THE PERFECT HUSBAND (LEE BROTHERS #1)

Chapter 1. Epic Trio

✧THIRD PERSON POV✧

"FAITH! Faithfully! Lovey-dudes! Yoohooo!"

Um-echo ang boses ni Hope sa loob ng malaki nilang bahay, kararating lamang nito. Sabado kasi ngayon at natural nang hindi napapanuto ang puwet niya sa bahay kapag weekend. Pero ang kagandahan naman, it's either galing siya sa kanilang Mommyla, his Mom's mother, or sa kanilang Tito Betlog.

Habang ang kambal niyang si Faith at Love naman, at ang nakababata nilang kapatid na babae, si Summer, maging ang kanilang ina, si Keycee, at ang mister nito, si Ace, ay nasa bahay lang. Lalo na kung wala silang naka-schedule na family trip. Nagkataong wala ngayon dahil kagagaling lamang nila sa Thailand just last week.

"Ano na naman kaya'ng tsismis ang nasagap n'yan sa labas?" Napailing si Love habang busy pa rin sa game controller niya. Ganoon din si Faith. Dalawa silang naglalaro rito sa living room, habang si Summer na twenty-one years old na ngayon ay kasalukuyang wala sa kanilang bahay, lumabas ito kani-kanina lamang kasama ang kaniyang mga kaibigan. Ang Mommy at Daddy naman nila ay nasa itaas.

“Baka tungkol na naman sa contraceptive," mahinang sagot ni Faith. Noong nakaraan kasi, binulabog sila ni Hope matapos nitong makasagap ng impormasyon sa ilan nitong kaibigan tungkol sa hindi pagiging 100% effective ng condom.

"Oh yeah. Nariyan lang pala kayong mga doppelganger ko." Natatawang lumapit si Hope sa dalawa, pumagitan ito sa kanila sa couch, 'tsaka inakbayan pareho ang kaniyang mga kakambal.

"Hope." Napabunga ng hangin si Love, medyo naiinis kahit na tutok pa rin ang tingin nito sa screen ng malaki nilang flat screen TV at abala ang mga kamay niya sa game controller. "We are not your doppelganger. Do you even know what doppelganger is? In folklore or popular culture, it is often considered harbinger of bad luck or an omen of death! Ikaw, kung ano na lang 'yang lumabas sa bibig mo, hindi mo na ginagamitan ng isip."

Faith pressed his lips together, struggling to stifle his laughter. It was always amusing to him whenever Love launched into a sermon directed at their triplet sibling, Hope, who was undeniably the wildest among them. They were triplets: Faith Zeican Lee, Hope Ryker Lee, and their youngest sibling, Love Andrei Lee, na siyang huling inilabas sa tiyan ng kanilang ina.

Among the three, Faith Zeican stands out as the epitome of kindness and compassion. Known for his gentle demeanor and caring nature, Faith is always ready to lend a helping hand and offer support to those around him. His generosity knows no bounds, often putting others' needs before his own, and his nurturing personality makes him the go-to person for comfort and advice.

Hope Ryker, on the other hand, is the mischievous prankster of the trio. With an irrepressible sense of humor and a penchant for practical jokes, Hope brings laughter and excitement wherever he goes. His playful antics often lighten the mood and add a sense of fun to any situation, though they occasionally land him in trouble.

Love Andrei complements the siblings with his sharp intellect and quick wit. A true genius in his own right, Love excels in academics and problem-solving but can be easily irritated by incompetence or frivolity. He tends to keep to himself, preferring solitude over social gatherings, and his reserved demeanor often comes across as aloof or standoffish to those who don't know him well.

"Oo na! Sige na! Kung ayaw mo ng doppelganger, clone na lang. Tutal iisang sperm lang naman tayo. Pero maiba ako. Hinahanap ko kayo dahil may—"

"Itsi-tsismis ka sa 'min," Faith interrupted him.

"Ay, gagi." Natatawa nitong binalingan si Faith. "Paano mo nalaman?"

"Dahil iisang sperm lang tayo, ulol," Faith repeated his earlier words, habang bahagya rin nakangisi.

Hope laughed out loud. "Ito na nga mga parekoy. Galing ako kina Mommyla, at may Madam na nagpunta ro'n. Hindi ako tsismosong tao, alam n'yo 'yan. Kung mayro'n man nakakakilala sa 'kin nang lubos, kayo 'yon, dahil iisang sperm lang tayo. Pero kasi, aksidente kong narinig 'yong usapan nila. Alam n'yo kung ano?" Parehong nasa flat screen TV ang atensyon ni Faith at Love, gayon pa man ay nakikinig sila sa tsismoso—pero ayaw umamin nilang kakambal—kay Hope. "Next week, Faith, i-me-meet mo na raw 'yong magiging fiancé mo from the Herald Family."

"What?" Love and Faith asked in unison. Pareho rin natigil ang kanilang mga kamay sa pagkalabit sa game controller, habang na kay Hope na ang tingin.

