Six Years [Leni Robredo x Rodrigo Duterte]

Year 1: One Petal Down

Leni was busy making the bed while thinking about her schedules for the day, Bolet hugged her from behind slightly surprising her.

"Oh? Bakit?" She asked. "Wala naman, I just want to hug you. Kailangan ba may rason?" He smiled. "Free ka ba bukas ng gabi? Dinner?" He invited her, she paused for a moment to think about her plans for the next day.

"Sige," she pursed a smile and gazed at him. He rested his chin on her shoulder as their cheeks touched.

"Mmm, sige na." She uttered after a moment of intimate silence. "Mag-aayos pa ako, may speech si Digong mamaya. Lumakad ka narin baka ma-late ka niyan." She brought up.

—

Digong walked up to the platform to begin speaking for the audience. Leni sat with the other staff and listened to him painstakingly.

Along his speech, it amused her to realize that he isn't very angry during his speech compared to his other talks, he seemed to be calm.

"... You know, I don't need your support. It's our country that needs your support. If you are going to support me, then you have to support my whole administration and our advocacies..." The audience nodded taking his point.

Leni continued listening to him, everything went normal until he began talking about her.

"Si Leni," he uttered slightly stunning her. "You have to support her, sus maryosep. I always, always hear you guys attack on Leni. She's my vice president, you have to understand that I need you to not only support me but support my vice president. She is my vice president." He couldn't highlight the possession even more. Leni smiled softly upon hearing him and as the crowd looked at her, they felt the sincere gratefulness in her face.

"If you're not going to support her then don't support me. Don't support my cabinet or my administration. It's useless. Stop pitting us against each other, it is not healthy. It is toxic." He followed making her feel even more relieved.

He felt that he was speaking to seriously, he had to change the mood somehow. "Di naman mahirap supportahan yan si Leni. Trust me. She is..." He had a second thought about continuing to speak, he blushed, the crowd laughed. He turned to Leni and smiled at her, she smiled back.

He turned to the audience once again with a smile on his face. "You know, ako nga nagustuhan ko siya, kayo pa ba?" He stated making the crowd cheer to tease. Leni blushed, her cheeks turned pink as she chuckled with them. "Aside from she is charming and beautiful, mabuting tao yan. Very lady-like, respectable so..." He hanged for a moment as the crowd made some noise upon hearing him describe her.

"... Support her. Support us." He lowkey asked for the crowd's support.

"Panalong panalo ka talaga kay pangulo, mam." Bong leaned over to whisper to her amidst the loud cheers from the crowd, she just giggled, she didn't know how to respond to it.

"Thank you," she mouthed and smiled at Digong. He resumed his speech until it was finally over. Leni immediately walked to him and thanked him as soon as he settled after entertaining the people in charge thanking him for his attendance.

"Thank you, sir." She gratefully thanked him with a slight bow. "Nagbow ka nanaman mam." He tapped her arm. "Ay," she uttered chuckling, she recalled how he didn't want her to be doing that to him.

"Thank you, sir." She repeated. "Thank you? You don't have to thank me. Totoo naman yung mga sinabi ko kanina. Those are facts." He replied, she felt so flattered.

They continued walking towards the exit of the venue, Digong finally had the guts to ask her what he has been wanting to ask her the whole time.

"Mam, are you free tomorrow?" He asked hoping she is. "Gabi siguro mam para tapos ng trabaho mo." He followed. "Invite sana kita for a dinner to unwind you lang." He continued, Leni felt so overwhelmed and honored to be invited by him.