Risk It All

RIA 05

Walking along the hallway going towards the office of their boss, Ian’s mind was clouded with questions which concern his emotions and feelings for his best friend, about Gera knowing his and Bill’s little secret, and about the new client who personally requested for him. He lifted his gaze from the floor as he was already midway. He shook his head and simultaneously slapped both of his cheeks reminding himself not to think of his personal matters. It is time for work and he’s in their office, his workplace. Anything personal must not bother him this time. All he must think of is work. Nothing else but work alone.

When Ian felt that he cleared his mind from his personal and internal struggles, he came back into his senses. He immediately turned his head from left to right, and to his back, checking if someone saw him slapping himself as he was walking. He sighed in relief when he saw no one. If someone does, it would be another embarrassing moment for him to ponder all night.

Ian turned around and faced the direction where his boss’s officer was. He was about to continue his steps when he noticed a guy standing next to the door of his boss’s office, standing outside the office. There was a phone in his right hand and was talking. Yet, his face was fixed at Ian’s direction. A small genuine happy smile was painted on his lips.

Stopping on his tracks, Ian wanted to be eaten by the floor this instance. Just when he thought no one saw him acting like crazy, there’s this guy who was silently observing him at the end of the hallway, on the part of the hallway where Ian did not check beforehand.

Redness started to creep on Ian’s face starting on his cheeks, heating up. He lowered his head and tilted to the side as if it would hide his face. He then bit his lower lip and closed his eyes in shame as he mentally slapped himself and blamed himself for being so careless. That’s what he gets when he doesn’t focus on work and thinks of other things that are already out of his work.

Ian suddenly stiff in the middle of the hallway as a thought popped in his mind, overpowering his other thoughts. What if the guy who saw him is the new client? His first impression of him would be so low by this time already. And if ever the guy is really the new client who requested for him, it would greatly affect his credibility as an accountant and auditor. He could not face the client in that case.

A fake cough caught Ian’s attention as it was followed by a voice asking him, “You must be Ian Bermudez?”

Ian stayed on his spot and position for a couple of seconds. The sound of the voice was very familiar to him. Ian was virtually certain that he already heard this voice. He just could barely remember when and where he heard that voice. Ian tried his best to recall it, but to no avail, there’s nothing that he could dig from his memory.

While he was in the middle of still trying to remember the first time he heard the voice, Ian noticed a shadow approaching him from the corner of his eyes. Yet, Ian did not bother to throw a glance. He remained facing to the side.

“Trying to remember me?” with a playful tone of voice, the guy asked. And Ian then saw a pair of black shiny leather shoes stopped a foot away from him. The guy stopped in front of him. He even heard the guy take a breath and blow the air heavily. “Did you really forget me already? You were the one who told me to call you if I needed any help from you,” this time, the guy’s voice was calm and collected. It was charming to the ears, each word that he spoke was soothing enough.

Slowly moving his head to face the guy, Ian quickly remembered where he heard the voice first. And before he could completely lift his gaze, a face flashed inside his mind. The owner of the voice was none other than the waiter, who assisted him last Saturday and the one Bill pushed because he whispered his answer in Ian's ear.

Though Ian already knew who he would be facing, Ian still got surprised upon seeing the guy’s face so near to him. It was like there was only a three to five inches gap in between their faces, separating them. It was too close that Ian needed to abruptly take a step backward, causing him to lose balance.

Gladly, the guy was quick to catch him in his arms, preventing Ian from falling. Yet, their position became like they were doing a dance position where the girl bends her back and one of her feet is lifted while the guy supports the girl. Even their faces were closer than ever; the tips of their noses touched. The guy carefully helped Ian stand on his feet. But the guy’s gaze never left Ian’s eyes, like his eyes found their place on Ian’s, like he was comfortable by simply staring at Ian’s eyes.

“I-I’m o-okay now. Y-you c-can t-take your hands off me already,” stuttering, Ian forced himself to speak. Ian doesn’t know what he was feeling as of the moment. Everything went so fast, and he felt the surroundings become so light that he didn't have to think of anything that would bother him. It was like there’s just him and the guy.

Weird. Is the exact word Ian could explain the sudden feeling the guy gave him in just a span of seconds. Although it wasn’t all new to him, Ian couldn’t even name the feeling. He already felt it before. Does he have a crush on the guy already? Yet, Ian protested his own feelings. It couldn’t be possible. It was so different when he’s with Bill. Or was it because he already loves Bill that made it different from the two?

“Hey, Ian, are you sure you’re okay? You’re pacing out. . .”the guy mentioned. And added as he chuckled afterwards, “Or am I that handsome for you to stare at me like that? Don’t you worry, Ian, I will be yours sooner or later.” The soft chuckles the guys voiced out was so enticing.

Hearing the guy's soft chuckles made Ian back to reality. Ian then pulled himself back, composing himself. “I-I a-am not. . .” Ian replied. He looked away from the guy, fixing his eyes to the door of his boss’s office. “If you’ll excuse me, Mister. . .” Ian paused, realizing he doesn’t know the guy’s name.

“Kurt,” the guy introduced. He then offered a hand to Ian. “I am Kurt Azarcon. Nice to meet you again, Ian Bermudez.”

