Six Years [Leni Robredo x Rodrigo Duterte]

Year 3: Trapped, Caged and Barred

Digong woke up and heard soft sniffles beside him. He checked on Leni and realized she was actually crying.

"Leni? Bakit ka umiiyak?" He worried but she was unable to answer. "Anong nangyari? Ba't ka umiiyak?" He repeated.

She shook her head, wiped her tears and hesitated a bit about telling him the reason why. She has been up early in the morning, she suddenly felt emotional after overthinking about everything that happened between them last night.

She gathered courage before she was able to respond to his query. She sniffed hard and looked at him crying. "Sorry." She cried.

"Leni," he uttered. "Mahal mo parin ba ako?" She asked making him a bit bothered. Before he was able to respond, she followed her words. "Tama ba yung nangyari saatin? Hindi ka ba nagsisisi?" She asked emotionally. "Leni? Hindi ako nagsisi—"

"Baka dahil may nangyari na saatin, magsawa ka na. Baka ayaw mo na." She cried. "Ano nang pinagkaiba ko sa ibang babae—"

"Leni. Leni." He hushed her and held her close. She cried on his chest soundly. "Wag ka nga mag-isip ng ganyan. Ano bang sinasabi mo? Walang nagbago, hindi nagbago tingin ko sayo." He clarified trying to being comfort to her.

"Baka kase pagsawaan mo na ako dahil sa nangyari, wala na. Baka nagsisisi ka." she worried. "Sus, Leni naman. Kahit ilang beses pa mangyari yung kagabi, hindi magbabago yung tingin ko sayo. Ano ba?" He attested.

He made her look back at him and held her hands. "Mahal parin kita. Walang nagbago." He professed making her feel at ease. Her heavy weeping faded away as he held her close and rubbed her back. "Sorry..." she apologized for being too emotional.

"Nag-alala naman ako sa'yo e. Wag kang mag-isip ng ganyan." He replied. "Lagi man akong nandito, you're always special to me."

—

Leni took a quick bath as soon as she arrived at her condo unit. Surprisingly; Bolet visited her without a notice.

"Bolet," she was slightly astonished. "Pwedeng pumasok?" He asked with a straight face."Ha? Oo naman. Pasok ka." She replied and invited him in.

"Napadaan ka yata? Hindi mo naman ako nasabihan. May gusto ka ba? Noodles? Kape?" She started a conversation as she checked on the cupboards.

Bolet bleakly watched her. "Kelan ka pala umuwi ng Naga?" He asked, she paused and abruptly organized excuses at the back of her head.

"Nung 23." She replied and diverted her attention to cooking. Bolet exhaled heavily, he knew she was lying as he tried to check on her during those days; she flew to Naga using Digong's private chopper early morning of the 25th.

He snorted softly and walked towards her. "Parang ngayon ka lang yata hindi noche buena sa Naga ha?" He brought up, she felt slightly bothered.

She looked at him and saw the rising anger in his eyes, he was staring at her coldly. It made her think twice about continuing to lie or not, hence, she remained silent.

"Bakit nasa Manila ka pa nung 24? Dumaan ako sa OVP, dito, sa opisina mo sa HUDCC pero wala ka. Nasaan ka nung panahon na yon?" He interrogated.

That was the time she was with Digong. She knew it would irk him to know the truth.

"Yung totoong sagot ha, Leni." He followed.

She looked away, her chest felt a bit tight. "Nasa Malacañang ako non. Buong araw." She confessed briefly.

He scoffed, "Kasama mo yung shota-shota-an mo. Okay." He mocked.

"Hindi, marami naman kami doon. Kasama namin yung ibang cabinet members. Nagpakain lang sila doon kase nga magpapask—"