Tomorrow is Monday kaya kailangan ko nang matulog. It's 9:15PM and i'm now lying on my bed. Ginawa kung habit ang matulog ng 9:15 para maiwasan ang pagkakaroon ng insomnia. That's why sa ngayon, no matter what the situation is I always fall asleep 10 minutes after lying down at that very time.

But as I began to fall asleep, nagising ako ng malakas na bass. It seems like, someone is playing drums next door. I can hear it loud and clear here in my room. And it's hard to accept but, I think I need to endure it until that sound will stop. Hindi ko alam kung anung iniisip ng isang yan but I just feel like I'm being bullied by my own neighbor right now. I don't know kung iniisip nyang walang maiisturbo dahil nasa top floor naman sya? Or else that person just don't care at all.

But now that I think about it, I think it's been a year since that girl next door moved out. Ang totoo, may nakatirang Korean jan dati. I usually called her "unnie" kasi yun ang gusto nyang itawag ko sa kanya back then. We're not that close pero I like her kasi I felt like she's just like me. That girl don't talk much unlike most of Koreans I've met na maiingay. And just like me, she is also a loner kaya I think even for a little while I did feel glad being with her because I think she understand what I feel. She also taught me some Korean words and actually I got interested to Korean language because of her. Kaya, I was a little bit downhearted nang umuwi na sya. Pero ngayon, I don't know what to do. Honestly I don't know how to deal with noisy human kaya I doubt kung makakasundo ko ang bagong neighbor ko. Well, I don't care whether my neighbor like me or not but I just don't like being rude lalo na kung nakakatanda sya akin. Kaya right now, I think I can't do anything but let it go.

....

As I open my eyes, alam ko nang malelate ako kaya without any second thought bumangon na agad ako. And I think I need to thank that noisy human next door for ruining my day at the very first.

I am now rushing along the corridor.

I am still running and I'm about to reach the exit of our building. At this moment medyo marami nang nagsisilabasan sa building plus yong mga papasok na galing sa jogging kaya medyo hassle ang umiwas para hindi sila mabangga. But while I'm on that state, hindi ko parin maiwasang tingnan ang wrist watch ko. So yumuko ako ng saglit but as I raise my head... oh no... this is bad... mabubundol ko na sya... and it's too late for me para iwasan sya. Pinilit ko parin syang iwasan kaya ang braso nya and nabundol ko I guess.

That moment I bumped at him, I don't know but I felt something I can't explain. Or maybe that was just a normal reaction I think. And as I passed him I know I should stop a little to apologize but this time I don't have time to stop anymore. Kaya nag sorry nalang ako without turning back at him. Besides, ganito rin naman ang madalas na nangyayari sa mga crowded place. A simple 'sorry' might be enough. So without slowing down, I headed toward the door quickly.

And I am about to get out of the door when someone shouted a loud "Yahh!" Napatigil ako, pero I am so much in a hurry kaya I ignored it and continued to move out of the building. I have the feeling that it was him, that someone na nabundol ko. Siguro nagalit sya, but hindi naman malakas ang pagkabundol ko sa kanya. I know I should have faced him but if I did, siguradong mahabang argument na naman so I think even if it's wrong I don't think it was a big deal. Those circumstances are more than normal as long as it was unintentional and he should consider my situation also kaya, I hate being rude but sometimes I can't avoid it.

...

It's been a long day again. Im now heading back home. But nang nasa daan na ako ay bigla na namang umulan ng malakas. I didn't bring my umbrella kaya eto ako at stranded na sa waiting shed. Sa tinagal tagal ko na sa lugar na to ay nagtataka parin ako kung bakit palagi nalang umuulan. To me, this place is a city of rain and clouds because it's almost like a miracle if the fogs or clouds couldn't be seen and the rain won't fall within a whole day.

And so, my usual gloomy yet calm everyday turned into sleepless nights and tiresome days. It's been a week since that neighbor of mine came and ruined my peaceful nights.

And now lunes na naman. Para na akong dehydrated sa kahinaan ng katawan ko. I'm sure this might be the effect of my sleepless nights. My neighbor might be a vampire. I don't think its normal para sa isang tao ang matutulog lang kapag lagpas na ng hating gabi every night. It's been seven nights na ganyan sya. Kaya I think it's reasonable for me to call that person a vampire.

...

I am heading back home when a heavy rain came again. I am stranded in the waiting shed kasi wala na naman akong payong. Ang lakas rin ng hangin kaya nilalamig na ako masyado. While I'm here hugging myself in this cold place, I'm watching the falling rain drops. I always appreciate the beauty of nature and I believe that everything in nature turned beautiful only if you start to appreciate it. Unconsciously, inilagay ko ang kamay ko sa tumutulong ulan. Nakatingala lang ako nang bigla na namang lumakas ang ulan kaya napaurong ako sa wall. Inilibot ku ang mata ko at nakikita ko ang isang lalake sa kabila. Malapit lang pero hindi ko makita ng husto ang mukha nya dahil sa malakas na ulan.

Mababasa ka kapag nagstay ka dyan.

Ibinalik ko nalang ang tingin ko sa ulan.

