I was in the middle of a meeting when my phone beeped. Patago kong binuksan kasi bawal magphone dito. The message read: "Let's get coffee after this."

I looked up from my phone and saw Leni staring at me expectantly. Magkalayo kami ng upuan. She was at the head of the table, as she's supposed to be dahil presidente siya, and I was seated sa may bandang gilid. Nagtext siya ulit. "If you want lang naman."

Napangiti ako and I'm pretty sure that she saw my reaction kasi nagtext ulit siya. "Mamaya ka na kiligin, replayan mo muna ako."

"Ito na nga po. Tara, let's get coffee later :)"

Tinignan ko 'yung reaksyon niya and I saw her bite her lip and smile. She turned off her phone, looked at me, then winked.

Huminga ka, Risa. Stay calm and collected nasa meeting ka pa. Meeting now, kilig later.

As I've expected, hindi narinig ni Leni 'yung sinabi ko kagabi. Naalimpungatan lang siya no'ng malapit na kami sa bahay.

----------- flashback ------------

"Hala, sorry, nakatulog ako."

"Okay lang, you were tired kaya I understand naman."

Hindi niya pa rin inaalis 'yung ulo niya sa balikat ko pero tinanggal niya na 'yung pagkakahawak sa kamay ko. Gusto ko sanang sabihin na ibalik niya kasi ayoko pang bumitaw pero nabawi naman kasi bigla niyang niyakap 'yung bewang ko.

"I'm grateful for you, Ris."

My heart swelled sa narinig ko. I intuitively put my arm around her and started stroking her hair. "I'm grateful for you, too. More than you'll ever know."

"Weird ba kapag sinabi ko sa'yong my world's brighter with you around?" She said.

"No, not at all." I replied, laying my head on top of hers again.

Ayoko pang umalis pero we've arrived at my house already kaya niyakap ko na nang tuluyan si Leni. Minsan lang 'to kaya sinulit ko na. I hugged her more firmly and perhaps longer than I've ever had, savoring every bit of this moment. And no, hindi ako delusional when I tell you that she hugged me back a little tighter and a little longer too.

I was so so close to admitting my feelings outrightly this time na gising siya pero naisip ko na hindi pa oras. Not here, not yet, and most especially not like this.

We bid good bye with the promise to see each other again soon.

----------- end flashback ------------

"Do you agree, Senator Hontiveros?"

Gagi, hindi ko narinig.

Naalala ko kasi 'yung nangyari kagabi kaya hindi ko na naintindihan 'yung pinag-uusapan dito. I glanced sideways and saw Leni stifling a laugh. Nilakihan ko siya ng mata as if to say na 'wag mo akong tawanan, tulungan mo 'ko!' She cleared her throat and nodded her head.

"Yes, I agree." I stated firmly.

"Okay, moving on..."

Nakahinga ako nang maluwag and I looked at Leni again and mouthed a 'thank you'. Tinawanan lang niya ako ulit.

Once the meeting was done, my staff and I headed out. Nagtext si Leni na hintayin ko na lang siya sa labas kaya nandoon lang kami ng staff ko.

"May blind item ako, guys." sabi ng staff kong pasimuno ng kalokohan. The others, now interested, asked kung ano 'yun.

"Sinetch itey ang busy kiligin kaya hindi makasagot kanina."

"Ano baaaa!" I complained, knowing that she's pertaining to me. Nagsitawanan naman 'yung iba at ginatungan pa. "So true, vebz! Bawal magcellphone sa loob pero siya may katext. Tama ba yorn?"

My cheeks were bright red now at sakto namang dumating na 'yung kanina pa namin hinihintay.

"Hey, Ris. Tara? Oh bat ang pula mo?" Leni asked, concern masking her features.

"Wala, inaasar na naman kasi ako netong mga 'to." Sagot ko sabay pabirong umirap sa mga kasama ko.

"Ahh, nako, ang kukulit niyo talaga." Then she looked at me and asked, "Alis na ba tayo?"

I nodded in reply. We arrived at the parking lot and nag-umpisa na si Leni magbilin ng mga gawain sa tauhan niya para pagbalik namin, back to work na siya agad, so I did the same with mine.

"Ay hindi po kami sasama sa inyo?" Tanong ng staff ko.

"Hindi na, magpahinga kayo." I said.

"Nako, Kate. For all I know, si Bryce lang naman ang habol mo kaya gusto mong sumama. Hindi rin siya sasama sa amin." Leni added teasingly.

Si Kate naman ang namula ngayon. Ha! Serves you right. No'ng nakaraan mo pa ako inaasar, ayan girlfriend ko na 'yung bumawi para sa'kin.

Charot lang, hindi pa pala girlfriend.

"Hala si Madame nilaglag ako. Tama ka na po, makakaalis na po kayo ni Ma'am Risa. Enjoy po sa date niyo." Pabiro niya kaming tinaboy palayo. Everyone laughed at what was going on pero kami ni Leni? Ayun, parehas na umiwas ng tingin sa hiya.

They waved good bye to the both of us kaya sumakay na kami sa van para umalis pero bago maisara 'yung pinto, sumigaw si Kate, "Ma'am Risa, huwag ka masyadong kiligin ha, nakakarami ka na, maaga pa!"

Note to self: batukan si Kate pagbalik sa office. Jusko 'tong batang 'to, walang preno preno sa kanya.

The door closed completely and tatlo na lang kami ni Leni and ng driver sa loob. Tumatawa 'yung driver sabay sabi ng "Napakabibo po ng mga staff niyo, mga Ma'am. Nakakaaliw po sila."

Both Leni and I agreed. Nag-focus na si kuya driver sa pagdadrive at naconscious ako kasi ramdam kong nakatingin sa'kin 'tong katabi ko.

