I'm so glad that Ville was already discharged. I can finally accept the interview of the popular show to clear things out. I also want to clean my sister's name. Those motherfucking fake people just dragged my sister's name and made up stories.

They're such a bunch of  nincompoops.

Kinuha ko ang laptop ko tsaka tiningnan ang mga emails ko roon. Nakita ko roon ang email sa akin ng sikat na show sa Pilipinas, ang "The Talk Show". They emailed me and asked if I could consider their invitation. I emailed them.

irah.n.

I would be glad to consider your invitation.

They replied immediately. They emailed me the time and day. They also asked me if I could bring Ville but I hesitated and told them that I would consider bringing him to the interview if the Doctor says so, which they agreed.

Napabuntong hininga na lamang ako. I never felt so tired with my job, just now and right here in the Philippines.

Kapwa Pilipino ang nagpapabagsak sa kapwa rin nila Pilipino. Kaya hindi umaangat ang bansang ito.

Muli akong napabuntong hininga. I felt so drained. Gusto ko lang matulog, kumain tapos matulog ulit tapos kakain ulit. Gusto kong ipahinga ang utak ko na tila bugbog na sa issue na kinakaharap ko.

Napagdesisyunan kong pumunta sa kusina para makahanap ng makakain. Gutom ako kaya wala ako sa mood.

Galitin na lahat, wag lang ang taong gutom.

Biglang nag-ring ang cellphone ko. Agad ko itong sinagot nang hindi tinitingnan ang caller ID. Malalaman ko rin naman kung sino kapag sinagot na eh.

"Hello?" Bungad ko.

"Pupunta ako diyan," sagot ng magaling na Attorney. I rolled my eyes.

Mambwebwesit na naman yata siya.

"Ano na namang gagawin mo rito, ha? Pwede naman hindi ka na pumunta. Maayos ang buhay ko rito tapos pupunta ka na naman dito para manggulo? Hayop ka talaga," wika ko sa sobrang asar. I heard him chuckled.

"Wala kang magagawa. What I want, I always get. So, get ready there, baby. I'm coming." He said hoarsely.

Napakurap ako.

I'm coming? Ba't parang iba ang napapasok sa isip ko.

"Huwag na nga lang. Bwesit ka. Mang-aasar ka na naman! Mambi-bwesit ka na naman! Hindi ba pwedeng diyan ka na lang? Huwag ka na lang pumunta!" Sigaw ko sa speaker ng cellphone.

"Kailangang sumigaw? Ang sakit sa tenga ng boses mo!" sagot niya.

"Tsk. Oh, sige na. Babye! Kakain pa ako!" Inis kong sabi.

"Okay. Ramihan mo, para ako naman ang kakain," saad niya. Kumunot ang noo ko.

"Oh, ede kumain ka. Gago!" Singhal ko.

"Kailangan mo munang mabusog, baby. Para marami kang lakas. Tapos syempre pagkatapos ikaw naman kakainin ko." Napakagat-labi ako sa inis.

Ang hirap talaga kapag nasa cellphone ang kausap, hindi mo masapak.

Dahil sa inis ay pinatay ko na lamang ang cellphone tsaka kumain na lamang. Kailangan kong kumain ng marami dahil malamang ay guguluhin na naman ako ng taong 'yun.

After two days, my interview day finally come. Since the Doctor didn't agreed about Ville present on the interview, maiiwan na lamang siya sa condo ko. Gusto pa nga niyang ihatid ako pero hindi ako pumayag dahil baka mapa'no na naman siya.

"Are you sure you're doing this?" Ville asked for the nth time. I rolled my eyes and checked my lipstick.

"Ilang beses mo nang tinanong 'yan. Like what I told you I'll be fine. I have to do this, not just for me but for my sister also," sagot ko. I heard him sigh hard.

"Ikaw ang bahala. Basta sinabihan na kita. Gusto ko ngang sumama, eh, ayaw mo naman. Doon lang naman ako mananatili sa parking garage kung iyan ang inaalala mo. Promise, sa sasakyan lang ako." Paliwanag niya at binigyan pa ako ng tinging inosente.

Namaywang ako sa harap niya saka siya blankong tiningnan.

"Huwag ka na ngang makulit. Ang rami mong dada. Para naman sayo itong ginagawa ko. Kung hindi ko ito gagawin hindi malilinis ang pangalan mo tsaka ng kapatid ko. Utang na loob mo ito sa akin kaya manahimik ka na lang," sagot ko saka umirap.

"Fine, fine. May magagawa pa ba ako? Wala naman, diba?" Umirap siya.

