Work Text:
Oh, no. Oh, no no no no...
“Tagal naman ng elevator na ‘to, my god!” I muttered in frustration, checking the time on my phone. Again, oh my god. It’s already eight minutes past eight in the morning! Tapos pababa pa siya mula sa 9th floor!
Hel (Intern):
Good morning, Ma’am! Malapit na po ba kayo? Hehe
Rosetta:
beh san ka na
Rosetta:
kayo* 😭😭😭😭
Ako na nga nag-set ng time kung kailan kami magsho-shoot, ako pa ‘yung late!
Okay, never mind the elevator! I don’t have the time for this. I swiftly typed out a reply and ran up my alternative route. Kumapit ako sa railing, flying as fast as I could past the steps and ignoring the mess that was my let-down hair. Ang lakas pa ng tunog ng mga yapak ko. Nakakahiya! Halatang late sa work engagement!
“Finally!” I couldn’t help but breathe out nang makarating na ako sa hallway ng 3rd floor.
Welcome to the Broadcast Media Department’s enclave. I gazed through the glass wall and peered at the desks of my colleagues. From where I was standing, I could spot a few familiar faces pacing around and starting today’s work. Either nadaanan ko na sila sa corridor o nakasabay sa elevator. Hindi ko sila masyadong kilala; I wasn’t as acquainted with the people here as I was with my fellow print journalists.
Pero wala na akong panahon para mag-sightseeing. I picked up the pace, my heels clicking at a fast rhythm against the white floor tiles. My head down and my hands busy rummaging through my bag for a hair tie, I allowed my feet to lead the way. It’s a good thing that I pretty much memorize the in’s and out’s of this building already sa tagal ko nang pagtatrabaho rito.
It’s been, what, almost six years? Dito ko piniling mag-intern noong 4th year because I found their values as an institution commendable. I enjoyed the idea of giving my best to a company whose priority for integrity resonated with me.
Kaya siguro na-impress ko rin sila. They offered me a full-time position in the Print Media Department after I graduated, and the rest is history.
My everyday work lies within the realm of news and feature, especially interviews with notable figures. Hindi naman sa pagmamayabang pero minsan ay ako na rin ang nire-request ng mga subject namin.
Gaya nalang ngayon.
I combed my fingers through my hair and tied it up in a high ponytail. I wasn’t able to do it properly since I was in such a rush; I could still feel a few strands of hair brush against my cheeks. But I couldn't care less. Mamaya ko nalang aayusin.
I stopped in front of Room 315. Media Studio. Finally! But I had no time to celebrate nor catch my breath. It was time for the final battle. I placed my hand on the door handle and—
Why was I holding a hand? Whose—
Oh, wow.
“Well, this seems oddly familiar,” a voice spoke before I could even say anything, and in realization, I froze in place.
That voice.
A low, crisp tone rang in my ears, flipping the pages of my mind's sketchbook wide open. The drawings in there were leftover outlines, hues of which have faded over time.
Pero biglang pinulot ng boses na ‘yon ang pinakamalapit na paintbrush at tinalsikan ng kulay ang papel. Smooth, mellow, and definitely not mine. Those five words were all it took for the rough pen lines to start coming back to life against my will.
“Don’t you think so, Ms. Rios?”
I could recognize that voice anywhere… and irritatingly so.
Fine. Let’s get this over with.
I let out a sharp exhale and tilted my head up, taking in the sight of Loki Mendez staring down at me with subtly squinted eyes. His piercing gaze was the only splash of emotion on his face, pupils shifting up to my face and very slowly, carefully, down to my feet.
The way he scanned my being felt academic, na para bang ayaw niyang may makaligtaan. Nakaka-estatwa. Nakakapangliit. ‘Di ko alam kung paano kumalma. The erratic beating in my chest was proof that I was intimidated by his scrutinizing eyes but I knew better than to show signs of that. Inayos ko ang pagtayo ko at sinubukang ngumiti nang konti.
“You’re still the same,” I commented, breaking the silence. “The head to toe stare is still your habit, ‘no?”
“Just like how running late is still yours, I suppose,” he shrugged. “We’ve been in this exact same situation before. Your hair’s as disheveled as it was back then.”
My eyes widened in offense and my hand flew to my head na para bang reflex. Hinimas-himas ko ito para kunyari ayusin ‘yung buhok ko kahit alam ko namang wala itong maitutulong.
