Sarang

Chapter 19

"Surprise!"

I frowned when I saw Kaito with a big smile in front of me.

"Sabi ko, surprise!" he repeated himself and acted like he's throwing confetti. I remained a poker face on my face. "Grabeng reaksyon 'yan, alam kong miss na miss mo ako!" he joked.

"Ha ha, funny," I said in sarcasm before slightly pushing him. "I heard someone is doorbelling. I thought I had a visitor," I said with no emotion on my face.

"Grabe, ako lang 'yon! Huwag mo namang ipahalatang hindi mo ako mamukhaan kasi sobrang pumogi ako lalo!"

I gave him a disgusted look before closing the gate. I even laughed when he banged his head while entering.

"Aray! Ano ba 'yan. Ganito na ba talaga kapag matangkad?" he complained while holding his head.

"There's this word called stupid. It suits you," I told him.

"Okay lang, pogi pa rin," he said again. Why is he so GGSS? He looks like a mushroom for me! "Uy, aso! Bakit may aso?!" his eyes widened as he looks at me. He knew I have allergic to dogs.

"Long story," I lazily answered.

"I'm back!" he announced like a stupid human being when we entered my house. He was about to do something stupid again when he saw someone at the living room. "Ay gago, may bisita pala!" he said before hurriedly hiding behind me.

"Sino sila? Saglit lang akong nawala, ah? Tao ba sila o katulad mo rin? Kakahiya naman!" he whispered but they seems to hear it because of the loudness of my voice.

"Do you consider that as a whisper?" My brows shot before walking towards them. I was with Asher and Aeris today, we were watching a movie. I sat down next to them but the two was still looking at Kaito.

"Ano, hehe, hi?" his face turned red.

"He's Kaito, my manager and, well, friend," I told them just to save Kaito from embarrassment. "This is Asher and this is Aeris, my sister."

"Sister?!" he asked in shock. He even put his hand on his mouth exaggeratedly.

"He look so stupid," I heard Aeris whisper. Asher just shrugged at her before turning his gaze back to the movie, Aeris did the same too.

"Will you just stand there? You have no intention of sitting down?" I asked him. He quickly walked over to me and sat next to me so I felt the stare of the two at us again. "Ano ba? You look stupid," I said.

We went back to watching but Kaito whispered something to me. "Abutan mo nga ako no'ng chips," he whispers. I lazily took what he was pointing to hand to him. I felt the two of them look at me again but when I looked back, they both look away.

"Ah!"

I barely jumped in shock because of Kaito's sudden shout. I glared at him as I touch my ears. He literally shouted right in my ear!

"Asher. Asher Ace Samonte, hindi ba? Ikaw 'yong may-ari ng Heace Restaurant, tama ba?!" he asked while shouting.

"Yes," Asher replied

"Tama ako! Naka-meeting na kita last year. Naalala mo 'yon? 'Yong ikaw dapat 'yong aattend sa meeting pero dahil masipag kang amo ay ako ang inutusan mo?" he asked me.

"Excuse me?" kunot-noong tanong ko sa kaniya.

He just laugh before looking at my sister. "Tapos ikaw," he hold his chin and act like he's thinking. "Ah! Parang nakita na kita minsan sa---"

"Hindi ako 'yon," Aeris cut him off. "Shut up. We're currently watching a movie, you see."

Kaito sat next to me like a puppy before whispering something to me again. "Ang sungit ng kapatid mo. Totoo namang nakita ko siya, eh. Hindi ko lang maalala kung saan."

"Just shut up and watch," I told him. Wala sa sariling napatingin ako kay Asher and I was surprise that he was looking at me also. I raised a brow on him when our eyes met. He also raised his brow on me, mocking. I just rolled my eyes before looking at the tv again.

Kaito started playing with my hair because he didn't understand what we were watching. Later on, he leaned closer to me again to whisper something. "May ginawa ba ako? Inaano kita?"

"What are you saying?" I turned to him.

"Tingnan mo siya," he pouted at Asher. "Kanina pa ako sinasamaan ng tingin!"

"Don't mind him," I said before looking at Asher. He just raised a brow on me again before looking at the tv.

"Tapos na!" he said excitingly when he saw the word the end on the tv. He stood up and stretch a bit. "Dahil kakauwi ko, ililibre mo ako ng pagkain!"

"Desisyon ka?" mataray na tanong ko.

"Oo, pa-welcome home, ganon!"

I rolled my eyes. "Bakit ba bumalik ka pa?"

"Grabe! Dapat nga magpasalamat ka kasi inayos ko 'yong problema ng kumpanya mo sa ibang bansa, eh!"

