Love, Heila (Tagalog)

Chapter 15

“Hay*p ka talaga!”

Dahan-dahan akong napahinto sa aking paglalakad isang umaga habang papunta sa shop. Pasado alas syete pa lang iyon ngunit isang malutong na mura agad ang bumungad sa mga tainga ko.

Sa makipot na kalsada kung saan ako naglalakad ay pumihit ako nang bahagya patalikod kung saan ko narinig ang galit na boses ng isang ginang.

“Kung kailang anim na ang anak mo, saka ka pa nambabaeng hay*p ka!” muli niyang sigaw at doon ko nakita ang isang lalaking may edad na rin na tumatakbong lumabas mula sa kanilang gate hanggang sa kalsada.

Kumunot ang noo ko. Bakit ganoon? Mas mabuti bang nambabae sana siya noong wala pa silang anak?

“Ano ba? Tama na! Nakakahiya!” saway ng lalaki ngunit mas lalo lang nanggalaiti sa galit ang kaniyang asawa.

“Nakakahiya? Ngayon mahihiya ka pero noong nasa puder ka ng kirida mo, hindi ka nahihiya kahit may anim na anak ka na?”

Dala ang isang walis tingting ay hinabol ng ginang iyong lalaki hanggang sa mapadpad na sila sa isang iskinitang tago na mula sa mga mata ko. Ngunit ang lakas ng mga boses nila ay rinig pa rin mula sa kinatatayuan ko. Napailing ako. Kawawa ang mga bata.

“I’m sure they’re old enough to know what’s the right thing and the bad one, but that old man chose to have another woman despite having six damn kids with his wife.”

Sa gilid ko ay nakita ko ang isang maputi at guwapong lalaki. Oo, gwapo. At first time naming magtapo sa daan.

Si Rehan.

Nakasuot siya ng isang pale green na jacket at black pants. Halos mamula-mula pa ang kaniyang mukha habang nasisinagan ng papataas pa lamang na araw. Bahagya akong tumingala, masyado kasi siyang matangkad kumpara sa akin.

“Ikaw pala,” tugon ko. “Ewan ko ba kung bakit nagagawa pa nilang manloko. Pero malay ko, wala pa naman akong experience. Wala pa akong nagiging boyfriend. Hindi ko pa nararanasan magmahal ng lalaki at masaktan.”

“When are you planning to have a boyfriend?”

Muntik na akong masamid sa tanong niya. Dahan-dahan ay naglakad na ako. Sumunod naman siya. “Pinagpaplanuhan ba iyon?” tanong ko. “Busy ako sa shop. I don’t have time to date.”

“Yeah? You can have a day off. To date someone.”

“Ay wala pa akong plano. Saka alipin ako ng salapi. Hindi pwedeng ipagpalit ko ang shop sa pakikipag-date. Hihintayin ko na lang.”

“What if...” aniya. Lumingon ako sa kanya sa sobrang tagal ng kasunod niyang sasabihin.

“What if... what?”

“What if someone ask you, would you say yes?”

Napanguso ako at nag-isip. “Pwede naman pero depende kung—”

“Kung gwapo?”

Tinaasan ko siya ng kilay sa biglang pagtatagalog niya. “Pwede. May kilala ka bang gwapo?”

He smirked for a brief moment at hindi iyon nakatakas sa mga mata ko. “I know someone named Rehan,” sabi niya with full of confidence.

Natawa ako nang mahina sa kahanginan niya. He has the right naman para magyabang pero omg.

“Ewan ko sa’yo, Rehan. Tara na nga sa shop!”

Tinalikuran ko na siya saka dali-daling naglakad. But that moment brought unusually light feeling to my heart.

The shop smelled strongly of wet moss and fresh-cut stems, a familiar, comforting scent that always made the heavy workload feel a little more manageable. Hijomi was currently out back in the side alley, loudly wrestling with a jammed lock on the delivery van’s rear door, leaving the main room completely quiet. Minsan lang tumahimik ang shop kapag busy sa likod si Hijomi.

I stood at the center worktable, surrounded by a mountain of imported white hydrangeas that had arrived in the morning shipment. They were gorgeous, fluffy blooms, but their stems were incredibly delicate and required immediate conditioning before they started to droop under the provincial heat.

