Six Years [Leni Robredo x Rodrigo Duterte]

Year 3: No Other Options

"Hindi naman ganon kadali yon—"

"Hindi ganon kadali?!" He scoffed. "Ang bilis mo ngang bumigay diyan tapos ngayon itatama na natin yang kalokohan mo biglang mahirap? Ang tagal ng pending time?" He snorted. "O baka naman wala ka talagang planong makipaghiwalay diyan at balak mo paring pagsabayin kami kase malandi ka?" He followed uttering such insult to her.

She knew she did something wrong but even if she was innocent of his allegations about not even trying to fix her mess up, she felt like she no longer has the right to refute. She bowed her head and tried to contain her tears. He felt so irked, he decided to head to the bedroom to have some time alone.

She brought back the ham to the ref and fixed the things around her place before she went to the bedroom to talk to Bolet again.

He was calmly reading a pocket book as she entered the room. He just glanced at her and went back to reading. She exhaled heavily before she sat beside him at the bedside.

"Bolet, sorry." She apologized making her pity herself, partly. He ignored her.

"Kausapin mo naman ako o. Sorry. Ginagawa ko naman lahat para maayos yung gusot na nagawa ko, sana habaan mo pa yung pasensya mo saakin—"

"Lahat? Kung ginagawa mo lahat eh di sana okay na tayo ngayon. Don't play with me." He refuted. She didn't know how to make him feel better, she blames herself for it.

"Sorry kung kulang pa yung ginagawa—"

"Kulang talaga!" He cuts in silencing her. "Alam mo Leni? Dinadaan mo lahat sa drama. Just because we are buying your drama doesn't mean you should take it for granted. Eh ngayon? Alam ko na yang arte mo. Mag-isip ka na ng tama, ayusin mo yang problema mo." He followed regardless if she was getting hurt of his words already.

—

Digong noticed how Leni seemed to be gloomy and a bit distant for the past days. It worried him to think that she might have regretted what happened between them during the Christmas night, he had to do something, he has to talk to her about it. It felt like she's intentionally avoiding him. She won't talk about why she has been cold to him even if he tries to reach her out, she feared that she would fall for him harder and it would hurt her more if she stays close to him.

"Leni," He called her before she was able to exit the meeting room after the cabinet discussion. She took a deep breath before she turned to him. "Pwede ba tayong mag-usap? Tayong dalawa lang sana sa opisina?" He asked courageously. She knew it would be a confrontation about her sudden coldness, she wasn't prepared for it very much yet but she had no choice. "Sige." She replied and followed him upstairs.

He walked in front of her, she walked few meters behind him. As she turned to him, he immediately asked her the question that bugged him recently.

"May problema ba tayo?" He asked with a sincere concern in his voice. She knew it would be a confrontation, she wasn't ready for it but a part of her felt like she needed it, however, she was unable to answer.

"Mam, sana mapagusapan natin kung may problema." He expressed. "Digong, wala namang problema." She replied briefly, both of them got caged in silence. "Sige, Digong. Mauna na siguro ako." She breaks in but as she was about to turn around, he began to speak.

"Mam," he uttered. "Pinagsisihan mo ba yung... ano." He hesitated to continue, she was somehow shook with his query leaving her speechless for a moment.

"Mam, I'm sorry. Naintindihan ko kung nagsisisi ka. I shouldn't have done it. I shouldn't have taken you for granted—"

"Hindi. Hindi." She interrupts as her chest ached for him. "Hindi ganon. Wala akong pinagsisihan." She clarified. "Ah." He uttered but it still bothered him why she has been distancing herself from him lately.

She exhaled sharply as what she was about to say is actually against what she really wants. "Ano lang siguro... kailangan ko lang ng space." She looked at him eye to eye. He smiled faintly at her, he took her response as a lowkey rejection. "Ah... eh sige mam. Kung yan yung kailangan mo." He replied. She strode towards him and flashed a sweet smile before she kissed his cheek.

"Salamat, sir." She felt grateful for having such an understanding man who immensely loves her but at the same time, it hurts her to think how complicated their situation is.

"Sorry, sir." She uttered weakly as he wrapped his arms around her and her head rested on his shoulder.

Sorry for lying, sorry for hurting you in advance. Gustuhin ko man na makasama kayo, hindi pwede dahil gugulo lang lalo yung sitwasyon.

She uttered at the back of her mind. "Ayos lang mam. Naiintindihan ko." He replied and stroked her back for comfort. "Basta lagi lang akong nandito kapag kailangan mo ako." He added and kissed the top of her head. As he felt the warmth of her body pressed against him, he started to feel heavy.

The thought that that talk could possibly be her way of breaking up with him peacefully made him feel a sting on his chest. Ano bang magagawa ko kung one sided lang itong pagmamahal na 'to?

To be continued...