The Lost Story

Chapter 1: The beginning

(One year ago) 

In a hallway there's a line of vendors making noise.  Some of them are having conversations with each other, and the topics are probably rumors that they ate every morning and spread it like a virus, while some are selling their products and arguing with their customers who like to have a discount. One of the customers who asked for a discount is Kat,  Vince's childhood friend.  A while ago,  Kat knocked on their doors and asked him to help her buy some ingredients. He said no, since he just woke up and it's Saturday, however Kat knows that he can't reject her if she goes to his mother, so she entered their house and asked his mother. He was dragged by Kat to the public market, he didn't have a chance to refuse as his mother already agreed to Kat.

 They are now buying the last ingredient which is honey. They stopped at the stall with a woman who's in her mid-50's wearing a flowery long dress . It seems like Kat's budget is okay with the price but she insisted for abatement. 

"180 pesos for each bottle? " with a disbelief in her voice, Kat continued to bargain.  " ate*, isn't it a bit pricey for your unnatural honey? "

The woman widened her eyes and said, "Hey!  Excuse me ganda*,  its pure and natural" 

"don't trick me, see?" Kat pointed at one of the bottle and said,  " there's an ant in your bottle" 

"Yes,  because it's sweet." the woman said. 

Kat frowned and chuckled. "Ate, do you think we're dumb? Pure honey will never have a little ant because there will be no sugar on it… Ants are attractive to sugar fyi"

"..."

A woman let out a sight and clench her teeth. Seeing these youngsters throwing her some knowledge, she soon admits her defeat.

"175?" the woman started to bargain

"140?" Kat reply

"That's too much,  170?"

"145?" kat smiled,

"but my investment…" the vendor hesitated, "160?"

"But the other vendors sell it for 150?" Kat lied, 

    Vince thought, how does she know others sell it for 150?.They never went to another stall of honey, thus, how can Kat tell it to the vendor. 

"150?, you can't buy honey for 150," the vendor said with assurance.

"Of course!" Kat exclaimed. "But your honey is not pure," Kat continued.

 The vendor was shocked how Kat replied to her,  she murmured," no manners."

Even though Kat heard what the vendor said, she doesn't pay attention to it, rather she still continues to bargain for another three minutes.

"Fine. 150 it is," the vendor said in her loss. 

  With twitching eyebrows and continuing deep sight, the vendor placed the bottle in plastic, gave it to her and reached for p*****t.

After buying the honey for 150, Kat gave the bottle to Vince, 

" We can buy from another stall, why bargain to that vendor?" Vince asks. 

" The other stall sells pure honey. If we buy from them,  they won't bargain. " Kat replied. 

Vince murmured, "tss. You have money, yet you bargain? What a cheap a*s"

" I can hear you," Kat said and walked.

 "I can hear you," Vince mocked her with an annoying voice. He then followed her afterwards.

 holding three different plastics in his left hand and a bottle in his right hand. Vince soon realized that Kat dragged him along to carry her belongings. While walking he calls Kat.

"hey! "Vince said.

"what? " Kat replied 

" What?" Vince mocked Kat, "You dragged me out here from my house without telling me what these things are for?"

Kat chuckled and answered, " don't worry I'll just gonna make a gayuma."

“G-g-gayuma?” he said with astonishment.

Hearing those words, Vince can't help but to draw his eyebrows closer to each other. Is she for real?. Gayuma are old school potions to make other people fall in love with you, it’s basically a Love potion. These days, it's uncommon for young lads to make those things because it's definitely not gonna work. But for some reason he didn't dare to ask Kat to stop or  to whom she will give them, because he knows that he will not get the answer he wants. They continued to walk until they reached the end of the vendors hallway. 

In the end of the hallway, there's a tricycle toda. Vince and Kat ride one of the tricycles, they both in the inside the side car.

" Manong, Two for dulo." Vince said and gave the p*****t.

The driver reached for the p*****t and when the tricycle was full of passengers, the driver started to drive. They soon get off the tricycle when they reach their destination. Hot breeze touches Vince's skin when they get off the tricycle, he feels like the sun is cooking him under its heat, on the other hand, Kat looks so refreshed. When she looked at Vince, she couldn't help but burst into laughter.

“Did someone put you in the oven? You're soaking in sweat.” Kat said between her laughs.

“I bet you'll look like this if you just bring your bought items, huh?” Vince replied.