Aba, binigyan ko ba siya ng karapatang umirap?

Kinuha ko na lamang ang handbag ko saka naglakad na papunta sa pintuan nang pigilan niya ako. Hinablot niya ang braso ko saka mabilis na isinandal ako sa pintuan. Nanlalaki ang mga matang napatitig ako sa kanya.

"W-What, now?!" Nauutal kong tanong.

He smirked. He caressed my cheeks and licked his lower lip. Napatingin ako roon nang hindi sinasadya. It looks so..tender and.. delicious.

"You want a kiss, baby?" He asked hoarsely, never forget the smirk pasted on his lips.

Ramdam ko ang pamumula ng aking pisngi.

"Shut up!" Bulyaw ko sa kanya tsaka pilit makalaya sa mga hawak niya. "Let go, Ville!"

He chuckled huskily. His huge hands went down to my hips, pulling me near him. His face went near mine making my knees woble. I felt my cheeks reddened even more. He rubbed his pointed nose on my cheek.

"What, baby?" He asked hoarsely. Muli ko siyang pilit itulak.

"V-Ville. Layo." Mariin kong sabi.

"Aren't you gonna say your goodbye, baby?" He asked still with a smirk.

"S-Shut up!" Singhal ko sabay tulak sa mukha niyang pilit sumisinghot sa pisngi ko.

"Say it first and I'll let you go," saad niya na puno ng kapilyuhan.

"A-Ano ba kasing s-sasabihin ko?!" mariin kong bulong, pilit pa ring itinutulak ang pisngi niya.

I felt his hands gripped my waist and pulled closer to him.

"Say 'Goodbye, baby'. Now say it." Utos niya sa akin.

"G-Goodbye," sabi ko.

He chuckled and rubbed his face closer to my cheek. Ramdam ko ang pamumula lalo ng aking mga pisngi.

"May kulang." Bulong niya.

"A-Anong kulang? Gago ka?! Walang kulang!" Bulyaw ko ulit sa kanya. His grip on my waist tightened.

"Meron."

"Wala na! Shut up!"

"Come on, baby. Say it now."

"Ville, there's nothing I can say!"

"Come on, baby. Walang mawawala!"

"J-Just...fine!" Walang magawang pag-sang-ayon ko.

Bahagya niyang inilayo ang mukha sa akin tsaka tumingin sa akin nang may ngiti.

"Say it."

"G-Goodbye, b-baby."

His smile grew wider. Ang akala kong hihiwalay na siya sa akin ay humantong sa isang maikling halik sa pisngi. Hindi ako nakagalaw upang manlaban o pigilan siya. Tagumpay niyang nakuha ang halik sa pisngi ko saka tumalikod agad sa akin at naupo sa sofa. Tulalang napatitig na lamang ako sa kanya habang nag-iinit ang pisngi.

Napaigtad ako nang ibinaling niya ang tingin sa akin tsaka binigyan ako ng pilyong ngiti. Napakurap-kurap ako bago napapadyak.

Walang nagawang lumabas na lamang ako sa condo ko. Ngunit bago pa nakalabas nang tuluyan ay narinig kong may sinabi siya.

"That was a fucking shivering kiss, baby! Pasalubong kong halik mamaya!" He shouted from the inside.

I rolled my eyes.

Such an idiot! A handsome perverted idiot!

As soon as I arrived at the studio where we're going to held the interview, the staffs then readied everything. Until, we decided to start the interview without further ado. And I just found myself sitting on the middle, attentions are on me.

"Magandang umaga, mga ka-chika. It's me, Jasanah Cruz again. And I'm here to have a one on one interview with Miss Irah Soletelle, the Queen of the runway. Like what we promised, in front of me, and on your screens, is Miss Irah Soletelle!" Jasanah greeted on the camera.

I looked at the camera as well and smiled.

"Goodmorning and good day, guys. I'm really thankful that this show invited me here. It is such an honor," I smiled.

"And we are really thankful that you acknowledge our invitation, Miss Irah." Jasanah smiled and I smiled back. She then looked at the camera again. "But, we don't have that much time for the greetings, mga ka-chika. Because we all know kung gaano ka-busy itong si Miss Irah. So, Miss Irah, is is true?!"

She laughed and the crowd cheered. I laughed as well.

"Oh no," I whispered.

"Is it true that you and the famous Attorney Cladville Rios Lareho are dating?" Jasanah asked. I looked at the camera and smiled.

"Yes. Yes we are," I answered briefly. The crowd cheered again.

