04

I have been self cautious with everything. I've set plans for what I have to do, even the people I've been with. I do a lot of research even background checks by simply checking their social media accounts or even asking from a friend of a friend.

I can't be certain with what I do. Everything has a reason behind, everything has to be triple checked before I proceed.

As Sam walked me through the mall in Quezon city. I didn't ask him anything, even our agenda as to why we are here. Even though I don't have the idea, still I felt safe around him.

We went inside the famous coffee shop in the mall, he ordered coffee beans and a cup of coffee for us, the usual double shot americano.

"I felt bad that I didn't give you the supply that you need for my coffee every weekend." he said while getting our order.

"Bayad ko nga yun sa cellphone mo na nabasag ko," ngumisi siya sa akin habang napapailing.

"You're really absurd." he chuckled. "Where do you want to eat?"

"I feel like eating at the food court." I suggested and roamed my eyes around the coffee shop. The smell of the coffee surrounded each corner of the place.

"But what exactly?"

Napatingin ako sa kaniya, si Mr. Specific pala ito. Kailangan specify lahat ng kailangan, walang panahon pa para manghula.

"A fried noodle." sagot ko. Tumango siya sa akin at iginaya ako papuntang escalator.

"Aside from masters, what do you often do?" I looked at him in curiosity, why does he have so many questions for me?

"Sometimes I do pottery, but if my friends were free I asked them to play badminton." I answered, he seems so invested with it.

"What time do you like to play badminton?"

We're already on the third floor of the mall where the food court is located. We started to look for fried noodles and drinks. Luckily, we found one and we didn't have to fall in line since it doesn't have many customers in the food stalls.

"Usually at night, if I'm in good condition. I often have back and neck cramps." He nodded at what I said. Is he interested in playing with me?

"Let's schedule that."

Napakunot ang noo ko, ayan nanaman siya sa mga plano niyang pabugso-bugso.

"You have so much on your plate, given that you have a huge business alongside taking a masters degree. I don't feel like you have time to make for it."

"To be honest with you, Danica. I have been good with multi-tasking. Given that I have a presentation later at eleven and I haven't prepared for it. I chose to be with you waiting for your fried noodles and milktea." He blurted out, I covered my mouth in shock.

Nanunumbat ba siya?

"And no, I don't intend to make you feel bad about it. I just wanted to brag about how I'm pretty good at managing my time."

I sighed in disbelief. "Is spending your time seeing me for a kiss worth it rather than spending it for your presentation?"

He nodded.

He just fucking nodded at my question, without hesitation, without thinking twice.

Napailing ako ay hindi makapaniwala. Hindi ko na rin siya maintindihan sa mga oras na ito. Kung ako sa kaniya ay hindi siya magsasayang ng oras kung hindi naman ako kumikita.

Kung ako? Ano nga ba ang ginagawa ko sa ngayon?

"You seem to be pre-occupied. Have you thought about when you want us to play badminton?" he asked while driving, we're heading to my house because he insisted on driving me home.

"I don't know, I was thinking what was my deal with this unreasonable deal that you made." he laughed about it.

"I'm also thinking about it too. Everything that had happened was ridiculous, but I can't deny that I felt good about it."

I looked at him, he looked assured and firm about what he said. He seems complacent with our situation, while I'm being cautious again.

Cautious of what will happen in the future for the both of us.

The next day, Kenneth and I decided to meet after working hours at the nearest coffee shop to discuss something, professionally. She really emphasized the word professionalism, which means that she was serious about talking about it.

"I actually have been contemplating deciding this, I need someone's brain to decide about it." she said seriously, I even pointed my head.

"Stop beating the bush, let's get to the point. Are you pregnant? Getting married? Fall in love–"

"Gosh, none of the choices." She sighed. "I was planning to start a business. I don't know if I have to stick with cakes or I have to incorporate coffee drinks too."

"If you are planning to have commercial space for it, I suggest incorporating the coffee drinks with it. To maximize everything, it could be another source of profits too." I suggested it, and she seems satisfied with it.

"The problem is, I don't have any knowledge about it and I don't have much time to learn for now." she said, frustrated.

"You need someone to have a knowledge for it–"

"Yeah, and it's you."

I paused for a moment, trying to process everything we had just discussed. So this is her deal now? It doesn't seem like there's any issue with the bakery, but perhaps she's now exploring how to incorporate it into coffee drinks.

"Okay, when we can align with the recipe–" she cut me off.

"You will need to sign a contract before we align with the recipe. I'll let you know when we can align the creation for the recipe."

Halos mapanganga ako sa kaniya. Tama ba itong tao na kaharap ko ngayon? Kaibigan ko ba talaga itong si Kenneth?

Bibiruin ko pa sana siya pero mukhang ayaw niya ng mga ganoong moments sa mga ganitong oras. Ibinigay niya sa akin ang contract.

I admit that I am not really a pro when it comes to making coffee recipes', I just love coffee, and creating recipes' for it is such a fun thing to explore.

Umaga palang ng sabado ay masama na agad ang timpla ko. Maraming customers complains, ilang oras na meeting sa managing directors at sunod-sunod na request ng mga sales agents para sa kanilang clients.

Halos tipa lang keyboard ang nagsisilbing ingay ng office, seryoso ang mga tao at hindi na maipinta ang kanilang mga mukha.

Oras ng lunch time pero nasa laptop pa rin ang tingin ng iilan sa amin, bitbit ang laptop sa canteen habang kumakain. Natigil na lamang ako sa notification ng phone ko na ikinagulantang ng buong katawan ko.

TD News Updated

Trina Victorino is engaged with the 30 year old billionaire Samuel Salvador. Click to read more.

