Miss Perfectly Imperfect

REAL BATTLE

Martes ng hapon, eksaktong ala-una, nang tumunog ang buzzer sa desk ni Gavin.

“Boss G, Mr. Xander Alcantara is here,” crackled his secretary’s voice through the intercom.

“Send him in,” Gavin replied, straightening the pile of papers on his desk—half of them arranged deliberately, a façade of busyness he wore well.

A few seconds later, the door opened and Xander walked in, dressed in his usual laid-back corporate style: crisp white shirt, sleeves rolled up, and that effortless air of casual confidence that made him both infuriating and impossible to dislike.

“Wow,” Xander said, surveying the office with a smirk. “Still allergic to sunlight, I see.”

“It’s called controlled lighting,” Gavin deadpanned, motioning for him to sit. “Mas productive ako sa ganito.”

“Sure, migs. Keep telling yourself that,” Xander grinned, tossing a rolled-up folder onto Gavin’s desk. “Anyway, here’s the draft for the anniversary event—layout, timeline, proposed guest list. Tapos na. You’re welcome.”

“Efficient as always,” Gavin said as he picked up the file.

“What can I say? I deliver.” Xander leaned back, crossing one ankle over his knee. Then, almost casually, he added, “And yes, in case you’re wondering, I dropped by Tita Agnes’s office yesterday morning, habang wala ka rito. And I saw Shane.”

That got Gavin’s attention. He glanced up, one eyebrow raised. “And?”

“Nothing,” Xander replied far too quickly. “Just that… she’s got presence. Knows her stuff, confident, sharp. But there’s also that air of mystery, like she’s always five moves ahead of you—but smiling while she’s doing it.”

“Exactly my problem,” Gavin muttered, flipping open the folder—mostly just to avoid looking annoyed.

“Problema pala ’yon?” Xander arched a brow, obviously amused.

Gavin didn’t answer right away, pretending to skim through the pages.

“And one more thing, migs…” Xander added, his tone shifting, suddenly thoughtful. “Parang gumaganda siya ngayon. Parang ibang tao na ‘yong nakikita ko.”

Gavin paused mid-page.

“And if it weren’t for the scar—pero hindi rin, eh!” Xander continued, leaning back. “Kasi sa totoo lang, ni hindi ko halos napansin. She’s… glowing.”

Gavin’s eyes flicked up, skeptical. “Glowing?”

Xander smirked. “Don’t look at me like that. I’m just saying. Is it because of our dear friend Andrew?”

Gavin rolled his eyes. “Don’t start.”

Xander raised both hands in mock surrender. “Whoa. You sounded like you’re jealous.”

“Jealous?” Gavin scoffed, shutting the folder a little too hard. “Please. I have better things to do than keep tabs on Andrew’s… ‘friendliness.’”

Xander chuckled, clearly enjoying himself. “Right. Kasi ‘you have better things to do.’ Not because Shane’s suddenly taking up rent-free space in your head. Dami mo nang iniisip, migs.”

“She’s not,” Gavin said flatly, though even he didn’t sound convinced. “And yes, marami akong iniisip—but it has nothing to do with her.”

Xander gave him a look—the kind only old friends could pull off. The kind that said I know you better than you know yourself.

“You know,” Xander said, drumming his fingers on the armrest, “if you weren’t so weirdly affected by her, you’d probably like her.”

Gavin shot him a glare. “I’m not affected.”

“Right,” Xander replied with a smug little smirk. “That’s why you’re gripping that folder like it owes you money.”

Realizing it, Gavin loosened his grip with a sigh.

“Look,” Gavin said, voice more grounded now. “It’s not that I hate her. It’s just… I don’t know what she’s really after. She’s competent, yes. But something about her—parang may layers na ayaw niyang ipakita.”

“So?” Xander raised a brow. “Everyone has layers. Even you. Hell, lalo na ikaw.”

