Stranger's Bed

Chapter 20

"And that is our planned proposal for Chiangmai tapestry museum. Khob khun krub."

Nagkatinginan kami at sabay na ngumiti, as if we know that the client would accept our proposal.

"Ako kaya.. Kailan mo tatanggapin ang proposal ko?" Inirapan ko siya bago tuluyang magligpit ng mga gamit sa presentation.

"Hmmm, kapag 40 na tayo?" Napatigil siya sa pagaayos ng projector at sinamaan ako ng tingin.

"You would seriously want my genes to be such a waste, huh?"

Halakhak lang ang sinagot ko sa sinabi niya bago kami sabay na lumabas ng conference room.

Agad akong nag-ayos ng gamit dahil uuwi na din kami. He said that we'll have dinner outside since the business proposal was successful.

Nang makarating kami sa restaurant ay nakita kong madaming tao doon. Sikat na kainan kasi ito dahil overlooking ang view. Dito din kami unang nag-date noon.

Nilingon ko siya at tinuro ang pila sa labas ng paborito naming kainan.
"Huwag na kaya tayo dito? Mukhang matagal tayong maghihintay. Gutom pa naman ako."

He smiled and finished parking his car. "Don't worry, I reserved us a table."

Agad kaming pinaupo ng waiter sa isang mesa sa balkonahe ng restaurant, kung saan kita ang buong view ng Bangkok.

I let him order the food for us while I enjoy the cold breeze of the city. I felt his hand enclosed mine.

I looked at him as he is intently looking at the view. "You're really good at planning, you know."

Nagkibit balikat siya at nginitian ako. "I know that we would close the deal. I am a great engineer, and you are a great architect and interior designer. What could go wrong?"

We are running a firm managed by both of us. Siya ang head engineer at ako naman ang architect.

I got a scholarship program from Kieron's family to study architecture in the US. Habang siya naman ay nagtatapos na din sa engineering noon.

I remember how I made an impression when we first met.

Everything in this country spoke of kindness, but I know it's not my thing. I was working for a small fast food chain when I came here and I needed to work to help mom with the expenses.

And there was this one guy one night while I'm on shift alone, a very demanding and grumpy guy who didn't look like Thai. His features are very foreign and dark, as if he would always be caught up in some mess. His nose perfectly arched, his dark green eyes piercing and intimidating. He had dark brown hair and I could see that he would be a prince charming handsome type of guy if he weren't this grumpy.

He was very rude even when I tried my best to serve him with all the kindness that I could, well I had adapted to the Thai culture in my stay by that time.

And so when he asked for some catsup very impolitely when he shouted at me, I gave him a hot sauce instead.

Little did I know that he was allergic from spices and spicy foods. He started breathing heavily at that time as if he really couldn't. I rushed him to the hospital, leaving the store open without any staff to watch out for it.

He left me after he paid for his hospital bill that night. No apologize or thankfulness coming from him. Well, he was still partly at fault for being rude!

"Spacing out. Where are you, A?"

I almost got startled when I realized we were talking. "You left me in the hospital."

His forehead wrinkled in response. "Are you thinking about that first meeting we had back then?"

I crossed my arms across my chest and raised an eyebrow. "Exactly. Bakit mo ako iniwan nun? Without telling me?"

Tumawa siya bago magpatuloy. "A, you tried to kill me. Why would I want to notify you that I'm leaving? Baka patayin mo lang ako uli sa hot sauce!"

"I didn't know you were allergic! And I got fired the next morning, remember?"

Hinayaan niyang ilapag ng waiter ang mga pagkain bago bumaling sa akin. "Ano bang gusto mo ha?! Na balikan natin ulit yun at ibahin yung mga ginawa at sinabi ko?!"

I was stunned when his voice raised. Sasagot na sana ako nang magsalita ulit siya. "Well, ayan ang sasabihin ng normal na lalaki pero dahil iba ako hindi iyan ang sagot ko."

Pumikit siya ng mariin na para bang nahihirapan. "Alright, I really don't want to admit this but I asked your manager to fire you so you could work for me. I liked you already back then. I left you in the hospital hallway because you were sleeping pero sinundan kita noon hanggang sa makauwi ka. It's been 5 years, A. Hindi ka ba nagtaka until now kung bakit alam ko na agad kung saan ang bahay mo noong sinundo kita para sa first date natin?"

Napaisip ako doon ng malalim. Oo nga no. Minsan talaga kahit matalino ako, slow pa din ako makapagisip. Siguro kaya nila ako napaikot noon...

Pinitik niya ang noo ko at hinimas ko naman iyon. "Ngayon mo pa talaga inisip yan. Haynako A, minsan talaga hindi ko alam kung bakit ako nahulog sayo."

Lumabi ako sa sinabi niya at tumungo. "Do you regret it?"

Tumango siya at sumimsim ng wine. "Yes. I regret not having to meet you sooner. Sana hindi ka na nasaktan ng iba. Sana ako ang una. Sana noon pa, napapasaya na kita. I only regret being a latecomer in your life, A."

He offered me a job at their company back then matapos kong masisante. I was very grateful to him kahit na galit ako. It was easy to fall for him because he reminded me of someone like him. Serious and kind of grumpy all the time.

But then we became good friends and his façade eventually fell off. Kieron, despite of his name which means dark, is the most lively and cheerful person I've met. He can crack a joke in a minute and he's the life of the party. He's an amazing guy wrapped in a prince charming's face. He is interesting and skeptical. He is full of surprises like someone I knew before, but Kie is always on the positive or happy side. He literally sweeps me off my feet everytime that I actually feel nervous and giddy whenever we go out for a date. He is light. He is the light to my life. Even back then when my world shattered in darkness.

"And I regret that you weren't there sooner to make me feel this way all at once. Na parang sasabog yung puso ko sa sobrang kaba at saya. I regret a lot of things in this life I have, A. But you and They are God's blessing to me. Without you both, I wouldn't even have thought of finding cures for my dying life."

He is perfect, except for his health. It explained why he is so grumpy before, particularly that night when he found out that he is suffering from a malignant tumor in his brain. Just in time for They to come in our lives as well, we decided to go to the US. Thank God he got cured. And They arrived in the picture. We went back to Bangkok to leave him with Mom, while Kie and I went back to New Jersey to study.

The past half decade was a rollercoaster ride for me with a light on my way, which is Kieron. He always made sure of my convenience and happiness.

His foreign smile still gives me chills. He held my hand and put a ring on it. "This won't be a proposal because I do propose to you everyday, but I want you to take this ring as a sign of the lifetime I'll offer you my heart."

Hinalikan niya ang likod ng palad ko at inilahad sakin ang isang envelope. "And if you will say yes, A; whenever it is you know that I would wait... But if you will, please accept this and come back to the Philippines with me. Let's face everything hand in hand."

"They say not being first sucks, right? But I really won't regret being the third guy who came into your life, A... As long as I'll be the last."