Ian sighed deeply. “Okay, Kurt, if you’ll excuse me, I am in an urgent meeting. Excuse me,” Ian managed to say, not looking at the guy.

Kurt moved to the side, giving Ian a space, making a way for Ian, which the latter immediately took. Ian walked passed beside Kurt. But after only a step or two, Kurt talked again. “Then. . . I’ll meet you later, Ian,” as Kurt was saying the words, it could be heard in his voice that there’s more in between.

Ian did not give much importance to what Kurt had said. He continued to walk and made his way fast going to his boss’s office. He knocked the door three times first before he pushed the door open. The wide and spacious room welcomed him. He greeted his boss the moment he saw him, lightly nodding his head.

His boss was sitting on his seat in front of the two-meter CEO table. Ian then frowned when he saw no one other than his boss inside the office. He thought the new client requested him for a conversation. But, why is there only him and his boss?

“Have a seat first, Ian.” His boss gestured his hand for him to sit on the vacant seat on the left frontal side of the table. The other side was occupied by a gray body-hugging sling laptop bag.

Ian’s eyes were stuck on the laptop bag as he obeyed his boss, sitting on the chair. His boss seemed to notice from his face what was running in his mind because he then heard his boss answer his unspoken question. “The new client just went outside for a minute to answer a call.”

It just came back to Ian’s mind the thought he was thinking while he was in the hallway. Could it be the new client and Kurt are one person? It’s not far from happening. Ian saw Kurt answering a call in the hallway right in front of the door of the office where he is right now.

Just right on the spot Ian was having an internal debate inside his mind, the door opened. And the widely smiling face of Kurt Azarcon appeared in the opening. Kurt’s eyes instantly found themselves darting directly at Ian’s unreadable eyes due to a mixture of feelings. Yet, two emotions were evident; surprise and confusion.

“Ian, this is Kurt Azarcon, our new client and the one who requested to have a word with you since he also asked me if it is okay if you will be the one handling them, which I did not refuse. I know you won’t disappoint and will deliver your work with high credibility,” Ian’s boss introduced as Kurt was making his way to the seat in front of Ian. “I assume you already met since Kurt asked your presence, Ian.”

Instead of Ian answering his boss, Kurt took the chance to respond, “Yes, Mr. Valdez. Ian and I already met in our restaurant, especially in one of our branches in a mall. That’s where I always see him every once in a while over weekends.”

Ian’s brows crooked. His eyes went small like he was almost squinting. Our restaurant? Ian asked silently. Isn’t Kurt a waiter in that restaurant where he met him last Saturday?

Although Ian was drowned in his thoughts as Mr. Valdez gave him the overview of what would be his job on Kurt’s business, he was still able to understand everything. For the whole time Mr. Valdez was talking, Ian kept himself in silence. Well, from the time Mr. Valdez introduced Kurt to him, it seemed like Ian lost his tongue. There were no words coming out from him. He never spoke a word to Kurt.

“So, I guess, I’ll leave the other matters to the both of you. You can have a conversation about the in-depth details of the work here in my office since I will be going outside for a while or you prefer to discuss things in the cafeteria?” Mr. Valdez ended his part.

“Thank you, Mr. Valdez. I guess we will just discuss more of the details here in your office for confidentiality,” Kurt responded.

“Okay then. . . I’ll leave you two now.” Mr Valdez stood up, excusing himself. He glanced at Ian. “I know you can do it, Ian,” he mouthed before turning his back and went straight to the door.

It was more than a minute already since the door had closed. Ian and Kurt were staring at each other starting the time Mr. Valdez had left. Ian was still processing the things in his mind. He still doesn’t get it why Kurt mentioned our restaurant when he’s just a waiter at that restaurant. Mr. Valdez also hasn’t mentioned Kurt’s role in the business. In normal cases, Ian would immediately assume Kurt could be the owner, if and only if, he did not see him serve him as a waiter.

Ian heard Kurt clear his throat, a curved hand was covering his mouth. “I assume you are confused as of the moment, Ian. Let me introduce myself to you. I am Kurt Azarcon, the one and only heir of the Azarcon Foods. And the restaurant where you saw me being a waiter is one of the food businesses our family owns. I really am not a waiter but a trainee in our family business. I need to understand everything in the business. That is why I tried all the possible positions in our business to experience everything firsthand.” Kurt then showed a charming smile.

“I see. . . Thank you for clarifying,” Ian replied, nodding, not minding the smile Kurt was giving him. Well, not until he realized something. His eyes grew wide upon the realization occurred to him.

With wide eyes, Ian stared at Kurt. “D-Don’t tell me. . .” he struggled to finish his sentence. There is something in him that doesn’t want to confirm his thoughts.

“Don’t tell me what, Ian?” Both of Kurts eyebrows raised.

“D-Don’t t-tell m-me. . . You’re the one who paid for the meal?”

The smile on Kurt’s lips grew even wider, and happiness was all over his smile. His eyes glistened like he was glad that Ian still remembered it.

Ian watched Kurt transfer to the chair next to him. He just then felt Kurt’s arm over his shoulder. “Yes. And I am glad you finally realized it, Ian. Or should I call you mine?”