Gavin ignored the jab. “This is different. With Shane, I feel like one wrong move and the whole thing blows up in my face. And right now, I can’t afford surprises.”

Xander’s playful air softened, just a little.

“Maybe she’s not here to surprise you, Gav,” he said quietly. “Maybe she’s just trying to survive.”

Gavin stared at him, unsure if he wanted to argue or agree.

“Anyway,” Xander added, standing up and brushing nonexistent lint from his pants, “kung ayaw mo sa kanya, I’ll hire her sa company ko. She’s got good instinct. Mas mabilis pa siyang mag-isip kaysa sa ibang tao sa marketing department ko.”

“You’re not poaching anyone,” Gavin said dryly, closing the folder. “Especially not someone I’m still trying to figure out.”

Xander laughed. “There it is—the control freak in you. Alive and well.”

Gavin gave him a half-smile. “Just doing my job.”

Xander started toward the door but paused, hand on the knob, turning back slightly.

“Maybe your job isn’t to figure her out, Gav. Maybe it’s just to trust her enough to let her show you who she is.”

And with that, Xander stepped out, leaving Gavin with the folder… and thoughts that refused to stay silent.

What the hell is happening?

He leaned back in his chair, gaze drifting to the sleek wall of his office, but his mind was somewhere else—on someone else. Shane.

Hindi niya maintindihan kung bakit biglang nagbago ang perspective ng dalawa niyang kaibigan. Before, Shane was just another employee—polite, reserved, barely noticeable. Now, parang may spotlight na nakatutok sa kanya.

Si Andrew, na dati walang pakialam kay Shane, biglang naging parang personal cheerleader nito. Si Xander naman, who couldn’t even remember her name before—and halos nilait pa kahapon—now suddenly wanted to “see what’s there.”

Seriously? Mag-aagawan ba sila?

He let out a breath, frustrated.

They had a rule—unspoken, but sacred. Walang babae ang titibag sa itinakda nilang bro code. They’d survived worse together—failed ventures, heartbreaks, career stumbles. Women came and went, but the three of them? They stuck. Always.

And now this?

Gavin shook his head slowly. Shane isn’t just any girl anymore, is she? And that… that was the part he hated admitting most.

But why does it bother him this much?

Was it because she was finally stepping into her own light—without his permission? Or was it because the more people started to see her, the more he realized… he’d never really looked at her in the first place?

Shane used to blend into the background—the type you’d thank in passing during corporate events or nod at during hallway encounters. Always reliable. Always… forgettable.

But now—

Now she walked differently. Talked differently. Like she knew something the rest of them didn’t. Like she had nothing left to prove to anyone—not even to him.

And that scar—he hated how people fixated on it. Because somehow, it made her even harder to ignore.

Nakaramdam si Gavin ng hiya sa sarili. He kept on saying something about the person he needed for the job in Butuan. Na hindi qualified si Shane, when she possessed those qualities all along. Ang hindi niya lang maintindihan ay kung bakit may isang bahagi sa loob niya ang nagsasabi na hindi niya dapat isama si Shane.

Gavin leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table, hands clasped lightly in front of his lips.

Maybe it wasn’t Andrew or Xander he was worried about. Maybe it was the fact that, for the first time in a long time, he wasn’t sure where he stood.

He exhaled sharply, shook his head, and sat up straighter.

Enough of that. Kailangan niyang magpatuloy sa pagtatrabaho.

Kinabukasan, ipinatawag muli ni Gavin si Xander. He scheduled a meeting with him and the marketing team—at siyempre, kasama rin si Shane.

Gavin pressed the intercom button, his tone clipped but calm. “Lexi.”

“Yes, Boss G?” came the secretary’s quick response.

“Please send Miss de Castro to my office. Now. I need to talk to her before the meeting.”

“Right away, Boss.”

Leaning back slightly in his chair, Gavin’s gaze drifted toward the door. A beat. Two.

