Althea:
"Bakit, Ah Reum? Bakit mo nagawa 'to?!"
"Prinsipe Yon, maniwala ka, hindi ko 'yun ginawa. Mahal kita…sobra."
"Sa tingin mo maniniwala ako? Sinungaling ka! Ang dapat sa'yo…kamatayan!"
"Yon…kahit anong mangyari, isa lang ang sigurado ako. Mahal pa rin kita—ngayon, at sa susunod ko pang buhay."
"Mizu-unnie, wake up! You're having a nightmare again!"
Napabalikwas ako sa kama. Si Shie pala, niyuyugyog ako na parang alarm clock on steroids.
"Kalma lang, Shie," napa-hawak ako sa noo ko, "nanaginip lang ako ulit tungkol kina Ah Reum at Prinsipe Yon."
"Grabe ka, Mizu-unnie. Maybe it's stress from work? You should take a break. Month-end pa naman ngayon, so baka you're just burned out."
Hay… she has a point. Pagod na pagod na utak ko.
"I'll just wash my face." Bumangon na ako at dumiretso sa bathroom habang si Shie ay nanatiling nakaupo sa bed ko, brushing her hair.
Let me formally introduce myself. I'm Althea Mizu Fullbuster-Murasaki, my friends and family call me Mizu, while my colleagues and batchmates calls me Thea. I'm 24 years old, half-Japanese, half-American. I live in the Philippines, kahit originally naka-base sa Japan ang family ko.
My papa, Mitsuo Murasaki, owns an architectural firm in Tokyo. Mama, Almea Fullbuster, is a full-time queen of our household. My older brother, Arthur, also works as an architect, both for our family's firm and for EmpTokyo as an Executive Director.
Dito sa Pinas ko pinili tumira, kasama ang sofubo ko when I started high school, they wanted to spend their golden years sa lugar kung saan sila unang nagkakilala. After they passed, I stayed. I fell in love with the life here. Kasama ko ngayon sa apartment ang best friends ko, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
I currently work as the Executive Assistant to Sir Kristos Martakis, CEO of Empire Global Corporation. At the same time, ako rin ang appointed Executive Director slash Location Leader ng Empire PH. Oo, medyo sabog ang setup, pero ganun talaga sa Empire, random, unpredictable, pero sobrang exciting.
And nope, I've never had a boyfriend. Not because I'm ugly (hello, goddess alert!), but because I don't believe in casual love. I date to marry. Kaya siguro no one's ever quite made the cut.
"Mizu-unnie! Di ka pa tapos? I need the bathroom!" sigaw ni Shie from behind the door.
"Coming out!" Binuksan ko agad ang pinto at pinapasok siya. Lumipat ako sa bed para ayusin ang gamit ko. Habang nag-aayos, napansin ko si Elle na himbing pa rin sa tulog.
"Elle, umaga na! Gumising ka na!" Sabay sipa ko sa paa niya.
"Ano ba, Tubig!" (Yes, she calls me Tubig, kasi nga Mizu) "Gusto mo gumising, gumising ka mag-isa! Inaantok pa ako!"
As her evil bestie, hinampas ko siya ng unan hanggang sa mapilitan siyang bumangon.
"Arrghh! Ewan ko sa'yo, Althea Mizu!"
Nagtatawanan kami nang biglang kumalabog si Aly sa pinto.
"Twinnie!!! Nabili ko na 'yung eyebrow pencil mo!"
Agad kaming nagkagulo. Kapag may bagong makeup si Aly, asahan mong magkaka-stampede.
"Breakfast is served!" sigaw ni Clari habang pababa na. As expected, Elle bolted out like a rocket.
Marga followed, cup of coffee in hand. "Girls, ang aga-aga, may bagyo na agad dito sa kwarto?"
Nagtawanan lang kami habang pababa. Pagdating sa dining table, ayan na, ang usual riot: Shie almost choking from eating too fast, Elle acting like she hasn't eaten in five years, and Mai's cooking destroying our diets. Again.
After breakfast, while everyone was getting ready for school and work, I finished fixing my things and headed out to wait in the living room.
"Good morning, Almizu!"
A familiar voice. Napalingon ako.
"Beb!!"
It was Alander, Aly's twin and my boy best friend. He just came back from Japan and OMG, it's been three months since I last saw him! I hugged him tight.
"Di naman halata na na-miss mo 'ko, no?" sabay gulo niya sa buhok ko. Grr.
"Stop ruining my hair! Saan na yung pasalubong ko?!"
Nagulat si Elle nang makita siya. She jumped into his arms too, well, first love niya yan, but she never confessed, kasi Clari is crazy in love with him and she values friendship over romance.
Nagkwentuhan kami sandali before heading to work. Sinundo na kami ni Kuya Wyven, ang loyal driver-slash-bodyguard na in-assign ni Sir Kris para bantayan ako. Protective much.
On the way to the office, everything was smooth until...
"Miss Thea," bungad ni Darrianne, my secretary, "I know it's month-end, but may biglaang urgent meeting ka po today. In Tagaytay."
"Excuse me, what?!"
"COO of Empire. From APAC and America divisions. Personal friend ni Sir Kris. Request niya raw, non-negotiable."
WHAT. THE. HECK.
Fine. I had no choice. I gathered my stuff and headed out. While waiting for the elevator, Al showed up.
"You look tense," he smirked. "Meeting with the COO ba?"
"Yup. Kabado ako, beb! Sobrang nakakatakot raw siya!"
He just laughed. "Baka naman si Yeo ang imi-meet mo?"
Yeo? Sino si Yeo?! Yoh Asakura levels ba 'to?
Little did I know, it really was Yeo, and boy, I wasn't ready.
Fast forward to Twin Lakes, Tagaytay. I sat at a quiet spot in Starbucks, reviewing files, when a deep, smooth voice interrupted me:
"Ms. Althea Mizu Murasaki?"
I turned. My jaw almost hit the floor. Gwapong lalaki. Corporate AF. Ice cold stare.
"Mr. COO?"
"Lee Yi Bum. It's a pleasure to meet you."
Shet. Siya na 'yun.
We started talking business, but grabe, walang reaction si Kuya. Hindi ko alam kung bored siya, impressed, or both. Pero ramdam ko 'yung titig niya. Parang sinusuri 'yung kaluluwa ko.
Then he suddenly said, "Let's eat first."
Ang in-order niya? Yung favorite ko sa Starbucks. Blueberry Licious Cheesecake and White Chocolate Mocha. How the heck did he know?
"Tell me something about you," he said, his gaze never leaving mine.
I gulped. "Uhm… that's broad. What exactly do you want to know, Mr. Lee?"
"Drop the 'Mr. Lee.' Just call me Yeo."
YEO?! So…siya 'yung sinasabi ni Al?! My gosh!
"Then you can call me Thea."
"I prefer Mizu."
Well… okay, hot guy. You win.
After the meeting, as I stood to leave, he looked at me with that piercing gaze again.
"Starting tomorrow, I'll be working at Empire Manila. As your partner."
AND THEN HE SMILED. Oh my God. I'm dead.