To Fall Inlove

Assurance

​"I have a big problem," tahimik na usal ni Nicolas habang nakatitig sa draft boards.

This was the third time that we met after he arrived from his trip. Last week, we visited the site where his new office building would be constructed. We also discussed the layouts and schemes that I designed for him. He was happy about it and asked me for the 3d perspectives, so he could visualize what his building would look like. So right now, we were in H. Zandejas Royal Building, the same spot we met for the first time, and I was presenting the perspectives to him.

Inangat ko ang ulo ko mula sa plano na nasa harap ko at tinitigan siya. I'd given him three options of 3d exterior perspectives for his proposed office building, which I only patterned on the schemes that he had chosen, so I was thinking kung anong problema ang sinasabi niya.

Bumuntong hininga siya. "My problem is I can't choose," he started, then a slow smile curved his lips," because I love all of them. These are all great."

I mentally sucked in a breath. Siraulong to, pinakaba pa ako. I smiled back and replied, "Thanks." ​​

I was starting to feel comfortable with him. The last time we met, he was cordial and friendly to me. He didn't take it badly when I didn't accept his invitation to dinner. He was just cool about it.

"But I like this one, though." He pointed to option two where the structure had a postmodernism style. The color that was used for that option was red with a blue and gray aluminum composite panel, which was the same color as the logo of his company.

"If you'll ask me, that will be my choice too," turan ko. "The color schemes that I used for that were based on your company logo. Furthermore, I think it will be the best design among the three to encapsulate your aspiration."

"Yes, it does," tumatangong sagot niya.

"So, I guess this is the one?" I uttered as I looked at the draft boards in front of us.

"Yes, I like the image that connotes this design," he nodded his head and added, "I actually like it a lot."

After choosing the exterior perspective of the proposed building, we spent a few hours discussing the final floor layouts, time frames of the working drawings, and the budget. He was easy to be around. Before meeting him for our site visit, I was worried things would be awkward, but it's not at all. Para ngang walang nangyari, dire-diretso lang ang usap namin. Never namin napag-usapan ang dinner invitation niya sa akin last time. At dahil doon, masaya ako sa progress ng meeting namin. Ang dami namin natapos. He was a good client and alam niya kung ano ang gusto niya, so it was nice working with someone like him. Madali din siyang kausap.

I thought of Daxton and forced myself not to smile. Kung gaano kadali kausap ni Nicolas, sobrang kabaligtaran naman yun ni Daxton. I remembered the time when he told Caden and me to revise all the plans that we did for two months and gave us only a week to finish all the revisions. Hanggang ngayon clueless pa rin ako bakit siya nagdecide ng ganun. Ora-orada kasi. Wala man lang pasintabi. Yung parang nagising lang siya isang araw at napagtripan na bwisitin kami ni Caden.

"Is there something funny?"

I looked up and saw Nicolas staring at me with furrowed brows.

Umiling ako. "No, I just remembered something. Is there anything you need?" I asked as I gathered the draft boards.

"Yes," wika niya.

Napalingon ako sa kanya. "What?"

"Care to join me for lunch?" he asked, watching me carefully.

I inwardly groaned. Not again. Kinagat ko ang labi ko at nag-isip kung paano tatanggihan ang imbitasyon niya.

He flashed me a smile. "This is purely business. I promised. I'm starving and I don't like to eat alone," dagdag pa niya.