I became curious so I typed a reply. She hasn't seen the message even after a few minutes so I assumed she's doing something. I just kept myself busy roaming my eyes around the garden, outside of the venue. My phone beeped again so I took it out from my pocket.
hei_katherine: i just wanna ask what
presents do you think Deila will like?
I gave her some tips and ideas about Deila's likes. Papunta raw kasi siya sa mall para bumili ng regalo kaya nanghingi siya ng ideya. After sending her my last reply, I put my phone inside my pocket. Sakto namang may dumating na na mga bisita, nasa simbahan na 'yung pamilya ni Chef Esguerra.
The reception went on and my team and I stayed there for long hours. We went home late after wrapping up. Mrs. Dizon, Chef Esguerra's daughter, thanked us for such a satisfying services. Proud na proud naman ang nanay niya dahil mga luto niya ang hinanda.
The next day was just like any other, only that, I went home to have dinner with them. I'm about to tell them a confession. Pagdating ko sa bahay, nandon na sila at naghahain na si mom.
"Oo nga pala, what is it that you're going to say?" Dad suddenly asked in the middle of our dinner.
"I'm planning to court someone." Mom choked on her food, Dad's lips parted, Deila's eyes sparkled. Ang mga lolo at lola naman ay napangiti.
"What?! Who's this someone?" Mom was still shocked.
"I will introduce her to you, soon." Hindi pa nga ako nagsasabing manliligaw ako papakilala ko na kaagad sa kanila? Baka mailang si Katherine kapag ganon.
"I want to meet her now, son. So I can show her your baby pictures and the-" I cut off mom from speaking because she's going to exaggerate again.
Sinabi ko lang naman na may plano akong manligaw gusto na niyang makilala 'yung babae para ipakita lahat ng baby pics ko at lahat ng tungkol sakin.
"Mom, I haven't told her that I'm going to court her yet. I am still planning. I'm looking for the perfect timing to tell her." I sighed heavily. I think I'm slowly regretting that I told them about it first.
"Okay, okay, I won't meddle na. But oh my gosh! I'm so happy for you, son. Honey, we're going to have a grandchild!" She excitedly clasped her hands while looking at her husband.
I felt Deila's nudge on my arm so I looked at her.
"Kunwari kuya hindi ko kilala kung sino, ha?" She smirked before eating her steak.
After dinner, ayaw nila akong paalisin kaagad. Gusto nila akong pagkwentuhin kung ano daw bang klase ng babae 'yung liligawan ko. I can't blame them, though, it's my first time confessing that I'm going to court someone. Nagkagusto rin naman ako dati pero hindi ko niligawan o di-nate, I was too focused on business that time.
I took a bath when I went home before dressing myself up with something casual. Around 9 PM, nasa tapat na ako ng bahay ni Katherine, dala ang kotse ko. I texted her that I am fine waiting her but in just a few minutes, lumalabas na siya ng gate niya.
When she stepped out, my brows immediately furrowed with her outfit. Naka-cardigan siya so I'm pretty sure her dress can be revealing. She was carrying two paper bags on one hand, and a black clutch bag on the other.
"You look better with a cardigan." I slightly pointed at her using my keys before opening the door for her.
Sinalubong kaagad kami ng mga babae pagdating namin. I looked away when she took off her cardigan, revealing her spaghetti strap dress. Damn, she looked hot, though. but I saw how some pairs of eyes turned to our table when she did that.
Pinagtinginan pa nga raw, napakagaling.
Kaagad na nag-init ang dugo ko. I'm not against her wearing clothes like that, she has every freedom to do so. What makes me pissed are those dumbass guys who intently look at her. I saw lust in their eyes and they started to whisper with each other while looking at her.
So I walked out, nag-presenta akong mag-oorder ng inumin para lang mapigilan ang sarili kong sapakin ang mga tarantadong 'yun. I didn't know that the boys followed me from behind. I sat on the high chair in front of the bartender and ordered a bucket before facing the three of them.
"What's wrong, bud?" Hero nudged me.
"Nakita ko rin 'yun, dude." Veryx sat beside me.
"Ang alin ba?" Patrick furrowed his brows at Ryx and I.
"Well, Kath caught a lot of boy's attention when she took off her cardigan. Kaya siguro galit 'tong si Dela Vega." Ryx scoffed before smirking at me.
"Man, nasa club tayo. What do you expect? Behaved people?" Patrick patted me on my back.
"Oo nga naman. And besides, if you don't want boys staring intently at her, show them that she's yours." Hero smirked before sipping on his brandy.
"Dude, she's not mine." I looked away from them.
"Yeah, how can she be yours if you're not doing anything?" Patrick raised a brow at me.
"Exactly! Kailangan mo pa yata ng karibal bago ka kumilos." Ryx shook his head like he was disappointed.
