Mabilis na nagsalubong ang dalawang kilay niya.

"Who the hell was Timothée Chalamet?" he asked, confused.

My jaw dropped. Hindi niya kilala si Timothée Chalamet?!

"Oh my god, hindi mo siya kilala?!" hindi makapaniwalang tanong ko. He shook his head. I sighed and continued making coffee. "Well, it's a good thing, I guess." I shrugged.

"Why? Who was he? Ex-boyfriend?"

I rolled my eyes. I wish.

"Hindi. He's just that person who's super ugly. I super hate him tapos kamukha mo pa siya."

I looked away. Sorry sa pagsisinungaling, baby Timothée. I just need to do this so he won't assume anything.

"Well, clearly, hindi naman ako siya. You can just, you know, forget about that person and . . . think of me as I am? Tulad ng dati."

Lumunok ako at nag-iwas ng tingin. Inilagay ko na ang mga cup na puno ng coffee sa tray saka ito binuhat bago ibinalik ang tingin kay Sir Hunter.

"As long as you looked like him, I am not doing anything with you," I said with finality as I started walking away.

He chuckled before blocking my way. I looked at him with creased forehead.

"W-Wait."

"What, sir?" I said in my sarcastic tone. Malapit nang dumating ang mga katrabaho ko!

"What part of me reminds you of him?"

I gulped. He seemed so curious. Gusto kong sabihin lahat pero it's the hair that super looked like Timothée's. Hindi nga lang gaanong kulot ang sa kan'ya. His hair is kind of wavy lang, not curly. Sana bumalik na lang siya sa katulad ng una naming pagkikita. His hair back then was kind of messy and it looked like he brushed it up with his fingers.

Ang sexy.

"Your hair. I really hate it."

After that, hinayaan na niya akong umalis ng pantry. Tulad ng inasahan ko  nandoon na nga ang iba kong katrabaho pero dahil konti lang ang nagawaan ko ng kape, yung mga nauna lang kanina ang nabigyan ko. Hindi na ako ulit babalik ng pantry dahil baka mamaya, nandoon na naman ang boss ko.

To clear my mind after I almost told my boss that he looked exactly like my celebrity crush, sinimulan ko na ang trabaho.

***

Kinabukasan, maaga ulit akong nagising. I tried to take my time in preparing myself for work but it's still early kahit natapos na ako sa lahat. Since maiinip lang ako sa condo, pumasok na lang ulit ako nang maaga.

After I parked my car and locked it, dumeretso na ako papunta sa elevator. Nang malapit na ako do'n, nakita kong nakabukas pa 'yon nang bahagya kaya naman nagmadali ako.

"Wait!"

Ilang sandali lang, bumukas ulit ang elevator nang nasa harap na talaga ako. Muntik na akong masamid at madapa nang makita kung sino ang nasa loob. Nanlamig din ako at bumilis ang kabog ng dibdib dahil sa nakita.

"S-Sir." I faked a smile. "G-Good morning."

He smirked. Fuck, he fucking smirked! And he fucking changed his hairstyle! It doesn't looked formal anymore! Katulad na ito noong unang nagkita kami!

"Morning, Miss Cervantes. Aren't you coming in?"

Napalunok ako bago pumasok sa loob. Pinindot ko ang floor ng department namin nang sumarado na ito. Walang nagsasalita sa aming dalawa sa loob ng mga segundong pataas nang pataas ang elevator na sinasakyan namin. Feeling ko tuloy, rinig na rinig sa loob ang kaba ko.

Damn, I've never felt this way for so long. To think na may big memory din kami sa elevator!

"Namumula ka." Napaawang ang bibig ko kasabay ng pag-angat ng tingin sa kan'ya. "Are you sick?"

Magsasalita na sana ako nang idinikit niya ang likod ng palad sa noo at pisngi ko. Ngumuso siya kasabay ng pagkunot ng noo.

"You're not sick."

Nag-iwas na ako ng tingin. I was about to clear my throat when he talked once again.

"I bet you remembered something . . . or you liked the change you saw in . . . someone?"

Muli akong napalingon sa kan'ya. Sunod-sunod na paghinga ang nagawa ko nang makita ang mga ngisi niya na para bang may alam siya. I stood straight and smiled back at him.

"My face and neck tends to turned red when I'm near to something I'm allergic of."

Umawang ang bibig niya. "Saan ka pala allergic?"

I smiled sweetly before I heard the elevator door opened.

"You." I smiled once again. "Have a great day ahead, sir!"

Right after that, I walked away, leaving him dumbfounded. I almost chuckled but I concealed it with my sweet smile to my colleagues.

I'll always have the last say, men. Remember that.

But I can't deny that Sir Hunter has his ways on making me feel tensed. Hindi ko na matandaan kung kailan ang huling beses na na-tense ako nang gano'n. Iba talaga siguro kapag kamukha ng isang tao si Timothée Chalamet.

The following days, hindi siya nagparamdam. Nakikita ko siya sa company minsan pero hindi niya ako pinapansin. Kung tumingin, para akong isang empleyado lang na hindi niya naka-sex twice!

