Promise

Prologue

"Wala na ba talaga, Pa?" tanong ko. "Oo, anak. Sorry." sabi ni Papa.

I sighed. Fuck. "Sige po, mag-a-apply na lang ako doon sa isang company." sabi ko. "Sige, sorry ulit, ha." sabi niya.

Fuck, tangina. Seryoso na ba 'to. Goddamnit, Matthew. You have no choice. For your family, right? Ha...

Kinabukasan, naligo agad ako. I dressed nicely. Formally. Inayos ko na yung resume ko kagabi.

As soon as I entered the company, I felt like I should go back. Goddamn. Fuck, tangina. Inhale, exhale. You can do this, Matt. You can. Kaya mo 'yan. Malaki ka na.

"Hi, I saw you're looking for a secretary. Where can I apply?" I asked. "Ah, wait." she called someone before telling me to go to the 15th floor. "Thank you."

"Excuse me." sabi ko. Saan.

I saw where I can do it. I felt goosebumps. "Mr. Jin Rivers" It was what's written there.

I took a deep breath before entering. Kakapasok ko lang, sigaw agad niya maririnig ko? Tangina naman.

"Hi, I want to apply as your secretary." Sabi ko. His attention went me. As soon as he saw me, he smirked. "Leave, all of you." sabi niya.

They immediately left. "My, my, what do we have here?" tanong niya. "You heard me." I showed him my resume.

He interviewed me himself. There's a fucking smirk plastered on his face. Nakakairita.

"Why are you applying?" he asked. Kung hindi lang para sa pamilya ko, hindi ako mapapadpad dito.

"I need money." I answered. Honesty...?

"Isn't that just a harder way to propose to me? Want to be my husband?" "Jin, you know why." sabi ko.

"Ah, you haven't changed. Still doesn't have any fun?" he asked. My face resumed having no emotion on it.

"Fine. Fired. You start tomorrow. Or today." sabi niya. "Where's my work place?" tanong ko. "Oh? You need that? You can work perfectly here. It's big enough. More than enough, actually." sabi niya.

He's your boss now. Kumalma ka. "I'm kidding. There." he said, pointing at the nearest office near his.

"Thank you, Sir." sabi ko. "I would like it more if you call me "Master". Sabi niya.

I tried to he calm. He's trying to tease you, calm down. "Master?" sabi ko. He smirked. "There we go." he said. Master. It's been so fucking long since I've called him that.

Umuwi na 'ko. Inayos ko ang mga gamit ko para bukas. I called my father. "Pa, okay na. May trabaho na 'ko. 35K per month." bungad ko. "Ang bilis naman, anak. Hindi ba scam 'yan?" tanong niya.

"Hindi po. Kilala natin yung boss." sabi ko. "Sino, 'nak?" tanong niya ulit. "Basta po, kilala natin." sabi ko.

Kilala namin. Kilalang-kilala ko. Sino ba namang hindi makakalimot sa kanya kung ang nangyari sa kanila ay ang nangyari sa'min?

I know him very much. I lay down. "Fuck." Wala naman akong masyadong ginawa pero pagod ako. Tangina.

Mali siya. Hindi 'yon harder way to propose to him. I wouldn't have to propose or do that. I wouldn't have to if he didn't do that to me. 6 years ago.