Karibal, yeah right.
"Well, liligawan ko na nga eh, hindi ko pa lang alam kailan ko sasabihin." I sighed heavily.
"Why not tell her now?" Hero shrugged at me.
"Yeah, man, it's now or never." Patrick added.
"Oo, pare. Saka relasyon 'yung pinapatagal, hindi pagliligawan." Ryx slightly slapped my cheek.
Kinuha ko 'yung bucket at ihahampas sana sa kanya kaso nakaiwas ang loko at natawa. Umakyat na rin kami at tumayo sa harap ng couch namin, nakasandal sa bakal. Pinanood namin 'yung mga babae mula sa taas nang bumaba sila para sumayaw. I was about to sip on my bottle when Hero nudged me.
"Dude, someone's hitting on her." He gestured me where Katherine was. May tinalikuran siyang lalaki pero hinila siya para paharapin ulit.
They followed me when I went to the dance floor. And guess what I saw, the dumbass guy was about to touch the area down her waist so I immediately punched him, causing him to fall on the floor with bleeding lips like how he deserved it. Hinawakan kaagad ako nila Hero, akala yata ay iisa pa ako ng suntok.
"Fuck off." I am not used to cursing people, but hell, except for these types.
Our friends pulled us out of the dance floor. I got Katherine's things upstairs before walking out of that club full of dumbasses.
"Calm down, man." Hero patted my shoulder.
"Ngayon lang kita nakitang manuntok, dude." Veryx scoffed.
"Ngayon lang din naman ako nanuntok, dude." I glanced at them before looking down.
"What if he gets back at you? I heard he's the son of a councilor." Patrick said like it will scare the shit out of me.
"I don't care, as if I'm scared?" I scoffed at them.
"Hey, man, look." Hero pouted to where the girls were.
Son of a councilor who? Kapag manyak, manyak.
"You really want to get in trouble, huh?" Mas lalong nag-init ang dugo ko sa kanya nang lapitan niya ulit si Katherine kahit nasa labas na kami.
Nagsama pa nga ng back up, napakagiting.
"With or without a boyfriend, that doesn't give you any rights to harass a woman." That's what I believe, and I know I'm right.
"Let's just.. go, love." I felt Katherine's tight grip on my arm, stopping me from getting closer to the guy.
Fuck, napakalma niya kaagad ako nang ganun-ganun lang.
I pulled her away from them. I already opened the car door but she wanted to say goodbye to our friends first. Paalis na sana siya kaso hindi siya nakasuot ng cardigan kaya sinabi kong suotin niya. 'Nung ayaw niya, ako na mismo ang nagsuot sa kanya non.
"I can't guarantee you that it won't happen again so I suggest you just wear your cardigan." I said before leaning against my car again.
She was stunned for a moment pero maya-maya lang ay pumunta na siya sa mga kaibigan namin. Well, hindi na pala siya nakapunta dahil tinataboy na siya at kinakawayan. I don't know what's wrong but she ran back to me. I was curious but the gang just shoo me away too before waving.
On our way home, pinag-iisipan ko pa rin 'yung mga sinabi nila Hero kanina 'nung kaming apat lang. Well what do you expect? May matino rin palang lumalabas sa bibig ng mga 'yon.
It's now or never, indeed.
"Bakit tayo nandito?" She asked when we sat at the sand.
Kanina pa ako kalmado. 'Nung tinawag niya akong 'love', parang bigla kong nakalimutan bakit ako nagalit kanina. How can she do that to me?
"Someone once told me to bring a special person to your special place, the two will be even more special afterwards." Dad told me that.
Noon daw kasing kabataan niya, meron siyang tagong garden na gustong-gusto niyang pinupuntahan mag-isa. 'Nung niligawan niya si mommy, dinala niya siya doon, at doon siya sinagot ni mommy matapos ang ilang buwan.
Well, I'm not expecting the same for the two of us. I just want to bring her to my special place since she is also very special to me.
"I like you, Katherine,"
She seemed flustered, hindi siya makatingin sa akin. I tried calling her name twice but she wouldn't look at me. So I teased her by calling her 'love', it worked.
I apologize for what I did. I'm a little afraid that she may see that bad side of me from now on but she still needs to know that part of me. Nasa kanya pa rin naman 'yung desisyon kung magugustuhan niya ako o hindi, all I can do is wait and prove to her my sincerity.
"I respect you very much. I can't even see myself touching you that way without your permission, or to harass you in any possible way, and now he disrespected you just like that."
It's a fact, I do respect her very much. Ang pinaka-ayoko sa lahat ay nambabastos at nananakit ng mga tao, lalo na kung babae. I have a mother and a sister with me that I value the most, and I think, disrespecting woman means disrespecting the two of them, too.
"Do you really like me? For real?" I chuckled at her question.
