Eighteen

Chapter 43

My mind was flying around throughout the drive home. Hindi ko na rin alintana ang mga nangyari noong gabi dahil pagkauwi ko, nahulog lang din sa tulog ang lahat.

Ivo: Nagkausap kayo ni anais kagabi?

There would not come a day where Ivo's Facebook name would not be in bold letters in my chat log since the day I had accepted him. And all he would talk about was Anais that, Anais this. It was starting to be a cycle. I was not sure what he had in his expectations of what Anaid and I might have become throughout the years. Kahit ako nga, hindi ko na rin alam. Basta ang alam ko, nakuha ko ang mga salitang iyon mula sa kanya kahapon ng gabi.

But right now, I had to focus on my work.

Before heading to work, I dropped by Lola's place to check on Mamang. Tita Celestia had also suggested this, frequent visits, so she would not treat me as an alien anymore. Maybe what Tita had said was true: making new memories was not a bad option.

But how about the past, though? Did we just throw those away? How could he easily suggest a new bond as if we had not been through thick and thin in a short amount of time.

"Miss, update on the meeting with Sir Jace Fabello. Nakapag-reply na sila sa request, pero hindi kaagad tayo maaasikaso dahil nasa labas sila ng bansa. Business trip daw, e. One week. Day one kanina," Ellaine filled me in on the current situation of Carello.

Dapat talaga ako na lang ang umasikado nito para hindi na sila nag-abala nang ganito. But at the same time, maybe it was another sudden business trips. They had always been busy, anyway.

"So what is my schedule for the day?" tanong ko at binaklas ang bupanda sa leeg ko.

Ellaine enumerated my schedule. I was not that packed for the day. But I had a meeting as per usual. A day at work would never be complete without any meetings, minor or major.

I planned to take my lunch inside the office but decided to go down when I felt the need to walk along the sidewalk and have some fresh air into my lungs. Bumili ako ng kape at snacks sa bilihan ng kape na malapit dito. Dumaan na rin ako sa Burger Paradise at pagkatapos ay bumalik ako sa opisina. Walking back inside the establishment, I had not even stepped away that far from the turnstiles, I spotted a familiar face sitting in one of the couches of the lobby.

"Mr. Han?" tawag ko.

A man 6-foot tall turned his head around, his lips stretching into a beautiful smile upon laying his eyes on me. Tristan was a pretty man, with his features all leaning to East Asian beauty. He was wearing a casual dress shirt and khaki pants paired with expensive loafers.

"Hi. And, please, I'm hoping we can treat each other as friends if that is fine with you," he said and raised himself up from the couch to greet me.

"Hello. Sure . . . uh, Tristan? You understand our vernacular, right?"

"I do. I cannot only speak it."

"Alright. Ano ang ginagawa mo rito? I mean, first of all, welcome to Martinez Ltd. We hope the environment is quite to your taste." I smiled. "Are you perhaps here to purchase textiles personally?" I jested. Umiling naman siya.

"Yes, it is. I love the design of your building's interior and exterior." Nahulog ang mga mata niya sa mga dala ko. "That's what you're having for lunch?"

"Oo. How about you? Have you eaten?"

"No, not yet. Actually, that is why I'm visiting." He smiled expectantly.

"Hmm?"

"I'm curious about the Japanese restaurant near here. I don't want to eat there alone," Tristan said, fumbling with his fingers in front of him. He looked like a child waiting for something.