κεφάλαιο ένατο

Chapter Nine: Stringless Guy

Krisha's Point of View

"Miss Esquivel, how are we related?"

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko at umiwas ako ng tingin. Hindi ko na alam kung anong gagawin ko. Lumilikot ang mga mata ko at pinaglalaruan ko na ang aking mga daliri nang dahil lang sa kaba.

How can I escape in this situation? Pahamak si Kraft! I thought this is gonna be something fun?

Humakbang ako ng isa paatras habang nakayuko. Tumalikod ako at nang akmang tatakbo papasok sa elevator ay napatigil ako. I froze because of a hand.

Hawak ni Russlee ang mga balikat ko gamit ang dalawang kamay niya. Unti-unti niya 'kong hinarap sa kanya. Pag-angat ko ng tingin ay sinalubong ako ng mga mata niyang nangungusap.

Every time I see him, his eyes looks so cold like an ice. Hindi ko alam na ganito pala kaganda kapag malapitan. His eyes are enigmatic. Para bang libo-libong emosyon ang kinukubli ng kanyang mga mata.

Umatras siya nang bahagya at nag-snap ng daliri. I abruptly shook my head while continuously blinking. I feel like I was hypnotized.

"Now, answer me. Magkamag-anak ba tayo?"

"N-No," I tried my best not to stutter but I just did, great.

Just great, mamaya sabihin niya nagsisinungaling ako.

I look at his eyes. Eyes don't lie, and I'm not lying. We are not related! I just have to prove it that I'm not lying. Gusto ko na lang talaga makawala sa sitwasyon na 'to.

Bakit ba kasi Esquivel pa ang naisip ko na apelyido days ago! Common naman ang surname na 'yon 'di ba? 'DI BA!?

"That's weird, Esquivel is a very rare surname."

Hinihimas niya ang chin niya gamit ang mga daliri niya at nakatingin siya sa kisame na tila ba nag-iisip. I shut my eyes because of a sudden frustration.

I'm screwed! Bakit kasi sa dami ng kumpanya ito pa?

"Anyways, you're hired. Come back tomorrow and please," he halted and scanned me from head to toe. "Wear a decent outfit."

Bumaba ang tingin ko sa suot kong damit. Ripped jeans, cropped top, dirty white shoes, and a chain. Kinapa ko rin ang ulo ko at tama nga ako. May suot akong bandana!

I mean, sa sobrang pagmamadali ko kanina, dumampot na lang ako sa cabinet ko. The bandana goes well with my top because of the design.

But my overall look right now looks like a trash! Nakakahiya! I look like a gangster! Looking like a gangster in front of my boss!

Maybe I should really follow Kraft's advice. I need to organize my clothes. Sa dami kasi ng naging task namin ay sandamakmak ang outfit sa cabinet naming mga cupid. Just like what I'm wearing right now, I got this when I matched two skaters a month ago.

Pero w-who cares about my outfit r-right now? Did I just got accepted to a job? What!?

Pag-angat ko ng tingin ko ay nakaupo na siya sa kanyang swivel chair at nagbabasa. Ngayon ko lang napansin ang mala-eiffel tower niyang workload. I think he's signing some papers but I just can't help it!

I have to ask him on why he hired me!

"I'm just curio-," he cut me off!

"I don't like curious people," he paused and raise his gaze to meet my eyes. "Curiosity killed the cat."

"But satisfaction brought it back!" I talked back abruptly.

"So, you want me to satisfy you?" He asked but his eyes are still focused in some papers.

"Yes!" I said while nodding my head. I think I look like a crazy dog waiting for its master to give food.

"Get out," he said while pointing the elevetor.

"Pero I'm still hired, right?" I asked in a fast manner. Inangat na naman niya ang tingin niya. He sighed and shut his eyes while nodding. Nagtatalon ako sa saya habang pumapalakpak.

"I'll work hard, Sir!" I exclaimed and walked towards the elevator.

"No wait, don't call me Sir," he said using a stern voice that halted me.

"What? Should I call you Russlee?"

Kahit malayo ako ay nakita ko na umigting ang panga niya. Sabi niya huwag ko siyang tawaging Sir, ano itatawag ko sa kanya kung hindi pangalan niya?

"They call me Big Boss here."

"Big Boss pa, pwede namang Sir na lang," I murmured.

"May sinasabi ka, Miss Esquivel?"

"Wala ho, Mr. Esquivel!" Hindi na 'ko naghintay ng sagot niya at nagdire-diretso na sa elevator.

➹ ➷ ➹ 𓆩♡𓆪➷ ➹ ➷

"Good morning, Kuya Meaven!" Nakangiting bati ko kay kuya guard. Ngumiti siya at binati niya rin ako pabalik. Sa araw-araw na pumapasok ako rito ay nakilala ko na siya.

