It's Only Her In My Mind (Hacienda Style)

Chapter 1

"Manong, there's a feria (fair) in town," Timoteo excitedly announces to his friends.

Four young men are slaving their time away under the scorching heat of the sun. Two are grinding corn, one is chopping a tall pile of wood that can last for decades, and the other one is sitting on a branch of a mango tree, pruning branches and putting in raw mangoes inside small bags.

"You know we cannot have time to even buy new clothes. How much more going to fairs?" Ysmael, one of the men grinding corn, says to Timoteo, who is perching on the branch of the mango tree.

"But Manong, the fair can be fun!" Pablo, the other man grinding corn with Ysmael, remarks. "Besides, we can meet all the lovely ladies that we want."

"Maybe I can even meet another girlfriend," Facundo, the man chopping wood, smirks.

"Asus, you are a lady killer, Manong Facundo," Pablo tells him.

Ysmael smiles. Maybe, going to town will not hurt. However, they need to work fast in order to join the fair.

"Hoy! Why are the four of you talking?" an elderly man with a bushy mustache and a regal bearing shouts at them. Right now, he is very angry.

The four young men watch as the landlord descends the flight of stairs. The old man wrings his finger at them and warns them angrily.

"If you will not finish your duties by afternoon, you will lose 10% of your salary!" Don Sucaldito threatens.

"Please have pity on us, Don Sucaldito," Pablo says, dropping to his knees. "My Nanay needs the money to buy food, and my Tatay needs medicine for the barang."

"So why did you insist on going to Doctor Sergio del Castillo del Rosario when you know you cannot afford it?" is the don's heartless remark. "You knew it was barang, you should have gone to the quack."

"We're sorry, Don Sucaldito," Ysmael says, feeling the hurt that his friend Pablo feels. "We will work hard today. Please do not deduct Pablo's wage."

"I do as I please with my money! Hmph!" says the don. "And right now, I am wasting my time scolding the four of you! I could have gone minutes ago to grab that land owned by the Villahermosisimas!"

"No, please! That land belongs to my great-great-great-great-great...." Facundo begins to wail as he releases the axe, kneels on the ground, and begs.

"Yes, your great one million times great grandfather!" Don Sucaldito says without remorse. "There is no land title, so I can just go ahead and grab it!"

"Please do not do it, Don Sucaldito," Facundo begs again.

Timoteo gets down the tree and kneels for his friend.

"That land, my family has a share to it too," Timoteo says. "Please do not take it from Facundo's family."

"I will do what I will do!" Don Sucaldito screams.

"Good morning, Papa," a man with a calm voice greets Don Sucaldito.

The five men turns around to see Senorito Hervacio coming down the stairs. The man has a face of a girl, but he is really masculine and gentlemanly.

"Papa, that is harsh of you to grab the Villahermosisima property," Hervacio calmly states. "You already own the whole Fantasia No Cubierto."

"You do not know what business is, Hervacio," Don Sucaldito screams at his son. "That is why you are dumb! I will give all my property to Juancho!"

But Hervacio smiles.

"I am not estupido, Papa," Hervacio smiles. "I will not get the highest rank in medical school if I were a tonto."