Kanina pa siya tawa ng tawa. She guessed something like iniisip kong sila but I went silent and denied the fact na ‘yun nga yung literal na nasa isip ko kanina.

Sabay na naming nilakad yung short distance from central terminal papunta sa tapat ng subdivision namin para makasakay ako ng tricycle “Tindi naman ng imagination mo”

“Dapat sinabi mo kasi agad na pinsan mo siya”

Natawa lang siya saglit. Yung tawang nakakakilig. Yung masarap pakinggan ng pauli-ulit.

“Dapat ba pinakilala na kita?”

Bakit ka ba ganyan? Kung driver ka? I would label you as a reckless one.

Kahit sana, heads up lang… para alam ko kung saan babagsak ang puso ko.

Sa kamay mo, o sa lupa na kinatatayuan natin pareho.

With relief, I sighed as if declining to answer your question, but you turned to me again and said “pero hindi ganun yung tipo ko…”

Faster than a heartbeat I said “ano?”

Napataas siya ng kilay sa prompt kong tanong “anong… ano?”

“ano bang tipo mo?” I whispered my question hoping for her not to hear.

I may be so bold at asking this question pero dinadaga na talaga ang aking dibdib after those words rolled out my tongue.

Just what in the world am I doing???

Konting hiya naman Joohyun! Ugh!

I almost wanna sprint my way ahead to avoid her answers.

Tulak ng bibig, kabig ng dibdib.

Jusko, I felt old.

Ngumuso siya… pointing me with her lips.

I stared at her lips while she said with her mischievous smirk “accountant yung tipo ko”.

I stared at it.

I melted right on the spot if that’s even possible.

I almost tripped sa daan.

She makes me feel unnerved and calm at the same time na minsan,

Minsan lang…

It really drives me crazy.

The way those lips move, how it closes and stretches in every smile “yung gaya mo” she sincerely, surely, and proudly added.

I am too afraid to meet her eyes so, I just keep my gaze low, staring at her lips, too anxious that these unknown sense of comfort and warmth that’s dominating inside me will spill through my eyes and she will be able to fill in the words na hindi ko masabi- maamin

sa kanya…

Sa akin…

I looked over sa malaking digital clock malapit sa exit ng office namin.

11:11 am

“Woah…” I said out of nowhere. I mean who wouldn’t?

“nuyun??” Instinctively, napaamba ako ng hampas sa kanya. “Wendy!” I frowned at her, half shouting-half whispering.

“nagulat din kaya ako” she replies. “Kala ko sasampalin mo ko eh” muling nawala yung ulo niya sa ibabaw ng cubicle ko sa harap.

I’m just amazed to see 11:11 exactly the same time nung lumingon ako.

Angel digit? Number?

I forgot yung tawag…

‘pag nagpapalipas daw ng gutom pumapangit

Kita mo ‘ko… fresh and cute lagi

Kain ka na #gm

Did she message me exactly at 11:11? I can’t help but smile.

Lumingo ako ulit.

11:11 pari- “wanna grab some snacks?” sabi ni Joy sa tabi ko while seductively looking at me as she propped her head up on one elbow na obviously... “laway ba ‘yan?” kagigising lang. Kanina pa kasi siya nakayuko, resting on her arms.

Way to start Monday. Great.

Now she’s busy wiping the invisible drool na itinuro ko malapit sa labi niya. Her hair is nothing but a mess. “11:11…” bulong ko sa sarili.

What does that mean again?

“Kain na tayo?”

Wendy’s entire head appeared again over the barrier ng cubicle naming dalawa after hearing Joy’s question. “Saan niyo gusto? Sa caf nalang tayo?”

I watched the two walk past me.

As quickly as I could, I got my phone and browse through my offline videos from YT. Nakita ko lang naman randomly- like… seeing tarot card readings and stuff? That’s random. This specific meaning of numbers caught my attention hanggang sa pati yung ibang mga readings pinapanuod ko na whenever I got free time.

As in… wala akong kachat or inaasikasong importante.