Halos hindi ko malunok ang kinain ko, wala pa masyado sa kalahati ang nauubos kong pagkain ngunit nawalan na ako ng gana, Iniligpit ko ang pinagkainan at dumiretso sa comfort room pagkatapos ay inabala ko na ang aking sarili sa comfort room.

Halo-halo ang nararamdaman ko ngayon, hindi ko alam kung anong pakikitungo ang gagawin ko mamaya kay Samuel, lalo na't may pasok at presentation pa kami mamayang gabi.

Siya na ang tumapos ng presentation namin, nireview ko lang iyon at ako na ang nagpasa sa amin. Tatlong araw na kaming hindi nagkikita, sa loob ba ng mga araw na iyon ay engaged na siya omay nakarelasyon na siya?

Sa mga sitwasyon na mga ito hindi na ako naiiyak, mas binababad ko ang aking sarili sa trabaho na hindi ko na napansin na mag-uuwian na.

Habang nasa loob ng LRT ay iniisip ko pa rin ang balita, nakatanggap na rin ako ng message ni Samuel sa viber ngunit hindi ko binigyan pansin iyon, ni-hindi ko magawang basahin.

Pakiramdam ko nandidiri ako sa sarili ko, naging kabit ako. Iniingatan ko ang sarili ko pero hinayaan ko maging gano'ng tao ako.

Late akong pumasok sa silid, hindi ko na magawan ng coffee si Sam dahil wala talaga ako sa mood. Mukhang hindi niya napansin ang aura ko dahil ngumiti pa siya.

Ngumiti lang siya, na para bang walang balitang kumakalat sa kaniya.

Kami ang unang nagpresenta, okay naman ang kinalabasan ng presentation. Wala masyadong naging tanong ang professor, yun naman ang importante.

"Were you busy earlier?" he asked when I was about to put my laptop in my bag.

"Yep." I simply answered.

"I see."

Pagkadismiss palang ng klase ay lumabas na ako agad, nagpapanggap pa akong may message sa phone na meroong emergency para hindi niya mahalatang umiiwas ako.

Panigurado naman hindi magiging big deal sa kaniya ang pag-iwas ko. Hindi kami parehas ng estado sa buhay, hindi rin kami magkaibigan, walang koneksyon ang nag-uugnay sa amin.

Kinabukasan ay hindi siya pumasok, mabuti nalang at hindi ako nahirapan para umiwas. Halos siya ang laman ng balita, ikaw ba naman engaged sa popstar at actress magiging laman ka talaga ng balita.

Hindi ko na siya masyadong inintidi ng mga dumaan na araw, wala na rin akong mensaheng natanggap galing sa kaniya. Hindi na rin ako umaasang tumanggap noon.

"Hi Nics, we will be having a meeting with the Flame Corner in regards with our matcha latte development. They already bought the 70% of minute mart equity shares. I had a conversation with Mr. Salvador earlier, he shared that he plans to incorporate our hot beverage offerings in minute mart too."

"Minute Mart, the convenient store ma'am?" I asked, reassuring if everything I heard was right.

"Yes, his dad bought it. He will be the one who will manage the business too."

Fuck. In the middle of his engagement, he also had to deal with this. How much time does he have? He doesn't seem too busy to even acquire another business.

The next day, we went to the office of flame corner again, this time with the board members of flame corner. Ms. Sarah will be the one who had a presentation and I along with the managing director will back up in regards to agreements.

"Due to a global cocoa shortage, we can't adjust the price of our chocolate drinks. Similarly, the recent increase in sugar-related taxes prevents us from making price changes to our latte offerings." I interrupted in the middle of a discussion.

We're already in the middle of discussing the price. There's a conflict with the cost and how much they would be able to offer in the market.

"This is the best price that we could offer. Given the quality of our powdered mixes won't compromise." I even persuaded them.

They seemed satisfied with it, even Sam didn't say a thing.

"For now, let's put the discussion on hold regarding that matter. We will get back to you once we have analysed it."

Sam adjourned the meeting, some of the board members stayed in the conference room and even exchanged business cards with us. The managing director left already after that.

I met sir Mike along with his team too after we left the conference room. We even met Sam who was busy on the phone.

Naabutan na kami ng lunch sa haba ng meeting. Mabuti nalang at may panahon pa sila sir Mike makipag-usap sa amin.

"Kamusta ka naman diyan, Ms. Nics?" si sir Mike, medyo may katandaan na kaya kumukulit.

"Nako eto pa rin sir, stress pero pretty pa rin." pagbibiro ko.

"Wala pa yan boyfriend, baka may single sa team mo?" aniya ni Ms. Sarah, napakurot ako sa gilid niya.

"Sa team ko kasi wala eh, balitaan kita kapag may nagbreak." biro ni sir Mike at natawa pa. Humilaw lang ang tawa niya ng dumaan sa gawi si Samuel.

"Good afternoon sir." bati niya pa.

"Did you have lunch, Mike?" tanong pa nito.

"I was about too sir, I just had a conversation with Ms. Danica."

Tumingin ako sa gawi ni Sam, napataas pa ang dalawang kilay niya sa akin.

"Anyway, I have to go, I will have meeting with Ms. Sarah too."

"Oo nga pala Nics, puntahan nalang kita sa lobby." aniya ni Ms. Sarah.

"Oh okay, sure." saad.

Sam and I were left here. I don't know how to excuse myself from him, should I run?

"Why were you asking such a question with them?" my forehead creased because of his question.

"Huh? What question?"

"If there's a single on Mike's team. I thought we would work it out eventually?"

How about the news, was it true. It has been a topic on the news for a week now.

"They seem to be kidding about it, it wasn't a big deal. Besides, I've heard that you are already engaged last week."

Now, he is the one who looks mad.

"With whom? Trina? I can't be engaged with my younger sister."

What the fuck?