Chapter 5

The day went so fast for the two drunk people in the late afternoon. Kendrick carried the sleeping beauty of the pub, Yzel, to one of the VIP rooms, and put reserved on it. He called Stella, and told her to come over and picked up Yzel, but still had to have the meeting finished before Stella could drive and picked her up. Kendrick removed his suit off, and put it over Yzel's chest, who was dead asleep and a complete mess.

The pub continued its day to day course, accommodating diners, cooking of the menus and serving orders, from the moment it opened, til the last minute it closed. And Kendrick would take a peek to his sleeping guest, who was still knocked off and soundly asleep in the room.

"It seems like she drank the whole bottle," the manager commented. Kendrick peeked on sleeping Yzel.

"Not really," Kendrick replied. He turned his back, back on what he was cooking.

"He just had like a glass of ten," Kendrick added. He made a scooped of soup and some mussels ready to serve.

Yzel was awaken by a terrible headache. She glanced around and stared at the ceiling, for few minutes, trying to get a picture of what had happened, and where she was right now. With her vision still going round a little and a bit hazy, reality hit her so hard about what she was supposed to do this afternoon.

She rose from the coach, and went pale as she put her both hands on her cheek, when she remembered how she dozed off in a conversation with Kendrick. That breakup-conversation was an absolutely terrible idea. She glanced at the door in her left, and from the door's window glass she could see busy people coming back and forth with trays and bowls. She then lied back on the couch again, as she tried to wrap her head around the stories she just known today. Kendrick caught his girl on top of the another man, and that fact itself, was so mind-blowing. How would someone react to that? That might been so devastating, and as she began to feel bad about Kendrick's breakup, she somehow, felt better for the way Francis broke up with her. If by any chance, Francis had another girl, she was so lucky that she didn't have a chance to know her, because if she did, that would be her biggest source of insecurity and loath.

The wine that she had was just so mythical to knock her off, tell her things and slept from the whole afternoon to night. It was wine's fault, geeez.

Yzel heard few steps coming towards the door and she hurriedly fixed the suit on her top and closed her eyes, pretending she was still asleep. The door swung opened, and the light from the kitchen, casted two human figure shadow.

"So the cooking-thingy, ended on a heart-to-heart talk and getting drunk, huh?" the voice of the lady said. Even though Yzel couldn't see her face, she'd known it was Stella, and her eye brows were literally raising right now, as she imagined her sharp face as she grin.

"I didn't mean to end it this way, and I'm sorry that this happened," apologetically said by the staff to Stella. Stella gave her a straight resting-bitch face look, as she knew that this campaign was a mutual agreement, that both of them were benefitting after. Yzel was sure it was Kendrick who was talking.

"Whatever," Stella said. She walked into the room with her stilettos tapping the floor tiles.

"Hey, Yzel. You wake up. I know you are awake, missy. We need to go home," Stella said. Her shadow went bigger and almost casted all over Yzel's.

Yzel didn't move for a moment. Few more minutes, everything went silent, but Yzel knew Stella was still around. When more minutes came, and the silence was still, Yzel opened one of her eyes, scanning the place, when Stella appeared before her very eyes, making her scream on top of her lungs, and jumped on the couch, like a cat shocked. Then followed by a loud laugh from Stella and small laughs from Kendrick who was standing close by the door.

"See, such a scaredy-cat," Stella said. She removed the suit on top of her, as Stella lost her breath as she laughed.

"You don't have to worry, we are already closed," Kendrick interjected. He tried to stop himself from laughing at Yzel, wondering that Yzel might be afraid to be seen around by other people, on her other side, the drunk lady, tho some had seen her already.

"I got drunk, I'm sorry," Yzel said. She rose from the couch and grabbed her purse.

"I really would love to learn how to cook, but your restaurant has the best wine," sarcastically she said. She made herself an alibi after getting drunk and being a nuisance for everyone. Today's agenda was actually failed.

"Yep, I agree," Stella said as she rolled her eyes.

"Nalasing ka nga di ba? So good luck sa cooking show mo," she added. She stood up and looked at Kendrick, who was still by the door. If giving a fierce look could kill, Kendrick might be in a hospital right now. He knew that Stella was kind of blaming him, but he lost his cool too,and totally forgot for the reason of Yzel's drop over. Feelin' guilty, he just looked away and watching the two ladies teased each other.

"We still have a day," Yzel argued. She stood from the couch with her purse at her shoulder.

"Right Kendrick?" Yzel smirked. Stella made a face with such a disgust look and walked herself out of the door. Stella was still managing Yzel publicity and just having one successful interview was not enough to build the industry's trust back to her. Stella couldn't afford another drinking incident, with his ex-boyfriend drama-thingy. Yzel followed her back as soon as she marched the door, but had to return back to Kendrick whom she just passed by, and was looking at the two of them left.