"Why are you always shouting? Hindi ka pa marunong magsalita ng mahinahon?" Aeris asked him.

"Marunong. Pero ganito talaga ako makipag-usap kay Sia, bingi 'to, eh."

"What? Sinong bingi?"

"Ikaw!" he laughed. "Dali na, lunch time na, oh!" he insisted.

"Fine," I said. Aeris and I both excuse ourselves to change. I just wore a simple pair of trouser and a plain white tank top. Aeris wore a striped tweed tube dress. "Let's go," I told them. Kaito immediately hooked his hand on my arm before pulling me to his car.

"Are we going to use Kaito's car?" I asked them.

"I'll use my car," Asher quickly replied before going to his car.

"Okay, uh, sa kaniya nalang ako sasabay," Aeris answered so I just nodded. We decided to just eat at Heace Restaurant because that's what Kaito also requested.

"Hi, Sir!" Mashi immediately greets him when we enter. Asher just nodded at him before facing us.

"Let's seat there," he said. We just nodded at him while going to the table he points at us. Kaito immediately sat next to me so Asher is just in front of me now, next to Aeris. After ordering, Asher excuses himself to talk to his manager .

Kaito tries to talk to Aeris but the answer she gives him is sparing. "Magkano ba ang isang daang salita mo? Bibilhin ko na," Kaito jokiling said.

"As if you can afford it," Aeris rolled her eyes at him.

"Grabe, magkapatid nga talaga kayo!" he commented. "Hindi bale, kung si Sia nga napadaldal ko, ikaw pa kaya? No one can refuse Kaito's charm."

"Kaito's what?" kunot-noong tanong ni Aeris. Alam niyang nawe-weirduhan na ang kapatid niya sa kaibigan pero hinahayaan niya nalang. Titigil din naman yan si Kaito kapag alam niyang hindi komportable sa kaniya ang isang tao.

"Enjoy Ma'am, Sir," Hannah told us after serving our food. I smiled sweetly at her. The two immediately started eating but I just sat there, waiting for Asher. After ten minutes and he's still not here, I got up and told them I would just call Asher.

"Where's Asher?" I asked Hannah.

"Nasa kitchen po, Ma'am," she politely answered.

"Is it okay to go there?"

"Opo, Ma'am. Deretso lang po," she said so I nodded. When I got inside, I saw him talking to Vince.

"Sino ba 'yon, boss? Akala ko ba wala siyang boyfriend?" I heard Vince asked him that question. Asher just shook his head at him. I cleared my throat a bit so they both glance at my way. "Ay, hala Ma'am Sia!" Vince said.

"Hi," I greet him before looking at Asher. "I thought you was talking to your manager? Our food is already there," I told him.

"Nagseselos, Ma'am. Suyuin niyo, nako," Vince told me. Asher hit him before walking closer to me.

"Bakit hindi ka pa kumakain?"

"I was waiting for you," I answered. He nodded at me before walking outside the kitchen. The two were just eating quietly when we go back. I keep on glancing at Asher while I was eating because he was too quiet today.

"Samgyupsal mamaya sa inyo. Dinner. Libre ko na," Kaito told us after eating. "Pero ikaw na bili no'ng mga kailangan, ha? Bibisitahin ko pa si mama, eh," he added before giving me his card.

"Are you stupid? Huwag nalang tayong mag-samgyupsal kung uutusan mo lang din naman ako," I told him.

"Samahan ka na ni Asher, wala naman siyang gagawin, eh," Aeris slightly hit Asher using his elbow which made him look at me.

"Sige," tipid na sabi nito. Kaito excused himself and even suggested taking Aeris home, good thing my sister agreed.

"Okay, so..." I said. "Let's go?" I asked him. He just nodded at me and let me walk first. He was quiet until we get to the supermarket.

"Ako na," he said before getting the cart. I just let him do that.

"Why are you so quiet?" I asked him while choosing meat to buy. I bought pork and beef for the meat.

"Wala lang," he said in a monotone. I just shrugged at him.

"Asher?" Someone called him so I instantly look back and saw Cresia, the girl who liked him! "Omg, anong ginagawa mo rito?" maarteng tanong nito.

"Bumibili," Asher replied. I laugh a bit because of that.

"Talaga? Let's buy together na. I don't have a company, eh," she said. Asher looks at me so I raised a brow at him. "Oh, you're with her pala," she sounds disappointed. "But I can go with you guys naman, 'di ba?"

She said yes when Asher nodded at her. She even helped Asher to push the cart dahil basket lang ang dala niya. "Hay nako, if I was with you, I won't let you push the cart," I heard her whispered but I just ignored her.