Nagbago na nga ‘yung nakaupo sa Malacañang, wala pa ring pinagbago ng ugali!
“You should have told me may plano ka palang mag-trip down memory lane,” sabat ko kasi ‘di kaya ng pride kong manahimik lang. “Edi sana nagbihis din ako according to the dress code. Graduate ka na nga, naka-puting polo ka pa rin.”
His eyebrows furrowed. “Wala ba kayong washing machine?”
Loki ran his hand through his hair and let out a puff of air through his parted lips, almost like a frustrated sigh. “Lorelei, can we please have a ceasefire? We’re running behind schedule.”
I furrowed my eyebrows, realizing that he had a point. Edi ikaw na ‘yung laging tama. I cleared my throat and raised my chin to see him as eye-to-eye as I could. “Fine.”
“Good,” he spoke in a low tone. “You’re finally listening to me.”
“Lori!”
The high-pitched call of my name was accompanied by the inward opening of the door. Dahil sa pagkabigla, nabitawan ko tuloy ang kamay ni Loki.
“Yes, Rosetta. Good morning,” I greeted the jolly face that burst the door open while brushing the top of my head.
“At good morning din po ma’am!” masiglang tugon ni Hel, ang kasama naming intern, mula sa likod niya. “Nandito na rin po pala kayo, Doc! Akala ko kung napano na po kayo sa CR, hehe.”
Hel stepped away from the door, and I took that as my cue to enter the studio first. The space was bright in more ways than one. Soft colored light reflected from the backdrop they set up as the sound of staff chatter bounced across the room.
My pupils roamed around the area to inspect the placement of the light stands, reflectors, and the camera. They seemed fine to me, pero lumapit pa rin ako sa cameraman namin to double-check the equipment. Personal preference lang in routine.
“‘Wag ka nang mag-alala, Lori. Kanina pa namin ‘yan inayos lahat,” he reassured me warmly while looking through the camera’s viewfinder. Tumawa pa siya at ngumuso kay Hel na nakatayo sa mismong set. “Masipag pala si Hel, ano? Akala ko kasi nung una makulit lang. Tingnan mo, kausap niya pa rin si Loki habang nagta-touch up.”
I crossed my arms and smiled fondly at Hel who was busy circling around Loki like an excited hummingbird.
But as much as I wanted to focus my attention on her, my eyes automatically landed on who she was speaking to. I watched Hel’s words pass from his right ear through the other, his stern eyes fixed on the floor. The stylist brushed his fringe away from his eyelids, and the ends of my lips nearly curved upwards when he flinched at the sudden touch of the comb.
Nearly.
Our eyes met, and the thoughts in my mind faded into a blank fog. Even worse, he held his end of the staring contest firmly like a lifeline. I felt his eyes roam around my face, and it became harder to maintain a composed facade with every passing second.
Something in his throat shifted, and I took that as a sign to look away for his sake and mine.
God, he still makes me lose my mind.
What? No, he doesn’t!
“Oh ayan, wala pa ngang alas diyes,” inis na bulong ni Rosetta sa sarili. “Ng umaga. Sabay kayong pumasok, ano?”
“By coincidence.”
“Mama mo coincidence,” she sneered.
“Ma’am!” tawag ni Hel, waking me up from my trance. “Okay na po?”
“Go ahead.”
“Doc, start na po tayo!” she exclaimed at Loki before pleading to the cameraman. Ayusin niya raw sana ‘yung pagkuha ng litrato para ‘di ko siya masigawan. Nakakatakot daw kasi akong magalit.
The sound of the sharp camera shutters that followed bounced through the four walls of the studio. The lights flashed, at tahimik akong pumwesto sa refreshments table para kumuha ng kape.
Tumayo naman si Hel sa tabi namin ni Rosetta, ever-obedient as she was. She scooted an inch closer and hugged her clipboard.
“Ma’am,” she called, “pwede po bang magtanong?”
“What?”
“May something po ba kayo ni Doc?”
Napaubo ako sa walang oras nang biglang mabilaukan. Pati na rin si Rosetta na ‘di maiwasang magpigil ng tawa. Ang lawak pa ng ngiti habang kinukunan ako ng tissue!
“Sige, sagutin mo ‘yan,” tukso ni Rosetta.
“Why…” I wiped my lips, “would you think that?”
