Love Me or Hate Me

EPISODE 09

“Dinner’s ready! Yay!”
 
Javi placed the final bowl of food on the table before taking his apron off. Si Asa naman na kanina pa nakahilata sa sofa habang gumagamit ng cellphone ay tumayo na at dumiretso sa kusina. It’s already a little past seven o ‘clock in the evening.
 
“You are one enthusiastic kid,” Asa said as Javi greeted him with a wide smile.
 
“Your mood influences your cooking, so you should also be happy while preparing food,” Javi replied as he placed plates and other utensils on the table.
 
“I can’t believe I’m letting a grade-schooler cook my dinner,” Asa whispered as he took a seat.
 
“Hey. I can hear you,” Javi snapped at him.
 
Asa looked around the table laden with Javi’s dishes. There were two roasted chicken breasts with lemon slices and herbs, a steaming bowl of sweet corn soup, and a dish of sautéed mixed vegetables with slices of chicken liver. They all looked and smelled heavenly.
 
“What do you think?” tanong sa kanya ni Javi matapos nitong maupo. “It seems that you love chicken so much, kaya ipinagluto ulit kita. I also prepared chop suey dahil ang dami mong gulay sa ref. Enjoy!”
 
As Asa expected, the food tasted as good as they looked. Not even Harold can cook a dish this delicious. He just did his best to control himself para hindi siya magmukhang aligaga sa pagkain.
 
“Do I pass?” Javi asked him with a smile, his head resting against his hand as he watched Asa eat.
 
Asa felt his cheeks going hot, so he immediately looked down to hide his face. “Hindi ka ba kakain? Lalamig na ‘to. Don’t just watch me like an idiot,” he said.
 
“Kakain na po,” sagot ni Javi. “Gusto ko lang malaman kung pumasa ba ang cooking skills ko sa standards mo.”
 
Asa just rolled his eyes and didn’t say a word.
 
“By the way, pansin ko na marami kang junk foods sa isang cabinet mo. You should get rid of them. They’re unhealthy,” sabi ni Javi na kumakain na.
 
“What? They’re just junk food—”
 
“What you eat is what the baby eats, too,” replied Javi. “I will also tell Harold to buy more fruits and vegetables. I read somewhere that nuts also help in the development of the baby’s brain, so you should buy some of those, too. We’re getting rid of all the unhealthy food here.”
 
“Are you seriously going to throw them all away?” Asa asked Javi.
 
“Nope,” the latter replied. “I’m taking them. Man. . . I’ve always wanted to eat some of those junk foods. Dati sa supermarkets ko lang sila nakikita. They look really delicious, too,” he added, looking up expectantly.
 
Pumipitik-pitik na ang kilay ni Asa sa sobrang inis.
 
“You should also refrain from drinking too much wine. It has alcohol. It’s not good for the baby,” Javi added.
 
“What are you gonna do? Take them, too?”
 
“I’m locking them all up,” Javi replied with a smile. “We can still use them for cooking. Besides, they’re seriously expensive. We can’t just waste them.”
 
His smiling face makes him even more irritating, Asa thought as he gripped his dinner knife tightly.
 
Sensing Asa’s agitation, Javi immediately erased his grin. Now looking all serious, he said, “Sige ka. Kung hindi mo susundin ang mga sinabi ng doktor, magagaya sa ‘kin ang anak natin. Do you really want the baby to grow up as ugly and stupid as I am?”
 
Javi achieved his desired effect. Asa’s eyes suddenly widened in surprise and mild fear. “You’re absolutely right. I need to be more careful with what I eat,” he said, biting his fingernails.
 
Dang it, Javi thought, sighing. I literally have to insult and degrade myself just to make him agree with me.
 
“That’s why I’m here to cook delicious and nutritious meals! They’re for the baby, though. Don’t get the wrong idea,” he added.
 
“Despite being poor and an absolute idiot, it seems that you know a lot about cooking techniques. I hate to admit this, but you’re quite good at cooking,” Asa said as they turned their attention back to the food.
 
“Madalas din kasi akong tumulong kay mama na magluto noong bata pa lang ako. Tapos doon naman sa restaurant, nakikita ko kung paano magluto ang mga chef. Tinatanong ko rin sila ng mga technique, tapos nagpa-practice ako sa bahay. Cooking is a basic skill that should be learned by everyone, regardless of their sex or status in life,” replied Javi.
 
Asa ignored the jibe. “Speaking of your restaurant, bakit nagtatrabaho ka pa rin doon hanggang ngayon? Hindi pa ba sapat ang ibinigay ko sa ‘yong pera?” tanong niya.
 
“Well, nasanay na kasi ako. It’s hard to get it out of my system now. I don’t feel right kung wala akong ginagawa. Besides, it’s not like I can’t manage my time well. I may not look it, but I have high grades in school despite being a working student,” sagot ni Javi.
 
“Yeah. You certainly look more like an idiot than a dean’s lister,” Asa said.
 
