After Work [Rodrigo Duterte x Leni Robredo]

Prologue

A/N: Hello everyone! Thank you for your support and contribution in giving this novel a read. I will be publishing chapters every other day. Next update is on Monday! Enjoy. Xo

—

"Ano bang pinanghahawakan mo? Pano ka nakakasigurado diyan kay Digong?" Her colleague, Risa questioned.

It was the question that her party mates always ask her but up to that day, she still didn't know how to answer it. She sighed, "basta naniniwala ako sa intensyon ng pangulo. Dapat naman talaga ganon 'di ba? Vice niya ako eh." She answered.

Her party mates would always find her pathetic and stupid for trusting someone outside their party, someone from the opposite – specifically. But she was certain of what she is holding onto and she would rather be with Digong than her party mates who just uses her and her position for their own self interests.

With Digong, she was sure that she's safe and they go after one objective – to serve the country well and obey their mandate. She would always defend him to her people and to everyone she meets like they're a well known allies to the point that her party began to dislike and doubt her loyalty to them.

"Hindi ko alam kung anong pang-thethreaten o pang-uuto ang nagawa ni Duterte diyan kay Leni pero hindi na natin pwede iasa sakanya yung pagsalba ng partido. Hindi na mapagkakatiwalaan yan." They discussed behind her back.

Nobody from her party ever defended her from the issues she faced, it was all her. Digong secretly backed her up and did everything he can privately to protect her as the public cannot know that they are really allies. They needed to portray like rivals, argue in public, appear like enemies and insult each other like opponents, little did the people know that it was part of their game.

Leni has always been an understanding partner, she don't complain whenever Digong can't attend to her due to his busy schedule, she automatically get it when he insults her in public, she needs to refute him in such a manner that they will look naturally arguing. They barely talk personally and discussed things in details due to their conflicting schedules and duties, they didn't have that official talk and agreement about the real score between them but they held into the trust they have for each other and that one special time they shared during their first year of service in 2016.

Her close in, Jorge, handed her the the newspaper for that day with Digong's recent insult about her extracted from his speech earlier. She skimmed through the pages:

Kawawa kayo kung si Leni ang presidente

The headline stated. He looked at her and waited for her response.

"Hindi mo pa rin ba talaga pupuntahan yang presidente mo?" He asked. She looked at him with a surprised stare, "bakit? Busy yung tao."

He chuckled, "lagi namang busy yan pero kung hihingi ka ng oras mapagbibigyan ka naman niya siguro. Linawin mo lang. Sunod sunod na yang bangayan niyo eh." He encouraged.

She sighed, it's been over one month since they last saw each other, even she feels weak and doubtful but she still held into her trust for him. She told herself that he didn't mean it and it's just his politics and it should be her responsibility to know it even if he wasn't instructing her. It's just a gameplay between their trust to each other.

"Magtrabaho nalang tayo. Hindi naman natin ikakamatay yang issue na yan." She instructed him to call their spokesperson after she generated her response to the president's remark.

Jorge looked around before speaking to make sure the doors are closed, "lambingin mo na kase yang babe mo para lumamig ang ulo." She looked at him with a surprised stare.

He finally confirmed that what he's been noticing and hearing was true. "Bakit?" He smirked.

"Paano mo nalaman?" She asked. He chortled, "nagpahuli ka naman agad," he spilled. Leni realized how she divulged her own secret.

"Pero seryoso nga, Bolet. Pano mo nalaman?" She inquired. "Napapansin ko lang. Balita ko madalas ka sa opisina niya tapos anong oras na kayo inaabot. Anong ginagawa niyo ha?" He teased. She blushed, "wala! Ikaw ang malisyoso mo."

"Mm, wala talaga?" He doubted.

—

He slouched at his chair, it was just quarter to twelve but he already feel exhausted. "Bong, tawagan mo nga sa cellphone, si ano." He directed.

"Wala nga. Nagtatrabaho lang kami ni Dig– ni pangulo." She defended but Jorge just won't buy it. "Hindi nga—"

Her phone rang. They both looked at her phone.

Her eyes beamed. The name of the contact was just a set of emoji (🐷)

"Sus! Sino yan?" He laughed.

He rushed and took her phone to pick it up. "Huy!"

"Hello?" The man in the line spoke. Jorge knew it was Digong's voice.

"Akin na nga, sira ka." She grabbed her phone and turned the loudspeaker off.

"Hello babe." She scowled at Jorge while he quietly blushed listening to their conversation.

"Mm, kakain palang." He rolled his eyes facetiously as he continued eavesdropping. "Oo, ikaw? Kumain ka na? Bakit ka tumawag?" She replied.

"Maya maya pa. Gusto ko lang marinig ang boses mo, naaano kase ako, inaantok. Kailangan ko ng pampagising." He flirted. "Ano ako alarm clock ganon?" She rebuked.

"Hindi. Binubuhay mo kase ang katawang tao ko," he complimented, "boses palang ang sarap na." He added.

"Anong masarap? Mamaya marinig ka diyan ng mga security mo kung ano pang isipin!" She scolded him, "masarap man sa tenga. I like your voice." He reasoned out.

"Hmmph!" She suppressed her blushing. "Sige na, baka maistorbo kita. I just want to hear your voice. Kumain ka na." He replied.

"Opo, babe," she agreed, "bye." She paused for a moment.

"Baka marinig dito. Sa personal nalang." She bargained. "Sige na, ba-bye."

"Ayon!" Jorge teased. "Ano yong sa personal nalang?" It intrigued him.

"Wala. Chismoso ka. Bahala ka sa buhay mo." She refuted.

"Kaya naman pala ang lakas ng loob tumiwalag sa partido kase presidente pala ang back up." He jested. "Hindi. Wala naman akong plano tumiwalag, alam niya yon. Lagi lang niya akong inaassure na whatever happens, nandiyan siya." She explained, "minsan nga malaman lang niya na may konting issue sa loob ng partido, mas affected pa yan sakin." She shared.

Jorge's nostrils flared, "ang ganda talaga ng bata namin." He joked. She rolled her eyes and blushed. "Akalain mo presidente napahumaling mo?" He remarked.

"Tigilan mo nga ako. Walang dapat makaalam nito ha. Trabaho lang." She instructed him.

Ever since then, Leni had Jorge as her political close in. They've been friends since Jesse's era and they became good friends when Leni started dating Digong. He was indeed trustworthy and he helped her sneak out of the office to see Digong whenever they need to.

Digong even spoke to him and told him he might insult him in public so the people won't speculate. He gladly agreed.