San Vicente 1: Tenacious ✅

CHAPTER 23

THIS PLACE WAS far from what she's always known. Hindi ito marangya o malaki. Wala siyang backyard o kahit na second floor. All that she has is a one bedroom apartment in the middle of Manila. Kung tutuusin ay higit pa ito sa kailangan niya. Malaki pa din naman ang gagalawan niya pero syempre hindi siya sanay. May pera pa naman siya but she wants to keep it as her savings at syempre para sa mga panahon na wala pa ding kita ang bago niyang negosyo.

"Kaya mo ba talagang dito tumira?" May pagtataka sa mukha ni Meg.

She worked really hard to convert the third floor of the old building she's renting to look like a decent living space and in her head, it was. May isang kwarto sa unahan ng palapag na overlooking sa magulong kalsada na kinatatayuan nito. The living, dining, and kitchen are all in a massive lump in one space. Malaki ang mga bintana at maliwanag ang lugar. Hindi kalakihan ang banyo but she made sure that it was more than her usual bathroom standard. It's far from her massive three bedroom house but this strangely feels more like home than that place.

"Oo naman, I designed the layout. Okay naman siya. Napalinis ko na din naman at may ilang furniture na din. It's bigger than a usual condo kaya pwede na tapos matao pa ang lugar, business might click faster." She smiled. Ibinaba niya ang kahon na buhat. "Tapos I have good sunlight, medyo may ingay lang kasi daanan ng mga sasakyan pero I can live with that."

She's put down a year's worth of lease sa building na ito. It wasn't cheap kahit na matanda na ang building. It wasn't that huge too, just enough to house her studio and then an office above it, tapos yung third floor na magiging bago niyang bahay. The third floor has a separate access apart from the main access for the studio and office.

"Sabi naman kasi sayo na you can live with me sa bahay. I have a ton of space." Ilang beses na nga siyang pinilit nito na sumama na lang dito but she refused. Hindi naman kasi pupwede na maging overly dependent pa din siya sa mga tao sa paligid niya. She should be old enough to survive on her own.

"And I thank you for that pero I think I should stand on my own. Kaya ko naman. At tsaka palagi ka din namang wala kasi you're always doing business all over the globe." She'll always be grateful sa kaibigan niyang ito. Meg is always taking care of her.

"I think that this is the last box." Sabi naman ni Kairos. He insisted on helping her move today para din daw makita niya ng mas maayos ang lugar. "Are you really okay here?"

"Hay nako, magpinsan nga kayo." She laughed. "Oo, okay lang ako dito. Maayos naman dito. I have a mini verandah pa where I can put some plants, may bedroom naman na decent ang size. Maliit lang ang bathroom pero I live alone so that's fine too. Okay lang din ang laki ng kitchen. The living room is okay too. This is bigger than any condo within my budget."

"Safe ba dito?" Tanong uli ni Kairos.

"I believe so is, malapit lang ako sa barangay outpost. This is also in a very busy street, solo ko din ang building na ito." Tiningnan niya din ang mga aspeto na yun. Ito kasi ang unang pagkakataon na hindi siya nakatira sa isang gated subdivision. It's weird na parang your security depends on you too.

"I'll have someone install CCTVs here." Sabi naman ni Kairos habang naglilibot ng tingin. "I should have been here for the construction."

Masyado kasi itong busy lately kaya iilang beses lang ito nakadaan sa renovation na ginawa niya. He wanted to be involved but it was just impossible with all the work he's doing.

"Tama yan Kuya, wala akong nakitang CCTV dito at all." Sang-ayon naman ni Meg. Hindi na lang niya kinontra ang dalawa kasi talo naman siya. If they'll feel more at ease with that ay ayos na. "I'll also ask Kuya Alpha to have people randomly drop by to check security."