My Dear Coco Nat Love (Published under PSICOM Publishing, Inc.)

Chapter Seven

Finally, their business was done in three days... mas maaga sa in-expect ni Victoria. The presentation and official contract signing yesterday was held successfully. Proud siyang naging bahagi ng success ng business meeting na iyon ni Coco. Alam naman niyang sa simula pa lang ay magaling na negosyante na ito katulad ng mga magulang at mga kapatid nito. But to witness how happy Coco was after the investors signed the contract was regal. She found out how humble he is and appreciative of simple things around him. Yes, it was just a business meeting. It wasn't even his first time to earn trust from investors. But how he smiled last night moreover showed how dedicated he is to his work. Yung tipong parang palaging first time nitong nakapag-close ng deal. And being the woman beside her that time, she felt like more than proud of him.

Isa na lang ang problema ni Victoria. It seemed like Coco wasn't over yet with that coffee-blend-with-love-day-dream thing. After niya itong ipagtimpla ng kape kahapon ay iniwas-iwasan na niya muna ito dahil nahihiya siya. Kahit noong nasa meeting sila ay hashtag awkward pa rin tuwing napapatingin ito sa kanya at nginingitian siya. Pauwi na nga sila't lahat kagabi ay nagawa pa nitong ipaalala ang kalokahan niya. Paano kaya kita bibigyan ng amnesia? Pakiramdam niya tuloy ay halata na talaga nitong may gusto siya rito. And it was not actually part of the plan. Mang-aakit lang siya. Hindi pwedeng malaman agad nito ang kanyang feelings for him... not until he was the first one to confirm that the 'flirtending' was indeed successful.

She sighed. Kanina pa siya sa tapat ng pinto ng kwarto at iniisip kung paano siya lalabas knowing na makakasalubong na naman niya si Coco. Baka hindi pa rin ito nakaka-move on at asarin siya uli. Subukan lang niya at hindi ko siya iimikan. An idea popped into her mind. What if magtampo mode ako sa kanya? Susuyuin kaya niya ako? She grinned.

Inistorbo ng tatlong katok sa pinto ang pakikipag-conference niya sa sarili. She sighed. 'Nagtatampo ako' acting turned on. Binuksan niya ang pinto. Naka-ready na ang poker face niya. Ngunit nang buksan niya ang pinto ay parang gusto na niyang 'wag nang magtampo at yakapin na lang ito. Siyet! Ang gwapo sa umaga, tanghali at gabi!

"Hi!" Coco Nat amiably greeted her. He was holding two cups of coffee. "Kagabi ka pa tahimik ah. Naisip kong ikaw naman ang ipagtitimpla ko ng kape. Coffee tayo?" Iniabot nito ang isang cup ng coffee sa kanya. "With love iyan!" biro pa nito na nagpaalala na naman ng kalokahan niya noong nakaraang araw.

Pero pinanindigan niya ang peg niyang nagtatampo kuno. Seryosong tinapunan niya ng tingin ang kape na iniaabot nito sa kanya sabay taas ng kilay. Hindi niya ito pinansin at akmang isasara ang pinto pero pinigilan siya nito.

"Hey, what's wrong?" tanong nito. Nawala na ang impish smile nito. Trace of worries covered his face. "May nasabi ba akong masama?"

"Nothing."

"Why so cold? Galit ka ba sa akin?"

"Umuulan kaya sa labas. It's really cold you know," pamimilosopo niya.

"Vicky, tell me what's wrong."

She sighed. "You just make fun of me."

Inosenteng napakunot-noo ito. "Huh? Kelan?"

"Hmm... kahapon, kagabi, and just few minutes ago with that coffee." Nginitian niya ito... iyong ngiting aso sabay balik sa poker face.

It took him few seconds to realize what she was talking about. "Hey, hindi kita pinagtatawanan. I didn't mean anything offensive. I actually find it cute and... sweet," he said while lovingly gazing at her.