Her Butler...His Princess (kilig, luha at saya ng umiibig Book 5)

What happened?

"You are a very complicated man, Zeig Hernalde." Naiiling na sabi ni Narissa, she sips her wine from her glass then rests her head on the pillow that supports her back.

Ganuon din ang pwesto ni Zeig, magkatabi sila sa kama, half of their bodies are laying on the bed and the other half part are resting on the head board. Okupado nila ang kwarto ng hotel kung saan ay regular na costumer na si Zeig.

"I really am glad this relationship of ours is purely platonic." Dugtong pa ni Narissa.

Zeig scoffs, "Yeah, who would believe?" nakangiti ang gwapong binata ng mga Hernalde nang ibaling ang tingin kay Narissa.

"You're with the most beautiful stewardess you've ever met in your entire life in a suite with a very romantic ambiance but look at us." Amused na sagot naman ni Narissa.

"We're drinking wine, half body lying on the bed." Dugtong ni Zeig.

At sabay nilang sinabi: "with our clothes on," pagkatapos ay sabay silang tumawa nang malakas.

"Ano na ngayon ang balak mo?" tanong ni Narissa kay Zeig pagkatapos ng ilang saglit na katahimikan.

"I don't know," kibit-balikat ni Zeig.

"So, ganun na lang yun, hahayaan mo na lang na mawala sya sa'yo?" seryosong tanong ni Narissa.

"Xein is already gone the moment I . . ." hindi itinuloy ni Zeig ang sinasabi, sa halip ay nilagok nya ang natitirang alak na laman ng kanyang baso.

"You shouldn't have done that, you know?" sabi ni Narissa.

"Which one, sleeping with the Princess or letting her go with his King father?" medyo sarcastic ang tono ni Zeig.

"You know what I mean, Zeig." Kumilos si Narissa mula sa pagkakasandal sa head board ng kama at hinarap si Zeig. "Your actions led you to this, you should have called her and you should have told her."

"That's what I said to myself two hours ago over lunch, thanks, Narissa." Ngumiti si Zeig sa dalaga, ngiting sarkastiko na parang sinasabi nyang huwag nang paulit-ulit at alam ko na yun.

"Hindi ka naman pala makikinig sa advices ko bakit mo pa ako inabala at inayang pumunta dito." Kunwari ay nagmamaktol na sumandal ulit sa kama si Narissa.

"I didn't ask you to come here to give me advice, I know what I did and what I did led me---or Xein---or Xein and me, us . . . whatever!" napailing si Zeig. Maski sya ay nahihirapang humanap ng tamang salita kung ano ba ang itatawag nya sa sitwasyon o relasyon nila ni Xein. "You're the only person who would listen to me Narissa, I mean, really listen and not just hear me or listen to me like listen just so you can give your opinions to what I did." Pagak na tumawa si Zeig, "kung opinyon at opinyon rin lang, hindi na ako gagastos at lalayo. Yung kapatid kong si Zienna at best friend kong si Ross, maraming magiging opinyon ang mga 'yun."

"So, should I thank you for spending your money so I could listen to you." Tuluyan nang nainis si Narissa.

"Stop, alright." Awat ni Zeig sa hindi gumagandang mood ng magandang stewardess, "If I want a sarcastic brat, like the way you are acting right now, I could have called Xein. So, will you please cut the act?"

"As if, pupunta naman yang Princess Xein mo kung sakali." Umirap pa si Narissa.

"I said cut the crap." Warning ni Zeig.

"Hoy lalake, lubayan mo ko dyan sa arte mo ha." Umunat ng upo si Narissa at dinuro si Zeig. "Kaibigan mo ko, hindi mo ako tauhan. Yan ang hirap sa'yo eh, lahat ng tao sa paligid mo kung ituring mo parang mga tau-tauhan mo lang na dapat susunod sa lahat ng gusto mo."

"Hindi totoo yan," dinuro din ni Zeig si Narissa. "Alam mong hindi totoo yan."

"Fine, hindi lahat ng tao ganun ang turing mo, pero aminin mo, bossy ka at demanding. At aminin mo nang magsabog ng confidence ang langit, Dam ang dala-dala mo kaya naman nuknukan ka ng yabang at tiwala sa sarili."

"Shut up!" may diin ang utos ni Zeig pero hindi naman sya galit.

"Shut up yourself!" diniinan din ni Narissa ang pagsasalita to point out herself. "Kung hindi ka ba naman eh, sukat gawin mo yung ginawa mo." Umirap ulit si Narissa. "Akala mo kasi . . ."

"Akala ko kasi yun ang dapat." Putol ni Zeig kay Narissa.

"And look what happened?" naninisi ang tono ni Narissa.

"Like I said, that evening na pakialamanan ko ang Prinsesa ni Don Antonio I knew I will lose her."

"No, you might lose her," pagtatama ni Narissa. "What you did, that's what made you lost her."

"Either way, dun din naman ang ending. Wala akong choice."

"You can choose to fight."

Natawa si Zeig sa sagot ni Narissa.

"Alam mo Zeig, sobra kang swerte kung tutuusin, you kept on fighting and you've always win the battle. The company your father built, it was on the verge of bankruptcy. But luck is on your side, you saved Gerardo's and you made your father's legacy intact. And it has been easy for you, hindi ka nahirapan. Everything, on every challenge you've encountered in your life, madali mong nareresolbahan. But luck is luck and you kept on pushing it. Hindi lahat ng bagay madadaan sa swerte, boy. Minsan kaylangan mong mahirapan, dahil madalas yung mahirap, pag nakuha mo yun, yun ang talagang swerte."

"I did win on my battles, but with Xein . . . its war. And you know what the famous quotation on war is?"

"You may win the battle but you may lose the war." Sagot ni Narissa. "At least you've tried."

"I did try," nagsalin muli ng wine sa kanyang baso si Zeig. "And I lost It." dugtong ng binata sabay abot ng bote ng alak kay Narissa.

"How about world war II?" nakangiting sabi ni Narissa at nagsalin din ng wine sa kanyang baso.

"You are a very competitive woman, Narissa." Natatawang sabi ni Zeig.

"Hmmm, too bad I can't compete with Xein." Matalinghaga namang sagot ng magandang stewardess.

"There's no Xein to compete with." Matalinghaga namang sagot ni Zeig.

"Oh, yes, there is." Natatawang sabi ni Narissa. "Aminin mo man o hindi, pag-aari na ng prinsesa ni Don Antonio ang puso at isip mo. You may be complicated Zeig Hernalde but you know what you want. And you won't stop until you have it. That's why you always win your battle, that's why luck is always on your side."

"I don't know," hindi kumbinsido si Zeig pero tama si Narissa. He knows what he wants is and he wanted Xein. Then he thought of Narissa's words, World War II. And in an instant parang gusto nyang mag-decide. Gyera na kung gyera. World War II, World War III, kahit pa abutin ng IV at V. kahit ilang gyera susuungin nya. Ang tanong lang, kaya ba nya? Kaya ba nyang gawin ang lahat mapanalunan lang nya ang puso ng nag-iisang prinsesa ng mga Veranda.