CHAPTER 28: HAPPINESS

SORCHA'S POV

In the years that I've been working, this is the first time that I've been hyperaware of the time. Kadalasan ay hindi ko pa nga napapansin na lunch time na pala o tapos na ang oras ng trabaho. I'm too absorbed in my work to care for anything else.

But right now, I knew the moment that it was time for a break and it was not because I made an alarm. It was because of the man beside me who jumped up from his seat. Hindi pa siya nakuntento at hinila niya pa ang swivel chair ko paatras kasabay nang pagtayo niya.

Bumasag sa katahimikan ang boses ni Daze. "Lunch time!"

Some of my colleagues flinched in surprise at the sudden noise in the silent room. Wala namang nagalit sa kanila dahil naistorbo sila sa mga ginawa nila at sa halip ay ngingiti-ngiting napailing na lang sila. Sanay na kasi sila sa mga kalokohan ni Daze.

"Mauna na kayo at hinihintay namin si Ma'am Lia. Dadating daw siya mamaya," sabi ni Khione na nanatiling nakaupo. "Pakainin mo na 'yang alaga mo, Sorcha, at mukhang gutom na."

When I glanced at Daze, I saw him giving me a look that should be considered a sin. Because it's making me want to sin.

"Too hungry," he said with his eyes locked on me.

"Naka today's special ba ang paborito mo sa TDN o sa cafeteria at parang excited na excited ka?" tanong naman ni Torryn.

Daze teeth graze his lower lip and my eyes couldn't help but follow the movement. "Yes. Hindi na nga ako makapaghintay."

Tumayo na ako bago pa may makahalata sa amin. Wala pa nga ba? No one's saying anything about it, which is surprising. Hmm.

Pinauna ako ni Daze na makalabas at sumunod siya sa akin. Nang nasa hallway na kami ay sumabay siya sa akin sa paglalakad habang may tamang espasyo sa pagitan namin. It was when we were in the elevator that I could feel the shift in the air, especially when the doors started to close.

He reached for my hand, and he pulled me close. In an instant, I found myself in his arms. "Pwede ko na bang i-advance ang dessert?"

I rolled my eyes. "Puro ka advance."

"When it comes to my, Sorchie, boyscout 'to. Maagap." He leaned towards me, his lips crossing the distance to mine. Iyon nga lang ay bago niya magawa 'yon ay nagsimula muling bumukas ang pintuan ng elevator. Daze seemed to be unaware of it, but I wasn't.

I kicked his shin, and his hold on me loosened. Itinulak ko siya palayo at mabilis na tumabi ako sa kabilang gilid para makalayo ako sa kaniya.

Napadiretso ang likod ko nang makita ko na ang isa sa mga boss na si Axel Dawson ang pumasok sa ngayon ay bukas ng pintuan ng elevator. His forehead was knotted as his gaze shifted from me to Daze, who's crouching while massaging his leg that I just kicked.

He pressed the close button, and it wasn't long before the lift started to descend. Pero bago pa iyon makarating sa susunod na floor ay may pinindot siya ulit dahilan para huminto ang paggalaw ng elevator.

My back straightened when he turned to look in our direction. There's an expression on his face that feels familiar. Minsan kasi ay nakikita ko sa kaniya ang ekspresyon na iyon kapag nakikita niya ang babae niyang kapatid at ang asawa niyon na naglalambingan.

"Dagger is covered in cameras." Muling nagpalipat-lipat ang tingin niya sa amin ni Daze na ngayon ay katulad ko ay napadiretso rin ng tayo. "And I happened to stay in the control room a lot."

Of course I know that. I knew that. He's like the king of the control room. So why the hell did I forget about that one tiny piece of information?

The answer? No. I didn't exactly forget it. I was in denial. It was true what they said about enjoying a bubble. I enjoyed Daze and I's bubble before I even realized there's even one.

"Umm—"

"Dagger is a workplace."

Daze steps closer towards me as if he's ready to defend me in case I get reprimanded. Which I deserve.

"That being said, Dagger is also your home. Some of you even live here. It's not like we can deny you from using your break time to—" Axel Dawson looks uncomfortable. "—do whatever you want to do."

Sinulyapan ko saglit si Daze. I could feel the hint of pride vibrating around him, and I know it's because of the fact that he's been consistent in keeping his "intense na panghaharot" during my break time. Kapag oras nga naman kasi ng trabaho ay siguradong mapapagalitan ako.

"Aside from the obvious places, there's no camera in the provided... uhh... rooms, the gym, fun room..." He cleared his throat, and if I'm not mistaken, he's looking a little flush. "And in the control room."

The control room. I understand now why he looks more uncomfortable. Everyone knows about what goes on in the control room and how it involves him and his wife.

"I'm telling you this not because you don't know," Axel continued, looking at me, before he turned to Daze. "But because you don't."

Napapakamot sa ulo na tumango si Daze habang ako naman ay pilit pinaglalabanan ang kagustuhan kong lumubog na lang sa kinatatayuan ko. Which will plummet me a floor and a half downwards.

"They know, don't they?" I whispered.

My boss shrugged. "You know them, so you also know the answer to that. But they won't say anything. They're happy that you're in a relationship with someone that makes you happy."

"Wala po kaming relasyon," mabilis na tanggi ko.

Sinaklot ni Daze ang tapat ng dibdib niya. "Grabe ka naman, Red. Mag-hesitate ka naman ng kaunti."

