Kaleidoscope Heart: Faces of Labyrinth's Love

DURING lunch break at JBC Cosmetics and Accessories PH, the famous and fastest-growing cosmetic company in the Philippines, originated in Germany, the bustling cafeteria was filled with employees searching for food. Among them was Jury, absorbed in her search for Arden Cunningham, the “Mr. Perfect Prince” of their company. He was a half-Filipino, half-Irish man and one of the managers in the Marketing Department. Not only was he smart and handsome, but he was also a great speaker and a genius strategist—a perfect gentleman. He had earned consecutive Rookie of the Year titles in the Marketing Department. Like the other girls, Jury was wonderstruck by him. That was since that twilight hour when the sun was setting. It was after work hours, and everyone was making their way out of the building. However, Jury was still on her way back to their office, carrying three boxes of silk paper for their flyer printing. It was a rush printing job, and her team leader had asked her to fetch the heavy boxes from the stockroom. She maneuvered through the hallway, bumping into other employees. As she turned and twisted, her ponytail fell loose, and her hair covered her face, making it difficult to see. Suddenly, a big but gentle hand reached out and moved her hair away from her face. The warm glow of the setting sun filled her vision, and she found herself face-to-face with a handsome stranger. “Are you alright?” he asked, concern in his voice. But she was stunned and unable to respond. “Do you need a hand?” “N-No!” she stammered, taking a few steps back and staring at him. “I’m fine. Thank you.” He straightened up, putting his hand back in his pocket. A smile adorned his lips as he said, “You’re welcome. You’re Jury, right? M—” “Sir Arden, what are you waiting for?” called out by some of the marketing people nearby. “Let’s go, Sir!” “Let’s start our party!” “Just a minute!” Arden said, raising his pointer finger. He turned back to Jury. “That’s my team. We’re celebrating the success of our store branch launch.” He began walking backward. “Let’s chat again sometime.” He ran off to join his team, but kept waving at her. “Take care!” Another man from his team approached him, and they engaged in a conversation. Jury couldn’t help, but blush. She never imagined she would have a conversation with him, let alone catch his attention. But what surprised her even more was that he knew her. From that day forward, Arden began to take notice of her, engaging in more informal interactions. She discovered herself gradually falling for him. His kindness, approachability, and those small gestures like smiling, waving, holding the elevator door, or pulling out a chair for her made her believe that he might have feelings for her too. “Jury, are you okay?” Mariel, her childhood friend, called out. “Yeah, I’m fine. Where are the others?” Jury hurried toward Mariel. “They’re over there,” Mariel said, leading the way to the table where their friends were sitting. “Miss Arcenal,” a woman in her thirties to forties called out to Mariel. Her glamorous pink blouse with floral sleeves matched with her knee-length skirt, paired with golden jewelry from earrings to bracelets, simply indicating that she was not just anybody—perhaps a manager or from the Board of Directors. “It’s fortunate I ran into you here. Is there a slot to meet Mr. Paige today?” “Oh, I’m sorry, Miss Roxas, but Mr. Paige’s schedule this afternoon is already full. However, I can fit you in tomorrow morning at 9 a.m.” Mariel formally and professionally addressed Miss Roxas. Her elegant white ruffle blouse, together with a pencil-cut skirt blended with bronze jewelry, made their conversation a classy business talk. On the other hand, Jury wore a blue long-sleeve polo shirt, folded up to her arms, with the front tucked into her skinny jeans. She also wore a unisex black digital watch on her left hand and a seven-beaded bracelet on the right. “Please do so. Thank you!” “I will. Enjoy your meal.” As Mariel took a vow, Jury followed. Curious, Jury was about to inquire when two newbies approached her. “Miss Mariel! Miss Mariel, we have a problem,” the cute girl in pigtails said, catching her breath. “We encountered a blue error screen,” the skinny, tall one with glasses continued. “Did you already contact the IT department?” Mariel asked. Both newbies shake their heads, teary-eyed. Mariel smiled, brightening both newbies’ moods. “You can find their numbers on my table. We have very talented ITs, so don’t worry too much. For now, take your break, and later, I’ll guide you through it.” “Thank you so much, Miss Mariel.” “You’re such an angel.” Mariela Colleen Arcenal, known as Mariel, served as the Executive Assistant to the CEO. Despite Mariel being two years younger, her popularity stemmed not only from her attractive appearance and model-like figure, but also from her amiable nature, sweetness, and helpfulness. She excelled in her role, proving to be a highly effective and efficient secretary. Jury, on the other hand, worked in the Advertising/Design Department. Despite being