Blankness. No chaos, just pure darkness—like the dreams I'd been having for the last few days. Empty, quiet, and strangely heavy. With dreams like that, I usually woke up feeling like my body had been punched a hundred times, aching all over. Weak, like jelly. Drained.
But today felt different.
And I didn't know why.
I opened my eyes slowly, blinking into the morning light that filtered through my pink curtains. I turned my head slightly—and there it was.
Another pair of lovely eyes. Staring straight into mine.
"Frooze…" I whispered, still caught between sleep and wakefulness.
He didn't smile, but I saw the spark flash through his eyes. Like morning sun catching the surface of still water.
"Good morning, sunshine," he said, voice deep and raspy from sleep. "Did you sleep well?"
I sat up slowly, rubbing my eyes, trying to orient myself. I scanned the room, checking if this was real or if my half-awake mind was playing tricks again. Lagi kasi akong lutang kapag bagong gising. I had to confirm that this wasn't another vivid dream.
My body jolted slightly when I felt his strong arms wrap around my waist from behind.
"Hey…" he whispered, his breath tickling my neck. "I ordered us breakfast. Do you eat McDo?
"
My skin prickled. My ears—one of my weak spots—tingled at the sound of his voice so close.
"Yeah," I said, half-laughing, half-shy. "Who doesn't?"
He smirked against my shoulder. "Good. I got pancakes and sausage meals. And hash browns."
I turned to glance at him, only to find his face inches from mine again. His hair was messy, his eyes still a little sleepy—but he looked… content.
We got up, freshened up a little, and set our breakfast on the small coffee table in the living area. Sitting cross-legged on the floor, we ate like two people who had done this a hundred times before—even though it was our first.
"You snore," I said teasingly, stabbing a piece of pancake with my fork.
"I do not," he retorted, feigning offense.
"You do," I insisted with a grin. "Mild lang naman. Parang humihinga lang ng masaya."
He laughed, the sound rich and easy. "Then I must've slept really well."
A comfortable silence settled between us, filled only by the soft clinks of utensils and quiet munching. There was something bizarrely peaceful about it. Like the calm before a storm I didn't want to name.
But peace has its time limit.
As we cleared the wrappers and emptied the juice cups, Frooze leaned back against the couch, arms resting on his knees.
"I need to go back to Manila today," he said, his voice suddenly heavier. "Got work. Deadlines."
I nodded slowly, setting down my cup. "Yeah, I figured."
I looked at the clock. 11:47 AM. I had afternoon classes anyway. I wouldn't have been able to accommodate him longer, even if he stayed.
"I only let you stay because it was late," I said, trying to sound neutral. "And you were tired."
He nodded with a soft smile. "Yeah, I know. You don't have to explain, Kate."
There was a pause. A long one. Then he said, "Maybe… just maybe, we'll meet again."
I looked at him, trying not to show how those words tugged at something inside me.
I forced a laugh and shrugged it off. "Maybe," I said. "Or maybe not. Life's weird like that." He's in the group chat same as mine anyways.
He didn't push the subject.
Instead, he stood and stretched, his shirt rising slightly to reveal toned skin. I looked away quickly, pretending to busy myself with the trash.
He grabbed some table tissues and headed to the bathroom to freshen up. I stood at the door, arms crossed, waiting. When he emerged, his hair damp, face fresh, and jacket slung over his arm, something in my chest tightened.
"Walk me out?" he asked.
I nodded.
We stepped outside together. The sun was high now, the street quiet except for a dog barking in the distance. He walked to his car, opened the driver's side door, and looked back at me.
"Thanks for the pancakes," I said, half-smiling.
"Thanks for letting me stay," he replied.
For a beat, we just looked at each other.
Then he gave me a small wave, got into his car, and started the engine. I stood by the gate, arms wrapped around myself, watching as he pulled away.
And just like that, he was gone.
The silence that followed wasn't cold.
But it wasn't warm either.
Just... still.
---
It was 6 in the afternoon, and the sun was already low, painting the sky in streaks of orange and lavender. I had just gotten home from my afternoon class, my backpack slung lazily over one shoulder. Tired, hungry, and aching to get out of my uniform, I placed the ingredients I bought earlier at the market on the table.
I had developed a habit of not checking my phone during class. There was never a reason to—no one really messaged me directly. The school group chat was active, and so was the one with Ate Shangie, but other than that, silence.
I headed to my room and changed into my usual pambahay—loose shorts and a worn-out oversized shirt. My kind of comfort. That's when I finally opened my phone.
I tapped on the Messenger app, expecting the usual updates from classmates or spam messages.
But instead, I was greeted by a message request. The profile picture looked oddly familiar—striking, actually—but the name didn't ring any bells.
"Sino ka?" I mumbled under my breath.
I clicked on the profile.
My heart skipped.
It was him.
It was Frooze.
But the name wasn't Frooze.
It was Ceath.
I stared at it, confused.
Then the message blinked up again.
Ceath: "Hi, it's me, Frooze. I got home safely. Hope you're having a great day. ^__^"
I blinked several times.
