1971 {Rodrigo Duterte x Leni Robredo}

08 Date

A/N: Extremely sorry for the very late update. I wanted to post this on the first week of October, but things happened. :)

January 12, 1971

That night the door to Leni's room was cracked open just enough for her to overhear Elizabeth and her mother talking.

"Pasensya na Elizabeth, anak, pero kung hindi ka masasamahan ni Leonor bukas, hindi ka namin pwedeng payagang sumama kay Rodrigo."

Leni had told her "aunt" earlier that day that she might not be able to go with the Elizabeth and Rodrigo, since she was sick, or at least she pretended to be sick. The plan was to set the two of them up, and she knew that she would inevitably get in the way if she was to go with them.

"Pero ma..."

She heard her cousin plead.

"You know the rules, hija."

Leni cursed under her breath. Right. This was the 70's she should have known that this kind of rule would be in effect especially with an affluent family like Elizabeth's.

"Ma, please..."

"Pasensya na hija pero, hindi talaga pwede."

She heard her "cousin" sigh as soon as her aunt's footsteps became inaudible. She turned on her bed as she had been lying on it for the past few hours. Judging from the outcome of the conversation, it seemed like she had no other choice. She had to go with the two or ruin her plan altogether.

After a few more moments there was a knock on her door.

"Leni?"

Just as she had expected, she saw Elizabeth's head peeking through the door.

She sat up and gestured for Elizabeth to come inside.

"Sabi ni mama may sakit ka raw. Kamusta na ang pakiramdam mo?" Her cousin asked.

"Medyo okay na ako. Hindi na masyadong masakit yung ulo ko," She lied.

"Mabuti naman," Elizabeth said.

Her cousin smiled at her and then pursed her lips with her head bent down, as if wanting to say something that she could not. Leni knew exactly what she wanted and made things easier for her cousin.

Although she did not want to play a hand in the two's relationship any further, it seemed as if fate was toying with them.

"Pakiramdam ko nga makakasama ako sa inyo bukas."

Her cousin looked up, "Talaga?"

She smiled and nodded.

"Thank you, Leni!" Elizabeth hugged her and she hugged her cousin back.

As soon as she spoke the words, she had already begun regretting it. Hopefully, blending into the background won't be too difficult.

Kailangan ko lang naman lumayo. Hindi naman siguro 'yun ganun kahirap.

January 13, 1971

To say that Elizabeth was happy was an understatement. She was ecstatic. She often tugged at Rodrigo's wrist as she zoomed in to and out of shops and depots, asking him if he thought a certain item looked good or not and just a moment before he could answer she's already picked up another item.

Leni had never seen her cousin this animated before, whenever she was with her parents, she was always the prim and proper lady that they expected her to be. It seemed to her that her cousin wasn't truly herself when her parents were around. Elizabeth could only be herself when she was with Rodrigo. Her cousin loved him dearly and she was in no position to stand between the two of them, and she had no plans to do so.