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—35Please respect copyright.PENANATVROaFuxB2
A sticky note.35Please respect copyright.PENANArxJEkgiEcJ
Color: pale yellow.35Please respect copyright.PENANAyaWWrufYxw
Ink: black.35Please respect copyright.PENANAkA0X2uGANl
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.35Please respect copyright.PENANAAc6ucUDDiB
Ang lalaking misteryoso, tahimik, laging mukhang nagdadalamhati—siya ang sumagot?
Her heart tap-danced like it drank three cups of kape.35Please respect copyright.PENANAIvFKabpPYv
"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. :)35Please respect copyright.PENANAWr1npHAlMl
P.S. You look less sad today. That's nice."
She almost crumpled it. Too much ba? Too soon? Too honest?35Please respect copyright.PENANAaU62HzQy63
But then she remembered—35Please respect copyright.PENANACzhGvy8WL5
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.35Please respect copyright.PENANAvnOOIHu4Qe
He's witty pala. And self-aware.35Please respect copyright.PENANAAbUIFW3ofH
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.35Please respect copyright.PENANA727JHy9ibU
Sticky notes lang—parang lihim na laro.
Sometimes one-liners:
"Do you always hum off-key at 7AM?"35Please respect copyright.PENANAPiov0965B3
"Only when I think no one's listening."
Sometimes thoughts too small to say aloud:
"Do you believe people can start over?"35Please respect copyright.PENANAbIfqW4euZD
"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?35Please respect copyright.PENANAg7eo6AEf6s
But she stayed. Silent. Watching him write something, crumple it, write again.35Please respect copyright.PENANAhOqjB6Y8kr
Finally, iniwan niya ang note sa usual spot. He turned.
Their eyes met.
She smiled, almost instinctively.35Please respect copyright.PENANALlPqRtRPXI
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.35Please respect copyright.PENANAItGFED2Ldk
Next day, wala rin.
By Friday, Peachy started doubting herself again.35Please respect copyright.PENANA5Yyj1gmHgV
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.35Please respect copyright.PENANAtgg2KnmY4g
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.35Please respect copyright.PENANAovLHISQre9
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
35Please respect copyright.PENANAiCpVM5zfDk