Naalis ang titig ko sa kanya nang pumalakpak si Kuya. Kinuha nya ang atensyon ng buong team. Natapos na rin palang mag ayos si Mang Ramil nang pagkakainan.

"Let's eat first before we continue. Marami pa tayong pag-uusapan, diba Architect Cañoza?" Pagkuha nya sa atensyon ng lalaki.
So he's the one they're talking about yesterday. Ang taong tinutukoy nila na hahabol lang ngayon.

"Mama. Pwede ba kaming magplay mamaya ni Justin pag 'di na sila busy?" Makoy asked while chewing the shrimp. Napatango naman ako sa kanya at ibinigay kay Kuya ang plato ng mga nabalatan ko na. Busog pa ako kaya hindi pa ako kakain.

I noticed Architect Cañoza was staring at me. Hindi nya ginagalaw ang pagkain sa harap nya.

I looked at Justin and the boys and they smiled awkwardly, bumalik rin agad sa kinakain.

"Allergic ka ba sa shrimp, Architect Cañoza?" I asked confusedly.

Napatingin naman silang lahat sa akin. Even kuya stopped eating.

Ilang minuto pa ang nakalipas bago sya sumagot.

"No. I'm just lazy to peel." He answered. Kuya grinned widely at inilagay sa harap nito ang plato na binigay ko sa kanya kanina.

"You can have that. My Imara Alessia was good at peeling shrimp. I know she won't mind if I share it with you." Kuya said and grinned. I looked at him and frowned. Inaasar nya ba ako o itong isa?

Architect didn't say anything and started eating. The table was silent for a while.

"I didn't introduce them to you properly, Architect Cañoza." I looked at Architect and caught him staring at me.

"This is my Imara Alessia and my son Makoy. Sweetheart, he's Architect Ivar Cañoza. The head Architect of this project."

"Glad to meet you, Architect Cañoza. You can call me Eli kung nahahabaan ka sa Imara Alessia." I said and offered my hand to him.

"Eli." He murmured. Tinanggap nya naman ang kamay ko and he squeezed it gently. Napatitig naman ako sa ginawa nya.

"I'm fine with calling you Imara Alessia." He answered and his brown eyes continued to stare with me.

"You can call me Rav." He added.

Sabay-sabay naman na nabilaukan sina Jake, Grey at Justin. Napabitaw naman ako at dali-daling kumuha ng tubig para sa kanila.

"Are you guys, okay?" I asked and looked at Kuya who's always grinning this day.

"I'm sure they're fine, sweetheart. Nasasamid talaga ang tao kapag may hindi inaasahang narinig o kaya naman ay may nagbara sa lalamunan nila. Yun nga lang sabay-sabay." He said and laughed.

"We're fine, Eli. Nasamid lang talaga kami." Jake said and smiled.

Tumango-tango rin naman sina Grey at Justin. Naabutan ko pa si Makoy na binibigay ang ibang nabalatang shrimp sa mga ito.

Ilang minuto pa ang lumipas at kinuha ulit ni Kuya ang atensyon nila.

"Are you all done eating? Let's go back to work after 10 minutes!" Tumayo na si Kuya pagkatapos. Sumunod naman sa kanya ang iba. Tinulungan ko si Mang Ramil na magligpit ng mga pinagkainan. Buhat-buhat naman ni Kuya si Makoy.

Architect Cañoza didn't move from his seat. He's been staring at us that it looked weird.

"Stop watching us, Architect Cañoza." I said to him. Tinaasan nya lang ako ng kilay at umismid.

"Rav. It's Rav for you, Imara Alessia." He answered. Tumayo rin sya kalaunan at lumapit na kina Kuya.

Natapos na kaming magligpit. I sighed and sat on the long wooden chair. Masarap sa pakiramdam ang hangin. Hindi rin masakit sa balat ang init. I yawned and rested my back.

I woke up feeling that someone was staring at me. I looked at my side and saw Architect Cañoza who's now staring intently at me, again.

"Stop staring at me. Or us." Naniniguro ko pang sabi kahit wala namang ibang tao bukod sa aming dalawa.

"Kung makatingin naman parang di ko napapansin." I hissed at umupo ng maayos. Kahit naman may itsura sya ay hindi ko naman sigurado kung malinis ba ang record nya sa NBI. Malay ko ba kung may nagawang kasalanan pala ito.

Isinuklay naman ni Architect ang kaliwang kamay sa kanyang buhok at ngumisi.
Napatingin ako sa harapan. Lumalakas na ang ihip ng hangin. Tantya kong tanghali na.

"Doctor Calvin went out with your son and the boys. Kukunin lang sa gate ang mga inorder na pagkain." He said and I nodded.

Wala pa ata ako sa wisyo.

I looked at the beach infront of me and yawned. Isinandal ko naman ang likod ko sa upuan.

"Am I late?" Architect Cañoza whispered. I looked at him confusedly. He was now staring at the beach.

Ngayon ko lang rin napansin ang maliliit na tattoo nya sa kaliwang braso. It's a sun and moon. Actually, hindi mo ito mahahalata kung hindi mo titingnan ng maayos.

It looks really familiar like I've seen those before too.

He looked at me again. His brown eyes tell me emotions, but his face says otherwise.

In short, ang hirap nyang basahin.

"What do you mean?" I answered. Umiling sya sa tanong ko.

Ilang minuto pa ang nakalipas at nakarating na sina Kuya. Nang matapos kumain ay nagpaalam na akong aalis. Maghahanda pa ako para sa duty ko mamaya. Susunduin rin naman ni Nana Lena si Makoy pagkatapos. Aliw na aliw naman kasi ang bata kay Justin at sa mga kasama nito.

"You're going home?" A rough voice echoed on my ears.

I tightened the grip on my car door and didn't dare to look at him.

Naramdaman ko na lang na tumabi sya sa akin. Nang tumingin ako ay nakapamulsa na sya. Matangkad nga sya kung tutuusin.

"Bakit ka ba lapit ng lapit?" Nagtataka kong tanong.

"I'm just asking. Is that bad?" Nakangisi nya pang sagot.

"You know what's bad? Itong ginagawa mo. I know you as Architect Cañoza, and your creeping me out." Saka bahagyang lumayo sa kanya mula sa pagkakadikit.

Hindi sya nagsalita. He just looked at me like I shouldn't say the words I just said. His face was back to emotionless. I can't read what he was thinking. He remained standing beside me. Nakita ko nalang na napapikit sya at parang may malalim na iniisip.

I opened my car door at papasok na sana ng hapitin ni Architect ang braso ko. I looked at him, confused.

What's with you, Architect Ivar Cañoza? Bakit sa tuwing tinitingnan kita ay sumasakit ang dibdib ko. Bakit sa tuwing lumalapit ka ay kinakabahan ako.

Why am I so familiar with this feeling? Why do I feel like I've known you before, Architect?

"You once said those familiar words to me, by." He murmured something, but I didn't understand what he said.