What the hell is going on?

She was just looking anxious and nervous earlier and now she's looking rather energetic. She speaks in lilt voice and act very cutely.

She's looking at dad with glimmering eyes like as if she's eager to talk with him.

She reminds me of Mary.

And when the hell did she changed her hairstyle? It's a double buns. Just like Mary.

Is she imitating her?

Oh dear holy and sweet bloody hell.

This is making my stomach churns.

“Hi...”

Dad seems like he is caught off guard by her.

“Hello po~ Should I call you ‘Uncle’ or ‘Tito’? Hehe~”

She fidgets her body to show that she's being shy.

I'm not used to this.

“Either way is fine.”

“I'll call you ‘Dad’ then!”

“Huh?”

What the hell Eli-chan...

Dad looks weirded out by that. Even I feels awkward.

What's with that all of sudden?

“Eherm.”

Dad clears his throat before going back to his serious face.

“Anyway, why are you here Mark? Are you skipping school? Am I working my ass out so that you can mess around?”

Dad looks scary while staring at me from above. He's taller than me after all.

*Swoosh~*

“Please don't blame Mark sir! I'm the one who made him skip school. I need Mark's help so I dragged him with me.”

Eli-chan walks forward and block dad from me. She's back to her usual self.

“Please don't hit him but hit me instead.”

She's tilting her head to the side allowing her cheeks to be open for slapping.

Hmm...

If she was Mary, she would have hid behind me. Well this... fufufu.

Dad is silent for a second before scratching his cheeks.

“Do I look like I'm the type that will hit my own son easily?”

Yes fufufu.

“Mark, what's with that expression? Are you mocking me? What's with that stupid smile?”

He glares at me.

“Dad, this is my default expression. It's not like this is the first time you've seen it.”

“I still find that stupid face annoying. Don't copy anime characters because you just look stupid.”

Agh... So brutal.

“Please don't insult Mark sir!”

Eli-chan stretches her arms forming a t-pose in front of me.

“....uh...”

Dad doesn't know how to react.

“Fufufufu.”

He glares at me again.

I hid behind Eli-chan like a terrified rabbit.

“Please don't scare Mark sir!”

Eli-chan is now furrowing her brows.

“Fufufufu. Yes that's right Eli-chan. Protecc me from this big bad guy. I'm just a smol innocent boy fufu.”

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“Mark, are you being serious? Why are you hiding behind a girl? And it's your girlfriend too! I didn't know you to be such a coward.”

“Arehh~? Why not dad? There's no physical rule that doesn't allow a smol boy to be protected by a girl.”

“You brat...”

“And being her boyfriend is precisely why she'll protect me you know. Who doesn't care for those they love?”

“!!”

Eli-chan jerkily turns around.

“W-W-W-W-Who..Who said t-t-that I love you..?!!”

She looks very cute while blushing really hard.

And the crowd are looking at us with glee.

I made a peace sign at them.

“Yay~ fufufufu.”

“Ehem!”

“Ah— Dad! That hurts...”

Dad is pinching my left ear.

“You become more mischievous aren't you?”

*Pop*

Did I just hear a clicking sound in my hear?

“Sir please stop it!”

Eli-chan pulls me into her embrace. My head is now buried in her chest.

Dad doesn't have a choice but to let go.

“Uh... I apologize Elizabeth.”

Dad can't fight against Eli-chan doesn't he? He really have a soft spot for girls.

Fufufufu.

“Anyway, we should go. Elizabeth, why don't we eat something for lunch? I become hungry all is sudden. I will like it if you find us a good eatery to dine at.”

“Ehh?”

Eli-chan pushes me aside and she walks towards dad.

“Uwaa~ It will be my pleasure dad~”

Who's you dad?

I can imagine her eyes shimmering like the stars in the clear night sky.

It's impressive how fast she can switch her mood like that.

“Thank you Elizabeth.”

Eh?

What?

Did he just smiled at her?

You just met her and she already made you smile?

Not that I don't want it.

But smile at me as well.

“Mark, carry my backpack.”

He takes of his backpack and pass it to me.

“Dad I'm already carryin—”

“You'll help your dad right?”

He's smiling at me. What a strange feeling I feel right now.

“You should carry it Mark. Dad is tired from his flight.”

Eh?

What?

Why?

Why Eli-chan?

Aren't you on my side?

Why am I being bullied today?

Whatever.

I carry his bag in front of me. I feel hotter now.

