Yup! I'm That Noona

25

 I looked up Evelyn de Luna. She's the owner and chairwoman of SKV. I froze for a few seconds when I learned about it. Apparently, Marianne Esquivel is Evelyn's secretary and they are asking for a meeting with me.

It took me the whole day the next day to think of what to response. I almost had a panic attack. Hindi ko alam kung bakit ako gustong makausap ng boss ni Jiyong but they were nice to ask for a meeting kaya naisip ko na wala naman sigurong masama.

Besides, wala akong ginawang masama para matakot ako.

I told them the date that I am free. Ako na ang nagsabi na sila na ang bahala kung saan. I thought na sa office nila ako pupunta. Nag worry pa ako sandali dahil baka makita ko si Klair doon. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang sasabihin ko kung sakali.

They set the meeting for lunch time in a fancy restaurant in BGC. I told them I am coming.

When I arrived, I was ushered to the table that was reserved. Nandoon na si Evelyn de Luna. Nakilala ko naman sya agad.

Inilahad nya ang kamay nya to shake my hand. "Hello, I am Evelyn. Thank you for meeting me." Nakalagay sa google na sixty-one years old na sya but she looks like she's only in her forties. For real.

She was wearing a floral dress na pinatungan ng puting blazer. She has pearl earrings and necklace and a gold watch. Naamoy ko rin ang amoy ng pabango nya. It smells citrusy pero mabango naman at hindi ako natapangan.

"I'm Savannah po." Ngumiti ako. Naupo ako sa harap nya.

"Thank you for meeting me, hija. I hope this is not an inconvenient?" She's very soft spoken. Nahiya tuloy ako dahil medyo natural na malakas ang boses ko.

"Okay lang naman po. I was just surprised." Nahihiyang sagot ko.

"Oh, don't worry. I just want to meet you. I know you're Jiyong's girl."

Napalunok ako. "P-po?" I heard it clearly, kailangan ko lang ulitin nya para masabi ko sa sarili ko na tama talaga ang narinig ko.

She giggled. "Let's order first, hmm? Masarap ang pagkain nila dito."

"S-Sige po," Ang tanging nasabi ko.

Nang maka order na kami, she just kept on asking me trivial things about me. Mukhang iniwas nya ang mapag-usapan si Jiyong.

"P-Pasensya na po, but... binanggit po ba ako ni Jiyong sa inyo?" Hindi ko na kaya. My curiosity is killing me. I still don't know why I am here.

"He did. But he begged me to keep it a secret. Ayaw mo raw malaman ng iba ang tungkol sa inyo." She gave me a reassuring smile.

Napa awang ang labi ko. They must be close.

"Jiyong is like a son to me. I don't know kung nabanggit nya sayo but when I approached him to join us in SKV, he was in a bad shape. He was all alone, figuring things out. Surviving. When he trusted me and joined SKV, I promised that I won't let anything hurt him again. I am not saying that you will hurt him. He looks really happy because of you. Gusto lang kitang makilala personally."

She sounds genuine. Ewan, hindi ko naman naisip na hindi maganda ang kalalabasan ng meeting na ito but at the back of my mind, kailangan kong maging realistic.

Lumambot ang puso ko nang marinig ko ang tungkol sa pagiging 'alone, figuring things out and surviving' ni Jiyong when they met.

"I asked him na ayain ka mag dinner and he just kept on saying he'll tell you. Eventually, naisip ko na hindi ka nya siguro matanong about it for some reason."

"W-wala nga po syang nababanggit," Nahihiyang sagot ko. Napaisip tuloy ako kung bakit hindi iyon na open ni Jiyong. Maybe inisiip nyang di ako papayag? Hindi ko naman sya masisisi kasi upon learning about it now, hindi ko rin alam kung papayag ako.