Flawed In Love with Kiku (LOVE COFFEE SERIES #1)

Chapter 3

''Hi, Kiku. My usual, please." Sabi agad ni Errol nung mag show up sya this afternoon sa KoiKo. I haven't even greeted him yet pero nagsabi na sya agad ng order.

"Good thing I still got few freshly baked chocolate muffin. It will be on the house. A little thank you for the favor you did me." Sabi ko before giving him a smile. "And you'd have your Spanish latte, hot, together with that, am I right?" Tanong ko naman to confirm yung drink niya. 

"Yeah, that's it. You know, you don't have to give me a free muffin. All the donuts you had me bring home last time was more than enough." I was sure na yun pa rin yung drink niya but still decided to verify. As much as he was testing every pastry on the menu, his choice of hot drink pretty much stayed the same.

"Were you able to share it with friends?" Tanong ko sa kanya while punching his order on the screen. Pinauwi ko sa kanila yung mga hindi namin nakain na food and drinks during the shoot. Feli-chan called dibs sa mga muffins so yung mga donuts na lang na natira yung binigay ko kay Errol.

"Yes, actually I did. The people in my house all liked it." People in his house? "Can you please add the s'mores brownie box for to-go, on top that?" Dinagdag ko yung pahabol na order niya. May pagbibigyan kaya sya nito? Ngayon lang sya nag order ng any to-go items dito.

"Sure. This will be your total." I said and he immediately slid his debit card for payment without even lookin at the screen in front of him. I swiped his card and moved it closer to him so he can enter his PIN. 

"Thank you for the muffin, Kiku." He said after paying then walked going to his usual spot–that one table from across the Flower Wall. He was seated practically facing the chrysanthemum painting displayed on the wall.

I busied myself in preparing his meal. Nilagay ko na rin sa customized paper bag yung brownie box na takeout niya. Napatingin ako sa kanya saglit and nakita ko na busy na ulit sya sa camera niya. Nabawi lang yun atensyon ko nung pumasok si Mindy sa Cafe and dumiretso sa kabilang table katabi ng kay Errol. I heard them say "hey" at each other as a simple greeting.

After I was done getting another order of a coffee to-go from a middle-aged man, minabuti ko ng dalhin yung orders ni Errol. As I was doing so, nag usap kami ni Min-chan.

"Kiku, kapag nakapili ka na sa mga photos na kuha ni Errol, send mo rin sakin. I wrote an article for KoiKoo, and planning to publish it sa blogsite ko. It will not be a huge promotion as Feli's but additional exposure na rin, diba?" Sabi ni Mindy sa akin. She has a blogsite called "Luminescence" where she posts her random writings, reviews, or features.

"Awww, thanks for that, Min-chan. Sabi ni Feli tonight daw niya ipo-post sa FB pages and official IG account niya eh. Mas mataas daw kasi ang engagement kapag gabi." Dahil wala pa namang bagong napasok, naupo muna ako sa vacant space sa pagitan nilang dalawa. 

"You have a blogsite, Mindy? I heard you are a writer. On what field pala, may I dare ask?" Errol asked Mindy, medyo nag lean pa sya para masilip ang kausap. Pareho kaming nakatuon ang atensyon kay Minds, waiting for her to answer. 

"I am a feature writer, but freelance lang ako ngayon. I got fed up working full-time since I do not want to commit and gusto ko hawak ko yung oras ko." Sabi niya sa amin. Sa work lang ba ayaw mag-commit or takot sa kahit anong relationship? Like me, di rin kasi masyado sa dating scene si Mindy, but unlike me na very active sa mga crushes, we don't usually hear about boys and romance from Min-chan. It's like she doesn't even bother herself with stuff like that.

"I heard you worked in the US? I stayed there before coming here. San ka ba sa US nag-work?" Errol asked again. Napatingin naman ako sa kanya kasi bakit parang ang curious naman niya kay Mindy ngayon. Anyway, di ko naman binibigyan ng malisya. First, he's just really friendly. Second, wala kaya silang spark, feeling ko kami talaga ni Errol meron, pero feeling ko lang naman yun. Feelingera alert!