It's 8PM and Seulgi just finished her OT.

 

Halos wala ng tao sa office since mukhang bangag pa from last night's party so di na din siya nabigla na mag-isa nalang pala niya sa quadrant niya.

 

"May lakad ka after office?"

 

Kakalog-off lang ni Seulgi ng PC niya when Irene leaned to her table and ask just that.

 

"Depende?" Seulgi replies, nilingon lang niya saglit si Irene before nagproceed ayusin ang mga gamit niya. "..Para saan ba?"

 

"Just.. dinner." Di man halata, parang affected si Irene sa pagiging distant ni Seulgi. "..I wanna thank you for taking me home last night."

 

"Ah." Tumawa ng alangan si Seulgi, "..Di na kelangan."

 

Tumayo na din ito and inayos ang iniwang upuan.

 

Hindi prepared si Irene sa sagot ni Seulgi. Ang in-expect niya kasi is papayag ito.

 

"So may lakad ka nga?" Medyo asar na ulit ni Irene.

 

"Wala naman. Gusto ko lang umuwi ng maaga. Late na kasi nakauwi kagabi." Binuhat na ni Seulgi ang bag niya.

 

"How about I drive you home?"

 

"Parang yan din sabi mo kagabi?" Seulgi chuckled.

 

"Hindi naman kasi ako lasing kagabi pero pinilit mong ikaw magdrive."

 

Seulgi sighed, "Hindi ka nga lasing, pero naka-inom ka. Ayaw kong mag-playsafe."

 

Irene raised an eyebrow, "Isn't that what you're doing right now?"

 

"Huh?"

 

"Seulgi.." The Project Manager crossed her arms to her chest, "..You like me, don't you?"

 

Again, nag-expect si Irene na hindi agad makakasagot si Seulgi but then..

 

"Oo." Seulgi smiles. "..Matagal na kitang gusto."

 

Suddenly, si Irene na ang hindi makasagot.

 

"..But rest assured, I'm not gonna take advantage of everything that's happening."

 

"What if I want you to?" Irene blurts out, "..What if I like you, too?"

 

Seulgi was confused, "Di ka sure?"

 

"What?"

 

Tumawa uli si Seulgi, "Di ka sure if gusto mo din ako? Patanong yung sabi mo e."

 

Napa-isip din bigla si Irene, "No, I'm sure. I like you, Seulgi."

 

"Nako, di pwede e."

 

Irene paused while looking at Seulgi.

 

Ngumiti ng nakakaloko si Seulgi.

 

Tinulak siya pabiro ni Irene and this time, nakangiti na din ito.

 

"Can I drive you home now?" Irene asks.

 

"Yeah, sure. Mapilit ka e." Seulgi retorts, earning her another playful slap from the PM.

 

---

 

Well, that was easy?

 

But after reading between the lines, mas mahirap pala if nadefine mo na siya and it turns out na pareho kayong walang plano.

 

Yes, they like each other. So what's next?

 

"Sorry, what?" Seulgi asks.

 

Tumikhim si Irene, "I said what's next?"

 

"San?"

 

The PM frowned, "Sa’tin?"

 

"Oh, uhm.." Parang natauhan si Seulgi. Nagdalawang-isip. Hanggang, "..Pwedeng magsabi ng totoo?"

 

Parang nag-guard up si Irene, "O-Okay?"

 

"Di ka nanaman sure?" Ulit ni Seulgi.

 

"Continue." Sabi ni Irene while driving. Buti nalang konti nalang sasakyan sa daan.

 

Nakiramdam muna si Seulgi. Kasi pinaka-una sa katotohanan is wala talaga siyang idea kung anong gagawin.

 

Kahit sa panaginip niya kasi imposibleng magkagusto si Irene sakanya.

 

Yet, eto sila ngayon.

 

"I'm not good at this." Seulgi admits.

 

"This?"

 

"Whatever this is." The passenger chuckles. "..Parang wala akong mode na for relationship."

 

"You've never been in one?"

 

"Meron. Isa. But I was young.. and stupid."

 

Irene snorts, "Halos lahat naman tayo dumaan sa part na yan."

 

"Oo, pero if mabigyan ako ng chance na ulitin yun, I'd do it right."

 

Lumalalim na usapan nila bigla. Parang nagiging speechless na din si Irene sa pagiging derecho ni Seulgi.

 

"..Feeling ko natakot kita." Tuloy ni Seulgi.

 

"Hindi naman." Eyes still on the road, Irene says. "..It's like getting to know each other lang."

 

"Wag mo pilitin."

 

Irene hums first, "What?"