“Si Doc kasi!” she whisper-shouted. “Magdamag pong nakatingin sa inyo.”
“What do you mean?”
“As in, lagi pong nasa inyo ang atensyon ni Doc!” paliwanag niya. “Mula pa noong first meeting natin, panay na po ‘yung titig sa inyo.”
“Shet, pass sa halata,” ngiti pa ng isa.
“I was speaking about business matters,” I reminded her. “Dapat lang talaga na sa’kin siya nakatingin.”
“Kahit na ako na po ‘yung nage-explain?” she fired back. Palaban, ah? “Gaya nalang po kanina. Ako na nga po ‘yung nagbibigay ng reminders, abala pa rin po siya kakatitig sa inyo.”
“Ano naman kung tingin nang tingin? That doesn’t mean anything.”
“‘Di naman po ako bulag, with all due respect.” Hel shook her head firmly. “Kayo po ba ang nagsabit sa mga bituin sa langit?”
I averted my gaze and took a sip of coffee again. What was he doing? 'Di man lang sinubukang itago.
“Sa Clark din po nag-premed si Doc, ano? Med Bio?” she inquired, flipping through her files. “Same school po kayo!”
“I-I guess so.”
“Grabe, ang liit pala ng mundo…” she whispered to herself, skimming even more. “Taga-CAS si Doc, tapos ikaw rin po, tapos ako. Para tayong trio!”
“Trio?”
“Ba’t trio lang eh nandito naman ako?” sabat ni Rosetta.
“Ka-batch nga rin po kayo, eh!” she ignored us both, making me even more nervous. “Same po kayo ng graduating year!”
Sira ba ‘yung aircon?
“Ah, kaya pala palagi kayong special mention ni Sir Morayta! Classmates pala kayo dati sa klase niya! Grabe, what if college crush po kayo ni Do—”
“Okay, that’s enough!” I cut her off, hovering a hand over her lips. At this rate, she’s going to find out too much!
Our cameraman finally stopped crying out instructions on how to pose — much to Loki’s relief, I assume. Tumigil na rin sa pagkislap ang mga lamp stand na nakapalibot sa set so I smiled in satisfaction and ticked off another box in my mental checklist. Set-up? Done. Photoshoot? Done. Inter—
Oh. Napalingon nalang ako sa harap with my mouth still agape nang tawagin ako para tingnan ang mga kinuhang litrato.
“Akin na ‘yang clipboard mo. Pa-check ng photos,” I instructed Hel.
Her eyes went wide, surprised at the sudden instruction. “Sure po kayo?”
“May iba pa ba akong kausap dito?”
“No, ako na po bahala!” she blurted out. She handed over her clipboard and I nodded as a sign of trust in her competence.
Did I trust Hel? Yes, I did. But was that the reason I let her out there? Honestly, no. Pwede namang ako nalang. Ako nga dapat talaga ang mag-review since I was the senior employee.
But I wasn’t sure if my chest could still withstand the power Loki’s photos held over me. That and the information na kanina pa pala siya tingin nang tingin sa’kin. ‘Di ko kaya.
I blinked, and it was finally time to enter the final battle of this morning’s session: the interview. My phone in one hand and the list of prepared interview questions in the other, I sat on the prepared chair beside the camera tripod. I breathed in, gathering enough confidence to raise my head and look Loki in the eye.
I shouldn’t have.
I shouldn't have raised my head so suddenly. I forgot that he was wearing a doctor’s coat over his white button-down and burgundy necktie.
That necktie. When was the last time he wore that? Graduation? Graduation pictorial? The night prior nung dinner da—
The real question is what was I thinking?!
“Okay…” I breathed out and cleared my throat. Averting my gaze, I started flipping through the clipboard like an idiot, desperate to compose myself. “Shall we start?”
“Start whenever,” Loki urged.
“First off, please introduce yourself.”
Loki straightened his back and began to speak. “My name is Louis Kingsley C. Mendez. Loki, for convenience. I graduated from the Clark Institute of Medicine and topped the recent Physician Licensure Exam with a rating of 90.45%.”
I nodded, smiling in my head. Sinaulo naman pala ‘yung script na binigay ko.
“Would you mind telling us how you found out about the news? What was your reaction to it?”
“How I found out… I found out from other people,” he answered with longing eyes, as if he was remembering a precious memory. “I was dozing off when they released the results. Nagising ako because my phone started ringing. I thought there was an emergency or something. Cino-congratulate na pala ako.”
