[Airish Laxamana]
"Miss Laxamana, it's time for your breakfast." I open my eyes as the light hits my face.
Napaupo ako habang napakunot ang noo ko. Nasa'n ba ang lalaking 'yon?
"Miss Nadia, Nasa'n si Kaijin?" She frowned as she answers.
"Unfortunately, He's going somewhere. Hindi daw po siya makakauwi buong araw." I pinch my pillow in disappointment. He didn't even bother to wake me up. What a jerk he is...
"What do you prefer Earl Grey or Caramel coffee?"
"Caramel Coffee." She assembles the coffee as she gave it to me. Hindi ko malasahan ang tamis ng kape dahil sa sobrang disappointment. But then, I try to drink it until the last drop.
"You have a meeting at 10 a.m in Yakuza company. After lunch, you have a business meeting at the Lowell Toy Corp at exactly 3 pm you have a meet-up session with with Ms. Valdez—" I cut her off.
"Reject that meet-up. I'll attend the rest." I get my towel as I decided to take a bath. Pampabawas init ng ulo.
I get my phone as I call Venice number but she keeps on rejecting my call. Baka busy...
Napakagat ako sa labi ko habang nakikita ang number ni Kaijin. I tap his contact as the phone rings. Gladly, he picked up the call.
"Yes Chief?" Pinigilan kong maging kalmado as much as possible.
"Kumain kana?" Why would I ask that kind of question? Malamang kumain na siya...
"Oo, ikaw—"
"Where are you?" Iritado kong tanong.
"In your heart." Is he kidding me? Magsasalita pa sana ako ng patayin niya na ang tawag. And when I try to call it again... It keeps telling me that the line is busy.
Napatingin ako sa taas at nagpaypay gamit ang kamay.
I released a heavy sigh as I prepare my formal clothes.
Nag-ayos muna ako ng buhok bago binuksan ang Cabinet kung saan nakalagay ang puting kahon.
Kinuha ko ito tsaka marahas na isinara ang Cabinet. I have no time to space out. Kung hindi man niya naalala ang araw na ito. I DON'T HAVE TO FORCE HIM.
Pero bakit ako disappointed ako?
"Miss, the limou is ready." Nagbihis na ako bago bumaba.
I get a piece of bread as a breakfast. "Ma'am kumain muna po kayo." Ngumiti ako at umiling.
Nang makarating ako sa limou ay tinignan ko si Miss Nadia. "May problema ba?" Napatingin ako sa windshield ng sasakyan.
"Don't mind me." I said while my chest feels incomplete.
-
Minutes past and we finally arrived. "Good morning Ms. Laxamana."
"Good morning Ma'am."
"Good morning Miss."
I smiles as I greeted them back.
Pagkapasok ko sa office ay nag-iba na ang expression ko.
"You're finally here Miss Laxamana." An old man looks at me as he smiles. I smirk.
Tinawag ko ang secretary ko na halos nakayuko na.
Pinalapit ko siya sa tabi ko tsaka ko siya binulungan.
"Give him the hospitality of Laxamana Company." Her eyes widened for a second. "Yes Ma'am." She said while she covers the window with a black curtain. She bows as she closed the door.
I turn on the lights before I sit on my swivel chair.
I set a board game while he gave me a confuse looks. "Let's play Mr. Yakuza." I explain the games as he listens. He looks at me while he nods.
As we start the game, he started to talk his business.
"As you can see, my company likes to collaborate with you." Napatingin ako sa character na napili niya. "I lose a move." He smiles as he looks at me.
"That's perfect, you see, we need a huge amount of money. 500 thousand to be exact. I need to expand my company and my—" I cut him off as I ignore his filthy words.
"It's your turn." Napatingin naman siya sa board. Tumikhim siya bago kinuha ang dice. He shakes it on his palm before he released the diced.
"3." He jumps his character into the given picture. "Now, let's proceed to my business—"
"Bad luck." He stops as he sees me smirks at him. "Ikaw ulit." Sabay talumbaba ko showing my cleavage in this old man. Napalunok siya habang iniiwasang tumingin sakin.
He rolled the diced as he looks at me. Err— in my chest rather. The character steps of to the picture. I look at it as I nods. "Swallowed by Darkness." Well, that's good.
I finished the game as I get bored to it. He give me the files so I read it.
