Lunch time pero nasa Sip and Drip ako. I should be eating somewhere nearby or magpapa-deliver ng lunch sa office pero dumayo pa talaga ako sa café para lang makita ang reaction ni Jericho sa suot ko today.

"Welcome to Sip and—wow."

My grin automatically widen after I saw his reactions habang nagma-mop ng sahig. He looked at me from head to toe and I proudly combed my hair using my fingers.

"Ito, sure na. May date ka ngayon."

Tinawanan ko lang siya saka ako napailing. Not certain if he was kidding or giving a hunch about my looks.

"May work ako today, Echo."

"Work?" Bigla niyang itinuro ang magkabilang side ng dibdib niya. "May nakikita akong not safe for work sa 'yo ngayon, Cinn. Sige na, aminin mo na. Saang bar ka dadayo?"

"Hey!" Nahampas ko agad siya nang mahina sa braso. "Really, I have a work today. I'm here kasi itatanong ko kung lunch mo na rin ba?"

Saglit siyang napaatras habang naniningkit ang mga mata sa 'kin. Parang nagdududa pa siya sa tanong ko. "Cinn, ang lunch ko, mamaya pang 2. Saka may baon ako. Ang mahal ng pagkain dito sa area."

Oh. May huddle kami mamayang 2, sayang naman. Mukhang kailangan kong magpa-deliver na lang ng lunch sa office. Ayokong kumain mag-isa sa resto.

"That's sad," I said and frowned a bit.

"Okay lang, ano ka ba? Bukas, sabay tayong mag-lunch. Day off ko at for sure, nasa office mo 'ko." He gave me a thumbs up and winked.

Alright. Sabi ko nga, magkasama kami bukas.

"Anyway, I'll have a mocha iced latté and two dozen of assorted doughnuts. May meeting kasi kami later so kailangan kong bumawi sa team ko."

"Sure, ma'am! One moment."

He ordered for me at habang naghihintay ako ng order, tumambay muna ako sa may counter habang nakasandal siya roon. He was resting his chin on the end of his mop while scanning me again.

I was waiting for his follow-up reactions kasi mukhang marami siyang gustong sabihin sa ayos ko. I know I wore revealing clothes today, and I wanted to feel beautiful for someone who knows how to appreciate what I only have. I'm not as pretty as the other fashion designers in Lion, but I can carry myself better than them when it comes to dresses. Too bad, sobrang rare ko lang ding magpaganda sa iba because of Tyrone.

"Just say it," I urged Jericho. "Do I look good?"

"Yeah. Eye-catching ka nga. Hindi ko maalis ang tingin ko sa 'yo."

"Oh, that's cute haha!"

"Kung wala lang akong trabaho ngayon, inuwi na kita. Uy, may dala kang kotse?"

"I have no choice. Why?"

"Buti naman. Kasi kung sasakay ka o maglalakad pauwi nang nakaganyan, baka may makasuhan ka na naman ng harrasment."

I rolled my eyes at that. Yeah, sure I would. Pero sa area na 'to, sobrang rare ng mga gumagalang catcaller. I've never experienced catcalling here anyway. I was fine dressing up like this kung sa ganitong lugar lang ako pupunta. But outside this place, as much as possible, I needed to dress like the Philippines was experiencing a snowstorm regardless of the freaking El Niño times.

"Ready na yata yung order mo," he said. So I took out my wallet and gave him my MasterCard.

"May gagawin ka ba later after work?" tanong ko agad habang papalapit ako sa counter to put my card's PIN.

"Hindi ako puwede mamayang gabi e."

Napalingon agad ako sa kanya. "Why?"

"Kakausapin ko yung friend kong nagsu-supply ng pintura sa C-5. Sa kanya kasi ako nagpapatimpla ng kulay. Para kapag nakita ko na yung office mo, ipi-pickup ko na lang yung mga pintura sa warehouse."

"Oh. That's nice."

"Magpapagawa na rin ako ng billing para may mai-forward ka sa accounting office kung magpo-fall siya under company expenses."

"Uhm . . ." I was agape. Like shit, did he talk about formalities right now? "You sounded like a businessman, Echo. Are you fucking me?"

