"Anong nangyari dito?"
Tinaasan siya ng kilay ni José, he doesn't know what Jia is referring to. They're at a restaurant. Inaya niyang mag-lunch si José dito para tanungin ang tungkol sa video.
"I mean this, ikaw 'to diba?"
Jia showed him her phone and played the video.
"Nothing happened." sagot naman agad ni José without explaining what happened. He promised Kaya that he will not tell anyone about it, so he will keep his mouth shut.
"Huh?! Anong nothing happened? You're literally here. Nakuha ka sa video, tol."
Tumanggi pa siya. "How did you even know it was me? Ang blurry kaya noong video."
Binigyan lang siya ng tired look ni Jia at binalaan siya sa pamamagitan nang pagtitig, "Hindi ako nakikipagbiruan."
Knowing her, alam niyang nakakatakot kung magalit si Jia kaya he gave in immediately.
"Oo na ako nga 'yan."
"So, do you mind telling me the whole story? Paano ka nasama diyan sa video?"
Napakamot si José sa batok niya.
"The thing is.. I told her that I won't tell anyone about what happened."
"Ah, so you tried to lie?"
Napalunok sa kaba si José dahil sa intimidating aura ni Jia. He nodded.
"And then?"
"Nandoon ako para mag-code that time. Then there was a commotion, umingay na kaya aalis na sana ako kaso bigla kong naalala na siya pala 'yung tinutukoy mong pinsan mo. They were taking pictures of her that's why I stepped up. Besides, I just can't pretend that I don't know her, she was being ridiculed."
Tumango-tango si Jia, somehow she felt relieved.
"So sa'yo pala 'yung jacket, that's why it looks familiar."
"Jacket?"
"Yeah, red plaid jacket right? I saw Kaya wearing it last night."
Ah, thank god safe 'yung jacket. José also felt relieved.
"'Yun sana 'yung kukunin ko sa'yo kaninang umaga kaya nilapitan kita agad. Akala ko dala-dala mo na. Sinabihan ko kasi siyang ibigay niya sa'yo kapag ibabalik na niya."
"Is it important to you?"
"Yeah, that was my favorite jacket, bigay sa akin ni Kuya." José smiled when he mentioned his brother.
"I see, don't worry buhay pa 'yung jacket mo.."
"Thank you for saving her, by the way. And because of that, it's on me today. You can order anything you want."
His face lightened up, agad niyang tinignan ang menu at nagpili ng kakainin.
"Hey, masyado mo naman ata akong inaabuso." Reklamo ni Jia nang makita ang mga inorder ni José. Nag-order ba naman siya ng para sa pang-tatlong tao na, dagdag pa na may mga desert pa siyang inorder.
"What?" Ngumunguya pang tanong ni José. Napailing-iling nalang si Jia.
"I told you to order anything you want, hindi ko sinabing butasin mo ang wallet ko."
José smirked. "I know that you're broke, at dahil naaawa ako sa'yo ako na ang magbabayad nito."
Jia just rolled her eyes by José's remark, hindi na siya umangal dahil pabor din naman sa kanya, baka bawiin pa ni José ang sinabi niya e.
"Bilhan mo na lang ako ng limited edition na skin sa Fortnite. That's enough."
"Mahal!"
"Sige, ikaw na lang magbayad nito nagbago na ang isip ko."
"Mas mahal!"
"Edi no choice ka. Hihintayin ko mamaya 'yung skin a."
José smiled in Jia's defeat. She just sighed, mapapagastos nanaman siya. Now, she regrets saying thank you.
Sa kalagitnaan ng pagkain nila ay may nag-message ulit sa kanya. It was the same person who notified her about Kaya's issue.
Nag-send siya ng screenshots at nakita niyang puro hate post 'yun about kay Kaya.
Marami ding comments 'yung mga post na nagc-claim na boyfriend din daw sila ni Kaya at nagr-rant ng hinanakit niya.
Bumuntong-hininga si Jia.
Guess, things are getting serious now. That girl.. I already warned her about the consequences she'll face if this gets out. I knew it was bound to happen. Hopefully, she hasn't seen those posts yet.
Inangat niya ang tingin niya kay José who's now happily eating his desert. Nang mapansin niya ang titig ni Jia, napatigil siya sa pagkain.
"I have a favor."
José continued eating, halatang hindi interasado sa sasabihin ng kaibigan. Napapikit si Jia.
"Plus 1 skin."
Ignored.
He's testing my patience.
Nag-isip pa siya ng ibang reward na makakakuha ng atensyon ni José para sa favor na hihingiin niya. This guy is tough. Hindi mo siya mahihingaan ng favor hangga't hindi niya magugustuhan ang kapalit.
Then, she got an idea. She smiled widely.
"Hey, kamusta system mo?"
Kumunot ang noo ni José sa biglang pag-change topic ni Jia.
"What are you planning? Bakit mo tinatanong?"
"Just curious, baka mamotivate mo akong gawin na 'yung system ko, e."
José who's still suspicious answered, "Patapos na, design na lang."
"Good." Lalong nagtaka si José.
"Anong good?"
"I know someone who is a skilled designer. You suck at design, right? Well, I can introduce you to her. In exchange, do me a favor."
Doon na nakuha ni Jia ang atensyon niya. He stopped eating to look at Jia.
"Is it within my capabilities?"
Jia smiled and then she nodded. Sa wakas, nakuha din niya ang atensyon niya.
