Game Over, Engineer

QE

"DO YOU WANT to go with me? I'm going to FC Arcade."

Napatingin siya sa lalaki dahil sa narinig. FC Arcade. . . Jack has mentioned that a lot of times, and she sometimes see the arcade on social media. Maraming pumupunta roon.

"Maglalaro ka?" Ibinaba niya ang binabasang libro at tiningala ito. Jack shook his head and pointed something at the sofa. Tiningnan niya ang tinuturo nito at umawang ang kanyang mga labi.

It's a guitar case.

"Oh, my god. You're going to perform?" Namamanghang tiningnan niya ito, and Jack nodded with a smile.

"Yep. At the hotel's restaurant. After that, pupunta akong FC Arcade because I will be meeting my siblings. Nag-aya kasing maglaro si Alex. So," he wiggled his brows, "sasama ka?"

Napaisip siya sa sinabi nito. She will be meeting Jack's siblings. . . for the second time. The first time she met them was when Jack introduced her as his girlfriend. Okay naman ang mga ito pakisamahan. . . kahit malalamig lalo na si Alex. But that's really Alex's personality, at kahit sa mga kapatid, talagang malamig ito.

Sunod-sunod naman siyang tumango rito. "Sure. I'll just change in a bit."

NAPATINGIN SIYA SA mga pagkain na inilapag ng waiter sa kanyang harap at nagpasalamat dito. Jack said that he's only going to perform a 3-minute song, kaya hihintayin niya na lang muna ito na matapos at sabay silang kakain.

She looked at the platform where Jack was seated on a high chair. May mic na nakatutok sa bibig nito, and a wire was connected to his guitar. The spotlight was on him, and she couldn't help but admire how he looked so good in his white polo with its sleeves folded up to his elbow and the first two buttons open, showing a glimpse of his chest. Sumilay pa nang konti ang peklat nito, pero hindi iyon gano'n kahalata.

He tucked his polo in black slacks and cleared his throat to test the mic. Tumingin ito sa kanya at binigyan siya ng mapaglarong ngiti, at para siyang natunaw sa ginawa nito. Fuck.

"Good evening." Pumailanlang sa restaurant ang baratinong boses nito, and it caused the butterflies to flutter in her stomach. Shit.

"Pogi," rinig niyang bulong ng babae na nasa katabing table niya at humagikhik.

"Sa true lang! Ang hottie tingnan ni Kuya!"

Napanguso siya sa narinig at tumikhim. She can't blame women for swooning over Jack. Pogi naman talaga ito. . . at hot din.

"I'm Jaxavion Futore and tonight, I will be singing my own composition entitled ''At That Moment'. I made this last year, so, yeah." Jack chuckled sexily.

She gasped at what she heard. Halos maitakip niya na ang kanyang mga palad sa kanyang bibig. Shit. The man is really talented as hell! No'ng nagpaulan ng talent, baka gising ito at ito ang sumalo sa lahat!

Jack began to strum and looked at her. She felt her throat run dry as he moved his lips closer to the mic and began to sing,

"You were burying your nose in the pages of your book. Eyebrows were furrowed, and there was a pen between your lips."

Napangiti siya sa narinig at kinagat ang pang-ibabang labi nang makadama ng kung anong kiliti. That line. . . made her realize who the song is for.

Damn. . . the song is for her.

"I stayed with you all night long, taught you things you ought to know. A smile appeared on your lips."

And memories came back to her. . . their first meeting, and everything.

"We walked along the streets as the city breathed life. And under the moonlight," he winked at her, "we talked about your dreams."

After that wink, she saw how some people turned to look at her, pero hindi niya binabawi ang tingin kay Jack na nakatingin din sa kanya. Kagat-kagat pa nito ang pang-ibabang labi habang nagsa-strum, and she could only sigh and grab her phone to take a short clip of him.