Tainted Trust [Leni Robredo x Bongbong Marcos]

Chapter 4: If We Fall In Love

She's so beautiful and kind.

—

Bongbong fetched Leni at the Malacañang late in the afternoon, he looked at himself in the mirror and fixed his hair, he always do that when he's with her at the car.

"Bakit ba ang conscious mo sa buhok mo?" She asked. "Eh syempre, kailangan presentable ako sayo." He retorted, it has been his undesired habit as he was required to keep himself intact and fine looking ever since he was young, it's kind of a rich man's habit.

"Grabe, pupunta ka lang sa bahay, kailangan pa mag-ayos. Sayang yung perfume and effort." She criticized. "Well, we've been raised this way. Minsan nga from Malacañang to bahay, kailangan ayos parin para kung may unexpected visitors." He vented out.

"Iba talaga kapag elitista noh? Kailangan mukang yayamanin lagi." She joked. "Unfortunately, yes. Kaya ayan, nakasanayan ko narin kahit di ko naman gusto na maya't maya ring nag-aayos." He shared. She held his arm and brought it down as he was fixing his hair.

"Simula ngayon, kapag magkasama tayo, hindi mo na kailangan mag-ayos. Hindi ko yan requirement, yung mga ayaw mong gawain ng mga elitista, pwede mong hindi gawin kapag kasama ako. Just be yourself." She encouraged him, he was quite amused by her statement, no one ever told him to be himself yet, ever. "Sige na, hindi mo kailangan magpakitang gilas saakin na super perfect ka or sobrang decente mo. Just be yourself, I'll be myself, let's accept each other flaws and all." She continued. "Osige, sabi mo yan ha."

He felt so light with her, ever since that day, he felt more comfortable with her around. She made him feel more accepted and more appreciated despite his imperfections and it meant a lot to him as he has been living a life where he has to fake almost everything just to look decent and classy to the people around him when he was just a simple person himself.

When he's with her, he could just wear a plain white shirt and a ragged pair of pants like he wasn't even a Marcos at all. He could visit her without taking a bath, he was playfully bullied by her — but it was okay, she never judged him, she never made him feel bad about himself and it amuses him. He would share none sense and random conversations with her but it seemed like it was so easy for her to get along, with her responses, she made him feel like she really cares about everything he says. It made him feel good about himself despite his flaws and it was only Leni who made him feel that comfortable ever since, it meant a lot to him.

Bongbong was heedless of how he was slowly falling sincerely for Leni. There are times when he tries to shrug it off but as each day with her passes by, the more that it became harder for him to deny the fact that she was the girl he wanted to be with, she was the girl he wouldn't want to lose, she was the girl for keeps.

On another side, Leni loved how Bongbong seemed to be so comfortable around her, despite her wariness with him before, she knew he wasn't just playing with her — he was sincere about his feelings and because of that thought, she started to value him as a friend and someone special without labels.

—

Leni flew to Japan for a three day vacation with her younger sister Lourdes. Little did she know that Bongbong talked to her sister to tell him infos about their flight and accommodation for his planned surprise for her.

"Ay jusko, nakalimutan ko bumili ng gatas." Leni whined. "Des, punta lang ako sa Lawson ha. Ayusin mo na muna tong mga binili natin." She instructed her and went out to the Lawson store just a few walking minutes away from their inn.

Lourdes immediately called Bongbong to inform him about Leni going out. He was at the room 503, just two rooms away from Leni and Lourdes'.

He secretly followed Leni as she walked to Lawson planning to surprise her once they walk back to the inn.