Inlove ka ba author?
~Bakit mo naman naitanong?
Nakaka-inlove kasi mga sinusulat mo. So, inlove ka ba?
~Yung totoo?
Oo yung totoo.
~Naman!

[Dapat mayroong isang GIF o video dito. I-update na ang app ngayon upang makita ito.]

"Wow, dude! I'm so grateful naman at ikaw pa ang sumundo sa amin dito sa airport!" I removed Nathan's hands away from my shoulder.

"Nababakla ka na sa amin, bro. Dahil ba sobrang gwapo namin kaysa sayo?" Si Fran naman ang umakbay bigla sa akin.

"Bullshit, you two!" Lumayo ako ng bahagya mula sa kanila. "Stop messing with me or I'm gonna kick you both out of my company!"

"Takutan ba 'to, Brix? Akala ko ba, masaya kang makita kaming kasama mo rito?" Isinukbit ni Fran ang dala niyang malaking bag sa kanyang balikat.

"Yeah, dude. Thought you were looking for us since last week. And now we're here and you're acting like you didn't miss us badly?" Nakakaloko ang ngiti ni Nathan.

Walang ngiting tinitigan ko silang pareho. "We need to talk." Nagkatinginan sila. Naramdaman siguro nilang seryoso ako at hindi nakikipaglokohan sa kanila. "The last time I asked you to come over, you both turned me down!"

"I admit, bro. Takot ako sa mga rebelde, ayoko pang mamatay. Maraming babae pa 'kong gustong matikman." Napailing ako sa sinabi ni Fran.

Nauna na akong naglakad sa kanila papuntang parking lot.

"When your secretary called me, I had this business trip to Indonesia. Alam mo namang dumarami na ang mga Indonesian at Malaysian investors natin. Next month nga, I'll be flying to Kuala Lumpur naman." Nathan explained as if I'm going to listen to their excuses.

Sumakay kami ng kotse ko. Nathan as usual, sat beside me while Fran at the passenger's seat. Binuhay ko ang makina.

"So, what happen, bro?" tanong ni Fran while settling himself at the back. "The last time I checked your bees, they were all good. We even built protective fences to guard the hives."

"How's the investigations? Do they have a lead or at least suspects? Akala ko ba, kakilala ng lolo mo si Mayor?" Nathan while lighting a cigarette. He opened the window at his side.

"Nakausap na ni lolo si Mayor." I announced while driving.

"O! Ano raw?" si Nathan.

"I don't know, Nathan. He's suspecting our own men."

"What?" nagulat si Fran sa likod na tumingin sa akin through the rear-view mirror. "You mean it's an inside job?"

Napabuntong hininga ako. Tinutok ko ang aking tingin sa kalsada.

Ako man, nagulat sa nalaman ko mula kay Mayor Laborte. Magkaklase sila ni lolo noon sa kickboxing federal. Kaya imposibleng lokohin niya kami. Besides, si Mayor din ang tumulong sa amin ni lolo the day my parents died in a fire accident.

"Sino raw sa mga tao natin?" Halatang  nag-aalala ang boses ni Fran. "Does it mean, napasok na rin tayo ng mga rebelde? Shit! This is not good!"

"May mga leads na sila and they will be interrogating them one by one. We just hope these men didn't brainwash the rest of our flocks." Pag-amin ko. Dahil kahit ako, nag-aalala sa kakahinatnan ng imbestigasyon. Paano kung ang magnanakaw pala ay  mga tao ko rin? Paano kung nagkampi-kampihan na sila, o umanib na sa mga rebelde? Siguradong tatanggalin silang lahat ni lolo sa trabaho. And Lolo Emil will hire different people to work in our farm. And I mean all of them, kasama na ang pamilya nila Mang Antonio na ama ni Ben.

"Don Emilio will difinitely evict these people. Kilala namin ang lolo mo pagdating sa ganitong bagay." Nathan said as he blew thin stream of smokes from his cigarette.

"Malaking problema ito, Brix. Baka balikan tayo ng mga tao." Fran said more anxious.

"That is the purpose why I meet you here. I must have the farm under my name. I need to gain full authority of all of my companies." Pahayag ko. I park at a nearby restaurant. We need a plan. At kailangan ko ang tulong ng dalawang 'to!

"What?" halos sabay na tanong ni Nathan at Fran.

"Dude, are you fvcking mad or something? That is crazy!" Kanina pa napapatingin ang ibang customers sa aming tatlo. I don't know whether we were just discussing a bit loud or people are just mesmerized looking at us.

