#CTG45 Chapter 45

First week of Iñigo's BAR month.

It was already 9 pm and Iñigo needed to sleep already... but he was so stubborn that instead of sleeping, he's reading the statement for one of the cases he was holding. Kanina ko pa siya pinipilit na matulog, but he wasn't listening. He kept on telling me that he's already done reviewing and hindi rin naman daw siya makaka-tulog dahil iisipin niya pa rin iyong sa kaso.

I was definitely right when I said that deep inside, Iñigo's a softie.

He may not talk about it, but he's easily affected by the cases he was holding... It must've taken great strength for him to ignore his conscience during the years he was doing the settlements.

"You really need to sleep," I said for the third time tonight.

"Thanks for the concern, Cha, pero hindi pa rin ako makaka-tulog," he said while his eyes were fixated on the papers in front of him.

I knew he's smart and all, but I'd taken the exam and it was exhausting. It's a whole day debacle. It's both physically and mentally tiring. He needed a good night sleep to be able to function at his best tomorrow...

And hindi lang naman simpleng pagpasa ang goal niya—he needed to be the top 1.

In Iñigo's career, there's no room for mistake anymore dahil sa nangyari sa huli niyang trabaho. Reputation's important for lawyers. Paano siya pagkaka-tiwalaan kung ganoon ang reputasyon niya? So, he really needed to ace the exam.

"Please? Let's sleep?"

Agad siyang napa-tingin sa akin at tinanggal iyong reading glasses niya. There was an amused smile on his face.

"Isa pa nga? Ang lambing pakinggan nun, ah?"

I rolled my eyes. "Please? Matulog na tayo."

He nodded. "Fine," he said, fixing his papers in a neat pile before standing up. We went to our room and he quickly pulled me with him. I felt him kissing my nape.

"Atty. Viste," he called.

"What?"

"Hahatid mo ko bukas?"

"Syempre."

"Sasalubungin mo rin ako?"

"Yes. I'll be in front of Gate 2."

Humigpit iyong yakap niya sa akin. "Gagalingan ko bukas," he said. "I can't promise top 1 because I know it's gonna be hard, but I can promise you that I'll do my best."

I squeezed his hands which were holding me close to him. "I know."

The silence enveloped us. I could feel that Iñigo was still yet to sleep. He felt so restless, but he really needed to rest. I moved so that I could face him.

"What can I do to make you sleep?" I asked.

"On the top of my head... sex," he replied, laughing.

I rolled my eyes before I cupped his face and kissed him. I felt that he was taken aback for a few seconds before he began kissing me back. Iñigo went on top of me and he was quickly rubbing himself on me.

"Siguraduhin mo lang na makaka-tulog ka pagkatapos nito," I said when his lips left mine and was now on my neck down to my chest.

I felt him chuckle. "Siguraduhin mo rin na magigising ka para siguraduhin na gising ako bukas dahil hindi ako pwedeng ma-late," he said while he was busy taking my top off and he was now alternating between sucking my nipple and massaging the other.

While Iñigo was busy doing that, I reached for my phone and decided to double check kung naka-set na ba talaga iyong alarm. There were five alarms with five minutes interval each, just to be sure. Kapag hindi siya nakapagtake ng exam ngayon, he'd have to wait for another year.

When I was aware that I was already fully naked, I pushed him away and got on top of him. His lips parted at the sight of me straddling him.

"W-What—"

"I need you to fall asleep, not be tired dahil marami ka pang gagawin bukas," I said as I was pulling his boxers down. I rested my left hand against his chest as I used my other hand to guide his length in my core.

God, the things I do for this guy.

"Yung condom—"

"This is your prize for being a good boy," I said, tapping his cheek as I slid his length in me. I was watching every expression that crossed Iñigo's face. How his mouth formed into an 'o' and how he closed his eyes... and how he had that pained expression.

Then I felt him gripping my waist.

"Wag ka munang gumalaw," he said, and then looked at me. I could see the rising and falling of his chest. "Ayoko nito, Cha... Alam ko na ito 'yung birthday wish ko, pero ayoko na mabuntis ka ng wala sa plano. Ayokong maka-sira sa career mo. Alam ko kung gaano mo 'yan pinaghirapan."

I bit my lip.

God, we'd been through so much together already.

"I'm safe now," I simply said.

And... I trust Iñigo. I knew that he'd be a great father... someday. Definitely not now when we're still busy building our names... Pero kung mabubuntis man ako, I'd be okay with it. Alam ko na hindi niya ako papabayaan. I wouldn't be scared if I'd do it with him.

"Nagpills ka na?" he asked.

"No. I'm just safe today," I said, beginning to move. His lips parted again. "Remember this feeling right now dahil mauulit lang 'to kapag nagtop 1 ka sa BAR."