"Yes, in fact, you're expert at it."
José raised his eyebrows.
"Hacking."
Tila naging bato si José nang marinig ang sinabi ng kaibigan. Halos maibuga pa nga niya 'yung kinakain niya. Nabilaukan pa siya, inabutan agad siya ng tubig ni Jia.
"No. No. No. A big NO! Alam mo nang muntik na akong mapa-trouble noong minsang hinack ko 'yung account ni Ma'am Aira!"
"Matagal naman na 'yun. Saka hinack mo lang naman 'yun para maki-chismis kung may relasyon silang dalawa ni Sir Dennis."
"Kahit na. Ayoko 'yang tingin mo sa akin, halatang may binabalak kang masama. Baka makulong ako."
"Ang negative mo. Hindi ka mapapa-trouble, promise. Ako bahala sa'yo, may kilala akong Cybersecurity student, halimaw din 'yun. Isa pa, you're not doing scam or phishing naman. You'll just hack them to delete their malicious post about Kaya."
"Huh? Bakit, anong meron sa pinsan mo?"
"This." Pinakita ni Jia kay José ang sinend sa kanya na screenshots ng kaibigan niya. Nandoon rin 'yung screenshot kung saan na-expose ang mukha ni José. Although it's blurry and he's not that recognizable, it's still possible that someone will recognize him, just like how Jia was able to recognize him.
"I know you're a very private person. People are now speculating who's the savior in the video. Maraming nagd-drop name but none of them was right, I was just able to recognized you dahil kaibigan kita. Pero paano kung makilala ka na din ng iba nating ka-batch? Baka sumabog notification mo at pagkagulahan ka pa, you don't want it to happen right?"
José nodded. Of course, he doesn't want it to happen. He valued his privacy. Ayaw niya ng maingay at magulong buhay. 'Yung social media nga niya na may 20 lang na friends ay maingay at magulo na para sa kanya. Paano pa kaya kung lahat ng sumasakay sa issue ay mag-friend request or mag-message sa kanya dahil na-reveal na siya 'yung savior? Edi magugulo lang ang peace na ang hirap niyang prinotektahan.
"Hindi ka mahuhuli, I'm assuring you. I know it's not ethical but I just want to minimize the damage. Like a damage control. Kung mahuhuli ka man, I will just tell them that it was me who did the act and not you."
"You think people will believe in you?"
Napapikit si Jia, at pilit na pinakalma ang sarili dahil sa sarkastikong sinabi ni José. José was smirking, masaya siya dahil naaasar si Jia.
Nang umaakma na ng suntok si Jia ay agad niyang binawi ang sinabi niya. "Joke lang! Joke lang!"
He's traumatized to Jia's punch. Last time kasi noong minsang ininis niya si Jia, lumanding ang kamao ni Jia sa mukha niya at sa impact ng suntok ay nagka-black eye siya.
"Ganyan ba ang pag-trato ng humihingi ng favor? Oo na, papayag na! Nakakainis, kapag ako talaga nakulong."
Agad naman na napangiti si Jia sa pagpayag ni José.
"1 limited edition skin, 1 normal skin, plus mocha latte and strawberry cake, plus you will introduce me to a designer. That's what you owe to me."
"Okay, deal. We'll start later, are you free after the class?"
He sighed before he nodded.
"Good, sasama ka sa aking uuwi mamaya."
Their class ended at 4 PM, so they rushed to Jia's apartment. This is the first time that José will go to Jia's apartment. Of course, since they are both single, a man and a woman hanging out together at each other's house are not good in the eyes of society, even if they are just friends without romantic attraction to each other.
"Katok ka lang, nandyan si Kaya sa loob. I will wait outside to wait for Kevin. Papunta na daw siya."
José didn't move.
"Nahihiya ka?"
"Oo." José admitted. He's always awkward in meeting new people. Isa pa, nasa ibang bahay siya. Hindi niya alam ang ikikilos niya.
"What's there to be shy for? Nagkita na kaya kayo noong nakaraan. Kaya mo 'yan."
Napakamot nalang si José sa ulo niya.
"Jusko, ang tagal ni Kevin!"
Napalunok si José sa kaba. Nang pipihitin na sana niya ang pinto ay biglang bumukas ito at bumungad si Kaya na nakapajama, naka-baggy shirt na white, at magulo ang buhok. Ibang-iba sa Kaya na nakikita niya sa mga tarpaulin.
Nanlaki ang mata ni Kaya. "Y-you.."
Nagulat din si José nang makita din si Kaya. They stared at each other for a long time until a car stopped at the front of their apartment and a man who wears a sunglasses came out of the car. He's Kevin, the cybersecurity student that Jia was referring to.
He's having his cool entrance when Jia suddenly smacks him in the face.
Ouch. Napangiwi na lang si José sa nakita. He feels bad for the guy.
"Hindi bagay sa'yo, ulol. Tara na sa loob."
They all went inside, pumunta sila sa may sala. They made a circle, si Kaya, José, Kevin, at si Jia na nasa gitna.
"Kamusta ang lagnat mo, Kaya?" Jia asked.
"It's getting better, bumaba na ang temperature ko."
"Good." Napatango-tango si Jia.
"Now, listen to me Kaya."
The air that surrounds them became serious. As for Kaya who hasn't seen the video and post that is now circulating online, she is confused.
"You're in trouble."
Jia then showed her phone. Kaya gasped, napatakip siya nang bibig. Her hands started shaking.