“How did you feel?”
“About the topnotcher thing?” he repeated, intertwining his fingers together in thought. “Gratifying, I suppose. I like it when my plans succeed.”
“Was it your plan to top the exam in the first place then?”
“Not really.” He shook his head and leaned back, fixing his eyes on mine with a satisfied smirk. “To make my mom and girlfriend at the time proud though? Yes."
I bit the inside of my cheek to silence my thoughts. Ipapatanggal ko nalang ‘yun sa final edit. Nevertheless, my breath still couldn’t help but hitch at his strong gaze. So, I did the one thing I was best at — looking away.
“What’s your secret to scoring higher than 90 on the PLE?” I inquired next. “How did you prepare for the boards?”
Loki shrugged. “My memory is above average, so I suppose that’s my advantage. But even so, I still had to put in the effort. I’m not God. I attended a review center. My university had mock exams for test takers, so I partook in those and studied further in my spare time. Nothing special.”
“Hindi ka ba napagod sa routine?”
“I had motivational quotes on my books and transes for inspiration,” he said with a sly smile. His jaw shifted, and I knit my brows when I noticed.
“They helped. A lot,” he then added, stoically.
Buti naman. I checked the next question on the list. “Speaking of your friends, you mentioned earlier that you were a graduate of Clark University. How were your college years?”
“My college years?” Loki parroted in amusement. “That’s an interesting question."
He glanced upwards and tapped his finger slowly on the armrest. "Well… they were not dull, despite the fact that I'm a boring person by nature. The people around me were a dynamic variety, my lab work sideline was good mental exercise, and my classes were worth taking.”
“What was your favorite class?”
“Math 100. Second year.”
“Why is that?”
“Because,” he answered, “I had something to look forward to every session.”
“W-which was?”
He leaned back on his velvet armchair and angled his head, clearly amused at the situation. He placed his intertwined palms on top of his crossed knees. “Do you really need to know?”
“Knowing you is part of my job,” I replied, the words barely escaping my throat. “The more details, the better. Don’t you think so, Dr. Mendez?”
Maintaining his amused smirk, he let out a low chuckle.
“You’re good at this, Ms. Rios,” he fired back. “Making me feel conflicted.”
I blinked, unsure whether we were still talking about the interview or something else. I cleared my throat in an attempt to get my mind back on track. “Of course, kung ayaw mong sagutin ‘yung last question, we can always move on to the next one.”
“Move on it is,” he spoke in resignation.
Ignoring his tone, I nodded in acknowledgment of his choice. “What’s your favorite med school subject?”
“Surg or patho. Close second, neurology.”
“Any memorable med school anecdotes? Something you look back to a lot.”
“First lab encounter with a cadaver. I know someone who nearly fainted from the stench. He’s never had tangible interactions with organs in pre-med physics.”
“Have you always wanted to become a doctor?”
“Rather, I’ve always seen myself doing something science-related,” he corrected. “It was only until my brother decided to pursue law that I decided to pursue medicine. He said he wanted a J.D., so I started entertaining the idea of an M.D. It’s a brotherly competition thing; mataas kami pareho ng pride. One thought led to another, and here I am.”
“Awayin ko rin kaya kapatid ko para mag-top 1 ‘yun?” Hel muttered out of nowhere kaya napatawa ang ibang staff. Only when the laughter died down did I ask the next question.
Ah. I already know this one, though.
“Do you have a specialization in mind?”
“Forensic pathology,” he replied without thinking.
See? His dreams are still the same. My mind wandered to an old memory, and the ends of my lips nearly curved upwards again at the sudden surge of deja vu.
Nearly.
“Care to explain why?”
Loki hummed in thought, eyes fixed on the floor. “At first, there wasn’t a particular reason. I grew up reading detective fiction, so forensic science has always been a field of interest. Merely something I’d think of from time to time.”
“But that eventually started to have meaning…” his voice trailed off as he started to show a longing smile. “Someone I know told me that they wanted to interview me when I became the country’s third forensic pathologist. Bihira kasi raw.”
He composed himself and continued to explain. “As trivial as it was, those words sealed the deal for me. It was a privilege to be part of someone else’s imagined future, so I made it my personal objective to bring her daydream closer to reality.”
Her. My eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Her? Babae? Who—
“Magdo-doktor ka sa ugaling ‘yan?”
