One day in Seoul 🇰🇷

🇰🇷: 19

As I arrived home, the nausea still hadn't subsided. The image of that poor boy was burned into my mind. It gnawed at me, and no matter how much I tried to shake it off, it lingered like a bad taste in my mouth.

I stepped inside the house, greeted by the sounds of Nathan and Daniel in the living room. They had already finished their jobs for the day, both relaxed on the couch, watching TV. The air inside was calm, contrasting the chaos swirling in my head. I rubbed the back of my neck, trying to ease the tension.

Nathan glanced up first. "Hey, you good? Mukha kang hindi okay, ah."

Daniel followed suit, his eyebrows knitting together as he looked me over. "Oo nga, bro. You don't look well."

I swallowed hard, the knot in my stomach tightening again. Dapat ko bang sabihin sa kanila? I took a deep breath. "I found out about the missing and kidnapped children. I solved it."

Both Nathan and Daniel exchanged looks, their expressions indifferent. It was just another day for them. They knew the dark underbelly of the world we were in, and it didn't faze them anymore.

"Ah, 'yun ba 'yung mga nasa news?" Daniel asked, leaning back into the couch. "Well, at least that's one less thing to worry about."

Nathan shrugged. "It's all part of the job, man. Nothing new."

But Daniel's gaze lingered on me a little longer. His nonchalance faltered, and he seemed to notice something I hadn't said. "Mukhang may ibang epekto 'yan sa'yo, ah. Affected ka ba sa mga bata?"

I didn't answer. Instead, I just stood there, my mind still racing, replaying the sight of that boy in my head. I wanted to push it out, but I couldn't. The guilt, the anger - they clung to me like a second skin.

"Francis?" Daniel's voice broke through my thoughts, but I didn't respond. I just shook my head, brushing it off as best I could.

I headed upstairs, my mind still tangled in knots, but I couldn't dwell on it for long. I had a dinner to prepare for. The dinner with Francheska. I wasn't particularly looking forward to it, but it was necessary. Business came first, no matter what.

I hopped into the shower, letting the water wash away the remnants of the day. I tried to focus on the upcoming dinner meeting, but even as I scrubbed away the grime, my thoughts kept drifting back to those children. Putang ina, bakit ba ako naaapektuhan ng ganito? I wasn't like this before. But something had shifted.

Once I was dressed and ready, I headed out to Francheska's hotel. She had requested we meet there, saying she was too tired from her flight. I didn't argue. The sooner we got this over with, the better.

When I arrived at her hotel suite, I was greeted by a scene that felt more like a romantic date than a business meeting. Candlelit dinner, flowers scattered across the table, and the unmistakable aroma of steak filled the air. Two plates were set, with red wine poured and ready. Ano 'to? I couldn't help but feel a little uncomfortable.

Francheska greeted me with a smile, her voice dripping with flirtation. "Francis, I'm so glad you made it. Alam kong busy ka, but I appreciate you taking the time."

I nodded, pulling out a chair and sitting down. "No problem. Let's get to business."

But Francheska wasn't in a rush. She leaned in, her hand grazing mine as she picked up her glass of wine. "You're always so serious. Relax. It's just dinner."

I forced a smile, but the unease was growing. She was undeniably attractive, but I couldn't care less about that. My mind was still on those children, and my thoughts kept wandering to Katarina. Francheska was pretty, sure, but she wasn't her. She wasn't the one I wanted to be thinking about.