of Filipino-Korean descent, she leaned more towards her Filipino heritage in terms of beauty, with her Korean roots being less noticeable, making her more invisible. She was only known to her small circle as she was quiet and distant from other people. As they settled at a table, a couple of people and a group approached Mariel. “Hi!” Mariel chimed with a warm smile. “Hello!” greeted Joy Abalos, their friend from the Accounting Department. Her vibrant green top and fitted white slacks hugged her curves sexily, matching her always-present smile and her ability to find joy in everything. “Yo! What’s new?” Lhuna Abarca exclaimed energetically, also from the Accounting Department. Her black and red-rimmed eyeglasses stood out against her beige in-set top, black blazer, and plain black pants. Lhuna embodied vivaciousness with her boundless energy and friendliness. Once settled, the group enjoyed their meal and engaged in lively conversation. “Oh!” Mariel interrupted amid their meal. “We’ve begun interviewing new applicants. Once all the positions are filled, we’ll schedule the orientation and training for the new employees in a month or two.” “Really?” Joy asked with excitement, clasping her hands together. “Orientation and training are big events for us.” “Absolutely,” Jury agreed. “Plus, there will be free food everywhere!” She shared the same enthusiasm as Joy and Lhuna high-fived her. “Are there any handsome male applicants?” Lhuna inquired. Her curiosity piqued. Mariel leaned forward, making the conversation more intense, before whispering, “Oh, yes!” Her words elicited screams and laughter from their table. While everyone was buzzing with excitement about the upcoming event, Jury found herself captivated by Arden’s presence. She caught a glimpse of him as he walked across the room. He was wearing his business suit neatly and gorgeously. He was the epitome of a hero from a marvelous novel, the kind of man every girl dreams of. Handsome, wholesome, and erudite. Just seeing him from a distance was enough to brighten her day. But it became even more intense when he looked in their direction, smiled, and waved. A surge of electricity coursed through her body, and her heart raced with exhilaration. She smiled in return and attempted to wave, but he had already turned away. She felt foolish, hoping that no one had noticed her embarrassment. Thankfully, no one seemed to be paying attention. The surge of happiness filled her veins once again. Her cheeks flushed as she secretly celebrated inside. It was undeniably unbelievable. Now, she couldn’t focus on her meal either. “Guys, did Arden just wave at us?” their friend Lhuna noticed. “Yeah, I saw that too,” Joy chimed in. Jury panicked, unsure if it was okay to share her little secret with them. However, since they had already opened up about him, she decided to share her thoughts and feelings about the man who had captured her heart. But before she could say anything, Mariel spoke up first. “Hmm. . . . honestly,” she began, a hint of shyness in her voice, “Arden and I . . . well, we’re dating.” “What!?” Joy and Lhuna exclaimed simultaneously. That was the same reaction Jury had, but she just stood there while her mind swirling with a mixture of emotions. The news of Arden and Mariel being together hit her like a sudden gust of wind, leaving her breathless and disoriented. The words echoed in her ears, but she couldn’t find her own voice to respond. It was as if time had frozen momentarily, trapping her in a whirlwind of thoughts and conflicting feelings. A dizzying sensation enveloped her, making her head spin. She felt as though the ground beneath her feet had become unstable, threatening to give way at any moment. Her heart pounded in her chest, its rhythm irregular and chaotic, mirroring the turmoil within her. It was a strange and unsettling experience, like being caught in the midst of a storm that had materialized out of nowhere. “Really? Since when?” Joy inquired. “And why didn’t you tell us?” Lhuna added. While everyone bombarded Mariel with questions about her revelation, Jury remained quiet, lost in her own thoughts. She was dazed by the sudden turn of events. Was it all just a figment of her imagination that something was happening between her and Arden? How foolish of her to think that way. She felt pathetic and humiliated. If only she could escape from that situation. And as if by some twist of fate, that moment slipped away from her awareness, lost in the sea of unknowing. The next thing she knew, she found herself back at her workstation, her eyes fixed upon the glowing monitor. It was as if time had been stolen from her, leaving her with a lingering sense of mystery and intrigue. How had she arrived at her desk without any recollection of the journey? The air seemed heavy with unanswered questions, as if a veil of secrecy had descended upon her surroundings. Her mind raced with possibilities, trying to piece together the fragments of the lost time. But no matter how hard she tried to unravel the enigma, the truth remained elusive, slipping through her fingers like sand in an hourglass.