"Bakla! Anyare! Bakit tameme ka dyan?" I exclaimed when I saw Amanda's sad face on her cubicle as soon as I entered our office.

My spot is right beside Leniah and directly across hers so I can easily see our team busy with whatever their business are.

Being the HR Junior Associate, I am more in conducting interviews of applicants and telling them if they have passed or not.

Leniah, on the other hand, is more into recruitment and reviewing applicants.

Amanda smiled and shook her head, "waley baks. May naalala lang."

She said and opened the folder in front of her. Then came, Ms. Gretchen, our supervisor in red terno. Her aura screams bossy and demanding. Surely fits her taste.

"Sullivan! Where are you? How come our speaker for today's seminar isn't here yet? We would be starting within thirty minutes!" A very frustrated Ms. Gretchen hollered and we all could only bent our heads at her voice.

I subtly looked around and sure enough, Kristina is nowhere to be found.

"Psst, baks. Absent ba si girla?" Leniah whispered beside me.

"I think so. Waley p-" I was about to answer until I felt a vibration inside my slacks pocket. I pulled it out and it was a message from Kristina.

K:
Can't go to work. Our speaker, Mr. Gerry Olivarez, texted na naliligaw sya. Malapit na daw sya dyan, around Katipunan, but he missed an intersection kaya napalayo sya. Please tell Cruella De Ville, I mean, Madame Gretchen that he will be late. Thanks.

I sighed and stood up from my area.

"Madame!" I said in a perky voice. "Good morning, Madame! Malapit na po si Mr. Olivarez! Nalate lang po kasi naligaw sya ng daan pero he's around the corner na!" I exclaimed in the hopes to cheer her up. Instead, she just raised an eyebrow at me.

"How did you know? Did Sullivan text you about it? Bakit hindi sya nagsabi na hindi sya papasok?" She asked, her tone of voice still high. Her hands are still on her hips indicating she's frustrated and stressed out already.

"Madame, fuss no more. I believe naman na Kristina took care of it before she got sick-" I began but she cut me off.

"-sick? Are you sure she is? Baka naman tinatamad lang pumasok porket may event sya ngayon?" She retorted and this time, she crossed her arms over her chest.

I heaved a deep sigh to calm my nerves. Obviously, hindi papatalo ang babaeng to. Sumasakit ang batok ko sa kanya ha.

"Relax, Madame!" I exclaimed and did approach her this time. I carefully held her arms and looked into her eyes. Even if I am only pretending to be gay, I can tell that people easily softened up when someone touches them when they are angry. "I know it must be hard to organize things like this especially you are the one in-charge of the whole Human Resource Department and if any of our projects go wrong, you will be the one facing the Big Bosses instead of us. But, take it easy. The good thing is, on the way na si Mr. Speaker, right, Leniah?" Leniah's eyes widened but I signaled her to ride on with my comments.

"Of course, baka po nasa elev-" Leniah agreed nodding her head but was cut off when a man in his business suit and laptop bag knocked on our door.

"Excuse me, is this the HR Department? Is Mister Jesstoni Del Mundo here?" The man asked, all eyes were on him.

Ms. Gretchen turned around and adjusted her red coat. She pasted on her professional smile and greeted our guest speaker.

"You must be Mr. Olivarez. I am Ms. Gretchen Young." She extended her hand for a handshake which the gentleman took.

My forehead creased with confusion.

Gretchen Young?

Hindi naman siguro sya kamag-anak ni Park So Young, tama?

Hindi naman sya mukhang Koreana.

"Oh and this is Mr. Del Mundo. He will assist you to the reception area, for a while." Ms. Gretchen said and turned to me.

"Let's head to the reception area, Mr. Olivarez." That was my cue.

And how the rest of my day went.

I really need to check on Kristina later.