"I'll contact you." Ngumiti siya bago umalis. Binuksan ko naman ang CCTV footage at nanood habang nakatalumbaba. Binuksan ko ang speaker para marinig ko ang pag-uusap nila.
Let's see what kind of hospitality they'll give you...
Habang naglalakad siya ay hinawakan niya si Kate, ang secretary ko. What an old hag he is. Napapatingin lang si Kate sa camera kaya ginalaw ko ito. She seduced Mr. Yakuza as they entered the elevator. I get my walkie talkie as I speak. "Code Red." Sa biglaang pagsara ng mga ilaw ay ang biglaan ding pagbukas nito.
Kate disappeared as Mr. Yakuza's face was wondering.
The light goes on and off as the elevator closes. Nakita ko ang kagustuhan niyang makalabas sa elevator. But then, I played the music called 'DOWNTOWN'
The elevator goes up. Napahawak siya sa gilid habang napapatingin sa camera. Napatawa naman ako ng bahagya.
He can't fool me. 500,000? That's huge for a fool like him. His company were shut down a months ago dahil nalugi na ito. And now he wants to expand his business? Many of his workers died because of exhaustion and overwork. How do I know? Because some of my workers came from his fucking company.
As he stepped out of the elevator I completely turned off the lights. Binuksan ko ang heater sa floor na 'yon tsaka ko binuksan ang heat light.
The only thing to escape in this floor is to find a fucking stairs which will he enjoy later. Natawa ako habang pinaglalaruan ng workers ko si Mr. Yakuza. Nagpapakita sila ng ilang segundo habang papalapit sila ng papalapit.
I turned off the lights para makatakas sila. One of my employees looks at the CCTV as he thumbs up before he leaves. Binuksan ko ulit ang heat light at nakita ko ang pag-upo ni Mr. Yakuza.
So he'll be sitting for his whole life? This is boring...
I see him move as if he's finding the way to escape.
And after a minute, he already found the stairs. Nang bababa na sana siya ay bigla kong ginawang slide and kalahati ng hagdanan dahilan para dumulas siya paibaba.
Nang makababa siya ay normal na ang lahat. My workers looks at him as they slightly laugh. "Come again Sir."
Paranoid na umalis si Mr. Yakuza as I heard him shouts: "MAY DEMONYO!"
Napailing ako habang ang lahat ng employees ko ay natawa. The door opens as Kate smiles at me. "Mission complete Ma'am." I smiles as I look at her.
Napatingin ako sa cellphone ko. It's already 11:30... Ni wala man lang text o tawag galing kay Kaijin ang nakita ko. Wala ba talaga siyang balak na makasama ako?
"Ma'am?" Napatingin ako kay Kate.
"Can you buy me a combo meal?" She smiles as she bows before she leaves.
I tried to call Venice number but it keeps telling me that the number is still busy. ANO bang ginagawa ng babaeng 'to?
Bakit kung kailan ko ata sila kailangan tsaka ko sila hindi macontact?
Nagbukas muna ako ng fb at nakita ang isang message request. I didn't bother to look at it. I'm not in the mood.
A minutes past at 12:30 na. Bakit ang tagal ata ni Kate?
Kasabay ng pagdating ni Caden Lowell ang pagdating ni Kate. "Ma'am sorry, yung heels ko po kasi..." Nagmadali akong pumunta sa kanya at nakita ko ang heels niya na nawalan ng takong.
"Good thing nakasabay ko siya." Tinignan ko si Lowell tsaka tinignan si Kate. I get a spare heels in my cabinet as I give it to her.
"Salamat po Ma'am." I smiles. "Naks, Di na siya tomboy." Tumayo ako bago inagaw ang pagkain ko kay Caden. "Kaso masungit parin."
Umupo ako habang binuksan ang pagkain ko. "Speak." Tumingin siya sakin habang inuumpisahan ko ang pagkain ko.
"Masarap?" Tinaasan ko siya ng kilay. Ininom ko ang juice ko bago humarap sa kanya.
"Gutom ka?" He nods. "Bili ka." Sabay irap ko sa kanya. He frowned as he looks at me.
"Fine," I scoop an amount of my food as I point it to him. Sinubo niya naman ito at kinain.
"What brings you here?" Nilunok niya muna ang pagkain niya bago humarap sakin. "Wala na kayo ni Althea?" Binitawan ko ang pagkain ko. 'Yon lang ba ang pinunta niya rito? Para magtanong?
