Feb 22, 2026

I was still in at the company vacation by the time the day started. I was just in the room, charging my phone, the Samsung pocket Wi-Fi, my Apple Watch, and AirPods since they were all out from yesterday's events. Since I had nothing else to do, I gave watching a chance and watched 1 of the 2 movies that someone recommended to me: My Girl (1991). It actually didn't seem familiar at first, but I had the slightest feeling that I've watched this somehow. And I continued through watching the movie because I didn't want to watch The Substance (2024) over a fear that some sexually explicit scene might show and my roommates might walk in on. So I watched My Girl and it was genuinely cute, it had a bit of romance in it and, somehow, I already remembered the plot by the time they went to the beehive. I remembered watching this sometime around high school when I used to watch a lot of movies. I eventually finished the movie, gave someone my thoughts on it, and eventually slept. When I woke up, 1 of my 2 roommates had already left because their dog needed medicine. I woke up late and I was kind of dismayed that my roommate didn't wake me up for breakfast. I went outside to get breakfast and I just barely made it. There were only 4-5 other coworkers there who were just finished with their breakfast. We were supposed to get our breakfast with claim stubs, and, even though I was late, the dudes serving breakfast were pretty chill with letting me just eat without a stub and I just showed down on some food. The head of our department came in and they just sat down to have a nice chat with us and I just got introduced to him. It was just a nice small discussion about pickleball, how life was in their home country, and stuff like that. After that, we all went outside to enjoy the remaining time we had. I walked around, laid on the bed for a while, and also basked in the sun for a bit. I just reflected on this outing as a while and thought how nice it was since it was yet another company outing in this new chapter in my life, where I'm not stressed out nor anxious. It was really nice and I got all cleaned up. We took a few photos before we all started leaving and stuff. I figured to just hop on to someone else's ride—whoever was leaving first and was headed closest to my house. I was able to get transferred out and we headed out after a while. I slept while on the way there, and I had just come to find out that we were supposed to meet up with another ride that was headed to the same eatery. We eventually reached Bhabez Gotong Batangas and Inihaw na Liempo and we ate there. I kind of ordered a lot, but I enjoyed the food. I saw another coworker order their chicken inasal and the piece they got was, like, super huge compared to the ones I usually get at Mang Inasal. We ate, chilled long enough to meet and catch up with the rest, and they were even planning on going to some church but we just had to get back to Metro Manila. We were back on the road after eating and I told my sister to prep my outfit for later and I got some more rest as we were heading back. We eventually arrived the office, and I thanked our coworker as we were leaving his car, and I booked a ride home. It was kind of a race against time as I had to get home and then out to SM Aura to meet up with Mon. I did give her updates on where I was, and she suggested that we meet tomorrow, but I wanted to push through with meeting today even if I'm kind of physically tired (honestly) from the company outing. I think I got enough strength from sleeping in and out, and after preparing for a bit, I immediately booked a ride to SM Aura. I got there first and changed the screen protector on the Google Pixel. I had to have it replaced with some liquid cutout, and it was over quickly. Mon had already arrived and she eventually meets me outside the Huawei store. I was so nervous but Mon met me with a hug, which was cute because it's been a while since I met up with a friend that offered a hug. We eventually talk and walk around. She tells me this story of how she got a little late because her motor driver was feeling sad, he was playing this old love song (that even my lola used to listen to) and retold his story about how he had a childhood lover from Laguna and he moved to Manila for a better life for them, only for him to find out that she had been cheating on him with his cousin when he visited the girl. It was pretty heartbreaking and I found it funny that Mon called him dumb even though he was the victim, but I could sympathize with him since I kind of went through something like that where the girl was talking and entertaining other men. It was nice to hear Mon open up and talk because I was feeling so stiff. I felt really tense because I'm usually trying to gauge the other person's energy, and we eventually walked upstairs while Mon and I were talking, and we went to have dinner at Lady Luck per Mon's suggestion. She wanted to try the matcha, but they were out of it, so we tried the hojicha instead and we basically just kept talking. It was nice that she sat near me and not across the table, so that was nice. We talked about a few things and that eventually helped me ease up with her, she joked about kidnapping the child from the family that sat across us and even told me a story of how she wanted to “cosplay” in BGC, and I joked to her about how she should complete the look by bringing envelopes and stuff. We just kept joking and talking since I was warming up to her and Mon's jokes were really funny. She remarked to me about how a table near us ordered the pizza that didn't seem that good to her, and I dared her to tell that to the table that ordered. After that, we eventually get our order and we kept talking, and the waiters actually gave her the wrong drink. I got the real hojicha one and she got something completely different. But the waiters eventually correct it and then tell us that they got the order by mistake, which was okay with us. Mon finished her food first and the waiter asked to get her food and I joked to her that she was just playing with her leftovers, and at this point I was comfortable enough with her already where I can tease her and have jokes with her. We talked for a bit more until we decided to get the bill since we've finished and then I paid for the bill. We walked out and Mon asks me what kind of extrovert I am because she has a friend who often calls her, is clingy, and stuff, and she also has another extrovert friend who is fine being alone but has quite a few friends and stuff, and I say I'm the latter because I don't need to be always talking to people and that extroversion comes from socializing and talking to people itself, not just being with people. She