Chasing Happiness

Chapter 4

Brandy hurried after me and slipped her arm through mine as we walked toward her mother’s room, where the makeup artists were waiting.

“Hello, girls. We’ve been waiting for you.”

The moment we stepped inside, Brandy’s mother welcomed us with a warm smile.

“You two are the only ones who aren’t ready yet. Your brother’s wedding starts in thirty minutes.”

I glanced around the room. It was spacious and elegantly furnished, with almost everything looking incredibly expensive. What caught my attention most, however, was the large jewelry case displayed against one wall, filled with dazzling diamonds, necklaces, bracelets, and earrings that looked like they belonged in a luxury boutique.

Brandy let go of my arm and kissed her mother on both cheeks.

“Thanks for letting Sofia stay here at the mansion, Mom.” She flashed a playful grin. “As a reward, I promise I won’t get married until I’m thirty.”

Her mother laughed before shaking her head dramatically.

“Oh, no. Please don’t do that! You’ll worry me to death!”

“Mom!”

“Brandy Buenaventura,” she said with mock exasperation, “go sit down and let Stephany do your makeup before all this stress ruins my freshly straightened hair.”

I couldn’t help smiling as I watched the two of them tease each other. They had the kind of easy relationship that only came from years of laughter and unconditional love.

“Go ahead, dear,” her mother said, turning to me with a gentle smile. “Take any empty chair.”

I nodded politely and settled into one of the vacant seats as the makeup artists got to work.

Apparently, Brandy’s mother had hired four makeup artists and hairstylists, with the others assigned to the guest rooms to prepare the bridesmaids. While they worked on us, Brandy barely stopped talking, asking endless questions about my life in America.

I answered every question she asked.

Just…

Not completely.

It wasn’t because I didn’t want to talk to her.

I simply didn’t know how much of the truth I was ready to tell.

I winced when she suddenly smacked my arm.

“Why are you so quiet now? You used to talk nonstop, especially back when we worked together.”

A faint smile crossed my lips as I looked at my reflection in the mirror.

“It’s been five years since we last saw each other,” I said softly. “A lot has changed.”

Her smile slowly disappeared.

Through the mirror, I saw her watching me.

There was sadness in her eyes, as though she wanted to ask what had really happened during those five years.

Before she could, someone knocked on the door.

“Miss Brandy,” the maid said politely, “your mother asked me to tell you to hurry. The guests have already started leaving for the church, and she’s gone ahead.”

Brandy nodded.

“Thanks, Belen. We’ll be right there.”

After the maid left, Brandy looked back at me and smiled.

“Don’t worry,” she said. “We’ll have plenty of time to catch up.”

I smiled and nodded.

“I know.”

And hopefully…

By then, I’d be ready to tell her the truth.

⸻

After the church ceremony, everyone returned to the Buenaventura estate for the reception.

I nearly felt dizzy from the sheer number of guests.

The entire garden was filled with people who clearly came from influential and wealthy families. Business owners, politicians, landowners, and countless faces I had never seen before filled every corner of the venue.

Instead of following Brandy around to greet everyone, I quietly slipped away and found a secluded table tucked beneath the shade of an old acacia tree.

It was peaceful.

The perfect place to sit, breathe, and watch everything from a distance.

Lately…

Crowds made me uncomfortable.

“You don’t drink?”

The deep voice caught me by surprise.

I looked up.

Of course.

Him.

There were four empty chairs around the table.

Yet he chose the one directly across from me.

He held a bottle of Red Horse beer in one hand, and for the first time since I’d met him…

He actually looked presentable.

He was wearing a light pink long-sleeved shirt with the sleeves casually rolled up to his elbows, black jeans, and a pair of clean leather boots. His hair had been washed, and all traces of the dirt and mud that had covered him yesterday were gone.

I found myself staring a little longer than I intended.

Fine.

He was handsome.

Very handsome.

Still…

He was unbelievably annoying.

How old was he, anyway?

Early thirties?

Late thirties?

“Why are you asking?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

He took a slow sip of his beer before looking at me.

“Stop speaking English.”

I blinked.

“You’re not in America anymore.”

I frowned.

“Excuse me?”

“My ears hurt every time you talk.”

My mouth fell open.

What the hell?

“I didn’t ask you to come over here, so why are you talking to me in the first place? As far as I—”

He lifted his beer bottle slightly.

“Hey, kid.”

