There Was You (Completed)

20 - Dress Rehearsals

♪♪Paru-parong bukid, na lilipad-lipad. Sa gitna ng daa'y papaga-pagaspas. Isang bara ang tapis, isang dangkal ang manggas/ Ang sayang de kola, sang piyesa ang sayad..♪♪

(Paru-parong bukid, another Flipino folk song depicting the colorful baro't saya)

A/N: Another light update on a Friday, masyado na kasing nagiging seryoso si Ritsard. A tribute to one of our favorite episodes in KS.

They agreed to meet at a restaturant somewhere near Timog, Quezon City. Nang dumating si Richard, nagulat siya nang tinanong ng waiter ang pangalan niya at itinuro siya sa isa sa mga function rooms ng restaurant.

Nakaupo na si Maine nang pumasok siya. He seated himself across her on the table.

How am I supposed to behave? This is it. I just need to go back to my rehearsed speech. She smiled for starters. "Richard, thank you for agreeing to do this. Don't worry, it's just for the dinner tomorrow. I don't foresee this going on beyond that."

Dahil ang dalaga na ang nagsimula, hindi na rin siya nagpaligoy-ligoy pa. "Isa lang ang request ko."

"Name it."

"Puwede bang huwag mo munang banggitin yung terms like business proposition, at compensation? They leave bad taste in the mouth. Parang anytime bibigyan mo ko ng ID na may nakalagay na "Richard Faulkerson Jr. - 'fiance'."

She was not expecting that response. "Fine, then about the terms and conditions..."

"Hindi rin puwedeng banggitin ang terms and conditions."

"But how do I pay you for doing this?"

"Diba yung pay, synonym din yan ng compensation? So bawal ding sabihin. Diba, sabi ko, saka na 'ko maniningil."

A/N Ms. Maine, huwag makulit. Parang 'actually' lang yan, bawal.

"Hindi puwede, what if I cannot afford the price?"

"Huwag kang mag-alala, sisiguraduhin kong the price is right. Ano bang objective mo sa gagawin natin bukas?"

Now, we're back on track. "It's simple, to convince Joon-mo that I'm already engaged to be married by introducing you as my fiance. That way, he'll just leave me alone and return to Korea."

She noticed that he turned quiet and started playing with the table napkin. She dreaded what he will say next.

"Engaged to be married.... then I need to know, may date na ba yung kasal natin? Kailan ako nagpropose?"

She heaved a sigh of relief, she listed those questions too, and more. "Wait, we'll get there. I prepared a list of questions and a checklist."

He was serious when he responded. "Hindi naman 'to job interview? May dala ka ba diyang application form? Richard Faulkerson Jr. 24 years old, 5'11 ang height, weight unknown. College dropout ng Civil Engineering, 4 years ng breadwinner as draftsmen sa TechPen&Ink, tubong Zambales, Single, available, ulila sa ama, nakatira kasama ang nanay at step-sister. Anything else that you need to know?"

"Favorites. Likes and dislikes."

"Baka may slumbook ka diyan, sagutan ko na lang."

Why is he doing this? "Galit ka ba? Then, why did you say Yes kung ayaw mo naman pala?"

His smile surprised her.

"Alam mo ba Maine that this is the first time na nakita kitang medyo naiinis? Mas maganda ka pala pag nagagalit ka."

"What has that got to do with this?"

"We're supposed to be engaged, alangan namang hindi pa kita nakikitang mainis o magalit?"