“Forensic pathologist.”
“Can I interview you in the future? There are only two forensic pathologists in this country, tapos you’re aspiring to be the third. Ang talino mo.”
Oh.
Oh.
Ako pala ‘yung tinutukoy niya.
My lips parted in realization, and I mindlessly locked eyes with Loki who was already looking at me. Compared to the other ways he looked at me today, this gaze was heartfelt.
Sentimental, almost. Affectionate, if I dug much, much deeper.
But at the very least, I was sure that it was warm, and it sent a ticklish flutter down my spine.
“Do you have anything to tell her then?” I asked impulsively, my mind too overrun by emotion to think straight. “W-whoever she was.”
Loki raised the edge of his lips subtly, his steady gaze fixed on me still. He looked at me with earnest eyes, as if I could uncover the sincerest murmurs of his heart from them if I focused hard enough.
So, I did. I focused. I gulped and stared back, the both of us falling into a meaningful silence, ignoring everyone else in the room. Once again, like many times before, we found ourselves lost in our own world.
“Your answer, Doc?” I tried again, the words barely escaping my lips.
Are we going to regret this later? Maybe.
With a nostalgic smile, he finally replied, “See you next summer.”
And yet, without warning, the ends of my lips still curved upwards. For real, this time.
***
After Loki’s last remark, the interview finally ended. Pagkatapos niyang umalis para pumasok na sa sariling trabaho, nilibot ko ang studio para magpasalamat sa mga staff members at bigyan ng kape ang ilang mga halatang puyat. I couldn’t help but feel the urge to take care of them. After all, I was like them once.
“Bait mo talaga,” bulong ni Rosetta bago umalis. Magfi-field duty pa kasi. “Kaya siguro nagustuhan ka nung tao, eh. Binigyan mo kasi ng gatas.”
“Ang babaw naman?”
“Bigyan mo ng kape. Baka mahulog sa’yo ulit.”
I rolled my eyes in disbelief. At nagawa niya pang kumindat!
Sinimulan ko na rin ang pagtulong kay Hel na nagliligpit ng mga gamit. Pupulutin ko na sana ang ilang mga nahulog na pirasong papel nang biglang lumapit si Hel at pinigilan ako.
“Ma’am, kakaalis lang po ni Doc.”
Confused, I raised my head at her with an eyebrow arched. Alam ko naman, ah? I just witnessed him walk out the door. She didn’t have to report that to me.
“And so?”
Inunahan niya ako sa pagpulot ng papel at tiningnan ako na para bang hindi siya sigurado kung paano sumagot. “Ma’am, ‘di niyo po ba susundan?”
Right…
“Ma’am, kahit ako na po magliligpit nito lahat mag-isa!” dali-daling usal ni Hel, konti nalang ay maiiyak na. What’s going on? 'Di ko nga rin maintindihan kung bakit. Sa lungkot ba o pagod o pagkainis sa akin, 'di ko alam.
“Mamaya niyo na po ako pagalitan!” sabi niya habang tinutulak ako palapit sa pinto. “Kahit sigawan pa po niyo ako buong araw. Pero habulin niyo po muna si Doc!”
I looked over my shoulder back at her, baffled and unsure. Inuutusan ako ng intern kong… habulin si Loki? Why should I?
Should I?
Hel’s instructions rang in my ear, making my bottom lip tremble. Desperately, I bit on it to keep my emotions from spilling out of my chest and onto my words.
But then my intuition started screaming at me square in the face, yelling through a megaphone. Slowly, as my heart started to race, the yearning of my subconscious also started to sound clear.
I wanted to chase after him.
I couldn’t help but shake my head at the thought. Sa huli, wala pa rin talagang laban ang bulong ng isip sa sigaw ng puso.
Throwing all rationality out the window, I hurried to the door and burst it open. Nang makalabas ako sa studio, I ran a few steps to catch up with the guy with disheveled hair. He was just a few paces ahead of me kaya 'di naman ako nahirapang humabol.
“Hey, wait!” I called while reaching for his shoulder and placing my hand on it.
Loki paused and turned his head to me, bored. "What?"
“Can we talk?”
Unexpectedly, his eyes lit up in mixed surprise and confusion before shifting to a dubious squint. “Are you serious?”
“Ayaw mo?”
He let out a subtle exhale, silently staring at me in thought.
