*

TIME FLEW so fast. Jai is having a meeting this week, and Nari helped Mike finish the report he’s going to present to the board.

“When did Mr. Yap become the vice-president of Merryland?” Nari asked while putting her stuff in order.

“More than a year ago, if I remembered it right.”

“Doesn’t he seem too young to… you know?”

“Tell me about it,” Mike agreed, smiling. “His mother has prepared him for this. He was sent abroad to study so he could learn a lot. There was one time Mr. Yap told me that he has not enjoyed his youth that much because all he did was study and work. And now his mother is rushing him to commit to a relationship. Our boss might be handsome and all, but he gets stressed, too.”

Nari couldn’t help giggling.

“Promise me you’ll take care of Mr. Yap, Nari. But as I told you a while ago, don’t do your best because I still need my job.”

“You can count on me, Mike.”

They shook hands.

“And best wishes, too,” she said.

“Oh, thank you.” Mike did not hide the joy in his face. “I’ve invited Mr. Yap to my wedding, but it so happened that he has an important event to attend. Too bad. But he took care of the reception. I was hesitant at first because what my fiancée and I actually wanted was a simple wedding, but he insisted. And I finally accepted it because he might take back my leave. ”

They both laughed.

“Let’s hurry up. We don’t want to get caught with the traffic,” Mike said.

***

“MISS PIO.”

Nari was on her way out of the building when she heard Jai calling her.

“Mr. Yap,” she said politely when she turned to his direction.

“Come with me.”

She shook her head and smiled. “You don’t have to bother, Sir. I can commute.”

Jai smiled. “I’m not doing you a favor. I’m actually giving you an order.”

Her smile instantly disappeared. She thought he was simply a gentleman.

“Thanks for letting me know.”

“You live at the apartment above Chuck’s Pasta, right?”

“How did you know?” she asked in surprise.

“Your uncle told me. And since your place is on the way, it won’t be a bother. And because you still owe me, you should treat me to Chuck’s Pasta.”

Nari tried so hard to fight her grimace. When will he forget it? Seriously!

“If you say so,” she said with a forced smile. “Will you forgive me after that, Sir?”

“I still have to think about it, Miss Pio.” Jai walked past her.

Nari made a long face and followed him.

***

NARI was expecting Jai to proceed directly to the driver seat. But she was surprised to find him opening the other door for her. He only gestured her to get in.

“T-thank you, Sir,” she said and got inside the car.

Nari could not explain her feelings at the moment. Since this morning actually. It felt like there were butterflies in her stomach or whatever it was, she could not explain whenever she was near her boss.

She just put on her seatbelt to distract herself.

“Do you really want to make it up to me?” Jai asked as he was finally driving.

Nari straightened her back.

“I-I do.”

“Here.” He picked up something from the dashboard. It was a red folder. It was already there when Nari got in the car. “Read it.”

Nari took the folder despite the confusion and opened it.

Prospect Dates For Jose Antonio by Aurora Yap.

Nari brought her nose closer to the first page and read the words multiple times.

“Who’s Aurora Yap, Sir?”

“The real boss in the family.”

She could not help chuckling. She opened the remaining pages and found photos of beautiful women and their personal information, which she just took a scan. Some of the faces were familiar to her.

“What am I going to do with these women, Sir? They’re too beautiful. Shall I take them down?”

“I wish you could,” he remarked quietly and glanced at her. “That is the information Mom had collected from the women she wanted me to date.”

Nari gaped. Seriously?

“I’ll give you two weeks to choose the best candidate. I can’t date them all, you know. Choose the one whom I can date at least once, so Mom would stop nagging me.”

“Why, Sir? Are you a heartbreaker?”

"Of course, not."

Good to hear.

“You’re still young, but why is your Mom rushing you to settle down?”

“She wanted me to have a family of my own before I become the president of Merryland.”

“Why are you giving this task to me? I don’t have anything to do with it.”

“You owe me, remember?”

“Am I the only one who owes you, Sir?” Nari asked in disbelief.

“No.”

“Then, why?”

“You are the only person who spluttered beer on my face.”

Nari choked at once.