Kinabukasan, panay ang tukso kay Mona sa bakeshop. Everyone keeps giving her weird smiles.

"Musta date, Boss?" tanong ni Ralph. "Sino'ng nag-overnight?"

"Ayiiiiee!" Tinusok-tusok ni Tess ang tagiliran niya. "Both ba, Boss?"

"Wala!" She pursed her lips and slapped Tess' hand. "Tigilan nyo 'kong dalawa, ha! Babawasan ko sweldo nyo, sige!"

The two didn't take her threat seriously. Pero tumigil naman ang mga ito nang hindi na niya pansinin. Unfortunately, the peace was short lived. Maya-maya, humahangos paakyat ng hagdanan si Annie.

"Boss! Si Prince Charming Number 1, nasa ibaba! May flowers ulit!" anunsyo nito.

"Aba, masugid!" natatawang kumento ni Tatay Ben.

Kumunot ang noo niya. "Sino?" Hindi naman sya na-inform na may label na pala sina Felix at Baste. Hindi siya sigurado kung sino ang number 1 at kung sino ang number 2.

"'Yong palaging nakangiti!"

"Ah." Pasimple niyang sinuklay ang buhok. May harina pa yata siya sa mukha. Kanina pa siya subsob sa paggagawa ng mixture. "May dumi ba ako sa mukha?" tanong niya sa mga kasama.

"Maganda ka pa rin, Boss!"

Inayos niya ang tali ng buhok at hindi na lang pinansin ang panunudyo ng mga kasama. Pababa na siya ng hagdanan nang humirit si Ralph ng, "Boss, kung may dala syang pagkain para sa 'min, pakisabi thank you in advance!"

--

She found Felix talking to some of her staffs. Mukhang close na ito sa mga empleyado niya. She knew they like him. He's fun and loud and always smiling. Madalas pa itong bumisita and the last time that he did, may dala itong pagkain para sa lahat.

Napabuntong-hininga siya. He's already perfect. Unfortunately, the circumstances aren't.

Tinapik ito ng isa niyang empleyado at tumuro sa gawi niya. Felix turned to her direction. Their eyes met. And for a split second, she felt the air in her lungs get sucked out by his stare.

She tried to play it cool, pretended that she wasn't affected by his smile, but he knew better. He knew exactly how he affects her, because maybe it's the same for him. She knew well enough what a man in love looks like.

Felix has that look. But instead of feeling happy because the man she loves loves her too, she found the feeling too painful to handle.

"Hi," Felix greeted. Sa pagmumuni-muni niya, hindi niya napansing nakalapit na pala ito sa kanya. He's holding a bunch of flowers and a box of expensive chocolates.

"Hello." Tumuro siya sa mga tsokolate at bulaklak. "Ang layo pa ng Valentine's, a."

"It's never too early to give these." Iniabot nito sa kanya ang mga hawak. "Busy ka?"

"Sobra. Actually, I have to get back upstairs. Daming order, e."

She wasn't lying this time. Marami talagang orders. Nilunod niya ang sarili sa orders para magmukhang busy at para may excuse para hindi siya nito maayang lumabas.

"Kumain ka na?"

"Breakfast? Yeah. I had an early start this morning."

"Ah." Nagpamulsa ito. "Are you too busy to eat lunch with me."

She smiled apologetically. "Sorry, Beh."

"Anong oras ka matatapos mamayang gabi?"

"Hindi ko pa alam, e. But I'm sure I'll be too tired by then. Sorry."

"Hindi pa nga kita niyayaya, tumatanggi ka na."

Sumimangot siya. "Sorry."

Bumuntong-hininga ito at pilit na ngumiti. "Okay lang. Medyo nasasanay na rin ako."

She hates seeing him sad. Muntik na niyang bawiin ang sinabi. Maybe she should just cancel the orders and go somewhere with him? Maglagalag na lang maghapon?

It sounds tempting, pero bawal. Hindi pwede. She needs conviction. Stand her ground. Kahit masakit para sa kanila pareho.

"Well, I guess I better go." Humalik ito sa pisngi niya. "Give me a call when you're free, okay?"

She bit her lip. There goes her resolve again.

"Kung makakapaghintay ka... baka naman matapos ako agad. Pero baka lang, ha. Hindi pa sure."

But even the hard maybe changed his mood.

"Of course! Pwede rin akong tumulong, para mapadali ang trabaho nyo."

"Wala kang trabaho?"

"Well... I don't." He had his hands on his nape, which made her suspicious as to why he's suddenly free. Pangalawang araw na nitong tatambay sa shop niya. Is he accepting clients? Or mahina lang talaga ang trabaho nito ngayon? But if that is the case, shouldn't he spend his free times with Angela?

Maybe he already did? That's why he's spending time with her? She couldn't be more important than his own daughter, right?

She ignored her suspicions and told him okay.

Umakyat sila sa taas. Dumiretso siya sa office para ilagay ang bulaklak at chocolates. Nang bumalik siya sa working area, nagsusuot na ng apron si Felix. He smiled at her as Tatay Ben gives him instructions on how to knead the dough they'll use to make bread.

