From the author: For the first time in four years, Twenty-four year old Fi Legaspi—road manager to South Korean pop-rock band East Genesis Project—returns to the Philippines for the Manila leg of the band's Asian tour. But since a series of "scandalous" events from the previous day has made her vulnerable to fangirl violence, agency PR manager Gabriel Park decides to make Fi's security his top priority and insists on staying by her side at all times. After spending her first night back in Manila at the house she grew up in, Fi finds herself in a rather awkward situation involving a newly-showered Gabriel who has nothing but a towel on. Fi gets confused in more ways than one.

The weather is as humid as Manila can get this time of year, but Fi thinks she'd had the best sleep in years. Yes, even after she got jolted awake at four in the morning because the neighbor's roosters were cock-a-doodle-doing like crazy. She missed that. She even missed the tricycles that made their presence known by roaring by.

She checks her phone for the time: 11:00 am. It's too late for breakfast, but she could smell the tocino from downstairs. Still half awake, she gets out of bed and shuffles to the bathroom first. She hasn't yet turned the doorknob when the door opens, revealing Gabriel wearing only a towel around his waist.

"Hey, good morning."

The sight effectively confuses her. What the hell is Gabriel doing at my house wearing nothing but a—oh, right, he's staying for . . . a couple of days. Why am I looking at his chest again?

"Fi?"

She's wide awake now, thanks to the smell of his soap—or was that aftershave?—and she looks up at Gabriel when he calls her name. "Yeah?"

He holds her by the shoulders ("Hey, what are you doing?" she almost yells, crossing her arms over her chest) and gently shoves her to the side so he could step out of the bathroom and into the corridor leading to the bedrooms. Embarrassed by her train of thought, Fi clears her throat and mumbles, "There's br-lunch downstairs," before rushing into the bathroom and shutting the door behind her loudly.

"Well, hurry downstairs then. Let's have 'br-lunch' together."

It strange how she feels the urge to put a hand against her chest, as though doing so will help calm her heart down. This isn't the first time she's seen a half-naked man in front of her, after all. Amethyst has male models and trainees who sometimes go from one rehearsal room to another in only their jeans. She's even seen all of EG Project shirtless during backstage costume changes. Seeing Gabriel like this shouldn't be so different.

Apparently not, because it takes a while for her to shake the glorious vision out of her head. And she somehow ends up fussing over how her hair should look. Or if she should change into something other than her floral pajamas and worn-out high school shirt.

Finally, she decides on going with the usual ponytail, thinking it neater and cooler, given the weather. She doesn't bother changing into something else, either, finding it silly to have even considered that. It's just Gabriel, she tells herself, and goes downstairs for lunch.

She is surprised to see her high school friend, Carlos sitting in the living room, who perks up at the sight of her going down the stairs. Squealing, Fi tackle-hugs him.

"Tang ina, na-miss kita, ah!" Carlos says after a long, drawn-out hug. They bicker all the way to the dining area where, Gabriel is waiting with his neck craned to see what is going on in the hall, stopping only so that Fi could introduce the two gentlemen.

"Gabe, this is Carlos, a good friend of mine from high school."

Carlos frees his hand of the small bilao he brought in, wipes his hand quickly against his jeans, and leans across the table to shake Gabriel's hand.

"And this is Gabriel, our PR guy."

The men shake hands, and Fi invites her old friend to have lunch with them. Gabriel doesn't realize he was actually holding his breath until after Carlos says he can't stay, adding, "You're not the only one who has a job now, Fi."

"Right! You're a guidance counselor now!"

"Yep. I just came down here to bring you your favorite kutsinta because Tita said you were coming home."

Touched, Fi smiles at her friend and steps forward to hug him. "Aww, mahal mo talaga ako," she says.

"Ulol, may bayad 'yan."