Have fun at work today, Doc :)

Aika pasted the post-it note on Tricia's lunch bag and set it on the dining table. Aika had woken up early today and figured that she'd be a good Ate by making Tricia lunch for her before going for a run outside.

"Magandang umaga po! " Aika greeted the security guard as she headed out of the condo gates. It had been a while since Aika ran outside because of the pandemic but Tricia had given her a pair of exercise masks and she figured it'd be a good way to start the morning.

Aika loved taking in the sights and sounds of the neighbourhood. Sometimes the traffic got a little too much and there were structural challenges but it was place filled with warmth, love and hopes.

Aika didn't want to venture too far so she decided to turn back just before the road connected to the expressway. The busy street she was running on happened to be the very one she spotted Nat and Jamie a few days back.

Aika found herself looking at the apartment blocks lining the road, wondering if Nat and Jamie stayed in any of them...Jessica Marie, what are you doing? Collecting her thoughts, she did a turn and headed back towards the condo.

"Aika?" Aika looked up and traced the voice calling out to her. It was a face Aika thought she'd never get to see again.

"Nat?" Nat smiled when Aika recognised him. He was pleasantly surprised to have bumped into her. Thank goodness his foolish smile was hidden behind his mask.

"Out on a run?" Aika nodded at Nat's question and realised that Nat was also in an workout outfit.

"Yep, I just sent Jamie to kindergarten and figured that I'll squeeze in a short cardio session before heading to the gym. I guess it's the same for you? Without the kindergarten part of course..." Nat added the last line hastily and Aika knew he was flustered.

That was cute......

"Are you heading back already?" Aika nodded her head towards the block of apartments that she just passed.

"Yeah...I suppose...Guess I'll see you around then?" Nat sounded a little disappointed at the fact that a goodbye was impending. They'd barely chatted for 5 minutes.

"See you around..." Aika noted the subtlety in Nat's greeting...not that she minded.

After what seemed to be a reluctant goodbye, the two crossed each other and went in opposite directions. After a few steps, Nat had stopped and turned back to look at Aika's disappearing figure. The street was a little crowded but Aika stood out to him clearly.

"Mind if I join you on the way back?" A familiar voice appeared next to Aika suddenly, making her jump a little in shock.

"Nat? I thought you were heading home?" Aika was surprised but kept her legs moving.

"If you don't mind my intrusion, I could use a bit more cardio?" Nat waited patiently for Aika's consent.

"I don't see a reason to say no...what better way to start the day with extra cardio?" Aika chuckled at Nat's floppy excuse.

Nat and Aika's pacing had been slightly offbeat for the first 100m but soon, Nat had successfully matched his steps to Aika and they were running side by side.

"I'm sorry if I'm slowing you down..." Aika noticed that Nat was definitely being considerate of her.

"Not if I run like this..." Nat did a 180° turn and started running backwards, maintaining a slight advantage so he could still speak to Aika.

"What if you bump into someone?" Aika let out a tickled laugh.

"You can be my eyes then...CAREFUL!" Nat was about to tease Aika when he saw a bicycle heading for Aika. The teenage rider was multitasking on his phone and didn't see the two in front of him.

Before Aika could register what Nat meant, he lunged forward and wrapped Aika into his embrace and pulled her swiftly towards him. Nat had placed himself between Aika and the approaching rider, hoping that the latter would avoid them. The rider had finally realised what was happening and hurriedly pulled the brakes but still ended up hitting Nat's back with his arms.

THUD!

Aika closed her eyes as she felt Nat's weight on her. She braced for impact with the hard ground but what she hit wasn't the rough pavement...it was the muscular chest of Nat. Nat had did a quick pivot so that he was the one at the bottom.

"Aika! Are you okay?" Nat loosened his grip on Aika after making sure it was safe.

"I'm okay...Are you hurt anywhere?" Aika lifted her eyes to meet Nat's worried brown orbs. Nat shook his head as he did a quick check on Aika, relieved that she seemed unscathed.

"Sorry po..." The rider, who was thankfully unhurt, apologised profusely. After a reminder for him to be more careful on the road, Aika and Nat sent the boy on his way.

"Nat...you're bleeding..." It was then Aika noticed that both of Nat's elbows were scraped and bleeding.

"Oh...I'm okay, it's no big deal. I'll just wash it and let it heal by itself. Don't worry too much about it." Nat didn't want to worry Aika. Aika let out a sigh and whipped out her phone.

"So wash, disinfect and dressing? Ok, thanks Trish..." Nat was just standing in front of Aika sheepishly as she ended the call. Without saying a word, Aika held Nat's wrist and pulled him into the pharmacy a few steps away.

"I'm really okay...no need for all these...Ouch!" Nat tried to hold it in but the stinging sensation of the disinfectant against his raw skin was a little too much to bear.

"I'm not giving you a choice. Stay still or it'll hurt more." Aika was firm and grabbed onto Nat's forearm even tighter. Nat knew Aika was angry and stayed silent as she pasted a bandage over his elbows.

"How am I supposed to explain this to her..." Nat thought out loud as he stared at the huge waterproof bandages.

"Tell your wife that I'm sorry..." Nat blinked in confusion at Aika's words.

