The Gentlemen's Game Series 3: Alfonso Ian Zaragosa

Chapter 8

Harper:

That's great! You can try having a Filipino boyfriend before settling down!

I rolled my eyes after reading her message. I shouldn't have told her what happened between Alfonso and I.

Wala naman kasing nangyari. Wala rin akong ibang ikinuwento kay Harper kundi iyong naging conversation namin ni Alfonso. I didn't even told her his problems. Personal at ayoko namang ipagkalat ang pinagdadaanan ni Alfonso.

Nag-assume lang talaga si Harper when I told her that we talked about something personal. As per my hopeless romantic best friend, that's the start of deep talks daw. She's really delusional.

I forced myself for a reply.

Ako:

That's not even great. He's hurting.

Kaagad ko nga lang dinelete iyon. He's hurting but I don't want to share that to anyone.

Ilang beses pa akong nag-compose ng message but in the end, I responded with nonsense.

Ako:

Get a life, Harp.

I shook my head. Binitawan ko ang cellphone at lumabas na ng kuwarto. Nangunot nga lang ang noo ko nang makitang abalang-abala ang mga house helps, lalo na sa unang palapag ng mansyon.

They're cleaning, organizing stuffs and there are some furnitures from outside, iniaakyat ang iba.

Kaagad na tumabi ako nang dumaan ang mga nag-aakyat ng isang queen size bed.

"What's happening here?" I asked, hindi pa man nakakababa ng hagdan.

But everyone is so busy. Ni hindi nga yata ako narinig ng mga tauhan.

"Narie?" I went towards the grand living room. My assistant is talking with Mori.

Hindi pa man ako nakakalapit sa kabila ay mabilis nang lumingon sa akin si Narie.

"Miss..." Halos takbuhin n'ya ang ilang hakbang na distansya. "May kailangan ka, Miss Corrine?"

I crossed my arms. My eyes wandered for a bit.

"What is the meaning of this? Is there any kind of renovation I didn't know?"

Ang mga nagbubuhat ng mga furniture ay abala na sa third floor. May mga katulong na rin doon na abalang-abala sa paglilinis.

"Oh, walang renovation, Miss. Inihahanda lang ang ilang silid para sa parents n'yo."

My head snapped at her. "What?"

Bahagya pang nalito ang babae. "Ahm, uuwi po rito ang mga magulang n'yo. Bukas."

"What the hell?!" Halos mapapikit ako sa narinig. Hindi ko 'yon alam! "Sina mama? How about Ahma?"

Narie bit her lower lip. Her nod made me numb. Uuwi si Ahma? Bakit?

"Why didn't you tell me? Bakit sila uuwi? I thought Ahia's going home?" Mabilis ang naging paglalakad ko habang natataranta naman si Narie sa paghabol sa akin.

I flared at the men who're busy with the furnitures.

"For your brother's graduation, Miss."

"That's not on their schedule!"

Graduation, really? I'm not convinced na iyon ang dahilan!

"Where's Ahia? He's going home after that freaking ceremony! That's the plan!"

"Cancelled po ang flight—"

Hindi ko na pinakinggan ang sinasabi n'ya. I marched towards my brother's study!

Magkahalong inis at pag-aalala ang nararamdaman ko. Cancelled ang flight n'ya pa-China? Bakit? That's not on his plan! Uuwi s'ya dapat after his graduation, iyon ang dapat n'yang gawin!

Our parents... and Ahma. They're flying here. Bakit?

Oo nga at may kompanya rin ang mga Liu rito sa Pilipinas but that's not enough reason! Even Ahia's graduation, hindi dahilan iyon para lumipad sila papunta rito!

What if...

Paano kung alam na ni Ahma ang kalokohang ginagawa ni Ahia? Ano nang mangyayari sa kanya?! Paano na ang buhay n'ya? Siguradong pababalikin s'ya ng China and he can't say no!

I'm about to knock at my brother's door when it opened. Mori came out and bowed a bit before leaving.

"Hey, Corrine."

Inis na tiningnan ko ang kapatid bago pumasok. He looks relaxed. Nasa study table at may binabasa roon.

"What was that?" His brow shot up after I slammed his door.

"What was that, Ahia?" I returned the question. "What are you doing?!"

