Playful Seduction

Chapter 11.

I decided not to think too much of the upcoming ‘meet the parents’ lalo na at mukhang halo ang kaba at pressure kay Raius tuwing nababanggit ko. I want him to relax. I want him to be himself when the time comes. Alam ko, confident ako na magiging okay ang lahat.

I want my parents and Tito Ram to see what I see in Raius.

“Excited or nervous? May exact date na ba?” Adelaine came to my office para magpa pirma ng mga documents. She asked that while I am signing.

“Both. Tito Ram has no definite date yet but he’ll tell us once his schedule is sorted out. Alam mo naman ‘yon, very busy. Mas okay nang maghintay kami sa sure date rather than mag bigay sya ng hindi sure.”

Adelaine nods. “That’s true. Lahat ‘yata kayo sa family nyo eh puro workaholic! Even your mother who is supposed to be a housewife, ang daming sideline.” Natatawa na sabi nya. She got the folder from me after I am done.

I chuckled. “Runs in the blood, maybe.”

“Aalis ba kayo ni Raius later?” Naipakilala ko naman na si Adelaine at Raius before, and sometimes ay nagkakasabay kami lumabas ni Adelaine ay naaabutan nya si Raius sa labas na naghihintay sa akin.

Hindi pa lang kami nagkakaroon ng chance na lumabas magkakasama dahil bukod sa marami talaga akong ginagawa ay hindi rin tugma ang mga schedule naming magkakaibigan. We are in different fields, with different demands and schedules.

And I also think na mabuti na rin na sa family ko mauuna formal na ipakilala si Raius as my boyfriend. If I just knew na hindi naman magiging ganoon ka intense ang reaction nila if I tell them that I have a boyfriend, malamang sa malamang ay matagal ko nang nabanggit sa kanila ang tungkol doon.

But I don’t have any regrets. I still think that the timing is just good and it’s up to us to make it perfect.

“Nope, I’m headed home. Why?”

She shrugged her shoulders. “Nothing, weekend kasi. Usually lumalabas kayo.”

“Well, he’s a little busy with a few things he wants to do in his house and the house he’s renting for. Umalis na ‘yung former tenant, he said he’ll fix what needs fixing for the next tenant.”

“Wow. Husband material,” Adelaine said chuckling.

“True. Sometimes I am really amazed with the little things he can do. Like fixing lights, diagnosing what’s wrong with the internet, and more.”

“Yeah, my brother wouldn’t bother to check on the problem with the lights but will definitely check on the internet dahil iyon na ‘yata ang buhay nya.”

Sabay kaming tumawa.

“You know teenage boys. Online games and stuff are their thing. He’s a dean’s lister naman, hindi ba?”

Napabuga ng hangin si Adelaine. “Oo, kaya nga ang yabang. He said he can balance his hobbies with his studies.”

“Which he really does. Ano ka ba? If I would have a brother like that, I’ll probably flex him to everyone.”

Adelaine rolled her eyeballs. “You’re just saying that kasi only child ka. You are imagining what ifs. But to me, who has two brothers my whole life, it’s a different story. Anyway, I’ll have to get back to the ground floor. I’ll wait for the food delivery.”

“Alright, alright.” Suko ko. Tinaas ko pa ang dalawang kamay ko as a sign of giving up.

She smiled at me before she left my office.

I continued with the work. I received a message from Raius.

Raius:

Hi mahal! Nasa taas na ako ngayon, patapos na sa mga ginagawa ko. Kumain ka na ng lunch ha? Maya kakain na rin ako.

Me:

Maya maya na ako kakain mahal, I am still full from the brucnch I ate on the way to the office. Ingat ka dyan.

Simple joys. Iyon ang tawag ko sa ganitong ginagawa naming dalawa. It’s fun that he updates me on random times everyday and I am already used to it. I always anticipate it now, like I wouldn’t have to ask what he’s doing or what he did for the day because I know he will tell me.

Nasanay na rin ako sa ganoon na set up. It feels like I already became well adjusted to having a boyfriend or being in a relationship and it’s better than what I used to think. Before, I feel like I magkakaroon ako ng maraming limitasyon, but the fact is, I even felt freer.

