ROOMMATES WITH MY BOSS

VLADIMIR'S POV "Come on, Vlad!" My older brother being annoyed first thing in the morning is such a great way to start the day. Nakatayo ako ngayon sa harapan ng glass wall sa living room at pinagmamasdan ang view ng buong siyudad habang inaayos ang kurbata ko, naghahanda sa pagpasok sa trabaho. "Anything else you want to add? I'm in a hurry." I reached for my phone on a nearby dinner table, turned off the loudspeaker and put on my earbuds. "Did you even listen?" Hindi nagbago ang tono nito. "Calm down. You know me well, and yet you chose me to be the acting CEO. If there is a heartless person here, it's you." I reminded him. "Thoughtless on top of that." I added in a whisper, but loud enough that he could hear it. "You should have chosen Lukov instead of me. I was minding my own business in Singapore." "Good god!" I can imagine him throwing his hands in the air. "Two months. I only asked you for two months! Hindi ba pwedeng maging mabait ka naman at bawasan mo ang pagiging strikto mo? Three secretaries? In just ten days, you fired three secretaries?" Sermon nito sa akin. God, he's starting to sound like our old man. "What's the point of keeping them, if they can't do a simple job?" Wala itong maisagot. "Besides, I only fired them as my secretary, not as Ymperial employee. What's the big deal?" I said as I walked out of my unit and stepped into the elevator. "Yeah, but it's not helping your reputation at all. Alam mo ba kung anong sinasabi nila behind your back? Pagnakabalik na ako, you'll resume your position as COO, and you'll-" "Hold on, I never said anything about going back. I only accepted this because you look pathetic begging." Pagputol ko sa sinasabi niya, as it seems he's having this wrong idea in his head. Oo babalik ako sa kompanya, but definitely not after two months. He took a deep breath na animoy nagtitimpi sa sinabi kong yun. "Hindi pwedeng habang buhay kang nakaindefinite leave." He clicked his tongue. "You can't leave me handling the company alone, Vladimir!" "Ibigay mo kay Lukov ang posisyon ko. I think that brat is dying at the planning department." I remembered him storming in my office yelling that he's going to die if he stays there for another week. "And I don't think I can tolerate his nagging every single day." Pag-angal ko. "You know that it's not for me to decide." There was another sigh at the end of the line. "And you can handle him, it's only been ten days, I've been tolerating him for years. And stop changing the damn topic!" Tumaas nanaman ang boses niya. "You gave me the job, and if you want me to continue doing so, never bother me again. Unless you can show up in the company and work with a fractured leg, then do so." I did my best to say that in a serious tone, pero sa tuwing naaalala ko na nahulog siya sa kabayo dahil naiputan siya ng ibon sa noo, which scared him and his horse, hindi ko mapigilang matawa. I wasn't there when it happened, but when our younger brother told me about it, natawa talaga ako. Pano, para iyong isang eksena na sa cartoons lang nangyayari. "I'm hanging." Saad ko bago pa man ako tuluyang matawa. "Hey! We're not done talki-" Hindi ko na narinig ang karugtong ng sinasabi niya dahil pinutol ko na ang tawag. As immature as it sounds, I blocked my brother. See you in two months, Kaiser Ymperial. "Good morning, Sir." Bati ng driver when I showed up in the lobby. He opened the door to the car. Pagkapasok ay agad kong isinandal ang ulo sa headrest. Kaiser drained my energy first thing in the morning. In the office it would be the youngest Ymperial. Being the middle child sucks. YVAINE'S POV "Good morning, Sir! I'm Yvaine Madrigala, your new secretary." Pagbati ko sa lalaking lumabas mula sa isang magarang sasakyan. Hindi siya sumagot, or should I say, hindi niya ako pinansin, and he walked past me. His driver and I both gave each other an awkward smile before I followed the renowned devil inside. Pagkapasok na pagkapasok sa opisina niya ay agad kong ibinigay ang folder na naglalaman ng schedule niya for today. "Here is everything scheduled for you today, Sir." kanina ko pa pinapractice ang walong salitang iyan. Buti nalang at hindi ako nabulol sa sobrang kaba. Nabawasan din ang panginginig ng mga kamay ko. Nice! It seems everything is going smooth. Inabot niya iyon without a word, pero hindi pa man nag-iinit sa kamay niya ang folder matapos tingnan ay agad niyang binaba. Kung ano ano kaagad ang pumasok sa isip ko. Please don't fire me! Inabot lang naman sa akin yan ng HR kahapon. Galing daw doon sa nafired na secretary. "Black folder. Geneva. 12. " He listed in a cold voice. "P-Po?" Nagtataka kong tanong. His brows twitched, unimpressed. Nagalit ko pa ata. "I-I'm sorry, Sir!" Kinuha ko ang maliit na notepad sa bulsa ko at isang ballpen and look at him waiting to repeat what he said. Anong genie ulit yun? He inhaled angrily. This is it! Ako na ata ang magbebreak ng world record! I'll be fired, less than thirty minutes in the job. "Black folder. Geneva. 