Markl looked up at the lady like she was the only person he could see among the crowded streets. The noisy engines, the blaring horns, the people talking, laughing, singing, the drunk ones acting wild — none of it reached him. His attention was locked entirely on the woman in front of him.
The lady placed her hand on her waist. “I’m asking you, Mr. Mark L. Are you going insane or deaf?” she said in her usual sarcastic voice.
“Do you think if I were deaf, I could answer your question?” Markl raised an eyebrow.
The lady started making random hand signs.
“What are you doing?” Markl gasped.
She winked. “Sign language. Everyone knows that.”
“Yeah, I know what sign language is. I’m asking if you really know how to do it.”
“You didn’t ask me that. Your question was ‘What are you doing?’ — and I answered it correctly.”
“Okay, got it. My bad. I’ll rephrase. Do you know how to do sign language?”
“Yes, you could say I’m really good at it.”
“I like the confidence”
“Sure you do!”
“Where did you learn it?”
“From home. My dad — he’s deaf.”
“Is it hard?”
“Hard what? Learning sign language, or having a dad who’s deaf?”
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“My question was supposed to be the second one… but you can answer both if you want.”
“That’s why you need to finish your sentences, Mark L.”
“I was about to — before you cut me off.”
“Whatever, bro.” She shrugged. “To answer your question: learning sign language isn’t hard, especially since I grew up watching my parents do it. Anyway, before you get confused, my mom isn’t deaf.”103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrl6iqhSdxw
She took a deep breath. “And for the second question… yes. It is hard having a deaf dad. Sometimes it feels like I don’t really know him.”
“It must’ve been hard for you.” Markl said, his voice trembling with sadness.
“You could say that.”
“How is he as a father?”
“He’s… very different. Apart from being deaf.”
“Thank you for opening up.”
“Thank you for what? Don’t be ridiculous. It’s not even a secret, and I’m fine with it.”
“I’m thanking you because it feels like you trust me. You’re telling me something personal. I can feel it — it’s your soft spot. Your vulnerability shows when you talk about your dad.”
“So you can really read minds.”
“I told you, and I’m not really good at it, especially when the person I try to read refuses to admit it.” he said proudly, smiling at her.
The lady started circling around him slowly, like she was testing him.
“Then read my mind right now.”
“Hmm… all I can see is you’re acting weird.” Markl straightened up, following her movements with his eyes.
“I’m not being weird,” she said calmly. “You know what is weird, it is something like this” — and suddenly did a robotic dance with stiff, awkward movements.
“That’s really weird. Stop. You’re embarrassing yourself.” Markl gently took her arm to stop her dancing.
Both of them are laughing too hard because of the scene they made in the middle of the streets. People were staring, some confused, others amused—but neither of them cared. Markl wipes a tear from his eye while she struggles to catch her breath, leaning slightly on him for balance.
Their eyes met.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1oXMuo5qLq
Everything slowed down.
“You can get off me now,” the lady said, looking away with shyness as she slowly lifts herself off his chest.
“I’m sorry,” Markl muttered, feeling shy too as he helped her stand.
She said, “It’s alright, I’m just trying to be funny because you’ve been acting weird for the past few minutes. I’ve only known you for a little over an hour, but I can confidently say you’re not acting like yourself compared to when I first saw you.”
“You’re trying to amuse me? Thank you. It worked a lot.”
“If that’s the case, you need to treat me again.”
“Don’t tell me you’re hungry.”
“I’m always hungry.”
“Sure you are.”
“I haven’t had dinner yet. Another treat from you, Markl.”
“As usual, since the beginning.”
“Alright, so hurry up and get your lazy ass up there, let’s find some place to eat”
Markl quickly stood up “Alright! Let's go” and the two of them started looking for a place to eat.
“Do you believe a guy should pay for dinner on a date?” she asked.
“It depends.”
“Depends on what?”
“If it’s a date.”
The lady narrowed her eyes. “Are you asking me?”
“I’m asking a question — and to be specific, a hypothetical scenario where two people are having either a date or a friendly dinner.”
“That’s specific enough,” she smirked. “Let’s say it is a date. What’s your answer?”
“Then the guy should pay for everything — but it still depends on his situation. If he has a job, then yes, he should pay. If he’s just a student with barely any money, maybe he can bring her somewhere he can afford. In that way, technically, he still pays for dinner.”
