Chapter 01

"Why have I been summoned?" Jana asked habang nilalagay niya iyong bag niya sa table. It was 6:30 in the morning. Mamayang 9AM pa naman iyong pasok namin, but I told her that I needed to talk to her in person.

"Emergency."

"What could've happened in less than a day?" she asked and then I slid her coffee towards her. "Thanks."

I nodded. "I finally found him."

Kumunot ang noo niya. "Found who?"

"The perfect wedding date."

Her eyes widened. "Oh, wow. Sino? Patingin!" she said, her voice became a bit higher. Ready naman na ako ipakita sa kanya iyong itsura if meron lang talaga akong ipapakita, noh!

"Yeah... I don't have any pictures."

"Social media?"

"He doesn't have any," sabi ko na lang kasi parang medyo 'di ko pa na-process iyong kahihiyan na ginawa ko kagabi.

The initial excitement on her face was gone. Kumunot na ulit ang noo niya. "What? For real? In this day and age, wala siyang social media?"

"Apparently so."

She rolled her eyes. "Tanda na natin, Cerise, ha. Baka wala lang 'yang social media kuno kasi may girlfriend talaga. Kukutusan talaga kita kapag nagpadala ka sa ganyan. Dapat alam mo na 'yang mga ganyang paandar ng mga lalaki," she said. "Walang social media..." she murmured while shaking her head.

I rolled my eyes, too, as I sipped my coffee. "Bakit parang galit ka?"

"E para ka kasing high school na naniwala na walang social media."

"The hell? Ikaw naghahanap ng mukha, e!"

Sa totoo lang, isa sa mga mystery ng buhay ko kung bakit hindi pa kami nagsasaksakan ni Jana. Sa ilang taon na pagkakakilala namin, ilang beses na talaga na muntik na kami magkapikunan. Or I guess same lang kasi kami ng personality kaya madalas kami mag-clash? Either way, very thankful ako sa kanya kasi nandyan lang siya kahit anuman ang mangyari sa akin, personally or otherwise.

"Ang tagal mo na kasi naghahanap ng lalaki! Malamang macucurious ako kung ano itsura niyan," she said. "Saan mo na-meet?"

"Pablo's."

"Pablo's?" she asked, her forehead creased a little. "Sounds familiar."

"Yeah. Bar sa BGC," I replied.

"Oh. Nakainuman mo?"

Umiling ako. "Nope. As it turned out, he's the owner of the bar," sabi ko sa kanya. I could still remember how I tried to ask him kung magkano ba ang sweldo niya sa isang gabi and I'd pay for it just so I could take him as my date. Fucking shit. I humiliated myself so hard! I still cringe whenever I think about that.

"What can I get for you?" he asked with a smile.

"How about your number?" I asked as I was looking straight into his eyes. Fuck, he's gorgeous.

"How about gin and tonic?" he asked, still with that smile. Kahit wala pa siyang masyadong sinasabi, I could very well tell that he's already used to being hit on. I mean, sa itsura ba naman niyang 'yan? Sino ba naman ang hindi mag-aattempt? Kung lalaki ako, I would never bring my girlfriend here because that face is just hard to compete with. But then again, why bother be with someone who'd easily be swayed by a good looking guy?

Why was I overthinking again? This is an illness at this point.

I shrugged. "Yeah, sure," I said, placing both arms at the bar counter and watching as he moved around to prepare my drink. Don't get me wrong—big fan of his face. But his arms? Fuck. Mapapasabi ka na lang talaga ng 'choke me.'

"One gin and tonic for—" he said as he put the drink in front of me.

"Cerise," I replied.

"Cerise," he said.

"That's not how to respond when someone tells you her name," I said, my eyebrow arched a little as I reached for the glass and took a sip. The eye contact was maintained all throughout. That's the key, though. Eye contact. Always.

There was a small smile on his face. Like he was enjoying the conversation. I mean, I hope.

"Okay. How should I respond?" he asked, his voice a little playful this time.

"What's your name?"

There was a small grin on his face. "I'll tell you before you leave," he said.

