Prologue

As the sun rises gleamingly, five people plan to meet outside and decide to go to the nearest mall. They agreed to meet at ten in the morning, so all of them were busy taking a shower and prepping themselves at their places.

They planned to meet up to celebrate one of their friend's birthdays. The two couples thought that they would have a double date. Though the other has no partner, they invited him since he was a close friend.

In a hotel room, where a sexy and chic lady lived, called his lover and sweetly asked, "Babe, where are you?"

Then a man on the other line excitedly replied as soon as he picked up the phone, "I'm on my way, babe. Wait for me, my sweetheart!" as he rode the elevator down to the basement, where he parked his car.

Meanwhile, Kevin was still in his apartment, waiting for his girlfriend to answer his call, so he sat down on the bed and wore his socks.

As soon as Therese picked up her phone, Kevin happily shouted, "Honey! Happy 30th birthday!" from the other line as he greeted her lady.

Upon hearing him, Therese smiled from ear to ear, and she replied with her baby-like voice, "Aww! Thanks, hon. I can't wait to see you." And she swayed her body from left to right and right to left due to excitement.

Kevin smiled upon hearing Therese's voice, and so, he replied, "Me too. I love you!" Afterward, he kissed the phone three times as if he was kissing Therese.

After their quick call and exchanging of I love yous, they both smiled from ear to ear and ended the call. 

On the other hand, Ethan was standing and leaning at the bedroom door frame as he crossed his arms, and then he asked sarcastically, "Seriously? Am I invisible to all of you? Should I even need to go?" 

After hearing Ethan, Kevin was slightly surprised by its presence. Yet he cleared his throat and slowly tilted his head to Ethan while asking, "Were you listening out there the whole time?"

They stared at each other and paused for a minute. Afterward, Ethan scoffed "HAH!" loudly as a reply, and then he left Kevin's room with heavy footsteps and went to his. 

Kevin is still looking at the door behind him, where Ethan was standing earlier. He can't help but chuckle at his friend, and then he murmured to himself, 'If only you didn't have a change of heart, then you'd be happy together with her.'

After murmuring to himself, he sighed and shook his head as a sign of disagreement. Then his phone beeped, and it was a message from Troy. 

*Hey buddy, Senna and I are here at the mall parking already.*

After reading the text, he stood up and left a big sigh once more before calling Ethan. 

They both rode Kevin's car and drove to Therese's place to pick her up. They safely arrived at the parking where Senna and Troy were waiting. As soon as they all gathered, they greeted each other with a smile. And all of them stayed for a couple of minutes to talk for a while. 

Afterward, they walked side by side towards the mall. The couples walked hand in hand while teasing Ethan. 

"Since you don't have someone to hold to, hold yourself, okay?" Kevin teasingly said to Ethan as the others laughed.

Ethan sighingly murmured, "I shouldn't have come," as he lowered his head and shooked it.

As the girls wanted to go shopping first, everyone went inside a clothing shop, and the guys just sat on a couch. Meanwhile, Therese and Senna started picking clothes to fit in. They even asked their men if it suited them, just like in television series. 

Though in the middle of Senna and Therese's window shopping, Therese's stomach growled because of hunger. It was noticeable, for it was kind of loud. Upon hearing it, the men tilted their heads up slowly to see who's stomach it was.

Feeling embarrassed, Therese told them, "Sorry guys, I haven't eaten dinner since yesterday up to now," as she showed them a peace sign.

Altogether, they paused and gazed at Therese pouting its lips as she bent her head down. 

On the other hand, Kevin just smiled as he stood up to go to Therese, and he mischievously put his arms to Therese's shoulder. 

"My lady intensely suppressed her hunger, knowing we will eat a lot today because it is her birthday," Kevin said to them while closing his eyes as he talked rapidly.

Senna, Troy, and Ethan paused for a while as they gazed at Ethan, quietly catching his breath. Meanwhile, Therese blinked twice as her head was facing Kevin, and she was confused at what his man was thinking.

Then Senna spoke, "Okay then, let's eat first. I'm kind of hungry too." And then everyone removed their gazes from Kevin. They left the couple there, and Kevin met Therese's gaze.

