His frowning soon-to-be wife is already sitting on the same table they used the first time they talk on this café. Kung dati ay malamig na titig nito ang sumalubong sa kanya, ngayon may kasama ng pagsimangot. Level up, I guess.
"You manipulate me. How dare you, Sebastian." She fired immediately the time he sat across her.
Nasa mukha nito na marami pang gustong sabihin but she stop herself. Hera ain't that really talkative or maybe she stop herself so that she won't give him satisfaction to see her getting pissed because of him.
"I didn't. You just have been outsmarted by me." Sagot niya dito.
Kahit itago nito ang inis sa pamamagitan ng malamig nitong pakikitungo, it's fail. He can feel her irritation, and he enjoys every second of it just like how she enjoys when he's irritated too.
"So... what do you want for our wedding? I'll give you the right to choose what kind of wedding do you like." Kalmadong saad niya saka sinenyasan ang waiter na lumapit sa kanila.
"We'll both have black coffee," sabi niya sa waiter.
Agad naman itong sumunod kaya silang dalawa na lang ulit.
"I want it private." Hera started.
"Private but grand." Dugtong niya dito.
Ayaw niya ng minadaling kasal o 'yong tipong mukhang kasal-kasalan lang. Even if it's private he still want it grand.
"I'll shoulder the expenses." Hera said coldly.
Agad na kumunot ang noo niya.
"No. I'm the who wants to marry you, I'll shoulder all the expenses." Kontra niya.
Weddings are expensive. Lalo na sa kanila, and if Hera will shoulder it alone, hindi naman mauubos ang yaman nito pero makakaltasan.
"I thought akong bahala sa kasal na 'to? Bakit ka ba nakikialam?" Hera hissed.
Damn. She can really use his words against him.
"Because it doesn't work that way."
"See how we fight against little things? How much more if we live on the same roof?" There's a drip of sarcasm on her cold voice.
He look at her boredly.
"Oh, we will be fighting a lot. In bed."
Her cheeks turns scarlet. It's visible because of her snowy white skin. Kumalat na ang kulay papunta sa leeg nito. Hmm, seems like it's inviting me to kiss her neck.
Tumikhim ang dalaga at umayos ng upo.
"I think it's better if we talk about the rules and conditions first." Pag-iiba nito sa usapan.
"Shoot."
Hera shortly sigh and stared at him coldly straight in the eye. She look at him professionally as if they're having a business proposal.
"We'll be living on the same house. In the morning I'll cook for us, and we won't be home for lunch because of work. And you'll be cooking for our supper." Panimula nito.
As the legal son of Dozen Sebastian, he grow up with a gold spoon on his mouth. And a cook is always expected on his house kaya hindi siya marunong magluto. Why bother when he can afford to pay chef? But seems like his future wife doesn't want anyone on their house aside from them. So, maybe, he'll ask her to teach him.
"I'm fine with that." He agreed.
"I know you won't agree if I ask for two separate room and a separate bed---"
"Because that would be useless, Hera. One of the reason why we have to marry is because we want to fuck. Anong silbi ng isang silid?" Panunuya niya dito.
Hera glared at him. Nanatili lamang ang blankong tingin niya sa dalaga.
"Speaking of...fucking. I don't want it done everywhere. I'm always busy in the morning, I'll be home in 5, we'll do it around 7 pm." Propesiyonal na saad nito na para bang hindi ang pagtatalik nila ang pinag-usapan.
Sounds fine. They're both busy in the morning. Tulad nga ng sabi niya, they're both business-minded, no mixing of pleasure into business.
"Fine. Let's finish all our work so that we can have each other every night." He agreed.
Napakurap ito sa huling sinabi niya. Muling bumalik ang tingkad ng kulay sa pisngi nito at sakto namang pagdating ng waiter na dala ang kape nila ay tinanggap agad ni Hera para maibunton sa pag-inom ang tinatagong pamumula.
What's wrong with every night? If they're prioritizing their career first, every night is not enough. Every morning will do, too.
"I don't want any romantic stuff that will happen between us. No more flowers and surprises, no cringe endearment, we stay professional at work and we don't have to act like we love each other." Pagkaklaro ni Hera.
"Fine, fine." He boredly agree.
I think that's all her condition because she had a long pause. Sumimsim muna ito ng kape saka tumingin sa kanya.
"How about you? Any rules..." She asked after the long silence.
That made him still. Did she just ask about his rules, too? Quite surprising coming from the lady boss that only listen to herself.
"If we got married, don't be so grumpy anymore." He said.
And that immediately put a frown on her face.
"I'm not grumpy." She said grumpily.