She laughed. “That is a long-ass sentence for the word yes.
“What else could I say? Me being me i guess” he laughed.
“I will accept that answer.” she said.
“How about you? Do you pay for your food?” he asked.
“When I’m alone, of course yes. Who do you think will pay for me? The restaurant?” She gave him a small shrug.
“Come on, you knew I wasn’t talking about that.” he said.
“Be specific then.” she replied.
“Okay then… when you are on a date or somebody asks you to dinner, do you pay for it or at least contribute?” he asked.
“Most of the time they pay for it without asking a question.” She said it casually.
“Do you think it’s an obligation of a man to pay?” he asked.
“Not at all. But I see that gesture as them being gentlemen.” she answered.
“I see. I will accept your answer.”He nodded once, satisfied.
They walked slowly, as if neither of them wanted the moment to end. Each step felt like they were trying to make every second count. They kept glancing at each other, exchanging small smiles that said more than words could.
Both of them could feel it — the quiet music of peace between them, the butterflies in their stomachs, the warmth that only appeared when they were together. For Markl, the loneliness he carried for so long felt lighter, almost gone. For her, the emptiness she’d felt for years suddenly had something in it — something new, something she’d been unknowingly searching for.
The lady wasn’t sure what it meant yet, but she knew one thing:103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCdvVb5Mdcd
She wanted this moment to last.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXsZOg9qgUR
Just a little bit longer.
“Why are you staring at me?” she asked, glancing at him while they walked.
Markl kept his pace steady. “It happened, I’m reciprocating your tendency to glance at me”
She raised an eyebrow. “First, it’s glaring. Second, let’s assume I did– So what’s your purpose then?”
“Nothing, I just realized how colorful your hair is, it’s like you’re a unicorn.” He looked at her hair for a moment, then back to the road.
“Yeah, because I'm a unicorn, it’s a metaphor. It means I’m unique” She tucked a strand behind her ear.
“Sure I know what metaphor is”
“No! you don’t. get off your high horse, Markl” She raised her voice like a mom lecturing his kid.
He shook his head “Holy molly I like your humor” Markl let out a small laugh.
She rested her hands under her chin and wiggled her fingers playfully and smiled .“I noticed. That's why you can’t take your eyes off me. Not to mention this pretty face”
“Stop acting like a teenager”
“Maybe I am”
“Really? How old are you then?”
“You can’t ask a woman that, you can’t ask a woman how old she is”
He chuckled “You hate that question so much it made you say it twice”
“What are you saying I said it twice, what are you saying I said it twice”
“You literally just did”
“No I didn’t, No I didn't”
“Lady, I just want to avoid trouble walking with a teenage stranger. I don’t want the FBI knocking on my door tomorrow morning.”
“Don’t worry, man. You’re safe — I’m over 20.”
Markl lifted his hands slightly. “Okay, Okay — I surrender. You win”
“It’s 2-1” She looked at him and held up her hands — two fingers on one hand, one on the other — pointing at them like she was showing the score.
“So you’re keeping score, You such a stubborn lady”
“I’m not, I just find teasing you fun, very entertaining for me”
“I’m glad I amused you, you don’t need disneyland anymore when you are with me”
She gave him a short look “How dare you to assume that, disneyland is the best place in the world and nobody can replace them in my heart”
“I couldn’t agree more”
“And the second place for Disneyland is food. And food is everywhere. Very convenient.”
They walked side by side, their arms occasionally brushing as the city lights glowed around them.
“We should go to the night market,” Markl said.
“I thought that was the first plan,” the lady replied, raising an eyebrow.
“No, the first plan is to feed you, and the second plan is to go to the night market.”
“You make good plans.” She smirked.
“Yeah, but not good decisions.”
“Like what?”
“Bumping into you.” He grinned, glancing at her.
“You know I'm just being sarcastic right?, Mark L?. I’m hungry, so let’s hurry up.”
“I could see sarcasm in your eyes and also I could hear your stomach growling all the way here. And yes we should hurry”
“If you keep walking like a caterpillar, this tiger in my stomach will devour you.”
“Correction: caterpillars don’t walk, they crawl.”
“Don’t bother me with biology lessons, Mark L. Worry about my left hook — when I’m hungry, I turn into Bruce Lee.”
“Correction again: a left hook is a boxing punch. I think what you mean is Bruce Lee’s one-inch punch?”
