Mimi Turns Pretty - SOON TO BE PUBLISHED ✅

Chapter 21

We leave the hotel at Chase gives me his jacket again when we enter his car.

"Wala ka bang chauffer? 'Di ba kapag heredero gano'n dapat?"

He laughs, "Ah, nang-aasar ka? I can drive myself so hindi ko naman kailangan."

I smile, "Siguro you're a difficult boss."

Kumunot noo niya, "Why do you say that?"

I grin, "Kasi you drive yourself, tapos wala kang dalang bodyguard, siguro you make your own coffee sa office, you don't let anyone pay for your meals, ikaw rin mismo siguro bumibili ng lunch mo..."

He laughs then pinches my cheek, "Kulit!"

He puts his hands back on the steering wheel, "Dad was like that, he had drivers, bodyguards, the works. Pero my Mom taught me to be a normal kid, she made me help with chores sa bahay. May yaya kami pero hindi ko masasabing spoiled kami, lalo na ako. I was the least favorite of Dad pero ako naman ang favorite ni Mom. She always told me na ang pera hindi forever yan, kaya dapat matuto ako sa buhay. Huwag raw umasa na may mag-se-serve sa akin palagi. So nasanay ako na gano'n, kahit ngayon sa office, they think it's weird pero that's how I was raised."

I ask him honestly, "Why don't you have a girlfriend?"

He shrugs, "Too busy?"

Kumunot ang noo ko, "You asked me out so I think that's not the reason. I'm pretty sure before I came back here there were plenty of girls that you can date."

He keeps his eyes on the road, "I've only had a few girlfriends, one back in High School, one in College and one when I was working. Yung mga friends ko keep telling me ang pihikan ko, pero I just want someone that I feel will stay with me, you know? I don't want to date too many girls then have to break up after a few months. I just feel like I'm wasting their time and they're just wasting mine."

I don't want to burst his bubble and state the obvious – that I'm not staying. Pero I let it slide since I don't want to ruin our date – my first date.

I look at him as he drives and try to change the subject, "If pwede kang pumili, anong negosyo or trabaho mo ngayon?"

He shrugs, "A sports shop or something? Nanghihinayang ako kasi hindi na ako masyado makapaglaro ng basketball and other sports. I was always good in sports but after College I didn't have time to play na. It would be fitting if I had a business that I can relate to, but I guess things end, that part of my life siguro is over."

"Why not have a side business related to sports? Pwede naman 'di ba?"

He smiles sadly, "Running this business takes a lot of my time, hindi na nga ako masyado nakakalabas. Kaya no'ng nasa Subic tayo sinabihan ko ang staff ko not to bother me at bakasyon ko 'yon."

Kumunot ang noo ko. He's a busy guy pero he spends time with me, kahit no'ng nasa Subic pwede namang hindi, pwede namang samahan niya na lang yung friends niya pero he chose to spend it with me. Kahit ngayon, dapat yata ipinahinga na lang niya muna ang oras na kasama niya ako. Ihahatid pa niya ako sa bahay, hassle sa kanya.

He glances at me, "What are you thinking?"

Bago pa ako makasagot he says, "Let me guess, you're thinking kung limited lang ang oras ko para sa sarili ko, why am I spending it with you? Naiisip mo siguro na I should probably rest kaysa ngayon na pinag-da-drive pa kita."

Napanganga ako, "Ano ka telepathic? Should I be worried that you can read my mind?"

He grins, "The way you talk about yourself kasi, parang you always feel like you're not worth spending time with. Let me tell you now, you're wrong. I like talking to you, I like spending time with you and getting to know you better. If anything, you're doing me a favor by going out with me."