Or both…

“creations of… new beginning. A transition from nothing to something… Magician tarot. It encourages to go and start…”

That’s for repeating 1.

                              Sino naman nagsabing cute ka?

Mama q :>

                              Parang ‘di naman…

:[[[

Seulgi Kang sent a photo

                              HAHAHAHAHA

Pinaglulunch lang naman kita :’’’)

                              Okie okie hahahaha

“Joo!” Wendy calls me holding her tray.

I nod along, pocketing my phone.

She sent me a frowning pic habang nakapangalumbaba.

Sobrang cute kasi dapat yun.

New beginnings…

from nothing to something

I was never the type of person na mag lolog-in ng personal account sa device na gamit ko sa work.

Manang… as what Joy once called me. Pero diba it should be like that?

Hassle kasi makakuha ng notifications while you are in the middle of work.

I can’t function well sa tuwing nahahati ang atensyon ko. there should be a priority. I hate multi-tasking outside working especially kung nababawasan yung efficiency mo towards sa isang aspect.

Yeah… that was me-

A few hours ago…

But then habang nasa tricycle ako papasok kanina, my phone was out of battery.

We were on chat kagabi talking about important stuff.

By important stuff I mean her cats, lulu and lala and why I can’t stand pets around me.

That important na nakalimutan ko mag charge kaya heto, I am communicating with you using the company laptop.

Sabi nga ni Joy… “pwede naman… ‘wag lang pahuhuli”

I am “chatting” to be specific. I am just replying sa good morning mo and some other questions na hindi ko na nasagot dahil nga…

Nakatulog ako kagabi.

I am appalled sa fact na you said eww?!.

Buti nalang considerate ako.

Are you allergic or you just hate them?

Hello? Irenee??

Hi??? Okay sleepyhead I am hurt.

Joke lang. Good night to you too.

Rise and shine sa umagang mas maganda ka.

Kay ganda*

Woop!

Kakainis. Bakit kasi ang daldal-daldal mo?

No, Hate is such a strong word.

I just… feel uneasy around them.

Okay, scared?

Sorry for sleeping while were on chat. I’m just so tired.

Good morning to you too nurse Seugi!

“Joo? Yung case report sa tatlong area sa Makati na send mo na?” Wendy asked me.

Pareho pa kaming nagulat. Ako, obviously dahil akala ko nahuli ako while chatting at work hours and nagulat naman siya dahil nagulat ako.

She just laughed it off with “Lagi nalang…”

I smiled apologetically while promptly closing the app. “Sorry, kinakabahan lang.”

Inabot naman niya yung flashdrive niya from me and soothingly tapped my shoulder. “Tagal-tagal na natin tong ginagawa, kinakabahan ka parin? Don’t worry too much Joo”

Of course… why would I worry about this monthly tax report? More likely kinakabahan ako na may makakita na imbes magtrabaho, nakikipag chat ako sayo.

“I-I’ll get ready.” I said double-checking the company laptop kung na close ko na talaga yung app.

About 10-15 minutes haharap na kami with my team sa boards for this monthly report.

I did leave my phone sa desk since nakacharge yun nung iniwan ko. Now, I can’t help but think kung nag reply ka na ba or what.

These days, parang need ko I-check yung phone ko every now and then. Bigla ka nalang kasing mag rereply at every chance you got.

Kung bakit kasi hinuli pa kami sa sequence. Usually, kami yung isa sa mga unang pinatatawag ng board. Sana chill nalang kami this day since kahapon pa yung unang batch. Sana nasa desk nalang ako right this moment doing stuff.

Kahit pa nga nakakaduling tumingin buong araw ng mga balances at credits ng sangkaterbang clients, mas okay na yun kaysa tumayo ng ganito ang suot at mag present sa boards kung maayos ba naming ginagawa ang trabaho namin.

The fact that I am the team manager is just a bonus sa pressure na bitbit bitbit ko tuwing buwanan akong haharap sa kanila.

Maybe, I am just used to it.

I am extra stern when it comes to work that’s why I carry my team with confidence.

But maybe… I played my poker face and professional look game way stronger than my other team member.