gets it and we eventually keep walking, I joke to her that we should let couples go first because they seem more important and she laughs about it. We decide on just finding the other Lawsons in BGC and we walk past Market! Market! while I tell her about what 67 is, and stuff like that. She also makes a joke at a street crossing that I should take a photo of her getting into an accident and that she'll send it to her team leader. We pass by Serendra where she makes a few jokes and then she says that we might get cancelled for our conversations which I just laugh at. We eventually reached High Street and I tease her a bit about her height and how she's short, and I also make a joke and say that I'm not like the other guys, to which she just laughs. We keep walking and eventually turn left because she wants us to go down this place that leads to Terra 28th where she tells me her romantic preferences and I just get a bit shocked to learn that and then she lists off a few things that she's seen some disturbing stuff about. And I tell her that I can understand one of them and then she teases me about it. We keep walking and then go through past Terra 28th and she ties her shoes. I scout around and say that there's a Lawson nearby and then I tease her that she wasn't looking, but she does say that she can't actually see and we just go to it. We go inside and Mon tries to check out a few things while I try to buy the matcha that she's been recommending to me. It wasn't available there, and I was also shocked to learn that she wasn't even going to have it, so we checked out some other Lawson instead. We kept on walking and talking about the most random of things and she makes a joke about dying and then she said that she'll just lie on the ground right now. We cross the street and pass by a coffee shop that she doesn't recommend much, and we eventually reached Lawson #2! It thankfully had the matcha drink that she suggested and I ordered a large one. She looked around and bought bread, and I made a joke that I was going to rob her at gunpoint, but then she kept browsing and checking out other stuff while I tried to drink and taste the matcha drink that she recommended. It was really nice, it reminded me of the milky matcha I used to make back in 2022 and a bit in 2025, so it was nice. We eventually go outside and then talk about life, and I tell her that it's been a while since I walked and paced around BGC. I only usually walk around a lot when I'm thinking about life stuff and she asks me what was the last thing I thought that hard about. I just told her that it's about not being sure on where to go about in life and she says she agrees that it's pretty heavy. We walk down 3rd Ave as she's telling me about the things that she bought, which were just some bread, and I ask what flavors they were and she tells me that one was this chocolate one. I tell her that it's not my thing and chocolate is overrated, and I remark that the best type of bread is the one with raisins, to which she disagrees with. Mon then tell me this story of how she got invited at a friend's house one day for their schoolwork and that they made this pizza with raisins as the topping. We both found it strange, but I could understand it in a way since raisins had this tangy flavor and I guess she eventually got it after thinking of it that way. But I still made fun of it because they were seriously smoking something when they came up with the idea of that. We pass by BGC Portal and I tell her about how people just moon there, and I told her what mooning is, and then she also tells me that some people put their IG handles there to look for a foreigner. We pass through BGC Central Square and then she gets to talking about an incident that she had and I just listened through it. We kept walking up 32nd Street to sit down at my third place, Starbucks on 32nd Street, and then I tell her that I come here all the time, and that it was her first time here. I order some drink with lemon and I think she orders a pink drink. This was kind of the perfect time where I asked her how she thinks my name is pronounced, and it was funny because she says that she was dyslexic and I eventually gave her the correct pronunciation. We sit upstairs since the table that we picked was then taken and so we found a seat that had 2 chairs sat together. We saw a guy livestreaming and I joked about how one of us should find their handle and throw a comment or something. I also joked that we should pass by and make a face, and I eventually get enough courage to do it and I made a face while I was on the way to the bathroom. But it was locked and the girl just looked at me weird as she was waiting for the bathroom to open, so I made my way back and made another face before I sat next to Mon. She seemed so shy because she looked at the whole thing but she found it funny. For a while, we were just talking with each other while she's telling me her work stories and things about her coworkers. She told me one about how they “pranked” their Japanese coworker, then she told me about an Indian guy that she works with. Then she told me about the actual company that she works for and only then did it snap in my head that she was working for that specific company. I listened to a few more of Mon's stories as we continued to sit there. After that, we walked outside for a while. Mon showed me a spot where she found an ID lace at, but it wasn't here. And then we walked all the way to BGC High Street again. I asked her about her work, and the type of stuff she deals with on a day-to-day basis. I asked her about another work thing and I listened to her talk about it for a while. We eventually ended back up to Fully Booked in BGC High Street where I gave her the Google Pixel and I even joked about how she'll get a new phone now and she won't have to set low power mode for this one. She tells me that she's had her current phone near the start of the pandemic and I'm just surprised that it's holding up well. Mon eventually books an Angkas ride home and I joke to the rider that he should be careful of her. After that, Mon give's me a goodbye hug which was cute and I stood by for a bit before going to continue my walk afterward. For a while, I walked around BGC to process all of just what happened and what the past few days were. This was ultimately crazy and I couldn't believe so much good things have happened, so part of me feels scared that something bad will inevitably happen soon. I thought more about Mon and decided on her, before ultimately just thinking that I'll just keep messaging her and see where it goes. She was also talking to me while this going on and she sounded so concerned. Afterward, I booked a ride home and ended my day.