The Man Who Cried

Chapter 9 | Part 1

[ALI]

“SIMON,” ANI ko nang makita si Simon sa gitna ng first floor, nakatingin sa taas. He must be appreciating the interior design of the building. It actually is also the first thing that caught my attention, and I am glad he’s appreciating it. What a taste? And to think that we both have the same interests in these things really excites me. “Glad you came.”

I saw him avoid gazes with me. “Ali…”

I walked through him. As I was walking towards him slowly, I could feel my heart beating twice as it was doing. “Tara na?” The moment I laid my hand on his shoulders send shivers down to my spine. I really have something towards Simon, and I already am sure with it now. “I’ll be your interviewer…”

He saw me walked towards the elevator and waited for it to open. Kaagad niya rin naman akong sinundan patungo do’n. I turned my gaze to him who was being aware of his environment. I can never blame him. Imagine having everyone’s eyes looking at you in this space, I would have probably fainted already. But I already am used to this setup, this is always what I experiences.

A man on his black and blue outfit, sassily walking towards the front of the elevator came. I avoided gazes. This man… “Hi, sir,” he muttered. He stood beside Simon who was not giving a damn about everything in this scenario.

I looked at him and smiled like nothing happened before, like I haven’t seen him came yet. I am sure he has seen me see him already, but he’s back with his dramatic entrance and a fake greeting. “Hi,” bitin kong ani. I do not want to talk to him, though.

My eyes fixed on him as he laid his sight on Simon. How dare is he to lay his gaze on my man? “Who is this man beside me?” he asked. Napatingin lang si Simon sa kaniya. Napayuko pa si Simon dahil mas mababa sa kaniya si Gary, ang team leader na palaging nagpapainit ng dugo ko. “He’s fine as f**k, just my type.”

What the f**k? Simon is his type? “The elevator has opened,” I muttered, taking his attention from Simon. I would rather have him like me but not him like Simon. “Let’s go inside, Simon…”

Pinauna kong pinapasok si Simon at kaagad na sumunod sa kaniya. Pinili ni Simon na pumuwesto sa gitna ng elevator kaya kaagad akong pumunta sa tabi niya. As I was expecting, that guy came in and stayed beside Simon. Pinanganak ba ‘tong may kati? I was not having a good time that time, so before letting the others go inside the elevator, I pulled Simon’s wrist and exchanged position with him. This time, I would be more comfortable.

I felt an elbow nudging my side. I looked at him, it was Gary. “You want to stay behind me, huh?” he muttered. I just released a smirk. What is he even thinking about? “Are you jealous that he might get me?”

“Do you still know that I am the manager between us two?” I told him. He just chuckled and did not respond to what I have told him. “And yes, I am protecting my property.” The door opened that time, so I walked out with Simon without clearing it. Whether he take it wrong, then it is his problem. What’s important is that I am talking about Simon when I told him that.

I let Simon sit on the chair in front of my table inside my office. “Let us start the interview,” I muttered. It was just my second day as the marketing team’s manager so I am doing everything in my own pace. Whatever happens, anyway, will be beneficial to Simon, that is for sure. “Can you tell me your basic information?”

“Hindi talaga ako marunong mag-English kaya magsasalita na lang ako sa linggwaheng mas komportable ako, p’wede po ba?” tanong niya sa ‘kin. He’s so cute that he still asks me if he can do that. I nodded at him. He can do everything he want to do. Ibinigay niya sa ‘kin ang resume niya na siya namang binuksan ko. I was pretending to read when I was just looking at him talk. “Ako si Simon, 23 years old na po ako ngayong taon. Ako ang panganay na anak ng mga magulang ko. Marami na akong experience sa mga trabaho na pinasukan ko. Iba-iba po ang mga pinasukan ko. Sa totoo lang, wala pa akong experience na mag-trabaho sa opisina, pero pagpipilitan kong matuto para dito kung sakali man na makapasok ako dito.”

I nodded twice. “Why did you apply for this company?”

“Sa totoo lang, wala akong alam sa position na ina-apply-an ko. Pero kung ano sa tingin mo ang angkop na posisyon sa ‘kin, tatanggapin ko ‘yon.” He looked tense while talking. He must be nervous. “Nag-apply ako dito para sa pamilya ko. Hindi kasi talaga kasiya ang mga kita ko sa pa-extra-extra. At saka, may sakit ang nanay ko. Ang sabi ng doctor, mag-ready daw sa mga p’wedeng mangyari at sa mga gastusin kung sakaling mangyari man daw ‘yon. Gusto kong makapag-ipon ng pera para kay nanay habang hindi inaalala ang mga araw-araw na gastusin namin.”