"Thanks for the suit," Yzel said. She handed the suit over to Kendrick. Kendrick just smiled and took the suit, then Yzel walked away, following Stella who was almost at the pub's door.

For the second time, Yzel stopped again. Turned around and walked back to Kendrick who was about to go back to the kitchen.

"Yah!" Yzel exclaimed, getting Kendrick's attention.

"Let's meet again tomorrow and let's break a leg on the show," she said energetically. She raised her elbow as a sign of goodluck. Kendrick again smiled and so did Yzel, and off she went.

Stella drove Yzel home, and Yzel went straight to her unit. She had a long day, but not feeling sleepy at all for she had slept almost the half of her day. She went into her room, after getting some snacks from her kitchen, and browsed some cooking videos on Youtube, when a bulb lighted at the top of her head to search the "The Night Class" and all the top videos of that famous pub popped up instantly.

Yzel stared at Kendrick who was the chef of most of their videos. He actually looked gorgeous and more telegenic, Yzel thought while munching her chocolate bar. Watching videos, made Yzel wonder, of what kind of girl his ex-girlfriend was. For sure, Kendrick was rich, for he managed the pub too, internally, educated and a fined man. What could be the reason why he and his ex-girlfriend break up? Could it be possible that his ex-girlfriend, wanted more?

Yzel rolled to her bed, facing the curtain ceiling of her bed. For the very first time, Yzel hadn't think of Francis. She was too busy to stay focus on what she was doing and too determine to get her life puzzle fixed again, step by step as she left a spot, after removing Francis on her life. This might be the start of the fresh new beginning of facing life challenges alone, but Yzel knew that it would still a long run, and there would be more she was yet to discover on what she could do.

Yzel closed her eyes, and immersed herself to the wonders of the night.

Kendrick, on the other hand, enjoyed the night sparkle from his place, with a cup of whiskey on his hand.

From standing at the front of his glass windows, he moved back and sat on his couch and mesmerized the view. He couldn't help himself to think of the guy, Yzel was referring to be her ex-boyfriend.

Like the usual night, Kendrick spent most of his time staring at Veronica's photos from her social media account. Stalking her every night, satisfied his empty soul, his lonely heart and broken spirit. What even more devastating was Veronica deleted all their pictures together, all the memories they shared and every moments they spent together. How could be someone who you adore so dearly, someone that you looked forward to share the rest of your lives, could just throw all your memories away like putting your worn clothes to the washer? He really would love to move on and to forget everything but those silhouettes of a man and a woman, together with their sirens as they moved as one was just a living nightmare for Kendrick. Every night, that scene played back like a broken film stuck on a specific scene.

Kendrick drank the remaining whiskey on his glass and scrolled few of Veronica's posts. And there he saw the guy that Veronica was with, Francis. One of the country's top marketing director, and held one of the countries most-demanded brand.

"Tall, tanned and with a brown eyes," Kendrick loudly said as he stared to Veronica's photos of him, as he remembered how Yzel described her ex-boyfriend.

Kendrick gulped the last sip of the whiskey on his cup and pressed the home key button of his phone and went straight to the room. He was feeling warm, exceptionally warm. Probably because of the whiskey he drank, or could also be probably, the fire of the destroyed emotions he was holding back inside.

Rays of the morning sun, woke up Stella who had a busy schedule ahead. She went straight to her kitchen, got her cereals and a cup of coffee, just a perfect combo to start her day, even though, Yzel was requesting to cancel all her schedules today. Requesting for that was just fine, but not on the last minute!

Yzel would be going to Kendrick pub again to learn to cook or just the basics after getting drunk yesterday and finished the whole day sleeping.

How could she cancel her shoots and whatnot, now that Stella had meetings to attend and collaborations to work on?

"You are such a brat," Stella said. She took a spooned full of her cereals, and sent an email to her secretary to cancel all the schedules of Yzel today and had it re-scheduled for the next week. And tried to enjoy her breakfast despite of the morning hassle of Yzel's schedule.

It was just a perfect day for Kendrick too. The day was bright and the cold breeze of Amihan just spiced up the chills of the Friday morning. Everyone was actually on a nice mood in the pub, despite of the busy agendas of the menus and the reservations, to celebrations and big guests. Friday Feast, carried on.

"Good morning!" said by a sweet voice as a beautiful maiden entered the pub. Everyone turned around with a smiles on their face as Yzel walked straight to face Kendrick, who was at center pillar and in a meeting with chefs. Kendrick adjourned the meeting as Yzel approached her in a daisy halter top dress and her Gucci bag. Yzel smiled as soon as she reached him.

"You are studying cooking not runway," Kendrick said. He put his hands on his waist.

"This is actually my normal attire," Yzel hissed. She put her hands in the side of her lips, as if telling Kendrick a secret. Kendrick just shook his head.