But this is better. At least I know that he finally gave it up. As much as I want to be his fuck buddy, I don't want to fuck my boss anymore.

Kung hindi lang ako nagtatrabaho under niya, baka hindi na siya nagdalawang sabi sa akin, considering I already experienced how good he was.

One Friday, habang abala ako sa paggawa ng trabaho, may dumating na bulaklak para sa akin. I chuckled when I saw that the flowers were daisies and the day today is very memorable. Only one person always gave me a bouquet of flowers every 9th of November.

"Naks naman! Kanino galing 'yan?" Dian asked.

I chuckled as I opened the small card. "From a friend."

Napatango-tango na lang siya. "Hmm, friend."

Umalis na siya na parang hindi convinced sa sinabi ko. Naupo na ako habang binabasa ang maikling sulat sa card.

Areeya,

Happy tenth anniversary to our friendship! See you later!

-L

Nakangiti kong ibinalik ang card sa loob ng envelop nito saka tinitigan at inamoy-amoy ang mga bulaklak. It always amazes me how he value that day so much. All I did before was to help him with the recitation that made us the bestest friends now. I never knew he'd never forget that. I never knew that he'll treasure that day like this.

Habang nakatuon ang atensyon ko sa monitor at ginagawa ang trabaho, napalingon ako sa mga katrabaho ko nang marinig ang pagpa-panic nila. Inaayos nilang lahat ngayon ang mga gamit sa cubicle na para bang may paparating na delubyo.

"Anong meron?" I asked.

"Paparating si Sir Hunter! Nag-i-inspect daw ng bawat department!"

Wow, I never knew it was his thing. Mahigit isang buwan na siya rito pero ngayon niya lang ginawa! Napabuntonghininga na lang ako bago  inayos na rin ang mga gamit kahit na wala namang aayusin.

Ilang sandali pa, tulad ng sinasabi nila, dumating nga si Sir Hunter na may seryosong pagmumukha ngayong umaga. Mukhang gutom na, ah? Tsk, tsk!

Tumayo kaming lahat. "Good morning, sir!" sabay-sabay naming bati.

Hindi siya sumagot. Pinanatili niya pa rin ang pagkaseryoso ng mukha. I bit my lower lip and looked down to hid the smile that's trying to escape from my lips. He looked hotter and sexier today considering how he maintained that hairstyle I once adored.

Hindi na niya binalik sa Timothée Chalamet. That's sad pero at least, medyo nabawasan na yung pagkakahawig nila.

"What is this?"

Napalingon kaming lahat nang magsalita siya. Nakatayo siya sa isang tumpok ng mga bond paper na puno ng past financial statements. Hindi 'yon nakaayos at talagang masakit sa mata!

"Uhh, I was about to put it back inside the closet, sir. I'm sorry," Queenie answered.

Tumango lang si Sir Hunter bago nagpatuloy sa paglalakad. Ilang sandali pa, huminto siya sa harap ng cubicle ko. Yumuko ako nang maramdaman ang titig niya sa akin. Pinaghawak ko ang mga kamay nang mahigpit dahil sa kaba.

Sa kaba na kung itutuloy niya ang pagtitig sa akin nang gano'n, baka makahalata ang mga katrabaho namin!

"Wow, someone's receiving flowers," he said in an amused tone. "From a suitor?"

I gulped and tried to fake a smile at him. "A friend."

He smirked. "A suitor is a friend too, Miss Areeya."

Gusto kong umirap sa pagiging sarkastiko niya pero pinanatili ko na lang ang pagngiti nang pilit sa kan'ya. He smirked once again before leaving my cubicle.

"This is the messiest department I've seen so far. Files and other things were all over the place. Every cubicle has unnecessary things that are not placed nicely on their table."

Pagkasabi niya n'on ay lumingon siya sa akin. Napakunot-noo ako. Inilipat niya ang tingin sa ibang katrabaho.

"I want all of you to clean this department and make it look its best. Be ashamed of other departments. They do their job but they didn't forget to have a clean workplace. I can never work peacefully in this department if I were all of you."

I rolled my eyes. Of course, palaging malinis ang workplace mo! May sarili kang tagalinis at wala naman masyadong gamit sa unit at opisina mo! How dare he compare us to other departments when we were handling the finance of his company?! The stress it gave us especially every end of the month at lalo na end of the year! My gosh!

"Miss Cervantes, are you rolling your eyes at me?" kunot-noo niyang tanong sa akin.

Napalingon ako sa mga katrabaho kong worried na nakatingin sa akin. Ngumiti ako bago ibinalik ang tingin kay Sir Hunter.

"No, sir! May smudge yata ang mascara ko kaya nagkakati."

He scoffed before turning his back as he walked away.

"Make sure that this department won't look this way ever again. I will have another surprise inspection soon."

Pagkatapos n'on, tuluyan na siyang umalis. Sabay-sabay kaming nakahinga nang maluwag bago bumalik sa pagkakaupo.

"Arte. Germophobe ba 'yon?" iritang sabi ni  Frank. I almost laughed.

