The Hater 3: Hated to Love You (The Hater Trilogy #3) [SPG]

8 [Part 1] | Liking You More

"SHOULD I come inside with you?" Mingi asked Yunho who went out of his car and was about to close the window. "I'm contemplating..."

Yunho smiled. "Whatever suits you," he replied, telling Mingi to decide whether to stay beside him inside the company or go to the headquarter. "Pero okay lang naman kung aalis ka na. The headquarter might need you as well."

"Sigurado ka?" Mingi asked with worry in his eyes. "Baka kasi may mangyaring masama sa 'yo, I will blame myself if anything happened to you."

"I am the CEO of this company, so I have access to everything. A single security is just a cents of what money can do." Yunho closed the door and went near the open window. "Marami naman ang security guards dito. You don't have to worry." He smiled as he tapped two times on the car. "You can go now. Ingat ka sa pagmamaneho."

Still worried, Mingi looked at Yunho one last time with worry in his eyes. "I don't know why I'm feeling this way, it is like something bad will happen."

"Ako na ang bahala sa sarili ko, Mingi-hyung."

"Call me when anything happened. I'll go back here from time to time to see if you're doing good. I'll go, then."

Mingi just drove the car away, still looking at Yunho on the wing mirror. Yunho smiled on his thought. "He's one year older than me but he looks cute when he worries at me."

---

"YOU LIKE Serim?" Cera asked, gaping her mouth open. "You like him, I mean, you like him in a romantic way, right? Hindi 'yong as a friend lang."

"Ewan," Allen replied while rubbing his palms throughout his whole face. "The only thing I'm sure of is that I miss him. Ganito rin ba ang feeling mo kapag biglang nawala si Alvin?"

"That basically is what I feel when Alvin leaves me alone," Cera uttered while nodding. "And you look like me when Alvin told me his affection. At first, denial ako. Pero heto, sinagot rin naman siya no'ng magdesisyon siya na manligaw."

Allen looked at him with worry in his eyes. "So, I like him?"

"Ewan sa 'yo," Cera replied and smiled. "It's your feelings after all, bakit ko naman malalaman kung gusto mo ba ang isang tao?"

"Kagaya ng mga sinabi mo 'yong nararamdaman ko ngayon."

"Nagsisisi ka ba sa ginawa mo noong pagpigil sa kaniya na gustuhin ka?" tanong ni Cera na tinanguan lang ni Allen. "If that's the case, if may regret malamang nga, may feelings na involved. Teka nga, ano ba kasing inisip mo that time, bakit mo ba kasi ni-dump agad 'yong tao."

"I was thinking if he's not that serious to me. I mean, we're both men. What percent will it be that he will just use me for something. Ewan, masiyado akong overthinker. Ang dami kong iniisip." Allen heaved a deep sigh. It is a sigh of frustration. "I was thinking that if we pursue that, hindi rin lang naman magw-work. What if malaman niya ang field of work ko. I kill people, pa'no kung bigla niya akong iwan. In the end, it is me who is wrecked."

"Puro ka kasi plano kaagad at what ifs, e. Wala talaga 'yang magagawa," Cera hit Allen on his nape. "Alam mo, Allen, kaibigan kita, pero let me tell you this. Ang tanga mo sa part na inisip mo 'yong negative sides ng posibleng mangyari. Kung nagfocus ka sa positive sides, e 'di sana, ayos ka pa ngayon at hindi nagd-drama. At saka, kung gusto ka ng tao, kahit ano ka pa, tatanggapin ka no'n. Imagine, he did not think of your gender, what more of your chosen field of work?"

Allen turned his gaze that it was like he's looking on nowhere. "What shall I do, then?"

"You have to find him as fast as you can. Kung babagalan mo, wala talaga na mangyayari, Allen." Cera tapped Allen's back. "Payong kaibigan lang, gamitin mo ang technology. Hanapin mo sa social media sites kung p'wede."

"I already tried that, Cera. Do you think I'm this stupid to not try that?" Allen heaved a deep sigh once more, the second in row. "Hindi ko kaya siya mahanap. When I search for his name, a lot of Serims are popping out. E, hindi ko nga alam kung ano 'yong apelyido niya. I barely know his full name."

"You're hopeless..."

"I know, hopeless talaga ako."

"But don't lose hope."

Allen looked at her with glare. "Sabi mo hopeless ako tas sasabihin mong huwag akong mawawalan ng hope. Nasa matinong pag-iisip ka ba?"

"Sabi ko nga," Cera muttered and giggled. "Nasobrahan na ata ako ng alak, ang sarap kasi. Weak ka naman pala, e. Juice lang hawak mo."

"May halo itong beer," Allen added. "Kung lasing ka na, you should stop it here, Cera. Pumunta na kaya kayo sa room ninyong dalawa."

"Ano ka ba, Allen, it's a party, we should have fun. Going to the room early is lame," Cera replied and stood up unsteadily. "Ang payo ko lang sa 'yo, Serim is a worm, whoever bird catches him early, malamang hindi na papakawalan 'yon. You should find him quickly before someone grab him away from you. O, siya, sige, back to party na ako."

