A Deferred Asset

Chapter 17

"Ah hello, good morning." I greeted as soon as I arrived in front of Sir Darxon's office and I met with his secretary.

"Good Morning Ma'am, do you need something?" Her secretary greeted back.

"Ah, is Sir Darxon inside?" I asked.

"Ah wala po. Pumunta po siya sa kabilang building." She answered, referring to DZ Games' building.

"Ah ganun po ba?" I nodded thrice.

"But if it's urgent po, you can visit him on his office there or I can call him right away." She suggested and I waved my hand in refusal.

"No, it's fine. Babalik nalang ako mamaya, it's not urgent though." I smiled and she nodded so I left the top floor where his office is located.

I was about to enter the elevator to go down, when someone suddenly called me from behind. I turned around to see who it was, and then I found Sir Darxon. I think he just arrived because he's in front of the other elevator.

"Sir." I bowed.

"Do you need anything?" He asked and his eyes went to the box that I was holding. "Oh I see." Tipid akong ngumiti kasabay ang pagkagat ko sa loob ng bibig ko.

"Don't tell me isasauli mo 'yan?" He let out a small laugh.

"Ah bakit niyo po ako bibigyan ng regalo?" Tanong ko habang naglalakad siya palapit sa kinaroroonan ko, sa harap pa rin ng elevator.

"Kasi birthday mo." Simple niyang tugon. "Actually late na nga iyan eh."

"Ah oo nga po. Pero, bakit po?"

"Appreciation token?" He unsurely answered as he shrugged. "Actually nalaman ko lang na birthday mo noong nakita kita sa isang restaurant last saturday, I bet you're with your friends right? Then I looked for your birthdaaly in your resume and then there, I saw that it was last Thursday and I had this feeling na parang kailangan kong magbigay ng regalo sa'yo."

Nakatingin lang ako sa kanya habang nagsasalita siya at parang may gusto akong sabihin kaso naipit ang lalamunan ko kaya nanatili akong tahimik habang hinihintay siyang magpatuloy na magsalita.

"Alam kong ilang beses ko na itong inuulit, pero ikaw lang kasi yung tao na hindi ako kilala. Alam mo 'yun? Kasi halos lahat kasi ng tao na nakakasalubong ko, ituturo ako at sasabihing "Hala si Darxon yun diba?" "Yung gumawa ng Chasing Zen yun diba?" "Diba ang yaman niya diba?" And such na siyang nakakaumay at sa tingin ko sa mga tao ay kinakaibigan lang nila ako dahil parang may kailangan sila. Pero ikaw, unang pagkikita natin, hindi mo ako kilala at kinompliment mo pa ang laro ko, which is very overwhelming and amazing at the same time."

"Alam kong gulat ka dahil sa pakikitungo ko sa iyo, pero I was just thankful on you. Sa'yo salita lang iyon, pero sa akin it's more than words and it's a big deal to me because I found someone who knows me as a simple person as I want to be." He shrugged and I nodded, still not getting his point.

I was about to talk, but the elevator door behind me suddenly opened, at pareho kaming napatingin doon. It's Uriel, holding a bunch of papers and I immediately stepped back para makadaan siya, only to found myself bumping into Sir Darxon's chest and he held me as I was about to fall. Agad naman akong napatayo ng maayos dahil sa kakaibang tingin ni Uriel sa amin at agad naman siyang yumuko para magbigay respeto kay sir Darxon. I moved aside so that they can see each other.

"Bababa na po ako sir. Thank you." Agad kong sabi at malaki ang hakbang na tinungo ang elevator.

"Sabi ni Miss Cohn dalhin ko raw po sa inyo ito." Rinig kong tugon ni Uriel kay Sir Darxon.