Chapter 3 - Mikaela & Rake Story

Napatingin siya sa orasan. Wala pa namang alas nueve kaya tumango siya. Hinawakan nito ang kamay niya at tinungo nila amg sasakyan niya. Pinindot niya ang button para sa top down ng istart ni Rake ang engine ng kotse.

Sinaluduhan sila ng on duty na sundalo. Nagtuloy sila sa sctex. Clark ang nilusutan nila. Hindi lang iilan ang nagbibigay ng pansin sa kanila.

Hininto ni Rake ang sasakyan sa Shell sa Freeport. Pinagbukas pa siya nito ng pinto kaya napapangiti siya. The guy's really gentle and he's turning her on.

"What do you want, sweetheart?" Tanong nito at tinuro niya ang magnum almond white.

"Go find our seat. I'll pay for this," sabi nito kaya humakbang siya palabas ng select.

Pumwesto siya sa mesang nasa tapat ng sasakyan nila. Patay malisya lang siya sa mga nagpipicture sa kotse niya. Agaw pansin talaga ang kulay noon dahil pula.

She gets her phone inside her packet and started browsing the files of her meeting with Joshua tomorrow. Maayos na kasi ang contract nila at ipiprint nalang yun para mapirmahan na nila. Nagopen pa siya ng isang application para sa renovation ng restaurant nila.

It's a heritage house na pagaari ng pamilya ni Joshua. He's giving out the house as an investment and they valued it at true price. She will buy half the price of the property. They valued it at .5M. Ang estimated cost of renovation and investment nila ay 750-1M pero imiminimize nila iyon. Her target expense is up to 500k including initial investment. Pero ayaw rin naman niyang magtipid masyado dahil baka panget ang maging kalalabasan.

She plans on moving to Pampanga for the meantime habang nagrerenovate at nagsisimula ang branch niya doon. She's very hands on when it comes to her investment. Iniisip palang naman niya iyon or she'll just visit every weekend. Meron naman na kasing mga application na pwedeng gamitin to monitor the renovation kahit nasa malayo siya.

"Hi mukhang seryoso ka dyan," sabi ni Rake at nagaalala ang tinging pinukol sa kanya.

"Look at this. Ito 'yung place. We agreed to value it at .5M. Malaki naman ang area pero maliit lang 'yung heritage house. I've talked with my engineer friend and I get a reasonable estimate kaso hindi ko sure kung ma accommodate niya ako dahil malayo. I want it to look this way."

"Male 'yung partner ko and I am not sure if he will agree to all of these. Our restaurant's Korean but still negotiable if we will include pinoy dishes because that's his."

"Anyway here are the renovation I will propose tomorrow."

"Staircase is good you can put up a bar here for soju. Korean are popular for band too right pwede kang mag put up ng mini band music stand here. I like the tables and chairs they're good."

Kinuha niya ang stylus pen and started doing drawing on her phone. Nakamata lang si Rake sa kanya habang ginagawa niya iyon.

"Oh sorry us time pala," sabi niya at tinabi na ang stylus at phone sa bulsa niya.

"It's alright. Looks like you're having fun while doing hard work," sabi nito na kinangiti niya.

"Yeah I like this. Arts and design. Planning. Investments. Drawing. Writing." Sabi niya habang nakatitig sa binata.

"But I like you more. Like this," sabi niya habang inaabot ang nabalatang magnum almond white.

"Thanks for pampering me, Rake. I like this but I want you to know that you don't have to do all the work. Dalawa tayo rito okay?"

"Just let me be. Hanggang may time tayo. Alam mo ang line of work ko diba? I am serving the country at hindi ko alam kung kailan ako ipapadala kung saan."

"How's your family?" Tanong nito.

"I broke down when the rumor of my dad getting his mistress pregnant surfaced. Nagpromise 'yung tatay ko na lulubayan niya yun basta wag akong mabubuntis ng walang ama."

"It's good now. I love my dad my mom love him too that's why he's forgiven. I am working really hard for them. So they could live comfortably for the rest of their lives. And for my future family too."

"Pero alam mo minsan naiisip ko mas marami pa ata akong oras nung empleyado lang ako kaso nga lang konti pera. Hindi ko rin nakikita sarili ko na makikita ka ulit kung hindi ako business woman."

"I start acquiring when I started being a business woman. I don't want my independence and money to get in the way. You know I have to talk with a lot of people male people for that matter. I love to deal with male people mas madali silang icharm at mas nakukuha ko 'yung deal ng walang masyadong arte. Minsan done deal na siya kahit kakaemail mo palang ng contract."

"'yung business partner mo tomorrow lalaki 'yun?" Tanong nito sa kanya.

