so easy to fall in love.
[ narrations - panel #61 ]
after composing herself, rina left the restroom and hurriedly walked back to their table. the waiter is currently serving their food as she arrives.
“hi. i’m sorry, medyo natagalan.” rina apologized as she sat back down. she grabbed her bag to put her phone away and began searching for her hand sanitizer.
“it’s okay, hindi ka naman matagal.”
the waiter finally put down the last plate on the table, “orders complete! paki-tawag niyo na lang po ako if you need anything. enjoy your food!”
“thank you.”
“thanks!”
the server then left the two and walked back to his station.
“how’s your cousin pala? okay lang ba siya or …?” min asked, referring to the cousin rina had mentioned earlier.
“oh, she’s okay! tumawag lang saglit. luluwas daw kasi sila dito sa manila from the province. dito raw sila mag-christmas.”
sinungaling ka, rina.
“that’s good to hear. by the way, do you need anything else before we eat? water? tissues?”
“no, no! okay na ‘ko. the food looks delicious.” rina glanced at the plates in front of her.
parang ang dami ko atang inorder? okay lang ba 'to?
“i know, smells good too. ah, wait — let me cut the steak para ‘di ka mahirapan.”
min did not wait for an answer and just reached for his own set of utensils. he started cutting the steak into thin strips and bite-sized pieces. meanwhile, rina took a small sip of her drink.
“there you go.”
“thank you!”
they two ate in comfortable silence at first, savoring the taste of their food while quietly appreciating the view and each other’s company.
min consciously tried not to make a sound while he chews; knowing damn well that it is one of rina's pet peeves.
a few moments later, the silence naturally broke. it turned into a series of soft laughter, stories, and conversations that flowed effortlessly from one topic to another.
they took turns asking each other questions that ranged from trivial, surface-level topics to serious ones.
rina talked about her work trips. min shared stories about his designs. they drifted from makeup and fashion, to their shared love for the beach and sunsets, the music they play on-loop, tiktok trends that make them laugh, their friendship with the people who set them up for this blind date, and so much more.
they couldn't deny the fact that they genuinely enjoy each other’s company.
it was when rina started getting cold that min noticed how long they’ve been together. she has her arms crossed, slowly caressing the side of her arms, possibly trying to get some sort of body heat.
“are you cold? here, you can wear my jacket.”
“ha? hindi, okay lang.”
“wala naman akong amoy.”
it made marina chuckle. min slid his jacket off his shoulders and handed it to rina.
“hindi ka ba giginawin?”
“makapal naman shirt ko.”
“i should’ve picked a different outfit.”
“hmm? but it’s pretty. you look wonderful.”
“your jacket smells nice. what’s your perfume?”
“dahil sinabi mong mabango, ige-gatekeep ko yung scent.”
“madaya ka!”
this time, the two talked about their love for perfumes. their favorite brands, favorite notes, how they layer scents, how it complements an outfit, and how scent carries memories.
by this point, they’ve been together for about 2 hours or so. the wind is lightly blowing rina’s hair as she constantly tuck a few loose strands behind her ear. it’s really beginning to feel like christmas with how cold the air is getting.
min sat there, looking intently at rina’s eyes that shines so bright, reflecting the lights from the buildings of the city skyline. she’s now talking about her love and fascination for this singer named olivia dean, until a soft yawn caught her mid-sentence.
“are you getting sleepy? or tired?”
“huh? hindi naman, medyo lang. naga-adjust pa rin ata katawan ko sa timezone.”
“weh? antok ka na eh.” min teased, giving rina a playful look.
but rina was quick with a rebuttal as she pointed her finger to him. “antok na tayo kamo! parang naluluha ka na rin oh.”
“lapit na bed time ko eh.”
“yung edad naman!”
and so, the two called the waiter to finally request the bill — almost signaling the end of their night.
when the server came back, rina started rummaging through her bag. she was supposed to reach for the black check holder placed on the table, but min snatched it right away.
“hey, it’s on me.” min said softly.
rina refused, “hala, no! i can pay naman ... or let’s just do 50/50?”
“nope. sorry, not happening,” min insisted and gave her a gentle smile.
“friends ko naman nag-set up nito. naabala ka pa.”
“hindi naman abala if i agreed to it and i enjoyed this night with you. my friends were on this din naman.”
“okay.”
rina’s voice is low. min was quick to catch it.
“libre mo na lang ako nung favorite ice cream mo next time.”
oh.
next time.
so, may next time?
but rina did not want to get her hopes up. she has heard it multiple times from her previous dates. none of them ever reached out for a second one.
the server finally came back, carrying a plate with two slices of cake. he carefully placed it on the table with a smile before leaving.
WILL YOU MARRY ME?
“huh?”
“ano ‘to?”
the two froze — confused, clueless.
“i think they served this at the wrong table," min muttered, embarrassment slowly creeping in. he tried to catch the attention of their assigned waiter, but he was already out of sight.
rina just sat there, getting even more confused and almost laughing. “baka sa ibang customer nga ‘to. wala naman tayong inorder na ganito. wrong couple po!”
couple.
“nakakahiya. sorry, rina. wait — tanggalin natin.” min shyly smiled and got the small spoon as he tried to wipe the lettering off the plate.
rina burst out laughing. she got her phone and started taking photos before min could even get rid of the writing.
“kanino ba 'to siya? baka masira yung plan nung magppropose! baka tayo pa ‘yung masisi.” min turned his head left and right, searching for a server or staff who could possibly help, but none of them were in sight.
rina just went ahead and grab her own spoon to take a bite from the cake. “mukhang masarap pa naman yung cake.”
“i’m so sorry, rina.”
“ay si sorry! ano ka ba, hindi mo naman kasalanan.”
it was such an awkward and unexpected situation, but what rina found the most attractive was min’s reaction.
he didn’t get mad. no shouting. no scandalous act. he was confused and embarrassed, yes. but he quickly composed himself and apologized even though it was not his fault.
min, despite the embarrassment, felt a wave of relief when he heard rina laugh.
"tikman mo na yung cake, min. masarap naman! hindi masyadong matamis."
to end the night, the two shared the 2 slices of cakes and a good laugh. the awkward moment is certainly a memory they would both remember fondly.