12. Time and date in bold. All the documents I need to check, on the right side of the table. Documents I need to sign, at the left. You don't have to greet me at the lobby in the morning. Instead pagdating ko dito sa loob, I want a black coffee without sugar already prepared." Mabilis kong sinulat ang mga binanggit niya. "Now get me one." Pahabol niya. "Noted, Sir. Anything else?" Ngumiti ako. The best smile that I have. Kumunot nanaman ang noo niya, kaya agad na nawala ang mga ngiti ko. "Coffee. No sugar." Ulit nito. "Oh," Isinara ko ang notepad ko. "A minute, Sir." Nagmamadali akong lumabas para itimpla siya ng kape. And when the newly brewed coffee is ready, bumalik kaagad ako sa loob ng opisina niya. Pero nang buksan ko ang pinto ay tumama ang ulo ko sa matigas na bagay, and the cup of coffee in my hand splattered all over. "f**k!" Malakas na sigaw ng boss ko. Tumapon sa suot niyang suit ang kape, at umuusok pa sa sobrang init. He was panicking and rubbing the heat off his suit, so am I. It feels like everything is in slowmo as I watch and hear him curse and yell at me. Pano ba ako napunta sa sitwasyong to? Tahimik lang naman ang buhay ko noong nakaraan bilang isang office worker. "Sir, please! I need this job! Hindi naman po ako ang may kasalanan sa nangyari-" Hindi ko natuloy ang sasabihin dahil biglang tumunog ang telepono at sumenyas ang HR na tumahimik ako. Nakakainis naman! Panong sakin napunta ang sisi eh hindi naman ako ang may hawak ng mga files at mas lalong hindi naman sa akin naka assign yung mga yun. And even if may pagkakamali ako, shouldn't a disciplinary action be taken first, and not termination? Unang mali ko palang ito sa trabaho simula ng mag-umpisa ako, tapos tatanggalin kaagad? I need this job to pay my bills. Dumating na ang bill sa tubig at kuryente, rent, wifi, at iba pa. Nagsabay sabay lahat. May vet visit pa si Oreo next week. "Yes, Sir. Yes. Yes. I understand." Napatingin ako sa HR Head na tango ng tango na animoy kaharap ang kausap sa telepono. Maya maya pa ay ibinaba na niya ito. "Sir-" Agad ko sanang umpisa. "Ms. Madrigala, you said you need a job, right?" Pagputol nito sa akin. "Y-Yes?" May pagtataka kong sagot. "Perfect!" Bulalas nito and hid the folder containing my documents back in his drawer. "Ibig sabihin pwede na ulit akong bumalik sa trabaho ko, Sir?" Tanong ko. "Even better! I'll offer you a new position." Nakangiti pa ito. "Then I'll take it!" Sagot ko ng walang pag-aalinlangan. And now I'm here. The stupid secretary as the devil said. At least stupid lang, hindi unemployed. At hindi ko naman kasalanan na nandun pala siya! If he needed anything, he could have called me through the intercom. But still, I should be thankful na hindi niya ako tinanggal sa trabaho matapos ng nangyari kaninang umaga. I took a bite on my sandwich. It's lunch time. Nagtatago ako rito sa rooftop dahil hindi ko kayang makipagsabayan sa mga tao ngayon sa cafeteria sa ibaba. I bet everyone knew na nasigawan ako kaninang umaga, at paniguradong pinagchichismisan na nila ngayon, lalong lalo na ng mga dati kong kadepartment. I'm contemplating whether this job is worth it. His presence is overbearing as everyone said. But on a side note, I got a decent raise as his secretary. Ten thousand ba naman ang nadagdag sa dati kong sahod. Parang sayang din. Nope, sayang talaga! Chance ko na to para makaipon. I opened my phone and checked the notes I did last night. Ito ang ilang impormasyong nakalap ko tungkol sa boss ko. Vladimir De Castro-Ymperial, the second son of Mr. Edmund and Mrs. Ines Ymperial. Infamous for being hot-headed, and a terror boss. Fired three secretaries in the past ten days, baka ako na ang ika-apat. Other details followed, he is thirty seven years old. Kaya pala masungit kasi gurang na. In fairness, gwapong gurang. Okay, next is he's a divorcee. No children. And he is the COO of the Ymperial Fortune, but he took an indefinite leave after his divorce ten years ago, and has settled in New York most of the time, and was staying in Singapore bago siya ipatawag ng kapatid na si Sir Kaiser Ymperial to replace him as CEO for the mean time habang nagpapagaling ito from a fracture he got due to an accident. Other than that ay wala na akong ibang detalyeng nakuha patungkol sa kanya. Kapag tinanong ko naman yung mga babaeng empleyado ay puro tili at paghanga sa kagwapuhan nito lang ang nakukuha ko. Most of the higher ups won't say anything about him, as if it's a curse to talk about the great Vladimir Ymperial. Basta, the people call him, the devil incarnate. Naputol ang pag-iisip ko when I heard the metal door opened. Sumilip ako ng bahagya kung sino ang lumabas rin dito sa rooftop. Namilog ang mga mata ko ng makita si Sir Vladimir. Lumapit siya sa railings at sumandal doon. He took out a pack of cigarettes hidden in the pocket of his suit. Yung extra niya sa loob ng office, because the one he's wearing earlier became a dreadful mess. Nagsindi siya ng sigarilyo and puff a smoke out of his fine mouth.