His fingers drummed lightly against the polished surface of his desk, a faint rhythm that matched the subtle tension hanging in the air.

He glanced at his watch. Eksaktong ala-una. Right on cue.

The buzzer had barely stopped when the door opened and Shane stepped inside—prim, poised, composed as ever. She carried a slim folder in one hand and wore a crisp, pale blue blouse tucked neatly into high-waisted slacks. No frills, no nonsense—just the kind of quiet authority she seemed to wear like second skin.

“Boss,” she greeted softly, stopping a few steps away from his desk.

“Have a seat, Miss De Castro,” Gavin said, gesturing toward the chair in front of him.

Shane nodded and sat, back straight, crossing one leg over the other with practiced grace. “You asked to see me?”

“I did,” he replied, resting his arms on the desk. “Thanks for coming in earlier than scheduled. I wanted to go through a few things before Xander arrives.”

“Understood,” she said simply, placing the folder neatly on his desk. “That’s the revised event logistics, along with the updated supplier quotes and Mr. Alcantara’s notes from our last coordination call.”

Gavin nodded, flipping through the pages—but barely scanning them. Instead, his gaze lingered on Shane, quietly studying her expression.

“You’re efficient, as always,” he said.

“Thank you po, Boss.”

A brief silence settled between them, stretching just a little too long to be comfortable.

“You seem…” Gavin tapped the edge of the folder, choosing his words carefully. “…different lately.”

Shane’s brow arched, faint amusement flickering in her eyes. “Different how?”

Leaning back, Gavin settled into his chair. “Just something people around here are starting to notice.”

Shane didn’t bite. Her lips curved into the faintest hint of a smile. “I suppose that’s better than being invisible.”

Gavin’s mouth tugged into a small smirk. “Trust me, Miss De Castro—you’ve never been invisible.”

For the first time since she entered, Shane’s composure faltered—barely, fleetingly, but Gavin caught it. A subtle flicker in her eyes, there and gone before he could name it.

Before either of them could speak again, a sharp knock echoed from the door, breaking the charged silence.

Before she could respond, a knock interrupted the moment.

Xander’s voice rang from behind the door, light and teasing.

“Knock knock—do I ruin anything by walking in?”

Shane glanced toward the door, then back at Gavin.

“Come in,” Gavin called, lips twitching faintly.

And just like that, the air shifted again.

The door clicked open, right on cue.

Xander strolled in, blazer slung casually over one shoulder, confidence rolling off him like cologne. That self-assured smirk was already in place—as if he’d practiced it in the mirror.

He halted when he spotted Shane seated across from Gavin.

“Well, look at that,” he said, flashing his signature grin. “Shane, you beat me to it. Inagahan ko pa naman.”

Shane gave a polite nod, her smile neutral, unreadable. “Mr. Alcantara.”

“Xander, please. We’ve shared way too many Google Sheets to stay formal.”

She let out the faintest chuckle, soft but genuine. For a brief moment, it lingered in the air like something delicate and fragile.

Gavin caught himself watching her for too long. He shifted in his seat, looking away.

Xander dropped into the empty chair, tossing a USB stick onto the table like a casual afterthought. “Got the draft right here. Event flow, visuals, contingency plans—name it. But before we dive into the boring stuff…” His gaze slid sideways, locking on Shane.

“You free after this? I’ll need your take on some layout tweaks. Mostly visuals and photo selects.”

Gavin cleared his throat deliberately, tone even but sharp. “Let’s stick to the agenda.”

Xander raised his hands, mock innocence etched on his face. “Business first, aesthetics later.”

Shane didn’t say anything. She merely adjusted her seat, posture tightening, as if instinctively bracing herself.

Gavin tried not to notice. Tried. But Xander, predictably, couldn’t leave it there.

“By the way, Shane,” he said smoothly, “you’re kind of glowing lately. Must be the stress of handling your boss’s boss?”

