"Good morning, Miss Leah!" Tricia, the receptionist, greeted Leah and Joyce when they arrived at the therapy center. "I texted your mom about your new therapist starting today. This is Kento."

"Hi! Nice to meet you." Kento said with a smile. He got Leah's chart from Tricia and started pushing Leah's wheelchair to the activity area. "Good morning Miss Leah."

Leah huffed and rolled her eyes.

"Wala man lang kahit good morning o hello dyan?" Kento said, encouraging Leah to respond.

"...morning..." Leah mumbled after a long while.

"Ayan. Good manners kaya yung sumagot at bumati sa bumabati sa yo." Kento said. Kento had read up on Leah's condition and activities. Leah's first activity was using the pulley to strengthen her arms and reaching abilities. Kento had seen a video of Leah's progress so he was aware of her strengths and weaknesses. After a few sets, Leah said she was tired. Kento was aware that patients would whine and complain to get away from exercises, so he ignored her and gently coaxed Leah to finish the exercise.

After several other exercises, a "walking belt" was attached to Leah's waist and thighs. Therapists used this to aide their patients in gaining balance on their legs and eventually walking again. Kento, and two other assistant therapists, helped Leah stand, sit, and move from her wheelchair.

As a 'cool down' after numerous therapies, Leah's muscles were massaged. She noticed that Kento kept on smiling the entire time.

"Hindi ka ba napapagod?" Leah snarled.

"Huh?"

"Hindi ka ba napapagod ngumiti?" Leah asked.

"Ah." Kento moved his facial muscles. After a few seconds, a natural smile reappeared on his face. Since the therapy center was surrounded by mirrors, Kento saw his reflection. "Wala e. Natural syang lumalabas. Happy kasi ako."

"Pshhh. Baka happy-go-lucky."

"Well, wala namang masama kung happy-go-lucky ka paminsan-minsan, diba?"

"So wala kang problema?"

"Hmm. Meron naman. Wala naman atang taong walang problema e. Dito sa center, karamihan sa mga pasyente, pinoproblema kung paano sila gagaling. Yung mga mahal nila sa buhay, malamang pinoproblema yung gastos sa pang-araw araw on top of yung gastos sa therapy. Hindi lang halata pero yang si Kuya Allan (a therapist working with another patient on the opposite side of the room who was laughing after sharing a joke with his patient), pinoproblema nya yung pang-tuition ng panganay nya tapos buntis pa ulit yung misis nya. Yung isang nurse dito, pinoproblema nya yung mahabang shift nya kasi naka-double duty sya."

"Ikaw?"

"Hmm. Thankfully, wala akong major na problema sa ngayon. Pero pinoproblema ko yung uulamin ko mamaya after ng trabaho. Baka hindi ako tinirhan ng ulam na niluto ko."

"Marunong ka magluto?"

"Trying. Hindi pa naman ata nagkakasakit yung pamilya namin so I guess okay yung mga niluluto ko."

Moments later, Kento endorsed Leah to Joyce. He updated her on Leah's progress and gave some home exercises to further strengthen Leah's muscles. "I'll see you tomorrow." Kento said as he waved at Leah while Joyce pushed her wheelchair out of the center.

"Ang pogi nya, Ate." Joyce gushed while they were in the elevator. Leah did not react. Deep inside, she found Kento charming, too.

---

"Dude! Okay ka lang?" Lucas met up with Kento at their usual watering hole after work. It had been months since they last went out after work.

"Yes!" Kento answered with conviction.

"You sure?"

"Oo naman. Why wouldn't I be?"

"Well, you wouldn't call me more than 3 times and text me non-stop to meet up. Ayaw mo naman sabihin yung dahilan kung bakit bigla-bigla kang nag-aaya lumabas. Reminder lang, malayo pa ang weekend at sweldo."

"Sagot ko na to!" Kento said, pushing a bottle toward Lucas.

"Thanks! Who am I to refuse? Pero seryoso, anong meron?" Lucas asked after taking a swig of beer.

"Remember violin girl?"

"Hmm. Yung pinanood natin?"

"Yeah. Diba na-cancel yung Sunday performances after natin manood?"

Lucas looked at Kento and tried to recall if Kento mentioned about the performances being cancelled. "Di ko maalala. Anyway, what about her?"

Kento smiled and said, "I met her."

Lucas was mid-sip when he put his bottle down on the table and said, "No way! Paano? Nagka-show sila ulit pero sa ibang date?"

Kento shook his head. "Hindi."

"Huh? Eh paano?"

"Sa center."

"Center?"

Kento nodded. "Therapy center. Pashente sya."

"Whoa!"

"Naalala mo yung aksidenteng nadaanan natin after nung performance noon?"

"Oh, yung multiple collision. Buti off ko nung gabing yun, chaos daw sa ER sabi nina Jojo." Lucas is Kento's bestfriend and a nurse at the same hospital where the therapy center is.

"Yun yon. Biktima sya."

"Whoa! Buti nalang walang namatay sa aksidenteng yun."

"Yup!"

"So ngayon, sa inyo na sya nag-t-therapy?"

Kento nodded. "Sa akin in-assign kasi sinukuan daw ng ibang therapist sa sobrang taray at sungit."

"Alam nila na...?"

"Ikaw lang ang may alam."

"Okay. Maswerte ka nga."

"Pero dude, ang taray nga!" Kento chuckled and shook his head.

"Susukuan mo rin?"

Kento shook his head. "Hindi naman siguro ganun ang totoong ugali nya. Malamang frustrated lang sya sa sitwasyon nya."

"Hmm. Eh ano ba ang diagnosis?"

"Naipit kasi sya dun sa driver's seat. Medyo matagal bago sya nailabas. Sa ngayon, paralyzed sya from the waist, down. Nagagalaw pa naman nya yung leeg at arms nya pero mahina pa ang grip."

"Hmm. Ilang buwan na sya nag-t-therapy?"

"Two months pa lang. Kanina ko pa lang sya na-handle."

"Pero sa tingin mo?"

"Nasa kanya na yun kung gusto nyang bumalik sa kung ano sya noon. Sa mga nagawa nya today, parang determinado naman sya."

"Good."

---

"Kamusta ang therapy kanina? Inaway rin ba nya yung bagong therapist?" Leah's mom asked Joyce. Joyce would regularly report what transpired at Leah's therapy sessions.

"Naku Ma'am! For the first time, hindi ko po sya masyadong narinig sumigaw."

"Talaga?"

"Opo. Nung unang mga exercise, medyo nag-r-reklamo pa po sya pero hindi yung pasigaw."

"Inis?"

Joyce nodded. "Opo. Inis nalang siguro. Ayaw nya rin po kasi yung ibang exercises."

"Sa tingin mo, tatagal ba yung bagong therapist? Ano nga ba ang pangalan nya?"

"Kento po."

"Kento? Lalake?"

"Opo Ma'am. Matangkad at di masyadong payat o mataba. Katamtaman lang po pero malakas."

"Hmm..."

"At hindi po sya nagpapatalo kahit na sinusungitan po sya ni Ate Leah."