"FEEL at home, Vraiose. Kukuha lang ako sandali ng makakain natin."

Hindi agad nakasagot si Vraiose. Without thinking twice, pumasok siya sa kwarto nito at inilibot ang tingin sa kabuuan. Malinis ang kwarto nito and it's well designed compare to their room.

It's like she's seeing a duplicate room of her brother, Jyrelle.

"Woah…"

Puno ng Polaroids picture ang pader sa itaas ng headboard ng kama nito. Malinaw pa naman ang mga mata niya kaya kahit sa malayo, nakikita ni Rayos na picture 'yon ni Leo na kuha sa iba't ibang bansa.

There's also a picture of her, kasama ang Eiffel tower pero hindi 'yon malapitan.

"Crib?" she whispered to herself when she noticed his bed. "Baka style lang…" bawi niya nang makita na wala 'yong lock.

She suddenly felt the urge to lay herself on his bed. His room smells nice, especially his bed. Rayos chuckled when she saw his bedsheet and duvet. Black ang bedsheet at white ang duvet. Ang cover ng mga unan naman nito ay ganun din, alternate, black and white.

"Bakit kapag kwarto ng lalaki puro black at white ang nakikita?" she scoffed.

Nadaanan ni Rayos ang bed side table nito. They don't have one in their own room. There's a mushroom shaped lamp, parang out of place ito sa kwarto niya. Her brow lifted up when she saw the books, there's a book about marketing and such and there's also a romance book.

"Never knew he's a fan of romance books…"

She loves reading and so, she accidentally read her mother's books. Imagine her shock when she found out that it wasn't just a romance book. It was erotic-romance!

She was already 16 at that time. Rayos skipped the steamy part and proceeded on how the story flows.

Rayos whistled when she's finally done with her tour. His study table was quite big. Pa 'L' ito, but if you're going to look at it, para itong letter 'V' lalo na at nakadikit sa pader ang dulo ng lamesa.

May desktop computer ito sa kabilang side, at sa kabila naman din ay may laptop at iPad na nakalagay sa stand. She placed her bag on his table and sat on his swivel chair.

Sa kwarto nila, hati silang dalawa ng kambal sa mahabang lamesa. May laptop din naman sila but that was their mother and father used laptop. Hindi naman sila nagrereklamo dahil maayos pa naman ang mga ito.

His father didn't spoiled them. Kahit na kaya naman nito.

"Well, maybe he bought this using his money…" she whispered.

Sa sobrang inip niya, pinindot pindot niya ang keyboard ng desktop nito.

Vraiose took out her phone immediately when she saw the pictures sticked out in his wall. Sigurado na magugustuhan ito ng kambal niya. Mabilis niyang kinuhanan ng picture ang mga ito at nai-send kay Vyrlle.

It was the marketing plan of their Café. May café rin naman sila pero hindi nila gagayahin ang marketing plan nito. Gusto lang talaga niya na ipakita sa kambal niya na mahilig din sa paggawa ng ganito.

His plan was detailed that Vraiose couldn't help herself but to be amazed.

"Here, kain ka muna." Inilapag nito ang dalang tray sa lamesa.

May juice at dalawang slice ng pizza doon.

"Or, gusto mo na gawin while eating?" tanong nito sa kanya.

"Gawin na natin." Vraiose answered.

She's not sure if they can finish it on time. Lalo na at Kuya niya ang susundo sa kanya, her overprotective brother might cut his work para lang masundo siya agad nito. Rayos will bet her favorite romance book, hindi na mapakali ang kapatid niya ngayon sa opisina nito.

"Ahm, gawa mo ba 'yan?" tanong niya at itinuro ang mga picture na nakadikit sa pader. The marketing plan.

Nakita niya na bahagyang namula ang mga tenga nito, even his cheeks and neck were a bit red.

"Yes, both of my parents lives for marketing. I guess… sa kanila namin 'yon nakuha ni Ate Pisces."

"Bakit lagi kang may dala na camera?" she asked. Agad niyang tinakpan ang bibig nang ma-realise niya ang tanong.

Leo chuckled softly at her, "I love marketing and photography. Lagi ko 'yong dala so I can capture every possible subjects. I want to capture them immediately, habang nagagandahan pa ako."

"So, kapag hindi ka na nagagandahan, hindi mo na kukunan ng picture?" she asked. But it sounds like she's challenging him.