Sa sobrang tahimik niya, I couldn’t help but jolt when he suddenly grabbed my wrist and pulled me towards the end of the hallway. Napalunok nalang ako nang binuksan niya ang pintuan ng fire exit at hinila ako papasok, hawak-hawak pa rin ang palapulsuhan ko.
I turned my head towards him, furrowing my eyebrows. “Ba’t pa ba tayo pumasok dito? ‘Di ba pwedeng doon nalang sa labas?”
“You said we’re going to talk,” he explained. “We are going to need privacy for this.”
Mag-uusap lang naman kami?
“Let go of my wrist first, please.”
“No,” he instantly refused.
“What do you mean, no?”
“I said, no.” The air around us thickened as I felt him grip my wrist tighter. “You and I have a problem to talk out and until we do, you’re not running away. You’re good at that, Lorelei. But not this time around.”
My eyes wandered across the floor, ears hyper-focusing on our breathing. The way our chests rose and fell was heavy, which filled the space with a tension I couldn’t bring myself to break.
It was no surprise that Loki broke the silence. “How long are you planning to avoid me for?”
“Kailan mo ‘ko bibitawan?”
“Lorelei, look at me.”
I bit my lip as I felt Loki’s hand on my shoulder, turning me towards his direction. My line of sight aligned with his chest and I closed my eyes in refusal to look at him.
“You’re acting shy now?”
“Shut up.”
He smirked with a gentle exhale that tickled the top of my head. “I’m sorry. Not for teasing you. For the other thing."
“Ewan ko sa’yo!” I pulled myself away from him and finally took a good look at his face. “You shouldn’t be the one apologizing. I was acting immature.”
“I don’t think your behavior was unfounded,” Loki uttered. “I missed our anniversary, Lorelei. Regardless of the reason.”
I chuckled awkwardly in shame.
“Akala ata ng intern ko na ex kita from college.”
“Malapit na.”
“Ang OA mo talaga! Nagtatampo lang naman ako nang konti—”
“‘Konti’ is an understatement. You haven’t spoken to me in almost a week,” he pointed out, almost bitterly. “If you browse through Merriam-Webster, this is filed under the very definition of torture.”
My head spinned as he played with the front strands of my hair between his fingers, maintaining the intensity of his gaze. He caressed them with a gentle rub, afraid to break what seemed fragile.
“You enjoy my dramatics, don’t you? It balances out how much I spoil you.”
“We were supposed to go on vacation…” mahina kong depensa sa sarili ko. “Of course, I was disappointed. Pero alangan namang pagbawalan kitang mag-duty? Deserve mo lang masaktan nang konti.”
He sighed in resignation. “You and your temper, Lorelei.”
“But for the record,” I quickly added, “I’m not angry anymore.”
“That’s good.”
I bit my lip, trying to suppress my grin. My smile was becoming harder to hide by the moment. I honestly missed his presence in my day-to-day life.
Tuluyan na nga sana akong ngingiti when I noticed Loki’s lips twisting into a smug upturn. He rubbed the collar of his white coat with a mischievous glint in his eyes.
“It’s the get-up, isn’t it?”
My smile fell.
And we’re back, I thought as I rolled my eyes. Di pa pala kami tapos.
“Naramdaman mo ‘yon?” I looked around dramatically. “Parang humangin.”
“Ogling me while at work?” he pushed further. “I know I look good—”
“Natuto ka lang mag-gel ng buhok, akala mo na talaga you’re all that?”
“Oh, you’re not subtle, Ms. Rios.”
Lumaki ang mga mata ko in disbelief. The audacity.
“Ako pa talaga inaatake mo, ‘no? Sabi nga ng intern ko ikaw ‘tong tingin nang tingin sa ‘kin.
“I’m obliged to gaze at my fiancée, no?"
My lips fell apart, scrambling to find some clever response. But of course, my mind just had to go blank! Wala akong maisip na ibang sabihin.
Loki smirked to himself. “I win.”
Of course, talo na naman ako. Talong-talo sa ‘yo.
It took him two strikes to catch me off-guard. Two strikes! I must be losing my touch.
I frowned, claiming the hair tie hidden beneath his wrist watch and fixing my hair into a polished low bun. “I can’t wait to wipe that smug grin off your face.”
“While wearing my ring? Try me, Rios.”