"Balita ko... Kasal kana?" I nods. "Teka, bakit hindi naman ata ako imbitado?" Bumalik ako sa pagkain.
"Uyy :<" Natawa ako sa ekspresyon niya kaya uminom ulit ako ng juice.
"It's an arrange marriage." Napahinto siya. "Kinasal ka ni tita? Kanino?" He asked all of a sudden.
"On a guy named Kaijin Del Mundo." He nods as he heard my answer.
"Pa'no pag bumalik si Althea?" Hindi niya ba ako papakainin?
"That's impossible, Althea is in Kaijin's brother hands." Huminto siya ulit kaya kumain muna ako. Pagkatapos kong kumain ay nagpunas ako ng tissue at tinapon ang kinainan ko sa trashbin bago nag-alcohol.
"Do you love him?" Napangiti ako. "It's too early for that." I don't think that I already love him... But if you'd ask me if I like him? My answer is Yes, I do like him.
"So you don't love him?" Umiling naman ako. "But you liked him?"
"I hide it but I'll never deny it."
"So what's your business with me?"
"Bawal ba kitang bisitahin? Makausap or something?" Natawa ako.
"It's not like you." Umiling naman siya habang natatawa.
We almost talk for an hour but I forgot to introduce him...
Meet Caden Lowell. He's a College student like us. Same course and same strand. He's known for his unique style in making toys for kids and for adults collections.
"It's getting late, I got to go." He pats my head as he smiles at me.
"Take care." I literally don't want to end our conversation since I don't have any person to talk to.
"I'll be here everyday. If you like, I can transfer on your school."
"You can?" Well it'll be great to have him around since he's the one who knows me better than anyone else.
"Of course, gusto mo ba?"
"Sinabi ko bang ayaw ko?" He pats my head as he says goodbye.
"Fine, wag kang magalit, mas maganda ka kapag nakangiti." Umirap naman ako sa kanya. Saktong pagkaalis niya ay ang pagpasok ni Kaijin.
"Who's that?" Ano bang pakialam niya?
Napairap ako sa hangin. May balak pa pala siyang puntahan ako dito.
"Kala ko ba hindi ka na uuwi?" He laughs as he looks at me. May nakakatawa ba?
"I didn't say that." Binuksan niya ng malawak ang pintuan at bumulaga sakin ang napakaraming puting rosas.
May banner ding hawak si Venice habang nakataas ang letter cut na: HAPPY FIRST MONTHSARY CHIEF
He goes on my place as he smiles. May binigay siya saking kahon na puti at binuksan niya ito. Mas lalo akong napangiti ng may nakita akong white gold necklace na may pink rose pendant.
My eyes widened as Asylum entered with a Giant Melody stuff toy. My heart melts as I hides my face. Bakit may tumutulong luha sa mata ko?
"Chief?" Tinignan ko siya.
"It's your fault...I thought you forgot it already... Fucking Jerk..." He hugs me as i feel a kissed on my head.
"I'll forget everything at once... But I will never forget my LOVE ONE." That's quite cheezy.. but fudge... It makes me blush...
"Happy Monthsary Chief." Napuno ng sigawan ang opisina ko. They're screaming as they're shouting: "KISS!"
Napailing siya habang napapatingin sa kanila. They were waiting for a KISS that will never happen...
Napailing ako habang natatawa. But my smile fades as Kaijin gets my chin and kissed my lips. His soft lips are pressed against mine. He holds my hips as he ended the kiss that last to seconds.
Lalong umingay ang opisina ko kaya nakaramdam ako ng hiya matapos ang halik na 'yon. "I said: Happy Monthsary Chief..." Mapang-asar na titig sakin ni Kaijin.
"Cursed you to DEATH KAIJIN DEL MUNDO."
"Really? Then what's that?" Tinago ko ang regalo na balak ko sanang ibigay sa kanya pero kinuha niya iyon at binuksan.
"I know you liked me." Kaijin said while wearing his confident smile.
"Happy Monthsary Captain." His eyes widened as he covers his face... Natawa ako ng makita ko ang pamumula ng pisngi niya.
After he recover.... He looks at me as he speaks.
"Masyado kang Delikado..."
"Huh?"
"Kasi Hindi mo pa nga ako binabato tapos TINAMAAN NA AGAD AKO SAYO."