That night, Iñigo called the name of the gods a lot of times.

And thankfully, after almost 2 hours, he finally fucking fell asleep.

* * *

I wasn't able to fall asleep. I was so tired from being on top, so when Iñigo fell asleep, I quietly sneaked out of the room and made myself a very strong cup of coffee. Natatakot lang ako na baka maka-tulog ako tapos hindi rin siya magising. Walang gigising sa aming dalawa. Iñigo declined his frat's offer of sponsoring his hotel room for the entire BAR month—and I knew that it was because of me. He was really distancing himself from that frat.

I knew I had to do my part and if it meant having unprotected sex with my housemate... bahala na.

Tahimik akong nagta-trabaho at naghihintay ng pagdating ng last minute tips. I talked to Rhys about this and he promised that he'd send me kung anuman ang meron sa frat nila na available. Alam niya na bawal pero alam niya rin na kapag tumanggi siya sa akin ay isusumbong ko siya kay Gracey.

Oddly enough, kung gaano kabait si Gracey, ganoon din katakot si Rhys sa kanya... Maybe it's true na kung sino ang mababait, sila talaga iyong nakaka-takot magalit.

It was already 3am when I received a text from Rhys saying to check my email. I quickly opened my email and printed the last minute tips. While printing, I made coffee and began to make fried rice and cook hotdogs and bacon.

I fixed the reviewers and double checked his BAR kit para masigurado na nandun lahat ng kailangan niya lalo na iyong test permit. And when everything was ready, I woke Iñigo up.

"What?" he asked, groaning a little.

"Last minute review na," I said. I pulled him out of bed dahil ayaw niyang tumayo. He hugged me while knowing that he's still fully naked and he's got morning wood. "Magreview ka na."

He chuckled. "Pwedeng magcr muna?"

"Basta CR lang."

"Oo na," sagot niya at hinalikan ako sa pisngi bago pumasok sa CR. But I knew that he's gonna do something else in the bathroom like everything. So, I knocked.

"Five minutes," I said.

"Okay," he replied, groaning.

While waiting for him, binasa ko iyong LMT. Na-review na namin 'to, but we could never be too sure. Pero madali lang naman ang first week subjects kay Iñigo... What he didn't like was the second week, so I guessed mas kailangan namin magreview after this one.

Paglabas ni Iñigo sa CR, naupo na siya. I was quiet the whole time. He was eating while reading the LMTs. Tahimik lang ako na naka-tingin sa kanya.

When it was already 5am, I told him that he needed to take a shower already dahil kailangan naka-alis na kami before 6am para hindi kami ma-traffic.

Habang naliligo siya ay nilinis ko na iyong lamesa. I checked his bag again dahil paranoid ako. I knew someone who left his test permit at home so he had to forfeit his exam. I just didn't want to take that chance.

"Okay na ko," Iñigo said. He was wearing our school shirt, black maong pants, and brown loafers.

"Sure kang may battery 'yang relo mo?" I asked.

"Pinapalitan ko na 'yung battery last week."

"Reading glass?"

"Nandito na," he said, and then took a step closer and wrapped his arms around my waist. "Complete na 'yung dala ko," he continued and then leaned in and planted a kiss. "Kahit 'wag ka ng maghintay sa labas ng gate mamaya. Sa cofee shop na lang para 'di ka mapagod at 'dun na lang kita pupuntahan."

I just nodded pero hihintayin ko siya sa harap ng gate. Besides, kasama ko naman si Jax na maghihintay dahil hihintayin niya naman si Yago. Kailangang bantayan din namin iyon dahil baka kung ano ang maisipan at hindi na naman ituloy iyong exam.

Bakit ba kailangang sabay sila ni Iñigo? Sobrang talino rin ni Yago. Hindi nag-aaral mabuti pero ang taas ng grade. Minsan, unfair din talaga.

Thankfully, the Manila traffic cooperated and we were able to reach UST with a few minutes to spare. Hindi ko alam kung bakit kinakabahan ako. I was already done with this exam, but I could still remember how grueling it was for me. I remember throwing up because of the pressure.

Habang naghihintay kami na magbukas iyong gate, sabay kaming natigilan ni Iñigo nang makita namin si Katherine na may kasamang ibang lalaki.

"Seriously," Iñigo said under his breath.

Agad akong napa-tingin sa kanya.

"Crush mo pa rin siya?" I had to ask.

Agad na kumunot ang noo niya. "What? Hindi!" he said rather defensively. "Grabe naman! 'Di ko na crush si Kitty—"

"E 'di naging crush mo nga?"

His lips parted. "Wag mo nga akong awayin. BAR ko ngayon."