"Wife? What wife?" Now it was Aika's turn to be confused.

"Jamie's mother, your wife?" Aika stated matter-of-factly.

"The her I was referring to was Jamie." Nat let out a laugh after realising what Aika was referring to.

"Oh...but won't your wife be curious how you got hurt?" Aika raised an eyebrow.

"It's just me and Jamie. That's it to our family. There's no other her." Nat usually didn't bother explaining his unusual family dynamics to people but to Aika, he felt the urge to make it clear. There was no woman in his life now.

"Sorry, I didn't know." Aika felt guilty for assuming. Her heart did a somersault for some reason.

"It's okay, it's nothing to apologise for. I don't want to hold you back any longer or you might be late for work. Thank you for the run and the first-aid. Why do I owe you favors whenever we meet..." Nat let out a tiny sigh.

"Remember to keep it dry and change the bandage tomorrow...And thank you." Aika handed Nat the leftover bandages as they walked out of the pharmacy.

"Will do...Also, mind of I asked you something?" Nat made eye contact with Aika.

"Sure." Aika met Nat's eyes, unsure what he was going to say.

"Can we be friends?" Nat's eyes was filled with sincerity.

"I thought we already were." Aika stretched out her hand.

"Friends?" Nat gladly took Aika's hand.

"Friends." Aika and Nat's smiles were hidden under their masks, but their smiling eyes gave it all away.

~

"Ate, who got injured?" Tricia had just returned from her shift and remembered how Aika had called her earlier this morning.

"Uh, a friend." Aika let out a subtle smile at the word friend.

"You have a friend that stays nearby...YOU MEAN THE HOSPITAL DUDE?" Tricia's sudden outburst scared Aika and VP.

"Yes. Also, his name is Nat, not hospital dude." VP Leni leaned forward at the word accident.

"What kind of accident, Aiks? Are you hurt anywhere? Aika shook her head and her mother smiled in relief.

"A teenage boy was riding on the pavement while distracted and Nat saved me from being in harm's way. Nothing to worry about, mama." Aika turned to see Tricia looking at her suspiciously.

"Janine Patricia Gerona Robredo, get your head out of the gutter." Tricia's smirk become even more prominent.

"Why so protective, Ate? No one said anything...wait, did his wife say something?" Tricia bit her lip in hesitation.

"Aiks...this man is married?" The girls' mother sounded wary.

"Gosh, it's not what you guys think! He's just a friend. Nothing more than that! And for the record, he's single. It's just him and his daughter, Jamie." Aika assured her family. She admitted that she thought about Nat after their first run-in but it was solely due to the circumstances that they had met. Nothing romantic was involved at all.

"WAIT! WHO, WHERE, WHAT, HOW?" Jillian's voice pierced through the computer screen. The Robredo family were having their weekly zoom call with Jillian and she was confused about what was going on.

"Jill, the speaker works just fine...But anyways, I think sparks are flying for Ate!" Jillian squealed at Tricia's words, making Aika furrow her eyebrows.

"We only met twice...what sparks? He's just an acquaintance turned friend, ok?" Aika looked at her mama, as if she was assuring her that nothing more would happen.

"So this guy that Patty was talking about earlier...he's a single father?" Aika was getting ready for bed when VP Leni entered.

"Yes, but like I said, we're really just friends. I know what you're worried about..." Aika gestured for her mama to sit on her bed.

"I'm not worried about that...in fact, I think this friendship would be a beautiful one if you decide to continue with it. And don't be too quick to decide where this would go either, romantically or not." VP Leni held Aika's hands on hers and stroked it gently. She was a single parent herself and knew what came with this label, so did Aika.

Hey, how's the wound?

Remember to change it tomorrow!

Hey! The wound's doing great but

Jamie was driving me crazy about it.

I swear she's an old soul.

Guess what she said when I said

I met you today?

What did she say?

She said, well done and told me

not to be a wimp and bear with it.

She did? Why?

She said she would have gotten angry

if I had let you get hurt instead.

I was speechless...

Tell Jamie that Tita Aika

is very proud of her.

*Aika sends a picture*

You have her card on display?

Of course I do.

One of my favourites.

Will do. Thank you for that.

She'll be excited to hear that.

Won't keep you up for long,

Good night.

Good night Aika.

Aika looked at Jamie's card pinned up on a board on her table and smiled. It was amidst the other cards that Natalia and Alonso had given her.

~

"Hey, what's up?" Nat was on a call with Karine.

"Nothing. The world's more peaceful without you. Other than hearing Daddy curse at his unfilial son sometimes." Nat chuckled at his sister's sassiness.

"Also, tell me more about the tita Aika that Jamie has been talking about! Is something brewing?" Jamie had been going on about Aika when she was talking to Karine and Alice earlier, making Karine curious.

"She's just a friend. Plus, do you not realise the state your beloved brother is in? I'm a single father, there's nothing more we can be other than friends. It's late, go sleep. See you whenever, bye." Nat ended the call hurriedly, not wanting to deal with Karine's probing.

Nathaniel Lee, nothing more than friends. She deserves way better. Way, way better than someone like you.

A/N:

Comments and criticism are always welcome!