After a moment a guy came. I think sya yung lalake sa kabila.

Wala rin syang payong gaya ko kaya ginamit nya ang coat nyang pansilong. Diretso sya agad sa tabi ko. And as he removed his coat... napatulala ako sa nakita ko. I'm not usually this kind. Hindi ako napapatulala ng ganito though napapa admire naman ako sa mga gwapong Filipino or korean na nakikita ko. But this time, I just can't believe it. He really is one hell pretty guy.

Hindi kaya nawawala ang isang to?

Mahirap i describe but, he just looks like those kpop guys. I can't even tell if he's older or younger than me, but I think he's just the same age as me. Marami na rin naman akong na meet na good looking Korean guys but this one is ridiculously handsome.

Hindi kaya, kpop artist sya na nagbakasyon lang dito?

He is tall, dark eyed, the shape of his face is just perfect and fair enough that he looks like a .... Vampire??

I can say that he has the look of Korean actor na gumaganap bilang vampire. And, everything he wears is black. At this moment I can't stop looking at him. Honestly, I am mesmerized and I can't believe myself that I am actually acting like those girls I've watched on tv.

And as I'm looking at him, bigla syang lumingon sa akin. Our eyes met and I felt like being hit by a powerful lightning. I really can't believe that such thing like this is actually happening to me. After a second, he averted his gaze casually. That moment, bigla akong natauhan at pakiramdam ko ay namula ang mukha ko. Right now, I can't stop feeling something i never felt before.

Napatingin na lang ako sa ulan at tinatawanan ko ang sarili ko sa kalooban ko. Hindi ako makapaniwala na nangyari sa akin ang isa sa mga bagay na napapanood ko at sa tingin ko ay kalukuhan lang. But thinking about it, I think nagkaroon ako ng clue na ang mga bagay na sa tingin ko ay puro pantasia lang ay maaring nangyayari rin sa totoong buhay. And now, I think that those stories I've seen in dramas may not be just complete lies.

Honestly, I don't know how to explain what I feel that moment our eyes first met. But there's one thing I saw in his eyes. His eyes seem so emotionless.

Napahinga na lang ako ng malalim at ipinukos ang atensyon ko sa ulan.

...

Afterwards, the rain calmed down. Luckily, may tumigil sa harap na taxi. Mabilis kong tinangal ang jacket ko. Pero nasabit lang ito sa mga palamuting nakasabit sa shoulder bag ko. Ahh, how troublesome.

Mabilis ko siyang hinila at nang natanggal na siya ay ginamit ko itong pansilong at tumakbo na ako papunta sa taxi. Paglapit ko, I quickly grab the door of the taxi and sitted without looking inside.

"Miss. May nauna na sayo." Sabi ng driver.

Ano?

Napatingin ako sa tabi ko at... how did this happen?.. bakit nandito ang vampire na to? Hindi ko sya nakitang pumasok dito ah. Ang alam ko nasa likud ko lang sya kanina. But wait, hindi kaya tumakbo na sya nung tinatanggal ko ang jacket ko? What is this, ang malas naman!

Napagtanto ko nalang na kailangan ko nang bumaba kaya I just said 'sorry'. I opened the door of the taxi when again the heavy rain poured down. Isinara ko agad and said 'teka lang po' habang inaayos ko ang jacket ko para pan silong.

For some reason, I just felt like my hand seems wounded. But I tolerated it and when I'm about to open the door again...

"Miss, you're bleeding." The vampire said.

"Eh?" I am now starting to feel nervous. Actually, may haemophobic ako. Hindi ko alam pero mula nung araw na nakita ko ang mama ko na duguan nang nabundol siya ay nawawalan na ako ng malay kapag nakakakita ako ng dugo. Thats why I am trying to avoid looking at it. I don't know when and how did I hurt my hand but malamang nasugatan sya ng keychain ng bag ko or yung medyo matalas na zipper ng jacket ko as I recklessly moves kanina para lang makapasok sa taxi. I don't want to faint here. No, I definitely can't faint in here.

"Miss, saan ka ba kasi pupunta?" sabi ng driver.

"Sa Victoria village po," sabi ko.

"Naman pala, pareho pala kayo ng pupuntahan. Wala namang problema sayo diba iho? Kawawa naman sya pag pababain natin sya eh ang lakas ng ulan," salita ng mabait na driver.

"Sure." Tipid na sagot ng vampire.

"Maraming salamat po." Tanging nasabi ko at inistart na nang driver ang sasakyan. But wait, naintindihan nya ang tagalog? That means na matagal na sya rito sa Pilipinas. Usually kasi nag-aaral ng English ang halos lahat ng Korean dito but this one seems to talk so fluently and he has no Korean accent when he speak English. While thinking about those things, i am shocked when the vampire suddenly grab my hand at itinapat sa mukha ko ang duguan kong kamay as he said;

"I told you, you're bleeding."

Now, I can't move. Upon seeing my bloody wound I began to feel like I am out of breath. And I started to shiver as well.

"Hey. Are you okay? Hey! Yah! Wait.. don't tell me your..."

Those are the last words I've heard and then everything turned dark.