Love in the Lines of Duty (Profession Series #1)

Chapter 9

Ang malamig na hangin ng gabi ay sumalubong sa akin habang lumalabas ako sa balcony ng five-star hotel. Naramdaman ko ang kagaanan ng pagkakaroon ng ilang sandaling kapayapaan, ngunit biglang naglaho ang aking kalmado nang makita ko si Jiro doon, naninigarilyo tumitinging sa kalayuan.

Bakit siya nandito? Anong oras na ah.

I hesitated for a moment but decided to approach. It felt impossible to ignore him, so I slowly walked towards the railing, keeping a respectful distance. The tension in the air was palpable.

"Sorry, sa lahat ng nangyari," sinimulan ko, ang boses ko'y malambot at nag-aalangan. "I was drunk, hindi ko talaga alam ang ginagawa ko kapag lasing."

Jiro didn't respond immediately, his gaze fixed on the cityscape. The silence stretched, making me anxious. Finally, he spoke, his tone cool. "You didn't lock it properly."

I furrowed my brow in confusion. "Huh?"

"My penthouse. You didn't lock it properly," he clarified, a hint of irritation in his voice.

A sharp pang of guilt hit me. What if someone had broken in because of my negligence? The thought was mortifying.

"Sorry talaga, nagmamadali kasi ako, akala ko kasi may nakakitang paparazzi sa atin kagabi! Baka ma post tayo ng Media. Ayoko nun. Ayokong madamay kapa sa mga ginagawa kong kabalastugan."

Jiro remained silent, his expression unreadable. The only sound was the gentle exhale of his cigarette smoke. I felt a growing unease, unsure how to bridge the gap between us. After what felt like an eternity, he spoke again.

"Germany, huh?" He smirked, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

I blushed with embarrassment, remembering the lie I had told them at the club. "I... I didn't think you'd find out. It was a stupid lie."

He flicked ash from his cigarette, his expression softening slightly. "People lie when they're scared or trying to protect themselves. I get that."

His words hit me hard, and I slowly nodded. You're right. I just wanted one night to be someone else, without the pressure of being Elise Chua. But now I realize I can't escape myself, no matter how hard I try.

The night air was still, but the tension was palpable. Jiro and I stood in silence for a few moments before he broke it with a question that had clearly been weighing on his mind.

"Are you and Nicolas together?" he asked, his voice calm but probing.

I looked around, unsure how to answer. "No, we're not," I finally said. "It's just a stupid rumor. We're just friends."

He nodded, accepting my explanation without further comment. "You should get back. You're not tired earlier?...from the shoot," he said, not looking at me.

The smell of his cigarette was minty and strong, and the fog of smoke was starting to make me uncomfortable. I covered my nose instinctively. Jiro noticed and immediately turned away, crushing the cigarette into the ashtray.

"It's okay, Jiro, you can continue it," I said quickly, not wanting to seem rude. "Babalik narin naman ako."

Without waiting for a response, I turned and headed back into the hotel, leaving the cool night air and Jiro's enigmatic presence behind.

—

The alarm rang sharply at 4 am, jolting me awake. Today was a big day – the interview with Nicolas. I was up first, groggily heading to the bathroom to shower. The hot water helped clear my mind, and I let the steam wake me up fully. This was my chance to make a strong impression, and I needed to be at my best.