The So-Called Island Project

Matt was flipping the magazine. JV lay his head on the table. Thor was busy scanning his phone. Buboy just sat silently. Red was looking over the glass wall window. They were waiting sa kausap nila kanina. Lumabas ito saglit para puntahan ang architect na gagawa ng Island Project nila. They were waiting for Terrenz...

Red was actually anxious. Pinipilit niyang pakalmahin ang sarili niya by enjoying the view but it cannot suffice his mixed emotions. He was anxious yet excited and nervous. After 5 years, makikita ulit niya si Terrenz. He longed for this day so much. He actually waited for this day.

He got a good glimpse kaninang umaga. In fact, sinadya niya talagang daanan ang lugar kung saan ito nakatira para lang sulyapan ito saglit. He was the happiest nang matanawan itong sumakay ng taxi. He was so excited that he couldn't concentrate driving his motorbike. Balak lang niya unahan ang driver ng taxi kanina upang unahan si Terrenz sa pagpasok but he didn't saw the red light. Bigla siyang napahinto thus the collision happened. Gayunpaman, mabilis ang reflexes niya kaya't mabilis siyang nakaalis sa motor.

"Hindi pa ba babalik yun? How far was Terrenz' office from here?" reklamo ni JV. Tila ito ang pinakainip sa lahat.

"Ok lang yan. Atleast Red has time to breathe," sagot ni Thor na hindi inalis ang tingin sa telepono.

"Are you sure you wanna do this, bro?" ani Buboy na nilingon si Red. Bahagyang nilingon ito ni Red.

"It's now or never," anito as he took a deep breath.

Sabay-sabay silang napalingon sa pinto nang bigla iyong bumukas. Napatuwid ng upo ang apat while Red turned around. Pumasok si Mr. Paredes na siyang kausap nila kanina.

"My apologies for the delay, gentlemen, but Architect Hilario is here," turan ni Mr. Paredes.

As if in slow motion, Terrenz came in the conference room's door. Hindi ito diretsong nakatingin sa kanila but as her eyes landed to look at them, nakita nila ang gulat and curious na reaction ng mga mata nito. Nagpalipat-lipat ang tingin nito sa kanilang lima until it stayed on Red. Hindi ito nakapagsalita...

Terrenz couldn't utter a word. Kumabog ang dibdib niya as she recognize the five men of Warrior Five and Red was there! He was looking at her with what seemed to be a smirk on his face. Her lips pursed a little, tila kinakapos siya ng hininga.

"Terrenz, these men are our clients. Mr. Aguimatt Aragon, Mr. Bobby Calderon, Mr. JV Alejandro, Mr. Arthuro Fernandez and Mr. Red Tuazon."

No one reacted. Terrenz remained speechless habang halos hindi naman makatingin sa kaniya ang lima. It was an awkward moment. Buboy broke the ice eventually.

"Nice seeing you again, Terrenz," sabad ni Buboy. It seemed that wala naman balak itago ang lima na kakilala siya ng mga ito. Humarap ito kay Mr. Paredes. "Our apologies as well Mr. Paredes. Hindi namin nasabi, we do know Ms. Terrenz Hilario. Schoolmate namin siya nung college."

"So that explains why you especially requested Ms. Hilario. That's good, though. I'm pretty sure Architect can work with you easily," ani Mr. Paredes na tumungin pa sa kaniya.

Hindi alam ni Terrenz kung anong gagawin. She wanted to refuse but she remembered kung ano binilin sa kaniya ng boss niya kanina.

'150million? malabong pag-back outin ako nito,' ani Terrenz sa utak.

"How are you, Terrenz?" ani Matt. "Long time no see," swabeng turan nito.

Matt is the youngest of the five. Mas matanda siya rito ng dalawang taon. But since Matt is academically intelligent, he got accelerated thrice during elementary and high school kaya naging ka-batch ito ng apat.

Instead na sagutin si Matt, Terrenz turned to her boss. She smiled forcefully and said, "Boss, is there anything you wish to hear in this meeting? I believe you still have a prior engagement. I can take over."

"Okay," humarap ito sa lima. "Nice meeting you, gentlemen. Si Terrenz na ang bahala sa inyo," he smiled widely and walked out of the room.

Nakasunod ng tingin dito si Terrenz and when the door closes at her boss, bumaling ang tingin niya sa lima. She stared at the five men sharply. Buboy smiled awkwardly. Thor tried to look away. JV looked down as if saying 'bahala kayo diyan.' Matt looked at Red who is looking straight back at Terrenz.

Red didn't mind kahit ramdam nila ang talim ng titig ni Terrenz. He know she was confused and somewhat pissed. Kaninang umaga, nang maka-engkwentro niya ito alam niyang may galit pa din ito sa kaniya eventhough it has been five years already.

"Let me get this straight," ani Terrenz in a pursed lips. "Are your really going to pay 150million para lang bwisitin ako? Ano bang akala niyo sakin the same old junior colehiyala 5years ago?" It was harsh and out of context but Terrenz couldn't think of any reason bakit kailangang guluhin pa ulit siya ng lima.

"Woah! Hold up!" ani JV. "That's too straightforward and a little bit over thinking."

"We really meant business, Terrenz. Wala naman kaming intensyong bwisitin ka," ani naman ni Buboy.

"Can you hear us out muna before you jump into any faulty conclusions? I mean we're no longer college students. Let's just act professionally," sabad naman ni Matt.

