San Vicente 1: Tenacious ✅

CHAPTER 5

"THE STUDIO is doing pretty good." Bati sa kanya ng business partner niya sa opisina nila.

Mikee met Zia Uy when she was having a class for photography. They shared a lot of common traits and instantly became friends. Parehas nilang gusto ang photography kaya naman noong mapag-usapan nila minsan ang dream nila na studio ay napagkasunduan nila na maging magkasosyo na lang para medyo makatipid sila ng kaunti.

"Yeah, it is. Madami tayong naka-book na photshoots lately." She smiled. "All the better para sa business natin."

Maganda naman na madami silang bookings, nakakapagod na asikasuhin lahat pero at least kumikita sila. Madami pa sila masyadong utang para sa studio na ito kaya dapat doble o triple kayod sila para mabayaran ang mga utang at makapag-expand na sila.

"Well, you have a point. Kailangan na nating makaipon dito." Sabi sa kanya nito. "Sino ang ka-meeting mo?"

"Yung last natin na nakilala sa convention. He wants to discuss a partnership para sa company nila. It's a food photography gig pero madami silang chains kaya malaki din yung makukuha natin dun." She wants to make as many connections as she possible can kasi dun lang sila kikita. She wants to succeed in this so bad.

It has been a year since she last took any money mula sa kanyang tatay. Hindi na niya gusto na suportahan pa siya nito. It feels too suffocating lalo na at malakas na uli ang pangalan ng kanyang ama. She hated seeing him in the news acting like a good man when he really isn't.

"You mean that Joshua something? Wasn't he just hitting on you that time? Sure ka ba na i-meet siya alone?" Oo nga pala, pero masyadong malaki yung opportunity to let it pass by. She'll just take precautions na lang.

"I'm gonna meet him outside para sure. I hate being alone with people I'm not very familiar with." She laughed.

"That's good. Ingat ka. I have a shoot later kaya hindi rin ako makakasama." Tumayo na ito at nagtungo sa pintuan. Nahinto ito sa paglalakad at humarap sa kanya uli. "I remembered something. I saw a news article nga pala of Kairos San Vicente meeting a girl. Baka you wanted to know."

"Ha? Saan?" Natigilan siya sa pagsusulat.

"I'll look for it and send it to you. It's a small media company kaya baka hindi naman totoo. Alam mo naman, everyone makes anything about the San Vicente family big." Nagkibit-balikat lang ito. "I need to go, I'll send it when I see it. Okay? Ingat ka!"

She immediately searched online for the girl that Zia was talking about. Totoo nga, may mga articles online na sinasabing ito ang bagong girlfriend ni Kairos. Hindi siya makapaniwala kasi Meg would've told her. Hindi na niya pinagtuunan ng pansin kasi hindi naman malalaking media companies ang nagsasabi kaya malamang ay made up nanaman at baseless ang mga ito like all those times before.

Time went on at tinigilan na lang niya ang pagbabasa ng mga baseless na articles. She should know better especially when she has her eyes on Kairos at all times. Mikee tried to shake off the thought and just proceeded with her day. Mahalaga ang meeting na ito kasi malaking pera ang papasok sa studio. She likes earning money para naman makapagsimula na siyang mag-ipon talaga.

Mikee is meeting Joshua Tolentino today after the constant push and pulls kasi di siya comfortable dito mula noong nakilala niya ito. His family owns a big fast food chain in the Philippines and getting them as a partner or investor is already a great push for their still growing company. She wasn't that excited for this pero pinaghandaan pa din niya. She wants to be competent enough to represent her own company.

Pero mula noong magkita sila kaninang pasado alas onse ay wala pa atang fifteen minutes silang nag-usap tungkol sa business proposal niya. He is now just blabbing about personal things. Kanina pa din itong tanong ng tanong tungkol sa kanya. She feels so uncomfortable pero kailangan niya lang talagang maitawid tong meeting na ito.