Seven and Nine (FIN)

Thirteen

Dedicated to crazypatootie. Inedit ko pa kasi nagchange ka pala ng username :) Maraming salamat sa inspirasyon :)

Number Thirteen

Shan's

Pinuntahan ko sa office nya si Diego dahil hindi sya nagpakita sakin the whole morning pero bakanteng opisina ang bumungad sakin pagdating ko dun. Where the hell is he? Dapat maaga palang nasa Director's Office na sya cause he's supposed to be my guide. Second day palang nya and yet lumiliban na sya sa trabaho??

I reached for my handphone at dinial ang number nya. He picked up on the third ring.

"Diego! Where are you?? Bakit hindi ka man lang nagpaalam sakin? You know that you're supposed to guide me here pero nasan ka??" sunod sunod kong litanya sa kanya. Ni hindi na nga nya nagawang makapag hello sa kabilang linya. Natawa na lang sya ng matapos akong magsalita.

"I'm sorry Shan. Urgent kasi. I'm here at the airport right now and I can't hear you so well"

"Wala akong inutos sayo na pumunta ka ng airport! Come back here now, Diego!"

"Hey Shan. Calm down okay? Haha. Just want to remind you, I'm just a proxy. You're real guide is coming right now at nandito ko para sunduin sya. Dederecho na sya jan later and...you're no longer gonna see me" natahimik ako sa huli nyang sinabi. Kahit pa kahapon lang kami nagkakilala ni Diego, I admit na mabait sya and very carefree and he's really good at his job. Para kong nalungkot na yun na pala ang huli.

"Can't you at least dropped by? Hindi ka man lang nagpaalam ng maayos"

"Sorry talaga, Shan. It's supposed to be three days right? But he urgently called this morning na parating na sya kaya wala na kong time. Uuwi na rin ako ng Davao this afternoon so maybe I'll visit you some other time" napabuntong hininga na lang ako.

"Hay may magagawa pa ba ko. Send my regards to Sandy na lang" I'm talking about his wife.

"Sure no problem. Pano? Gotta go. The plane's landed. Take care, Shan"

"Likewise, Diego" bumalik na lang ako sa office ko at nagtrabaho. Ni hindi ko na nga namalayan ang oras and it's already past five in the afternoon. Nagpasya kong magligpit para makauwi na. Mukhang di na darating yung guide ko na sinundo ni Diego. Siguro napagod sa byahe which I understand naman. Nasa elevator na ko papunta sa basement parking. Grabe ang pagod ko. I even skipped meals at ang natatandaan kong huling kain ko is brunch and a cup of coffee pa. Gutom na gutom na ko.

"Good to see you...Nine"

Napahinto ako sa pagbukas ng pinto ng kotse ng may magsalita sa likod ko. I literally froze when I heard that still familiar baritone voice and that name he called me. Umikot ako paharap sa kanya and he's smiling while standing about a meter from me.

"W-What are you...doing here?"

"It's been a long time, Nine. Glad to finally see you again"