"I thought next year pa?" Si Love. His eyebrows furrowed in concern. "Alam na ba nila Mommy at Daddy?"

Hope shook his head no. "Hindi pa rin. Pero pupunta rito sila Mommyla mamaya, kasama si Daddylo at Tita Baby. Mukhang i-inform na rin nila si Mom at Dad, lalong-lalo ka na Faithfully, dahil aware ka naman na sa ating tatlo, ikaw ang mauunang sakalin—no. Ikasal pala."

Natahimik si Faith. Yes. Aware siya roon. They were oriented about the arranged marriage by their Lolo Don A back when they were just teenagers, and they all agreed because it's a long-standing tradition in the Lee Family. Isa pa, sa sobrang lawak ng kayamanan ng kanilang Lolo Don A, kahit silang mga anak ng apo nito—si Ace Lee—ay napaglaanan nito ng hindi birong mana.

But everything comes with a price. Before Don Adolfo passed away—when they were sixteen—Don Adolfo left a will regarding his inheritance. Ang sabi roon, the triplets wouldn't receive their inheritance unless they married the person Don Adolfo had chosen for them. Noon lamang din nila nalaman na bata pa lang pala sila ay nakahanap na si Don Adolfo ng ima-match sa kanila. However, they had no idea who they were. Ang tanging nakaaalam niyon ay si Stephanie, ang kanilang Mommyla, ina ni Keycee, because Don Adolfo had entrusted her with this task before he passed away. And they were set to meet their matches when they turned twenty-five, so that they would have the chance to get to know each other bago ang nakatakdang kasal. Ngunit ngayon ay twenty-four pa lamang sila, kaya nagtataka sila kung bakit medyo napaaga.

"Buti na lang ikaw ang mauuna." Si Hope ulit, hindi pa rin nawawala ang pagngisi nito, habang si Love naman at Faith ay parehong nag-aalala. "Oobserbahan ka namin ni Lovey-dudes kung ano'ng magiging lagay mo sa magiging asawa mo. Kapag unsuccessful, declined at access denied ka sa langit—I mean, sa EVER HAPPILY AFTER, mag-a-AWOL na lang ako sa pamilyang 'to. Ano ngayon kung wala akong manahin? Willing naman akong tumira sa gilid-gilid, or di kaya, magpapaampon na lang ako kay Tito Betlog."

Iyon din ang ipinag-aalala ni Faith noon pa. Paano kung hindi maging kasing successful ng arranged marriage ng kanilang Mommy at Daddy ang sa kanila? Kilala nila si Don Adolfo—lolo ng kanilang daddy—at alam nilang ito ang tinaguriang King of Matchmaker. Noong buhay pa ito, nagbitaw ito sa kanila ng salita na kailangan nilang magtiwala sa magiging desisyon nito para sa kanila dahil wala itong ibang hangad kung 'di ang mapabuti rin sila gaya ng kinahinatnan ng kanilang Mommy at Daddy. Gayon pa man, hindi maiwasang makaramdam ng pag-aalala ni Faith, lalo na at sa kanilang magkakapatid ay siya ang unang isasalang.

Dinunggol ni Love ang braso ni Hope para sermonan ulit ito. "What do you mean by unsuccessful? Are you really worried that Faith will go astray? Have you forgotten that you're the one who gave him the nickname Faithfully? He hasn't even courted any girl because he's FAITHful to his future fiancée. Faith can easily handle married life if it comes to that. You're the one who should be worried, Hope, because if any of the three of us is going to be access denied sa sinasabi mong Happily Ever After, ikaw 'yon. Dahil siguradong walang tatagal sa 'yo, sa pagiging loko-loko mo."

Kaagad siyang binalingan ni Hope. "Halimaw ka namang manghusga! Don't cover the judge by its book!"

Napailing si Love sa sinabi nito. Mana talaga si Hope sa kanilang Tito Ryan na kahit alam ang tamang salita ay ira-ramble para lamang makapagpatawa.

Ibinalik ni Faith ang tingin sa hawak niyang game controller habang nag-iisip ng mga posibilidad.

'Paano kung hindi ko magustuhan 'yong fiancé ko, pero gusto n'ya ako?'

"At bakit mo ba 'ko tinatawag na Lovey-dudes? Ilang beses ko nang sinasabi noon pa, Andrei ang itawag n'yo sa 'kin!"

'Paano kung magustuhan ko naman s'ya, pero hindi n'ya ako gusto?'

"Andrei? 'Wag mo na pabanguhin. P'wede na 'yong Andreng."

'Paano kung hindi namin magustuhan ang isa't-isa at magdusa lang kami sa mga panahong gugugulinn namin habang magkasama?'

"Stop getting on my goddam nerves, Hopia. It's Andrei!"

'Pero possible kayang maging katulad kami ng tadhana nila Mom at Dad?'

"Si Daddy nga Asyong, eh. Kaya 'wag ka nang choosy, Andreng."

To be continued . . .