Where Secrets Lie (SOW #3)

Prologue

This is a revised version.

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LORRIE was waiting for her boyfriend outside the vet clinic she's working in. Kakatapos lang ng shift niya at naghihintay na sa kasintahan dahil balak nila mag-date ngayon.

"Doc, hindi ka pa uuwi?" one of her co-workers asked. Lorrie looks beside her and smile.

"I'm waiting for Jeoniel," sagot nito. Para namang binudburan ng asin ang katrabaho nang marinig 'yon. Hindi na rin siya nang-usisa pa at nagpaalam na.

She looks at her watch and phone when a voice caught her attention.

"Babe!"

Lorrie looks up and saw Jeon running towards her. He checked his left and right before crossing the road and running to hug her. She can smell his manly scent despite the sweat he has.

"Bakit ang tagal mo?" Lorrie asked him. Jeoniel got her hand and her bag from her arms at s'ya na ang nagbitbit.

"Sorry, si Parker kasi eh," sabi n'ya kaya natawa ang dalaga at napailing.

"Tom and Jerry ba kayo ni Parker?" Natatawang sambit ni Lorrie pero tinawanan lang s'ya ni Jeoniel at inakbayan.

Kapag sinusundo kasi siya ni Jeon, madalas wala s'yang dalang sasakyan. He likes to take a walk during the night and feel the night wind and she actually agree with him. Parang mas masarap mag-emote sa gabi.

"Gusto mo no'n?" He asked and pointed somewhere. Sinundan niya ng tingin at agad sumilay ang ngiti sa labi niya nang makita ang tindahang tinuturo ni Jeoniel.

It's the shop that they always visit everytime they're having a date.

The guard greeted them when they entered. Pamilyar na pamilyar ang lugar para sa kanila. Doon sila unang nagkakilala ni Jeoniel. Tandang tanda pa niya ang araw na 'yon.

'Yung araw na umorder siya at dahil distracted sa phone, maling order ang nahablot niya. It turns out, kay Jeoniel ang nakuhang order so, he chased her outside and told her that it's his order that she took.

And, maybe, they are fated because he happened to work on the building just in front of where she works at. Dahil doon ay mas madalas silang magkita at magkausap.

Jeoniel is an ideal one. He's every woman's dream guy but, yeah, he's hers now and she's his.

"What are you thinking?" His voice snapped her out of her thoughts.

Lorrie bit her lips and smile at him. Nakataas amg kilay ni Jeoniel habanh makatingin sa girlfriend niya.

"Ako ba 'yung iniisip mo?" Inirapan niya ang binata na dahilan ng pagtawa nito. He ordered for them. The waiter recognizes the both of them and he immediately prepared their order.

"How's your day, my babe?" Jeon asked as they started eating. Lorrie smiles and began telling him how her day went.

"Then, I met an old lady. May kasama siyang aso na sobrang cutie!" Lorrie happily exclaimed. She didn't notice her boyfriend staring at her with a smile on his face, amused and glad that the girl smiling in front of him is his girlfriend.

"Ikaw ba? How's your day? Marami bang nagpa-tattoo?"

Jeoniel is a tatto artist. Sa dinami dami ng trabahong pwede niyang applyan, mas pinili niya ang magtayo ng sariling shop. Nahilig kasi siya doon kaya hindi na niya mabitawan. Lorrie Jane is fine with it. Ayos lang sa kaniyang may tattoo ang boyfriend niya. Hindi naman kasi OA ang mga tattoo nito. Sa braso, dibdib at kamay lang meron itong tattoo.

Entire Tats is now known and popular in their city and even outside Laguna. May mga iba't ibang kliyente si Jeoniel mula sa iba-ibang lugar.

Tawanan, kwentuhan, asaran at masinsinang usapan tungkol sa mga plano ang depinisyon nila ng date. Simple lang pero masaya sila kaya hanggang makauwi ay may ngiti sila pareho sa labi.