Chapter 3

"Raijine, I'm just going to take a shower." He charmingly announced to me, topless and only wearing a boxer that I believe didn't help him to cover up something he's trying not to be seen by anyone. He's like dripping sweats all over the floor, from his messy hair and his sparkling toned abs perfectly blinded me. That was such a big temptation to resist and I'm glad I did go through it without making myself embarrassed.

But that was already thirty minutes ago and he hasn't come out of the bathroom yet. Nagtataka na ako kung anong ginagawa no'n ngayon. Chini hasn't come back yet, if she's heading back here magsasabi naman 'yon, but I'm kind of worried about what's happening inside the bathroom right now.

Habang nasa banyo siya, nilibang ko na lang din ang sarili ko na maglinis-linis, though hindi ko kakayanin linisin ang buong complex na 'to. May housekeeper naman and from time to time, he hired to clean the room for him though he's been away from 18 months and this unit hasn't been dwell by anyone—Chini does at times, but not very often. She's just here to maintain the premises while BJH is away and on his military training.

Hindi rin ako nakatiis kaya tinungo ko na kung nasaan ang bathroom. I look for him in the common bathroom and I didn't find him there so I tried looking for him in the master's bedroom in his master's bathroom. There are multiple rooms in this luxurious unit, but he's only occupying one. Though some rooms converted it something interesting places such as the entertainment room, gym, and other stuff I haven't been into.

As I went inside his room, I've got shivered all over my body and I had to rub my hand on my skin just to relieve the goose bumps. Bukod sa malamig ay mabango ang kanyang kwarto. It smells like an expensive scent of air purifier na tila ba itinimpla pa ito sa France. Nakayayaman 'yong dating kaya naman feel na feel kong sumayaw-sayaw sa loob ng kwarto ni BJH para dumikit sa akin ang amoy ng yaman.

Though that stopped me when I had to check on him. Malinis naman ang paligid. It seems like every piece of furniture has been placed accordingly and his bed has been neatly tight. I've been in his room many times lalo na't madalas talagang may inuutos siya sa akin, but this is the first time I haven't got his permission.

Lakas lang talaga ng loob. Always, sa lahat ng pagkakataon.

Huminga ako ng malalim saka ako kumatok sa pinto. Tahimik at walang sumasagot. I'm also not hearing the shower flowing. Inabot ko ang door handle at dahan-dahan kong ipinihit ito saka ko tinulak paloob. I peek my head inside and the lemon aroma greeted me and filled the room. So, I pushed the door widely and walked inside the bathroom searching for any traces of my boss. There's the towel hanging on the racks and as I just shifted my head on the right side, muntik nang lumuwa ang mata ko nang makita ko siya ro'n na nakalublob sa bathtub. His lower body is plunged into the water and his arms are restlessly hanging on the sides. He's just resting his head on the stone and he jerked his body, making small splashes of water. He just stood up and then hopped out of the bathtub naked from head to toe.

I swallowed so hard trying not to look down and keep my head to eye level, but because I still can't avoid it and still pictured him whole, I'm seeing everything of him right now.

"Raijine?!" he exclaimed. He just grabbed a shirt on the floor and covered it in his private area. His hair has been dripping some water and he was so shocked seeing me in his bathroom. "Hey! Raijine?! What are you—please would you leave me?"

Agad naman akong natauhan at tumango sa kanya. "Of course! Sorry! I didn't mean to intrude! I was just looking and checking on you. You've been here a while."

"I know," tipid nitong sagot sa akin.

"Sorry ulit!" pagpapaumanhin ko kaya dali-dali rin akong lumabas ng bathroom at isinara 'yon.

Nanatali muna ko sa tapat ng pinto habang pinapakalma ko ang sarili ko. The next thing I've heard is him taking a shower na. Lumabas na ako ng kwarto niya at naghanap ng mapaglilibangan dahil hindi ko naman inaasahan na makikita ko siyang hubo't hubad ngayon. It'll be so awkward between us now.

I just grabbed a bottle spray and a window wiper then keep myself busy by trying to wash it away from my mind. Dalawang beses na ngayong araw at ayokong isipin ni BJH na pinagpapantasyahan ko siya.

From my first year of working for him, back in 2019, BJH received a lot of sexual and very offensive messages that are not actually good for his mental health. Some of his fans started sexualizing him when he's wearing some fitted jeans and his bulge is solely present and people kept making a big deal out of it. While he was still in the group with the other former member, he was also sexually harassed by some people in the media and obsessed fans. I'm not a nymphomaniac to act like I'm obsessed and uncontrollable about him. It isn't just my nature... maybe at some point, I've thought about him in a sexy way, but not to the point I'm offending and sexualizing him. He's just too innocent to be put into this situation.

Hindi ko lang sure kung anong nasa isip niya ngayong nakita ko siyang hubo't hubad. Though as if I would make a big deal out of it. Hindi naman ako gano'ng klase ng tao na kakapit for clout. I don't want the fame... I just want to work and earn some money. That's what I'm doing, keeping and checking my boss' wellbeing.

At least I'm sure he's fine and alive right now.

I continued cleaning the windows and then a moment later, he walked out of his bathroom already prepped up. He seems like he didn't mind about what happened, but I kept my attention away. Baka i-fired niya agad ako, uuwi talaga ako ng Pinas ng luhaan.

"Raijine!" tawag sa akin ni BJH.

Agad naman akong lumingon sa kanya at nilagay ko ang kamay sa likod ko. "Yes, boss?"

"What time are we leaving? Is Chini be here at any moment?" he asked as if I knew the answer to that.

