1971 {Rodrigo Duterte x Leni Robredo}

09 From

A/N: A little flash back. Can't believe this had been sitting here for 2 years. Will finish the story within the year so I can proceed with other stuff.

As far as he could remember, since the moment he first saw her, there had always been that eager want to get closer.

He was not certain if it was because of his masculine bravado or the fact that there was something with that woman that he could not quite resist.

In his thoughts the echo of her voice rang, soothing and calming him. The gleam of her eyes whenever she smiled was like the rising of a second sun. Just with her presence alone, she could reverse the drearest of his days.

He knew that he wanted to be with her for more than what was officially necessary.

Official.

"Mr. President."

Yes, that was how she would often call him, it was a reminder that he was her boss and she, the subordinate.

He felt like an over grown school boy with a crush, because he knew with undeniable certainty, that only he could be feeling - whatever it was he was feeling - that way for her. He was certain it was only him.

Until that night happened.

"Mayor, ilang beses na pong tumatawag ang bise." Bong Go, who had immediately rushed into his abode, right after the incident, had told him.

It was during that awful night, just a few days after the second month of his office, that a disaster had taken the whole country by surprise.

At any other moment, he would gladly have taken the call immediately - but not now. There was still too much at hand. The incident required all of his attention and he did not want to be distracted.

"Mamaya na Bong."

He answered without looking at his assistant, carrying on with the briefing he was having with the local PNP's.

"On the way na po ang mga ambulansya. Yung ibang mga kasamahan namin nandun na po sa lugar ng insidente."

"Ilan man ang casualties?" He asked while inspecting the pictures they have taken while in the area.

"Pito pa po ang compirmado..."

He sighed, with a heavy heart. These casualties were innocent civilians. It was not their fault, but they had to die in such a violent manner anyway.

"I want to take a look at the area as soon as possible."

"Pero mayor hindi pa po safe-"

"Alam ko. That's why I said as soon as possible.

"Yes, Mayor."

Moments after the policemen left, another visitor had barged in uninvited. Her hair looked dishevelled and the night clothes she wore, with only a robe over it, told him that she was now visiting him right after waking up.

"Pa. Kasalanan ko to." She told her father. Although Sara Duterte-Carpio did not have cordial relations with her father, in the midst of such crisis, he was the only one she could easily run to. "Kung hinigpitan ko lang sana yung siguridad...sinabihan nila ako na may...pero hindi ako...Kasalanan ko to!" She cried.

"Hindi mo kasalanan." He placed a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry too much. Makakasama man 'yan sa pinagdadala mo."

She cried in front of him. Under ordinary circumstances, he would've just told her to stop crying, and deal with whatever was facing head on, but tonight was different. She could cry as long as she wanted, but the Sara that Digong knew and raised wasn't a person who succumbed to helplessness.