Chapter 18: Midnight admire

WARNING: This story contains Boys' Love (BL) themes and is intended for mature audiences. The content and characters in this work are purely fictional. Any resemblance to real people, living or dead, is purely coincidental. This narrative includes mature subject matter, such as romantic relationships between men, and may explore sensitive topics. Reader discretion is advised.

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Skyler's POV

Sa dami ng nangyari ngayong araw, hindi ko na alam kung paano ako nakakaupo pa dito sa rooftop ng Cruz Enterprises. Parang ang bigat ng katawan ko, pero mas mabigat ang utak ko. Isa lang ang sure ako ngayon: kailangan ko ng break.

Kanina lang, parang rollercoaster ang buhay ko. Between juggling deadlines, Ezekiel's intense gaze burning holes through my soul, at ang never-ending tension sa pagitan naming dalawa, na parati tinatawag ako sa office niya.

"Skyler."

ay putaaaaaa!

Halos mapatalon ako nang marinig ang malamig pero pamilyar na boses mula sa likod ko. Napalingon ako, at ayun na naman siya—si Sir Ezekiel, in his perfectly tailored suit, standing there like a scene straight out of a drama.

ang pogi niya sa suot niya..

"Sir?" tanong ko, pilit na pinapakalma ang sarili ko.

"Bakit nandito ka pa?" seryoso niyang tanong habang naglalakad palapit sa akin. "It's already past office hours."

Napakamot ako sa batok ko at ngumiti nang pilit. "Ah... medyo na-stress lang po. Gusto ko lang ng konting hangin."

Hindi siya agad nagsalita. Tumayo lang siya sa tabi ko, tinitingnan ang city lights na kumikinang sa ilalim namin. Ang awkward, pero hindi ko alam kung bakit parang gusto kong ma-stuck sa moment na 'to.

ang ackward beh!

"Hmm," sagot niya, crossing his arms. "You did well today, Skyler."

luh?

Napatingin ako sa kanya, medyo nagulat. "Ha? Sir, totoo po ba 'yan? O baka prank lang?"

He smirked. "I don't joke about work."

Oh. So ibig sabihin, seryoso siya? Putek, achievement 'to! First time kong marinig siyang nagsabi ng magandang bagay tungkol sa'kin nang hindi sarcastic. May trophy ba dito?

Nagkibit-balikat ako. "Well, that's a first. Akala ko po lifetime subscription na 'yung pagiging walking disaster ko sa paningin niyo."

"Still debatable."

"Sir!"

Tumawa siya nang mahina. Wait. Tumawa siya?! This is not a drill! CEO Ezekiel Cruz actually laughed in front of me?!

Bago ko pa man masanay sa rare moment na 'to, biglang nagseryoso ulit ang mukha niya. "Skyler... I need to ask you something."

Napakurap ako. "Uh, okay. Ano po 'yun?"

Tumingin siya sa akin, diretso sa mata. "Bakit ka nagpupursige dito? Sa company na 'to. Despite everything?"

For a second, napaisip ako. I mean, ang daming beses na akong muntik sumuko. Pero bakit nga ba hindi ko magawang umalis?

Ngumiti ako ng bahagya. "Kasi po... gusto kong patunayan sa sarili ko na kaya ko. Na kahit anong pagkakamali ko, I can still stand up and fight. Hindi lang para sa career ko, kundi para sa sarili ko rin tsaka sa pamilya ko.."

Tahimik lang siyang nakikinig, pero yung tingin niya? Parang sinusuri niya ako, binabasa niya kung totoo ba ang sinasabi ko. And for once, hindi siya mukhang intimidating. Mukha lang siyang... nag-iisip.

Then, he said something I wasn't expecting.

"I admire that about you."

ha?!

Wait, what? Tama ba yung narinig ko? Si Sir Ezekiel Cruz? Nag-a-admire sa akin?!

anong klaseng admire?!

Parang gusto kong tanungin kung may lagnat siya. Pero mukhang seryoso siya. No smirk, no teasing—just honesty.

"Sir... are you okay?" biro ko, trying to lighten the mood.

Napailing siya. "I'm being serious, Skyler."