Hindi naman talaga ako nahihirapan makihalo sa mga tao, nahihiya lang ako. Hindi ko alam kung bakit basta nahihiya lang ako. Na-discover ko nga lang na kaya ko palang makisalamuha nang makilala ko si Kraft.

Wala pa 'kong isang linggo rito sa opisina ay marami na akong ka-close. For some reason, I became close to them without even trying! Ang bilis nilang maging komportable sa isang tao I mean sa isang cupid na tulad ko.

Like Kuya Meaven, sa araw-araw na pagkwe-kwentuhan namin ay nalaman ko na matagal na pala siya sa serbisyo niya kay Big Boss. Nasabi niya rin sa 'kin na may asawa at isang anak siya sa probinsya na binubuhay.

"Raffinah! Kanina ka pa hinahanap ni Boss Sungit!" Tarantang sabi sa 'kin ni Zylene, isang employee rito. Umalis na rin siya agad at parang may dala-dala pang mga documents.

Agad akong sumakay ng elevator dahil sa sinabi ni Zylene. Beast mode na naman yata si Big Boss. Isa rin sa dahilan kung bakit naging close kami ng ibang mga empleyado ay dahil si Big Boss ang topic namin.

Some of them are asking questions about Big Boss. Most of them are saying bad things about the boss to me. Pero mas nakakasabay ako sa mga nagsasabi ng bad words tungkol sa kanya. Super cheesy kasi ng mga curious about him, parang patay na patay sa kanya.

Pagbukas ng elevator ay bumungad sa 'kin ang nakakunot na noo ni Big Boss. Sabay silang tumingin sa akin ng isang lalaki na nakaupo sa lamesa niya. Nahiya tuloy ako kaya yumuko ako at pinaglaruan ang aking mga daliri.

"You're thirty minutes late! Napakahilig kasing makipagdaldalan sa iba!" Napaigtad ako nang bahagya dahil sa biglaang pagsasalita niya.

"I'm so sorry Big Boss, na-late lang ho ako ng gising," I reasoned out while scratching my head. I raised my two fingers creating a peace sign.

"Calm down, Russlee. You're scaring her. Late lang naman," natatawang sabi ng lalaking nakaupo sa table ni Big Boss. Nang tignan siya nang masama ni Big Boss ay tinikom niya ang bibig niya at saka pinigilan ang kanyang tawa.

"Get out!" Bulyaw niya sa lalaki sabay turo sa pinto pero tinawanan lang siya nito.

"Instructing me to go out without even introducing me to your new secretary?"

"Shut up, Winty!" Big Boss exclaimed and threw some papers to the guy sitting in his table.

"I told you to stop calling me Winty, bro! You know that I prefer my second name over that lame Winter!"

"Whatever Frost," Big Boss sighed and went through his papers, again.

"Huy, introduce mo na kasi ako sa sekretarya mo!" Patuloy na pangungulit ng lalaki at niyugyog pa nang bahagya si Big Boss.

"Ang kulit ng lahi mo, hindi ko naman 'yan sekretarya," naiiritang sabi ni Big Boss at uminom ng kape niya.

"If she's not your secretary, then what is her role in this company? Masyado siyang maganda para maging maid."

Napayuko ako dahil napatingin sa 'kin si Big Boss. Ang kausap naman niya ay hindi tinatanggal ang tingin sa akin at nakalagay pa ang daliri sa labi na parang nag-iiisip.

"She's a temporary assistant."

Nakagat ko ang labi ko dahil sa huling salita. When this work started, hindi ko alam na assistant pala ang trabaho na in-apply-an ko. Thanks to Kraft who didn't give me enough information about this work.

Napahiya tuloy ako sa harap ng mga mortal no'ng una. Buti na lang friendly si Zylene kaya natulungan niya 'ko sa pag-adapt ng working place namin. Mag-iisang linggo palang ako rito sa agency pero parang isang buwan na 'ko dahil sa dami ng pinapagawa.

Being an assistant of someone made me realize that earning some human money is hard. You're working hard for every cent that goes in to your bank account.

Wow, bank account! I learned that word from Zylene.

Because of this job, I realized that being a mortal is not easy. They're working all the time just to earn. They all go through a lot of those hardship even though they're completely aware of that fact.

The fact that someday. . . they will all end up to the realm of the dead.

"Wake up! Late ka na nga hindi ka pa nagfo-focus. Be professional, Miss Esquivel!" Napaigtad ako nang bahagya dahil sa finger snap ni Big Boss.

"Wait? She's an Esquivel, bro? How are you rel-," Big Boss cut him off.

"She's not related to me in any way. If you want me to introduce her to you let's make it fast. Marami pa 'kong kailangan gawin, you're always wasting my time whenever you go here."