I immediately checked the group chat where he and I were both in. His nickname was indeed Frooze. So this was his actual account?
Maybe he searched for me after our time together?
Why though?
What was his deal?
Wasn't he supposed to forget about me already? I mean... wasn't that what one-night stands are supposed to be? No strings. No messages. No random hellos on Facebook?
We bedded each other. I ghosted him. Lied to him. Then found out Ate Shangie was his friend, and we crossed paths again. Then I let him sleep over at my place. I thought that was the end of it.
Apparently, not.
I stared at the message for a minute, heart pounding.
Then I typed back.
Kate: "Ceath? As in Frooze Ceath? Or Ceath Frooze? Now I'm just confused."
Three dots appeared almost immediately.
Ceath: "LOL. Full name's kinda long. Ceath's my real name. Frooze is just the game handle."
Kate: "You could've warned me. Kala ko scammer ka."
Ceath: "Ouch. So you just ignore hot guys who message you out of nowhere?"
Kate: "Only when they're weirdly named. Haha."
Ceath: "Unfair. You didn't even message me after I left your place."
Kate: "Didn't know if I should."
Ceath: "I mean, I didn't expect you to. But part of me hoped you would."
I swallowed.
Kate: "I thought… it ended there."
Ceath: "Did you want it to?"
My fingers hovered over the keyboard.
What was I supposed to say?
This guy… he always caught me off guard.
Kate: "I don't know. It's complicated."
Naiinis na ako sa nararamdaman ko ngayon. What happened between us was supposed to be a one-time thing. Bakit nagging ganito?
Ceath: "I get that. Still, I wanted to message you. I didn't like the idea of it just… ending."
Kate: "You're back in Manila now, right?"
Ceath: "Yeah. But distance isn't a wall. It's just a road."
I blinked.
This guy...
So cheesy.
So confusing.
So unexpectedly warm.
Kate: "Well... thanks for letting me know you got home safe. And for the breakfast."
Ceath: "Anytime, baby Kate."
I stared at the screen, the ghost of a smile tugging at my lips.
I didn't know where this was going.
But something told me…
It wasn't over yet.
---
"At bakit tingin ng tingin ang babaeng iyan sa phone niyaaa?"
I jumped slightly at the sudden voice. I turned and saw my neighbor, Tita Menchie, standing on her balcony watering her plants with the same curiosity she always had for everyone else's life.
Alam ko ay isa siya sa mga spy ni mommy dito sa place ko so I am very careful with my words and moves when she is around.
I faked a laugh and waved at her. "Wala po, Tita! Class group chat lang po."
She squinted at me suspiciously, clearly unconvinced, before nodding slowly. "Hmmm… okay. Basta wag ka masyadong kilig diyan ha, baka mawalan ka ng gana magluto."
I laughed again, but my cheeks were already betraying me—burning hot.
I turned back into my kitchen, heart still fluttering from the messages. I opened the fridge and started pulling out vegetables, trying to ground myself in something mundane. Something real. I busied myself with peeling the labanos, chopping sitaw, and slicing kangkong. The soft rhythm of my knife hitting the cutting board echoed in the quiet kitchen. It was soothing, but my mind wasn't calm at all.
But no matter how many times I chopped onions or stirred the pot, my phone kept calling to me. And each time I looked, there it was—his name. Ceath. Still online.
Still… there.
A notification popped up again.
Ceath: "Are you busy? Can I bother you a bit more today?"
I wiped my hands on a towel and quickly typed back.
Kate: "Depends. What kind of bother are we talking about here?"
What the fuck bakit ang bilis ko mag reply!
Ceath: "Mild annoyance. Possibly charming distraction."
Kate: "You're lucky I'm making sinigang."
Ceath: "Even luckier if I was there to taste it."
Kate: "You're four hours away. Don't push it."
Ceath: "I'd drive four hours for sinigang. Or you."
My fingers froze over the keyboard. My heart, once again, betrayed me.
I bit my lip to keep the smile from spreading but failed miserably. I could feel my cheeks warming again. This guy had no business saying things like that with such casual ease.
I shook my head, trying to shake the smile off my face. "This guy…" I whispered to myself.
I replied quickly before I lost my nerve.
Kate: "Stop being cheesy. You're gonna ruin my sabaw."
Ceath: "Never. I'd season it with kilig."
Kate: "Gross."
Ceath: "Admit it. You're smiling."
I didn't reply right away. I just stared at the screen. Was I smiling? Yes. Was I trying not to? Also yes.
The pot started to boil. I lowered the heat and added the sinigang mix, watching the soup darken into something rich and comforting.
Ceath: "Hey... serious question."
Kate: "Okay?"
Ceath: "Would it be crazy if I told you I want to see you again? Like, soon."
My hands stilled over the ladle. My heart thudded once.
Kate: "That is crazy."
Ceath: "Crazy bad? Or crazy... interesting?"
Kate: "Let me think about it while eating my sinigang."
Ceath: "Fair. But I'm not giving up that easily."
I placed my phone down on the counter, my hands trembling slightly. What was this? What was happening?