Leo clicked his tongue and shook his head. "Hindi, kukunan ko pa rin. What I mean is, nagagandahan pa ako sa pakiramdam. There are some subjects na worth it balikan, meron din na hindi. For example, I saw a beautiful scenery tapos hindi ko dala ang camera ko. If babalikan ko 'yon kinabukasan, there are two possibilities. One, mas lalo lang 'yon na gaganda sa paningin ko and second, sigurado ba ako na ganun pa rin kaganda 'yon?"

Bahagya siyang tumango rito.

"So, hindi ka mahilig mag take ng risk?"

"Hindi," he answered immediately. "But I have no choice. Sa marketing, maganda siya sa isip ko but in reality, dumedepende pa rin ang resulta sa ibang tao."

Pinanliitan niya ito ng mga mata. The way he talks, Rayos can grasp how much he loves marketing, business.

"Bakit STEM?"

Leo glanced at her while opening his desktop. "Hindi mo narinig ang sagot ko noon?"

"Honestly? No."

The zodiac, named Leo just smiled at her and pushed the swivel chair lightly. Iginiya siya nito paharap sa laptop nito at binuksan 'yon.

"Pwede ka sa ABM."

"Nagbago na ang isip ko, ayaw ko na sa ABM." Leo cooly answered her. "Here, you can use my laptop. Send me the link and which part should I get para matapos na tayo."

Inilipat din ni Leo sa pwesto niya ang pizza at juice niya, habang ito naman ay kumuha ng extra na upuan sa labas at ang desktop ang gamit nito. She just pouted her lips and started to search for their topic. Mas madali sa kanya ang maghanap dahil medyo may kalakihan na ang screen.

And while she's doing her part, she's eating the pizza and thinking of ways kung paano nila irereport ang topic nila. Sa paraan na madali siyang maintindihan ng mga kaklase nila and at the same time, mataas ang marka na makukuha nilang dalawa ni Leo.

Yes, she's competitive.

Napatigil si Vraiose sa pagtitipa at agad na lumingon sa may pintuan nang marinig na may kumatok. It was Leo's sister.

"Hi, I'm sorry. But, your brother is already here." Ngumiti ito sa kanya.

Rayos brushed her hair. Agad niya na tiningnan ang oras sa cellphone niya. May isang oras pa siya bago siya dapat ipapasundo ng Daddy nila. But because of her brother, heto siya ngayon at napipilitan na tumayo.

Sapat na sa kanya ang information na nakalap nilang dalawa ni Leo. However, hindi pa nila nagagawa ang PowerPoint presentation nila.

"Dito ka nalang." Pigil niya kay Leo nang makita itong tumatayo sa kinauupuan nito.

Umiling ito sa kanya at kinuha ang bag niya na nasa lamesa nito. He motioned her to go first. Mahina siyang bumuntong hininga.

She doesn't want him to see her brother. Her brother was good at intimidating people around him. Especially, ang mga lalaki na nagbabalak lumapit sa kanila. Well, Leo was different. Rayos likes him to be her friend, she feels comfortable around him.

There's a part of her na ayaw niya itong lumayo sa kanya kaya ayaw niya na makita ito ng kapatid niya. Lalo na at ito lang ang naglakas loob na lapitan siya after siyang ihatid ng Kuya niya sa mismong classroom nila.

"Mabait naman ang kapatid ko," she blabbered.

Natawa si Leo sa kanya, "I know."

Gulat siya na lumingon sa lalaki. He knows? Really? Gustong matawa ni Rayos sa naging sagot nito. He's not that kind to other people. He's kind because it's them. His family.

When he started to handle the company that belongs to their father, marami agad itong na sample-an. Clemente's blood within him was boiling and her brother was very much aware of it.

The way they branded them as monsters, starting from their Aunt Breeyana down to them, Jyrelle Vraxx Clemente proved them right. Dumagdag pa ang mga pinsan nila. Laur and Bridj.

"No, you don't know him." Rayos uttered when she saw her brother sitting comfortably while sipping wine. She sighed and quickly went to him.

"Tapos na kayo?" her brother asked. Inisang lagok nito ang wine na iniinom.

Pigil ni Rayos ang sarili na 'wag itong irapan.

"No, hindi namin natapos." Rayos answered.

He's still wearing his office attire. Rayos scanned him from head to toe. He's clean. Nakahinga siya ng maluwag dahil doon.

"You are?" Jyrelle, her brother, asked Leo.

Matiim ang tingin ng kapatid niya kay Leo. He was looking at him like how the predators look at their poor prey. Rayos was expecting Leo to avoid him pero nang lumingon siya rito. Nakikipag sukatan ito ng tingin sa kapatid niya.

"Leo Erese Davis, Sir."

☕