“Oh my God! Mark L, just leave me alone before my temper runs out.”
“That’s a really Filipina love language.”
“What do you mean by Filipina love language?”
“The mean but thoughtful, also when they laugh they start hitting the other person next to them, you haven’t done it yet to me but when you turn into bruce lee maybe”
“Don’t worry I don’t need to laugh to do that”
“That’s what I was thinking”
The two of them started walking faster than before when suddenly three kids, around eight to ten years old, stepped in front of them. They looked unwashed, like they hadn’t eaten in a day. Their eyes were tired — the usual sight of children begging on the streets.
Markl and the lady stopped, exchanging a glance before trying to communicate with the local kids.
The lady bent slightly and placed her hands gently on the heads of two of them.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGXfOCUAlfV
“Are you kids hungry?” she asked, her voice soft and genuinely concerned.
The kids didn’t answer. Instead, they stretched their arms out and opened their hands.
The lady made an eating gesture.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZWTv3FCAD4
“Eat? Eat? I will give you food,” she said slowly.
But the kids responded in unison:103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlHWvA4AzeB
“Money, money, money.”
Without hesitation, the lady reached into her pocket and handed them some cash. The kids’ faces lit up immediately — shouting, smiling, celebrating as they ran off with the money.
When they disappeared into the crowd, the lady remained standing there, unable to stop smiling. She looked proud, fulfilled. It was clear in that moment that her kindness came naturally, without hesitation — her humility was something else entirely.
Markl looked at her, even prouder of her than she was of herself.
“I didn’t know you had a soft spot for kids.”
“There are plenty of things about me that you don’t know yet, Mark L.”
“Absolutely. For example, your name… and your age.”
She shook her head.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMtjhGV8HV7
“My name? You’ll never know that — it’s better for you. And my age? Be a gentleman, Markl. Don’t ask a woman her age.”
“For the hundredth time, it’s Markl. Not Mark L.”
“For me, you are Mark L.”
He sighed but smiled.“Fine. I’ll make an exception for strangers… especially since you just made me believe in humanity again.”
She snorted. “That is such a corny line, Markl. There are plenty of philanthropists in this world — even in this city alone.”
“Many of those so-called philanthropists aren’t like you. I could see you actually cared. Not because someone was filming you. I could feel how genuine you were at that moment.”
She looked away for a second. “Maybe it’s just my messiah complex… or maybe I relate to them. Not literally, but figuratively.”
“Do you relate to them figuratively? How? Hungry for love? Attention? Recognition?”
“Maybe… one of those you mentioned or all of them.”
He nodded slowly. “Well, what you did just now deserves all three words I mentioned.”
“Thank you for the kind words”
“You’re welcome but I should be more thankful Ms. Kind heart”
“So that’s how you call me now?”
“Maybe? You earned that title”
“Anyways, Do you also help the kids on the street?” the lady asked, glancing at him while brushing her hair behind her ear.
“I don’t,” Markl said, slipping his hands into his pockets as they kept walking. “Maybe because my mind keeps telling me these kids are part of a syndicate group, of course not all of them and I know some need help”
The lady nodded slowly, watching the kids disappear into the crowd. “I can’t blame you for that. In the Philippines, there are a lot of kids in that situation. And some of them are not innocent — they can be mischievous and a headache to the community.”
“I didn’t see that coming, how realistic of you” Markl said with a small laugh, scratching the back of his neck. “I thought you were gonna lecture me about compassion.”
She shot him a playful side-eye. “You underestimated me. I’m not as narrow-minded as you think… though I used to be.”
“Thank God I don’t need to defend myself,” he chuckled.
She shrugged lightly and kicked a small pebble on the road. “Even if I said all the things you expected me to say, I still wouldn’t judge you. It’s not your responsibility to help random kids. None of us are required to do that.”
After a few minutes of walking, they arrived at the night market. As usual, the place was crowded. Loud music blasted from different stalls, mixing with the constant murmur of people passing by. The smell of smoke from grills drifted through the air, making everyone hungrier than they already were. There were local dishes, exotic street foods, and cuisines from neighboring Asian countries. Aside from food, rows of stalls displayed all kinds of souvenirs. The whole place was diverse—full of locals and tourists moving together under the neon lights.
