A Fresh Start (A Lost Cause Sequel)

3 - Pagtingin

🐭War's POV

We arrived at Alex's place in Forbes Park in Makati City. It's a short distance from the airport but the traffic was so bad it took us almost an hour to arrive at her place.

It's a huge place.

Even though it's in the center of the city yet the whole village is calm. It's not as hot. It's surrounded with high trees and the gates are high. This place is no joke.

"Yaya Joy? Can we some drinks?" Alex shouted as soon as we entered the house. She didn't even remove her shoes yet.

We got in and I saw their helpers bringing up our bags up their straights.

The house is modernly built. Highly automated from the looks of the blinds and the lighting. But the furniture are all wooden. Very artistic. A lot of paintings and artworks. It's like their own personal museum.

Alex was just giving us a tour of the property as we wait for lunch to be ready.

The maid came in with three glasses of watermelon shake that upon tasting, has a hint of orange liquor. Damn that's good.

We walked around for about 10 minutes and then we were called in for lunch.

"I've prepared everything you like." Alex excitedly stated.

We sat around a round dining table with a glass top in the middle. It's the first time I saw something like this.

"What's this for?" I asked her, pointing at the glass.

"It's like... a lazy susan. We put the main dishes there and we turn so that the person on any of the seat can get it." she explains as she turns the center glass of the table around.

I nod as I haven't seen this before. Fascinating.

"So. Are you married, Alex? Or in a relationship?" Yin asked out of nowhere.

"Recently single. Literally. Less than a week ago." She said with a tight smile.

"Ohh... You didn't say before... I... Yin and I can go around just fine. If you need time to... you know, tend to your wounds." I said concerned that she might feel weird as Yin and I are here to build up our relationship.

"Ohhhooo. You know I can never let you go out there on your own. It's better to navigate a country with a local." She said with a sideways whisper which made me laugh.

She's not really a local. But I guess she's been in the Philippines long enough to be considered 'local'. But she still sounds kinda Thai tho.

"Fine. Just let me or Yin know, if you need time on your own." I offered.

"No problem." She said with a smile and then she proceeded to getting a large spoonful of the different dishes. I followed her suit and got mine.

I looked over at Yin and he's looking at the dishes.

Most of these are Filipino foods. Including my favorite, which she had made me eat a few years ago when she visited Thailand.

"Here are my favorites. Fried loompia and Karekare." I said as I put two rolls in his plate and a scoop of the meat and sauce, then the vegetables including the bamboo hearts. He looks at the yellow-orange sauce.

"Is this turmeric?" he asks as he spoons the sauce, checking for it's thick consistency.

"It's the annatto for the red combined with the murky yellow color that comes from the peanut paste." Alex explained.

"Peanut paste? Like Peanut butter?" Yin said in a concerned voice. He slowly leaned back at his seat.

"Don't worry. It's not really sweet. But you will taste a bit of a nutty flavor. It's not as salty so there's this small saucer of shrimp paste with lemon." I said.