Kitty messaged her best friend early that day.
"Girl, don't bother picking me up at the condo. Let's just meet there—I need to drop by somewhere really quick."
After reading the message, Gel decided to stop by the mall. The spa they were going to was just within walking distance anyway, and rather than wait there and get sleepy, she figured it was better to find some iced coffee first. She knew very well that Kitty's definition of "real quick" usually meant forever. So, she opted to kill time at the mall and just head to the spa once her friend texted.
She had left early to avoid traffic on the way to Kitty's condo, but of course, the message came just as she had exited their village. Instead of turning back, she continued on to the mall and took the route toward Starbucks. As she was entering, she caught a glimpse of a familiar figure. She hesitated to approach—she might be mistaken.
"No way. Kuya Dylan's in California, so how could I possibly be seeing him here?" she muttered to herself.
But as she got closer to the line, her suspicions grew stronger. She knew that posture so well—the way the man stood slightly sideways while talking to a woman.
"Kuya Dylan?" she whispered, and it seemed the man heard her because he turned to her immediately. His eyes went wide, just like hers.
"Shit!" Dylan cursed under his breath, but loud enough for Gel to hear.
"Kuya, what are you doing here?!" she asked in shock. As far as she knew, he was currently studying for a master's degree at UCLA. Dylan was the eldest son of her dad's sibling, and their entire family had been based in the U.S. for a long time. Only Gel remained in the Philippines. Although they often visited California, she hadn't heard anything about Dylan coming home.
He approached her quickly and whispered, "Gel, I can explain. Just give me a minute. Promise, I'll talk to you. Just please don't tell them I'm here."
Still surprised, Gel simply nodded. She wasn't the type to rat someone out anyway.
A moment later, Dylan introduced the woman he was with—a cousin of his girlfriend. After a short while, the woman excused herself, saying she had to pick someone up. Once she left, Dylan finally poured his heart out. He hadn't told anyone he was coming to the Philippines. He had come in secret after finding out his girlfriend was pregnant. The heartbreaking part was that the woman was hiding from him, thinking he wouldn't take responsibility. The only person who knew where she was staying was the cousin they had just talked to, which is why Dylan approached her for help.
While the cousins were deep in conversation, they didn't notice someone watching them.
Lance happened to pass by on his way to the pet shop when he spotted the two at Starbucks. From outside, he could tell Dylan looked troubled while Gel listened intently. But from his angle, only one thing was clear—they were together, and the conversation seemed intimate.
"I really thought I already gave her all the assurance. How could this be happening?" Dylan said sadly.
"You need to talk to her, Kuya. Tell her how you really feel," Gel advised.
But before they could continue, Gel's phone rang.
"Kuya, sorry, I have to go now. Just give me an update, okay? I promise I won't tell them you're here."
They stood up, and Dylan gave her a grateful hug, planting a kiss on her forehead. "Thank you, Gel."
She smiled. "You're welcome, Kuya. Good luck!"
Meanwhile, Darius was growing restless after receiving a message from Lance—complete with a stolen shot of Gel and Dylan, hugging, with the latter kissing her forehead.
He couldn't reach Gel or Kitty. His irritation worsened, and he couldn't explain the jealousy he felt. As far as he knew, Gel didn't have close relatives in the Philippines. And if she were visiting one, she surely would've mentioned it. On top of that, classes in the U.S. had just started—it was unlikely any of her relatives would be vacationing now.
As Lance continued stirring the pot, the cousins ended up drinking. Darius, nearly drunk, couldn't take what he was imagining. The thought of Gel and Dylan—while he was the only one not there—made him feel like a stranger in Gel's life.
Hours later, after the spa session, Gel opened her locker to grab her phone. Only then did she see all the missed calls and messages. One of them was from Lance.
"Darius is drunk. You're in big trouble, Gel."
Gel blinked. "What did he say?"
Kitty sighed. "Oh no, girl. Looks like we need to drop by those boys' condo."
In the car, Kitty fumed. "That damn stray dog's gonna be in deep trouble if I find out he's just messing with us!"
Though Gel was still distracted by what happened earlier, she couldn't ignore the tension building. She also couldn't quite explain how she felt about Dylan's hug—or the concerns she overheard from him.
"I don't think I can imagine what kind of craziness those two are up to," she told her friend, who was now rushing, her eyes filled with urgency.
Wanting to be with Gel, Kitty left her own car and joined her friend in hers, heading to the boys' condo.
An hour later.
The doorbell rang non-stop at Lance and Darius's unit.
"Hold on! Desperate much?" Lance called out as he rose from the carpeted floor of their small living room.
As soon as he opened the door, Kitty lunged at him. "You damn stray dog! You're dead meat!"
Lance quickly tried to shut the door, but Kitty had already barged in.
"Hey! You alley cat! You're not allowed in here!" Lance protested.
But he went quiet when he saw Gel walk in and head straight for Darius.
Gel saw her boyfriend—completely drunk, his hair a mess, face and neck flushed. She couldn't help but worry, but she decided to speak.
"Hey, Papa D! What is wrong with you?" Kitty snapped.
Lance interjected, "What kind of decent girl hugs a guy in public when she already has a boyfriend?"
Kitty's ears burned. "What did you just say?!"
"What? Isn't it true?" Lance shot back, meeting her furious glare.
Gel sighed and turned to everyone. "Okay. Let me explain."
After she told the whole story, everyone fell silent—except for Lance, who still didn't seem convinced. As punishment for meddling, he was forced to order takeout food—and pay for it too.
Kitty grinned at Gel. "Girl, I feel like going to the spa again tomorrow."
Gel laughed. "You're the only one obsessed with a stress-free life, yet we're always the ones stressing everyone else out."
The two laughed, while Darius, even in his drunken state, rested his head on Gel's shoulder. Despite everything, she smiled.