Mister Villain

CHAPTER FORTY

"Syempre hindi mo sinabi na gusto mo siya" Derrick finished for him.

"Hindi tama yung timing" RJ defended "At saka ayoko siyang ma-overwhelm. Pakiramdam ko kailangan ko mag-start over e. Clean slate. I have to introduce her again to who I am... who I really am outside the bitter and angry guy she knew."

"So... manliligaw ka?" Ruru asked.

"Oo!" he responded confidently.

"Ang tanong, kelan ka huling nanligaw? Naalala mo pa ba paano?" Jake entered his kitchen, juggling plates of ribs, and served it to them.

Nagdesisyon silang magkita-kita after work dahil kailangan ikwento ni RJ, in detail, ano ang nangyari nung humingi siya nang sorry kay Maine. Kahit na ano pa ang asaran nila sa viber, iba pa rin ang mag-usap usap sila nang live.

Vinolunteer ni Jake ang bahay niya dahil kaka-grocery shopping nya lang at kaya niyang ipagluto ang mga to nang specialty niya.

"Nung college pa. Kay Louise."

"Sa tingin ko di naman niya kailangan ligawan nung traditional na way e" Kris piped up and then focused on his bestfriend "Una, magkakilala na kayo enough bro. Ikalawa, nakita na din niya pati masasamang ugali mo. Wala ka na kayang itago sa kanya. Ikatlo, tinanggap ka pa rin niya kahit ganun so pwede ka na mag-skip dun sa ligawan part na nanunuyo ka talaga or whatever."

Lahat sila, maliban kay RJ, tumango.

"Yun nga ang iniisip ko kaso kase... we've just agreed to become friends. And that was hard enough as it is. Ayoko naman ma-freak out siya if I suddenly started putting the moves on her."

"May point ka naman e pero ingat ka din staying in the friend-zone too long" Josh was biting into his ribs with gusto "Kapag naisip niya na kaibigan ka lang niya, PATAY KA! Wala ka nang chance!"

A cloud of gloom covered RJ's face before he shook it away. "Hindi talaga pwedeng mangyari yun."

He had never been in the friendzone and he had no plans of starting now. He's sure na hindi niya kakayanin ang maging kaibigan lang ito.

"Tama! Tignan mo tong si Kris. Kaya hindi makapanligaw sa sekretarya niya kase Boss-zoned! Mahirap yang mga "zone" na yan e" follow-up ni Jake.

Mabilis pa sa alas-kwatro na lumanding sa batok nito ang kamay ni Kris. "Sinabing hindi ko gusto yung sekretarya ko!"

"Parang naghahanap ka talaga nang sakit nang katawan Jake e" Ruru shook his head at their host "At saka mang-aasar ka na lang, mali ka pa. Si Joyce ang gusto ni Kris."

Everyone except for Ruru, who had dropped a figurative bomb, looked wide-eyed.

Nakita ni RJ na sa kanya susunud na lalanding ang kamay ni Kris kaya umiwas siya agad agad.

"Bakit mo ako sasapakin?!?!?!?!" he asked his bestfriend.

"Sino ba magsasabi kay Ruru??? Malamang ikaw lang diba? Ikaw ang future brother-in-law e."

"SO GUSTO MO NGA SI JOYCE?!?!?!" Josh shouted the same time that RJ answered.

"Wala akong sinabi kay Ruru!"

"Si Gab ang nakapansin nung tree-planting event na tingin ka nang tingin kay Joyce. Hindi ka ganun kagaling mag-tago bro kaya huwag ka mag-artista. Sinusubukan lang kitang hulihin pero mukhang tama naman ako" the man who brought in a bomb of a revelation explained calmly, as though he had not just ruined the sacredness of Kris' secret.

"SO GUSTO MO NGA SI JOYCE?!?!?!" Josh repeated, much louder than the first time he asked it.

"OO!!!!" Lahat sila sabay sabay sumagot.