You Two Are Really Close.

At the roadside, there are many food stalls which are mostly a variety of street foods, barbecues and fruit juices. There's also a mobile ‘Japanese cake’ standing by and waiting for customers.

These products are mostly targeting students so that's why the prices are cheap and affordable. The price is ranging from ₱1.00 to no more than ₱20.00.

However, the quality aren't terrible. I can't really guarantee that it's completely hygienic given that it's a street food exposed to the smoke of vehicles.

But I'm pretty much sure that it's been made cleanly. The vendors won't put themselves into disadvantage by cooking a sickening product. This is their job after all.

Even with all that said, many would still buy. It doesn't actually matter as long as it's edible and not harmful.

Besides, it actually tastes delicious and you won't be fed up by the same dish because each vendors has their own style of cooking. Their dipping sauces has multiple variation as well.

But....

“Why are we eating again? We just ate like at least three minutes ago.”

Before we left the vicinity of the school, we ate a slice of chocolate cake which Eli-chan brought for me. It's the cake they used as snacks in their meeting as an SSG officer.

“Is there any problem with it? There's no way we'll be full with just that small volume of food. There are still more space for a fulfilling dinner.”

You impress me then Al.

We only have been here for approximately ten minutes but you already consumed thirteen ‘isaw’ and ten ‘betamax’. Your stomach sure is vast.

I look at my isaw and betamax with it's glimmering sauce which is stimulating my appetite.

‘Isaw’ is a popular Filipino street food dish consisting of marinated, boiled, and grilled chicken and pork intestines which are usually coiled and skewered on a stick.

It might be made from intestine but it's relatively safe. After all, these intestines are cleaned and boiled thoroughly to eliminate any food-born pathogens.

Meanwhile, ‘betamax’ is just a grilled chicken blood.

Now, how is that possible? How can you grill something in it's liquid phase?

There's naturally a process.

Chicken blood is extracted from the chicken in liquid form. When the blood is placed in an open container and cooled down a little, the texture becomes thicker and somewhat gelatinous. The ‘gelatinous’ blood is scalded to have a more solid form then cut into rectangular pieces.

The rectangular blood resembles the shape of a Betamax tape and this is the reason why it was called as such.

Grilled chicken blood is tasteless, it's not gamy or foul smelling as it may seem. But that's what makes it delicious when dipped in chilli and vinegar sauce.

Personally, I prefer dipping both into a mixture of vinegar, chilli, pipino, and onion. Especially the type where both are fried with flour.

I am about to take a bite but somebody bite onto it before I could.

“If you don't want it, then I'll have it.”

Rose is showing a satisfied expression while chewing my isaw.

“Why'd you steal it? Give it back!”

“If you want it, then take it from me bleh~!”

She sticks her tongue out at me.

“Heh, you want us to reenact what happened in the ‘past’?”

Rose is silent for a moment before blushing. She glares at me then steps backward a few times.

I want to chase after her but Eli-chan is still tightly holding my arm. She haven't let go even once since earlier. She acts like as if she wants me to merge with her. We're too close.

Mae-chan comes forward offering me her isaw.

“Here, I'll give you mine.”

But, Eli-chan blocks her from me.

“I'll give you mine. Now say ‘ahh~’ .”

Mae-chan pulls herself back.

I eat Eli-chan's isaw.

Al comes to me with a cup of green juice with him.

“Have some pandan juice Mark. I'll treat you with it.”

I wave my hand.

“You haven't even treated Mae-chan yet. Give it to her.”

“Oh...”

You forgot your own girlfriend?

“Want some?”

Mae-chan is silent for a few seconds shutting her lips tightly before shaking her head.

Mae-chan looks sad. This two really have a problem.

Hmm.

Eli-chan tightens her grip on me. She looks afraid..? What is she thinking right now?

“I see. Then I'll have it.”

“Hey! Why didn't you asked me?”

“Oh, I already drank it a little but you can still take it.”

“Huh? I don't want your dirty juice. Moreover, you already drank on it!”

“What the fuck! So ungrateful! You're the one who asked for it!”

“I never asked for that!”

“You clearly did!”

“I don't want your juice but you should have asked me as well!”

“What?! What the hell that supposed to mean? You are really strange.”

“You're just an idiot! So simple yet you can't even understand it.”

I also don't understand just what you mean by that Rose.

I whisper to Eli-chan.

“Do you know what she meant by that?”

She's silently looking at Mae-chan so she didn't probably even heard me.

