Chapter 3

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OTW to work, si Wendy kausap ang mama nya sa phone habang nag hihintay ng elevator. 

“Ma, please lang, no way.” 

“Sige na anak, if you join sina Tita mo with Chorong and Irene, that would mean a lot to me lalo na’t it’s been years since they set foot sa Manila, they would need someone to tour them around na alam ang pasikot sikot sa dyan. Baka mawala pa sila.”

“Please naman ma, uso na at Maps, Waze and Google, I don’t think mawawala sila unless talaga engot nalang ung guide nila-” 

“Wendy Saturno, sino nagturo sayo maging ganyan ang tabas ng dila mo?” Ang malumanay na mother, nag warning na sa kanyang inner dragon coming out. 

“Ih ma joke lang sorry na.” Sa nerbyos ni Wendy, all she can do is whimper at i-withdraw ang statement nyang walang preno. 

“Anyways, ayaw mo ba lalo makilala si Irene? Single ka, single na sya din, malay mo….you know, hehehe.” 

“Malay mo what ma?” Panguso ni Wendy sa phone nya. 

“Malay mo, kayo pala talaga~” 

“Eew not in a million years! Di naman dahil bading ako, at bading si Irene, kami na kagad dapat magkatuluyan please, ma, respectfully it’s a no.” 

“Biro lang nak, haha, sorry naaaaa~” 

“Anyways ma, talk to you later, malapit na elevator and sasakay na nyan ako.” 

“W-Wait nak! Nak, seryoso lang na usap saglit. Alam ko medyo nagkabanggan kayo ni Irene nung sa birthday mo last weekend, pero nakikiusap talaga ako na makipag bonding ka sa kanya and sa mga Darios kasi paano naman ung pinagsamahan ng families natin please? Perhaps use this lunch invitation nila to let bygones be bygones? Gawin mo nalang sya for your tita and me please????” 

Napa buntong hininga nalang si Wendy as she replies sa mama nya. 

“Fineeee, pero promise mo mama last na to ha?” 

“Sure, last na to for this…week, bye see ya next week kauwi ni ate mo!” 

“M-Ma! Mama!” 

Nag try pa humabol sa phone si Wendy, pero si wais na mother ay nagbababa ng phone bago pa maka sagot ang bida natin. 

“Jusko, inistress mo ko Mrs. Saturnooooooo.” Nasabi nalang ni Wendy as she points at her own phone while whining. 

“Hirap talaga mag say no, pag mama mo na ung nag ask ng favor noh?” 

Isang magandang dilag sa likod ni Wendy, ang nagsalita. 

“B-Boss! Morning!”

“Morning, Miss Saturno. Teka lang, bakit stress ka na nga, haha, the morning is just starting. Ikaw din wrinkles yan, hahayaan mo ba ang maganda mong mukha mag ka wrinkles over such stress?” 

“Ah sorry, boss. Narinig mo ba ung usapan namin ng mother ko?” 

“Konti….lang naman, sorry.” 

“Mga hanggang saan narinig nyo?” 

“Engot ang hindi marunong magnavigate sa city with the accessible apps available na in this day and age.” 

“P-Potanginaaaaa……edi narinig nya din na bading ako????” 

“Sorry, di naman sa pagiging marites, kaso na lowbat mga airpods ko and I was waiting for the elevator as well.” 

“AHHHHHH!!!!!!! LUPA KUNIN MO NAKOOOO!!!!” 

“By the way, kamusta ang birthday mo?” 

“O-Okay naman boss haha, salamat and inallow nyo ung pag leave ko.” 

“Don’t thank me, that’s your right as an employee! Pero I got to ask wala kaba pasalubong samin from your celebration, kahit lechon or fruit salad lang?” 

“Hala, gusto nyo ba? Pasensya na boss, if I knew you wanted some, pinagdala kita sana huhu.” 

“Huy…okay lang! Joke lang yon, haha. Pero syempre if may padala, diba, I would gladly eat you.” 

Napa double take tuloy si Wendy at nagisip if mali lang dinig nya. 

“Ha…ha boss?” 

“I would gladly eat with you.” Pangiti ni Taeyeon. 

