The Assassin

Chapter Four

ꨄ︎MIKHAILꨄ︎

I scanned the interior of his house nang makapasok kami, wala akong masyadong alam sa interior design but I can say that his house is beautiful.

"Take a seat first, I'll prepare a tea." He said.

"Sir, no need I--"

"Oh please let me, you saved my life earlier." He said and grinned. "Take a seat, come on." He encourages at wala naman akong nagawa kung hindi ay sumunod habang siya ay pumasok sa isang pinto na tingin ko ay daan patungo sa kusina.

This house is big, siya lang ang nakatira dito?

Ilang minuto ang lumipas ay bumalik siya na may dalang tray kung saan nandoon ang dalawang teacup.

"Here." He said and placed the teacup in front of me.

"Thank you Sir." I muttered.

"Just call me Lloyd or Benjamin kapag tayong dalawa lang." Nakangiting sagot nito. "By the way, I'm sorry for my attitude awhile ago." He said at tumaas naman ang kilay ko.

"Huh?" I asked in confusion.

"Uhm...hindi ko lang talaga ine-expect na babae ka pala, I know it is so dumb pero hindi kasi talaga ako ang nagche-check ng mga applications. It was my HR pero nag-file siya ng one week leave pero nagbigay naman siya ng list sa akin ng mga applicants." He explained at tumango-tango naman ako. "Jericho called all of them pero ikaw lang ang dumating, and I was really surprised that you are a woman base na rin sa pangalan mo." He added.

"It's okay...I told you I get that a lot." I said at saka sumimsim sa tsaa ko, my eyes widened and I gasped ng mapaso ang dila ko. "Ouch!" I exclaimed at saka ipinaypay ang kamay sa mukha ko.

"What happened? are you okay?" Lloyd asked in a panicked tone, he grabbed my chin and inspected my face at napahinto naman ako sa ginawa niya. Nakalimutan ko na ang napasong dila ko dahil sa sobrang lapit ng mukha nito sa akin.

I blinked and immediately put a distance between us and again, naramdaman ko ang pag-init ng pisngi ko.

"I-I'm fine." I mumbled. "N-napaso lang ako." I said and I heard his low chuckle.

"You can beat a guy into a pulp yet you can't determine whether the tea is hot or cold?" He asked at naningkit naman ang singkit ko na mata.

"Hindi naman kasi ako na-inform na mainit pala siya diba?"

"Bakit? may tea ba na malamig?"

"Ice tea!" Sagot ko and I crossed my arms, narinig ko naman ang pagtawa niya. I rolled my eyes at pinigilan ang sarili ko na sakalin siya, chill lang Mik, amo mo yan, kumalma ka.

"You know what, I like you." He said at napahinto naman ulit ako.

"What?" I asked and looked at him, habang ang puso ko ay biglang bumilis ang tibok. Hindi ko alam kung bakit.

"I like you, I mean...you are you...you are down to earth and simple. I like you as friend!" He answered at nawala naman ang kaba sa dibdib ko nang banggitin niya ang iyon.

That was awkward.

"Oh by the way, I already prepared your room. Pwedeng-pwede ka ng lumipat dito anytime." He informed.

"When I read your advertisement, walang naka-indicate na magiging 'stay-in' ako. Why so?" I asked.

"Oh that..." He said at napakamot naman ito sa ulo niya.