"Rehan, paki-abot naman ng malaking glass vase doon sa pangalawang istante," sabi ko nang hindi tumitingin, my fingers busy trimming away the lower leaves of a thick stem. "Yung malinis na ha? Kakailanganin ko para sa display bukas."

Within seconds, Rehan stepped up right beside me. Instead of just handing me the vase from across the table, he stood so close that his broad shoulder lightly brushed against mine. He set the heavy glass cylinder down with a soft, controlled clack on the wooden surface.

"Is this the one?" his low voice rumbled close to my ear, sending a sudden, unexpected prickle of warmth down my neck.

"Ah, oo, 'yan nga. Salamat," sagot ko, turning my head to look at him. But because he hadn't stepped back, our faces ended up barely a few inches apart. His dark, deep-set eyes were fixed on me with that intense, quiet focus that always made me feel like he was analyzing a complex corporate strategy, though we were just dealing with water and stems.

Leche. Mas gwapo ba siya ngayon?

I cleared my throat, forcing a playful smile to shake off the sudden, strange fluttering in my chest. "Alam mo, Rehan, napapansin ko lang, hilig mo talagang pumasok sa personal space ng tao, 'no? Para kang pusa na biglang sumusulpot sa tabi ko nang walang katunog-tunog."

Rehan tilted his head slightly, his sharp features remaining completely expressionless, though the tips of his ears turned a very faint, telltale shade of pink. He crossed his arms over his chest, his tall frame looming over me in a way that felt oddly protective. "I am not a cat, Heila. You asked for the vase. I brought the vase. It is efficient."

"Efficient ka diyan," asar ko sa kaniya, reaching out to grab a fresh bundle of hydrangeas. "Sa tangkad mong 'yan, imposibleng hindi kita makita. Para kang flagpole na naglalakad sa loob ng shop ko. Kaya sa susunod, magbigay ka naman ng babala baka bigla kitang masiko."

"If you elbow me, it is because you are clumsy, not because I am close," Rehan murmured flatly, a tiny, almost invisible twitch at the corner of his lips betraying his serious tone.

"Excuse me? Clumsy? Aba, sumasagot ka na talaga ulit!" natawa ako nang malakas, instantly reaching out to swat his arm with a loose hydrangea leaf.

But as my hand swung forward, Rehan’s reflexes kicked in. His large, warm hand shot out and smoothly caught my wrist mid-air.

Leche. Para akong nakukuryente.

His grip wasn't tight or painful; his long, pale fingers wrapped around my skin with an incredible, gentle softness that completely caught me off guard. The contrast between his cool, pristine exterior and the intense, solid warmth of his skin made my breath hitch instantly.

Pareho kaming nabato sa pwesto namin. The laughter died down in my throat as I stared at his fingers resting against my wrist. Rehan’s dark eyes widened slightly, a sudden, raw wave of vulnerability breaking through his icy mask. The quiet, suffocating roar of his secret crush filled the tiny distance between us, his thumb lightly brushing against the soft skin of my pulse point before he even realized what he was doing.

I blinked, my heart doing a frantic, chaotic thud against my ribs. Ano 'tong nararamdaman ko? tanong ko sa sarili ko, completely confused by the sudden, electric tension in the air. To me, Rehan was just my quiet, mysterious foreign assistant who really needed a place to stay, but right now, looking up into his dark, searching gaze, the room felt entirely too small.

Rehan swallowed hard, his throat bobbing visibly as he realized he was still holding onto me. He quickly released his grip, stepping back a full foot as he shoved his hands deep into the pockets of his dark gray hoodie to hide the sudden tremor in his fingers.

"Your... your wrist is thin," Rehan muttered quietly in English, his voice dropping into a gravelly, strained baritone as he looked away toward the floor tiles. "You should eat more."

"Ha? Grabe ka naman, sapat naman ang kain ko, sadyang maliit lang talaga ang buto ko," mabilis kong binalik ang kamay ko sa counter, rubbing my wrist unconsciously where the lingering warmth of his touch still remained. I forced a nervous laugh, trying my absolute best to pull our usual casual dynamic back into place. "Saka magpapataba talaga ako kapag lumaki na 'tong shop natin, huwag mo akong pangaralan pagdating sa pagkain, Mr. Runaway."

