“CURIOSITY is the eagerness to learn about something that piques your interest. While some may say that curiosity kills the cat, it doesn’t always hold true. In fact, it can guide us toward unexpected yet beautiful circumstances.”

Jimhuesh Anderson lived life by relentlessly uncovering hidden truths, his cherished pursuit. Yet, could his curiosity eventually lead him into unforeseen, less-than-ideal situations? Would he regret his detective-like quest for knowledge, or confront the truth with unwavering courage?

***
 
The day before yesterday at GMC . . .

A stack of papers lay on the table before Jimhuesh, with an approved stamp in one hand, awaiting its final duty of the day. In the other hand, he held the last application submitted by Senthie Salvador, a twenty-five-year-old single applicant for an apparel store.

What seized his attention, however, was the photo of this applicant. She felt oddly familiar, triggering a nagging feeling that he had encountered her before, although the specifics eluded him.

Jimhuesh placed the stamp on the table and swiveled his chair 180 degrees, facing the wall behind him. Leaning forward, he rested his elbows on his knees, his forehead cradled in his closed fist. He desperately tried to concentrate on unraveling the memory of this woman. Where had he seen her before?

He wrestled with elusive memories of a woman he felt sure he’d encountered before. Frustration creased his brows as he delved deeper into his thoughts. Just as he began to lose himself in the labyrinth of his recollections, his secretary’s voice startled him. “Sir, are you okay?”

 Jimhuesh momentarily forgot Liam’s presence. He cleared his throat and swiveled his chair to face him. “Don’t worry about me; I’ll be done shortly.”

 His curiosity surged, driving him to unravel the enigmatic memory. He gripped the stamp, dipped it in ink, and firmly marked the lease application form as approved. Pondering his decision, he realized he had approved Senthie Salvador’s application out of sheer curiosity. As a result, he decided to review her application documents once more. Upon doing so, he noticed a remarkable achievement on her resume. He heaved a sigh of relief. That was close, he thought.

 “All set; you know what to do,” Jimhuesh instructed his secretary. Then his attention turned to his vibrating phone, displaying the name Rye.

 “Yes, sir,” Liam replied, collecting the papers, nodding, and excusing himself as he gently closed the door.

Jimhuesh reached for his phone with a sigh, expecting Rychie’s usual bothersome call. Without a greeting, he answered, “Why?”

 “Are you busy?” Rychie’s voice came through the phone amidst faint background voices praising a chicken dish.

 “Why?”

“Because I’m busy.”

Rychie’s response further irked Jimhuesh, who closed his eyes, imagining Rychie’s smug expression. “Are you kidding? I’m hanging up.”

He smirked as he imagined Rychie’s regret for pushing his buttons. He knew he had the upper hand, especially when Rychie raised his voice just before hanging up. “Wait! Let’s hang out later!”

 He held the phone away and muttered, “What? I can’t hear you. Tut-tut-tut.” With an audible sigh, he placed his phone back on the table. “So annoying.”

 At twenty-six, Rychie Aquino, with four-year seniority over Jimhuesh, shared a childhood history that transcended their social differences. Rychie, the son of Arnold Aquino, who worked as the family driver for the Andersons, and Jimhuesh, the only child of the Anderson family, had a brotherly friendship. Rychie never considered him superior; he regarded him as an equal companion.

 Instead of pressuring Jimhuesh to take over the family company, his mother encouraged him to have a carefree childhood and even arranged playtime with Arnold’s son. Jimhuesh’s decision to join the Grand Mall Corporation was entirely his own. Remarkably, at just twenty-one, he had already become the vice president the previous year.

 ~

Jimhuesh entered their sprawling mansion, a grand structure that could rival a shopping mall in size. With just two stories, it stretched as wide as a golf course, often becoming a source of jokes about getting lost inside.

The mansion featured ten bedrooms, each with its own Jacuzzi, along with a fully equipped gym, a state-of-the-art theater room, an extensive library, a luxurious swimming pool, and various leisure rooms. Upon entering, visitors were greeted by a grand spectacle: twin staircases ascending to the second floor, accompanied by spacious lounging areas with oversized sofas. Their family’s immense wealth had firmly established them as one of the country’s billionaires, and such opulence came as no surprise.

He noticed his parents, Jennifer and Ronaldo, comfortably seated on the expansive sofa, absorbed in the television. Upon his arrival, they both turned to greet their son.

“You’re late,” Ronaldo said with concern in his voice.

Jennifer couldn’t hide her delight. “You’re here!”

Jimhuesh nodded and adjusted his necktie.

Ronaldo furrowed his brows. “You work too hard, Jim. Take a break once in a while. You might just end up replacing the CEO in no time.” He glanced at his wife; his arm casually draped over the sofa backrest.

“Ronald!” Jennifer playfully whined, giving her husband a nudge and an exaggerated glare before adopting a mock pout. “Don’t say that. I want our baby to live life on his terms without feeling pressured.” She turned to Jimhuesh and then back to her husband, pointing at herself. “Besides, I can still handle things, as you can see.”

Ronaldo chuckled. “Of course! You’re the best CEO, honey.”

She beamed. “Oh, honey, you’re so sweet.”

With his patience waning, Jimhuesh interjected, “Okay, you two can continue your lovey-dovey moment while I evaporate from this area.”