Binigyan ko siya ng matalim na tingin habang ang boss ko naman ay napailing na lang.

"Whatever you two are and whatever you do in your time, just keep it in places where the cameras won't see you. Nasa tamang edad na kayo pareho. Hindi ko kayo pipigilan sa kung anong gusto niyong gawin. SPs know, but BPs only have suspicions." Axel pointedly looked at me. "Which means your brother is also in the dark. If you don't want him to know since it's hard to explain something that you both are not labeling, then you know what to do."

"Yes, sir," I mumbled.

Axel Dawson looked at us for a few more seconds before he turned around and pressed the button that would make the elevator move again. Nang huminto ang kinaroroonan namin sa second floor ay tumabi siya para padaanin kami pero kalalabas pa lang namin ay muling nagsalita ang lalaki.

"Henderson?"

Namimilog ang mga matang nilingon ni Daze ang boss ko. "Po?"

"Sorcha is an invaluable asset to Dagger, but she's also someone who is precious and respected around here. We want her happy, but if she becomes the opposite of that because of you, you might want to consider relocating."

Laglag ang pangang napatunganga na lang si Daze sa boss ko na umangat ang sulok ng mga labi. For a moment before the doors closed, I saw a flash of the dangerous side of the usually gentle Dawson, and I'm sure that it didn't escape Daze's notice.

Humarap sa akin si Daze. "Did your boss just threaten me?"

"He did."

I feel warm suddenly. Dagger takes care of its people, but while I expect to receive that in a professional way, I wasn't expecting that they would give it to me in a way that makes it feel like I'm protected by family.

I'm not exactly an easy person to be around. I'm not even a person one will easily like. But now I'm seeing that in here, it doesn't matter. We could be just ourselves, and they wouldn't hold it against us.

"Ang dami ko pa lang liligawan."

Kumunot ang noo ko. "Ha?"

"Of course there's your family. Now I also need to court your Dagger family." Nang makita niyang naguguluhan pa rin ako ay inabot niya ang kamay ko at hinila ako papunta sa fun room. "It's not just you that I need to convince, Red. It's also them. They are your people, so I shouldn't just make an effort with you but also with them."

"So you're going to also hold their hands and kiss them?" I asked sarcastically.

He booped my nose. "Only the Irish one."

"Should I call my brother?"

Impit na napatili ako nang sa isang iglap ay natagpuan ko ang sarili kong buhat niya. He carried me in a fireman's hold as he walked towards the fun room.

"Daze!" I hissed. "Baka may tao sa fun room!"

"Eh di sasabihin ko ayaw kitang paglakarin."

"I can walk!"

"Hindi ko naman sinabing hindi mo kaya. Ang sabi ko, ayaw ko lang." I gasped when he gave my behind a playful slap. "Katulad ng kayang kaya mong piliin na palayuin ako sa'yo pero wala akong balak pumayag."

I hit his back with my palm, but from his lack of reaction, you would think that my hand felt like a feather more than anything else.

Fortunately for me, wala na namang tao sa fun room nang makarating kami roon. Maingat na binababa ako ni Daze sa isa sa mga bean bag. He kissed the tip of my nose, and he just grinned when I kept glowering at him.

"Dito ka lang ha?"

"Saan naman ako pupunta?" balik kong tanong sa kaniya. I moved my hand to wave him away. "Go. Gutom na ako."

Ngumuso siya. "Ako gutom sa halik mo tapos ikaw gutom sa pagkain?"

"Nagseselos ka sa pagkain?"

"Oo," confident niyang sagot.

"Hindi maitatawid ng halik mo ang gutom ko."

"But it can satiate a different hunger... temporarily."

I cleared my throat, understanding what he meant. Of course there's more fulfilling than a kiss. "Food is important in life."

"You're more important than life."

Nang pinaningkitan ko na siya ng mga mata dahil parang may sagot siya sa lahat ng sabihin ko ay muli siyang yumuko pero sa pagkakataon na ito ay sa mga labi niya naman ako hinalikan.

"Don't move and wait for me." He winked. "Miss na kita agad."

Patakbong lumabas siya ng fun room. Sigurado akong bibili siya ng pagkain para sa aming dalawa. And he's probably going to look for that cleaning in progress sign.

"Saan kaya nakakakuha ng energy ang isang 'yon?" tanong ko sa kawalan.

I've seen Daze at one of his worst, but it's kind of amazing to also see how every day it's like he never runs out of things to be excited for.

"Red, look! There's a bird outside the window!"

"The clouds look like they're puppies running!"

"They have takoyaki in the cafeteria!"

"I checked the plants you planted in the cafeteria, and they all have pretty flowers now!"

I chuckled to myself. "He's like a child who's always happy about everything."

Natigilan ako nang para bang naririnig ko ulit ang boses ng boss ko. I don't think I'm a happy person. Not that I'm sad or anything. I'm just not the obvious kind of happy. Hindi katulad ng mga tao sa paligid ko. And yet, for some reason, it was as if everyone could also see it in me.

"They're happy that you're in a relationship with someone that makes you happy."

Dinala ko ang kamay ko sa mga labi ko. Through my fingertips, I felt on my lips the same thing that was circling around my chest. A curve of a smile. A feeling of fluttering warmth.

A feeling of happiness.

____________________________End of Chapter 28.