Why We Fear The Storm

Chapter 4

Efficiency vs Emotion

Nale sat at the long, polished table in the resort's boardroom, his arms crossed as he watched the seats slowly fill with different department heads.

Ang rebranding ng resort ang pangunahing agenda ngayon. Mr. Manansala had summoned them for a quick meeting, and since he was at the resort, he was there face-to-face.

Halos puno na ang mga upuan nang mapatingin ang lahat kay Charity, na nakatayo sa harap at naghahanda upang simulan ang kanyang presentasyon. Ang banayad na tunog ng kanyang mga takong sa sahig ay panandaliang nagpatahimik sa silid.

"Who's the new chick?" bulong ni Leonard na nasa tabi niya.

Tumingin siya dito nang nagtataka. "You really went here for vacation, huh?"

Leonard chuckled, napakamot na lamang sa kaniyang batok. "Just fill me in, Nale."

"She's the brand storyteller and writer Mr. Manansala hired." Walang emosyon niyang sinabi.

Nale focused his gaze on her. Sa unang tingin, wala namang kapansin-pansin sa kanya—pero nang magsalita siya, agad na humila ang kanyang boses sa atensyon ng buong silid.

"What we're talking about here isn't just rebranding the resort—people don't just come here for luxury. They come for a connection, either to nature or to the people they are with. To make memories. To feel something that will stay with them long after they've left."

Huminto siya sandali, iniisa-isa ng tingin ang mga mukha sa paligid ng mesa, pero napansin ni Nale na sa gilid ng kanyang mata, nakatuon pa rin ito sa kanya.

Walang bakas ng emosyon sa mukha ni Nale habang nakatingin siya sa harap. He had sat through dozens of presentations like this, yet there was something different about Charity's presence in the room.

It was as if Charity had something to prove. Malinaw ito sa paraan ng kanyang pagtindig at sa pagtitig niya kay Nale, na para bang hinahamon siya. Naalala niya ang mabilis na pagbabago ng ekspresyon ng mukha nito kagabi nang magkita sila sa lobby. He didn't mean to offend her. The words had simply slipped out of his mouth.

She clicked to the next slide, showing a photo of a family laughing together on the beach. "This is what we need to focus on. Real stories. Real emotions. We need to show people that coming here is more than just a vacation. It's about feeling like you belong, like you're part of something special."

Ang lahat ng nasa silid ay nakikinig, tumatango bilang pagsang-ayon habang nagsasalita si Charity—maliban sa kaniya.

Charity was persuasive, but Nale remained unmoved. Ramdam niyang nagustuhan ng lahat ang presentasyon dahil unti-unti na nitong nakukuha ang atensyon ng bawat isa.

Nale cleared his throat. Feelings wouldn't run a resort.

"Ms. Villanueva, I see your point, but a rebrand only works with a single, focused message. If we clutter it with too many abstracts it loses clarity. The priority here is efficiency."

Mabilis na nagbago ang ihip ng hangin sa loob nang magsalita siya. Charity's smile faltered for just a second, but she recovered quickly.

Bahagyang sumandal si Nale habang hindi inaalis ang tingin sa kanya.

"What people remember about their stay isn't just how they feel, but how efficiently things run," Nale said, his voice steady. "If operations aren't seamless or if it's inconsistent... no amount of emotional connection will matter. The brand needs something solid. Something that is stable in the long run."

Sinagot ni Charity ang matatalim na tingin na pinupukol ni Nale sa kaniya. Napansin ni Nale ang determinasyon sa likod noon. She wasn't backing down.

"People come here for the experience, not to watch the clock," she replied, her tone calm yet firm. "Yes, efficiency matters, but it's not what makes them return. It's the memories we help them create. The emotional connections linger long after they've forgotten how quick check-in was."