“Don't talk to me! I don't want to get infected by your stupidity.”

“Like hell I wanted to be with you. You get away from me!”

“No, you move first.”

“Why it should be me?!”

“Because you're an idiot!”

“You're a.... a.....”

“What? Went blank? As expected of an idiot!”

“Fuck you! I am just being considerate of not cursing at you given that you're a woman!”

“So you're a sexist as well? Ha, disgusting!”

“I'm not.”

I wave my hand to them.

“Okay that's enough playing with each other—”

““WE'RE NOT PLAYING!!””

“In sync again. You two are really close.”

““WE'RE NOT!!”

Al wants to say something but I interject immediately.

“Okay, it's already late. We should all resume our commute.”

Rose sticks her tongue out before striding forward.

“Fufufufufu.”

We continue walking forward but everyone is silent. Mae glances at Al from time to time. And Rose walks behind me and Eli-chan in silence with obvious frustration on her face.

Meanwhile, my little girlfriend is just walking with silently holding my arm tightly.

Al slows down to walk beside me.

“Mark, when are you going to give me your answer?”

“What are you rushing me for? Let me think through it.”

“I'm not impatient! I just want to know when do you think you'll give me your answer.”

“I don't know. A week or two I guess....”

“Two weeks?! That's too long!”

“I need to think through it.”

“Hmm. How about you come with me tomorrow after school? I'll show you something that could perhaps speed up your decision making.”

“I don't think so but alright if I have time.”

“Wait Al. What do you mean by that?”

Mae-chan slows down as well to block Al.

“What? I'm just gonna hang out with Mark.”

“But I just came back. Aren't we gonna have a dinner or something?”

“We could just do it anytime. Mark and I just reconciled. Isn't this what you want?”

Mae-chan wants to say something but she just silently lowers her head before turning back to continue walking.

I knew it. This two have a problem.

I want to come between the two in order to help them patch their relationship but Eli-chan is not letting me go. She instead strengthens her grip on me.

I will whisper to her.

“Eli-chan, I just like to help them fix their relationship.”

“..........”

She's silent for a moment before letting out a silent ‘Oh’.

Then she smiles at me seemingly having her bad mood erase like as if it never existed before.

Her grip loosen allowing me to get closer with Mae-chan.

“AAAAAAAAAAH!”

But before I could step forward, we heard a short shrill scream which was immediately silenced.

Moreover, this crisp voice sounds familiar not just to me but to Mae as well and especially to Al.

Al looks astounded before frowning and sprinting towards the source of scream. Mae-chan followed suit as well. And although Rose haven't met her before, she looks rather angry.

She runs forward with her quickest speed.

“Aren't you gonna rushed with them Mark? Or do you want me to do it?”

Me and Eli-chan have been left behind.

“What do you think was it?”

Eli-chan tilts her head cutely before answering me.

“I don't know but sounds rape to me.”

“My instincts tells me so as well. No wonder Rose would be angry fufufufu.”

“Why would she be angry?”

“Because she was a firsthand witness of something similar.”

“Hm-mm, that's news to me.”

“Well don't worry about it. Come on, let see what's going on.”

Eli-chan nods softly before walking with me while our hands are holding one another.

The street we're walking has a dim lighting. There are only few dull yellow light bulb as the source of illuminance in this vicinity.

And this place seems to have no people living here. I could see trashes everywhere.

I with Eli-chan walks into a dark alley. The place is reeking with foul smell. I could hear the squeaking noises of rats.

Eli-chan's grip on my hand tightens.

“Are you scared of rats? Don't worry. I won't let any of them get close to you.”

“Thank you Mark but I don't fear rats. I am afraid of the dark.”

“Fufufu. Fear of the unseen?”

“No. I just... I just feel alone and it scares me.”

I can tell she's really afraid by feeling the coldness of her palm.

Hmm?

Oh.

I put her on my left chest.

“Can you feel that? As long as it's in there, you'll never be alone. I won't abandon you.”

She's silent for a few moment then there's suddenly a warm squishy texture pecking my cheek.

“Hehehe... Thank you Mark. But doesn't that mean you'll leave me in the afterlife?”

“I know nothing about the afterlife. But don't worry about it because we are currently alive.”

“Okay........ Are your friends going to be okay though..?”

“It's fine. Al surely received some sort of military training and Rose has a black belt in taekwondo. Against a nonprofessional fighter, they would at least live if they're not careless.”

“Oh.....”

“But let's rushed or we might miss the show.”

“En!”

Eli-chan and I dashes away.