๐
@laisaintez
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Nikolai spots Matcha and Muji waiting outside. "Ayun na yung batang pasaway" he says with a grin. @fatalpages
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"Oh god, you're so loudโ she says, tapping her fingers on the dashboard to the beat. The two of them exchange playful banter, laughing and teasing each other, and before they realize it, theyโve arrived at the school.
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'๐๐ฐ๐ฉ-๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ฉ-๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ฉ ๐๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ฏ ๐ต๐ฆ๐ข๐ณ๐ด ๐ง๐ช๐ญ๐ญ๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐ฎ๐บ ๐ฆ๐บ๐ฆ๐ด, ๐ถ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ฐ๐ฅ๐ฐ ๐ฅ๐ธ๐ข๐ฆ, ๐บ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฉ' "Is my Korean right?" he pauses mid the chorus, griping the steering wheel tightly as he turns right. Rory rolls her eyes but canโt help laughing.
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โOh wag kang iiyak" he jokes. Knowing that Rory gets easily ragebaited, he quickly presses the infotainment for the next song โJourney by WOODZ. He sings along to the lyrics, the speakers blasting in their ears, almost drowning out the sounds of the cars outside.
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He slips into the driverโs seat, Rory in the passenger seat, and they pull out of the driveway. On the road, he turns on the radio, choosing a song he knows his friend loves โ Kunin mo na ang lahat sa akin by Angeline Quinto. He smirks playfully, glancing at her.
As Niko pulled out onto the road, Rory finally leaned back, exhaling. ๐๐ฏ๐ฆ ๐ค๐ณ๐ช๐ด๐ช๐ด ๐ฅ๐ฐ๐ธ๐ฏ. ๐๐ฐ๐ธ, ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ๐บ ๐ซ๐ถ๐ด๐ต ๐ฉ๐ข๐ท๐ฆ ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ข๐ณ๐ณ๐ช๐ท๐ฆ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ฆ ๐ช๐ฏ ๐ต๐ช๐ฎ๐ฆ. @laisaintez แญ
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โHello, si Rory po?โ he asks, speaking to the security guard. The door swings open, revealing her in an apron, a flour dusted towel tucked over one shoulder. "Medyo dugyot ah" @raliouve
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At a red light, he taps the steering wheel impatiently, glancing at the seconds counting down on the traffic signal. Minutes later, he arrives at the location, pulling into the driveway in front of his friendโs workplace.
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Nikolai quickly checks his phone for Roryโs location before starting the engine, plotting the fastest route. He scans the map for shortcuts and streets with lighter traffic, determined to reach his friendโs house as soon as possible.
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A few coworkers glance up, but he only shows a quick smile, scratching the back of his head as he thinks about how to explain why he needs to clock out. โMay emergency si Matcha. I need to clock out early, but Iโll finish my pending work as soon as I get home later"
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He canโt help but laugh instead of feeling frustrated, earning a few furrowed brows from his coworkers. "Papunta na ang stunna, bagong skin sa Valo yung bayad ah. Takas ko rin si Matcha" he says, already putting his things inside his bag and grabbing his car keys.
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He scrambles to pick it up, fingers moving too quickly as he struggles to press the answer button. The lad stands up, pressing the phone to his ear. โCan you pick Rory up?" he hears his friend say on the other line, quickly explaining what happened at school.
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Nikolai plans to skip lunch, buried in revisions and deadlines for the project heโs been managing. Amidst the silence inside the office, his phone buzzes โ an unexpected call from one of his closest friends, Ate Muji.
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Everyone in the office is focused on their work, staring at screens filled with multiple tabs of documents and rendered plans. Blueprints lie scattered across desks, along with rulers, coffee cups and pens.
โ โ โฆ The potluck was one thing, but the logistics were a second, jagged puzzle piece. Muji could not leave her work and Rory was without a ride. So, without missing a beat, Muji patched in a second call. โNiko, my favoriteโor second favorite Satchel, I need a favor."
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Dahan dahang itinaas ang kanyang mga kamay habang hawak ang garapon, habang nakangiti. "Sa'yo na na rin ito, halika sa tapat ng bahay namin. Nandun si Jek at Sev, ipapakilala kita para madagdagan ang kalaro mo."
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Panandaliang itinikom ng nakababata ang kanyang mga labi habang pinaglalaruan ang sariling mga daliri. "Sianzo po" mahinhin na sagot nito.
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Dali dali niya itong nilapitan, pinakilala ang sarili nang may buong sigla at may kagustuhang anyayahang ang batang makilaro at ipakilala sa kanyang mga kaibigan "Ikaw, anong pangalan mo?" sambit niya.
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Ilang hakbang pa lamang mula sa tapat ng kanilang bahay, namataan na ni Nikolai ang isang batang lalaki na tahimik lamang na nanonood. Naging hugis gasuklay ang kanyang mga mata habang nakatuon sa naglalaro ng piko, ang iba naman ay langit lupa.
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Nagkukumahog na ibinalik ang kanyang mga laruan sa loob ng garapon, kasabay ng unti unting pamumuo ng pawis sa kanyang likod matapos marinig mula sa kanyang ina na dumating na ang apo ng kanilang kapit-bahay.
Sa kanyang garapon na hawak, hindi lamang pogs ang laman nito ngunit pagkalinga sa batang Sianzo na madalas nanonood lamang sa pagtatayaan, at pagtatawanan. Magmula noon, hindi lamang siya nagkaroon ng kalaro ngunit pati na rin karamay hanggang sa kanyang pagtanda. @laisaintez
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ออ ออ I. Kababata: Pising nagdudugtong sa pogs at pagkalingaโ โ ออ ออ ออ
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