"Tama si Nathan, bro. You are really going crazy." Napapailing at hindi makapaniwalang ayon ni Fran. Sumandal siya sa kanyang upuan habang seryoso akong pinagmasdan. "Maraming ibang paraan diyan, Brix. You don't have to do this. Your grandfather will understand if you tell him the truth. You're his only inheritor, for shits sake!"

Narinig ko ang pagtawa ni Nathan. Been expecting those reactions from these two.

"'Lam mo dude, gahaman ka rin. Gusto mo, mapasayo na agad ang mga mana mo." Nagsalin si Nathan ng beer sa kanyang baso. "But come to think of it, kami rin naman ang makikinabang sa plano mong iyan kapag napasayo na ang buong Tee Corporation." Nilagok niya ang laman ng kanyang baso. "So, go! I won't stop you for doing that. Fvck it! Just as long as I get my share."

Napangiti ako sa sagot niya. Sa aming tatlo, alam kong si Nathan Fanea ang pinakamautak pagdating sa pera.

"I don't know, mga pare." Si Fran naman ang sunod-sunod ang pag-iling. "Too much of power is also bad for the health. Especially when you're using others' weaknesses just to get what you want."

"Why? Aren't you glad to be an Assistant Vice President someday, Fran?" Diniinan ko ang pagkakasabi sa posisyong matagal na niyang inaasam makuha. Sa ngayon, we're all under Don Emilio Talaserna. Pero kapag naganap na ang mga balak ko, ako na ang magiging presidente ng buong korporasyon. At gagawin ko ang lahat para mangyari iyon!

Natigilan siya. I know Fran Brandt is just an animal doctor, but also one hell of a business man. Kaya nga, nagkakasundo kaming tatlo.

"Shit!" Ininom ni Fran ang laman ng baso niya. "You're going to marry a janitress that your lolo extremely liked! And not just a janitress, but is already married at may anak pa..."

"And don't forget that she's stupid," natatawang sabat ni Nathan.

"Yes!" dugtong ko. "So, so very stupid and will do whatever I want. Don't worry, because our marriage will be voided dahil nga may asawa na siya. And by the time na malaman ni lolo ang totoo, naisalin na niya sa pangalan ko lahat ng pag-aari ng mga Talaserna."

"Just perfect! Really perfect!" Wala pa ring ngiting sabi ni Fran na agad ding natigilan. "Shit bro! Is that Arman Martinez? Your lolo's right hand man?"

Sabay kaming napalingon ni Nathan sa direksyon na tinitingnan ni Fran. And positive. It's Arman asking a waitress for a vacant table. Behind him is my lolo who immediately caught my presence. But what my eyes captured was the woman beside him.

She was wearing a dark blue tube dress. Her silver belt define the thinness of her waistline. The above the knee garment revealed her smooth, shining skin. Her red shoes totally describe her beautiful ankles up to her sexy legs.

"Fvck, dude! Who's that girl with your lolo? She's so hot!"

Sa pagkakataong iyon, hindi ko alam ang isasagot ko kay Nathan.

"Apo, naririto rin pala kayo!"

Halos hindi ko narinig ang bati ni lolo nang makalapit sila sa amin dahil nakatutok ako sa babaeng kasama niya.

"Siya rin lamang narito kayo, magsama-sama na lang tayo sa iisang mesa." Maawtoridad na wika ni lolo. Tumingin siya sa akin. "Brixander!" Malakas na tawag niya. Napatitig akong bigla sa kanya. "Aba'y alalayan mo naman ang mapapangasawa mo at ipakilala sa mga kaibigan mo!"

"U-Uh, y-yeah..." Napatayo ako at nanghila ng isang bakanteng silya.

The sweet smell of the girl entangled my nose and made me shiver as she passed in front of me.

Nakita kong napatanga rin ang dalawang kasama ko. Nagmadali akong umupo muli and even if I felt breathless, I manage to put my arm over her shoulder.

"U-Uh," Shit! Why am I stammering? "Fran, Nathan, this is Mayumi. M-My fiancee." Hindi ko alam kung bakit ramdam na ramdam ko ang lambot ng balikat niyang hawak ko ngayon.

"Hello!" malambing niyang bati.

Then I almost drop my jaw nang sabay na nagsalita ang dalawang kaharap ko.

"She's the janitress?"

"Fvck!"

"Shit!"

~~~~~~~~~

You said "hello" and I turned to go
But something in your eyes left my heart beating so.
It was destiny's game
For when you finally came on
I rushed in line only to find
That you were gone.
Whenever you are, I fear that I might
Have lost you forever like a song in the night.
Beautiful girl, I'll search on for you
'Til all of your loveliness in my arms come true.

——————
Say 'yes' kung ikaw ay beautiful girl.