The two continue to walk until they reach the gate of Kat’s House. They remove their shoes before going in. When they enter, they notice the woman in black shirt sitting on the L-shaped couch, watching a movie on the tv. It was Kat’s Mom, Analyn.

“Hi po Tita,” Vince Greeted the woman

 It looked back on them and said, “ You’re here, When did you get here?”

“Just a while ago mom,” Kat said and went to her mom to kiss it’s cheek. 

She continued, “can we use your kitchen?”

Her mom replied “Sure, just don’t burn things alright?”

They both nodded in unison. Vince put their bought items on the dining table. Since he’s familiar with the house, he gets water from the fridge, pour it on a glass and drink it like he was also living in there.

“You really did make yourself at home,huh?!” Kat teased him while she was playing with her phone.

He shrugged his shoulders and asked her, “So, what are we gonna do with these things?”

“Here,” Kat showed him her phone.

He looked at the phone just to see the yellowish paper.

“What’s with that picture?” he asked.

Kat pointed at her phone and it was that moment when Vince finally noticed the word, wait no,  not just words but instructions written on a yellowish paper. 

Vince reads, “How to make effective gayuma?” He raised his eyebrows and asked, “Is it a type of research paper?”

He received a slap on his back. A burning feeling comes with the slap he received.

He glared at Kat and asked, “What the f is your problem?” 

“My lola said that this is the one she used to lolo,” she smiled. “She also said that this won't hurt anyone, so I can use it.” She continued.

She can use it?.  Vince thought that this is something that is good to use, even if it works or not. But it seems like Kat is determined to do it and this makes his heart sink in pain. He remembers the guy Kat always liked.

With a dismal face, Vince asks Kat, “Will you be using it with Andrei?”

 His question astound Kat. She looked at Vince’s dismal face. “H-how did you..?”

 Vince smiled bitterly and replied, “Everyone can tell Kat, your action can’t lie”.

Vince knows Kat better than anyone else. They have been friends for years, they even  went through thick and thin. He knows that Kat is not a type of person who calls for attention yet when she learns about Andrei, she behaves like she’s not the Kat he knows. Everytime she sees Andrei her face turns red, her lips can’t help  but to form a curve, she even shouts when talking. No words, but everyone can tell that Kat has feelings for Andrei.

Watching behind them, Kat’s mom felt the tension between the two, so she got up and got her car keys from the cabinet near the fridge. Vince smiled at her while Kat was shocked by her sudden appearance. 

“If there’s anything you two had problems with, you can talk to each other, i’ll go and check the shop in the city.” Kat’s mom said and went to Kat.

She kissed her daughters cheek and reminded them not to burn the place. Before she leaves she remember that these two are different s*x. 

She warned them with a stern voice, “No S.x.” 

Hearing the word S.X their eyes wide as if it will pop out soon.

“MOM!!?”

“TITA!!”

With the two shocking reactions, Kat’s mom leaves while laughing. The two felt their faces burn as it turned red. They awkwardly looked at each other and turned their eyes immediately, Vince finally broke the awkward silence between them.

“So?” he asked

“Let’s do it?” Kat said,

he stammered, “D-do what?” .

His face is red as the crimson blood, the last word that is retained in his head was the word S.x and when Kat  said let’s do it. That’s what he thinks.

“The gayuma!” Kat exclaimed

Vince touches his chest and releases a  sigh of relief. He looks at Kat and nods. Though he still didn’t get why Kat wants to do a gayuma, he’s willing to help her since he knows that it won’t do a thing. Kat starts to prep the things they bought and place it on the dining table. Vince, on the other hand, remains standing on the side of the fridge looking at the gayuma’s instructions with difficulty to understand how to do it. 

Kat finishes preparing the ingredients but when he looks at Vince, the confusion is still written on its face.

“What’s your problem?” she asked him.

“This potion is different!” he replied.

“Huh?”  Kat raised her eyebrows.

Vince shows the instruction,  “There’s no cat fur written on it?”

Vince received a hard slap to his head. With the force Kat’s gave to the slap, Vince almost felt like his world was spinning in the moment. He shrugged his head and turned to Kat, asking her, “ What’s your Problem?”

A/N:

Ate used to address the older sister. 

Dulo  is a place in Taytay, Rizal. 

Ganda is a Filipino word to compliment other people. Simply means beautiful.

Gayuma Love potion

Lola/Lolo  means grandmother/grandfather

Manong is a ilokano term used to address the first-born son. It can also be used as the title for a non-relative older brother.  

Toda  is an association of tricycle drivers.