Comrades in Action Book 5: Cece Klein

Chapter Forty two

"Get up. We're going to the grocery store." Wika niya kay kamahalan habang nakaupo ito sa couch at nagbabasa ng diyaryo. Sa mesa ay ang kalahating laman ng kape nito.

Nag-angat ito ng tingin sa kanya. "Why?"

"Well, it seems like you've managed to break every last piece of our plates here, kamahalan. Wala na tayong gagamitin mamay kaya kailangan nating bumili ngayon din."

Ibinaba nito ang hawak na diyaryo sa mesa. "Can't you go alone?"

"Nope. I need you to be where I can see you so you're coming with me. Besides..." Bumaba ang tingin niya sa porma nito. Isang navy blue long sleeves shirt at isang kulay itim na chino pants. Sa isang palapulsuhan nito ang isa sa pinakamamahaling brand ng relo. All in all, he looked utterly... expensive. "We need to change your wardrobe."

"There's nothing wrong with my clothes, Miss Klein." Angal nito.

"Of course there is. You look expensive from your blonde hair down to your expensive shoes. Magiging agaw pansin ka. You have to look normal."

"You want me to look like a commoner, you mean."

"No, normal."

"Commoner." Giit nito.

"Fine, commoner. Dahil dito sa lugar na 'to, isa ka lang ordinaryong tao. We can't afford to show them who you really are, kamahalan. That would gain so much attention at yang..." Iminuestra niya ang kamay sa kabuuan nito. ".. hitsura mo ay hindi makakatulong sa plano."

Umayos ito ng upo paharap sa kanya. He crossed his arms over his chest.

"What do think I look like, Miss Klein?"

She rolled her eyes. Tinitigan niya ito mula ulo hanggang paa.

"You look ho— I mean, you look like a walking... expensive... prince."

He frowned. "Sounds like it's not the one you were trying to say first. Anyway, prince? That sounds like a damn metaphor, Miss Klein. I'm not a prince."

"But you look like one. The women here won't be thinking that way once they see you walking with that watch and those shoes."

"What's wrong with my watch and shoes?"

"Uh.. They are expensive?"

"So what?"

"Well, they beat the purpose of 'let's get you to look like a normal man', does it?"

Hindi ito nagsalita. Binalingan nito ang tasa ng kape at saka sumismsim doon. Right now he looked like a child having a fucking tantrum.

"Look, if you come with me, I'll buy you a watch to replace it temporarily." Diin niya sa huling salita. Nakita niyang biglang nagbago ang timpla nito. "Albeit a less expensive one, they'll do."

"You will buy me one?"

"Yes. That was what I said."

"Alright."

Nagulat siya sa bilis ng pagbabago ng timpla nito.

"Alright?"

"Yes, Miss Klein. Now if you will just wait for me here, I will just take this off. I will be right down in a minute." Tukoy nito sa relo bago naglakad paakyat ng hagdan.

"Oh...kay...?" Well that was fast..

Pagbaba nito ay hindi na nito suot ang mamahaling relo.

"So, let's go?"

Naglakad ito papuntang garahe. Sinundan niya ito gamit ang isang nagtatakang tingin. That was odd...

They drove into a mall. Pagkaparada ng sasakyan, akmang bababa na ito ng pigilan niya. He looked at her with a frown. She looked at him from head to toe.