The Gentlemen's Game Series 3: Alfonso Ian Zaragosa

Chapter 21

Alam ko, I always denied the truth.

Ilang beses ko bang tinanggihan ang tunay na nararamdaman? Ilang beses din. Ang ilang beses na 'yon ay natatabunan na ng ilang beses na pag-amin ko rito, ang pagtanggap na hindi ko naisip na kailangan ko pala.

It's just... accepting it is harder than rejecting even the thought of it. But recognizing it is more freeing and calming. Pakiramdam ko, mas lalo kong naintindihan ang sarili, ang nararamdaman.

"Well?"

Nakangisi ako habang nakatingala kay Alfonso. Oras na para umalis for our dinner pero hindi pa ako makalabas sa pinto ng unit ko. Malaking harang s'ya kahit na dapat ay susunduin n'ya lang ako rito.

He sighed. Ngumisi rin s'ya pero pakiramdam ko ay sarcastic iyon.

He massaged the bridge of his nose. "Fine... I can punch really hard so it's alright."

Kanina pa n'ya tinitingnan nang masama ang suot ko. My poor clothes just offended the smirking devil.

I am wearing a corset tube on top and a faux leather leggings partnered with my ankle boots. All black, even my dior hand bag. My top is covering just a bit of my chest and back. My navel is showing and I almost felt that the corset made my breast popped out more.

Gusto kong matawa sa itsura ni Alfonso. Ni hindi mawala ang pagkakatingin n'ya sa balikat at leeg ko na kitang-kita dahil sa suot. Hindi pa nakatulong na naka-high ponytail ang buhok ko.

"You shouldn't wearing sexy clothes, Corrine," aniya nang nasa sasakyan na kami.

"Why? Hindi bagay?" I teased him.

Alam kong bagay sa akin ang suot ko. I'm drawn to everything beautiful kaya alam ko kung alin ang maganda at hindi sa akin. I also saw how Alfonso's eyes lit up the moment I opened my door. Umirap lang talaga s'ya nang nakitang wala akong kahit anong cover-up na inihanda.

"That's not it." He's lazily holding the steering wheel. "You can wear anything you want... it's just..."

Naghintay ako sa sasabihin n'ya pero hindi na n'ya sinundan iyon. He gripped the wheel tightly then shook his head.

Hinayaan ko na lang. Alam ko namang kahit ayaw n'ya sa suot ko, hindi n'ya sasabihin iyon. Lagi n'ya akong pinagbibigyan sa lahat ng gusto ko.

I almost chuckled. He's spoiling me without knowing it. Poor him.

Pinagsawa ko ang mga mata sa maliwanag na tanawin sa labas ng sasakyan. Buhay na buhay ang lungsod at siguradong hindi ito matutulog. Mababawasan lang ang liwanag pero mananatiling gising. Isa iyon sa pagkakapareho ng Manila sa Beijing. The city is not really sleeping, it has no bed time.

We went to a Chinese restaurant for our dinner. Nagulat pa ako dahil hindi ko alam kung planado ba ni Alfonso ang pagkain dito o talagang ito lang ang nakita n'yang malapit sa bar na pupuntahan namin. Well, kahit 'yon ay hindi ko alam. Literal na ibinigay ko sa kanya ang pagdedesisyon sa gabing ito.

"Malapit ba rito ang bar na pupuntahan natin?" I asked after I settled myself on our table.

Hindi ko alam kung nasaan kami. Maybe in Taguig? Hindi ako sigurado, sa maraming beses na pamamasyal namin, laging si Alfonso ang bahala kaya wala akong masyadong alam sa direksyon o landmark ng ibang city.

"Thirty minutes away?" He scanned the menu before looking at me. "What do you want to eat?"

Gusto ko sanang tumawa dahil talagang ito pa ang pinili n'ya for our dinner. Really? A man choosing a Chinese resto for a Chinese? He's so considerate and a bit... cute!

Paanong hindi? The menu is written on Chinese characters, no english translation. Obviously, the place is owned and managed by a pure blood Chinese. The restaurant's market is literally screaming through the menu and the restaurant's interior—for Chinese only. May mailan-ilan nga lang na ibang lahi kasama na ang ilang Filipino. Maybe, they're trying a different cuisine or just having the same taste as me.

