Chapter 18

PAT’s POV:

Having Kat in my condo felt strange.

Not bad.

Just strange.

Because for months, she had only existed through phone calls, messages, and a screen.

Now she was here.

Walking around my kitchen.

Opening random cabinets.

Judging my life choices.

Like she had never left.

“Why do you only have instant noodles?”

Kat stared at one of my cabinets.

I leaned against the counter.

“Because I’m a student.”

“That’s not an excuse.”

“It absolutely is.”

She rolled her eyes.

And somehow, seeing that made me smile.

Because some things never changed.

Around midnight, neither of us looked sleepy.

Maybe because we had too much to catch up on.

Maybe because we both knew tomorrow would come too fast.

Maybe because neither of us wanted the day to end.

—

“Movie?”

I suggested.

Kat immediately nodded.

“Movie.”

“Your choice.”

“Bad idea.”

“Why?”

“You have terrible taste.”

She gasped dramatically.

“My taste is amazing.”

“You cried watching an animated fish movie.”

“It was emotional.”

“It was a fish.”

“It had feelings.”

I laughed.

And for a moment, everything felt easy.

—

We eventually settled on a movie.

Neither of us paid much attention to it.

Most of the time, we were busy talking.

Talking about school.

About San Juan.

About old classmates.

About things we missed.

About things we didn’t.

—

The movie continued playing in the background.

The condo lights were dim.

The city outside was quiet.

And somewhere during the second half of the movie…

Kat became quieter.

I looked beside me.

She was blinking slower.

Fighting sleep.

“Kat.”

“Hm?”

“Sleep.”

“I’m not sleeping.”

“You literally closed your eyes.”

“I’m resting them.”

I laughed.

“Sure.”

A few minutes later, she stopped responding.

I glanced sideways.

And found her asleep.

—

Her head resting on my shoulder.

—

I froze.

Not because it was unusual.

Kat had done this countless times when we were younger.

On jeepney rides.

During long school programs.

While studying.

While pretending to study.

—

But this felt different.

Because years had passed.

And I wasn’t the same person anymore.

—

I looked down at her.

The soft rise and fall of her breathing.

The way her hair partially covered her face.

The way she looked peaceful for the first time since arriving.

—

I smiled.

Without realizing it.

—

God.

I missed her.

—

For a while, I stayed exactly where I was.

Not wanting to wake her.

Not wanting to move.

Just enjoying the moment.

—

Because moments like these were rare now.

And I didn’t know when the next one would come.

—

Eventually, her neck shifted awkwardly.

I sighed.

“Okay.”

—

Carefully, I stood up.

One arm behind her back.

The other under her knees.

—

And lifted her.

—

Bridal style.

—

Kat stirred slightly.

But didn’t wake up.

—

“Still heavy.”

I whispered.

—

Even asleep, she frowned.

—

I laughed quietly.

Then carried her to the guest room.

—

The room I spent an entire week preparing.

The room she would probably make fun of me for tomorrow.

—

I carefully placed her on the bed.

Pulled the blanket over her.

Adjusted the pillow.

And stood there for a second.

Just looking.

—

“Good night, Kat.”

—

Then I turned off the light.

Closed the door.

And went back to the living room.

—

The couch wasn’t exactly comfortable.

But it was fine.

—

Because Kat was comfortable.

And somehow…

That mattered more.

—

The next morning, I woke up first.

—

Years of training had permanently ruined my ability to sleep in.

—

The sun was barely up.

The condo was still quiet.

And Kat was still asleep.

—

I smiled.

Then headed toward the kitchen.

—

Cooking wasn’t exactly my specialty.

But I could manage breakfast.

—

A few minutes later, eggs were cooking.

Rice was steaming.

And coffee filled the room with its familiar smell.

—

I was placing everything on the table when I heard footsteps.

—

Slow.

Sleepy.

Dragging footsteps.

—

I looked up.

And there she was.

—

Hair messy.

Eyes half closed.

Still wearing the oversized shirt she slept in.

—

Kat stopped.

Blinking at the breakfast table.

Then at me.

Then back at the breakfast table.

—

“You cooked?”

I shrugged.

“Try not to sound so surprised.”

—

She laughed softly before sitting down.

—

Then suddenly her eyes widened.

—

“Nakatulog na pala ako.”

I smiled.

“You did.”

—

“Sorry.”

She rubbed her face.

“Pagod din kasi ako sa biyahe.”

—

“It’s okay.”

—

She looked guilty.

“I was trying to stay awake.”

—

“You lasted longer than expected.”

—

“Wow.”

—

I laughed.

—

For a moment, neither of us spoke.

Just enjoying the quiet morning.

—

The kind of morning that felt familiar.

Comfortable.

Safe.

—

Then Kat smiled.

The soft kind.

The genuine kind.

—

“Namiss ko ‘to.”

—

I looked at her.

—

“What?”

—

“Kumain kasama ka.”

—

My chest tightened.

Just a little.

—

Because the truth was…

I missed this too.

More than she knew.

—

“Ako rin.”

I answered honestly.

—

And for a brief moment…

Before reality came back.

Before school.

Before basketball.

Before distance.

Before everything.

—

It felt like we were home again.