What else could he do? The Goddess of Fashion industry, wanted to learn to cook, and cooking had to do with her outfit dressing up as if it would make her cooking better.

Kendrick tossed Yzel her apron which she put around her neck as soon as it landed on her hands. Silently, Yzel followed Kendrick into the kitchen where giving her a tour around was the first thing to do. Yzel paid attention to Kendrick's pointing stuff, telling her what was it for, like a student carefully absorbing discussion while on a field trip.

After the tour, Kendrick went to the other side of the kitchen where - there was a long table on the other side, where the herbs were piled up on the first rack, and a different set of knives at the end. It was followed by the different sauces and seasonings at the top, then another long table where different baskets full of spices, and crops, were lined up, then trays of vegetables and fruits, and then, stoves at the opposite side. Yzel just followed Kendrick and almost bumped to him as soon as Kendrick stopped walking, as she was amazed looking around at the kitchen with so many people doing their thing, so focused and still as if there was no Kendrick and Yzel roaming around. The other chefs as well as the other staff were all dressed up and clean. They all looked like those people in the anime Yaketate Japan, chef versions.

"Okay," Kendrick started. She handed a small knife to Yzel, who was actually first time holding kitchenwares. Yzel, hesitated to get the knife. She never hold kitchenwares before, aside her rice bowls and wine glasses. Aside from that, nothing at all. Kendrick, swayed the knife closer to Yzel, like as if he was saying that he needed to do this.

"So I'll chop in the show as you cooked?" Yzel nervously said as she hold the knife on its handle, facing it to Kendrick, like a serial killer. Kendrick laughed at how Yzel's holding things, so innocent but looked so dumb as she held things about everything in the kitchen.

"You are a cook, not a serial killer, okay?" Kendrick emphasized as he held Yzel's hand to lower down the knife that was actually pointed at him. Kendrick laughed on how stiff Yzel was, same with the other people who was watching them. Kendrick got the chopping board and a little carrot as Yzel couldn't hide her face turning pinkish-red because of embarrassment. What could she do? At least she knew how to hold a bag gorgeously with one hand.

Kendrick went at Yzel's back, held her right hand where the knife was, and guided her left hand on how to hold the vegetable or anything that she needed to slice. Kendrick chuckled as he guided Yzel on slicing, as her hands were absolutely as cold as ice.

Their body was so close to each other, as Kendrick could definitely feel Yzel's shaking arms, and heavy breaths. Kendrick leaned his face forward over Yzel's shoulder, which made him looked at Yzel up close. He could even see the droplets of sweats on Yzel's cheek for being under pressure of just slicing a carrot. Yzel looked at her side, where Kendrick's face was leaned over, and the distance was so little, enough for Kendrick to notice Yzel's bluish eyes, and pinkish cheeks. Yzel smiled at Kendrick, who was a bit stunned by her smile and then Yzel looked back on the carrot and made a big heavy sigh.

Yzel who was having a first time experience in the kitchen, was so scared to make mistakes. The people surrounding them were enough pressure, and knowing nothing in the kitchen was something she couldn't deny anymore.

Roaming around and pretending to be attentive was a piece of cake. Yzel nodded on some things Kendrick pointed, as if she could remember all of those, and she was sure that she wouldn't be able to use all of those at once. After the mini-field trip, they stopped the space where there was a table and stoves at the opposite.

Yzel knew how Kendrick was hiding his laughs so that the other people around them wouldn't get disturbed. To be honest, Yzel had to g****e how to turn her stove just to heat a water for her cup noodles, how about holding a knife and worst, slicing a thing?

"Can't I just taste your food, than slicing things?" Yzel nervously said. Kendrick held her cold right hands along with the small knife.

"I'm afraid you are not," Kendrick answered her back. He was looking for a small carrot for the vegetable tray closed by.

Yzel was getting amazed of everything. Like she was going to faint that she couldn't describe what she was feeling. Kendrick let go of her hand to wash the carrot, which gave her time to loosened up, then went back their previous position.

Carefully, Kendrick arranged Yzel's hand on proper holding a knife. The point finger should be rest at the top of the knife, with your thumb, supporting the bottom part of the knife, and the rest of the fingers closed. Yzel took a deep breath, after Kendrick positioned her fingers, then held her hand, the same way Yzel was holding the knife. Kendrick's left hand was placed at the top of Yzel's left hand, holding the carrot.

"You need to put pressure on the carrot," Kendrick said. He controlled Yzel's hand on the carrot with his hand on top, then moved Yzel's right hand, with his right hand guiding it.

Yzel watched closely, as Kendrick's hand moved her hand, and how the knife smoothly glided on the carrot. It was just simple movement, but all the cut was precise and sharp. Yzel was totally amused as she watched Kendrick's hand easily moving on the carrots body. Kendrick smiled as he watched Yzel's nervous face changed to like a newly learned toddler who wanted to show her mom how to write her name.

