To Win a Loser's Heart

Step 10: Confess

"Please, talk to me."

Bongbong begged at the door of Leni's condo. She cancelled her move out since the former already told her that she would be given the post that she wanted. Since her birthday, he could not stop thinking about what happened between them inside the restroom.

Inside the fucking restroom.

"What do you want this time?" She asked — her tone was almost giving up.

He got the chance to walk inside her condo and close the door. "I want to talk about what happened to us no'ng birthday mo."

"Huh?" She was suddenly acting confused, and it was driving him crazy. "Nangyare? Ano bang nangyari satin?"

He grasped his hair insanely. "We kissed, Robredo. WE KISSED."

"Why?" Her brows crossed. "Don't adults like us do that casually?"

Then there was that pain again in his chest. He paused. "Do you?" He asked as if his energy a while ago just faded instantly.

She sighed. "Bakit? Nalaman ba ni Louise?"

This time, it was his brows that crossed. "Anong kinalaman n'ya dito?"

"It was you who told me that you were with her that time." She explained and started walking inside. "Do you want anything?" She asked, preparing for a drink.

He just stared at her with sad eyes. "No. Thank you." He sighed. "Uwi na ko."

He was aware that she did not like him, but it felt more painful when he was actually experiencing it.

Before he could open the door Leni spoke. "I know what we did." She blurted out. "What do you want to do about it?"

"Nothing." He answered and turned the doorknob.

"Walk out and we will never talk about it again." She threatened.

He locked the door once more and walked towards her direction — at the island of her kitchen. "You felt it." He spoke. "You tell me. What do I want to do about it?"

"You're with Louise, Marcos." She finally said. "That's fucking cheating." She went back to stirring her coffee. "Look. I'm sorry I was carried away. Let's forget about it."

"No."

He finally got her full attention when she looked back at him with confused eyes.

"We're not together." He admitted.

"Oh. Okay." She replied and went back to drinking her coffee.

He walked around the island and grabbed her hand after she had placed down the mug. "'Yon na 'yon?"

She rolled her eyes. "Ang alin? I don't understand. What do you want me to do?"

He turned away — holding his forehead. "You are so confusing. You just told me a moment ago that if I walk away hindi na tayo mag-uusap about it. So, here I am. Talk to me about it."

She smiled and shook her head. "I just followed my intrusive thoughts that time. Don't think too much about it."

"No feelings at all?" He asked.

"No feelings." She replied with a smile.

"So, I can do this, and you won't feel anything?" He started caressing her cheek while looking at her eyes. "Or this?" His hands went to her waist and pulled her closer. "And this?" His hand began caressing her thigh.

"Yes." She replied in monotone. "Shall I ask you the same?" She said then caressed his cheek while staring at him. He was glued in his place. "How about this?" Her hands went to his back — rubbing him up and down. He gasped.

She stepped away. "Did you feel the difference?"

He nodded and sighed. "Yes." His eyes wandered sadly before settling back to hers. "Pwede ba kitang ligawan, then?"

Her brows crossed once more. "I thought you understood." 

"I understood. If you don't like me now, can I try to make you like me back?" He said with all the courage remaining even though his heart was already begging to be freed from his chest. 

"Like you back?"

He pouted. "Wow. You were asking me kanina if I could feel the difference and here you are acting like you did not know the difference." He was so done with her. 

Lord, bakit naman ito?

Leni rolled her eyes. 

He got the message and raised his hands in the air. "Okay. Fine." He finally said. "I like you, Maria Leonor Gerona..." He paused. "...Marcos."

She tried to hide her smile, but he captured it. He was thankful that he realized that she just wanted to hear it directly from him. "Do your worst, Mr. President." 

"Okay. Let's go." He immediately said grabbed her hand.

Her eyes widened. "Wait. My coffee..." She left her mug as he was dragging him out of her condo. 

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He kept glancing at Leni on the passenger's seat. She was pouting and her hair was a mess. She literally just woke up and he dragged her out to have breakfast. The poor thing just wanted a sip of her coffee.

"Hindi ako nag-aalmusal." It was the third time that she said that. She sighed. "We just kissed and now you're acting like a completely different person." Her pout became sharper. 

He chuckled. "Can you stop doing that? Baka hindi ko mapigilan ang sarili ko. We're inside the car." 

Leni rolled her eyes. "Can you calm down? You just confessed." 

He scratched his head - embarrassed. "Sorry?"

She smiled instead. "I don't even know you." Her eyes went back to the window.

"What do you want to know?" He asked softly.

She looked back at his eyes. "Nothing. Hindi ka naman mukhang interesting." She answered without filter. 

"Ouch." He touched his chest. "Sinong nanakit sa'yo?"

"What you're doing is stupid." She declared. "You're wasting your time as the president. Nakakaisip ka pa ng lovelife at this moment. There are so many things to think about - the situation on West Philippine Sea, the POGOs."

"Naiintindihan ko yung concern mo. I know how much you love the country. I love the Philippines" He reached for her hand. "Pero, I loved you first."

She stared at him for a moment. "You...What? How?"

"During the debate?" He laughed as he remembered the moment. His eyes were still on the road. "I whispered you na ang ganda mo." 

"Wait." Flashbacks played in her mind. "You weren't kidding that time? Hindi mo ko niloloko?"

"Of course not. Tapos hindi mo na ko pinansin. You kept throwing shade at me. You even pointed at me during the corruption part." He complained. 

She laughed. "Totoo naman kasi." Her expression changed. "And you need to stop that."

His brows furrowed. "I know nothing about it."

She did not speak after that. He knew that she was not convinced. "What do I need to do to prove myself to you?"

"Show me what you got."

He suddenly stepped on brake and looked at her with wide eyes. "Kakasabi mo lang na I just confessed."

Leni avoided his gaze. "God. I mean - your SALN." Her cheeks were already red. "What are you thinking?" She said defensively.

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A/N: Wow. Leni in this chapter is literally my GF right now. Hhhaahha