Hindi ba halata? Lahat ng malapit sa amin nakikita na.
"Ever since I first saw you." Nagulat pa siya nang malamang hindi sa village ang unang beses na nakita ko siya.
Well, it's actually at her grandparents' wake but I think that's not included since I really didn't see her face, just her back profile.
"That night at the beach, I tried to search for you. Sabi ko sa sarili ko, I need to know her name. But I couldn't find you, it was like, you instantly disappeared after winking at me." I told her.
She became speechless even after I told her everything. She couldn't look at me, either. Natawa naman ako, am I making her blush?
"Can I court you?" I asked out of the blue.
Ang ganda niya magulat, nakakatuwa.
I wanted to jump out of happiness when she said 'okay' to me. I've never felt this happy after losing David. Speaking of him, I have to tell him this!
Hinatid ko na siya sa bahay niya matapos kaming magtagal doon. Nautal pa ako nang yayain ko siyang mag-dinner dahil Valentine's day naman ngayon. When I got home, I sent a message to my Mrs. Gonzaga, my assistant on my catering services. And Ms. Lopez, my secretary in hotel management that I will be absent for today. Hindi ko na sila tinawagan dahil madaling araw na at baka tulog na sila, gigising na lang ako nang maaga para 'don.
I still can't sleep because of too much happiness so I decided to send a message to Mr. Vergara, our branch manager in DLV Dasmariñas. I texted him that I'll be coming there to use the rooftop, I'm not sure if he have seen it already but I know he will once he wake up. Sinendan ko rin ng isa pang message si Mrs. Gonzaga para ihanda lahat ng kakailangan kong gamit para bukas sa surprise, para kukunin ko na lang sa office ko.
Nagising ako bandang alas sais, hindi ko pa sigurado kung nakatulog ba talaga ako. I took a bath first before gathering all my filmed pictures with Katherine. I received from those people that I texted earlier saying that the ones I need are now ready. When I went to my office to get the decorations, I asked two people for help. Magluluto pa kasi ako, baka hindi ko matapos lahat.
"Thank you, thank you." I said when Will, my staff, helped me carry the boxes to the rooftop.
Sinimulan na rin namin kaagad ang pag-aayos. This is my first time doing this so nagulat pa sila na may susurpresahin ako ngayong Valentines. I let them have lunch first downstairs so I was left there for almost half and hour, still pumping the balloons. When they finished eating, dinalhan na lang nila ako ng pagkain sa rooftop, hindi daw kasi ako bababa para kumain kaya 'yung pagkain na lang ang dinala nila sa taas.
Around 2 PM when I started cooking on the dirty kitchen downstairs. I told them to serve it upstairs if I give them the cue, kasabay na rin 'yung bouquet. Bumiyahe ako pauwi lagpas alas kwatro na, nagkaroon kasi ng konting problema sa surpresa ko pero nagawan din ng paraan.
Naligo ako, nagbihis at nag-ayos, saka ko siya sinundo sa eksaktong oras na sinabi ko. The moment she stepped out of her gate, damn, she looks gorgeous. And I told her that, she deserves to know how beautiful she is.
When we got there, she looked happy, and so was I.
"You deserve more than anything,"
Indeed, she deserves all the best that I could offer.
We had a nice dinner, I'm glad she liked the food. Ayoko pa sanang makita niya kaagad 'yung table na puno ng mga pictures niya, at namin, pero nakarating na siya sa harap 'nun. Nakulangan na ako sa oras kaya 'ganun na lang ang nangyari pero nagustuhan niya pa rin.
When she asked me to take pictures of her, I gladly obliged. But when she said she'll take photos of me, I refused. Sanay akong ako ang kumukuha ng litrato, maging ng video, not the other way around. But guess what? Her happiness is also mine, so I did as she requested.
"Napipilitan ka? 'Wag na lang rin kung ganon." Pagtataray niya.
Napaka-cute.
Ginawa ko lahat ng inutos niyang pose, kahit madami, at kahit hindi ko naman talaga ginagawa. After taking pictures of the both of us, she took pictures and videos of the table, the decorations, and other stuff. Girls and their addiction to picture takings.
"Open it." I urged her.
It was the golden necklace with an airplane pendant I bought the other day. It reminded me of her, and the weirdest way of how she got my heart.
My heart is happy seeing that she is, too.
"Happy Valentine's Day, Dylan." She greeted me after I put the necklace on her.
Indeed, a Happy Valentine's. The best, to be exact.
Hinatid ko na siya sa tapat ng bahay niya matapos kaming magtagal pa doon ng konti. The necklace just added up to her beauty, she looks prettier.
"That's just the beginning." Because there's more to come. Unang araw pa lang ng panliligaw ko, nataon pang Valentine's kaya sinorpresa ko siya.