"Bumibisita ka ba sa mga orphanage? Yung mga charity haven?" Leni asked as she strolled at the mall with Bongbong during his 3rd month of courting her.
"Oo naman, 'di naman yata matatanggal yan sa isang politician." He replied. "Ba't mo natanong?" He followed.
"Eh pupunta kase ako bukas sa Pasig, bibisitahin ko yung lagi kong pinupuntahan na cancer kids haven doon." She shared. "Anong haven 'yan?" He asked as it seemed familiar to him.
"Secret Paradise Haven? Alam mo yon?" She stated. "Ah! Oo, donator na ako doon since 2001. Bumibisita rin ako doon once in a while." He shared.
"Talaga? Eh di samahan mo nalang ako bukas!" She sounded so thrilled. He saw the sincere excitement in her eyes, despite that he is ought to meet his party that day, he decided to cancel it to be with her at the haven visit.
—
The nuns at the haven warmly welcomed the two as they arrived, they have been a few of their consistent donators. The kids were all thrilled to see them visiting them.
"Mama!" Sophie exclaimed and ran to Leni for a tight hug. After a while, Bongbong went closer to them amused by how the young girl was so fond of Leni.
"Hello po," She greeted Bongbong as she hugged Leni. "Hello, pretty girl." He had his warm approach, Sophie looked up to Leni and smiled. "Do you know him? He is mama's friend." Leni informed her. "Hello mama's friend." She greeted him humbly, Bongbong couldn't deny how he found the kid so adorable.
"Pwede ko po ba kayong tawaging papa?" She asked bringing chuckles to the two. Bongbong kneeled down and pinched her chin. "Gusto mo ba akong papa?" He asked, she nodded. "Tanong mo muna sa mama mo kung, okay lang." He told the child.
"Aba, ginamit pa ang bata." Leni jested. "Please, mama. Gusto ko po ng papa." Sophie pleaded, Leni grunted facetiously. "Sige na nga," she conceded and watched Sophie be filled with enthusiasm hugging Bongbong.
The two sat under the tree at the playground as they watched the kids play. Suddenly, Sophie ran to them sweating. Leni immediately wiped her sweats with her kerchief and it was inevitable for him not to get amused by her sweetness and care for others — she was definitely a down to earth kind of girl.
"Bakit po kayo nakatingin kay mama?" Sophie asked upon noticing how Bongbong was gazing at Leni. "Ha?" He laughed upon realizing how he was busted.
"Ang ganda kase ng mama mo e." He stated, Leni concealed her blushing with an eye roll, Sophie squealed.
"Love niyo po ba si Mama?" She asked excited for his answer. "Sophie, ikaw ha, ang dami mong tanong." Leni tapped her nose playfully. "Oo naman, siya kaya love rin ako?" He asked. "Ewan ko sa'yo, Bong." Leni interrupted. "Maglaro ka na doon, anak." She told Sophie.
"Ikaw, kung ano anong tinuturo mo sa bata." She scolded him wittily. "Wala akong ginagawa ha." He laughed. "Iniinform ko lang yung anak natin." He enjoyed saying it. "Anak talaga natin?" She ridiculed. "Mama ka niya diba? Tapos papa niya ako." He flashed a snarky smile. "Required for commitment na tayo kase may anak tayo. Para sa kinabukasan ni Sophie." He raised his eyebrows.
"Ah ganon?" She countered. "Kung akala mo mapapasagot mo ako sa mga segway mong ganyan, pwes nagkakamali ka." She followed. "Grabe naman 'to. Parang three months na kitang nililigawan, kulang pa ba 'yon?" He chuckled as he wasn't even used to courting.
"Aba? Nagreklamo pa," she tapped his face. "Eh, ano bang dapat ko gawin para sagutin mo ako?" He asked. "Magbuwis buhay ka muna." She joked.
"Eh, papano kung matuluyan ako? Eh di namiss mo naman ako?" He countered. "Alam mo ikaw, ang dami mong alam. Sayang wala akong piso, bibigay ko sana sayo para makahanap ka ng kausap mo." She rolled her eyes and brought back her sight to the kids playing. Bongbong discreetly looked at her face for quite a while appreciating it.
She's so beautiful and kind.
—
Bongbong fetched Leni at the Malacañang late in the afternoon, he looked at himself in the mirror and fixed his hair, he always do that when he's with her at the car.