I rolled my eyes. Then, he laughed and was very quick to plant a kiss on my lips. "Ito namang si housemate, napaka-selosa," sabi niya nang natatawa pero hindi ko makita kung ano ang nakaka-tawa. "Nagulat lang ako kasi... Iyong kasama niya? Si Kier 'yan, e. Anak ni Congressman Ramirez."

My lips parted.

Why was she associating herself with that family? Everybody in the country knew that that family meant bad news.

"Kinausap na namin ni Deanne 'yan na lumayo, e... Ang kulit talaga niyang si Kitty."

"Puntahan mo kaya?"

Iñigo shook his head. "Ayoko. 'Di kami nag-uusap niyan, e."

"Why?" I asked because I thought they were close.

"Simula nung nagbreak sila ni Jax, naging sobrang tahimik... 'Di na namamansin tapos 'di na nagrereply sa text kaya tinigilan ko na rin."

Tahimik naming pinapanood si Katherine kasama iyong Kier. They actually looked happy. Katherine was actually smiling... which looked weird because for the past years, I got used to seeing her always sad because of Jax...

Naka-move on na kaya siya?

But with the Ramirez kid?

I just hoped she knew what she was getting into.

"Sige na, bye na," Iñigo said, kissing my forehead when they started allowing examinees to get inside. Iñigo smiled at me and waived before he briskly walked inside the premise.

I stayed there and waited until the exam actually started dahil baka may naka-limutan siya. When I was sure that everything's complete, I drove home.

* * *

The whole area around UST was full of noise and people. Tahimik akong naghihintay sa paglabas ni Iñigo. Katabi ko si Gracey at sabay kaming naghihintay.

"Ang tagal naman niya..." Gracey commented. "Masama ba kapag matagal?"

"Not necessarily. Baka nagdouble check bago magpasa," I said.

"Okay... Matanong ko lang, hindi pa rin ba kayong dalawa?"

"Bakit?"

"Wala... Weird lang na naka-tira kayong dalawa tapos nung kasama ko si Iñigo last time tapos may batchmate kasi kami nung high school na tinanong if single daw ba si Iñigo kasi may nagpapatanong, ang sagot ba naman, single raw siya pero may selosang housemate. Like, sobrang confused nung itsura nung kausap namin."

I couldn't help but shake my head. Typical response of Iñigo Borromeo. Kahit sa mga kapitbahay namin, ganoon ang pakilala niya.

"Bakit wala kang boyfriend?" I asked Gracey.

"Busy sa work," she simply replied. "Bakit? May ipapakilala ka ba?" she excitedly asked. I stared at her for quite a while, pondering if I know anyone who's good enough for her. The only good enough person I know is Jax, but he's already emotionally taken.

"What do you like in a person?" I asked.

"Mabait. Yun lang ang requirement ko."

I nodded. "I'll message you if I think of someone."

Gracey grinned and hugged me. "Thank you!"

Pakiramdam ko ay naka-labas na lahat ng tao sa UST at hindi pa rin lumalabas si Iñigo. And when we finally saw him, he looked problematic. Mahirap ba iyong exam? Pero forte niya iyong remedial.

"Congrats!" Gracey said, handing him the bouquet she bought.

"Thanks, Gracey," Iñigo replied, smiling.

I let them talk for a while. Nang matapos sila ay tumingin sa akin si Inigo at mabilis akong niyakap.

"Mahirap ba 'yung exam?" tanong ko.

"Hindi ko alam," he replied. "Hinarang ako kanina nila Fred... Hinahanap daw ako sa HQ kasi hindi ako nagpapakita."

I remained silent.

"Gusto ko ng sabihin na quit na ko sa frat..."

I bit my lower lip.

"I made reservation," I said instead. We already discussed this and he told me that if he wanted to exit the frat, he'd have to go out the way he got in—and that meant initiation...

And I wasn't naive not to know that he'd probably die if he goes through that again. I knew one person who died when I was in second year because of that initiation. Iñigo was lucky to survive—hell would freeze over if I'd let him go through that again.

* * *

Iñigo was cleaning the CR to distract himself dahil lalabas na iyong resulta ng exam ngayon. I was patiently waiting for the page to load. I needed to check if Iñigo and Yago passed. Thankfully, hindi nagtake si Maven ngayong taon because if he did, I was sure that he'd top the BAR because he's an actual genius.

"Cha, san naka-lagay 'yung bagong shower curtain?" he asked.

I was about to answer him when the page loaded. He saw the change of expression on my face. He looked like he was about to faint any second now.

My lips parted when I saw the result of the top 10.

I looked at him.

"What?" kinakabahan na tanong niya.

"Congrats, Atty. Borromeo," I said as I turned the laptop screen towards him and showed how he fucking topped the BAR exam.