Chapter 3

Santi got off his car as soon as he dropped Estelle to her house. "This is your house?" he asked looking at the bungalow type house with a small gate.

"Yeah, too simple?" she asked.

"No. I think it's nice" he answered.

"Come inside" she took his hand and pulled him inside.

"Hello. Philippines!" she shouted.

"Hi ate, did you—" Markl stopped as soon as he saw Santi coming with her.

"Good evening" he politely greeted.

"This is my family. That's my sister" she pointed at Lorraine sitting on the sofa. "And that's my brother, Markl" Markl waved at him and Santi nodded. "Oh, and that's my Papa" she walked and kissed him. "Papa, that's my friend from work, Santi"

"Good evening, Sir. It's nice to meet your family" they shake hands.

"Hi. You're a handsome man. Are you courting my daughter?" he asked.

"Oh, uhm, no sir" he answered.

"I am courting him" Estelle joked, Santi's eyes widened.

"Well, don't let her trick you" her father joined the joke. "Why don't you eat dinner with us?" he asked.

"I would love to have dinner with you some time, only, my sister's waiting for me at home, sir" 

Estelle crunched his nose a little. He was never that polite to her.

"Really? Okay" her father agreed.

"So, you're going?" she asked.

"Yeah, see you tomorrow Estelle" he smiled at her and she just waved at him. They all watched his car drove past their house.

After almost thirty minutes, he arrived at their house. He loosened his tie as he got off the car. 

"Kuya!" Celestine was running to him and jumped to give him a big hug.

"Hi" he chuckled as he caught her.

"You're late. Andrei's already here" she pouted. 

He put his arm around her shoulders as they walk to the kitchen. "Andrei" he called his brother.

"Yes, Kuya?" Andrei answered.

He sat in the chair near him. "Have you ever tried porridge? That one sold outside with egg and liver and garlic and agony?" he asked.

Andrei laughed. "Yes Kuya. We always eat it after school"

"What about goto?" he continued asking.

"Yes, we also eat goto" Andrei scratched the back of his head.

"Aren't they both just porridge? What's the difference?"

Andrei thought for a while. "I don't know" he finally answered. He looked just as clueless as him.

Santi and Estelle started to be good friends. But he tried to be extra careful not to let her know his identity. He finds it fun to have a friend who doesn't go near him because of his influence.

He's in the middle of a proposal review. Theo, his twin brother, is presenting his project for a Greek-themed hotel in Cebu and Davao.

"I don't think we can afford to spend a billion for only two hotels, Mr. Luna" Mr. Legazpi, one of the shareholders said after Theo's presentation.

"Our country's gaining attention from all over the world. According to our research, more than half of all the hotels nationwide was built at least a decade ago. Some of which goes back to more than a century old. Their facilities, amenities and other services may not cater our growing consumer. It is high time we introduce and establish a world-class hotel with our own brand, it will also be strategic to start it now while the tourism industry is starting to grow" Theo explained.

He's impressed. Usually, Theo can't even keep a straight face for so long.

"What do you think, Mr. Vice President?" Mr. Legazpi asked him.

"I agree it's strategic, a world class hotel where we can also incorporate the Luna Galleries and Restaurants. Is that possible, Mr. Luna?" he asked Theo.

"That is included in the proposal, Sir" Theo answered him.

"It is true that the tourism industry is starting to grow. The BBB project of the government proved to be beneficial. If anything, I don't think a billion pesos will be sufficient. We are to build a world-class hotel. In the long run, we're going to have it reviewed internationally. Kindly review your budget again and get back to me" he suggested.

"Duly noted. Thank you, Sir" Theo smiled.

It was an excruciating five hours until the meeting's over and Santi's resting in his office. He opened his eyes when he heard a knock and saw Theo entering.

"Hi, Kuya. Are you busy?" he asked.

"No, what is it?" he replied.

"Do you really think my project has potential?" he asked again.

"I don't know why you still need to ask me that, but I do. You're correct, it's high time we take risks like this. If we're going to introduce our brand worldwide, tourism is the practical way to go" he answered. "But I don't know why it needs to be a Greek-style hotel. Why not a Filipino-style, the nipa hut and the shell windows from Vigan?" he asked. Theo's uncertainty of his ideas sometimes makes Santi feel sorry for him. He relates to him. It was like demeaning their skills or achievements just because they're part of the family who owned the company.

"I actually considered that, but it would cost us more. Plus, if we do a Greek-style, the Luna Galleries will be relevant" Theo explained.

"Hmm, well, if that's what you think is best. You're in charge" he told him. "But still consider the Filipino style hotel. We have lots of talented artists in the country" he told him.

"Thanks, kuya" Theo nodded and smiled.

Theo walked out of the office to the elevator. Before he got in, a woman called. "Santi" a whisper. He didn't look around. Slowly he started to walk again. "Psst! Santi!" a little louder than earlier. He looked at the woman, she's beautiful. She's mistaken him for his brother. He smiled at her. The woman was taken aback. "Why are you smiling? That's creepy" she said.

"What?" he asked chuckling.

Estelle stared at him. "You look" she paused. "Different. Who are you?" she asked.

"Oh, you realized I wasn't my Kuya Santi" he said still smiling.

"Uhm, yeah. You look different. Santi usually wear anger like a badge of honor" she replied.

Theo laughed. "That is my brother" he confirmed.

"What are you doing here?" Estelle asked.

"I work here" he answered.

"What? How can that be? Families are not supposed to work together in the same company" she asked curious. "You pulled some strings, didn't you" she bravely told him.

Theo, amused, continued to laugh.

"Theo" Santi called and walked towards them. Theo was still laughing at how Estelle talked to him. "What are you doing here?" he asked Estelle. "What did you tell her?" he asked Theo.

"Nothing yet" he answered wiping his tears from laughing.

"Mr. Luna" the chief of the research division called. Theo and Santi both turned around so the chief understood the confusion. "I mean Vice President Luna, we would like to invite you to our proposal review for our research projects this Friday, if you're available" the man said.

"My secretary will call you, Mr. Gaspar" he answered. The man thanked him and excused himself.

"Vice President Luna?" Estelle asked. Santi just stared at her. "You are a Vice President?" she looked at Theo who's watching them with so much amusement. And then her eyes widened. "You are a Luna?" she asked and then it finally sunk in her head. Santi just stared at her the whole time. "It just got to me, it's still office hours. So, I will be back to our office, working diligently" she softly said before walking away.

"Oh, I'm also going back to my building" he started to walk in the elevator when he noticed Estelle's walking to a different elevator. "Aren't you going to use this?" he pointed the elevator where she first met Santi.

"How can I use it, that's for the executives" she answered. "Sir" she continued. 

Theo just amusedly followed her. "So, can I use this elevator then?" he asked when he got in with her.

"You own the place, of course you can use whatever elevator you want" she answered. "Sir"

Theo stopped laughing. "So, you are friends with my Kuya" he started, nodding.

"No, I'm not" she quickly denied.

"Didn't you just call me Santi a while ago? Don't you know how many people tried to call him that and not live to tell the tale?" he continued teasing her.

Estelle gasped at what she just heard. She did more than that. She looked at Theo, life leaving out of her eyes. "What happened to them?" she asked.

"What?" Theo asked back.

"What happened to people who didn't live to tell the tale? Did they at least say their goodbyes to their families?"

Theo looked at her worried. She started to see her life flash before her eyes. She lived a good life.