"Is this your first time trying the food here?" marahang tanong ko sa nakakunot na si Alfonso. He looks confused as he scanned the menu.

He lifted his gaze. "You've been here for months. I never saw you eating any dishes like these..." He pointed to the menu. "Kaya naisip kong baka nami-miss mo na 'yong mga ganitong pagkain."

"Even if you had no idea what are those?" Itinuro ko rin ang menu.

Alfonso chuckled. "This is not just my first time in a place like this, baby. I never tried any of those."

Gusto kong umirap sa endearment na ginamit n'ya. He's so used on calling me that and for sure, masasanay na rin ako roon.

But then... he's trying to enter a part of my world. Kahit wala s'yang ideya, kahit hindi n'ya alam, he's trying.

Nilingon ko ang waiting staff na nalangiting nanonod sa aming dalawa. Not Chinese but I'm sure, he's trained to work here.

The food in the menu is mouth-watering. The moment I saw them, I'm already craving for them. Hindi ko nga lang gustong biglain si Alfonso, he's trying and this is his first time. I want to at least choose something that would suit his palate.

I ordered the traditional beggar's chicken, braised duck and a xiao long bao. Hindi ko alam kung common dish ang mga iyon for Alfonso pero sa tingin ko naman ay medyo pamilyar s'ya sa mga iyon.

"Just those? Ayaw mong dagdagan?" He's eyeing the pictures on the menu.

I smiled. "No. Okay na 'yon. We can just eat later again."

Siyempre ay hindi ako sigurado kung magugustuhan n'ya kaya ayokong mag-order ng madami. Puwede naman kaming kumain ulit, iyong pagkain na nakasanayan n'ya.

"What is your favorite food?" tanong ko nang tumalikod ang waiting staff. "I'm not a good cook, you see. I'm planning to learn."

His eyes glistened with spark.

"You're going to cook for me?"

Ramdam ko ang pamumula ng mukha ko pero mabilis pa rin akong tumango.

"Hmm... I really like the traditional Filipino dishes."

"Like?"

"Adobo."

Wala sa sariling napahawak ako sa noo. That's the first dish I cooked and I sucked on it! Hindi ko pa nakakalimutan ang lasa niyon.

Smirking, Alfonso tilted his head. "I also like sinigang, kare-kare and sisig."

Nakatingin lang ako sa kanya, nakikinig. He mentioned dishes that are like alien to me. I don't even know any of them! Nakakain na siguro ako pero wala naman kasi akong pakialam sa inihahain ng mga maid kaya hindi ko alam kung anong pangalan o itsura ng mga iyon.

"I really love your adobo."

I rolled my eyes. Is he teasing me? Maybe, mocking.

"I told you, that food is not edible."

Alfonso just chuckled.

"Masarap naman." Kusang tumaas ang kilay n'ya. "And it's your first time. You'll improve for sure."

Umirap na lang ulit ako. Isa iyon sa plano ko, to improve my cooking. Hindi ko alam kung paano pero siguro naman ay napapag-aralan ang kahit ano.

Kaya nang dumating ang pagkain namin, halos hindi ako makakain nang maayos. Masyado akong nakatuon sa ekspresyon ni Alfonso habang isa-isa n'yang tinitikman ang mga pagkaing pinili ko.

I looked calm but inside, I'm hoping for him to like the food.

"Hmm..." He's taking his time, savoring the taste of the chicken. "It's good, really good."

I felt like I passed a major subject. Just a single comment from him and I'm beyond happy.

"Eat, Corrine..." Inayos n'ya ang kutsarang nasa kamay ko.

He glanced at the chopstick. Hindi na ako gumamit niyon pero kasama pa rin sa pagse-serve ng utensil.

"Teach me how to use that." He pouted. "I tried one time but it wasn't an easy feat."

Nangingiting tumago ako.

We spend more than an hour in that restaurant. That is also the first time we talked and spend time without talking any of our hectic schedule. We just talked about random subjects, some were even nonsense but I still enjoyed it. Siguro, kahit ano basta kasama si Alfonso, mag-e-enjoy pa rin ako.

"Bar hopping?" ulit ko habang pinapasadahan ang hilera ng mga bar.

Mabagal ang usad ng sasakyan ni Alfonso at sa harapan namin, kaliwa at kanan ay ang mga bar.