The lady grabbed Markl’s arm and pulled him toward a Thai food stall.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡogOEOFpm9A
“Let’s go here, Mark L. I love Pad Thai,” she said, excitement filling her voice.
She wasn’t even sure why she grabbed his arm. Maybe she was too hungry, too excited about the food… or maybe she just wanted to hold on to him. It felt like her arm moved on its own, reaching for something that made her feel comfortable. Safe. Something special.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw8M59EueKb
A new feeling — strange, unfamiliar — yet warm. And she loved it. She loved every moment of it, especially after the kind words Markl had told her earlier, those three words she had never truly felt before.
Markl felt her soft hand, and the sensation ran through his whole body. Her hand was cold yet gentle. Even with just that touch, he felt care, affection — something he had been longing for. Slowly, his face turned red.
The two sat down immediately, grabbed the menu, and ordered quickly. The lady ordered pad thai, tom yum, and mango sticky rice, while Markl ordered Thai basil pork. Markl looked at her, completely clueless about what was going on. What he saw was the lady pointing at almost everything on the menu, and he found it hilarious.
“Hey, are you sure you can eat all the food you ordered?”
“I told you, never underestimate me.”
“Don’t make me finish your leftovers.”
“Don’t worry, that’s not gonna happen. This tiny little stomach can devour everything—especially when I’m hungry.” She leaned closer to Markl and whispered, “Even when I’m not.”
“Okay, if that’s what you say. I wonder… when you get full, are you still gonna eat your words?”
“You’re… punny,” she said, dragging the word out as if she wanted to say funny but changed it halfway.
“That is part of my pundamental,” he replied, mimicking her tone.
“Anyway, what did you order?” She rested her elbow on the table and placed her chin on her hand with full sass.
“Basil pork.”
“Just that?” Her eyes widened in disappointment.
“Yeah, just rice and pork. More than enough for me.” he said, making an innocent face.
“What are you, a girl?” The lady asked, raising a brow at him.
“Hey! Look who’s being sexist now.” He pointed at her acting shocked.
“Question: Can I be sexist when I’m a woman?” she said, tapping her finger on her chin.
“Absolutely.” He nodded without hesitation.
“I’ve never heard anyone say ‘stop being like a man,’ unless we’re talking about a woman with a lack of empathy.”
“Now you’re getting deeper. This lady is sexist—such an irony. But you’re right, we never hear anything like that.”
“See? I told you I have a point.” She leaned back in her chair, looking smug.
“But you’re still being sexist,” Markl said, narrowing his eyes at her.
“Let’s say I am being sexist…” She tapped her fingers on the table dramatically. Is that like, the women’s version of a forbidden word?”
Markl froze mid-sip of his water. “You’re kidding, right?”
She burst into a quiet laugh, waving her hand dismissively. “Yes, obviously. I just find the logic funny.”
Markl shook his head and chuckled. “You’re right… that’s actually a good one.”
The waiter walked to their table and set down the plates. “Here is your order, madam — Pad Thai, Tom Yum, and Mango Sticky Rice.” He placed each dish in front of the lady. “And here is your order, mister — Pad Kra Pao.” He served it with a warm smile.
“Yeah—hey, finally!” She looked up at the waiter and clapped her hands excitedly.
“I never thought acting childish could be cute,” Markl said, letting out a small laugh.
“That one’s easy,” she replied, flipping her hair playfully. “I’m naturally cute. So maybe anything I do might be cute.” She struck a sassy pose.
“That is a fact.” Markl said, his eyes glued to her.
She smirked. “Somebody’s flirting.”
“Is it allowed?” he asked, giving her a flirty look.
“It is encouraged,” she replied, smiling confidently.
The two of them continued eating while stealing glances at each other — that familiar movie-like slow motion hitting them again. Markl tried to act cool with his little gestures, being the gentleman every chance he got.
But the lady was the total opposite of what he expected. Instead of eating slowly with grace, she ate fast — mouth still full, sometimes even grabbing food with her hand without thinking twice.
Markl stared at her, half amazed, half amused. “You are full of surprises.”
“There’s so much hidden in my sleeves,” she said proudly, “like a magician.”
“If I didn’t see you again, I’d never witness this hilarious moment.”
“You didn’t see me—” she grabbed another piece of food and swallowed it mid-sentence, “I saw you.”
Markl blinked. “Did the stars collide?”
She smirked. “Maybe they did.”
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and then Add to home screen.