Raius is so supportive. Ako na nga minsan ang nagtatanong sa kanya if it’s okay for me to do this, do that, wear this, say that. He will tell me what he thinks and I love that he’s explaining it well so I’d know why the thinks that way, or why did he say that.

Raius:

Pauwi ka na ba?

Me:

Opo mahal.

Raius:

Take care. Tell me kapag nakauwi ka na, ha?

Me:

I know the drill. Thanks, mahal!

Raius:

Maaga ako aalis bago sa ako pumunta sa bar. Kailangan ko dumaan kila Ramon and Rosmund. Tutulong ako para sa surprise party ni Edison mamaya after gig.

Me:

Really? Hindi mo naman sinabi. Nagprepare sana ako ng gift for him!

Raius:

Next gig sumama ka na lang. Nakaligtaan ko mahal. Sorry.

Me:

Fine. Mag-iingat ka rin, okay? Text me when you’re home. I love you!

Raius:

I love you, too!

“We are presenting the three new ambassadors of RaiRen Apparel. Aileen Montano, Stephanie Tiu and KD Arellano. Let us give them a round of applause!” The announcer finally saif their names correctly.

Napabuga ako nang hangin nang matapos na silang maipakilala at lumabas sa stage. I was just looking from the back. Mamaya pa ako lalabas for the interview after a quick interview and expossures to each ambassador.

This isn’t my first media launch but this is so far the biggest. I used to say na mas gusto ko na lowkey lang ang brand ko, that I don’t want to get too much attention, just the right amount to get the attention and peek the interest of our ideal customers. But since Tita Bee decided to have her own branch in Isabela, there are others who became interested as well.

I said to myself na as much as possible, I want my brand to be solely operated by me. Tita Bee is family, and I know she will be good in the business, so I let her. Besides, it’s the way she and Tito Ram supported me even when I was just starting that made me say yes. But I did not expect for other people, to be interested as well.

Ang weird pa roon, the people inquiring about investing or wanting to have their own franchise of my apparels are quite on the older bracket. Yes. Businesswomen and men who are known to my parents. Hindi ko alam kung sana nila narinig ang about sa branch na itinayo ni Tita Bee but these inquiries made me think.

Kung papayag ako sa mga proposal sila, I might as well make my brand a little bit bigger. So, I told Adelaine I want a bigger launching for the current collection. Adelaine pulled it off in a week. She was able to invite some of the biggest bloggers, vloggers and some lifestyle journalists from major newspaper and online magazines to come today.

It’s probably the main reason why I feel really nervous.

I’ve been to a few parties and gatherings where our family gets the main attention but this is a different situation. This is my business, and I don’t want to ruin this.

“Are you alright? Do you need water?” Mula sa likod ko ay sumulpot si Adelaine, looking worried. Alam ko na halata naman na kabado ako.

I nod. “I’m okay.” Sagot ko sa kanya.

She gave me a non-convinced look. “C’mon.” Hinawakan nya ang dalawang balikat ko at ipinaharap ako sa kanya. “Ngayon ka pa ba kakabahan? This is it. This is all you. Inhale, exhale.”

Nag inhale at nag exhale ako ng ilang ulit.

Adelaine smiled. “Good. You will be called in,” Tiningnan nya ang wrist watch nya, “Probably five minutes. You can do it.”

I bit my lower lip. “I can do it,”

“That’s the spirit! Slay!”

She stayed next to me hanggang sa tawagin na ako ng host.

One deep breath and I am already in the stage, smiling brightly at everyone. Umupo ako sa pang apat na upuan na nasa gitna ng stage. I heard the applause of all the guests as well as the three ambassadors next to me.

I honestly felt scared for a second, but the next second, I became proud. I am still nervous as hell but thinking that this is all me, my business, everything I worked hard for, I should be happy that I am able to share this to everyone here.

