Paradise (Book One)

Red

Si Hans na lang kaya?

"Ikaw talaga. How are you? What brought you here?"

"The usual," sagot nito. "I'm gonna invite you to lunch this time. Available ka ba?"

Lumingon si Asher kay Maja.

"You don't have any meeting scheduled until two pm."

"Okay. Tutal it's almost twelve noon na rin. What about you Maj, wanna join us?"

"And disturb Hans with his courting tactics in the middle of the day? No way! Baka lumaki pang mga mata nyan sa galit sa akin. You two enjoy!"

"You shut up, you tiny woman!" galit na turan ni Hans dito.

"Whatever, bamboo!"

"Tumigil na nga kayong dalawa. Hindi ba kayo nagsasawang magbangayan?" nakataas-kilay niyang tanong.

"Eh siya kasi..."

"At pareho pa kayo ng sinabi ha? Iba na yan, ha" pagbibiro niya.

"Eeeww...kahit naman kamukha siya ni Lee hindi ko yan papatulan noh! At least si Lee may mata, yan wala, guhit lang!"

"Sorry, Asher. I prefer my women tall," sagot naman ni Hans.

"Ewan ko sa yo, tikin! Dyan na nga kayo. I'll take my lunchbreak na rin total aalis ka. Binabawi ko na ang sinabi ko. I hope you enjoy your lunch, Asher. At yang kasama mo, sana hindi matunawan," sabay belat na paalam nito sa kanila.

"You better change your secretary, sweetheart. Umaabuso na siya."

"Ang sabihin mo, hindi umubra ang kalokohan mo sa kanya. I'll give you the chance now na siya ang isama mo sa lunch."

"Wag na at baka tuluyan akong hindi matunawan. Let's go."

Off they go to the place where Hans already made their reservations.

Hindi tinantanan ni Asher ang panunudyo sa binata tungkol kay Maja.

They reached the place, nagkukulitan pa rin. They were both laughing while walking to the entrance of the restaurant when another couple from the other side was also going inside. She almost bumped to them kung hindi siya agad nayakap ni Hans.

She was about to say sorry to the pair. But when she looked up, it was those fiery brown eyes that met her. Hindi na siya nakapagsalita. Napatitig na lang siya dito.

"Sorry about that." Si Hans na ang nagsalita. "Anderson," sabay abot ng kamay kay Gerald.

"Tan." Gerald shook hands with Hans.

"Kim, hi!" bati nito sa babaeng kasama ni Gerald. "Kelan ka pa dumating?"

"Oh hi there Hans!" bati ng babae kay Hans sabay beso dito. "Just this morning. Gerald fetched me from the airport and invited me for lunch. What about you? How are you doing?"

"I'm great! I'm with my girl, here. Sorry, so rude of me. Asher, sweetheart, meet Kim Chui. Anak siya ng isa sa mga shareholders ng Tan Enterprise. Kim, Asher Geronimo, my girlfriend. "

"Oh hi there. Finally we meet. Hans talked so much about you," sabi pa nang babae while she greeted Asher with an air kiss.

She just smiled and kissed back.

Hans and Kim started with their catch-up conversation.

Wala sa pinag-uusapan ng dalawa ang utak niya. Ni hindi nga niya narinig ang mga sinabi ni Hans at ng babae.

She's only aware of the brown eyes that keep staring at her. Parang gusto siyang sugurin ng mga nagmamamay-ari noon.

Pero siya din, parang gusto rin niyang manugod. She wanted to pull back the woman's arms around Gerald's waist. She did not like what she's seeing. Naiinis siya sa babae. Pero mas naiinis siya kay Gerald. Mukhang kampanteng-kampante ito sa lingkis ng mga braso ni Kim.