It started out as a little detail I happened to notice.

The President and I have been in her office for hours now. She called me in to discuss the divorce bill that I've been fighting long and hard for for years. This issue is one of the very few things that we disagree on since she wasn't in favor of it but Leni Robredo's the type of leader who listens so I'm sure I can convince her.

She told me that she wanted to have this private conversation first so she can get my input — kung bakit ko ba 'to pilit na pinaglalaban kahit pwede namang i-strengthen yung existing laws na lang. So I explained it all to her and infairness talaga, she listened carefully and sincerely, nagnonotes pa nga siya on the important points I stated.

"You don't have to decide agad-agad," I assured her, "Weigh the pros and cons. Decide for the people."

She gave me a kind smile in return. I see that she's trying her hardest to understand the necessity of this issue.

"Thank you, Risa. Sobrang na-appreciate ko na you're enlightening me about this."

I smiled back and we sat in silence for a few minutes. She was scribbling down notes, going over the pros and cons that she listed earlier, and that's when I noticed the tumbler on her desk.

It was pink, perhaps a gift from a supporter way back the campaign period, and it was stained with a dark colored lipstick.

I was surprised so I looked at Leni and surveyed her face. It was rare for a simple woman like the one sitting across me to wear dark colored makeup. Especially dark lipstick at that. I think she only wears those kinds kapag interviews pero those are lighter shades compared to the one na nasa stain. Maybe someone else drank from it?

Ano ka ba, Risa! Who would even drink from the same tumbler as the president?

For the almost half a day of talking to her, I only just noticed that she's wearing at least 3 lipstick shades darker than her usual neutral tones. It was a burgundy color much like red wine.

I looked at her lips then her tumbler, then her again. Something's different yet I couldn't point it out. So I kept staring at her and was only broken out of my trance when she cleared her throat.

"Risa, are you okay?"

"Ha?"

"Sabi ko okay ka lang ba? Baka matunaw na ako kakatitig mo dyan." She smiled mischievously.

I stared at her and blushed. "Sorry, di ko sadya, naninibago lang."

"Sa akin?"

"Sa lipstick mo, lalong fierce look."

She laughed at me and I couldn't help but smile.

"Ang cute naman niyang tumbler mo, is it a gift?" I asked.

"Oo, I got that during the campaign period. Ang cute 'no. Marami pang ganyan sa bahay iba-ibang design. Bigyan kita."

While she was talking, wala akong ibang kayang tignan kundi yung labi niya. Nakakapanibago talaga but she looked more stunning; not that she wasn't before. But now she looks more radiant with the dark lipstick contrasting her soft features.

Ang ganda.

Nakakahiya pero I couldn't keep my eyes away from her. Ang magnetic talaga ng energy at charisma ng babaeng 'to.

We kept working afterwards and I tried to stop staring and medyo nag-succeed naman but the image of Leni's lips and that lipstick stain on her tumbler would be something I knew I'd think about for days.