After the introduction at masanay ang mga mata ko sa lighting na nasa stage, I looked around, searching for a familiar face. Napangiti ako nang makita si Raius sa likod ng mga guests. He’s smiling, kumaway pa sya. He told me that he would be coming at he didn’t fail me.

Gusto kong matawa dahil nang makita ko na sya ay ginanahan ako na magpa cute sa mga camera at cellphones ng mga guests habang on going ang interview sa amin ng host.

“So, how about you, Miss Raisa, is there anything more about this collection you want us to know? We can see the beautiful aesthetics of the design of the clothes, but is there more than than that?”

Ngumiti muna ako sa harap ng mga guests bago ako humarap sa mismong host. There’s also a camera behind the host to capture us kapag nakaharap kami sa host. This whole event/interview will be edited and will be upload to my youtube channel. It is my personal channel but that is also where some people found out or learned about my brand.

I don’t really post that much anymore because I honestly, I became bombarded with real adult problems as well as business things but I see to it that I still have some contents worth a few minutes of my subscribers.

Like behind the scenes of some photoshoots of RaiRen. Adelaine took a video of me and the three ambassadors interacting at the backstage before the event started. I already talked to them about it, asked for their permission that I will record a behind the scene of the events in my vlog.

Fortunately, two of them are actually into vlogging as well, they also put a few videos of their everyday lives while the other is more into writing, but she would still love to write about the event as well, aside from agreeing to be an ambassador.

“That is actually a really nice question.” Lumapad ang ngiti ko. I did not expect this question but it is one those unexpected question that I actually like. “Well, this collection is called Diwata because every shirt’s design is a representation of each ambassador’s vision of what a Diwata looks like. We all know that they are beautiful, and the word beautiful has different meaning in each other’s eyes. These beautiful ladies collaborated with their chosen artist to come up with the design.”

 “Actually, that’s the fun part, kaya rin po ako naging interested to join the ambassadorship. Aside from the fact na gusto ko na rin po talaga ang RaiRen even before, I have collections of the shirts and some shorts, when they told me na may creative freedom kami with the artist we will choose to help us come up with our vision, nakakatuwa po kasi not all ambassador has that opportunity.” Sabi naman ni KD Arellano.

“Oh! So, this is actually not just a handpicked design, but the ambassador’s own interpretation of what a Diwata looks like?” Gulat rin na sabi ng host.

The other ambassadors agreed.

“True, nag bond din kaming lahat sa fact na pwede rin kami mamili ng sarili naming artist na tingin namin, can understand our vision. It’s just a one-of-a-kind experience. Whatever shirt or design you guys would get, it’s like a piece of our minds are with you.” Si Aileen iyon.

We continued discussing until the time for the guests to question us came. Most questions are directed to the ambassadors anyway, which is what I want, dahil dapat na mag focus sa kanila dahil suot nila ang mga RaiRen shirts na designs nila mismo.

Patingin tingin ako kay Raius na ngayon ay seryoso na ang mukha habang nakatingin sa stage. Parang nakikinig talaga sya sa interview. I smiled secretly. I am worried na baka ma bored sya but it seems that it’s not the case.

Kita ko pa ang parang pag kunot ng noo nya habang patuloy ang interview.

After almost an hour, the program finished and the food is now serving. I said my thanks to the host and the three, I entertained them a little and told them that they have a private room to eat with their assistants or plus twos. Adelaine assisted them before I left.

Sandali kong tiningnan ang sarili ko sa comfort room. I need to check on my make up na tingin ko ay tunaw na. Mabilisan akong nag retouch. Pakiramdam ko ay matagal na masyado ang paghihintay ni Raius. And my boyfriend is already probably hungry kaya aayain ko na lang rin sya sa private luncheon room ko para kumain.

When I finally felt na okay na ulit ang itsura ko, I immediately went out and looked around for Raius. I saw him in a corner. I smiled at him nang mapansin nyang papalapit na ako sa kanya. He smiled back at me, too.

But halfway going towards him, someone blocked me and my vision and before I realized it, I saw that someone walked towards Raius and hugged him.

My jaw dropped and I stopped walking when I realized from that person’s clothes that it is Stephanie Tiu.