Gavin froze—just for half a second.

Glowing?

Shane blinked, her expression neutral but tinged with surprise. “I didn’t realize stress was flattering.”

“On some people, apparently it is,” Xander replied easily, tossing Gavin a glance that was half-teasing, half-provocation.

Gavin didn’t bite. He simply flipped to the next page in the folder, pretending to be absorbed by logistics like they contained state secrets.

“Let’s move on,” he said flatly.

Xander chuckled under his breath. "Are you saying that the meeting official starts now? pero wala pa sila, and your secretary is still preparing."

Shane said nothing, but her spine straightened, and her gaze flicked briefly toward Gavin before returning to the table.

The meeting hadn’t even started, yet it already felt too long.

Shane opened her folder with practiced composure, the subtle grace of the motion somehow irritating Gavin more than it should have.

“I think it will be more convenient to foresee the plan now,” Shane began, her voice calm but commanding, “para maging magaan ang flow ng meeting mamaya.”

She slid the folder across the desk with a practiced grace, flipping it open as if every movement was calculated.

“Anyway,” she continued, tone crisp and deliberate, “I’ve revised the program flow based on the updates from Mr. Alcantara’s team. I also coordinated with the AV supplier regarding the LED transitions and proposed a smoother cueing system para hindi tayo magkaroon ng delay during the award segment.”

Gavin nodded slightly, pretending to focus on the pages.

Precise. Color-coded. Annotated down to the smallest cue. She came prepared—she always did.

But today… he noticed it differently.

The way her handwriting curved neatly in the margins. The effortless confidence in her tone, like she had absolute command of the room even while seated across from him. Even the faint glint of the office lights on her pale blue blouse—it all pulled at his focus without permission.

It bothered him.

Not because she was good at her job—she always had been.

But because, for the first time, he caught himself watching instead of just listening.

He clenched his jaw, flipped another page, and forced his voice to stay even. “Efficient as always,” he said, though it came out rougher than intended.

Shane merely offered a polite nod. “Thank you, Boss.”

And just like that, she moved on—focused, composed, unbothered.

But Gavin wasn’t.

Xander leaned forward, scanning the visuals. “Nice. I like this part—‘live cut of Tita Agnes’ legacy video before the toast.’ That was your idea?”

“Yes,” Shane replied evenly. “I thought it would be a meaningful lead-in. And… she deserves that kind of moment.”

Gavin’s jaw flexed unconsciously. The way she said it—almost reverent—pulled at something he wasn’t ready to name.

“Gav?” Xander nudged him lightly. “You good with this?”

“Yeah,” Gavin said, flipping a page. “Let’s keep it tight. Two minutes max on the AVP.”

Shane paused. “Two minutes? That might rush the pacing. It’s a tribute.”

Gavin looked up, meeting her gaze head-on. “We’re honoring her, not making a film. Keep it tight.”

She held his eyes for a beat, unflinching. Then she nodded. “Understood.”

There it was again—that quiet pushback. She didn’t challenge him outright, but she never yielded easily either. She drew her lines gently… yet firmly.

And of course, Xander had to stir the pot.

“You two always this fun when working together?” he drawled, leaning back in his chair. “Feels like I should grab a popcorn.”

Gavin shot him a warning look. Not now.

Shane, unbothered, replied calmly, “We just don’t waste time sugarcoating.”

“That’s one way to put it,” Gavin muttered.

But deep down, annoyance wasn’t what burned in him.

What unsettled him was noticing too much. The subtle curve of Shane’s wrist as she turned a page. The faint shimmer at her collarbone under the office lights. The quiet confidence she carried now—different, unfamiliar.

And the way Xander kept glancing at her. Amused. Intrigued. Interested.

No.

This wasn’t going to happen.

Not with her.

Not with them.

And yet—here they were.

Trapped in a meeting where the real battle wasn’t on paper, but in everything left unsaid.