"Let me try it," Yzel said. She took over the knife from Kendrick's hand and held the carrot for herself. Kendrick who was watching was a bit amazed on how fast Yzel learned, tho it was basically, just the basics. Kendrick put his right hand on the counter above them and put his left arm on the other sides where the stoves were and watched Yzel as she enjoyed chopping the carrots, but Kendrick couldn't deny how distracted he was to stare at Yzel's face rather than on the carrot. He had seen carrots everyday, but not a face who assembled like an angel.

Yzel, getting conscious on how she was doing, looked at Kendrick who was just few inches away from her as Kendrick stared at her, and she smiled. Kendrick blushed, and the next thing he knew, Yzel was screeching in the corner, with few red fluid droplets on the chopping board.

Yzel had accidentally cut her finger. Her wound just healed, and now here came another wound. She held her finger, putting pressure to stop the bleeding but it flowed like a river from her fingers. Kendrick hurriedly grabbed a paper towel, and followed Yzel who was on her way to the sink. Everyone looked around with them, taking a look for what causing the commotion.

"Let me help with this," Kendrick said. He helped Yzel washed her wound. Kendrick so he caressed the finger where an inch incision was on. Yzel noticed that Kendrick's hand was actually kind of soft, like a pillow with feathers stuffed inside of it. It was actually opposite of what she was expecting, like his hand was heavy, and callouses were on every point, but it was still soft, enough not to notice the callouses on it. She then stared at Kendrick who was tending her like a kid.

Francis never did this to her. Not even once on their trips together, or even they stay-cation somewhere. Because Francis was never been around to do it for her, or to tend to her whenever she was hurt, she had to learn on how to fix her own wound, despite her fear of blood. And hating to see blood, motivated her to learn first-aiding, as for herself, that no one was around to help her.

But Kendrick rushed to Yzel, like a father running to her daughter who stumbled on the ground and fell. It was kind of a first time, someone was actually there for her.

"If you have a povidine iodine and a band-aid, I'll just wrap it around," Yzel commanded Kendrick. She pulled her hand off from Kendrick's hand. "I guess, this is good enough," she added. She smiled.

"I'll get the first-aid kit for you," Kendrick said. He turned his back to go the manager's office to get the kit. Yzel silently followed him, like a younger sister.

The two went the manager's office, and Yzel sat as he waited for Kendrick to bring her the kit. Few more minutes, Kendrick went back to where she was seated and opened the kit and held her hands. Yzel wanted to do it by herself, but Kendrick insisted.

"Have you ever wonder of revenging to your ex, when he left you?" out of nowhere Kendrick asked Yzel.

Yzel was surprised to hear the question. Aside from its randomness, they were not really close enough to discuss about their inner sentiments and emotions, or it was she who never thought they were?

"Why did you ask?" Yzel said as Kendrick got some cotton buds and dipped it inside the Betadine bottles in the kit. After putting some povidine iodine, and tho the pain tingled a bit, Kendrick let the iodine dried first, then he got band-aids and splitted it on half.

"Curious, probably," Kendrick said. He wrapped the first half around Yzel's finger.

"For a moment, I thought that I like to revenge my feelings," Yzel said. She lifted the finger where the band-aid was wrapped. Kendrick grabbed her hand again, to apply the other half around her finger.

"But being happy is the best revenge ever," Yzel said sweetly. Kendrick finished band-aiding her finger, which she then raised her finger and looked at her wounded finger. Tho the band-aid was obvious, it was still kind of cute, tho.

"My happiness is to make them realize their lost," Kendrick said. He put the things back in the bag. Yzel put her hand down and turned to Kendrick who stood up and put the kit bag.

"What do you mean?" Yzel asked as Kendrick returned and sat back on the couch that Yzel was on. It was not behind Yzel's knowledge the kind of break-up Kendrick was on, and she understood how painful it could get, and she might not understanding all his anger, sorrows and grief right now, but sure she knew where Kendrick was coming from. It was the same dark hole where Yzel was still trying to get out.

Among of all the people around right now, Yzel could be the one who understood Kendrick's sentiment. She knew exactly what it felt like not to have someone around you when days were so dark, and you didn't see anything but emptiness. And Yzel, wanted to be there for Kendrick, not because she knew what it felt like to be alone, but she didn't want Kendrick to feel the same sadness she felt.

But revenge? Revenge were just a word that no one knew how far could let you go, how far it could take you, or how much pain it could bring or how much time it would take before you felt satisfied with your actions, with the results.

What good could a revenge give Kendrick? Or Yzel? Would having revenge was the answer for all the pain? Would it really set you free? Or instead they went out from the black hole they were in together right now, they just pulled themselves inside deeper, and didn't want to go