"Gusto mong sagutin ko 'yan?" Then he grinned naughtily.

My eyes widened because of his double-meaning answer. "Shut up!" I couldn't help myself but to smile while taking my card at the counter. "You're getting weirder and weirder, man."

Napatingin tuloy ako sa mop na hawak niya. Siguro ba siyang struggling siya sa pera?

"See you bukas, ma'am!"

I bid him goodbye and I planned to order for my lunch through a delivery app kaso paubos na ang time ko to wait for that. And while I was in the elevator, napaisip ako sa mga narinig ko kay Jericho kanina.

He knew what he was doing. He talked professionally. He knew what I was going to ask for him once we started this project.

Parang nagdududa na 'ko kasi most of the time, he was impressive when it comes to industrial works, handicrafts, and money talks. He even has a good public relations approach!

Kung titingnang mabuti, once mag-apply siya ng trabaho sa company, malaki ang chance niyang makapasa. Yet he chose to stay in where? Sa bar as a bartender? Sa café as a crew na minimum ang sahod? He could do great artworks, he knew how to create prototype designs. You sold one of those designs, may potential ka nang maging milyonaryo in just a snap. May problema ba siya sa pag-handle ng pera?

Dumaan na lang ako sa pantry sa fifth floor para ipatago sa ref ang doughnuts na order ko for my team. And I needed to write a note with all capital letters na ang doughnut doon ay for Cinnamon de Chavez. Alam na nilang walang gagalaw ng doughnuts kasi takot lang nila sa 'kin.

Before kasi, may mga senior fashion designer and executives na kung makakuha ng foods sa ref ng pantry, parang sila ang may-ari. Until now rin naman. But these are mine so they should back-off.

Masarap ang foods sa pantry at dito ako madalas kumain before pa akong mag-AWOL. Hindi lang ako napapadalas dito kapag ang dami kong projects and meetings outside the company premises. Marami kasing nag-aaya for a lunch date and I had no choice but to join them kasi during meal, nag-uusap talaga about sa work.

The fifth floor's pantry occupied a quarter of the whole floor kaya sobrang lawak. Halos dalawang classroom ang sakop nito and mukhang marami akong makakasabay sa pila.

"Hi, Miss Cinn! Good to see you here!" They started greeting me habang hinahanap ko ang dulo ng pila sa isang counter.

"Hey, Cinn! Welcome back!"

"Miss Cinn, una ka na," sabi ng isang employee na nasa unahan ko. She wore an ID in a red lace above her white blouse kaya mukhang taga-research team siya. Familiar ang mukha pero hindi ko alam ang pangalan. Sa production kasi, laging nasa belt ang clip ng ID.

"No, it's okay. Mukhang kanina pa kayo rito. Kaninong team ka?"

"Kay Miss Tam po."

"Oh! Tapos na yung maternity leave?"

"Last month pa, miss."

So, active na pala si Tamara. Ka-batch namin siya nina Auburn and isa sa mga tenured employee ng branch na 'to ng Lion. If I want a research to be done ASAP, I will call her in the middle of the Goddman night just to have an exclusive information. Pero ang nasa kabuwanan na siya noong nag-AWOL ako kaya alam kong busy siya sa first baby niya ngayon. Hindi ko inaasahang active na pala siya. Mukhang umaayon sa 'kin ang pagkakataon ngayon.

"Tell her I'll visit her office later," I informed the employee.

"Sure thing, Miss Cinn."

I waited for the line at hindi naman gaanong matagal ang ten minutes na paghihintay since mabilis kumilos ang mga nasa counter. And besides, hindi ko rin napansin ang pila kasi tinatanong ko ang mga kasabay ko regarding their jobs for today. Para din alam ko kung sino ang bibisitahin ko mamaya for an update.

Hindi kami nagbabayad sa pantry. Lahat ng orders dito ay ini-scan sa IDs namin and automatically salary deduction na iyon with fifty percent discount. Better to eat here if walang cold cash ang employee. That's what I like about this branch kasi kung gutom ang empleyado nila, kahit wala pang sahod, makakakain pa rin nang maayos for a daily meal. Part din naman 'yon ng meal allowance nila according sa contract at lahat ng sosobra sa allotted meal budget, doon ibabawas sa gross pay.