“I told you. Stop speaking English.”

“Kid?”

“I’m just asking if you drink.”

“Why?”

He closed his eyes for a moment, looking as though I was the greatest test of patience God had ever given him.

“I’m not the one asking.” He gestured toward another table with his beer bottle. “My friends wanted to know if you’d like to join us.”

“Oh.”

“A simple yes or no would’ve been enough.” He stood up. “You talk too much.”

“Tsk.”

Then he simply walked away.

I stared after him in disbelief.

Did he seriously just—

My fingers curled into a fist.

I honestly couldn’t believe that man.

We had only met yesterday.

At the public market.

It wasn’t my fault I’d gotten lost and accidentally bumped into him.

It wasn’t my fault I had mistaken him for someone’s uncle.

Well…

Maybe that part had been my fault.

But when I called him “brother” instead, he got even more annoyed.

What exactly did he want me to call him?

A few moments later, I stood up.

Fine.

If his friends wanted me to join them, I’d go.

And if he didn’t like me…

Even better.

“Hi, everyone.”

Every head at the table turned toward me.

They clearly hadn’t expected me to accept the invitation.

Everyone except him.

Kenji remained seated, quietly drinking his beer as though my presence made absolutely no difference.

Somehow…

That irritated me.

“Hi.”

The man sitting across from me stood up and offered his hand with a bright smile.

“I’m Nicolas Sandoval. Hacienda owner, farmer… and obviously the most handsome man at this table.”

“Liar.”

I turned toward the man who looked almost identical to him.

“I’m Eugene Sandoval,” he said, stealing my hand from Nicolas. “We’re twins. Unfortunately for him, I’m the better-looking one.”

“You’re delusional.”

I laughed.

At least someone in this group was normal.

“We both work in agriculture,” Eugene added before letting go of my hand.

Nicolas continued introducing everyone else.

“That’s Steven Reyes, and beside him is his girlfriend, Paula Ramirez.”

Paula smiled warmly at me.

“And that’s David Ramirez, Paula’s older brother.”

David simply nodded politely.

“And over there is our cousin, Mara Mendoza.”

I smiled back at her.

“And finally…” Nicolas grinned as he pointed toward the man quietly drinking beer at the end of the table. “You’ve already met him.”

“That’s Kenji Sandoval.”

“The oldest among us.”

“Only by one bath,” Nicolas added with a laugh.

The men burst into laughter.

Everyone except Kenji.

He slowly lowered his beer and shot Nicolas a cold glare.

I couldn’t resist.

“Oh.”

I nodded thoughtfully.

“Uncle Kenji.”

The entire table fell silent.

Very slowly…

Kenji turned toward me.

“What did you just call me?”

I bit the inside of my cheek to stop myself from smiling.

“Uncle?”

Nicolas exploded with laughter.

“Holy hell! Uncle!”

“Shut up,” Kenji said coldly.

“I called him ‘brother’ yesterday,” I explained innocently. “He got mad about that too.”

“Just call me Kenji,” he muttered.

I nodded.

“Alright…”

I smiled sweetly.

“Uncle Kenji.”

The table erupted into laughter once again.

For the first time since arriving in the Philippines…

I laughed without forcing myself.

And somehow…

Despite being the most irritating man I’d met since coming here, he had managed, if only for a moment, to make me forget why I had run all the way to this place.

“So what’s your name?” Eugene asked after everyone had finally settled down. “You’re Brandy’s guest, right?”

“Don’t bother asking,” Kenji muttered as he reached for his beer again.

I looked at him.

“Your nose will probably start bleeding trying to understand her. That American girl probably doesn’t even know how to speak Filipino.”

My eyes narrowed.

He looked me up and down before taking another drink.

“She looks like she grew up in the States. Just look at her skin. Not a single scratch, mosquito bite, or scar. Nothing like the rest of us.”

I gasped.

This man…

I swear.

One of these days, I was going to strangle him.

“No, she’s not!”

Everyone turned at the familiar voice.

Brandy approached our table together with her newly married brother and his wife.

I glanced back at Kenji.

He was already drinking his beer again as though I didn’t exist.

And somehow…

That annoyed me more than everything else he had said.

I didn’t know what his problem was.

I didn’t know why every conversation between us ended with one of us irritated.

And I definitely didn’t know why, out of everyone I’d met since coming here…

He was already becoming the hardest person to ignore.