I furrowed my brows. “Can I know what disease your mom has?” Natahimik siya at tila hindi makapagsalita. “If you are not comfortable about talking about that, you can just disregard my question since it has nothing to do about your application.”

“May heart disease ang nanay ko,” sagot niya sa ‘kin. I can see the sadness he has in his eyes. He looked down while talking. “Dating OFW ang nanay ko pero umuwi sa Pilipinas nang malaman na may sakit siya sa puso. Nag-apply talaga ako dito para sa nanay ko. Siya ang pangunahing rason kung bakit ako nandito.”

Natahimik ako. Is this how destiny plays with my heart? I lost my mom when I can’t find someone’s heart to replace hers… and just now, I knew that Simon, the person I like at the moment, his mom has heart disease and it might be risky. “I won’t let you lose your mom just like how I did,” I replied. I never knew if he got the context but I mean what I have told him. “You are in.”

His eyes gaped open. “Talaga?” tanong niya. “Anong posisyon?”

“Can you do assistance with some people?” I asked him. He looked confused at that moment and he looked cute. “Assistance, parang assistant ka ng isang tao, gano’n. Can you do that?”

Napangiti siya. “Kayang-kaya ko po ‘yan.”

I smiled as well. “Then, be my assistant manager,” I muttered. He might not have that best experiences about him but I’m sure that his eagerness to earn will make him do good job in this position. “You can start the next day of tomorrow. While this job may be hectic, as our jobs here are hectic, I suggest you to stay in Manila for now. Well, you can go home on your day-off pa naman. I assure you our high rates with our workers here, Simon. Congratulations for being part of our bigger family.”

Simon smiled. His smile is already enough for me. “Salamat sa trabaho, Ali…” aniya. Napangiti na lang rin ako. “Dapat na pala kitang tawagin na sir, ‘di ba? Pasensiya ka na. Kaibigan na kasi ang turing ko sa ‘yo, sa lahat ng naitulong mo, kaya nasanay na akong tawagin kang Ali. Hayaan mo, sasanayin ko na ang sarili ko.”

“Huwag kang mag-alala. Ayos lang naman sa ‘kin either way.” Just him saying that he already treats me as his friend pleasures me already. I’m glad I made friend of him, a good start for me. “You can call me Ali naman kapag nasa outside ng work and kapag tayo lang dalawa. Just call me sir when we’re in front with other workers here and on the get-together for formality.”

“Salamat talaga,” aniya pa. “Huwag kang mag-alala. Maghahanap ako ng matitirahan sa Maynila. Babalik agad ako sa baryo namin at mag-iimpake. Baka makikitira muna ako kay Evan pansamantala.”

He’s living with Evan, alone? “I have a suggestion, Simon,” I muttered. Tinignan niya ako at hinayaan lang akong magsalita. “Since I am the manager and you’re my assistant manager, you should be there when I have to do some errands or you should be able to do what I wanted you to do, right? For that to be possible, I think you should just live in my condo. I also live there. That would make our works easier, right?”

He was taken aback by my suggestion of him living with me. “Hmm…” he muttered. I guess my approach was kind of aggressive, that he cannot take it. I honestly do not mean something else when I told him that. I just want to see him all day and night and that’s already enough for me. I would never do something that would make Simon hate me. “Sige po.”

He looked like he was just pushed to do so. “If you hate the idea, okay lang naman.”

“Hindi po,” aniya. He was suddenly and constantly using that respectful word towards me. “Napag-isip-isip ko na tama ka sa mga sinabi mo. Dapat palaging kasama ng assistant ang boss niya, for sure. Gusto ko po ang suggestion mo.”

“You looked tense already. We are not yet starting with the work. You can just talk to me casually and refrain from giving respect to me. We are just one year apart, Simon. That does not make any difference,” sagot ko sa kaniya. Napakamot siya sa ulo niya. “You can go already. Alam kong mahaba ang biyahe galing dito papunta sa inyo. I will meet you on the bus stop later, just text me. I have work to do so I am not able to bring you to your barrio, Simon. Congratulations, again. Let’s work and do our best.”