"Hi." she said shyly.
Lumabas agad ako ng office and she immediately handed the bouquet over to me.
"For you."
"Thank you. Ay, oo nga pala, Mikha Lim, si Ate Tin. Ate Tin, si Mikha." sabi ko.
"Hello po." sabi naman ni Ate Tin. Natatawa ako kasi halatang-halata na kinikilig siya at hindi niya alam kung paano niya itatago. Mikha just smiled at her and even extended her hand for a handshake.
"Papicture daw siya sa'yo." sabi ko kay Mikha.
"Sure." sabi naman ni Mikha. Mabilis namang inabot sa 'kin ni Ate Tin yung phone niya.
I couldn't help but smile. Ganito pala feeling ng mga stage mothers. Natatawa ako kasi namumula na si Ate Tin. Grabe talaga yung epekto ng isang Mikha Lim.
"Thank you po. Thank you ma'am Aiah!" sabi naman ni Ate Tin. I chuckled.
"Ate, okay lang bang iwan mo muna kami ni Mikha?"
"Ay opo. Thank you po ulit." sabi niya sa 'kin pati kay Mikha. Natawa ako kasi pareho silang nag-bow. I signalled for Mikha to come inside my office.
Pinagbuksan niya lang ako ng pinto tapos sumunod din siya sa loob.
"I didn't know your office is this nice." sabi niya as she looked around the office.
"Mikha Lim, thank you for the flowers, pero bakit ka andito?" tanong ko sa kanya.
"You told me I can pick you up from work as long as I can dodge the press. Besides, harmless naman if I come here since marami naman talagang artists na pumupunta dito sa office mo." sabi niya.
"Oo, pero not with a bouquet." sabi ko sa kanya. She chuckled. "You don't have to do that."
"I don't have to, but I want to." sabi niya. "Anyway, I wanted to pick you up, cause one, I missed you, and two, are you okay to have dinner tonight —"
"I missed you—"
"—with my family."
Bigla akong natigilan. Mikha also stopped talking and she's just smiling.
"You can decline if you're not ready." sabi ni Mikha. "I don't want to force you into something that you're not comfy with."
I am not sure if it is okay. Pero unfair din naman na Mikha had the courage to tell my whole family na liligawan niya ako tapos ako, I can't even attend one dinner with hers. Pero the last time I met her mom was the time our photo was displayed during their EP launch. Bakit naman kasi yung unang encounter ko sa family niya, yung nakakahiya pa?
"Bubby." sabi ni Mikha and I looked at her. Mikha reached out to hold my hand.
"Mikha Lim, baka may pumasok dito." sabi ko sa kanya pero I held her hand anyway. She chuckled.
"Lowkey, hindi secret." sabi niya. I laughed. Oo nga naman.
"Sorry, minsan mahirap mag-blur ng lines." sabi ko sa kanya. She laughed.
"If you're not ready for dinner with my family, it's fine. We can just get dinner together."
"No, it's okay Bubby. Chance ko na rin siguro 'to para ma-redeem ko naman sarili ko sa mom mo." sabi ko sa kanya. She chuckled.
"Wala ka namang kailangan i-redeem. I told you she likes you. Shall we go?"
I just nodded. Tinulungan lang din ako ni Mikha na iligpit yung gamit ko tapos bumaba na kami sa parking. Pero bago pa kami makarating sa elevator, nakita ko na maraming nakatingin dun sa mga employees namin. I think I forgot the part na sinabi ni Ate Tin na marami ang may crush kay Mikha.