We're in Makati and it's almost eleven in the evening. Akala ko ay lalayo kami, Taguig or somewhere far but Alfonso chose this city.

"Let's do that for an hour," aniya habang abala sa pagpa-park. "Then, we're going to settle to a bar of your choice. What do you think?"

Mabilis ang naging pagtango ko. Hindi naman ito ganoon kalayo sa condo building pero mukhang mas maganda ang idea n'ya sa gabing ito. I never tried visiting a series of bar!

I looked like a happy kid when we finally went out. Sa labas pa lang ay maingay na. Marami ring nasa labas at halos mawala ako kung hindi lang ako hawak ni Alfonso.

"May I?" Mula sa siko ko ay dumausdos ang kamay n'ya sa baywang ko.

Halos pigilan ko ang paghinga. I nervously nodded my head. Ramdam na ramdam ko ang pagiging komportable ng kamay n'ya roon.

Nang hindi pa rin ako humakbang, Alfonso pulled me, closer.

"Let's try your first bar here. The rule is to drink only a bottle or glass of your choice, alright?" His voice soothed and calmed my nerves.

"G-Got it."

"No black label, Corrine..." mariing dagdag n'ya.

Tumango ako at pilit na nag-focus sa unang bar na pupuntahan namin. This is one of my bucket list with him, bakit ba ako masyadong kinakabahan? I should enjoy this!

And that's not really hard. Unang bar pa lang, sumasabay na ako sa nagkakantahan sa dance floor.

Nasa bar counter kami. Nakaupo ako sa high chair at sa halip na nakaharap sa bartender, halos nakapihit ako para mas makita nang mabuti ang mga nagkakasiyahan sa dance floor.

I glanced at Alfonso, nasa baywang ko pa rin ang kamay n'ya. He's standing beside me and even if I'm already sitting, he's still taller than me. Umabot lang ang mga mata ko sa balikat n'ya.

I'm enjoying the jolly and dancing crown at my fron while he's busy glaring at my drink.

"Chill," I laughed.

Nagtaas s'ya ng kilay. Muli n'yang tiningnan ang inumin bago bumuntong-hininga.

"Your curiosity will be the death of me," he whispered.

Nangingiting humilig ako sa kanya. He stiffened but didn't push me. Hinayaan n'ya akong sumandal sa kanya.

I'm planning to try different kinds of cocktails tonight. Isang bagong inumin kada bar and he's letting me.

Negroni tastes different and strange. It's also a bit strong, I think?

"I told you to try fruit teas instead," Alfonso commented when I wrinkled my nose after downing the drink.

I shook my head, trying to ease the drinks' effect on me.

"You won't drink?"

Alfonso scoffed. "No. Magda-drive pa ako."

Ngumuso ako at tiningnan ang isang baso ng tubig sa gilid n'ya.

"We can stay in a hotel nearby, you know..."

Wala naman akong ibang intensyon nang sabihin iyon pero maayos pa naman ang isip ko, agad kong naunawaan na hindi pala maganda ang sinabi ko.

"I... I mean—"

"We're going home. Now, finish that and we'll go to our second bar."

And we did.

Margarita. French 75. Bloody Mary. Cosmopolitan. Blue Bird. Frost Bite and Winter Chill. I tried them all before we settled in Hexagon, a high-end bar in the middle of the district.

I never saw Alfonso trying anything beside water. He's too strict with his no alcohol rule tonight. Well, I admire him for that.

But not my newbie self when it comes to alcohol. I'm almost drunk. And here I am thinking that I have at least above average level of alcohol tolerance.

"Stay still, baby..." Alfonso's husky voice reached my ear.

Nasa isa kaming C-shape sofa, sa may bandang gitna VIP section ng Hexagon. Elevated ang kinalalagyan namin at ilang baitang ba ang mayroon bago makababa sa dance floor na nasa harapan.

"I wanna dance!" Inisang lagok ko ang laman ng baso bago nagmamadaling tumayo.

I don't know if I'm really drunk or Alfonso's just flexible. Mabilis n'ya akong nahigit pabalik sa pagkakaupo.

"I want to dance!" Tinampal ko ang kamay n'yang nasa tiyan ko na para pigilan ako sa pagtayo.

He gritted his teeth while sighing.

"Drink this first." Itinaas n'ya ang isang baso ng tubig. "And you're not dancing with anyone there. Just me."