"Bakit ba ang conscious mo sa buhok mo?" She asked. "Eh syempre, kailangan presentable ako sayo." He retorted, it has been his undesired habit as he was required to keep himself intact and fine looking ever since he was young, it's kind of a rich man's habit.
"Grabe, pupunta ka lang sa bahay, kailangan pa mag-ayos. Sayang yung perfume and effort." She criticized. "Well, we've been raised this way. Minsan nga from Malacañang to bahay, kailangan ayos parin para kung may unexpected visitors." He vented out.
"Iba talaga kapag elitista noh? Kailangan mukang yayamanin lagi." She joked. "Unfortunately, yes. Kaya ayan, nakasanayan ko narin kahit di ko naman gusto na maya't maya ring nag-aayos." He shared. She held his arm and brought it down as he was fixing his hair.
"Simula ngayon, kapag magkasama tayo, hindi mo na kailangan mag-ayos. Hindi ko yan requirement, yung mga ayaw mong gawain ng mga elitista, pwede mong hindi gawin kapag kasama ako. Just be yourself." She encouraged him, he was quite amused by her statement, no one ever told him to be himself yet, ever. "Sige na, hindi mo kailangan magpakitang gilas saakin na super perfect ka or sobrang decente mo. Just be yourself, I'll be myself, let's accept each other flaws and all." She continued. "Osige, sabi mo yan ha."
He felt so light with her, ever since that day, he felt more comfortable with her around. She made him feel more accepted and more appreciated despite his imperfections and it meant a lot to him as he has been living a life where he has to fake almost everything just to look decent and classy to the people around him when he was just a simple person himself.
When he's with her, he could just wear a plain white shirt and a ragged pair of pants like he wasn't even a Marcos at all. He could visit her without taking a bath, he was playfully bullied by her — but it was okay, she never judged him, she never made him feel bad about himself and it amuses him. He would share none sense and random conversations with her but it seemed like it was so easy for her to get along, with her responses, she made him feel like she really cares about everything he says. It made him feel good about himself despite his flaws and it was only Leni who made him feel that comfortable ever since, it meant a lot to him.
Bongbong was heedless of how he was slowly falling sincerely for Leni. There are times when he tries to shrug it off but as each day with her passes by, the more that it became harder for him to deny the fact that she was the girl he wanted to be with, she was the girl he wouldn't want to lose, she was the girl for keeps.
On another side, Leni loved how Bongbong seemed to be so comfortable around her, despite her wariness with him before, she knew he wasn't just playing with her — he was sincere about his feelings and because of that thought, she started to value him as a friend and someone special without labels.
—
Leni flew to Japan for a three day vacation with her younger sister Lourdes. Little did she know that Bongbong talked to her sister to tell him infos about their flight and accommodation for his planned surprise for her.
"Ay jusko, nakalimutan ko bumili ng gatas." Leni whined. "Des, punta lang ako sa Lawson ha. Ayusin mo na muna tong mga binili natin." She instructed her and went out to the Lawson store just a few walking minutes away from their inn.
Lourdes immediately called Bongbong to inform him about Leni going out. He was at the room 503, just two rooms away from Leni and Lourdes'.
He secretly followed Leni as she walked to Lawson planning to surprise her once they walk back to the inn.
Leni quickly purchase a box of milk from the store and walked back to the inn. It's quite late already, it was actually the party girl's time already, on her way back to the inn, it was inevitable for her not to sight young girls in such provocative dresses and it bothered her.
"Hey, you!" Someone called her attention. "Anata wa sekushīdesu." He stated. "I'm sorry, no Japanese. Just english." She retorted disturbed by the drunk look of the man. "Oh, English. Okay, okay. I said you are sexy. I like you." He translated with the accent of a native Japanese. Her chest pounded loudly in fear.
"How much I pay for you?" The man strode closer to her, she immediately stepped back for distance herself from him. "No! I'm not from here." She immediately walked away but the stranger took her by the hand in a sudden force seeming to be desperate to have her, she gasped in fear.
"I ask you how much I pay to you. I like you very much-" Bongbong suddenly grabbed the man by his shoulders and pulled him away from Leni. The man lost balance for a moment.
"Who are you!?" The man yelled. "It's none of your business but I am here to protect this woman because you are harassing her and that is against the law." He spoke in such fluency as he made Leni stand behind him. "You're also drunk, are you even aware of the possible charges that we can seek from you because of this?!" He threatened.
"You crazy man! I want her so leave my sight and give her to me-" Bongbong hit him on the face as he was being too eager with Leni, he knew there is no way to threaten him anymore due to his alcohol intake.
