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"Let go!" Angil ni Jiyong.

"Let's just talk," Sabi naman ni Helena. She's not letting go of his arm. She looked so made up. Naka long dress sya at may ribbon na nakatali sa alon-alon nyang buhok.

"We don't have anything to talk about. Just please, go. I am not in the mood for this shit," Mariin na sabi ni Jiyong.

"Just a minute, then I'll leave. Just listen to me. Kahit 'yon lang." Helena sounds desperate.

I heard a cough. Lumingon ako at nakita ko si Kuya Manuel na nakapasok na rin pala.

Sabay rin na napa tingin sa amin si Jiyong at Helena.

Jiyong immediately pulled his arm from Helen's grip.

"Y-you guys are t-together now, huh." Mahinang sabi ni Helena habang nagpalipat lipat ng tingin sa aming dalawa ni Jiyong.

"Shut up," Jiyong hissed then walked towards me as if his feet are on fire.

I didn't know what to do, say or feel. I just stood there, frozen.

Bigla akong inakbayan ni Jiyong pero humarap sya kay kuya Kuya Manuel .

"Kuys, paki hatid naman si Helena sa lobby. Salamat,"

Hindi ko inaalis ang tingin kay Helena. Bumalik sa akin ang narinig kong pag-uusap nila ni Jiyong sa victory party. The way Helena said na kilala nya kung sino ang totoong gusto ni Jiyong, na all she was asking is for Jiyong to treat her the way they were before bago mag confess si Helena.

Helena knew.

She knew it was me.

I saw how her face looked so helpless while looking at us.

I became uncomfortable so I slowly removed Jiyong's arm on my shoulders. Bahagya rin akong lumayo sa kanya. Kita ko ang sakit sa mata ni Helena, how her eyes looked at us with pain and jealousy. Masakit sa dibdib makita lalo na at alam kong dahil sa akin, sa amin iyon.

"I can come back, mag-usap muna kayo." Liningon ko si Jiyong na naka titig na pala sa akin.

"No, she's leaving." Matigas na sagot nya bago ako hilahin palapit sa kanya. Tumingin sya kay Helena. "Right, Helena?"

A tear ran down her cheeks. Mabilis nya iyon na pinunasan bago ngumiti. "Ah, o-oo. I'm going. Pasensya na kayo." Mabilis nyang kinuha ang bag nya na nasa coffee table at mabilis rin na naglakad.

Linampasan nya kami at sya na ang nag bukas ng pinto palabas. Sumunod na lang si Kuya Manuel and I am glad he did. I hope she'll be fine.

Sinundan ko sila ng tingin pero marahan akong pinaharap ni Jiyong sa kanya. His hands are on my shoulders. Hindi naman mahigpit ang hawak nya pero damang dama ko na parang ayaw nya akong bitawan.

"I can explain." Ang agad na sabi nya.

Our eyes met. He was eager to explain. Napakurap ako. I am distracting myself from looking at his body. Bakit ba kasi naka half naked na naman 'to?

"W-what happened? Why is she here?" Tanong ko.

"The guard knows her. She used to swing by sometimes. I don't know kung coincidence na wala si Kuys o inabangan nyang umalis sya bago sya umakyat. Anyway, she just wants to talk. I didn't know paano nya nalaman na naka balik na ako." Ngayong mas nakikita ko na ang mukha nya, napansin ko na halatang pagod sya.

"O-Okay,"

"And that means absolutely nothing, okay? I don't want you to think that we're doing something or what. She's just a colleague."

"Okay," Sabi ko ulit. Paano ako mag-iisip kung narinig ko naman na sila mag-usap before? How he coldly turned her down at the victory party to the point na umuwi na lang si Helena rather than tiisin ang sama ng loob nya at maki party sa amin?

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