Okay, so seryoso nga siya. Ang weird. Pero ang sarap sa pakiramdam. I mean, hindi naman araw-araw na may CEO na nagsasabi sa'yo na hinahangaan ka niya, 'di ba?

oh baka sa work or personality ko? atsaka pano siya hahanga sakin kong lampa ako parati?huhu

"Salamat, Sir," sagot ko nalang, at kahit hindi ko alam kung ano eksaktong nangyayari sa moment na 'to, sigurado akong hindi ko 'to makakalimutan.

Ezekiel's POV

Skyler Ramirez is an anomaly. Isang bagay na hindi ko maintindihan pero hindi ko rin maiwasang mapansin.

Dati, inis lang ang nararamdaman ko tuwing nandyan siya. Clumsy, unpredictable, at parang laging may dalang sakuna. Pero ngayon? Hindi ko na alam kung inis pa ba 'to o... iba na.

I watched him as he smiled at the city lights, eyes sparkling like he actually belonged here. I don't know why, but I felt something stir inside me—something unfamiliar. Something dangerous.

And I didn't like it.

But I also couldn't ignore it.

"Let's go," sabi ko, turning away before I could say anything else I'd regret. "It's late."

Tumayo siya, sumunod sa akin habang palabas ng rooftop. "Sir?"

"Hm?"

"Thanks for tonight," mahina niyang sabi. "For... listening."

I nodded, keeping my face neutral. But deep inside, I knew.

Skyler Ramirez was slowly changing everything I thought I knew about myself.

And that terrified me.

As I walked towards my car, my phone buzzed. A message from an unknown number flashed on the screen.

Unknown Number: I saw you with him. We need to talk.

I frowned, my grip tightening on my phone.

Who the hell was watching us?

The message on my phone kept replaying in my head as I drove home. I saw you with him. We need to talk.

I tightened my grip on the steering wheel. Who would send this? More importantly, why did they sound like they were watching me? Watching us?

Skyler.

That rooftop conversation—it was nothing, right? Just a moment of vulnerability. Just a CEO making sure his employee wasn't going to crumble under pressure.

Then why couldn't I shake this uneasy feeling?

By the time I pulled into my driveway, my phone vibrated again.

Unknown Number: Ignoring me won't help, Ezekiel. You know what this is about.

I exhaled sharply, rubbing my temple. Do I?

Skyler's POV

I was still on a high from my unexpected moment with Sir Ezekiel. Hindi ko alam kung anong parte ang dapat kong i-process muna—yung papuri niya? Yung titig niya? O yung fact na sa loob ng isang gabi, hindi siya kasing-suplado kagaya ng inaakala ko?

pero kinilig ako kanina ahihihihi!

My phone buzzed, pulling me back to reality.

Zachary: Tara, dinner? My treat.

Napangiti ako. Si Zachary talaga, laging nandyan para sa akin. Kaya kahit pagod na ako, I found myself replying.

Me: Sige! Where?

After a few exchanged messages, we settled on a small ramen place near my apartment.

yes!nakakaswa na kasi ang lucky me hahahaha!

Pagdating ko doon, nakita ko agad si Zach, casually leaning against the restaurant's glass window, looking effortlessly good in his button-down shirt. He greeted me with a warm smile.

actualy ang pogo niya ngayon pero mas pogi si sir ez-

woppp bakit ko ba siya iniisip? snap it!skyler!

"Mukhang pagod ka, Sky," he teased as we settled into our seats.

"Grabe ang trabaho," sagot ko, rolling my eyes. "Pero okay naman. Medyo... interesting."

"Interesting? Bakit?" He raised a brow.

Napakagat-labi ako. Hindi ko alam kung paano ikukuwento yung nangyari kanina without sounding delusional. Hey, Zach, mukhang may soft side si Ezekiel at may weird na tension sa pagitan namin! Hindi yata magandang topic 'yun.

parang hindi naman kasi maniniwala siya kaya i keep it nalang

"Ah, wala lang! May pinagawa lang si Sir Ezekiel sa akin, as usual."

"Hmm," he hummed, obviously not buying it. "Alam mo, parang lagi kang may kwento tungkol sa boss mo."

"Work ko 'to, ano pa bang aasahan mo?" depensa ko agad.

"Skyler, you're bad at lying," he chuckled. "Anyway, kung gusto mong maglabas ng sama ng loob, andito lang ako."

wewss

I smiled. Zach was always like that—warm, steady, reliable.

But as we ate, I couldn't shake off the feeling that something was looming. Something I couldn't see yet.

basta masarap ang ramen!