Pero dahil he's expecting me to know what's going around, I should be answering something with a sense rather than shaking my head and saying that I don't know because, in this field, I should be always be knowing something that's going on.

"She hasn't come back yet, but she might be back before lunch or I might just giver her a call to ask her."

"Sure, call her," BJH said.

Dali-dali ko rin namang kinuha ang phone ko at sinubukan kong tawagan si Chini. Good thing sa unang ring pa lamang ng pagtawag ko ay sinagot na niya agad.

"Chini, nasaan ka na?" bungad ko.

"Hindi pa kami tapos Jelay! Inip na ako," aniya. "Sakto namang nagbanyo 'yong kausap ko at tumawag ka. And I know why you're calling me. Tell BJH that you guys should leave before noon and then we'll just meet at the location. Alam na ng driver 'yon na maghahatid sa inyo ro'n. Feeling ko matatagalan pa ako ng kaunti rito sa pakikipag-usap sa assistant ni Mr. Hwang. But you shouldn't worry about it and should be me, too. Ikaw na bahala kay BJH, a?"

Napalunok na lamang ako ng laway nang sabihin niya sa akin 'yon. She trusted me to look after BJH and she believed in me that's why she puts me into this position. Sa isang taon na pagta-trabaho ko, I must admit that I failed a few times at pinagsabihan sa mga pagkakamali ko, but knowing all the things I need to do, alam ko na ang gagawin ko ngayon—sana.

Nang ibaba ko ang tawag ko kay Chini ay hinanap ko naman si BJH at nakita ko siya sa may balcony kaya lumabas ako para samahan siya ro'n at ianunsyo ang pinapahatid sa akin ni Chini.

He was quiet, seems scary to be bothered. Para akong tanga na atras-abante hangga't sa inihaging niya ng lingon sa akin ang ulo niya saka niya ako tuluyang tiningnan.

I thought he was going to ask why I was standing there, but I was just assuming.

"Have you talked to Chini?" he asked.

I nodded. "Yes, she said we should leave together before lunch and she'll be meeting us to the location. She just said that the driver already knows the place so yeah... that's what she said.

"I see..." He muttered, nodding his head. He then continued watching the view from the balcony area.

Dahil curious ako kung anong tinitingnan niya ro'n, I stood next to him and then I was a little horrified dahil sa taas ba naman ng tinitingnan namin ngayon, but little by little, I started appreciating the view and how we look giant to where we are. Nawala naman iyong kaba at takot sa dibdib ko. Nagsimulang mamutawi ang ngiti sa labi ko. Ipinikit ko ang mata ko at pinakiramdaman ko ang hangin na humahaplos sa balat namin saka ako huminga ng malalim.

"Mwhago issni?" he questioned and I got startled, rapidly opening up my eyes to see him. (What are you doing?)

Hindi ko tuloy nabugo ng maayos iyong ininhale kong hangin. Parang na-trap bigla sa dibdib ko.

I shook my head innocently. "Nothing... I'm just breathing the air. It's been a while since I've been here. I missed the view, breathing Korean's atmosphere, and working for you."

He creased his forehead, still questioning me with the way he looked at me. "And you've been doing all that by breathing?"

I giggled when he asked that. Cute and innocent, sarap kurutin ng pisngi! "Maybe... I've been dealing a lot of things back home and being back here makes me feel so good. I'm happy that I've got to work with you again, sir. Thank you for the opportunity."

He smiled, made a little noise of joy in it. Tinapik naman nito ang balikat ko at tumang-tango. "And thank you for accepting it again. I'm happy you're here with us again and of course, in South Korea. And I may say sorry for you to have to go back to your home and lose your job here because I need to go to the military. You know... I can't do anything about it."

I breathe in and let it go with a smile plastered on my face. "That's all right... I understand that you have to go through it and can't even go against it so who am I, right? But I know this is a new chapter for us—for everything so I'm looking forward to a sweet success here again."

He tapped the railings and then face me. "You know what, I've got an idea. We're going to leave. Come with me, Raijine."

"Ah, sir, I don't think we should leave early at this hour. Mamaya pa naman ang alis alis... it's just ten."

"I know, we've still got time so please just don't say a word, just don't tell Chini, alright?"

Napangiwi naman ako sa request niya at tumango na lang din since siya ang boss ko. Pero lagot din ako nito kay Chini kung hindi ko sasabihin sa kanya kung saan kami pupunta. Maybe I'll just sneak it to him later, hindi ko pa naman alam kung saan kami pupunta ngayon so wherever he intends to go, I hope it's not bad as I'm imagining right now.

I just followed him heading to the exit and then to the elevator. He just contacted the driver and a moment later, we're already at the basement of the building looking for his driver, but then a little moment it signaled us and it stopped in front of us. The driver walked out of the car, bowed to us then open the door for us. BJH let me get inside the car and then he followed me next to me.

"Munger galariae gaza," BJH told the driver. He bowed affirming the order and then he drove the car. Nilingon naman niya ako kasi puno pa rin ng pagtataka ang mukha ko. "Have you been into the Galleria?"

Between of brow wrinkled when I had to think of it and realized I haven't been in there so I shook my head.

"Ah, I see... you'll love it there, Raijine."

I breathe in. "Sure I will."

Chini please don't kill me when you know that BJH took me elsewhere without notifying you!

And where could we be going right now, what are we going to do then? I'm hoping that BJH isn't thinking about getting away with his interview and if I assumed it correctly, sino kaya ang mapapagalitan sa aming dalawa ni BJH ni Chini?

I slowly look at the person right next to me and it's like I'm still dreaming, I'm back doing what I love.

***

Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoy this chapter! Let me know your thoughts! I would appreciate it so much!

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