 

Saktong nagpreno si Irene sa red traffic light so nagkaron sila ng pagkakataong magkaharapan.

 

"You, liking me.. It sounds absurd to me. Baka kako spur of the moment lang cos of what happened last night." Seulgi says.

 

Irene didn't answer right away. It's like finding the right words to say since Seulgi's lack of confidence really comes across.

 

"Certainly, you were wonderful to me last night. I've been attracted to you for awhile now. I'm not sure exactly when, but I don't know if you noticed? I tried to sleep with you last night."

 

Seulgi's eyes widened in suprise.

 

The traffic light turned green, Irene nods and drives away, with a playful smile on her lips.

 

"You did?" The passenger challenged.

 

"Yeah, I did." Irene laughed a bit, "..Bat parang ayaw mo maniwala? Seulgi, are you not aware of your charms?"

 

“Ang charm ko is pagiging boring, are you attracted to that?”

 

“Maybe, yes?” 

 

Napailing nalang si Seulgi, “Weird mo.”

 

“Ikaw yata natakot sakin.” Mahinang tawa ni Irene.

 

“Mas takot ako pag panaginip lang lahat ‘to.”

 

Dinala ni Irene ang kaliwang kamay niya mula sa manibela papuntang hita ni Seulgi, sabay pisil. “Wanna bet?” Irene stole a glance.

 

Grabe na ang nerbyos ni Seulgi sa upuan niya. Nalulula siya sa confidence ni Irene.

 

Papatalo ba siya?

 

Inangat niya ang kamay ni Irene mula sa hita then pinagsalikop ang kamay nilang dalawa.

 

Tumingin ulit sakanya si Irene na parang gulat.

 

Nag-exhale si Seulgi, pinakawalan yung hangin na asa dibdib niya.

 

“Eyes on the road, Miss Bae.”

 

—-

 

Scammer talaga si Irene Bae.

 

Pano e wala pa sila sa place ni Seulgi, tumigil na sila agad sa kalagitnaan.

 

“San mo nanaman ako dadalhin?” Tanong ni Seulgi habang tinatanggal ang seatbelt pagka-park nila.

 

“We’re going to dinner.” Irene states the obvious.

 

Sabagay, friday naman ngayon. Isip nalang ni Seulgi. Di bale nang ma-late umuwi.

 

“..Let’s go?” Aya ni Irene pagkalabas nila, not forgetting na kunin uli ang kamay ni Seulgi.

 

Mabilis pa sa one-shot ang early stage ng relationship nila pero bat ganon yung pakiramdam?

 

Parang antagal na nilang ginagawa ‘to?

 

“Hi Ma’am! Table for two?” Tanong ng isang crew pagpasok nila ng resto.

 

“Yes please.” Irene replies then they were lead to a corner table.

 

They were both given a menu and ordered.

 

Twenty to thirty minutes daw bago ma-serve yung food so pasok na tayo sa next episode ng getting to know each other nila.

 

Napakalupet ni Seulgi kasi getting to know stage pa nga lang sila pero hawak na niya kamay ni Irene Bae kanina pa.

 

Feeling tuloy niya maaga siyang kukunin sa taas kasi halos matupad na yung gusto niya. Not to mention din yung kanina pa nagsa-somersault niyang puso. Sosyal, somersault.

 

“Gutom ka na?” Ngiti sakanya ni Irene.

 

“Hindi pa naman.”

 

“Buti nalang.” Irene caresses Seulgi’s knuckles with her thumb. “..Kanina pa kasi ako nag-iisip kung san tayo kakain and alam kong medyo matagal ang serving nila dito.”

 

“Matagal na akong impressed, Bae. So no need to think hard about trivial things."

 

"You're so.. chill."

 

"Anywhere with you's fine."

 

Irene laughed a bit, "You're one heck of a smooth talker."

 

Seulgi shrugged, "Madali lang naman magsabi ng totoo."

 

---

 

Don't worry, nakapag-dinner naman sila ng hindi magkahawak ang kamay so pwede na kumalma.

 

Hindi na rin sila ulit nagholding hands after that conversation.

 

Habang umiiksi ng umiiksi yung oras na magkasama sila, nagko-contemplate uli si Irene.

 

It's like she can't get enough of Seulgi tonight and she still wants to talk her - maybe the whole night.

 

Irene pulls over to the drop off area.

 

Just as Seulgi was getting ready to get off, nilakasan nalang ni Irene yung loob niya.

 

"Say Seulgi.."

 

Said girl's hand was on the door, "Hm?" She stares at Irene.

 

Irene bit her lip,

 

"Can I stay the night?"

 

---