"Ehey, grabe ka naman! Para namang hindi mo 'ko best friend!" The guy beside Big Boss cheerfully said and even playfully hugged the cold boss beside him.

"Yeah right," he said still unbothered by the guy hugging him tightly. They are both giving off an opposite energy which made me giggle.

"Matatawa ka pa kaya kapag tinanggal kita sa trabaho?" Big Boss seriously asked. Napayuko ulit ako dahil nakakatakot si Big Boss. Kahit nakayuko ako ay narinig ko ang malakas na pagbuntonghininga niya.

"Raffinah Esquivel this is Winter Frost Dela Merced my cousin. Winter Frost Dela Merced this is Raffinah Esquivel my temporary assistant. Shake hands and after that go back to work Raffinah, while you. . ." bumaling siya kay Winter Frost at pinitik. "You go away after meeting her, stop going to my company during office hours."

Pagkatapos niya mag-litanya ay naglakad na siya pabalik sa swivel chair niya at isinubsob na naman ang sarili sa trabaho. Lagi na lang siyang ganyan, puro trabaho. Sa loob ng almost one week ko rito sa kumpanya naka-stuck lang siya sa opisina niya all the time.

I wonder, hindi kaya nagsasawa ang swivel chair niya sa pang-upo niya?

"Naku, pagpasensyahan mo na ang pinsan ko at ipinaglihi yata sa sama ng loob," hininaan ko ang tawa ko para hindi marinig ni Big Boss dahil baka magalit na naman.

"By the way, I'm Winter Frost Dela Merced. I'm his cousin and an entrepreneur. Hopefully, mag-boost din ang business ko like what happened to Russ," pagpapakilala niya at naglahad ng kamay.

"Raffinah," I introduced my self shyly while shaking his hand.

"Introvert?"

"No. . . ?"

"Then what's with the short introduction?" He asked.

"I. . . don't know much about myself?" I said in an asking tone just to feed his curiosity.

Hindi ko naman pwedeng sabihin na matchmaker ako at isang imortal na nilalang. . . .

"You're just like him," he said while putting his hands to his pocket. He turned around and stared at his cousin, Russlee. I also stared at my Big Boss while he's busy drinking a cup of coffee and scanning the papers.

"Dahil sa trabaho niya, hindi na niya kilala ang sarili niya."

"Wala ba siyang ibang pinagkaka-abalahan bukod sa pagtra-trabaho?" Kuryosong tanong ko.

"Wala eh," seryosong sabi niya at bumaling sa 'kin. "Siguro kailangan na niya ng love life."

"Wala ba siyang girlfriend?" Nagtatakang tanong ko.

Imposibleng wala siyang girlfriend! Big Boss is similar to those leading man that I've seen in romantic comedy films! He is an ideal man.

"Unfortunately, wala. He's still stuck to that trauma. May past trauma siya sa love life," he said in a sad tone.

"Bakit? What happened?" Gulat na tanong ko dahil sa mga impormasyon na nalaman ko.

"He already buried her in his past. In order for you to know, you have to let him reveal it. . ." natahimik ako dahil sa mga sinabi niya. "By the way, mas prefer ko kung Frost ang itatawag mo sa 'kin. Don't use my first name please," he said while smiling.

I smiled awkwardly because I feel like at this point. . . Frost is already thinking that I'm being nosy that's why he changed the topic.

➹ ➷ ➹ 𓆩♡𓆪➷ ➹ ➷

"Mag-o-overtime ka, Big Boss?" I asked.

"Yeah, go home." He said while still typing something to his computer. I just shrugged and walked straight to the elevator. As soon as I got in, I quickly tapped the heart on my bracelet.

Pagdating ko sa room ko ay binuksan ko agad ang television at nag-log in sa Red String Map. I controlled my tablet connected to the television and started to find the company's location.

The next person that I want to help is my Big Boss, Kevin Russlee. I want to help him find the woman that is destined to be with him.

Nang mapunta ako sa mismong location ay nakakita na agad ako ng kakaiba. Nag-try akong i-zoom kasi baka glitch lang ng application.

Pero imposibleng mangyari kasi kahit kailan walang glitch 'to.

Ilang beses kong ni-refresh at zoom in and out sa mismong location pero gano'n pa rin. At this point alam ko nang may mali.

What kind of sorcery is this???

He is the first. . . no! He is the only person without a red string! This situation is alarming. Kung walang red string na nakatali sa pinky finger niya. . . does that mean that he doesn't have a soulmate?

Where is you red string of fate, Kevin Russlee?

yeojacosmos

_____

after 140 days, chapter nine is finally out! this is my Christmas Gift to all of my readers. . . HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE!

(today is my birthday hehe)