He removed his glasses and leaned on his seat. Nakataas ang kilay na ikiniling n'ya ang ulo.

"I'm doing nothing, Corrine." Inilahad n'ya ang kamay sa ilang papeles. "I'm reviewing a business proposal for Liu Jewelries. I'm going to present this to the board and—"

"Ahia!"

Inis na lumapit ako sa lamesa n'ya. Ni hindi ko alam kung ano ang dapat na sabihin sa kanya.

"Calm down, Corrine. Have a seat."

"How can I calm down if you're ruining your life?!" I glared at him.

He stood and pointed the chair beside his huge table. "Have a seat and tell me the details. The reason why you're raising your voice on me, hmm?"

Hindi ko s'ya sinunod, nanatili akong nakatayo sa harap ng lamesa n'ya.

"You cancelled your flight!"

I saw him sigh.

"Ahma, mama and papa's going here!"

My brother sat down, massaging his temple.

"I had no choice but to reschedule that. I have to time for that. May presentation ako sa board and it can't wait. I also have lots of proposal to review—"

I chuckled. Oh, really? Ang perfect naman ng timing!

"That's the truth, Corrine." He sighed. "And Ahma and I talked about that. Pumayag s'ya. They're going here to attend my graduation and to assist me during the presentation..."

Muli akong natawa. They're fooling each other.

"We both know that that's not the reason," I said bitterly. "Attending a graduation ceremony? That's not very Ahma, Ahia. She has no time for those things, you know that!"

"If you don't believe me, you can ask her, Corrine."

I almost slapped myself. He's too hardheaded. Alam naman n'yang tama ako pero hindi s'ya nakikinig.

"You should stop doing that, Ahia. Before you drowned yourself." Halos pakiusap iyon. "Can't you just go back to Beijing?"

Muli s'yang bumuntong-hininga.

"I am not ruining my life, sis. Stop worrying about me, alright?"

Tumayo s'ya at dumiretso sa pinto. He opened that and tilted his head on me.

"Come on, madami pa akong kailangang asikasuhin."

"Ahia..." I approached him and held his arm. "You can't go against Ahma. Alam mo 'yan!"

He chuckled. "You're still young, Corrine. You shouldn't worry about things like this."

His words and actions made me walked out. Iritadong dumiretso ako sa kuwarto ko at doon inilabas ang inis.

And of course, having no friends for more than a month of staying here, I only have Alfonso.

I found myself sitting in our favorite place—the café. Nauna s'ya sa akin at ngayong magkaharap na kami sa lamesa, no one's talking. Pareho pa yata kaming may problema dahil halos magsalubong din ang mga kilay n'ya.

I'm aware about his problems. Sinabi naman n'ya sa akin ang tungkol sa nangyayari sa pamilya n'ya. Hindi kailangan but I know all the details.

I just listened to his story. Hindi na ako nagbigay ng advice dahil hindi ko alam ang nararamdaman n'ya at hindi ko iyon naiintindihan. I'm not in the right place to give him any of my words, I can only listen to him.

As for me, hindi ko naman magawang ikuwento sa kanya ang naging pagtatalo namin ni Ahia. Not because it's personal but because he's friends with that asshole brother of mine. He's also friends with Letticia. Ayoko nang dagdagan pa ang iniisip n'ya dahil sa kamangmangan ni Ahia.

"Life sucks, eh?" he remarked after a while.

Halos kalahating oras na yatang nakatulala lang kaming dalawa, not minding our drinks on the table.

"It is." I sighed and sipped on my cappuccino. "You, okay?"

He's not wearing his usual reading glasses, no books or laptop.

"Not really."

I shrugged. Wala na naman akong maibibigay na payo tungkol sa family problem n'ya. It's called family because it involves his family, no one can solve their problem except for them.

"How about you? Is your brother okay?"

"Ahia's not on his right mind but I think, he's fine," I lazily answered.

Alfonso chuckled.

Muli kaming natahimik. Ako ay nasa malalim pa ring pag-iisip habang s'ya ay bahagyang nakabawi na. Abala na s'ya sa pag-i-scan ng menu. A minute after, he called the server to order.

It's past five in the afternoon. I don't plan to spend the whole afternoon outside but because Ahia chose to be stupid, nandito ako ngayon.