She opened her phone and sent me a text message kaya I took mine out of my purse and read it. "I can't say it out loud right now kasi awkward sa driver but you look beautiful today."

Napapikit ako at huminga nang malalim. Ang sakit na ng panga ko sa kakangiti (hindi sa kakangiwi). I pursed my lips into a thin line trying my very hardest to stop showing my kilig on the outside.

Tumunog na naman 'yung phone ko. "Sabi ni Kate 'wag ka raw masyadong kiligin. I apologize in advance, mukhang mahihirapan kang sundin 'yun 😅"

I shoved her lightly and she started laughing at me. Nagulat ata 'yung driver kasi bigla bigla siyang tumawa eh hindi naman kami nagsasalita kanina pa.

"Nakakainis ka naman," I whined.

I feel like at the very least, Leni knows and feels that I like her. It gave me a sense of relief na hindi niya ako iniiwasan or what. Our relationship actually grew deeper, if not stayed the exact same way. Buti na lang gano'n kasi kung hindi, pakiramdam ko mababaliw ako.

We arrived sa isang café, a little farther than what I expected. Akala ko kasi sa tabi-tabi lang. It was in a quite secluded area and it wasn't a very well known café kasi mukhang bagong bukas pa lang. Konti lang rin 'yung tao at this time. Mga kitchen staff nga lang ata. They kindly gave us privacy kahit Leni insisted na okay lang kahit 'wag na.

We sat down and I asked Leni kung saan niya nadiscover 'tong pinuntahan namin. Turns out, nadaanan pala nila 'to ni Aika a few weeks ago and masarap naman daw ang food.

When our order arrived, napansin kong may extra na baked goods na binigay sa amin na hindi naman namin inorder. "Freebie ba nila 'to?" I asked Leni.

"No ata, wala naman silang namention na freebie. Baka namali lang sila, wait..."

She was about to call a waiter when I noticed an envelope beneath the plate of the baked goods. "Wag na...there's a note oh."

I opened the note and we read it together:

I looked around the room, baka nandito 'yung nagpadala. Wala namang anyone na nakatingin sa amin or anyone acting suspiciously. Tinago ko na 'yung letter sa bag ko and peered at Leni. Her face was unreadable.

"It's from the same person who gave the fo—"

"I know."

Ayan na naman ang titig niyang nakakabaliw. "Are you angry?" I asked her. Hinawakan niya 'yung kamay ko then she grinned.

"Hindi. Bakit ako magseselos eh hindi ka nga kayang pakiligin nyan gaya ng pagpapakilig ko sa'yo."

I breathed a sigh of relief and laughed. Tama nga naman siya. May flowers nga ako, pagkain, playlist, at baked goods, but none of these could ever compare to the moments I had with Leni afterwards. Para ngang coincidence na mula nang makatanggap ako ng ganito, I get to see and be with Leni. Syempre hindi naman ako nagrereklamo.

I snapped a picture of Leni habang nakadungaw siya sa bintana. Ang ganda ng side profile eh, ang sarap lang titigan.

"Hoy, bakit mo ako pinipicturan?" Kunwaring galit na tanong niya sa'kin.

"Bakit ba? Ganda mo banda dyan eh. Look oh, perfect!" I showed her the picture I took at napangiti naman siya.

"Mas perfect kung magpipicture tayong dalawa."

She brought out her phone and inched closer to me. We took a selfie with out heads inclined towards each other. Ang daming pindot 'yung ginawa niya kaya ang dami ring poses sa pictures namin. May naka-smile, naka-wacky, naka-finger heart, sabi niya pa burger raw kami kaya may picture rin kaming gano'n.

"Wait last one." I said. I held her phone in my hand and kissed her cheek saka ko tinake 'yung picture. I couldn't help but smile pagkakita ko ng take.

I was amused by her reaction pagkakita niya no'ng picture kasi ngiting-ngiti rin siya at namumula. Ramdam kita dyan, Leni. Hirap magpigil ng kilig 'no.

"Ang cute natin." She happily sighed.

Leni was right kanina when she said na mahihirapan akong sundin 'yung sinabi ni Kate na 'wag ako masyadong kiligin. She truly never fails to deliver — sa trabaho, sa ugali, sa mga pangako, lalong lalo na sa simpleng pagpapakilig sa akin. Even the smallest gestures from her mean so much to me na ang bigat pero ang gaan rin sa pakiramdam.

Few hours passed and we had to return to our respective offices kaya sumakay na ulit kami sa van. We sat in comfortable silence, occassionally pointing at something at the street we found funny.

"I had a lot of fun today, Leni. Salamat." I kissed her cheek then waved good bye when we arrived at my office.

"Ako rin, Ris. Sa uulitin ha, I'll send the pictures to you later!"

I walked inside at sinalubong ako ng staff kong mukhang mga marites na nag-aabang ng bagong scoop.

"Sooooo..." Panimula ng isa sa kanila. I replied with the raise of an eyebrow.

"Oh no, Ma'am Risa. Hindi ka nag-enjoy sa date mo?"

Kaaliw naman 'to 'kala mo fan club namin ni Leni eh. I bit my lip and looked at them, feeling the blush appear on my face.

"Nag-enjoy. Sobra."

At sabay-sabay kaming nagsitilian.

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Dahil may ayuda tayo for today's video, double update for today kasi it's lenrisa day! 💗💜

Btw, I changed the disclaimer about the M rating. Baka walang gano'ng chapter since I intend to maintain the soft, sweet, and kilig vibe of this AU hehe :))

Thank you pala for the amazing feedback. Super namomotivate niyo akong gandahan 'tong story. Stay kilig and sweet dreams hehe.