Natawa ako. "Oh. So we're playing a game, then."

He shrugged, but his attention shifted to the guy standing beside me who ordered something. Once again, I was watching his every movement. Halos mapatalon ako sa kinauupuan ko nang marinig ko na magsalita iyong lalaki sa gilid ko.

"Hi," he said.

I looked at him and smiled. "Hi," I replied. "But not interested, sorry," mabilis kong sabi dahil for sure if hindi ko sabihin ng directly, mauupo pa 'yan sa tabi ko at pipilitin na kausapin ako. Any other night, I would've played nice and maybe score a free drink or two from him. But tonight? My attention is solely focused on the bartender in front of me.

God, why was everything he did so freaking sexy? Paano 'yon? Pwede pala 'yon?

"That was cold," sabi niya nang umalis na iyong lalaki. Pretty sure ita-trashtalk niya ako sa mga kaibigan niya. Men and their fragile ego. I hope this guy in front of me didn't have fragile ego kasi nakaka-turn off, to be honest.

"Eh," I said, shrugging. "Better than me wasting his time."

"He could've bought you a drink."

"I can pay for my own drinks," I replied with a smile.

"Good for you," sabi niya lang.

Man, this guy's making me work. It didn't seem like the conversation would continue unless ako iyong mag-initiate. I mean, fair enough. Nananhimik siyang nagta-trabaho tapos ako iyong unang lumandi sa kanya.

"Craziest story as a bartender?"

Natawa siya. "Really?"

"What?"

"Nothing," sabi niya. "You seemed to have tamed down a bit."

"What?" natatawa na tanong ko. "What do you mean?"

"You started pretty strong with asking for my number directly," he said.

"That was already strong for you, huh?"

He shrugged. "Usually people just say hi."

I shrugged back. "I'm not like most people, then," I replied with a smile.

"Seems like it."

"Still not interested in giving me your name?"

Natawa siya. "What will you do with my name?"

"So I can put your name when I save your number," sabi ko sa kanya. "Would you rather I save it as 'Hot bartender'?"

Kitang-kita ko na iyong amusement sa mukha niya. Hindi pa naman ako nakakainom pero kung anu-ano na ang lumalabas sa bibig ko. Hindi ko nga rin alam kung saan ko nakukuha iyong mga sinasabi ko. I wasn't usually this forward with guys. I mean, during parties for work, napapanood ko kung paano lumandi iyong mga katrabaho ko. I guess, subconsciously, nakuha ko iyong mga sinasabi at ginagawa nila?

"Yeah. Let's go with hot bartender," he replied with his head cocked slightly on the right side. Fucking hell, how could he get so much hotter just by one simple gesture? How was that even possible?!

I playfully rolled my eyes. "I'm taking back my name."

"You're taking Cerise back?"

"So, you do remember my name."

He shrugged. "Good with names. Requirement for the job," he said with a smile.

"So, that's one of the requirements when you got hired?"

"You can say that."

"What else?" tanong ko. "Did your employer also tell you that the customer is always right? Or at least make the customers happy?"

"Not when the customer is out of line," he said.

"Very considerate boss," I replied.

"Very. He's the best," sabi niya.

"I'm not yet out of line, right? Or am I?"

Natawa siya. "No. You're still good."

"Okay," I replied, slightly nodding my head. "What will it take for me to become 'out of line?'" I asked using air quotes.

"A lot," he casually said with a lopsided smile.

"Oh. Is that a challenge I'm hearing?" I asked with my brow slightly arched.

"Not at all," sabi niya tapos ay may lumapit na naman na customer na of course kailangan niyang kausapin dahil hindi lang naman ako ang nandito sa bar.

But due to my luck, instead na kumonti ang mga tao, parami lang sila nang parami. And it seemed like the guy's extremely well liked dahil ang daming kumakausap sa kanya. It made me think din if naturally flirt lang ba talaga siya kasi nakangiti and masaya din siyang nakikipagusap sa iba.

Or maybe, just maybe, he's just entertaining me because duh it's a part of his job.

Okay. Why did that thought annoy me?

