Six Years [Leni Robredo x Rodrigo Duterte]

Year 4: I Can't Do this Alone

Leni heard that Rodrigo was unable to attend a conference in Misamis Oriental due to fever and it worried her, she felt so desperate to see him to at least take care of him despite that she knew that it would be unlikely for his staffs to allow her to even come close to him; hence, she tried.

"Mam, ano kase eh." Bong expressed his doubts of allowing her to visit him. "Utos kase ni Digong na wag—"

"Sige na naman, Bong. Gusto ko lang siya makita. Kahit sandali lang?" She bargained, he scratched his head. "Mam, nagpapahinga po kase si Digong—"

"Sisilip lang ako." She begged. "Hindi ako magpapakita. Sige na, please? Nag-aalala lang naman ako. Sige na, Bong." She nagged. "Gusto ko lang siya makita, kahit yun lang." She added.

Yasay and Lorenzana were both around and heard her pleading. "Pagbigyan mo na, sisilip lang." They favored her as despite the rift, they still believe that Leni is sincere with her feelings for Digong.

"Sige po, pero wag nalang po sana magpakita." Bong requested. "Kaming bahala," Yasay assured and walked Leni to Digong's resting room.

As she laid her eyes on him, she couldn't help but feel so intoxicated with the fact of seeing him again. She missed him so bad, he was so dear to her.

She wanted to hug him as she watched him rest peacefully but she couldn't. After a couple of minutes, Yasay and Lorenzana escorted her out of the room.

"Alam mo, he might not talk to you but he still likes you." Yasay brought up making Lorenzana chuckle.

"Sana nga," she wished.

"Totoo yon. Nagdadrama lang yang si Digong. Tiwala ka samin, malakas ka parin diyan." He assured. "Roommates kami noon, kilalang kilala na namin yan." Yasay added.

Leni felt a bit eased hearing their sentiments. "Salamat," she expressed as she felt so grateful that despite Yasay and Lorenzana's closeness to Digong and awareness with the situation, they still manage to trust her. "Salamat kase hindi kayo galit saakin." She continued.

"Leni," Yasay scoffed. "We believe you. Your actions speak louder." He followed. "Basta nakikita namin na ano mo talaga yang si Digong, okay kami sa'yo." Lorenzana added causing a smile to sprout from her lips.

"Sana makapagusap kami ng kaming dalawa lang para makapag-explain ako. Sobrang dami naming hindi pgkakaunawan and ang hiling ko lang mabigyang linaw ko yon." She sighed weakly.

Despite their uncertainty of when Digong would ever talk to her, they knew that day would eventually come.

—

He was still feeling a bit ill but it didn't stop him from working; he was filled with dedication. He wanted to keep himself busy to avoid thinking about Leni but then it was ineluctable for him to have vacant time in between his working hours.

He has been too busy skimming through the pages of proposed bills, outlines and papers that he barely noticed how Leni's framed photo was still up on his desk — even before he started working.

Nandito pa pala 'to.

He uttered weakly as he stared at her image that has always been perfect in his eyes.

Seeing her smile used to be his transcendental remedy but now it's just a triggering pain to his misery.

He sighed and held the picture frame to have a closer look.

The more that he looks at her, the more that it hurts.

He aches for the fact that she'll never love him the way he did, he breaks for the thought that everything he thought was true was just a play for her.