It was one of these days that we’re just hayahay – something that Yeri always say. I’ve been sitting in my workstation and trying to do a productive work, but nothing inspiring is coming out yet. I’ve been trying to come up with a logo of this small company that hired us. This is hayahay since we just finished a big project which include brand, logo, and product package designing of that big celebrity’s new business.

 So here I am, picking up my ukulele – my Irene gave to me – and plucking some chords progression.

“Boss, ma’am!” Yeri calls me subtly.

“Yo?”

“Pinapatawag ka ni boss boss ma’am,” Yeri said.

“Yoko, kamo!”

“Gagi Ate Seulgi, narinig ko mukhang may raise tayo.”

“Kanino mo ‘yan narinig?”

“Dun sa bestie kong HR. Inaayos na raw.”

Oh wow.

“Serious? Bakit walang nabanggit si boss boss ma’am sa akin?”

“Palakas ka kasi minsan kay boss boss ma’am, dali punta ka na run tapos balitaan mo kami agad! Naks, thanks Ate Seulgi slash senior graphic designer boss ma’am Seulgi.”

“Didn’t know I’m a multi-hyphenated person,” I said then stood up from my workstation.

“Of course, Ate Seulgi. All-rounder ka, no? Babysitter pa nga kita ‘di ba?”

Yep, I always babysit Yeri. I babysit a matured childlike overachiever employee of the month slash minsang fun club master tuwing end of the quarter. Guess she’s a multi-hyphenated person as well.

“Babysitter ka d’yan, tigilan mo na ‘yang pagpupumasaway mo sa HR lagi kang punta nang punta do’n, kaya ako natatawag ni boss boss ma’am eh.”

“Hatid mo na lang ako pauwi mamaya after team dinner.”

“Yoko, gusto ko agad makita si Irene.”

“Pucha, whipped.”

“Find a love life, I guess? Para walang inggitan at negative vibes sa workplace ko,” sabay ngisi ko sa kanya.

Yeah, I’ve been trying to say to her na she should confess to her “bestie” in the HR department. Halata namang gusto niya ‘yun, ayaw pa ayain lumabas.

“Limang minuto na dumaan Ate Seulgi, grabe, ba’t ka ganyan pinag-iintay mo ‘yung pera. Gora ka na kay boss boss ma’am!”

“Ito na!”

Then, I walked through boss boss ma’am’s office. Sunmi was tagged as boss boss ma’am not because of Yeri but actually, it was me who called her that way before Yeri worked here.

Malakas na ‘ko kay Sunmi dati pa, senior ko nung college. We’re close since orgmates din kami noon and we’re super into art galleries and stuff. Close kami nung college na dumating pa sa point na pinangako sa akin ni boss boss ma’am na kapag ka-graduate niya, magtatayo siya ng sarili niyang studio and hire me as her graphic designer.

We’re close, super close na muntik nang maging kami.

Yep, I liked Sunmi, yeah, we liked each other.

Before.

Yeri doesn’t know that.

Anybody here in this office doesn’t know about that.

Pero ngayon, wala na. Tropa na lang din talaga. Walang nangyari sa mutual admiration namin sa isa’t isa after we confessed to each other nung college.

After that, I was trying to finish my studies. She’s working hard for that dream studio.

Eventually, she did hire me, but not yet in her studio. 

I think she still wants that dream, who wouldn’t? But I guess she has to work more and hard.

Hay, boss boss ma’am.

“Seul!” tawag agad sa akin ni Sunmi pagkapasok ko sa office niya.

“Boss, musta?”

“Ang tagal mo namang dumating dito, nag-daydream ka ba?”

“Nag-reminisce pa ‘ko ng past, boss. You know me.”

“I did know you. Well, pinatawag kita kay Yeri ‘cause…” natigil siya nung nakita niya siguro akong nagtaas ng kilay. “…why? You know already?”

“Uh… no?” Sagot ko kaagad.

“Really?”

“Yeah. Ano ba kasi ‘yan? Mapapaligaya ba ‘ko niyan?”

“Well, it’s not Irene,” nangiti ako nung nabanggit niya pangalan ng jowa ko. “…but yes, kahit papaano mapapaligaya ka naman nito,” tapos niya.

“You did know me, huh?”

“Kainis, kailangan may magic word bago maging interesado eh. Alright, so you’re being promoted.”

WHAT.

“What!?”

“Oh, bakit parang gulat na gulat ka? You deserve it, Seulgi.”

“Wait, ako lang?”

“Bakit, may ine-expect ka pang mapo-promote dito, eh you did apply for a supervisor role?”

“Akala ko next year pa, teka, hindi ako ready! Kakaroon ko lang ng love life!”

“Gaga ka, kaya mo i-juggle ‘yan. Kayo pa ba ni Irene, tsaka sobrang understanding no’n! Sa sobrang understanding niyo sa isa’t isa, di pa kayo nag-aaway!”

Well, she’s correct. Pero nagkatampuhan na kami paminsan minsan.

“Nagtatampo ako sa kanya actually ngayon.”

“What, why? Kumusta na pala siya ngayon?”

“Well, she’s been busy. Super busy. Everyday OT. Ayoko na nga siya masyadong pagurin sa household chores kasi kita ko down na down energy niya eh. Araw-araw na kong naglilinis ng bahay para man lang kahit ‘yun, di na niya isipin.”

“Gaga ka, so di ka naglilinis ng bahay araw-araw? Buti natatagalan ka ni Irene.”

Actually. I wonder why.

“Ehe, sa totoo lang, tanong ko rin ‘yan sa sarili ko minsan.”

“So bakit ka nagtatampo eh pagod na pala si madam?”

“Nagtatampo ako kasi sabi ko magpahinga siya tapos ayaw niya magpahinga!  ‘You don’t understand, Seulgi, kailangan kong gawin ‘tong work na ‘to because if not, ano na lang ako di ba?’ Like, di ko naman sinabi na tumigil siya mag-work, gusto ko lang siya magpahinga. Kahit di na niya ako isipin, I can manage. But I can’t see her suffer like this. Sobrang lala, boss.”

“I kinda understand her. But please, alagaan mo siya, okay? H’wag mo na pagalitan. Just let her do her job but at the same time, tantsahin mo kung sobrang pagod na. Padalhan mo food, ikaw magplantsa ng clothes niya, you cook food for her.”

“You know I can’t cook masarap, boss. Saks lang ako. Baka lalo lang uminit ulo no’n kapag mediocre food ‘yung ibigay ko.”

“Ay ako, I would appreciate everything my jowa does.”

“She does appreciate me, okay? But not my cooking.”

“Okay, so sa ibang