"Three,"
"two,"
"one,"
"bingo!" bilang ni Vhong habang nakatingin sa kanyang watch.
Humarap sya sa taong kanina pa humihingi ng tulong sa kanya, "I'm sorry. I'm on a break."
Tumayo naman si Vhong at nilapitan nya si Vice.
"Vice, I'm free mamayang gabi for a date." aya nito.
"Me and you. Dinner. Then Call of Duty 4, Modern Warfare, bang bang" sabi ni Vhong na gumawa pa ng parang gun gamit ang kamay.
"I would love to.." sagot ni Vice, "..but I've got plans."
"Oh yeah, may ka-date ka na pala besides me. So what are you doing with Karylle tonight?"
"Uh, actually we broke up."
"Sabi ko naman kasi sayo, di mo ka-level yun. Ang ganda kaya nya."
"Gwapo naman ako ah?!" depensa ni Vice.
"Ah eh...sige slight." natatawang sabi ni Vhong.
"And for your information, ako nakipagbreak." Vice said proudly.
"YOU DID WHAT!?" sigaw ni Vhong at binatukan si Vice.
"Listen, I didn't really see a future for Karylle and I so I didn't want to waste any more time."
Napatingin naman si Vhong sa entrance at nakita nya si Karylle. She wanted to talk to Vice so she signaled him to follow her. Nang makarating sila sa stock room, nagsalita na si Karylle.
"Look, Vice, I've been thinking about our 'break up,' and I'm not so sure it's the best idea." kagat labing sinabi ni Karylle.
"Namiss mo ako kaagad?" biro ni Vice.
"Well, just, you know, for the cover, it makes things easier." katwiran ni Karylle.
"Well, then I guess your job's gonna be a little bit harder." serious na sagot ni Vice.
"I'm sorry kung naiisip mo na may something between us." kalmang sabi ni Karylle, "common naman tong situasyon natin, yung akala mo may something pero wala naman pala."
"Oo alam ko, pero for me, the emotional roller coaster is a little much, so I think I'd rather find something a little less common, like, say, I don't know, a REAL relationship."
"Kung yan talaga gusto mo, okay." Karylle said while crying.
"Are you okay?" nagalala naman si Vice.
Karylle speed walked out of the room while wiping her eyes. Vice thought na ginawa nya lang toh para mapakita sa mga co-workers nya na nagbreak sila pero the fact that it was so easy for her to cry is something; she felt it but she knew very well na hindi ito pwede sa line of work nya kaya instead of fighting for it binalewala nalang nya ito.
----
Habang nakikipagdate si Vice kay Kaye, nagmeeting naman sila Billy and Karylle kasama ang kani-kanilang General over video chat.
"Bakit kayo nagbreak? I don't like the idea of that." sabi ni General Atienza.
"She got dumped." nakangising sabi ni Billy.
"We decided na it would be better if he dates a civilian." pangatwiran ni Karylle, "para kung may nakakilala sakin mas safe sya."
"Ah yes, because she got dumped." ulit ni Billy.
"So sinasabi nyo sakin, some woman randomly comes in off the street and starts dating the Intersect, and hindi kayo nagtataka or it doesn't strike either of you as suspicious."