"Dito na tayo mag-dinner. I ordered some food," Alfonso informed me, bahagya pang nakataas ang kilay. "Alam ba ni Macky na ako ang kasama mo?"

Umirap lang ako. Inis pa rin ako sa kapatid at hindi ko talaga s'ya gustong pag-usapan ngayon.

"Oh, I didn't know you two are really close."

We both lifted our gaze. It's their other friend, Christian Julian. I'm not really sure if Julian is his second name or a surname. Hindi ko maalala.

"Chris." Tumayo si Alfonso at tinapik ang balikat ng bagong dating. "I thought you're in the firm?"

Chris, probably his nickname, glanced at me before nodding at Alfonso.

"I was. Pauwi na sana ako but I decided to visit the shop," aniya at itinuro ang loob ng café. He's the owner. Ang alam ko nga ay madami nang branch ang coffee shop na 'to.

"Are you studying law?" I asked.

Tatlong makakapal na aklat ang nasa braso n'ya. Lahat ng iyon ay related sa law. I'm not surprised. Ahia and Alfonso is studying two courses at the same time, medyo may ilang buwan nga lang na pagitan.

Chris is one of those influential families' son. Just like my brother, one course is not enough for his background.

"Trying." He chuckled. He pointed to the counter bar. "I'll just check my staff."

Hinayaan ko na lang s'ya. Tumayo si Alfonso at may pinag-usapan pa silang dalawa pero hindi ko na narinig, halos nagbubulungan lang kasi.

We just had dinner. We didn't talk that much. Wala rin yata sa mood magkuwento si Alfonso kaya ilang detalye lang ang sinabi n'ya sa akin. Ako naman ay hindi talaga nagsabi.

"Don't you have any bodyguard?" tanong n'ya nang palabas na kami ng café.

"No one knows that I'm here. May driver naman ako and I have my assistant."

Sinulyapan ko ang sasakyan. Nandoon na sa gilid ng backseat si Narie, naghihintay.

"But you're a Liu. Having you here, malayo sa China, can attract lots of your family's enemies, Corrine."

Bahagya akong natawa sa sinabi n'ya. Mabagal lang ang paglalakad namin. Hindi naman kasi malayo ang parking area ng café, nasa harapan lang iyon.

"I'm not Ahia, Alfonso. I'm not an asset."

Natigilan s'ya kaya tumigil din ako sa paglalakad. He's now frowning while looking at me, a bit darkly.

Sinulyapan ko ang sasakyan. Nakabukas na ang pinto ng backseat at naghihintay na si Narie maging ang driver. Ilang hakbang na lang iyon mula sa amin.

"What do you mean by being an asset?" His voice is a bit cold. O baka ay imahinasyon ko lang?

"You know that, Alfonso." I shrugged. "I'm not the first born and I'm also a girl. Technically, I'm not an asset. Kaya it will be a disadvantage for those people you're talking about to to use me against my family. They won't waste their time and resources for me. They're also aware of that."

S'ya naman ang bahagyang natawa. Mukha nga lang sarcastic ang tawa n'ya. Hindi ko alam kung ako ba ang pinagtatawanan o may iba pang nakakatawa talaga.

"Are you with Alfonso?"

Iyon ang salubong ni Ahia nang makauwi ako. Hindi ako nagpaalam sa kanya pero sigurado akong nagre-report din naman si Narie kay Mori kaya nakarating na rin iyon sa kanya.

It's already eight in the evening. Akala ko nga ay busy s'ya but no, naghihintay s'ya sa akin dito sa grand living room.

"Narie reported, right? I'm with Alfonso. Did she tell you how much I hate you earlier?" dire-diretsong sabi ko habang umaakyat ng staircase. He's busy chasing after me.

"I'm sorry for that, Corrine."

Hindi ko s'ya pinansin at dire-diretso lang ang lakad ko hanggang sa marating namin ang silid ko.

I faced him. "You know, Ahia. You can't really get out from Ahma's hold. And making stupid mistakes is not really helpful."

Mas nainis ako nang sa halip na magseryoso ay ngumiti pa s'ya. Naaaliw na ginulo n'ya ang buhok ko.

"Thank you for the concern, Corrine."

He's really not thinking. Sa inis, I went inside my room and slammed my door!

Ahia's fuckíng in love and he's leading himself to his freaking destruction!