It was just another slow morning sa utility stockroom ng Mo Hotels, except... something was different.
Peachy blinked twice. Tapos thrice. Baka guni-guni lang. But no, it was really there—20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPGwPxIVJuT
A sticky note.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqEK3Xz3fwZ
Color: pale yellow.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWtkYY3lsaD
Ink: black.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzDPQz2j9sd
Location: sa likod ng microwave kung saan siya laging nagtatago ng instant noodles.
Written in slightly messy but confident handwriting:
"Thanks for the tea. –C"
Tumigil ang mundo niya saglit.
"C...?" she whispered. Her fingers hovered above the note. Hindi niya agad ginalaw, parang sacred artifact sa museum. Kailangan pa ba niya ng gloves?
Sa isang iglap, lumambot ang tuhod niya. It was his. It had to be.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdrxDej3o9m
Ang lalaking misteryoso, tahimik, laging mukhang nagdadalamhati—siya ang sumagot?
Her heart tap-danced like it drank three cups of kape.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxZ0dAnl2RF
"Siya talaga 'to..."
Nakangiti na siya buong shift.
That night, Peachy stared at her notebook—the one she never showed anyone. Dito niya sinusulat ang notes na hindi niya nailalagay. 'Yung masyadong personal. Or masyadong totoo.
She ripped a small pink square from the pad.
"You're welcome. :)20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjJxaizXOgs
P.S. You look less sad today. That's nice."
She almost crumpled it. Too much ba? Too soon? Too honest?20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyfIQcWgMXA
But then she remembered—20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJhUKnNKDn9
She'd rather be too much than nothing at all.
Inilagay niya ito sa parehong lugar, sa likod ng microwave. May maliit na bato para hindi liparin ng hangin.
The next day, walang note.
Pero sa susunod, meron na naman.
"I didn't know sadness showed. Thanks (I think)."
She giggled.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhgMlLlM55y
He's witty pala. And self-aware.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCgmIMyyui6
She replied:
"It doesn't show. It lingers. Like the scent of burnt toast."
And just like that, it began again.
Their exchange became... a thing.
Walang usap. Walang text. Walang harapan.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwwbmmxJ93p
Sticky notes lang—parang lihim na laro.
Sometimes one-liners:
"Do you always hum off-key at 7AM?"20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB6mIzibNJi
"Only when I think no one's listening."
Sometimes thoughts too small to say aloud:
"Do you believe people can start over?"20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Pcr18j1Q5
"Yes. With warm food and cold apologies."
It became her favorite part of the day.
One Sunday, she arrived early. Too early.
Nagulat siya nang mahuling nagsusulat si Charlie sa sticky note. Nakayuko, seryoso, nakaeyeglasses pa. He didn't notice her—yet.
She froze.
Should she leave? Should she cough? Magtap-tap ba ng paa?20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5OSB38mOum
But she stayed. Silent. Watching him write something, crumple it, write again.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPMxQ5znYj3
Finally, iniwan niya ang note sa usual spot. He turned.
Their eyes met.
She smiled, almost instinctively.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3W0QJ6CnDS
He... paused.
Then—he smiled back. It was small. Almost reluctant. But real.
"Hi," Peachy said.
"Hey," Charlie replied.
That was it.
The next note came with a doodle. A badly drawn teacup.
"Noticed you like jasmine. Good choice. It's calming. Like you."
She stared at it longer than she cared to admit.
But not all days were sunny.
One Wednesday, he didn't leave a note.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡULMyop3ZvJ
Next day, wala rin.
By Friday, Peachy started doubting herself again.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ11NF9RHTQl
Did she overstep? Was it too much?
She was used to being ghosted—but this felt worse. Because she was hoping. Again.
Saturday, she arrived later than usual. Tired. Hungry.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqchR7pz9ep
Opened the microwave nook to heat her soup... and there it was.
A folded sticky note—pink, but written in black ink.
"Sorry. Got overwhelmed. It happens. I didn't mean to disappear. –C"
She breathed out a laugh, eyes softening.
On the back of her old receipt, she wrote:
"Okay lang. I get overwhelmed too. But I don't disappear. I bake. Want muffins?"
Charlie never answered that one in words.
But come Monday, may iniwang paper bag sa pantry table.
Labeled in awkwardly cute handwriting:
"Blueberry. In case you still meant it. –C"
She took a bite.
And cried. Kasi sobrang sarap. Or maybe dahil sobrang saya.
That day, Peachy left a note that wasn't witty or careful.
Just honest.
"I hope you don't disappear again.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQQpTsUwlgy
It's nice having someone listen. Even in silence."
No reply the next day. Or the day after.
But on Friday, may bagong note.
This time, hindi na sa microwave.
It was taped sa locker niya.
"I won't disappear. Not if you stay."
END OF CHAPTER 7
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC3MeJ72zo5
and then Add to home screen.