Always And Forever

Ulan

Riza emerged from her bedroom bringing a gray oversized shirt.

"Senator"

Win glanced up from the documents that were scattered to the once tidy dining table.

"Mag palit ka, eto lang pinaka malaki kong t-shirt"

He stared at the shirt that's being held by her in front of him. He felt his warm blood travel through his face. As if the neurons of his brain stopped creating synapses.

George leaned back to his chair and sipped his coffee. "Restart mo Riz, nag la-lag eh"

Win finally snapped back. "H-Ha?"

She tilted the shirt a little bit higher. "Sabi ko mag palit ka"

"Ah", he quickly stood up and accepted the shirt with both of his hands, "Salamat".

The silence after his thanks was unsettling. Sherwin Gatchalian didn't know what to do. Walk to the bathroom, change there. Right, Win? Nope. He walked halfway through the living room, unbuttoned his barong and slipped it off his shoulders.

George watched the whole thing unfold in front of his coffee. Win grabbed the hem of his white shirt and pulled it over his head, revealing his wide back to the entire room.

"Dry yourself first, baka magkasakit ka"
Riza glanced briefly to the senator whose upper body exposed, then her attention returned to the documents on the table.

Win turned, now facing them to reach for the shirt he temporarily placed on the sofa. Then...Realization hit. Gago teka lang...His eyes visibly widened.

He's standing there. Shirtless. In front of Riza.

Before Riza could turn her gaze to him again. He hurriedly snatched the shirt and slid it off his head. The problem? It was as if the shirt became a puzzle. Nasan yung butas kase?

He rotated the shirt, his head struggled to be freed inside the fabric. "Ano ba-"

George glanced up from his folder again and scoffed seeing Win's shenanigan, "Senator"

"Sandali attorney", Win's voice was muffled.

Just on cue, Riza looked up. Win finally found the neck opening, and in one motion, shoved his head through it. Finally, he stood there fully clothed, again.

"Okay ka lang?", Riza asked half amused.

"Yeah", a reply faster than ever. "Kasya naman", his hands brushed awkwardly through the wrinkled parts and gave a thumbs up.

Riza got back to reading, the corner of her lips threaded to curl upward.

He cleared his throat and walked back to his seat as if the last ten seconds of battling with a shirt didn't happen.

=

It was already 2am, and none of them were asleep. George and Win ruffled through the documents to be used in the hearing. The senator somehow managed to convince the lawyer to help with whatever. So, George made him read, sort, staple and cross reference documents.

"Senator", George spoke through the rustling sound of paper between them.

"Yes?". Win replied, eyes not leaving the document he was reading.