Maaga pa lang ay nakahanda na kami ni Lan para sa meeting with the brand executives. Tahimik lang siya habang nag-aayos ng suot, naka-all black at mukhang handa na sa kahit ano. Ako naman, abala sa pagbabasa ng mga email mula kay Tita Vien. Habang hinihintay namin ang driver, napansin ko si Lan na nakatingin sa bintana, tila iniisip kung ano ang mangyayari mamaya.
Pagdating namin sa opisina ng brand, sinalubong kami ng mainit na ngiti mula sa mga executives. Agad kaming dinala sa isang conference room na may malaking screen kung saan ipinapakita ang mga photos namin mula sa huling shoot.
"We’re excited about this project," sabi ng head of marketing. "The response has been overwhelming, and we’re sure that both of you are the perfect ambassadors for our new line of scents and clothing."
Napatingin ako kay Lan, na seryosong nakikinig sa mga plano ng brand. Tahimik siya, pero alam kong nakikinig siya nang mabuti. Ako naman, nagbigay ng ilang suggestions kung paano namin gustong i-handle ang publicity, lalo na’t first time ni Lan na maging parte ng ganitong malaking campaign.
"We understand that this is Lan’s first project in front of the camera," sabi ng isang executive. "That’s why we want to take it slow and make sure everything is comfortable for both of you. But we also believe that this project could be huge, and we love to involve both of you in more than just the photo shoots."
"Like what?" tanong ko, curious.
"We’re thinking of releasing behind-the-scenes content, interviews, and maybe even a mini-documentary showing your journey together as brand ambassadors."
Napatingin ako kay Lan, alam kong hindi ito madali para sa kanya. Pero nagulat ako nang tumango siya. "As long as it doesn’t interfere with my private life," sabi niya nang tahimik.
Ngumiti ang mga executives at tila nasiyahan sa tugon niya. "Of course, we’ll respect your boundaries. The goal is to showcase both of you in a way that highlights your personalities without crossing any lines."
Pagkatapos ng meeting, naglakad kami palabas ng building, pareho naming iniisip ang bagong project na haharapin namin.
"Are you sure you're okay with this?" tanong ko habang papunta kami sa sasakyan.
Tumingin siya sa akin, may konting ngiti sa kanyang labi. "It’s something new, but it’s not bad to try. As long as I can keep things separate—what’s in front of the camera and what’s in my life—kaya ko."
Napatango ako. "Well, I’ll be here if you need anything. This project is a big deal but we can take it one step at a time."
Pagdating namin sa condo, sinalubong kami ni Shinzui, na tila masaya sa pagbalik namin. Agad na kinuha ni Lan ang pusa at umupo sa sofa. Nakangiti siya habang hinahaplos ang malambot na balahibo ni Shinzui, tila nawawala ang mga iniisip niya kanina.
I sat beside him on the sofa thinking if we just chat or relax for a bit. But unexpectedly, Lan shifted laying down and resting his head on my lap. I froze, surprised at how natural and comfortable he seemed and as if it was the most normal thing he did and he gently placed Shinzui on his stomach.
"Can I sleep a little, please?" he murmured, his voice soft and almost vulnerable, with his eyes already closed. His calm breathing filled the room and I was left stunned, staring at his face. His features were sharp but peaceful in his sleep. His long lashes gently rested on his cheeks, and there was a softness to his expression that I rarely saw when he was awake.
I didn’t know what to do at first, but I eventually relaxed letting my hand near his head. He looked so serene like the weight of the world had lifted off his shoulders. As I continued to gaze at him, I couldn't help but feel a strange warmth in my chest—something I hadn’t felt before.
Minutes passed, but I stayed still, not wanting to disturb him or the moment. It was one of those rare, unexpected times where everything felt calm and right. Shinzui purred contentedly on Lan’s stomach
"Sleep well, Lan," I whispered while gently tapping his head unsure if he even heard me. His breathing remained steady, and I stayed there letting him rest.
hindi ko namalayan na nakatulog din ako habang nakaunan si Lan sa lap ko kanina. The next thing I knew ako na ang nakaunan sa lap ni Lan and I suddenly opened my eyes, and the first thing I saw was the fabric of Lan shirt. Nakahiga ako patagilid sa lap niya, at ramdam ko ang init ng katawan niya. I could smell his scent—fresh, calming, and comforting a scent, a type of scent that you wanted to smell everyday.
I slowly raised my head to look at him and hawak niya ang phone niya scrolling through something, pero naramdaman siguro niya na gumalaw ako dahil sumulyap siya sa akin. Napaka-casual ng tingin niya, parang walang kakaiba sa sitwasyon namin, pero ako, pakiramdam ko ay napako ako sa pwesto.
"Heyy" sabi niya, his voice low and calm as if we hadn’t just shared that moment of quiet intimacy. Hindi ko alam kung paano magre-react kaya napilitang ngumiti ako.
"Uh, mmmm" sagot ko, pilit na hindi ipinapakitang nahihiya ako. I felt my cheeks heat up a bit pero pinilit kong itago yun. His eyes went back to his phone, acting as if everything was normal. But for me, the way he looked so calm and comfortable with me lying there made my heart race a little.
Napatingin ako sa paligid, nakalimutan ko na nga yung pusa namin na si Shinzui, who was now curled up on the other side of the sofa, peacefully asleep. I cleared my throat, trying to break the awkwardness I felt, but he didn’t seem to mind at all.
"how was your sleep?" tanong niya, still looking at his phone
"mmm, I sleep well. Thank you" I quickly replied, trying to shake off the feeling. Pero deep inside, I couldn’t stop thinking about how natural it felt to wake up next to him like that.
Lan continued to scroll through his phone, still seated calmly as if nothing unusual had happened. Meanwhile, I couldn't shake off the strange mix of emotions swirling inside me. Nagkukunwari akong okay lang, pero sa totoo lang parang may kung anong nagbago. Pakiramdam ko, masyadong tahimik ang buong condo, at naririnig ko pa ang mismong pintig ng puso ko.
I shifted a bit, straightening myself up on the sofa, trying to regain some normalcy. Lan barely reacted, still focused on whatever he was reading. Minsan, napapaisip ako kung sadyang wala lang ba talagang epekto sa kanya ang ganitong mga sitwasyon o talagang sanay na siya sa pagiging detached.
"Anong tinitingnan mo?" I asked, breaking the silence. Kailangan kong makahanap ng distraction.
"Tinitingnan ko lang kung ano yung mga lumabas sa balita," sagot niya ng kalmado. "Yung photoshoot natin, we are still trending"
My heart skipped a beat. I quickly leaned in a little to see his phone. He handed it to me, and there it was—a headline about the brand’s upcoming projects featuring both of us. The photos from our shoot were everywhere, and people were already buzzing about it.
"expectedly" I muttered, scrolling through some of the comments. Most were positive, pero hindi ko maiwasan na makita yung ibang negative comments about me and Lan.
shinzui jumped up on the sofa and nestled into Lan’s side. Lan absentmindedly started petting the cat, his expression softening a little.
"Alam mo, I'm thinking na bumili tayo ng mas maraming pagkain para kay Shinzui," I said, trying to shift the mood. "Mukhang napapadalas na ang paglaki niya."
Lan chuckled, and for a brief moment, I saw a genuine smile form on his lips. "Sige," he replied, still stroking the cat's fur. " but we also need to buy our groceries" dagdag na saad nya.
"Deal," I answered, feeling a bit more at ease. But deep down, I knew this moment between us was just a glimpse of something deeper—a connection that I'm not ready to admit yet.