The man countered his hitting, despite that he was missing, he was able to hit Bongbong's face for once before the rounding officers came to stop the man. Leni panicked as she witnessed the man hitting Bongbong. She immediately went back to the inn and used the first aid to medicate his small laceration on his cheek.
"Jusko talaga. Buti nalang dumating yung mga pulis." The tension could still be felt with her voice as she medicated his wound. "Buti nalang at ligtas ka, walang nangyaring masama sayo." He retorted, she sighed heavily in worry. "Pero okay ka lang ba? May masakit pa ba sayo?" She asked.
"Dito medyo masakit lang naman." He pointed at his shoulder which got hit a while back as well. "Saan banda? Tolerable naman ba? Gusto mo ng pain killer or ano?" She asked so concerned for him. "Okay lang. Mawawala din 'to bukas." He stated.
"Teka nga pala, bakit nandito ka sa Japan??" She wondered, Lourdes chuckled. Leni hinted that she knew about his presence. "Di ka matiis, ate." Lourdes teased. "Nako kayo, pinaglololoko niyo ako ha." Leni replied.
"Totoo yon. Three days kayo dito diba? Sabi ko kay Lourdes mamimiss ko masyado ate mo kaya I asked about your flight details. Isusurprise sana kita bukas kaso nakita mo na ako ngayon eh." He spilled.
Leni was so surprised that he actually did such effort for her. "Grabe ha, pero salamat talaga, Bongbong. Kung wala ka kanina baka kung ano na nangyari saakin, jusko naman." She didn't even wanna think about it.
"Nakalong sleeves naman ako, trench coat at pantalon." She whined. "Maganda ka kase." He remarked. "Hay nako." She retorted. "Pero thank you talaga." She couldn't stop herself but to hug him so tight.
"Yiee." Lourdes teased. "Ate, nagbuwis buhay na si kuya Bongets. Wag mo sabihing hindi parin pasado sayo yan!" She added making the two chuckle.
Leni looked at him as he smiled at her. "Papasa na ba?" He made a pa-pogi sign making her giggle. "Pasadong pasado." She uttered.
"Ay grabe na ito!" Lourdes squealed and went to the inn's lobby for a while to give them some privacy.
"So..." He sustained. "So..." She mimicked him, they smiled at each other. "Nahihiya ako e," he blushed to ask. "Hala, nahiya pa siya." She teased him. "Sige na go." She encouraged him.
"Okay..." He took a deep breath. "Tayo na ba?" He asked courageously. "Pag-iisipan ko ha." She jested. "Ano ba yan, pag-iisipan pa!" He laughed. "Nagmamadali?!" She glared facetiously.
"Pero tayo na nga ba?" He asked again, her cheeks voluntarily turned pink.
"Mmmm..." She kept teasing him. "Nagbuwis buhay na nga ako, buti nga hindi ko ikinamatay yon pero kung kailangan ko mamatay para sayo, okay lang."
"OA? OA?" She laughed. "Osige na po, wag ka na magdrama." She gave in, his eyes grew. "Seryoso? Osige as in tayo na?!" He had to confirm. "Eh ano pa ba?" She retorted. "Tángina." He cursed in intoxication. "Shit, Leni. Akala ko- shit. Shit, totoo nga. Tayo na talaga?" He quavered and hugged her tightly. "Oo nga." She laughed.
She was so amused by how happy he was when she finally gave into him. He was so clumsily hugging her, she couldn't stop giggling as she felt how thrilled he was.
"Girlfriend na kita?" He gazed into her eyes with his excited stare. "Opo, Mr. Marcos." She replied making him squeal again. As his intoxication faded a bit he gazed into her.
"Wala ba akong ano diyan... Alam mo na. Kiss." He requested. "Kiss agad?! Abusado ka ha." She joked. "Sige na!" He blushed. She gazed into him and looked at his face before she leaned closer to him for a subtle kiss.
Suddenly, Lourdes came in interrupting their lips just about an inch away from kissing.
"Ay! Sorry!" She exclaimed. Leni laughed, Bongbong pursed his lips.
"Sorry talaga!" She kept apologizing. "Okay lang." Leni chuckled and stood up from sitting on his lap. Bongbong just smiled at Lourdes.
Sayang! Sayang! Ilang buwan rin hinintay ko para dito.
He whined at the back of his head as he missed and opportunity to kiss Leni for the first time as his girlfriend.
To be continued...