Habang nakaupo kami ni Lan sa sofa, tahimik lang kaming dalawa habang pinapanood ko siyang nilalaro si Shinzui, ang pusang binigay ko sa kanya. He finally named her Shinzui, a name as calm and mysterious as him. Lan’s usually stoic face softened every time the kitten jumped on his lap or tried to bat his fingers with her tiny paws. It was peaceful, one of those rare moments where it felt like the world outside didn’t exist, and we were just... here.
Out of nowhere the doorbell rang breaking the calm atmosphere.
"Expecting someone?" tanong ko kay Lan, though I already had an idea who it could be.
He shook his head, still focused on Shinzui, but I could tell from his glance that he was just as curious as I was. Tumayo ako at lumapit sa pinto, opening it to see none other than Tita Vien in her usual confident expression plastered on her face.
"Surprise!" Tita Vien greeted, stepping inside as if she owned the place. "I have some news to share with both of you." panimula nya
Lan looked up from the sofa, his brow furrowing slightly as he placed Shinzui gently on the floor. I closed the door behind Tita Vien and followed her as she made her way to the living room.
"News?" I asked, slightly wary. Whenever Tita Vien had "news," it usually meant something big, sometimes good, sometimes... not so much.
"Yes news," she replied with a grin, sitting on the armchair across from Lan. "About the two of you, actually."
I glanced at Lan, who remained quiet but attentive clearly waiting for her to continue.
"So, you know how the media has been buzzing about you two since that event, right? Well..." She paused for dramatic effect, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "I may or may not have done a little negotiating behind the scenes."
"Negotiating?" I repeated, unsure of where this was going.
"Yes! It seems like people are absolutely loving the idea of you two together. The brand exposure has been fantastic. So, I spoke with some top executives, and how does a joint project sound? Both of you together, for a major collaboration."
Lan raised an eyebrow but didn’t say anything. I, on the other hand was caught off guard.
"A joint project? You mean, like a photoshoot or something?" I asked trying to wrap my head around it.
"Not just a photoshoot," Tita Vien corrected, her grin widening. "We’re talking about a full campaign—TV commercials, billboards, everything. You two will be the new faces of this big brand. They loved your dynamic at the event, and they want to invest on it."
I exchanged a glance with Lan, who remained unreadable as always. His eyes flicked to me briefly before returning to Tita Vien. He seemed calm, but I knew him well enough by now to sense that he was thinking about the idea.
"And they want us together for this?" I asked again, just to clarify. "As a pair?"
Tita Vien nodded enthusiastically. "Exactly. You and Lan. The public’s already buzzing about your relationship, so why not give them more to talk about?"
At that, Lan finally spoke, his voice low and measured. "And what exactly are they saying about our 'relationship'?"
Tita Vien waved her hand dismissively. "Oh, you know how it is. People like to speculate. Some are saying you're close friends, others are guessing there's more to it. But the point is, people are interested. This campaign could be huge for both of you."
I leaned back, still processing the information. I had no issue with working with Lan after all, we had gotten used to each other by now but the idea of being into the spotlight together like that, with everyone speculating about us... it felt like a lot to handle.