"The netizens keep asking about how the two of you met. It is still a mystery to the people."

"Uh yes. We met back when we were in California. That was an accident. It was during the fashion show and he was there watching. Then, aksidenteng nagkita kami sa parking garage, we had a chitchat and then it all started there. Doon 'yun nagsimula. Hanggang sa, we started going out as friends. And then, here we are now. Dating not just as friends but as couples," I said and smiled.

"A very nice story you have there, Miss Irah. Is it true that Attorney Lareho had a past with your sister?" she asked.

I know she would ask this.

"No, they hadn't. Those photos of them were just pure friendly pictures. They were good friends since college. And I hate it when people spread rumour about my sister. So, I hope naririnig niyo ito. I want to clear things with you. My sister and my fiancè never had a relationship before. Those pictures na nakita niyo ay totoo, that was my sister Nivia, but that was just a friendly pictures of them together." I said. Jasanah smiled and looked at the crowd.

"You heard that, mga ka-chika? Miss Irah's sister Miss Nivia had never been into a realtionship with Miss Irah's fiancee." Pagkausap niya sa mga ito. The crowd cheered again and Jasanah smiled as she looked back at me. "Pagkatapos nang nangyari kay Attorney Lareho, kumusta na kayong dalawa ngayon?"

I smiled. "We're good. We actually want to have fun here in the Philippines. Because my Christmas break would serve as a vacation na rin. I would want to enjoy my stay here with him."

"How's Attorney Lareho now Miss Irah?"

"As of now, hindi pa siya maaaring lumabas-labas. His bruises and injuries are not fully healed yet, so kailangan niya munang manatili sa bahay. Sinunod na lamang namin ang nais ng Doctor kahit na gustong-gusto niyang sumama rito upang masali raw siya sa interview at upang makita raw siya sa TV." I chuckled, and the crowd laughed.

"That's good to hear, Miss Irah. Kayo po ba ang nag-aalaga sa kanya?"

Muli aking ngumiti at humarap sa camera. "Yes. Ako ang nag-aalaga sa kanya. I don't want to bother his parents kasi they're busy and aside from that I somehow blamed myself for what happened to him. Kasi kung hindi dahil sa akin ay hindi siya mabubugbog at hindi sana siya nahampas ng baseball bat."

"How did you feel when you learned that he was hit by baseball bat?"

"I was really terrified. I was scared and I almost lost my sanity. Sobrang kinabahan ako at saka natakot. He was hit by a baseball bat on the head for heaven's sake! I even cried that time while talking to his parents," I answered.

"How sweet and loving fiancé you are, Miss Irah." Jasanah teased me and the crowd cheered. "Ngayong ikaw ang nag-aalaga sa kay Attorney Lareho, saan ka naman namamalagi?"

"As of now, he's staying in my condo. Mas prefer ko kasi na mas malapit siya para hindi na ako mahirapang mag-alaga sa kanya. Also, para hindi na siya mahirapan kung may kailangan siya."

"Aw! How sweet of you!" Jasanah teased and I laughed.

"Thank you."

"Okay, I think we spent too much time already. Kunting oras lamang ang hiningi natin sa kay Miss Irah, so before we finally end this interview, may gusto ka bang sabihin sa mga fans mo, Miss Irah?" Jasanah asked.

Humarap ako sa camera tsaka ngumiti ng malawak. "I want to thank this show for inviting me once again. And I also want to have some privacy with my fiancé. Ngayong alam niyo na na nananatili kami sa condo ko, I hope that you'll give us some privacy. We really need it right now. I want to spend my break with my fiancee in peace. Thank you. Thank you so much."

The crowd cheered. Ngunit bago pa matapos nang tuluyan ang show ay muling nagsalita si Jasanah.

"Is there something you want to say to your fiancé?" The crowd giggled. Ramdam ko ang pamumula ng pisngi ko.

I cleared my throat. "Ville, I know you're watching this. Be good, okay? I...love you."

Muling nag-ingay ang mga tao sa studio gayundin ang staffs. Alam kong sobrang pula na ng pisngi ko. But what made me feel relieved was because the interview is finally done. Finally done.

Habang nag-aayos sa backstage upang maghanda sa pag-uwi ay bigla akong nakatanggap ng message. Kinuha ko ang cellphone ko at tiningnan iyon. My eyes grew wide and my face reddened with what I received.

Attorney Ville:

'I love you' pala ha. Tsk. Lagot ka mamaya.

—

Thorn:

THANK YOU FOR READING, EVERYONE! LOVE YA'LL!