Sunshine's Condo Unit
As the lift reaches the ground floor and the door opens, Sunshine got her biggest surprise for the day.
"Sinag" Benji, who is standing just infront of her said. Sunshine stood still and it took her a while before she steps out of the lift.
"Benji, what are you doing here?" are the only words she was able to uttered
"I live here, 7th floor, unit 716?" Benji replied
Sunshine got dumbfounded. She stays in unit 715, just beside Benji's unit. Is this just a coincidence or intentional? Benji's team was the one who arranged for her accommodation while she stays in the Philippines therefore it is clearly intentional. Did they deliberately arranged her place to be just beside Benji Rosales' unit?. She shrugs her shoulder and said "Ok" then walks aways from him. She prefers not to make a big deal out of it. She does not want Benjamin Rosales to think that she is putting malice on their preferences regarding her accommodation.
"Where are you going?" Benji asked and followed her in his big steps to catch her.
"Nagutom ako kaya bibili ako ng sandwich" Sunshine coldly replied
"Sabayan na kita?" Benji said
"No need Benji, mukhang paakyat ka na sa unit mo. I can do this, malapit lang ang subway, I'm sure hindi ako maliligaw dito" Sunshine replied
"I know hindi ka maliligaw, ang sabi ko sasabayan na kita, gusto ko rin kasing bumili ng sandwich" Benji uttered
Sunshine froze for a while upon realizing what Benji have uttered. She never wanted Benji to think that she is assuming about anything because of her paranoia, her words are leading that way. "Ok" she briefly uttered as she does not want to add more embarrassment on her part.
"Gayahin na kita, ngayon ko lang naramdaman kasi na gutom na rin pala ako, because I haven't had my dinner. Pinaghintay kasi ako ng date ko kanina, but she eventually cancelled it, the last minute" Benji said while walking with Sunshine
"Is the date he was referring to was the dinner set for us in EDSA Shang?" Sunshine asked herself. They were supposed to meet at EDSA Shangrila earlier but she has it cancelled because she claims that she was not aware of the said meeting, but that was supposed to be a meeting and not a date.
Nobody speaks as both of them walks to the nearest sandwich store. They separately placed their respective order of sandwiches as if they did not know each other.
"Gusto mo dito na lang tayo kumain para pagdating sa condo makakapagpahinga ka na agad" Benji asked Sunshine while they were waiting for their sandwiches to be served.
"Nasabi ko na sa cashier na for take out ang food ko, and I still have to unpack and separate the things I need to bring in Quezon. I plan to do that now kaya sandwich lang ang kakainin ko. You can stay if you like, I can walk my way back to the GABRO's alone" Sunshine replied coldly.
"Ok" Benji briefly said and chooses to quietly wait for their sandwich to be served.
When their foods were served Sunshine walks out of the store and Benji followed her quickly. Again on his big steps, Benji were able to catch Sunshine as she walks back to the condo.
"Bakit mo ako iniwan?" he asked
"Di ba gusto mong mag dine in na lang?" Sunshine formally replied
"I did not say that" Benji immediately replied
"You replied 'OK' when I told you that you can stay if you like" Sunshine said
"Yeah, I said 'Ok' but I did not say that I like to stay and eat alone" Benji said
Sunshine just looks at Benji but did not bother to say anything anymore. Both of them wordlessly walk going to their condo.
While waiting for the lift, Benji break the silence and asked Sunshine about her trip to their hometown the next day.
"What time will you leave tomorrow?" Benji asked
"Maybe before seven tomorrow morning" Sunshine asked as both of them enters the lift. Awkwardness is evident for a while when both of them simultaneously tried to press on the 7th floor button, but Sunshine eventually lets Benji to do it.
"Anong oras dapat nandito si Mang Lando?" Benji asked
"I will presume that Marj haven't told you yet" Sunshine said
"Tell me what?" Benji asked
"I told Marj to tell you to refrain from giving me special treatment. This accommodation is already fine. You don't have to reserve an exclusive ride for me particularly if the car is for your personal use. We are here for business Benjamin Rosales, purely about business" Sunshine said
"I am just being hospitable and I wanted your stay to be as comfortable as it should be" Benji replied
"Thank you for the hospitality. But that is not longer necessary, I can manage Mr. Rosales" Sunshine replied before they both went out of the lift.
"Paano ka bukas, alangan namang mag-commute ka pa. Ok lang naman na gamitin mo yung kotse ko, oftentimes kapag coding ko lang yun ginagamit or kapag gustong hiramin ng Daddy ko." Benji said
"Jorge will pick me up tomorrow, sasamahan nya ako sa Quezon" Sunshine replied
"Jorge? Are you referring to Jorge Soriano, yung schoolmate natin nung high school?" Benji asked
"Yes, you are correct" Sunshine replied to confirm
"But why him?" Benji quickly asked
"And why not him?" Sunshine quickly asked back
"I mean, why bother him if RHC can provide you a ride" Benji asked again
"Jorge is my friend since high school, I am sure that he won't mind if I ask a little favor from him" Sunshine replied
"I am also your friend, I don't mind if you bother me sometime" Benji said
"I don't remember that you were a real friend then Benjamin Rosales" Sunshine said and throw a cold stare to Benji who prefers not to utter a word anymore. "Goodnight Benji, I'll just see you the day after tomorrow" she added before she went inside her unit.
Benji was left standing in front of Sunshine's unit. He was not able to reply back to her because he knows where those words of Sunshine came from.
As he walks towards his unit which is just beside hers, he could not believe why Sunshine chooses to be with Jorge instead of accepting his offer. That is, to have a more convenient ride for her. "We have not got into that stage of being real friends back then because just like now, you chooses to reject my offer" Benji told himself
**************************
Mukhang malalim ang mga hugot nitong si Sunshine Obispo ah. Ano bang ginawa mo dati Benjamin Rosales? 🤔🤔🤔
Thank you for the reads and votes 😚🤗😚🤗😚🤗
BINABASA MO ANG
Love Thy Neighbor (Completed)
FanfictionBenji and Sunshine grew up in the same neighborhood since birth. Both studied at the same school from elementary to high school. Both are the only child of their widower fathers, Gabriel Rosales and Teddy Obispo. They parted ways during college wh...