I get cheese, kimchi, lettuce, fish cake, fries, egg, potato marbles, and ramen. For the seafood, I just get shrimp and scallops because it's Aeris' favorite. Every time I put what I buy in the basket, I could hear them talking which made me rolled my eyes secretly.

"Oh, I see that you're planning to eat samgyup. Too bad I have a plan tonight," she said again while I was paying for everything.

"Hindi ka rin naman invited," I whispered. I know Asher heard that because he barely turned to me. I took the plastic and left them there

"Ako na," Asher insisted but I ignored him. I just keep going, not minding his presence behind me. "Ako na," he said again when we reached the parking lot, Cresia is no longer beside him.

"Bakit nakasimangot ka?" he asked me when he entered his car.

"Tanong mo sa babae mo," masungit na sagot ko.

He chuckled. "Sinong babae ko?" he asked again. I didn't answer. "Wala ka ng bibilhin?"

I shook my head before fastening my seatbelt. I saw him getting something at the back of his car. He handed me the box so I looked at him.

My eyes sparkled when I saw the brand name on the paper bag. I took it and looked at what's inside. "Oh my God," I covered my mouth when I saw the bag I wanted to buy but Asher told me not to.

"That's why I told you not to buy because I already ordered one when that bag came out," he told me. I reached for him to give him a hug.

"Thank you!" I said. This is so good. Cute but elegant!

He pushed his hair back before smiling at me. "Do you like it?"

"Of course!" I giggled. I came home smiling. After putting the bag inside my closet where my other collections are. I went down for a moment to say I'll just take a nap leaving both of them in the living room.

I don't know how long I've slept. I just woke up when I felt someone tapping me on the shoulder. I saw Asher in front of me. I was not surprised because I deliberately did not lock the door of my room earlier.

"What time is it?" I asked him, still sleepy.

"8 pm. Nasa baba na si Kaito," he replied before helping me to get up. "Bihis ka, magsuot ka ng t-shirt, hintayin kita sa labas," he said. I pouted before changing my sando into a t-shirt. "Much better," he said when he saw me. Dumeretso na kami sa garden kung saan kami kakain.

"Card ko?" Kaito asked me. I handed him his card before sitting down, still sleepy. Kaito was the one who's cooking while Aeris is busy eating baked sushi. Asher sit down beside me before handing me a glass of water.

"Oh, bigay pala ni mama," he handed me a tupperware. It's pasta. Kaito was the only one who was noisy with us while we were eating. After dinner, Aeris volunteered to bake cookies so Asher accompanied her dahil siya lang din naman ang may alam gumawa no'n sa amin.

"Naayos ko kaagad 'yong problema sa Japan kaya nakauwi na ako," Kaito said. I just remained silent as I sat in front of him. "Tungkol do'n sa sinabi ko... itutuloy na, Sia."

I look at him. "Are you really resigning?"

"Oo, eh," he smiled a little. "Pero huwag kang mag-alala, kapag nakahanap ka na ng kapalit ko, ituturo ko muna sa kaniya ang lahat bago ako tuluyang aalis."

I look away before sighing. We were silent for a moment until I spoke. "For the last time. Can I ask you the reason why do you want to resign?"

I was hoping that he would tell me the truth but it didn't happen.

"Kailangan ko talagang alagaan si Mama," he told me but I just... couldn't accept that answer. There's someone inside me who keeps on declining his reason because I know... there's more than that.

"Are you sure? I just can't accept it. You told me that you'll stay. Why are you resigning now? I know there's another reason, please, tell me at least."

He shook his head at me before smiling a little. "Wala ibang rason kung hindi si Mama, Sia."

I just nodded at him and didn't bother to speak again. Asher and Aeris also came back, carrying the cookies they made. Until Kaito said goodbye I did not speak. I remained silent on my sit.

"Alis na ako. Good night," he said before turning his head to me. "Bye, Sia. Kita-kita ulit tayo sa susunod na araw!" he said. Aeris volunteered to do the dishes so I just sat in my seat.

"Are you okay?" Asher asked me. I looked at him sadly so he sat down in front of me. "What happened?" he asked softly.

"He's resigning," I told him. "He told me he won't leave me but he's doing it now," I gulped. "And he just can't... tell me the real reason why he's resigning."

He reached for my hand and hold it while still listening to me. "Another person is leaving me again... I cannot... I cannot handle it anymore if someone leaves me again."

"Everything happens for a reason," he said.

"Paano kapag... pati pala ikaw iiwan ako bago pa man mangyari 'yong deal? What if it's Aeris? What if..."

"I won't leave your side, okay?" he said, giving me a small smile. "Trust me, I'll stay with you."

I sighed before speaking again. "Please, don't leave me alone. This is my order."