Ain't she cute?
"You are. Stop being grumpy so we'll have an easy marriage life."
He can handle her attitude tho. Minsan nauubusan talaga siya ng pasensya dito but not to the point that he wanted to kill her. 'Yong tipong inis na hindi niya maintindihan kung bakit nagugustuhan niya rin.
"I'll try. But I'm not promising." Malamig na saad nito.
"No other man." He state his second rule.
Kusang tumagilid ang ulo niya para maiwasan ang kutsara na itinapon nito sa direksyon niya. He look at the teaspoon, bumaon iyon sa kahoy na dingding.
Damn. Her future wife is fucking badass.
"I'm even having a hard time accepting you and you'll say that as if I'll entertain other man?" Malamig na tanong nito na kulang na lang ay mapatayo para buhusan siya ng mainit na tubig.
"I'm just saying that I'm very jealous, wife." Tinapatan niya ang lamig sa boses nito.
Tumawa ng mapakla ang dalaga. Bakas pa rin ang lamig at disgusto sa mata nito.
"I'll like to add one more rule, too. I don't want any of us become clingy and possessive." Hera hissed coldly.
"I'm just jealous. I don't get cling and possessive. And when I'm jealous, I have a bullet to work for me."
Malamig na koreksyon niya dito.
"You're gonna shoot me?" She asked.
"Where the hell did that came from? I'm gonna shoot that man. No one's gonna interfere our marriage." He coldly hissed.
"Fine. No other woman for you, too. And if there's any woman who willl knock on our doorstep with a baby on her arms claiming that it your child, we are over." Banta ng dalaga.
Hmm, he's not his father. Wala siyang planong magpadami ng anak sa iba't-ibang babae. As a child that has siblings from different man, it confuse the hell out of him, also it's not a good feeling. And hell, he wouldn't let his heirs to feel what he felt.
"I want to have many children as possible but I only want you as their mother. I wouldn't waste your genes." Sagot niya rito.
Benjamin has good genes, and Sebastians too. Kaya nga mas maganda kung pagsamahin ang genes nila.
"I guess, that's all for now. Kailan ba ang kasal?" Kaswal na tanong nito na para bang hindi nila pinag-usapan ang kasal.
"I want it fast as possible, baka magbago pa ang isip mo."
Tinaasan siya nito ng kilay. Natahimik sila sandali para mag-isip.
"Next month, what do you think?" He suggest.
He can pull some strings to make it happen in a short span of time. But he still want it grand.
"Okay. But we have to follow the Hiraeth's tradition." Hera said.
"What tradition?" He asked in confusion.
And what's Hiraeth really? He heard that word from a Benjamim's mouth years ago too, hindi buo ang impormasyon na pagkakaalam niya kung ano 'yon. Ang alam niya lang Hera was raised in Hiraeth.
"Tatawagan na lang kita kung kailangan ka na sa palasyo."
Is he marrying some kind of royalty?
Oh, yeah. Benjamins and their crazy traditions.
"I know that look, don't judge us." Hera immediately glared at him as if she can read his mind.
"I didn't say anything yet but you just act so defensive."
Mas lalo siyang sinamaan nito ng tingin.
"So, we're settled now?" He asked then stood up. He handed his hand for handshake, timayo rin ang dalaga at tinanggap ang kamay niya para sa normal na pag-alamano.
"Thanks for your time, Mr. Sebastian." She said mockingly.
"My pleasure, Mrs. Sebastian." He teased back.
At hinigpitan ni Hera ang pagkapit sa kamay niya and he can feel his bone clenching, damn it.
"Disgusting." She cringed coldly on what he called her. "Say it again," utos pa nito.
A ghost smirk curved into his lips.
"Mrs. Sebastian." He repeat in husky manner.
"It's really disgusting... Say it again."
"Mrs. Hera Benjamin-Sebastian." He repeat.
"Disgusting. I don't think I'll ever get used to it." Malamig na saad nito saka binitawan ang kamay niya saka nagsimulang naglakad paalis.
"Be a Benjamin's husband or I'll kill you, Sebastian." Huling banta ni Hera saka tuluyan ng umalis.
Benjamin's husband. 10 years ago, it didn't even crossed his mind to interact with their family's enemies. Sebastian was always the second choice or the right words are Sebastian was never a choice if there's Benjamin's involve. Palaging second lead. Hindi pinipili kung may Benjamin sa pagpipilian.
Don't worry, ancestors. If you never win over a Benjamin, I can avenge you by winning a Benjamin.
They're just so dumb not realizing that if you can't win to a Benjamin, win a Benjamin instead.