Rehan didn't answer right away. He stood by the display counter, his shoulders completely rigid as he fought to regain his calm, indifferent corporate composure. "I am only making a logical observation."

"Naku, puro ka logical observations diyan," saway ko sa kaniya, hiding my burning cheeks by aggressively focusing on trimming the next hydrangea stem.

Before the silence could grow any more awkward, the storefront bell gave a familiar, sharp ting.

The front glass door slid open, and Marion Devan stepped inside. He looked much better than he did during his frantic Tuesday morning visit. He was back to his pristine, 'green flag' corporate gentleman appearance—wearing a crisp, light blue button-down shirt with the sleeves neatly rolled up to his forearms, his dark hair perfectly styled, and a genuine, relaxed smile on his face. He carried a small, sealed corporate envelope in his hand.

"Hi, guys," Marion greeted warmly, his polite voice instantly breaking the heavy, lingering tension in the room. He walked over to the counter, setting the envelope down gently. "I'm back to settle the remaining balance for the executive dinner. Our accounting department finally cleared the corporate check, so I thought I’d bring it over personally."

"Hey! Mukhang hindi ka na din busy," mabilis akong lumapit sa counter, feeling a sense of relief wash over me at his familiar presence. "Kumusta nga pala 'yung presentation niyo noong Martes? Sana naman hindi ka masyadong pinahirapan ng board of directors."

Marion let out a soft, reassurred laugh, leaning his hips against the edge of the counter with his usual easy grace. "It went incredibly well, actually. The vice president loved the campaign proposal, and he specifically mentioned how elegant the room looked because of your crimson centerpieces. So, thank you again, Heila. You really helped our department shine."

"Maliit na bagay! Malaking tulong din sa shop 'tong binayad mo, saktong-sakto para sa kuryente at pambayad sa supplier ngayong linggo," nakangiti kong sabi habang kinukuha ang envelope.

From the side aisle, Rehan stood silently, his dark eyes observing Marion’s easy, trusting interaction with me. Rehan didn't move or speak, but his jawline tightened just a fraction as he watched the casual, long-standing friendship between us. He adjusted his stance, stepping closer to the counter to pick up the empty wooden crates, his silent protectiveness humming beneath his expressionless features.

"By the way, Heila," Marion paused, his expression shifting into something a bit more private, though his tone remained completely gentle and polite. "Leticia called me last night. She’s finally coming back from her out-of-town corporate seminar this evening. I'm planning to pick her up from her parents' house tomorrow after office hours to treat her to a nice dinner. I was wondering if you could prepare a small, simple bouquet of white tulips for me to bring since it's Valentine's day? She’s been under so much pressure, and I just want to make her feel welcome after a long week."

My hands paused on the counter. Hearing him mention Leticia’s return made that faint, uneasy feeling from Tuesday crawl right back into my stomach. Marion was standing there, his face full of absolute, unwavering devotion—a man who was completely secure in his love, entirely ready to be the perfect anchor for his fiancée without a single ounce of suspicion or doubt in his heart.

"Sure thing, Marion. Pwedeng-pwede nating ihanda 'yan para sa'yo bukas ng hapon," sagot ko, forcing myself to maintain a supportive smile because I truly respected how good of a partner he was. "Ise-secure ko 'yung mga pinakasariwang tulips para kay Leticia."

"Thank you, Heila. I really appreciate it," Marion said sincerely, checking his watch before giving me a warm nod. "I should head back to the office before the afternoon traffic starts. Rehan, take care of the shop."

"As if I'm neglecting Heila," Rehan mumbled under his breath na halos hindi na namin marinig.

Ano daw?

Marion paused and shifted to Rehan again. "I'm sorry?"

"I do my work meticulously. The shop's fine." Rehan gave a firm, brief nod of acknowledgment. "Drive safely."

Nakita ko kung paano ngumisi si Marion after that. He waved one last time and the brass bell ringing cheerfully ting as he stepped out into the bright afternoon sun, completely oblivious to the shifting world around him.

The shop fell quiet again. I looked down at the envelope on the counter, then turned my head to look at Rehan, who was silently standing by the window, his gaze following Marion's car as it pulled away from the curb.