Chapter Three | Irony and its Repercussions

It’s almost a year since I went back to the Philippines. I thought things would be the same when I get back but I guess, things changed when I was gone too long.

But you are the exception. You still look the same, Seulgi.

You with your sheepish innocent smile still disarm me to the bone. You with your expressive eyes still undress my true self defenseless. You and your voice that sounds so serene, you don’t know how much it enchants my being.

“Miss Irene, ang cutie naman ng kausap niyo kanina. Pakilala niyo naman ako.” Yeri bursts my daydream the moment I closed the van’s door. Wala na ba talaga akong karapatang kiligin?

“Would’ve been better if you agreed to meet cutie bukas. Too bad you already have a -” Sabi ni Miss Tiffany, ang conyo kong boss. I noticed she carefully cut her sentence midway. I really hate it when people from work pry into my personal life. Siguro nasanay lang ako na hindi ganito ka-chismosa yung work environment in the States.

“I have an appointment tomorrow that’s why I didn’t say yes.” Oo nga, having caught my boss’ context. I forgot they heard and saw the whole thing before I went inside the van. Nakita rin kaya nila kung paano naudlot yung kilig ko?

“Sabi naman ni Miss Irene, ‘I can’t tomorrow, but some other day maybe?’” At talaga namang ginaya pa ni Yeri kung paano ako tumanggi. She didn’t have to remind me that I missed my chance again. Did I sound that flirty though?

“If I were asked, I would’ve stood up the appointment tomorrow.” Miss Tiffany said in a singsong tone. Kung pwede lang siya sabunutan doon sa passenger seat, ginawa ko na.

“She’s just a college friend whom I haven’t seen in a while,” I said in my defense. Kinuha ko yung folder sa lap ni Yeri at nagsimulang magkunwari na basahin yung report na ipe-present ko mamaya sa harap ng big bosses.

“If you say so, Irene. If you say so.” Natatawang kantiyaw sa akin ni Miss Tiffany.

My parents and my older sister, nauna sila mag-migrate sa US. I was left alone in the Philippines for a year bago ako nakasunod sa kanila dahil kailangan kong tapusin yung last two semesters ko in college.

Life was hard back then. I was really lonely. It was the first time that I was separated from my family for that long. Sabi nga ng parents ko, it’s only just a year, and that it was supposed to be practice for when I live in the real world. Gusto ata nila na matutunan ko rin maging independent.

It was a fair enough choice, I guess. I’ve learned what liberty tasted like. It was that silver lining between the good and the bad. It was that hard pill I had to swallow forcefully. Siguro kung hindi ako naiwan sa Pilipinas mag-isa, I never would have met Seulgi.

I can still vividly remember that day we first met.

The whole day, I became distracted. I couldn’t focus much. At buti na lang nairaos na rin ang biglaang meeting in a good light.

“Good work, Irene.” Sabi sa akin ni Miss Tiffany. Overall, siya naman ang na-stress sa mga tanong ng big bosses tungkol doon sa bagong pakulo namin na ire-release. Magkasama kami ngayon sa isang pub after naming ihatid si Yeri sa sakayan. It is the weekend after all.

Nowadays, makikita na lang ang mga magazine na nakatambak sa gilid ng cashiers sa bookstores. No one in their right mind would actually buy physical copies of them, only to throw them afterward after reading. Internet is today’s trend that’s why we’re trying to cope up with the interests of the current generation. We are opting to do podcasts and video content.

My boss, Miss Tiffany, is my older sister’s ex. They broke up and became good friends after, kaya naman I got this