“Jusko, Taeyeon Dela Vega, wag mo ko ginagawang delulu baka bigla nalang ako mahimatay dito, papanagutan mo ba puso ko pag sumabog?” 

“Wendy, wanna join me na?” 

“Yes and forever po, boss Taey.” 

“Hmm? I mean the elevator Wendy.” Napatawa pa tuloy si Cutie Boss Taey. 

“Ah yes and four as in fourth floor forever kasi don office natin boss! HAHAHAHAH.” 

“Inamo accla, isa pa, iiwan na talaga kita.” Banta ng kaluluwa ni Wendy na puno na ng kahihiyan kay Earth Wendy. 

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Nag arrive na si Wendy sa location ng lunch. 

Sya nag suggest where to meet, and decided that somewhere a bit upper class but still konti ung tao was perfect for the very sosyal Darios. 

The Darios were first to arrive and were waiting in their table for Wendy, na naspot na nila walking towards them.

Si Tita ang unang nakapansin kay Wendy at nag wave where they are sitting, while her two equally beautiful daughters, Chorong and Irene, sat next to her. 

As always, si Chorong spots her and gives her a huge smile, while…let’s just say nag e-exist si Irene next to them. 

“Okay, kaya mo to Wendy, one torturous lunch lang tapos pag na survive mo to, makakabalik kana sa dati mong peaceful na buhay.” Ang hype ni Wendy sa sarili nya. 

“Darling, I’m so glad you made it! Ang ganda ng resto na to ha, I didn’t know this existed in Manila at all!” 

“Thank you Tita, I’m glad nagustuhan nyo, kakaarrive nyo lang ba?” 

“No, and you were 15 minutes late.” Pa side comment ni Irene. 

“Hayaan mo na si Irene, mejo sanay pa sa punctuality and proper traffic sa American life nya, I miss you so much Wendy.” Ang pahapyaw ni Chorong, na todo hug sa namiss nyang kababata. 

“Really sorry, ang traffic kasi I didn’t expect it at this hour, may nasira na pala na sewage sa road na dinaan ko.” Wendy apologizes as she wipes her sweat from the sweltering heat. 

Hihirit pa sana si Irene, pero mismong kapatid nya ang nag takip ng bibig nya, habang ang mother nya binigyan sya ng pamatay na tingin. 

“Ano kaba it's okay, chillax ka muna dyan lalo na ang init sa labas no? Once you are ready Wendy darling, mag oorder na tayo.” The Dario matriarch comforts her inaanak. 

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“That was a good lunch darling, thank you, I look forward sana next time tayo naman nina mama mo mag bonding, or the two of us!” 

“Sure tita, you are welcome and I’m glad you liked the food too.” 

“Oo naman, I think I would’ve burst na eh, if I ate one more shanghai, ang sarap ng Chinese cuisine dito. I will take my other kumares as well next time!” 

“Oo nga Wendy, next time sana si ate mo din kasama natin.” 

“Sure thing sabihin ko kay Ate Seunghee, nadelay nanaman kasi flight nya so she decided na next week nalang sya uuwi.” 

“That’s good, next time mama mo at ate mo, dapat kasama na ha?” 

“Yes po tita.” 

“Anyways, saan ka nyan gagawi Wendy?” 

“Ay, it’s okay po, sasakay nalang ako ng taxi kaalis nyo.” 

“Nonsense! We invited you sa lunch, tapos iiwan kalang namin? Tell you what ganito nalang, Irene, why don’t you drop off Wendy sa workplace nya?” 

“Ako?” 

“Sya?” 

Sabay na tutol at imik ni Irene and Wendy.

“Yes, since susunduin ni Eunji si Chorong, sasakay nako with them, so be a polite guest and ihatid mo si Wendy.” 

“But mom, I have work and may meeting pako hinahabol-” 

“Saan ba workplace mo Wendy?” 

“Sa may Ayala Malls po, malapit dun…ung building ko, I think malayo po yon sa office ni Irene and I don’t want to inconvenience her-” 

“Tamang tama! Irene diba sa may BGC ung office nyo? Tutal kung