Ngumiwi si Terrenz. It's too good to be true but yes she's no longer a junior colehiyala. She must act professionally.

"Then what is this all about?" mataray na tanong niya.

"We bought an Island in Palawan," umpisa ni Thor. Terrenz raised an eyebrow. "It's a small one though but we want it converted to private vacation house, you know for our futures."

"Everything was settled in papers and titles so basically construction na lang," patuloy ni Buboy. "We are investing so much on this but this has no ROI since personal use lang naman namin. So we are taking your service because let's admit it, we know you're a great architect and we're f-friends..."

"This will be a 6-month project. Hoping not to make it longer. We want you to provide the perspective. So we kinda expect you to stay on the Island for six months. But don't worry, there's a small cottage already that you can stay in. It's not much but you can convert it first if you prefer. Or there's another Island an hour trip na may available resort that you can stay in," dagdag din ni Matt.

"We choose you as our architect since we believe in you and Red will manage the construction as the engineer. Yo---"

"Excuse me?" putol niya sa sinasabi ni Thor. "What was that again?"

"Huh?" Thor buckled up. Napagtanto niyang TMI ang nasambit niya. Napalingon siya sa mga kaibigan and each one has this disappointing expression on their faces. "What?" He tried to hide it.

"What do you mean, Red will be the construction engineer?" Terrenz smelled something fishy from the beginning kahit pa unti-unti na siyang napapaniwala ng mga ito that they only mean business. But what Thor said made her speculations stronger.

"Don't take it wrong, Terrenz," singit agad ni Buboy. "Out of 5 of us, Red has the capacity na maging Engineer. Siya lang naman ang nagtuloy ng propesyon saming lima. I pursue Agri business."

"My parents have Real Estate so I remained at that," sabi ni JV.

"My business is all about entertainment and fashion. You know my mom, right?" ani Matt. Matt's mom was a prestigious actress Luisa Aragon.

"I don't work," mabilis namang sagot ni Thor. Although Thor's parent were involved in investments hindi kinahiligan ni Thor na pamahalaan yun. Instead, he hired someone na magtatrabaho niyon para sa kaniya.

After what happened sa kanila ni Red, she decided to close her door na anything related dito. Including his friends. She didn't know what happened to them. As far as she remembered, nag move on na siya and had forgotten this painful past.

Red wasn't saying anything. He stood there looking at Terrenz. Tila sinulit nito ang chance matitigan ang dalaga. But he listens to what his friends were saying. They did their assignments right. And he was proud to be friends with them.

Terrenz looked at him sharply. Napataas ang kilay niya. Naningkit ang mata nito as she talked to him.

"Wala ka bang sasabihin? You know what happened to us. So ok lang yun sayo?" Terrenz has always been straightforward about her feelings. It's nice to know that kahit matagal na panahon she remained the same. At least it would be easier for him na amuin ulit ito. Terrenz will show what she really feels.

Red smiled. He can't help it. He's too happy that everything works according to plan. Of course they know Terenz will hate this and will definitely refuse but they are prepared.

"It's good to know that you never forget. Alam kong hindi pa ko nakakapag-sorry sayo. But I think this isn't the right time for doing so," seryosong turan ni Red. "My friends has explained everything. And there's nothing clearer than that. We don't want to overly explain. It's just as simple as we trust you and I have to work with you. I don't know how would you feel about this but just to let you know, matagal ko ding pinag-isipan 'to. It's not like I said yes as soon as we have planned step 1. I know you'll refuse. But we can't trust anyone kung di namin kilala."

"What happened to us was more than something. Hindi ko alam if you have moved on from it but I guess you're not since you still hate me. That's understandable. Nawala ako ng ganun-ganun na lang. But you asked me to go away. If yo---"

"Stop." Putol ni Terrenz sa sasabihin pa ni Red. She doesn't want to talk about their past and she felt ashamed na tila ipinamumukha ng mga ito na siya lang ang nag-iisip nun. She took a deep breathe. "It's enough to know that you understand that I hate you. I can live professionally with that."

Natameme si Red sa tinuran ni Terrenz. He always knew that Terrenz was brutally honest in whatever way. But with what she blurt out, masakit tanggapin that after 5 years her hatred didn't subside.

"So..." tantiyang singit ni Thor in between the minute of silence. "Does this mean we'll close the deal?"

Terrenz was giving continous deep breath as a sign na wala siyang magawa. Napailing na lang siya to shook off the feeling of resistance. Sa labang ito, she knows she has no chance of retreat.

"I'll prepare out all plannings and timelines. Ipapadala ko within this week latest Friday. I'll also schedule ocular and inspection. If you need anything else from me, just send me a message," diretsong turan ni Terrenz. She turned around and left the room. At this point, wala siyang pakialam kahit pa VVIP niya ang lima. It's clear na she hates Red. Tanggapin nila yun all throughout the project.

Tila nakahinga nang maluwag ang lima as Terrenz step out of the room. They laugh it out together.

"Step 1 accomplished," ani JV.

"Make sure this works well, bro. or you'll die trying," turan naman ni Thor.

"Terrenz didn't change. Nakakatakot pa ring magalit," ani naman ni Matt. "We wish you goodluck for this, bro. Checheer lang kami sa side bleachers."

Napailing na lang si Red sa tinuran ng mga kaibigan. 'Yeah. This is now or never...'