Peachy never thought she'd find comfort in silence. Not when she spent most of her life filling in the quiet—nagpapatawa, nag-aalaga, nagpapakabibo para mapansin. But now, here she was, sitting across from Mr. Mo, sipping instant coffee on a wobbly table at the back of the admin floor.
Walang usapan. Walang sticky note.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6uB84tPoQU
Wala ring awkwardness.
They didn't plan it, pero parang unti-unti, naging habit. Every 3:15 PM, nagkakape sila. Minsan may crackers siya, minsan chocolate siya ang bitbit. Minsan, wala. Pero lagi silang dalawa.
Charlie was still unreadable—tahimik, nakakunot noo, parang laging may iniisip na thesis na hindi niya masagot. Pero unlike before, he no longer avoided her gaze. Hindi na rin siya naiilang kapag inaabot niya ang mug.
And once, just once, she caught him smiling.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡThcFfrfAV6
A real one.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk8w2WJfVqk
The kind that doesn't reach the lips, but softens the eyes.
"Mr. Mo," Peachy whispered once, habang naghuhugas ng mug. "Can I ask something?"
Charlie didn't answer. He just waited.
"If hindi niyo ako kilala... would you have liked someone like me?"
That made him pause.
She almost regretted asking it.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhBViw4iquP
Pero ang tagal na nitong nakaipit sa dibdib niya.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVIl8f00eoA
Sometimes, she wondered if he was only kind because she was around. Because she made herself useful.
Charlie finally said, "You're asking me to undo time."
"Ganon ba 'yun?" she chuckled. "Eh kung pwede kong burahin lahat ng sticky notes ko sa mundo, baka ginawa ko na rin."
She wasn't expecting him to understand. But Charlie turned to her, eyes thoughtful.
"If I didn't know you," he said, "I think I'd still look forward to 3:15."
Peachy froze.
Did he just—
Before she could process it, Charlie stood up. "Back to work," he said, cold again.
But that night, habang pauwi siya, naisip niya 'yung sinabi nito. At sa gitna ng usok sa terminal, habang yakap ang tote bag, napangiti siya.
Kahit walang label, kahit walang anything...33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTSBlOBuSVp
That felt like something.
The next day, nag-umpisa ulit sila ng tahimik.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL5iWjLG8wG
Peachy brought her own mug this time—yung may print ng: "Keep going, Sunshine."
Charlie stared at it. "Tacky," he muttered.
She pouted. "Rude."
Then he handed her a small packet. Tea.
"Para maiba," he said.
She blinked. "Ay, sa akin ba 'to?"
Charlie just nodded, awkwardly sipping his black coffee.
It was green tea. Medyo matabang. Pero ang sarap sa pakiramdam.
Later that week, sinamahan niya si Charlie sa inspection ng bagong hotel wing. Wala sa job description niya, pero nag-request si Charlie.
"Because you take notes," he said flatly. "And you remember things."
Aba, promotion?
"Ang dami mong hindi sinasabi pero may sinasabi, Mr. Mo," she joked.
Charlie didn't react. But when she almost slipped sa hallway dahil basa ang tiles, inabot niya agad ang siko niya. Firm grip. Cold fingers.
"Be careful."
Isang simpleng salita. Pero sa tono nito—hindi ito utos. Concern siya. Real.
Peachy didn't say anything, but her heart said thank you loudly enough.
After the tour, they sat in one of the unfinished lounges. Sa gilid ng bintana, may sunset na natatanaw.
Hindi sinasadya, pero they ended up talking. For real.
About music.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1LsjpeB68l
About what books Peachy likes, kahit puro Wattpad at light novels lang 'yun.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzhHYTxPXYQ
About Charlie's favorite composer—Franz Schubert.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOoLGs5vecw
About how Linsay Mo used to play piano for him.
"Lola mo 'yun, 'di ba?" Peachy asked gently.
Charlie nodded. "She raised me when my mom left. Matagal na 'yun. I was ten."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be. Lola was enough."
Then silence.
Pero hindi ito nakakatakot na silence. It was soft. Safe.
"Nagkaroon ka na ba ng pet?" Peachy asked after a while.
Charlie gave her a look. "Cat memory, remember?"
"Ah, oo nga! Allergic ka." She laughed. "Eh pet rock?"
He smirked.
At sa unang pagkakataon, Peachy saw him really smile. Hindi smirk. Hindi sarcastic.
A soft, unsure, unguarded smile.
And it wrecked her.
She felt it in her stomach, in her chest, in the tips of her toes.
It wasn't love—hindi pa.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNqoXlLGt4W
Pero it was something gentle.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5hnrs86psz
And she wanted to protect it.
Even if it wasn't hers.
The next day, dumating si Maia Hee sa hotel.
Peachy watched from afar. She wore designer sunglasses, crimson lips, and the kind of confidence Peachy would never have. The kind that walked into a room and made people shrink.
Maia approached Charlie like she never broke him.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx5THG8txSd
Like she never cheated.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNzA6N4VyD2
Like she still owned him.
Peachy turned away.
She didn't belong in that story.
Sa pantry, tahimik si Charlie. He looked tired. Distant. Hindi niya pinansin ang kape ni Peachy.
Peachy didn't ask.
She just sat beside him, slowly placing a sticky note on the table.
"You don't have to say anything. But if you need someone quiet to sit beside you, I'm free."
Charlie didn't read it aloud. Pero tiniklop niya ito at isinuksok sa bulsa.
Then, softly—so softly it could've been the hum of a song—he whispered,
"Thank you."
That was all she needed.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡECp1v3Har8
Not an explanation.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVODTc1nKy8
Just his trust.
And maybe... one day, another smile.
End of Chapter 8
33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdtpbjGYTWz
