Work Text:
“Okay, rules,” I whispered, clutching Angel’s hand under the fast food table while trying to act chill. “No obvious looks. No holding hands. No—”
“Kiss?” Angel leaned in, her teasing smile making my heart skip.
“ Especially no kiss,” I groaned. Ang kulit talaga.
Angel grinned, leaning closer. “Sino ba’ng nag-suggest na secret relationship tayo?”
“ Ikaw kaya! ” I protested, shoving her lightly. “FEU Diliman ako, Zobel ka. Magkaibang schools, magkaibang teams…we agreed, secret tayo!”
She smiled, that infuriatingly soft, smug smile that made my brain stop working. “Sige na, secret tayo.”
We’ve been together for four months now. It started as players facing each other across the net, then we became friends, became buddies, became teammates… and eventually, became something more. Secret glances during games. Late-night video calls. Sneaking to each other’s schools pag walang training.
Then the national team happened. The roster came out—both our names on it. First international camp. Thailand. Two weeks.
And of course, whether it was fate or pure coincidence—the room assignments? Random daw . Like destiny decided to make its own list.
“Magkasama tayo sa kwarto,” Angel texted the second she found out. May kasamang smiley na alam ko na ang ibig sabihin. I practically facepalmed.
----
First night in Bangkok, I stared at the two twin beds in the hotel room, hands on my hips.
“Roommates? Talaga? Out of eighteen girls, tayo pa?” I sighed dramatically. Angel plopped down on her bed, grinning, “Destiny.”
“Delikado ‘to,” I warned. “Training, teammates, coaches—ang daming mata.”
“Relax,” Angel said, patting the space beside her “We’ve been doing this for four months. Kaya natin.”
Easy for her to say. She wasn’t the one melting every time she smiled like that. But I sat beside her anyway, resting my head on her shoulder. Secret or not, I couldn’t resist her.
“Secret tayo,” I repeated, more to convince myself than anyone else. Angel kissed the top of my head, laughing softly. “Baba, I don’t think we’re as sneaky as you think.”
Turns out, she was right .
----
Day two in Thailand, breakfast buffet.
I sat beside Angel, careful to keep a respectable distance, casually sipping my coffee while she loaded up her plate with fruit. I could feel Bella’s eyes burning into my soul.
“So… kamusta naman kayo as roomies ?” Bella asked, smirking, popping a grape into her mouth. I nearly choked. “Ayos naman?”
Alyssa, seated across from us, smiled politely but with that alam ko na glint in her eyes. “Yeah. I heard ‘random’ roommates daw?”
Angel stayed cool, poking at her watermelon. “Yup. Random,” she confirmed, completely unbothered.
Lams raised an eyebrow, scrolling on her phone.
“Random ba ‘yung naglalakad kayong dalawa sa hallway, holding hands? Maraming CCTV dito, guys.”
I froze mid-sip, eyes wide. Bella and Alyssa immediately snorted, exchanging looks like they’ve been waiting for this moment. Before I could spiral, Lams grinned, shaking her head. “Joke lang, guys.” She laughed. “Sana nakita niyo ‘yung mga reaction niyo. Hahaha.”
Angel blinked, caught off guard for once. I stared at Lams, completely speechless while everyone at the table giggled.
The second I sat down properly, I grabbed my phone under the table and texted Angel:
Gel, mag-ingat na talaga tayo sa susunod.
Across from me, Angel’s phone buzzed. She read the message, bit back a smile, and casually replied without looking suspicious.
Angel: Copy, baba. But no promises. 😜
I sighed. Disaster. But at least for now… the team was just messing with us. Or so I hoped.
----
The rest of the week, me and Angel were extra careful. No holding hands in hallways. No sneaky glances that lasted too long. But inside our room? No more hiding. Just the two of us, tangled in quiet conversations, small hugs, shared silences.
We fought 3BB Nakornnnont from Thailand and Okayama Seagulls from Japan—two solid, experienced teams. The results? Not what we wanted. Losses stung, but honestly, no one dwelled on it too much. The important part? We learned. We grew. Angel played her heart out. I did too. Every point, every rally, every mistake, we figured things out together. Quietly. In our own way.
The teasing from the team? It didn’t stop though.
It was always Lams. Para bang binabantayan niya lahat ng galaw namin. Every small glance, every quick smile, every moment we almost forgot to hide? Nasa likod lang siya, nakaabang, ready to tease us to death.
“Cute naman ng mag-buddies na ‘to. Inggit ako. Di kami ganyan nung buddy ko, eh.” Lams would mutter every time we walked into the gym together, followed by that smug grin. Sometimes, I’d catch her watching us during water breaks, eyes narrowing playfully whenever Angel passed me a towel or bumped my shoulder.
Bella and Alyssa? They mostly just laughed, letting Lams do all the work. But I knew—they all noticed.
----
On the plane ride home, I sat by the window, watching the clouds drift by, headphones in, trying to sleep. Angel is beside me, quietly playing with my hand, her fingers tracing gentle patterns against my skin.
“Okay ka lang?” she whispered, nudging my knee with hers. “Hmm. Pagod lang” She leaned in slightly, voice low “Proud of you, baba.”
I smiled faintly. “Kahit talo tayo?”
“Oo naman. Lumaban naman tayo eh.” I bit back the grin creeping in, shaking my head “Careful, Gel. You’re exposing us.” She smirked, slipping her hoodie over her head, eyes playful. “Tulog na yung mga yun. Humihilik na nga eh.”
Before I could reply, she casually offered me her shoulder. Quiet. Subtle. But familiar.
I let myself lean into her, just enough to feel her warmth without anyone noticing. The hum of the plane, the soft clouds outside, her heartbeat steady beneath me—everything settled. Maybe we didn’t win every game. Maybe the teasing wouldn’t stop. But us? We were still figuring it out. Together.
And for now, that was enough.
----
Few months after Thailand
I was peacefully scrolling through my feed when I saw it—Angel’s tweet. A picture of us from Thailand. Late night, after training, city lights in the background. My hands? On her waist. Her hands? Resting on my shoulders. Our facial expression? Same.
@AngelCanino_: Buddies forevs! ❤️ @Lyann_degz
I stared at it, heart stopping for a second. The replies were instant.
Ate Faith: Ayieeeee 😍
Angel replied with nothing but a 👀 emoji. I groaned, grabbing my phone, quickly messaging her.
"Gel, seryoso? Sabi ko mag-ingat tayo. 😳"
"Relax Baba, ‘buddies’ lang ‘yun ah 😉"
"Ang kulit talaga."
"Cute naman tayo doon, sayang ‘di ko agad pinost 😌"
I sighed, defeated. She never cared. And somehow… I loved that about her.
----
Weeks later, my birthday came. Notifications flooded in, but hers stood out the most. Angel greeted me with a post — a photo of us from Thailand, along with our very first picture together, taken by my mom last year at Palarong Pambansa, right after we won gold.
@AngelCanino_: Happy birthday to my buddy!! 💖 @Lyann_degz thank you for being such a good ate to meee (palaro)! 🤗 imysm!!! 😢 (goodluck sa vball career moooo!!! 💪 laban tayo ulit 😂 ily ate!! 😘 have a great day!! 💕
I laughed reading it, the fake “ate” label making me roll my eyes. Ahead kasi ako ng isang taon sa kanya. The whole “buddy” thing? Our little cover-up.
I replied:
@Lyann_degz: Thank you buddy!! 💖 Syempre mabait ako noh kasi palagi mo ako inaaway nung palaro 😂 jk see you soon 🤗 S82 😉 Ilyt 💖 😘
Hindi naman halata 'no? Publicly? We were just buddies. Privately? Well… that’s our secret.
----
A Few Hours Before the Meet-Up
"Baba, papunta na ako."
I sighed, messaging back. We were meeting near Zobel so we could head to MOA together.
"Gel, reminder lang ah… let’s be careful. Maraming matang nakatingin."
A few seconds later, she replied.
"Relax, buddy mode on 😌"
I rolled my eyes, heart stupidly doing that thing it always does when she calls me that. Buddy in public. Baba in private. Our dangerous little game.
“Sabi ko wag ka masyadong obvious,” I warned, when I finally got into her, though my lips betrayed me with a smile. Titig na titig kasi agad, parang wala tayong pinag-usapan.
She laughed, leaning closer to whisper, “Cute mo kasi eh.” Before I could even throw her a side eye, she snuck a kiss on my cheek.
“Gel!” I slapped her arm playfully, but she just laughed. Kulit talaga ng isang to.
It was supposed to be a simple reunion. High school teammates—Jean, AC, Alleiah, Bianca, and Cassie—plus a few from NUNS, our national team batch like Bella, Alyssa, and Lams, all in one place.
The plan? Act normal. Just teammates. Just buddies.
I thought we were good. We’ve practiced hiding this in training, games, even family gatherings. But today felt risky. One wrong move and—
“So, kailan ba kasi kayo aamin?” Jean asked casually, not even looking up from her iced coffee. I nearly choked on my drink. Angel? Sipping hers like she’s done nothing wrong in her life.
“H-Ha? Pinagsasasabi mo diyan?” I stammered, ears burning.
“Come on, Ly,” AC laughed, nudging me. “You two have been obvious since… forever? You think di namin napapansin ‘yung mga tinginan niyo?”
Angel? No effort to deny it. She just smiled, eyes twinkling like she’s been waiting to be caught.
Bianca joined in, “Matching hoodies? Same water bottle? Laging magkatabi?” Napatingin ako kay Angel, silently begging for backup, pero siya? Just smiling. My baba looks happy while ako? Pinagpapawisan na sa kaba. And as if on cue, dumating sila Lams, Bella, at Alyssa, sliding into the booth.
“We’re late,” Lams announced. “Ano, may umamin na ba?”
“Anong aaminin?!” I practically shrieked. Bella giggled, “Oh, buddies … kilalang-kilala namin kayo.”
Alyssa smirked, crossing her arms. “Hindi kasi kayo nag-iingat. Masyadong obvious.”
I groaned, burying my face in my hands. Angel chuckled beside me, her arm slipping casually around my shoulder, ignoring all my failed efforts to keep this under the radar.
“Baba,” she whispered low, amusement dripping in her tone. “I think our secret’s out.”
Napasilip ako through my fingers—everyone watching, teasing, smirking, no judgment.
“Fine,” I mumbled, leaning into her shoulder in defeat. “Ikaw kasi.”
"Timbog kayo ngayon ha." Bella said and the entire table erupted in cheers, teasing louder than ever.
The jig was up. But honestly? Being this obvious never felt so good.
"Paano niyo ba kasi nahalata?" Angel finally asked, still trying to act innocent, though the smirk on her face totally gave her away.
Jean crossed her arms, grinning wide. “Eh kasi naman, ‘di niyo kami maloloko. Tanda niyo after ng game natin, kumain tayo sa McDo?” Everyone nodded, curious.
Jean continued, clearly enjoying this. “May nalaglag na kutsara, pinulot ko. Pagtingin ko sa ilalim ng lamesa… aba, magkaholding hands!"
The entire group burst into laughter, some even banging the table. I groaned, hiding my face with both hands while Angel? She just laughed along, completely unbothered.
“Timbog talaga kayo,” Lams teased, shaking her head. “Obvious na obvious,” Bianca added, still laughing.
Lams leaned back, shaking her head. “At ‘tsaka, every time matapos training, bigla kayong nawawala. Akala niyo talaga, ninja kayo.”
I groaned, already feeling my cheeks heating up, but they weren’t done.
Jean pointed at me, eyes playful. “Si Lyann pa, laging may katext. Tapos ngingiti mag-isa habang nagba-volley review daw kuno.” Everyone laughed, while Bianca joined in with her own story.
“Pati ‘to oh,” Bianca said, pointing at Angel. “Narinig ko minsan sa tawag… nagsasabihan pa kayo ng ‘I love you’ tapos magtataka kayo bakit namin alam?” Angel blinked, caught red-handed, while my entire face probably looked like it was on fire.
The whole group erupted in teasing, laughter bouncing around the café. Aly chuckled, arms crossed. “Sobrang obvious niyo kaya.”
Angel just laughed under her breath, slipping her hand on my hand under the table.
“Okay fine… busted,” she admitted, not even looking guilty. I groaned, hiding my face behind my hands, but inside?
Yeah… being this obvious didn’t feel so bad anymore.
After the hangout, me and Angel stayed behind, walking around MOA. We promised to be careful, again . Just because our friends and teammates accepted us… didn’t mean the world would. We knew that.
While walking along the bay area, the wind brushing against my hoodie, Angel leaned in a little closer beside me.
“Galit ka?” she asked, voice soft.
“Nope,” I replied simply, eyes still on the water.
“Sorry, Baba… ‘di kasi ako masyadong nag-ingat kanina,” she added, a little sheepish this time.
I sighed, then reached over, pinching her nose gently.
“Masyado kasing obvious na love mo ako,” I teased, finally looking at her.
Angel chuckled, leaning her forehead against mine for a second.
“At least… tanggap tayo,” I added, my voice lower now, the weight of those words sinking in.
She smiled, eyes twinkling under the city lights. “Let’s hold on to this, ha? Kahit anong mangyari… tayo.”
I nodded, then finally did what I’d been dying to do all day. I grabbed her hand, intertwining our fingers, and slid both our hands inside my hoodie pocket—hidden, safe.
We’re still young. There’s still so much ahead of us. The future’s unknown. Volleyball’s unpredictable. Life gets messy. But us? I hope we stay together… just like this.
----
A few quiet minutes passed as we strolled when Angel suddenly spoke again, lips close to my ear.
“Baba, may aamin ako,” she whispered dramatically. I turned, raising an eyebrow. “Hmm? Ano ‘yun?”
She scratched the back of her neck, looking way too amused. “Actually… alam na ni Mama ‘yung sa’tin…”
Napahinto ako. “Ha? Paano? Anong sabi? Pinagalitan ka?”
Angel laughed, clearly enjoying my reaction.
“Nakalimutan ko kasing i-off ‘yung phone ko kagabi… nakatulog ako… nabasa niya pala ‘yung conversation natin.”
I gasped, eyes wide. “Akala ko ba nagde-delete ka ng messages natin?!”
Angel grinned, shaking her head. “Nope… ayaw ko eh. Di ko kaya.”
Before I could respond, she stuck her tongue out at me and ran off playfully.
“Angel!” I called after her, laughing despite myself, sprinting to chase her down the bay area, hoodie strings flying behind me.
Her laughter echoed under the city lights, and for now…
We were just us. Free, happy, maybe a little reckless—
But together.
And I hope… we always stay like this.