"Hindi naman magulo ang department natin! Ano yung sinasabi niyang things are all over the place?! Isa nga lang ang napuna niyang kalat at saka yung bulaklak ni Areeya!" reklamo ni Queenie.

Tumawa ako. "Hayaan n'yo na't baka may problema sa kompanya na nagpa-stress sa kan'ya. Wala lang mapagbalingan 'yon ng inis."

I heard our manager scoffed. "Pati bulaklak pinapansin! Pero mga empleyado niyang nagkakabitan sa ibang department, wala siyang pakialam!"

Natawa kaming lahat.

"Baka wala lang mapagbigyan ng bulaklak. Alam mo na, workaholic. Trabaho raw muna bago babae," sabi ni Dian.

I smirked. Kung alam niya lang.

"Pero in fairness, ang hot niya these past few days. Sana may maka-sex akong kamukha niya."

Hindi ko na sila pinansin pa. Itinuloy ko na lang ang trabaho.

***

Nang makapag-time out, nabasa ko ang text ni Leo na nasa unit ko na raw siya. I replied that I'm on my way before driving my way there.

After a few minutes, nakauwi na nga ako. Leo welcomed me with a warm hug and a kiss on my temple as soon as I entered my unit.

"Hapoy tenth anniversary!" he said.

"Happy one decade! Thank you for the flowers kanina."

He chuckled before he placed his arm around my shoulder as we headed our way to my room.

"Kanina ka pa rito?" I asked.

Umiling siya bago inialis ang kamay sa balikat ko. Inilagay ko ang bag sa bag rack bago dumeretso sa closet.

"Thirty minutes, I think."

Tumango ako. "I'll just take a quick shower and then we'll go na, okay?"

Tumango siya bago lumabas ng k'warto. It has been our tradition to have a formal dinner as an annual celebration. Hindi ko alam kung bakit at paano nagsimula. Siguro, nakagawian na lang talaga.

After almost an hour, natapos na akong maligo at gumayak. Nakapagpatuyo na rin ako ng buhok at nakapag-apply ng makeup. Lumabas na ako ng k'warto at nakita si Leo na tahimik na nanonood ng Netflix sa living room.

"Ready?" he said, smiling, after turning off the TV.

Tumango ako  "Let's go."

Lumapit na siya sa akin saka umakbay bago kami lumabas ng unit ko nang sabay. I made sure that it is locked before we head our way to the elevator. Bumaba kami sa underground parking lot saka kami sumakay sa kotse niya. He drove to the restaurant he made reservations at while we tell each other stories about our work and personal lives.

Nang makarating sa restaurant, we ordered steak. Nakagawian na rin namin na every friendship anniversary, yung restaurant na kakainan namin ay either newly established or hindi pa namin na-try. Tulad ngayon.

"This was Yuna's restaurant. It was opened just a month ago," he said.

"Who was she?" I asked while chewing the meat.

It was good! Masarap at medyo mura pa ang price since bago pa lang ang restaurant.

"She was an ex-girlfriend na married na ngayon."

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko. "Really?! Bakit hindi ko alam?"

Tumawa siya. "High school ex-girlfriend. We were friends. Not that close but at least, we're on good terms."

Tumango-tango ako. "Akala ko naman recent lang. Bibigyan ko na sana ng malisya."

He chuckled. "No way."

We continued talking about our past lovers and made fun of the toxic and ugly ones until we finished our food. We left the restaurant with a full stomach. 

Papunta na sana kami ng mall para manood naman ng sine nang mapatigil kaming dalawa. Nagkatinginan kami ni Leo.

"Who would have done that?" kunot-noo niyang tanong habang nakatingin sa kotse niyang flat ang apat na gulong. "Wala naman yata akong kaaway."

Napabuntonghininga ako. I was about to talk when I saw a familiar car leaving the place.

No, it wasn't Sir Hunter's car but his secretary's! I've seen that car everywhere I saw his secretary! Nakita ko na 'yon minsan sa company tapos sa parking lot ng condominium building ni Sir Hunter! I even saw that at the bar too! The plate number is very familiar.

"Baka ako."

Napalingon si Leo sa akin. "What do you mean?"

Lumingon ako sa kan'ya at ngumiti. "Wala. Let's just end this day, I think. Medyo pagod din ako. Let's see each other na lang ulit kapag hindi ka na busy."

Lumungkot ang mukha niya. "How can I drive you home?"

I laughed. "I'll just take a cab. Don't worry about me. Paayos mo na muna siguro 'yan. I'll call you when I get home."

Nagbuntonghininga siya bago tumango saka lumapit sa akin para yumakap.

"I'm sorry for this inconvenience. I love you, Aree. Take care."

Tinapik ko ang likod niya. "I love you, too, you know that! Sige na!" sabi ko bago kumalas sa yakap.

Ngumiti siya nang maliit bago ako tuluyang umalis, hindi para umuwi.

Sir Hunter needs to know that he shouldn't do this. Hindi ako sure kung siya ang gumawa n'on pero pupuntahan ko na rin siya para malaman.

At kung siya nga 'yon . . . humanda siya sa akin!