The Bodyguard He Can't Control

I never imagined I’d be back in the Philippines so soon. Just a short vacation, I told myself, a brief escape from the Colorado chill, from the endless reports and classified files at the CIA. But life has a way of turning even the simplest plans upside down. Grabe, hindi ko mapigilan ang sarili. Ang saya ng feeling habang nakaupo dito sa eroplano. Colorado pa lang, feeling ko, parang last stop ko sa buhay, pero ngayon… Pilipinas na! Ang init ng excitement sa dibdib ko, halo ng nerves. Hindi lang dahil makikita ko na ulit ang pamilya o ang paboritong kainan, kundi dahil sa thought na pauwi na ako sa lugar na punong-puno ng alaala. Every little street, every smell, every sound… parang babalik sa akin lahat ng childhood vibes. Tinitingnan ko ang window, iyong clouds na dumadaan sa baba, at hindi ko mapigilan ang ngiti. Parang, finally, makikita ko ulit yung mga familiar faces, yung mga bagay na missed ko sa buhay sa Pilipinas. Ang tagal ko nang hinintay itong moment na ito. Excited. Kaya sobrang excited na halos hindi ko na feel iyong turbulence. Ang saya ng pakiramdam—home, at parang lahat ng possibilities ay nakahanda lang para sa akin. 20 hours in a plane, long enough to read three books, finish two movies, and still have time to stare out the window at nothing. Finally! The plane touched down, and the warm Manila air hit me even before we got off. Home na talaga. Hindi ko mapigilan ang ngiti habang ini-adjust iyong bag sa aking balikat. Stiff pa rin yung katawan ko from the long flight, pero grabe, parang hindi na iyon ang importante. Excitement ang pumapaimbabaw sa puso ko. Outside the window, I could see planes, taxi, crew moving around, at iyong constant hum ng engines—so familiar na parang welcome home na sound. I can’t believe I’m finally back. Terminal na puno ng tao, mga boses nagmi-mix sa Taglish, luggage wheels at nagka-clatter. Pero alam mo iyon? CIA instincts ko, hindi mawawala. Napapansin ko lahat, iyong man with a wobbly suitcase wheel, iyong mom trying to calm a crying toddler, yung couple na parang nag-a-argument quietly malapit sa baggage claim. Deep breath. Shoulder straightened. Jet lag, long flight, cramped seats—wala na. The real mission starts the moment I step out of this airport. Finally, nakalabas na rin ako sa terminal, baggage sa isang kamay, backpack sa kabilang kamay. The warm sun hit my face, and instantly, the smell of Manila traffic mixed with street food made me grin. Home. Then I saw them—my mom and dad, waiting near the arrivals area, waving frantically. My heart skipped a beat. Mom’s smile was as bright as ever, dad’s arms wide open like nothing had changed. “Baby! You’re finally here!” Mom called, her voice full of excitement. “Valeria!” Dad added, chuckling as he came closer. “Long flight ba? Na-miss ka namin sobra.” I laughed, dropping my bags for a second so I could hug them both. Ang tagal ko nang hindi nakakaramdam ng ganito. I could feel their warmth, their familiarity… comfort that no plane, no country, no training could ever replace. “Miss na namin ‘tong energy mo,” Mom teased, holding my face like I was still her little girl. I shook my head, laughing, feeling my jet lag melt away just from seeing them. “I missed you too, Mommy, Daddy. Grabe, I can’t believe I’m finally home.” Dad picked up my bigger baggage while Mom grabbed my backpack. “O, let’s go. Pauwi na tayo sa bahay.” I followed them, stepping out into the chaos of Manila traffic, feeling… light, happy, and ready. Home wasn’t just a place—it was these moments. And somehow, I knew, something else—someone else—was waiting for me too. Pagpasok namin sa bahay, ang saya ko pa rin halos hindi ma-control. Familiar na lahat—the smell ng adobo sa kitchen, yung tunog ng ulan sa garden, at yung cozy na vibe ng living room namin. Pero bago pa man ako makapag-relax, may narinig akong knock sa door. “Ah, siguradong si Ninong 'yon,” sabi ko sa saril, at agad ini-adjust ang sariling buhok habang papunta sa door. “Valeria!” tawag ng pamilyar na boses habang binubuksan ko ang pinto. My ninong, grinning like he owned the place, stepped in. I could see the mischief in his eyes—he always had that way of making even the simplest request sound dramatic. “Miss na kita, ha,” sabi niya habang niyayakap ako. But then, he got straight to the point. “Kailangan ko ng pabor,” he said, his tone serious all of a sudden. My heart skipped a beat—something big was coming. “Pabor?” I raised an eyebrow. “Yes. I need you to be the personal bodyguard of someone very… important.” His eyes locked with mine. “Valeria, your childhood friend—he… he was attacked." My stomach flipped. Memories of him, our childhood, and the bond we shared flashed through my mind. The man I had secretly admired for years… now in danger, vulnerable, and needing protection. I blinked, trying to steady my racing thoughts. “Ninong… you want me to protect him? Personally?” He nodded solemnly. “You’re the only one I trust for this. I know it’s a big ask, pero ikaw lang ang pwedeng gawin ito.” I swallowed hard. Excitement, nerves, and a pang of something else… something personal, all tangled together. This is it. The mission I never saw coming. And it’s not just any mission—it’s him. Hindi ko mawari ang aking nararamdaman. Iyong taong matagal ko nang minahal, iyong kababata ko na ngayon ay nasaktan sa paraang hindi ko akalaing posible… My chest is tightened, parang may bigat na humihila sa akin. Heart racing, utak nagra-run sa lahat ng possibleng scenarios. Pero habang nakatingin ako kay ninong, nakita ko ang tiwala sa kanyang mga mata. Ako lang ang makakatulong. I took a deep breath, feeling every bit of my CIA training kick in. Calm, focused, ready. Pero hindi lang iyon, may ibang dahilan din. Pagmamahal. The thought of him… vulnerable, in pain… I couldn’t turn my back. “Yes, Ninong,” I said, my voice firm kahit halong excitement at kaba. “I’ll do it. I’ll protect him." A small smile tugged at the corners of my lips, kahit alam kong mahirap, challenging, at baka masakit. But nothing could stop me now. This is more than a favor.