Not What It Seemed

Chapter Two

"Mr. M. Her. The Past."

HARMONI

I immediately diverted my gaze as an attempt to remove the awkwardness.

It took me few seconds to regain my composure. Ano na naman 'tong nangyayari sa script ng buhay ko? Siya ang Mr. M na tinatawag nung guard?

I looked at the proposal briefly and found that in the first page it says Mr. M. Bakit naka pen name tong lalakeng to! Feeling writer na mysterious!

Dahan-dahan akong sumunod sakanya as led me to his office. Nakaupo lang sa desk area designated for secretary ang dalaga as she slightly bowed her head to welcome me.

"Have a seat," he went near the coffee/tea area at may kung anong ginawa doon, "(Do) You still like coffee?"

"So we're pretending that this isn't awkward?" I said out of nowhere.

I saw him shrug his shoulder. "Believe me, it's not. You still like coffee?" Bartender na ba siya ngayon ba't di siya makausad sa 'kapeng tanong' na yan?

"I don't like coffee. Just water."

Natigil siya pero he walked to the small room to get something then went out with a glass of water and placed it on the center table infront of me. "Thanks." He sat across my seat.

"Should we play catch up then?" he playfully asked as he sip his tea.

"No, thanks. I'm here for business. Here." I slipped the envelope containing the amended proposal. 

"Di halatang BAU (business as usual) pala when you remarked that," pertaining sa pagsabi kong awkward kanina. Grrrr! Bakit ang galing niya paring mangsarkastiko! 

He took the paper and read it with his eyes.

I didn't know that he would look great it in a navy long-sleeves with its first 3 buttons undone paired with a black pants. His glasses also completed the look. His hair has always been tucked inside his police cap and I rarely seen him without it so it surprises me how shiny and curly his hair actually is.

"Paano ka nakabuo ng ganitong organisasyon?"

Bahagya niyang ibinaba ang papel enough to look me in the eye. "Make up your mind, Harmoni. If we're doing BAU, no questions--"

"No, I meant it as a background check kinda question." Muntik pa ako mapiyok dahil sa nerbyos. Bakit ba kasi nagsasalita mag-isa tong bibig ko. huhuhuhu!

He chuckles which brought me back to senses. He surely caught me curious as a cat again.

Nilabas ko ang laptop ko ang pretended to document whatever he'll say. "Oh, are you documenting our convo without my consent?" He laid back and amusingly stared at me.

"I think you already consented the moment you let me in."  I sat straight and got my point straight. "According to my research, you only let people who you are really interested in doing business with. Specially people my age and around the same height as mine. Noong una, I was particularly intrigued by this research so I thought you were an old perverted man pero..."

I gently leaned towards the table enough to confront him. "Are you, by any chance looking for me?"