He stared intimately at Therese for a minute. After he pinched Therese's cheek, he let go and uttered to himself, 'How could she still be pretty even when hungry? I don't think I can get enough of her.' 

Without hearing any response, Therese just smiled widely. Afterward, they followed Senna to the elevator up to the third floor, where the food section was. Altogether, they saw a lot of fast-food chains and decided to eat from one of those. Ethan and the others then entered Satisfied Tummy.

Ethan headed to the bathroom first, so the two guys were left to order the food. The girls sat on the couch already and waited for their men.

They sat near the entrance, and they both leaned on the glass window. Senna and Therese looked at people passing by as if waiting for someone. 

"Hey, Senna, she was right. It's fun to celebrate your day with lots of people," Therese said in a low tone of her voice as she bitterly smiled. Senna nods as a sign of agreement before replying.

"Though it doesn't sound like you were happy at all." She listlessly said and sighed as well.

"It's just sad because we promised that we'll spend our thirties together even with or without a boyfriend, yet she wasn't here," Therese added, and both of them sighed as they yearned for her presence. 

"Are you talking about her again?" Kevin interrupted and sat beside Therese. He stroked Therese's hair and pulled her to his chest so that Therese's head could lean on him.

"I'm sure she missed you both as well and is wishing Therese a happy and blast birthday," Troy said while trying to cheer Therese and Senna.

But the two just bitterly smiled, so Troy and Kevin looked at each other and thought of something. And after a minute or two, Kevin spoke.

"You know what, let's play a game. I'll buy a bottle of water, and let's play the truth game." Kevin suggested as he walked towards the counter, and then the two just nodded but still bitterly smiled.

"Come on, girls! It is supposed to be a happy day. It was Therese's birthday, babe. Let's cheer up!" Troy calmly said as he put his arm to Senna's waist.

Troy looked at Senna to Therese and was waiting for a response, but it did not take long as Senna emitted a long deep breath and spoke, "Yeah, right! Though it must be noisy for the others."

Upon seeing Senna come back to her composure, Troy smiled at her. Afterward, he stood up and pointed to the terrace connected inside of the restaurant and said, "Then that area will be the quiet place for everyone." 

When Kevin came back, they all went outside, and they closed the glass door so no one could hear their noise as they waited for their orders and Ethan.

"Okay, so let's spin the bottle!" Kevin shouted happily and spun the bottle on top of the table.

The bottle spun so fast, and everyone waited where the bottle would point. On the other hand, Ethan is done and is walking towards them. He was surprised to see what his friends were doing, and so he ended up chuckling.

"What are you playing? This game was only for children and not adults like us!" Ethan stated as he pointed his hand to the table.

"How did you know we are here?" Kevin curiously asked.

"Who wouldn't? Your voice was too loud." Ethan replied.

As the four were looking at him, Troy disappointingly said, "You were such a killjoy, Et!" and so the others quietly sighed and just properly sat. 

Having seen the ladies' reactions, Ethan felt guilty, so he walked closer to the table and spun the bottle. Upon seeing what Ethan does, Senna and Therese's face lightened, and they waited for the spinning bottle to stop. 

The bottle slowly spun, and it pointed to Ethan. Ethan looked at them and spoke confidently, "Okay!" as he crossed his arms and waited for the question.

The others awaited the question too, and Kevin was the one who was going to ask him. Kevin cheekily grinned and spewed the question, "Are you still madly, deeply in love with her?" He asked.

They were shocked by the question and became quiet, and no one even dared to talk aside from the passerby. For a moment, they became stone-cold and couldn't utter a word or two.

"Ma'am and Sir, here's your order." The waiter interrupted them, and so they came back to their senses.

"Thank you!" Altogether they replied, except for Ethan.

They looked at each other awkwardly, and then one of them cleared his throat. One touched his nape, the two ladies looked away and drank their water. Though, it was not long before someone could say something.

"Let's eat, guys. I'm so hung--." Sena awkwardly said but was interrupted when Ethan suddenly spoke.

"I do, I still do."