Javi just hid his irritation behind a grin.
 
“I’m also quite surprised that you never got in trouble as an alpha working in a bar. Ikaw na rin ang nagsabi na may mga omega na sa ‘yong dumidikit noon pa,” sabi ni Asa.
 
Javi scratched his head. “Yeah. It can get really difficult and awkward sometimes. Well, may mga katrabaho naman kaming tumutulong sa kanila. We’re all trained to handle those situations professionally,” sabi niya.
 
“I’m genuinely surprised that omegas actually get attracted to an ugly alpha like you. They must be recessive,” Asa mumbled as he took a sip of his juice.
 
“Are you really going to insult me every three seconds?” Javi told him wearily.
 
“I wasn’t insulting anyone. I was only telling the truth.”
 
“Yeah, right.”
 
Matapos nilang kumain ay si Javi ang naghugas at nagligpit ng mga pinagkainan nila. Si Asa naman ay nagpaalam na maliligo. Javi was already putting the plates and utensils on the cabinet when he remembered their conversation from earlier.
 
Totoo nga na may mga omegang dumidikit noon kay Javi. What he can’t understand ay kung bakit sa kanya pa sila lumalapit gayong hindi naman nga niya alam kung paano gamitin ang pheromones niya.
 
He also remembered what Asa told him on the night when they had sex.
 
If dominant omegas are already attracted to you even though you’re not actively using your pheromones, you could only imagine how they would react if you actually knew how to control them.
 
Kumunot na lang ang noo ni Javi. How am I even supposed to do that?
 
Matapos niyang makapaglinis sa kusina ay dumiretso siya sa kwarto ni Asa para ayusin ang higaan nito. Judging from the sound coming from the bathroom, it seems that Asa’s still there.
 
May napansin naman na nagbago sa katawan niya si Javi matapos niyang makipag-sex kay Asa. For some strange reason, mas sensitive na siya ngayon sa amoy ng pheromones ng ibang tao. He even coughs or suffocates a little sometimes if there’s a particularly powerful scent that he smells.
 
Ngayon nga, habang inaayos niya ang kama ni Asa ay hindi niya maiwasan na hindi mapansin ang mabangong amoy ng higaan nito. Asa’s scent smells almost fruity, like strawberries with a powdery hint of apples. For someone who loves fruits, Javi found Asa’s scent really addicting.
 
“I wonder what I smell like, though,” Javi asked himself as he straightened the bedsheets. Alphas and omegas are unable to smell their own pheromones, so just like Javi, they’re clueless as to what they smell like.
 
Javi suddenly concentrated as he focused his energy on his neck and torso. After several moments, he felt an unusual wave of heat rippling all over his body. The heat seemed to escape through his skin and radiate into the surroundings.
 
“What the hell are you doing?”
 
Asa’s sharp voice snapped Javi back to his senses. “Oh, sorry. Inaayos ko lang ‘tong higaan mo.”
 
He turned around only to be greeted by Asa who was wearing his bath robe. Nakatayo ito sa may pintuan ng bathroom at kunot-noong nakatitig kay Javi. Agad namang siyang nagbaling ng tingin sa ibang direksyon dahil tila napapako ang mga mata niya sa katawan ni Asa.
 
“Why are you releasing your pheromones all over my room?” Asa asked him.
 
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to. I was just thinking about how I was able to do it last time. Alam mo naman na hindi ako marunong na kontrolin ang pheromones ko. I was only testing it. Hindi ko naman alam na nandiyan ka pala,” paliwanag ni Javi.
 
Asa just glared at him. Pagkabukas na pagbukas kasi niya ng pinto ay pheromones ni Javi ang unang sumalubong sa kanya. He even had to cover his nose to prevent himself from inhaling them. It seems that Javi’s pheromones have grown stronger ever since they had sex. Mukhang marunong na rin ito kung paano sila kontrolin.
 
“Next time, be more careful,” Asa told him. “You can’t just activate them whenever you want. Ngayong alam mo na rin sa wakas kung paano kontrolin ang pheromones mo, sana matuto ka rin na itago ‘yan. You’ll just attract trouble if you won’t control them properly.”
 
Javi scratched the back of his head. “Yeah. I’m sorry.”
 
Why do I feel like I’m being scolded for experimenting with my pheromones? I was only curious, he thought.
 
“Uuwi ka na ba? It’s getting late already,” Asa said.
 
“Yeah. Nakapaglinis na rin naman ako sa labas. Matulog ka na after mong makapagpatuyo. Good night,” paalam ni Javi bago siya dumiretso sa pinto.
 
“Lock all the doors before you leave.”
 
“I will.”
 
“And Jarvey. . .”
 
Javi was about to shut the door close, but he opened it again before smiling at Asa. “Po?”
 
Asa looked at him for several moments. “Come back tomorrow.”
 
Javi’s smile widened even further.
 
“I will.”