Shet. Lasing na ba ako? Ni hindi pa nga ubos iyong isang baso na iniinom ko!

At around 1AM, it didn't seem like he'd be coming back dahil marami pang tao. Apparently, this place's quite famous pala talaga. I see a lot of corporate people and I heard some law students arguing about law and shit. Mukhang ito iyong hangout place nila.

"Hi," I said nung mapadaan siya sa harap ko to probably get something.

"Hey," he replied back with a smile.

"I have a weird proposal," I said. Natawa siya. My eyes widened a bit. "What? No!" sabi ko kasi parang nabasa ko na agad iyong iniisip niya. "It's not an indecent one."

Natawa siya. "Wasn't thinking that."

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah. Tell that to the marines."

He shrugged. "What's the proposal? Because I think we should know each other's names first before we jump into marriage."

"Whose fault is that? I already told you my name."

"Right."

"Still no name?"

He smiled. "Are you leaving already?"

"I am. You said you'll give me your name before I leave."

"I remember," he said.

"The name, then?"

"What's the proposal first?"

"One gin and tonic."

"You'll be driving?" he asked. I nodded. "Here you go," sabi niya na imbes na iyong order ko ang ibigay, inabutan ako ng tubig.

I rolled my eyes. "You're bad for business. Your employer will be pissed."

Bahagya siyang natawa. Damn why was his laughter so unbelievably hot? He must be aware na hot iyong pagtawa niya! O baka naman aware siya kaya mas lalo niyang ginagawa? If that's the case, he's devious and caution must be observed at all times!

Pinanood niya ako habang iniinom ko iyong tubig. I hated how I was very aware na pinapanood niya iyong bawat galaw ko. And me being me, hindi ako nagpatalo, of course. I knew that my neck's one of my best features so ginandahan ko talaga iyong angle habang umiinom ako ng tubig.

This guy knows the game.

I should be smarter.

"I need a date," I began. "For my sister's wedding."

"Oh. Congrats."

"Tell her yourself."

His forehead creased. "Oh... You're asking me?"

I nodded. "How much do you earn in a day? I'll pay."

Natawa siya. "Really?"

I nodded. Magkano ba ang minimum wage sa Manila? Hindi naman siguro siya minimum wage. Sabihin na natin na... ewan ko... around 3k a night siya? Plus maybe tips? So I guess 10k would be very generous already.

Fuck.

Sobrang desperate na ako magkaroon ng date sa kasal ng kapatid ko!

"Yes. Name your price."

"Okay," he said. "How I earn here?"

"Yes. Do you have side hustles?"

"Some," sabi niya.

"This place lang."

"It depends on the night," he said.

"In a night like this," sabi ko kasi mukhang maraming tao. Hindi naman ako sobrang magastos na tao kasi marunong din ako magtipid. But damn, tuwing napapatingin ako sa mukha niya, parang kusang bubukas ang wallet ko makasama ko lang 'to at maiparada sa harap ng mga matatabil ang dila na tita ko at mga inggiterang pinsan ko.

"I haven't checked yet but I'm guessing around 70k. That's net."

My forehead creased. "70k? As in peso? Per night?" I asked, confused because holy fuck. He nodded. "Do you... like provide extra service or something?" naguguluhan na tanong ko because kung ganyan kalaki sa isang gabi, maybe I was in the wrong industry!

I was waiting for him to give me an explanation as to why ganoon kalaki ang kinikita niya nang biglang may lalaki na nagsalita.

"Pablo!" he said and this guy turned his head like someone called his name.

It was like... my brain was some computer from the early 2000s. Slowly, my brain tried to connect the facts at hand. I was at Pablo's. This guy was earning 70k a night. Net. Someone called him Pablo.

Holy fuck.

He's not some bartender—he's the owner.

Shit.

Pero bago pa siya lumapit sa kaibigan niya, tumingin siya sa akin.

"Pablo," he said, offering his hand. I felt like I was in some daze as I accepted his hand while our eyes were on each other. "I'll think about your offer. Drive safely, okay?" he continued before he gave me a smile and once again, he left to entertain the other customers. 

**
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