And tried I did, grabbing the front of his necktie to bring our faces closer. Loki’s eyes widened by a margin but quickly shifted into something more collected. We were separated by an inch or two, his nose tickling the tip of mine, and I could feel the subtle puffs of air escaping his lips.
“Your breath feels warm,” I stated, basking in the glory of his defenseless state. The corners of my lips upturned at the faint blush under his eyes.
“Tag-araw na kasi.”
“That’s not how the weather works,” I couldn’t help but grin.
“You’d be crazy to think I consider this a loss, by the way.”
“Ano ‘yung sabi mo sa’kin dati?”
“Marry me, Lorelei.”
I snickered, amused at his absurdity. Ibig ko sanang sabihin ‘yung confession niya dati na patay na patay siya sa ‘kin. The words took him a while to vocalize, and I marveled at them every waking day.
“Not that one. Pero yes, malapit na.”
I re-counted the days in my head, revisiting the tickboxes off our wedding prep checklist. Malapit nang mag-May. We fell in love during the spring — or whatever equivalent the Philippines had of it — so it was only fitting that we married each other in the summer to symbolize moving through the seasons together.
Perhaps, love and hate indeed belonged to the same coin. While I’m uncertain when the sun started to shine on one side instead of the other, it’s a fact I’ll be glad to live with for more seasons to come.
I planted a quick kiss on his lips, fixed his tie, and dusted the imaginary dust off his coat.
“Limit your coffee for me, please,” bilin ko.
“That’s it?”
“Kain ka when you have time,” dagdag ko pa.
“You’re forgetting something.”
“Uwi ka nang maaga.”
“I’ll wait for you.”
I rolled my eyes. That’s not a promise. May sariling buhay kasi ‘yung schedule niya sa ospital. He doesn’t do the waiting often anymore.
But he tries, nevertheless. Whatever warmth Loki has hidden beneath the banter and orchestrated frustration — ang layo na ng narating namin but some things are still the same. He still puts in the effort and sacrifice for me.
Today, he fulfilled one of my dreams. Balang araw, ako naman.
“I love you,” I finished with a smile, eager to return back to work. “See you at home.”
What a privilege it’s been to live through spring.
And see you next summer.
***
“Long time no see, Doc! Akalain niyo pong magkaka-part two tayo?”
Hel beamed at the man with a white coat, currently getting the finest ends of his hair fixed. It’s been a year since we had Loki in the office for the PLE interview project… which went viral. Loki’s feature aside, ginamit din kasing PR ng office na magkakilala kami dati. And more than that.
Like Hel, I wasn’t sure if he remembered all the familiar faces on set either.
“Naalala niyo pa ba ako?”
“The chatty intern from last time.”
“Not anymore!” she sung in whimsy. “Full-time na ako which means… kasama ko na po si Ms. Lori magdamag sa trabaho!”
“Ako, Doc, tanda mo pa?”
“Unfortunately.”
“Tigilan niyo na nga ‘yan.” Sinamaan ko ng tingin si Rosetta nang madaanan siya. “Nanonood ‘yung mga bagong intern. Umayos ka.”
“Possessive nito masyado,” Rosetta muttered to herself na mabilis niya namang sinundan ng tawa. “‘Di ka naman makakaupo diyan kung wala ako!”
I rolled my eyes. Umupo nalang ako sa tinutukoy niyang sofa sa harap ng camera. I was usually on the other side of the set kaya pati ako, naninibago. I sat beside Loki, the more experienced interviewee between us both, and caught him glancing at me for a moment.
“Is there something on my face?”
“Kaya mo palang mag-ayos?” he said, the edge of his lips upturned.
“Malay ko,” I retorted. “Ikaw ‘yung may crush sa’kin, diba?”
“Pwede bang mamaya na kayo maglandian?”
Pagkatapos niya kaming pagalitan, ngumiti si Rosetta sa cameraman namin. “Kaya na ‘to, sir. Interview na tayo. Guys, quiet sa set!”
“Intro pa ‘to, okay? Pakilala muna kayo,” dagdag na bilin niya. “Lights!”
I cleared my throat. Here goes nothing.
“Hi, I’m Lorelei Rios.”
“I’m Louis Kingsley Mendez. Loki, for convenience.”
One, two, three…
We raised our hands together, showing off the backside.
Pareho na kaming may singsing.
“And we’re married!”
(ending theme: Christmas Tree - V)