"Yes," tipid na sabi niya at pinahid ang gilid ng labi nito.

"You're destructing me, Mikaela!" Reklamo nito na kinangiti niya.

"His name's Joshua. Restaurateur rin siya pero more on pinoy dishes with touch of Spanish. He owns Casa Real."

"This Joshua is the same Joshua Alvarez?" Tanong ni Rake.

"Yes kilala mo siya?" Tanong niya.

"Yes sweetheart. One of the notorious playboy here pero may rumors na nagtino na siya because of a certain girl. Ang alam ko hindi rumors yun but he's not dating the girl yet. Business partner ko siya sa resort ko," sabi niya.

"I see then that's good for him." Sabi niya at napatitig nanaman sa mukha ng kasintahan. Joshua's an off topic for her.

"I love you, Rake. Some feelings never changed eh" She said out of nowhere at kitang kita niya ang pagkabigla nito.

Kasabay ng pagkabigla nito'y bahagyang pamumula ng pisngi nito. Nang makabawi'y ngumiti ito at inakbayan siya.

"I love you too and I am sorry for letting you go," bulong nito at hinalikan siya sa sintido.

Right there and then, they knew everything is all in the past and they are starting all over again...

KINABUKASAN AY MAAGA SILANG NAGISING NI RAKE. Tinawagan niya ang secretary ni Joshua at sinabing breakfast nalan ang meeting nila.

"Maglunch tayo sa restaurant ng girlfriend ni Mario. Remember him?"

"Yes. Your smoking hot best friend," she tried to joke at bumenta naman iyon kay Rake dahil tawang tawa ito.

"He has a girlfriend. Akin ka lang tandaan mo," sabi nito.

"Yes boss!" Sabi niya at sumaludo pa kaya lalo itong natuwa.

"Ang aga niyo naman hijo hija. Nagluluto palang ako," ang mommy Rose.

"May breakfast meeting siya my. Doon na po kami magbreakfast sa restaurant ni Joshua," paalam ni Rake sa ina at humalik rito.

Ganoon rin siya dahil feeling close na agad siya sa ina ng kasintahan.

"Bye po my, dad." Paalam niya sa ginoo at ginang.

Sinipat niya ang sarili sa reflection ng kotse niya. She's wearing her white off shoulder 3/4 length blouse and gray skater skirt. Sinipat niya ang sapatos na suot she's wearing her flat white short boots, it's immaculate neat.

Kinapa niya ang nagiisang alahas bukod sa Jade bracelet niya, ang jetplane earings niya. Binuklat niya ang contract na nakalagay sa dalawang folder na hawak. She also checked her hand carry purse na naglalaman ng cards, cash at cellphone niya.

"Shall we?" si Rake at pinagbukas siya ng pinto sa kotse niya.

Mabilis lang ang tinakbo ng sasakyan nila dahil lumagpas lang sila ng bahagya sa 30mins ay narating na nila ang San Fernando. Wala na rin naman traffic dahil nag expressway na sila upang maiwasan ang traffic sa Clark. Biglang may tumawag kay Rake kaya pinauna na siya nito.

"Elle," nakangiting sabi nito, that's her popular name since college.

"Joshua," ganting bati niya at kinabigla niya ang pagbeso nito sa kanya pero ngumiti rin siya.

Hinawakan siya nito sa siko at giniya papunta sa nakaayos na breakfast table sa veranda ng restaurant nito.

"Actually I got company," sabi niya at bahagya lang itong kumunot ng noo pero ngumiti rin.

"Really?" Kinawayan nito ang matre d upang magdagdag na isa pang table set.

Nilabas nito ang iphone nito at may pinakita sa kanyang mga contractor na pwede nilang kausapin.

"How much's the contract price? I want us to minimize our expenses as possible. I don't want too much cash outflow. Here are the contract. Do you have anything to change here?" Tanong niya.

"Wala naman na let's sign it," sabi nito at pinirmahan na ang kontrata. Matapos niya pirmahan iyon ay binigay niya ang isa sa binata.

"I have sample design of restaurant interior here base on the original face of the house. Here," sabi niya at pinakita ang mga design niya.

"I like the bar here very creative. The music's pretty cool too especially if we're operating up to 3am. I volunteer for the night shift since hanggang 9 lang ang Casa I can come to Gangnam City after. Will you stay here for good?" Tanong nito.

"I am not yet sure but I will have to stay here during the renovation and first weeks of operations that's for sure. My boyfriend also reside here so most probably madalas ako rito," sabi niya.

"May boyfriend ka na?" nabiglang tanong nito sakto namang palapit si Rake sa kanila.

"Yes there he is," sabi niya kaya napalingon si Joshua.

"Seriously? Rake?" si Joshua.