He just looked at Cera who was walking away from him while jiving to the music. "She looks drunk na pero ayaw pa ring tumigil." Allen shook his head and sighed for the third time around. "But she has a point, kailangan kong mahanap si Serim kaagad. The problem is, where should I start?"

---

ALLEN WOKE up to the noise of the alarm clock tingling around his ears. "Argh," he groaned as he reached for the alarm clock. He immediately punched it with his whole strength to stop it from ringing. "Ang ingay, ponyeta."

They were all up all night because of the welcoming party last night. Due to some problems, Allen decided to hype with the crowd and drunk himself up to the last drop of the beer.

"Nagising na ako," he muttered, scratching his head. "Tanginang alarm clock 'to, nakalimutan ko palang i-set 'yong oras."

He took time to at least prepare himself to go up when his phone rang, all of a sudden. He grabbed the phone and looked at the caller's ID. Upon seeing that it is a number that is not registered inside his contact, he disregarded it.

Allen was about to place the phone back when the phone rang once more. 'Yong number na tumawag sa kaniya ang tumatawag sa kaniya ulit. Who the f**k is this?

Pressing the red button, he placed the phone back to the table when the phone rang once more. Out of irritation, he grabbed the phone back before pressing the green button and placed it near the ear.

"Sino ba kasi 'to?" Allen asked with irritation on his tone. "Ang aga-aga, tatawag. Tapo no'ng sinagot, hindi naman sasagot."

"Hello, Allen," the man with a familiar voice uttered. It was as if the man's voice woke Allen's inner self that was still asleep. "Umagang-umaga, you're already irritated. Well, I guess you don't really want to talk with me."

"S-Serim..." Allen replied, calling the other man's name. "Why did you call? And pa'no..."

"I snatched your phone number when you are asleep in the hospital. I never told you this because I know you'll be mad at me," Serim replied in his usual cool but hot tone. "If you don't want to talk with me, I'll turn this phone call off. I just want to hear your voice..."

"Teka lang," Allen immediately uttered, stopping Serim from putting the call down. "H'wag mong ibaba."

Allen could hear the other guy's sigh even just from the line. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" Allen replied, raising his tone as if asking a question that must be replied to. "Bakit ka ba tumawag? Let's talk."

"I called to say sorry dahil sigurado akong nabigla kita sa sinabi ko the last time that you saw me," Serim humbly replied. "Sorry din if I make you uncomfortable in any way. Even this, I see this as an illegal call because I got your number in an illegal way as well."

"No, it's okay..."

"Also, I miss your voice and face," Serim replied with adoration in his tone. "Siguro 'yon na rin ang nagtulak sa 'kin na kunin ang number mo sa phone mo. I feel the guilt but I'm happy that I heard a glimpse of your voice."

Natahimik sandali si Allen bago muling nagsalita. "Serim, let's be honest with each other," Allen uttered before sighing. "Do you really like me?"

"If you have doubts about my feelings for you, I can make sure that I like you in the most sincere way possible," he replied in a sincere tone. "If I have the chance to meet you, I'll gladly do. But if you don't want, who am I to stop you? Also, hindi ko naman alam kung saan ka nakatira."

"Do you really want to see me?" Allen asked Serim, as if seizing the moment. "Then, let's meet."

"If you'll meet with me just because I want to and not because you wanted to, then I prefer not to," Serim said, sadness can be evident through his voice. "Ayaw kong makita ka dahil lang sa pinilit kita."

"If you want to meet me, then go to this place on wednesday. Go to the Avenue Hotel at eight in the evening. Don't be late or I'll leave quickly," Allen replied strongly. He is really dominant when deciding. "Do you want to know why would I meet you?"

"Yes, if you will let me know."

"Then go to the place that I told you," Allen retorted with a smile on his face. "Remember, don't be late."

---

"ANO?" MINGI exclaimed upon receiving a call. Everyone on the training ground immediately looked at him. "Sige, sige. I'll go immediately there. Don't do any move first."

Eunhyuk appeared and approached him. "What happened, Mingi?"

"Eunhyuk, lead the training first. I need to go first," Mingi uttered and tapped Eunhyuk's shoulder. "Stop the training before twelve. Don't wait for me."

"Okay," Eunhyuk uttered and nodded. He looks lost. "I don't know what the hell is happening but I know you'll be fine. Drive safely."

Kaagad ring pumunta si Mingi sa kaniyang kotse at mabilis itong pinaandar. He immediately went to the Lee Corporation where there is a large crowd covering the area.

"Huwag kayong lalapit!" a man gripping a knife uttered. He is also holding a man, wrapping his arm on the hostage. "Sasaksakin ko 'tong taong 'to kapag lumapit kayo."

Nakipagsiksikan pa si Mingi para lang makalapit sa scene. "Yunho..." he called. "Anong nangyari?"

"Mingi-hyung..." the other replied while looking at him. Yunho seems scared at first but was chilling the longer you see him. "It's okay."