Leah flew to the States and was immediately enrolled in a therapy center near their home. Her new therapists were amazed at how much she had accomplished. Although her gait was still a little unstable and she dragged her foot slightly, Leah transitioned from walker to cane in less than two weeks since she resumed her therapy. By the end of two months, she was walking independently. By the time she returned to the Philippines, she was walking and moving as if nothing happened.

When Leah received praises for her therapy progress, she immediately told Kento about it.

"They said the techniques are similar to what they do here."

"Kahit limited ang equipment namin, we try to offer the same quality of therapy to our patients."

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"Kasi nga, if you didn't push me, I wouldn't be able to do what I'm doing now."

---

Aside from the small notes of affirmation which he gave Leah as a going away present ("Read one for each day of your course...including weekends and holidays"), Kento also sent Leah a message on social media. Because they were both aware of their time zones, they didn't really expect the other to reply immediately. When they were able to contact each other at an agreeable time, their exchanges would sometimes take long. Their friendship was growing stronger and sometimes, either Kento or Leah would ask if they could have a video call even for just a few minutes.

"What's for dinner?" Kento asked.

"Hmm...soup and sandwich lang ako tongiht. Wait." Leah said. She walked toward the kitchen to get her food. Moments later, she was back on screen with her food.

"Medyo dina-drag mo pa rin yung left leg mo ah" Kento quipped.

"Oo nga e." Leah acknowledged. "I'm working on it."

"Good. How's school?"

"Okay naman. I'm doing a project with 2 other people pero sana mag-isa nalang ako."

"Ows? Bakit naman?"

"I'm basically doing all the work..."

"Yikes!"

"Sabihan mo nalang yung teacher mo."

"Nagcontribute naman yung isa kaso medyo bitin. I still need to add more."

"Ano ba ang topic?"

"Bakit?"

"Tulungan kita."

Leah couldn't help but giggle. Kento always volunteered to help her. During her first month in the States, he tried to tutor her on how to do some chores like how to properly fold fitted sheets. Another time, he walked her through cooking adobo. He also helped her with one of her math homework. Kento would also share his stresses at work and Leah would listen and encourage him.

---

"Hey Leah! We're driving up to the mountains for the break, you should come along." Scott, one of Leah's friends invited.

"She'd much rather stay here." Courtney, another classmate, said.

"Why? Most of us are going."

"She'd rather spend time chatting with Kento." Courtney teased.

"Ooohh...are you guys dating?"

"Dating? He's in the Philippines!" Courtney exclaimed.

"I mean, they're probably in some sort of long distance relationship, aren't you?"

Leah shook her head. "You guys go ahead. My parents booked a trip abroad already."

"Going home?"

Leah shook her head again. "We've been visiting Bangkok yearly since my dad used to work there."

"That's cool!"

---

"Uy! Mag-b-break na kayo diba? Anong plano mo?" Kento asked when they talked via video call.

"Baka sumama ako sa mga classmates ko dito. Nag-rent sila ng AirBnB sa mountains."

"Ang saya nun for sure!" Kento gushed.

"Ikaw?"

"Busy pa rin sa trabaho." Kento grumbled. "Pero happy pa rin ako kasi nakikita at nakakausap kita." He smiled. They both looked forward to their weekly video chats even if they communicated via social media almost every day. "Sana makabisita ako dyan."

"Pwede?"

"Marami na akong naipon na leave." Kento said excitedly. "Kaso, tambak pa ako sa work sa ngayon." He pouted.

"Awww." Leah sympathized.

"Di bale. Pag lumuwag yung schedule ko, mag-f-file ako ng mahabang leave. Bisitahin kita!"

"Talaga?"

"Oo! Promise!"

---

"Kitoy? Ikaw na ba yan?" Nanay called out from the kitchen as soon as she heard the gate being locked.

"Opo, Nay! Good evening po! Bumili kayo ng washing machine? Nagbigay na si Ate Ai?" Kento wondered why there was a big box in the middle of their living room.

"Ah. Pakibuksan nga ng mabuhat nyo na ni Tatay yan dun sa labahan. Naisip ko kasing pwede akong tumanggap ng labada para may pandagdag sa panggastos natin."

"Sabagay." Kento acknowledged. He was still wondering why they suddenly had this big washing machine when they never talked about it before. Nanay used to earn a little by taking in some laundry to augment Tatay's salary as an office messenger. Ate Ai and Kento were able to get scholarships so their parents only gave them their allowance for school. When the kids graduated and started earning, they gave a portion of their salary to their parents. When Kento saw the big box and then heard what Nanay wanted him and Tatay to do, Kento started calculating the weight of the machine and where to position it in their laundry area. (Their front door was bigger than the door to the laundry area so it would take a lot of effort for both Kento and Tatay to move the washing machine from where it was now.)

Nanay gave Kento a small knife to cut the tape on the box. He read the brand on the box. "Sosyal! At front loading pa!" Kento said as he started cutting through the tape.

"Oo. Sabi kasi nila, mas okay daw yang front loading kasi hindi nabababad sa maduming tubig yung mga damit lalo na kapag nilalabhan pa lang."

"Oh. Kukuha din kayo ng dryer?" Kento said while carefully opening the box. He was looking at Nanay standing behind him.

Kento was slightly confused at how Nanay's expression seemed to change almost immediately. It wasn't a negative expression but still 'odd'. "Ah, hindi na muna siguro ngayon."

"Okay." Kento said as he slowly moved his head to focus on his task of opening the box. To his shock and surprise, Leah was standing inside the box. Kento's mouth opened in shock. He took several steps back while holding his head. Nanay and Leah began laughing.

"Huy! Kitoy! Tulungan mo kaya muna si Leah." Kento didn't notice Ate Ai taking a video from the corner of the living room.

"Sorry! Sorry!" Kento said as he approached the box and lifted Leah out. They hugged and she clung on to him like a koala with her arms around his neck and her legs around his thighs.

"I missed you!" Leah said.

"Ako rin. I missed you, too. Kelan ka pa dumating?"

"Kanina lang. Dumirecho ako dito galing sa airport. Idea ng Ate mo yung kahon." Leah explained. "Ang plano ko, pupuntahan kita sa ospital."

Ate Ai was smiling widely. "Nagkita kami ni Leah dun sa labas. Nakita ko yang kahon na inilabas ni Aling Baby. Itatapon na daw nya. Hiningi ko nalang at sinabing may project si Sushi na kailangan ng malaking kahon."

"Hali na kayo muna at kumain. Sigurado akong gutom na yang si Leah. Halika, anak, dyan ka na sa tabi ni Kitoy este Kento."

"Thank you po."

"Kasama mo Mommy at Daddy mo?" Kento asked as he served Leah.

Leah shook her head. "Nasa Bangkok sila. From Washington, nag-Vancouver kami tapos direcho ng Bangkok. I actually spent three days in Bangkok before flying here. Diba nakwento ko na dun kami nakatira before kasi yung work ni Daddy dun sa Bangkok?"

"Dun ka rin nag-high school."

Leah nodded.

"So, mag-isa ka lang sa bahay nyo? Gaano ka katagal dito?

Leah nodded again. "A week and a half lang. Bitin nga e."

"Tapusin nyo na yang pagkain nyo at makapag-empake ka ng gamit mo. Samahan mo muna si Leah sa kanila."

"Po?"

"Pinaalam ka na nya kanina. Kesa naman dito sa atin..." Nanay said. Their house was rather small.

"Okay po."