The Price Of Love

Chapter Nine

"Hi!" Yuka jumped in front of him as he stepped out of the research lab. She was wearing her usual cheeky smile, the one that makes her eyes disappear behind her rosy cheeks. There was something endearing about her smile, it was like that of a child that was about to do a trick or tell you a joke. "Kanina pa kita hinihintay. Nagtanong ako sa office nandito ka daw sa lab."

Yvo adjusted his glasses on the bridge of his nose. "Why are you looking for me?"

"Syempre, magsasabay tayong mag-lunch. Nakalimutan mo na ba? Duh!" Yuka made a face at him and then her eyes scanned from his head down to his toe. He was still in his immaculately white lab coat and she couldn't deny the fact that he looked stunning in it. He had an air of dignity around him that demanded respect and submission. "Mukha kang kagalang-galang, Dr. Zamora."

She said Dr. Zamora in a rather teasing way. He was indeed a highly respected in his field of expertise. At such young age, barely in his thirties, nakagawa na siya ng pangalan para sa sarili niya. He had started his own pharmaceutical company and two years after its operation, it had already been valued at more than a billion and a half US dollars.

"Saan tayo kakain?" She asked.

Yvo shrugged. He had no one to eat with anyway. "Wherever  you want to eat."

Dinala ni Yuka si Yvo sa isang kilalang kainan ng mga estudyante malapit sa school.

"Huwag kang mag-alala libre ko na 'to ngayon. Kakabigay lang sa akin ni Kuya Migs ng allowance." Nakngiting sabi ni Yuka nang dumating na ang inorder nilang pagkain.

"Thanks." He simply said as Yuka put down his plate in front of him.

"Sa susunod KKB na, ha." She said as she sat on the chair right across from his at nagsimula na silang kumain.

"Sabi nila ang matatalino daw, bobo sa pag-ibig. Hindi ba matalino ka? Totoo ba yun?" Tanong ni Yuka sa lalaki.

"I think it really just depends on the person." Kibit-balikat na sagot nito.

"Ano ba yan? Ang boring palagi ng mga sagot mo." She crinkled her nose, slightly annoyed. "I'm trying to start a conversation here. Mag-share ka naman, ako na lang palagi ang nagshashare. Parang ang sobrang one-sided naman nitong friendship natin."

"Fine. What do you want to know?" He asked, putting his fork down as showing that he was giving her his full attention. "Ask me anything, sasagutin ko."

"Hmm..." Sandaling nag-isip si Yuka and an impish grin broke across her face. "Sino ang mas maganda? Ako o ex mo?"

"That is subjective." He answered.

"Ano'ng subjective? Sasabihin mo lang kung sino sa amin ang maganda."

"Maaring sa mata ng iba mas maganda ka at sa iba naman mas maganda si Krista." He answered.

"Ah, Krista pala ang pangalan ni ex." Tumango-tango si Yuka. "Eh para sa'yo, sino mas maganda? Ako o si Krista?"

Yvo scanned her face. She smiled and batted her lashes to him. Yuka had a beautiful face, he wouldn't deny it. Hers and Krista were two different beauties, they were almost complete opposites of each other. Yuka had a fair, milky complexion whilst Krista was a natural morena. Yuka was very much oriental-looking and Krista had hispanic features.

"I'm not going to answer that." Yvo chuckled, shaking his head.

"Eh di ibig sabihin niyan may feelings ka pa rin para sa kanya." Yuka's small eyes got even smaller as they narrowed at him. "Kasi kung hindi, kayang-kaya mong sabihin ngayon na hindi maganda si Krista."