 Openly displaying affection always made him uncomfortable. He despised public displays of affection. Struggling to appear composed, he forced a smile, then decided to retreat to his room on the second floor. As he ascended the staircase, he overheard Jennifer question his use of the word evaporate, to which Ronaldo responded with a shrug and a simple no idea.

Jimhuesh clenched his jaw, suppressing a smile. Despite his earlier irritation, he found his parents’ reactions amusing.

Approaching his room, he heard sounds from within. The television was on, and it was clear someone had made themselves at home. Jimhuesh pushed open the door and found his friend on the couch, holding a slice of pizza.

Great. He’s at it again, barging into my room without my permission. He didn’t have any issues with it, but he chose not to let Rychie in on just how much he treasured their time together. He kept this to himself to maintain a level of privacy and not to disclose the depth of his feelings for their friendship. After all, Jimhuesh considered him like a brother who had been there for him through thick and thin, though he might be exaggerating a bit.

“What on earth are you doing here, Rychie Aquino?”

Rychie casually shifted his gaze to him and answered, “Eating?” before taking another sizable bite of the pizza.

Unperturbed, Jimhuesh officially entered and closed the door behind him. The room was filled with the mouthwatering aroma of pizza, a tempting blend of cheese, pineapple, bell pepper, and beef. Two pizza boxes and four Coke cans sat neatly on the center table.

Rychie’s chuckle filled the room, followed by the distinct sound of crinkling plastic. “Come on, let’s eat! I got your favorite, Rychicken’s Barbeque!” he exclaimed with enthusiasm, proudly displaying the plastic bag bearing the name of his restaurant.

Suppressing his excitement for the delectable chicken, Jimhuesh instead walked to the left, ignoring Rychie. He made his way toward the bed, a few meters behind the couch where Rychie was seated, and removed his coat and tie as he stepped into his wardrobe room. A grin formed on his face, and he struggled to stifle his laughter. At first, he managed to contain it, pressing his lips together, but ultimately, laughter bubbled out through his nose, followed by an inadvertent snort.

“I just can’t get used to that name. It’s so hilarious! I still can’t believe you named your restaurant after yourself,” Jimhuesh said, with laughter interspersed in between his words, loud enough for his best friend to hear.

Rychie, however, responded indifferently, “It’s not even funny. Whatever.” He reached for a Coke can and took a sip. Sighing, he placed the plastic bag and his drink back on the table. His attention turned to the TV, where a romantic comedy show was in progress.

Jimhuesh mused inwardly that it wasn’t much fun teasing his best friend. He swapped his attire for brown shorts and a T-shirt, and retreated from the wardrobe room. He gently pushed the sliding door closed and glanced at Rychie, who was quietly enjoying his chicken and the television show. Jimhuesh settled beside him.

“Hey, Jim, look!” He excitedly pointed at the screen while clutching a piece of chicken. “That scene reminds me of something in the past!”

Jimhuesh turned his attention to the TV, where the scene portrayed a girl confessing her feelings to a boy, only to be met with rejection. He squinted at Rychie. “What past?”

“I just remembered that time in high school when a tomboy confessed her love for me.”

Upon hearing this, a flicker of memory caused Jimhuesh’s eyes to blink rapidly. He rested an elbow on his knee and crouched slightly, leaning his furrowed forehead on his closed fist. A sudden flashback raced through his mind, and it was as if a lightbulb had switched on. He responded, “Yeah, right.”

“Huh?” Rychie questioned, his face a portrait of confusion.

Jimhuesh straightened himself and grabbed a piece of chicken. “I think I saw you with that girl back then when I gave you a ride home.” 

Taking a bite, he was instantly overwhelmed by its incredible flavor. It was the best chicken barbecue he had ever tasted. The texture was tender and juicy, each bite a heavenly experience. The perfect blend of sweetness and saltiness danced on his taste buds, while the subtle spiciness elevated the overall flavor, leaving him yearning for more. There was no doubt that Rychicken’s barbeque was his favorite. Before he could indulge in another bite, he glanced over at Rychie, who had a wide-eyed expression.

“Really? So, you saw how I rejected her?” Rychie scratched the back of his head.

Jimhuesh found this unsurprising. The girl he had seen back then had appeared almost like a boy in a skirt. Her hair was cropped short, her bag resembled Rychie’s, and her uniform sleeves were rolled up. Considering her appearance, his rejection had been entirely expected.

“I just remember seeing her looking so disappointed,” he replied once he’d swallowed a mouthful of chicken. Curiosity piqued; he pressed further while trying his best to mask his genuine interest. “Were you friends with her? What’s her name?”

He responded with a casual shrug. “Nah. I can’t even remember her face now. I was quite the popular kid at school back then. It seemed like everyone fell in love with me at first sight. Even the boys couldn’t resist my charm.”

Jimhuesh refrained from objecting, even though he could have. He was telling the truth, having witnessed countless confessions from both girls and boys.

As for Rychie’s preferences, he remained enigmatic, never divulging any personal feelings toward either gender. Instead, he reveled in recounting how many hearts had been broken because of him.

Jimhuesh shot Rychie a pointed glare. “All right, cut it out.”

Chuckling, Rychie asked, “So, what’s with the sudden questions about her? Are you interested in her or something?”

He scowled. “Never mind, forget that I asked.”

“Sure, sure.”

Despite the significant change in her appearance over the years, Jimhuesh couldn’t shake the certainty that it was her. She intrigued him, more than he was willing to admit. Rychie had been right. He found her undeniably interesting.