Dei quickly covered her mouth with her hands, the same time the elevator arrived on the ground floor. Gulat na gulat ang mukha niya lalo na ng maramdaman niya ang labi ni Mr. A sa likod ng kamay niya. He still kept staring at her.
"Hala. Seryoso ka pala talaga dun sa halik?" she mumbled.
He took a step back and stared at her with amusement. "Yes. And if you are not going to call me Alden again, I will have to kiss you with your hands held above your head and a leg between yours. How's that?"
She sighed. Ay, mali. Dapat mainis siya rito!
"Harass-"
"Nope. I am your soon-to-be-husband, Dei."
Agad na lumabas ito ng elevator at nagtungo sa entrada ng MUNDO kung saan naghihintay na ang sasakyan nito kasama ang mga convoy nito.
Mabilis na sumunod si Dei. "Alden, can you stop mentioning that fact? Na ako ang unang nagpropose sayo sa kasal?"
"I will, only if you start calling me by my name and treat me casually." He opened the passenger's door for her but Dei stopped right in front of it.
"How can I treat you so casually? Andito ako," she measured her height with her right hand and then pointed at the top most part of MUNDO's building. "At andun ka naman. #Paano?"
"Stop thinking we're together because of a deal, Dei. Hindi ka na iba. You're with me already. Up there," he nudged his head to where she was pointing. "Dei, I am not just your boss since the day I accepted your proposal. You are going to be the other half of me. I don't want 'us' to look awkward with each other."
"Paano kung pansamantala lang ang epekto nitong kasalanan natin?"
"Do you see me as someone that will participate to something provisional?"
Umiling siya. Hindi lang naman ito tinawag na Mr. A dahil sa unang letra nito sa pangalan. His 'A' came from a fact that he makes excellent decision to almost everything.
"Dei-"
Alden immediately stopped from talking when her stomach made an unceremonious growl because of hunger.
Agad na pinamulahan ng mukha si Dei. "Pwede, part 2 na lang itong pag-uusap natin? Kanina pa ako nagpipigil eh."
He silently chuckled and gestured her to go inside the car.
"Promise, makakapag-isip na ako ng tama kapag may laman na ang tiyan," pampalubag-loob na sabi niya dito.
"I will treat you to a place that serves excellent food. Good thing, you always wear something decent." He eyed her outfit, smiled, then closed the passenger's door.
Ano ba iyan, may nakikisama nang butterflies sa ala-tigre niyang tiyan. Hindi siya mapakali.
*****
Agad na ngumiti si Dei nang dinala siya nito sa isang sikat na buffet restaurant. Bahala na kung inisip man nito na matakaw siya, ang importante, mapakalma niya ang tigre sa loob ng tiyan niya. Tapos, baka, mawala na din itong mga paru-paro sa kalamnan niya.
Inalalayan siya ni Alden mula sa paglabas ng kotse hanggang sa pagpasok sa restaurant. Magiliw na sinalubong sila ng manager at hinatid sa mesa na nakareserved sa kanila.
Namilog ang mga mata ni Dei ng makita ang ilang kilalang personalidad sa bansa na kumakain sa loob. They're not on their best look but everyone looked so formal. Kaya siguro naparemark si Alden ng ganun tungkol sa suot niya.
Infairness, approve kay Mr. A ang style mo, Dei! She gave herself an imaginary pat on the shoulder.
Pero mas namilog ang mga mata niya ng makita ang presentation ng mga pagkain. They looked really delicious. Hirap nga siya sabayan sa paglalakad si Alden at ang manager dahil ang sarap nang maglaway sa mga pagkain.
"Thank you..." Agad na sabi niya kay Alden ng maabutan niya ito sa paglalakad.
"Stay close to me," he whispered right on her left ear and held her hand to pull her closer and walk with him.
Agad naman na naramdaman ni Dei ang kakaibang kuryente na dumaloy sa kamay niya. She giggled because of the ticklish feeling forming in her insides. Para talagang kinikiliti ang kalamnan niya.
Alden glanced at her then smiled. He was liking this moment.
*****
Sa ikalimang pag-upo ni Dei mula sa pagkuha ng mga pagkain, ang laki ng ngisi niya kay Alden.
"Nakausap ko saglit si Marian Rivera! OMG, ang cute cute ng anak niya!" pigil na sigaw niya dito. She was beaming with joy. Kasi kanina pa siya tanaw ng tanaw sa mag-asawang Dantes sa kabilang mesa.
"What did she say?" Hindi ito interesado sa topic. But he enjoyed watching her like this.
Her eyes shone bright while she told him what happened. "Ang bait-bait lang talaga niya. Pinasalamatan niya pa ako for being a fan of hers. Tapos, ayun pinuntahan na niya ang asawa at anak."
"That's it?" Medyo may pagkadismaya nitong tanong. "She didn't ask about something else?"
"Well, tinanong niya ako kung magkasama tayo. I said yes."
"And?" He arched his brow up.
"And?" Kunot-noong ulit niya dito.
"Iyon lang ang sinabi mo?"
"Ah! Tinanong niya ako kung magkaano-ano tayo. Sabi ko, boss kita."
"Gahd. Do I have to make you wear a shirt bearing Faulkerson's Fiancee on the back of it for you to be aware all the time?"
Natawa agad si Dei ng ma-imagine iyon. "Grabe siya! Malay ko ba na okay lang pala sayo ipaalam sa iba ang pagiging mag-fiance natin..."
"How many times are you going to deny me, Dei?"
"Sorry! I am still getting used to being your fiancee. Takot ako na baka may magawa o masabi ako na hindi mo magustuhan. Sabi mo may rules ka. Bakit hindi mo pa sinasabi sakin?"
"I already did. You just can't fully accept it."
Kumunot uli ang noo ni Dei. "What do you mean?"
"I just want you to act natural around me, like how a girl should when she's with her fiance." He gently smiled at her confused expression.
"Let's be lovers, Dei."
Parang lutang ang isip na tumayo mula sa pagkakaupo si Dei. She slowly extended her hand and reached the confused face of Alden. Then she pinched his cheek.
"Ouch," he winced in pain.
"Hala. Totoo pala talaga 'to..." she whispered to herself.
