Bitter Sweet and Strange

Chapter 8

Beleza

Tahimik akong napa-upo sa upoan nang hilahin ito ni Sir Buendavid para sa akin. Tulad ng gusto niya, kumain nga kami nang sabay.

Surprisingly, perfectly fit ang nabili niyang dress para sa akin. Hindi na ako nagtaka nang malaman ko kung gaaano kamahal ang brand nito. Mas nagtaka ako sa kung bakit kailangan niya pang gawin ito.

"Thanks," bulong ko sa kanya na nginitian niya lang.

Ito ang unang beses kong makapasok ng Cion's Selections. Bukod sa may kamahalan ang mga pagkain dito, ay wala rin akong oras para sa ganito. I'm a workaholic type of employee. And I always want to be ultra-productive, that's why I usually eat at my dorm while multi-tasking.

Hindi ko maiwasang mapatingin nang palihim sa paligid. Sopistikado at elegante ang bawat sulok. Ang mga naririto rin ay mga kilalang mukha sa bansa. In fact, nadaanan namin kanina ang isang senador kasama ang kanyang anak.

"First time here?"

"U-hm. Yes," nahihiya kong sagot. Masyado bang halatang una ko pa lang dito? Tumigil na lang ako sa pagtingin sa paligid at napayuko.

Ilang sandali rin lang ay sumulpot ang isang unipormadong babae na halatang may posisyon dito at kasunod niya ang tatlong waiter na may dala ng aming pagkain. Maayos naman nila itong inilapag. Sir Buendavid already pre-ordered foods on our way here.

"Sir Buendavid, are you really sure that you're already fine here? We can close the restaurant for you, or we can let you have a VIP space atleast."

"Manager Martirez, I'm a businessman, so I still consider Cion's' net profit. If you close the restaurant just for me, how much sales do you think might be lost from that? And are you aware who are Cion's' costumers right now? A senator, businessmen, young entrepreneurs, a judge, celebrities, those are the faces I saw just on our way here. What do you think would they feel after experiencing such inconvenience? It'll somehow ruin the image of my mother's restaurant. You're a manager, so you must consider a lot of things for the welfare of Cion's."

Napatulala si Manager Martirez matapos magsalita ni Sir Buendavid. Maging ang kasama niyang mga waiter ay napayuko rin. Siguro hindi nila inaasahang pangangaralan sila ni Sir Buendavid.

"I-I'm sorry, sir. I was just attending a VVIP person like you."

"I'll let you know if I need further service, but since I haven't done so, there's no need for such treatment. We're fine here. If you want to impress me, better start doing your job well."

Tumahimik na lang sila at nag-bow. Nagpaalam din sila agad at mabilis na umalis sa aming kinaroroonan. Mabuti na rin lang at wala kaming kalapit na costumer, kaya walang nakarinig sa naging pag-uusap nila.

Sir Buendavid is rude, and the worst thing about it is he's not aware of it. He is just naturally blunt. He criticizes without considerations.

"Let's eat already." Napatango na lang ako sa kanya at nagsimula nang kumain.

"S-sir, I think, you became too harsh earlier."

Agad akong napakagat-labi nang naisatinig ko ang aking iniisip.

"You think so?" Napatango ako nang marahan.

"But the thing is, nobody is interested on what you're thinking, Ms. Quirino," he bluntly said, "not even me at the moment."

Okay. Sabi ko nga. Nanahimik na lang ako at kunwaring uminom ng natural-flavoured juice. What was I even thinking? Maging ako tuloy ay natameme niya.

"Ms. Quirino, what do you think about me?"

"What do you mean, sir?"

"I mean, madalas akong ipakita sa media. You know, girls and stuff. So, base on your own perspective, what kind of person you think I am? Especifically, in terms of my approach to relationships."

Bigla akong napatigil sa pagkain at napaisip dahil sa kanyang tanong. He's quite right. Madalas laman ng balita ang pagkaka-link niya sa mga sikat na babae. Hindi lang sa mga pinay, maging sa mga Hollywood actress, international models or public figures.

"I'm not really fond of media's credibility. I don't usually believe them because all they do is flash something that can ignite public's speculations. But, Sir Buendavid, your attitude is affirming to what the media are offering to the public," makakatohanan kong pahayag.

There's no doubt to that. Masyado siyang mapaglaro at bolero. Kahit nga ako ay ginagamitan niya ng kanyang mga taktika, pero alam ko namang hindi ito oobra sa akin.

"So, you do think I'm a type of man who's not fond of a serious relationship, don't you?" Napatango ako sa kanyang tanong..Sa hindi inaasahang pangyayari ay napatawa lang siya nang bahagya. Napatulala naman ako sa hindi ko malaman na dahilan.

It's already given that he is freakingly handsome. Pero mas umaaliwalas ang kanyang mukha kung tumatawa siya.

"But, what if I say... that all of those are nothing but fallacies? Would you believe me? Or the media?"

"Belief is subjective, sir."

He bites his lower lip. "You know what, Ms. Quirino? You're picking my interest."

Napa-ubo ako sa kanyang biglaang mungkahe. Mabilis akong napa-inom ulit ng juice. My cheeks heaten up suddenly. How can he say such irrelevant thing out of the blue?

"Interest is multifaceted, making it an ambiguous subject. But, I will take it as a compliment, sir."

Napabuntong-hininga si Sir Buendavid at niluwagan ang kanyang necktie. I think, it's his mannerism when he's about to drop a bomb. Kaya kahit papaano ay hinanda ko na ang aking sarili sa maari kong marinig.

"Ms. Quirino, wala tayo sa trabaho, there's no need for professionalism and formality. You can talk to me casually."

"If you say so, sir."

"Good. So be honest with me, do you have a boyfriend right now?"

Napapikit ako dahil sa gulat. Kahit pala inihanda ko na ang aking sarili ay magugulat pa rin ako nang ganito. Of all the things he could ask, he chose this.

"I don't intend to talk my private life, sir. I hope you can understand." Or it's more like, I don't want to be his victim. He's boldy hitting on me, and all I have to do is to push him off boldly too. Sir Buendavid is too much for me. And too much for everything is dangerous.

Napatango lang siya at bumalik na sa pagkain na aking ipinasalamat. Napahinga ako nang malalim at inayos ang aking sarili. Our set up is suffocating me. Just the fact that he's in front of me-- eating, is enough to make my heart pound crazily.

And I think it's already making me crazy enough to such degree that I am able to ask him a very, very stupid question.

"How about you, sir? Do you have a girlfriend?"

Napatigil siya at nabitawan ang hawak niyang kubyertos. Mukhang hindi niya inaasahan ang tanong ko. Naiintindihan ko siya dahil maging ako ay hindi makapaniwala na naitanong ko ito sa kanya.

Marahan siyang napataas ng tingin sa akin at napatawa nang bahagya habang napapailing.

"Me? I'm 100% in a relationship with VS. Business is my wife."

"Wow! That's interesting. And it actually suits you, sir, -- a responsible and hard-working CEO."

"Yeah. But, I think I'm about to have an affair this time?"

"What do you mean, sir?"

"I want you to become my new business."

"P-pardon?!"

"I want to know why you are so sad, and why does it bother me a lot. Why do I feel like you're a losing business that I must save?"