Bumalik siya sa ginagawa habang pinanunuod itong magmasa. His muscled arms were very distracting. Hindi siya maka-concentrate sa ginagawa, lalo na't sa tapat pa ng table niya ito pumwesto.

--

Felix helped with a lot of things. Nang matapos na ang ipinagagawa ni Tatay Ben, inutusan pa ito ng iba niyang empleyado. The mundane things that they don't want to do, they made him do. Nag-mop ito ng sahig. Nagtapon ng basura. Bumili ng lunch (kasama si Ralph) para sa kanilang lahat.

The only thing she could do for him was to let him sit beside her while they ate.

After the very quick lunch, they resumed their works. Napabilis ang ginagawa niyang cakes dahil katulong si Felix sa pagli-layer ng cake. He already knows how to! He also made a lot of fondant sheets to cover the cakes with.

It was actually fun to work with Felix. Hindi niya alam kung pursigido lang itong matapos ang mga trabaho nila para makalabas silang dalawa o kung nag-enjoy itong masyado sa ginagawa.

Unfortunately, there were still too much to do. Isa o dalawang oras lang yata ang nabawas sa estimated time ng tapos ng trabaho nila, expected overtime included.

And at the end of the day, they were too tired to go out on a date. So they just stayed for coffee and leftover breads while Ralph and the guys clean up.

"Boss, uwi na kami. Sir Felix, good night po!" paalam ng mga ito nang matapos.

She nodded and waved at them.

"So... do you believe me now? Sabi ko sa 'yo, di ba? Busy talaga ako."

"I do believe you. Palagi ka namang busy," nakangiti nitong sagot.

"Sorry, ha. Napagod ka pa tuloy."

"At least I got to spend time with you."

"Ni hindi man lang tayo napag-usap."

"Nakikita naman kita the whole time, so okay pa rin."

She sipped her coffee to hide her smile. This is why it's so hard to say no to Felix. He can sweet-talk her into anything. Makakatanggi pa ba naman siya nang hawakan nito ang kamay niya? She instinctively put her cup down and let him lean in.

Konting-konti na lang, magki-kiss na sila. Kaso, naunahan ng pag-ring ng phone niya.

She slowly backed away, mentally cursing herself for not putting her phone on vibrate. Tuloy, kahit nasa loob ng opisina niya, rinig na rinig niya ang tunog dahil tahimik at silang dalawa na lang ni Felix ang tao.

"Excuse me..."

Tinakbo niya ang opisina at akmang iri-reject ang tawag nang makitang si Baste iyon. Isinarado niya ang pinto bago tanggapin ang tawag nito.

"Hello?"

"Nasa loob ka pa?"

"Ha?"

"I'm outside the bakeshop."

"Ah... yeah."

"He's with you, right?" Bumuntong-hininga ito. "Mona, you're hopeless."

She bit her lip. "E kasi..."

"Do you want me to go in o hindi mo na ba kailangan ng tulong ko seeing how well you're handling things right now?"

Naparolyo ang mga mata niya sa sarkastiko nitong tanong. Of course, she needs his help. She's hopeless! But she doesn't want it right now. Kasi nga... hopeless na siya. Ayaw niyang maging tanga pero... 'yon ang gusto ng puso niya.

Masunurin pa naman siya. She's just following her heart.

"I'm sorry..."

"Why are you saying sorry to me? Hindi naman ako ang naaagrabyado sa ginagawa mo. Just a piece of advice: if you really don't want to, then don't make excuses for him. But if you can't say no to him, then don't. You'll just get tired of pretending."

"Wow. Uma-advice ka na ngayon, ha."

He sighed. "I'm serious."

"Okay, okay."

"So, what's it going to be?"

"Hindi ko pa alam, Beh," pag-amin niya. "Don't pressure me."

"Alam mo na 'yan," sabi nito bago magpaalam sa kanya.

She switched her phone to silent mode and headed out of the office. Naabutan niyang nakaupo si Felix sa tabi ng decorating table niya. Nakatulala ito sa pader.

He lifted his gaze when she made a sound.

"Sino'ng tumawag?"

"Mommy ko," sagot niya. "Nagtatanong kung uuwi ako sa Pasko."

"Ah. So uuwi ka?"

Tumango siya. "Yep. Ikaw, sa'n kayo magpa-Pasko?"

"I don't know. Pupuntang Baguio sina Mama. Sina Andrea, sa Hong Kong."

"So sa Hong Kong ka magpa-Pasko?"

Nagkibit-balikat ito. "Ayokong sumama."

"Hala, Beh, Pasko 'yon. Dapat kumpleto kayo."

He let out an exasperated sigh. At that moment, he seemed really exhausted. "I guess."

Tinabihan niya ito at hinagod-hagod ang likuran. "May problema ba kayo? Hindi na naman ba kayo okay?"

Felix nodded.

"Why? What's wrong?"

Kahit hindi pa man ito sumasagot, alam na niya kung ano ang problema. Siya. Siya lang naman ang problema. But she can't take all the blame because the two have been having problems even before she came into their lives.

"I broke up with Andrea," Felix answered, eyes downcast. "I told her that I'm in love with someone else."