I want to go home and bath in ice water.

“Well, please lead the way Elizabeth.”

“Yes dad~!! Hehe~.”

So we leave the airport...

“..... the taste of dishes here aren't very rich but the service is perfect po uncle. The atmosphere in this carinderia is very cozy. I think you will like to eat here po dad hehehe.”

I still feel weirded out by her but I couldn't care any less. I just want to go home and dip in a cold water.

I feel sticky. The backpacks are heavy. It's so hot. It's like I'm being steamed. My throat is already very dry.

I can even see the projected shadow of the evaporating gas on the ground.

So bright. So hot. I should have brought my umbrella. I should just have stayed at school.

School saves life.

Let me go home.

Please stop torturing me.

My pale skin can't handle this insane sunlight.

“Mark, why are you being so slow? It's so hot out here you know.”

Seriously dad?

Oh holy sweet bloody hell. Very lovely.

“Anyway, let's try eating here Elizabeth.”

Am I your child or is it Elizabeth?

Why are you acting like I'm not here?

And then they leave me behind being dried in the sun while they walk into the carinderia happily.

And so Mark died.

—The End—

Just kidding.

This carinderia has a ceiling fan. What a heaven. Do they have a webpage? I'm going to rate them five stars for saving my life.

Fuu~

Bloody hell~

When did a monoblock chair becomes so comfortable to sit on?

Fufufufufu. I feel so goo—

“Mark. What are you waiting for? Go and order something already. I don't want something oily so don't buy me one.”

Dad put a two hundred peso bill on the table.

What the hell?

“Elizabeth, what do you want?”

Eh? What about me? Aren't you going to ask me first? Your son?

“Anything Mark wants po dad hehe.”

Eli-chan...

Are you going to help me—

“So uncle, how's your life in manila? Will you please tell this little girl a story?”

Agh...

I inhale sharply, then exhale softly through my mouth.

“Fuuu~”

Whatever.

I queue and await for my turn. There are many customers in this place. Must be a really good place given that this is quite near a fast food chain.

“What do you want to eat boss?”

A middle-age man wearing a casual attire asks me from behind the counter.

There are several delicious looking dishes inside the glass estante.

I see mostly meat such as curry, adobo, kinunot, and a pot of tinola. But there are also vegetables such as laing and stir fried togue.

“How much po kuya for one serving?”

“Thirty-five pesos for the meat and twenty to twenty-five pesos for the vegetables. For one bowl of rice, it would be ten pesos. What do you want boss?”

“Fufu. I want to go home po kuya.”

“Err.. yes po boss?”

“Just kidding. Please give me three bowl of rice. And two servings of menudo. Plus two pieces of fried tilapia.”

I give him two hundred peso bill.

“Okay po boss! Please wait for a moment.”

“Fufu.”

I nod at him and turn to look at Eli-chan who looks very excitedly talking with dad.

I can't hear them at all. But I can read their lips.

“...fun indeed. Once we have a family vacation there, please come with us Elizabeth.”

“Uwaaah~ Okay po dad~!”

Oh. That's a genuine happiness from Eli-chan. Not just an act she has been doing since earlier.

I can tell with the way her eyes shimmers.

Dad also noticed it for sure.

“But is it really fine...?”

But Eli-chan suddenly looks like she's worried and afraid. She becomes down.

“Yes..?”

“Umm... Can I.. really come..?”

“Hmm. Aren't you Mark's girlfriend?”

“Yes— ah..! We are.. err.. n-n.....”

“And I'm sure taking care of my stupid son is exhausting. You can always come with us Elizabeth.”

That's rude dad.

“But..”

“Even if you two break up, you're always welcome in our family. Because this isn't the first time we met right? Thank you by the way.”

What? Did they met before? Eh? I'm sure this is the first time.

And why is dad thanking Eli-chan?What's going on? Did I read wrongly?

“!!”

But Eli-chan looks shock.

“I knew it.”

What?

“That's...”

“So there's no need to pretend to be somebody else for you to be likeable. We already like you for being who you are in the first place. And you don't seem much different than before.”

Hmmm...

“I......”

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...

“Besides, it's pointless if what we'll like is not the real you. So just be who you are and let us decide for ourselves whether we'll like you or not.”

Hmm.

“Boss! I'll help you bring this to your table.”

I take one of the trays from him.

“Ah yes. Thank you po kuya.”

Whatever. I'll put this aside for now. I'll eventually know it.