O, what are you doing here?” He asked while walking downstairs “Are you finally ad me?”
Jhing didn't reply so Miko waved his hand goodbye However, when he went down, so did Jhing
“You're going in this direction too?” he asked
“I' you”
Miko’s smile was far fro but okay”
Jhing was freaking out inside Her lips couldn’t utter a single sorry, so she just started talking about Christmas to break the aard silence
“Where are you going for Christmas this year?”
And Gods, she wanted to smack her head with the question She suddenly felt embarrassed! Who knohat this idiot will think of her? But she couldn't take it back anymore
“It depends,” Miko s?”
She rolled her eyes “Seriously Where?”
“Just like last year, in ain, but of course, what can you expect fro? So he asked, “You? What about your Christmas?”
“My apartment”
“You're not going back to your hoht?”
He remembered
“I was going to do a surprise-visit but because of o”
The tent out of the building They started walking without knowing their destination
“Awtsu So we're both forever alone on Christht? When you're cold on Christmas…”
Jhing's forehead creased “What?”
“Make it hot” Miko laughed at Jhing’s arched brow “The coffee I ?”
“Whatever”
They went inside the Faht bottled water and Maltesers chocolate while Miko bought green tea ice cream
“Your favorite?” Miko asked before pointing at the chocolate
“No After buying, I usually throw it out” in my stomach
“Seriously!” Miko laughed “My soul is broken into pieces because of your sassiness”
Jhing rolled her eyes “Hoas your Christe the subject The staffs are staring at them because of their noise ah Or Miko's noise
“Mama and Neph visited me in the studio”
“Neph?”
“My sister who's as cold as you”
Jhing shrugged her shoulders She wanted to ask about the Dad but she couldn’t even say the word It felt like poison on her tongue, and he didn’tabout the Dad so… nevermind
“Hoas yours?”
And that was the question she didn’t want to answer Why the hell did she ask him that question, anyway? Stupid Christmas should be a day of presents, ser, her Nanay’s pleads, and her sibling’s cries and questions Jhing doesn't even reht back, did she kept quiet and tolerate like she always did, or did she cry with her siblings?
“None,” she answered as they went out of the store “Sa day”
Miko shook his head and smiled “Want some?” He offered his ice crearimace “Come on, try it It's delicious”
“The what? Your saliva or the ice crea her own chocolate
Miko laughed “Both?”
“Yuck, you're gross”
“What a hater ah”
Jhing rolled her eyes; it was her substitute of her laughter for him
They walked in silence, but both felt peaceful So by as he licked his ice creareen tea ice creah
“You really did followwas about to rebut but was stopped “Don't deny it Because if not, we both won't be walking towards nowhere right now”
“Whatever,” she said But herattentive Why?! “The year-end party was boring”
“That's why you followed ? Is it like that?” Ahh, he was feeding his big ego as he finished feeding on his ice cream “Let me drink”
“I don't want to”
“Come on”
Miko forcefully took the bottle fro stole it back which made few drops spill on her
“Don't drinkused the cap of the bottle as his glass “Drink here”
Miko took the cap while feeling glooh he was colass “Ah! The heck, the water only reached ue!”
“Who told you to eat ice cream?”
“Just let me drink ah”
It was then that Jhing had an idea She told him that she'll just pour the water in his mouth
“What if I get drowned?!”
“Then it's fun”
“Wow Nuirl”
Jhing rolled her eyes Miko continued to bother her but Jhing didn't bend “Do you want me to pour this to your nose instead?”
“How cold”
In the end, Miko bent his knees while Jhing tiptoed She aimed the water at Miko's opened er passerby spoke: “Young people these days…”
They both looked at the woain
Miko shook his head “Bitterness really don't choose any age It seems like someone's forever alone for Christmas”
Jhing pushed Miko for that comment They walked for a distance before she noticed that Miko went silent She glanced at hi… as if in pain
“Are you okay?”
“Ha? Ah, yeah”
He wasn’t
“Are you sick?”
Miko s at his chest “This here is sick”
“bastard,” she deadpanned “Seriously though?”
“It's just uh… my stom—” Miko retched! “Uh… I'm okay”
Jhing studied He started retching again which
“Do you want any ?”
Miko couldn't reply He couldn’t even stand properly A few minutes later, he ran towards the nearest trash can to vomit