Walang lugi both ends.

After I got my tray with my meal: mushroom chowder, lasagna, and orange juice, I went to a table with a man sitting on it dahil puno na talaga ang pantry to cater to everyone.

Surprising nga na walang umupo sa tabi ng guy kahit paubos na ang mesa.

"Hi, may I—"

There, I stopped asking if I could sit with him.

Kaya pala walang umupong iba.

Pagtingin ko sa pagkain niya, halos kalahati na 'yon. So, kanina pa pala siya nandito.

"Go ahead." Itinuro pa niya ang upuan sa tapat niya.

"Himala, wala ka sa resto." Umupo na lang din ako sa katapat niyang upuan at inilapag doon lahat ng laman ng tray ko.

"Time-consuming. I need to be here as early as 12:45," he answered, I checked my leather wristwatch. 12: 29 na.

I was supposed to placed my tray sa gilid pero naunahan na niya 'ko ng kuha at inilagay na niya iyon sa tray niyang itinabi niya na lang din.

"Si Shiela?"

"Nasa leave."

"Wala kang secretary today?" Kaya pala hindi ko nakita ang babaeng 'yon mula pa kaninang umaga.

"Jigo's assisting me since yesterday. Ngayon mo lang napansin?"

"Ayokong pansinin, it's distressing FYI."

I started eating my meal and as much as possible, I wanted to eat in peace. Hindi ko nakilala si Tyrone kanina bago ko pa siya maharap dito sa table. Unexpected naman kasi na makikita ko siya rito nang ganitong oras para kumain.

He wasn't finished eating yet and he was scrolling his phone placed on the table next to his plate.

Pasimple akong sumilip kung may kausap ba siyang kabit niya, but nope. He was checking Lion's website at napansin ko agad ang sunod-sunod na dress sa screen.

I know Ty's a womanizer, but I couldn't digress his commitment in his job. Sana lang talaga kung gaano siya ka-committed sa trabaho, ganoon din siya ka-committed sa love life.

I had to finish my meal before 1 para makapag-start na kami ng team ko para sa preparation for tomorrow's meeting. And since nasa harapan ko na rin naman si Tyrone, chance ko na 'to para tanungin siya sa redecoration ng office ko.

"By the way, I'm planning to change my office interior, Ty."

I met his eyes with a question on it as to why I suddenly ask him about changing my office's look.

"Gusto ko ng fresh look ng opisina ko para hindi mukhang stressful after my leave in Lion."

I shifted my eyes to avoid his stares at pagtingin ko sa ibaba, ubos na ang pagkain niya.

Mukhang kanina pa ubos ang pagkain niya.

Napasilip ako sa relos ko. 12:49 na. Akala ko ba, aakyat siya by 12:45? Hindi ba niya nakikita sa phone niya yung time?

"I'll call Marigold to assist you."

"May interior designer na 'kong nahanap. I like his style kaya siya ang gusto kong mag-ayos ng office ko. He co-designed one of Michael Aguas' furnitures na nasa The Grand Hyatt."

Bigla siyang huminto sa pag-scroll sa phone niya bago ako sinulyapan para tanungin na naman. "He?"

"Yeah."

"Do I know him?"

"Nope."

"Is he your friend?"

"Sort of? Yeah."

"Does the family know about him? How close are you two?"

I opened my mouth to answer but I halted. Ano ba? Bakit ba ang dami niyang personal questions? Puwede ba siyang magtanong ng related sa topic like how many years nang nagde-design? Is he a designer working sa company or a freelancer or may sariling business? Come on!

"I'm talking about changing my office's interior, Tyrone Chen, not to ask you if I'm allowed to have another boyfriend aside from you."

He laid back and rested in his chair comfortably while crossing his arms. His eyes spoke doubt and I'm liking it.

"You need to agree, Ty. Or else, I'll never come back to this building again as your senior fashion designer. Now, do we have an accord?"

"I'll see him tomorrow. Bring him in my office."

♥♥♥