Found You

My fingers swiftly danced on each letter on the keyboard as ideas flowed like river stream in my head. I typed nonstop for hours as I race my way towards the deadline. Typing the few last words, I then came into a halt.

"Finally." I blurted as I streached my arms in an upward motion. My back felt sore for sitting in front of my computer for hours writing my manuscript.

I glanced up on the wall to see what time is it, 30 minutes before nine in the evening. It's already this late huh? I opened the top right drawer on my desk and grabbed the controller then push the lights button for my study.

Lights flickered on as my eyes slowly adjusted on my surroundings. My eyes then found its way on the cold food on top of my desk.

That girl, really. She's troubling too much.

Tumayo na ako sa pagkakaupo at dinala ang food tray pababa ng dining room. I tried calling her pero wala namang sumasagot. Is she asleep? I walked towards the spare room, pero wala pa ding tao. I checked the bathroom, still, no one was there. Where did she go?

Bumalik ako ng kusina at saka ko lang napansin ang sticky note na nakadikit sa refrigerator.

"If you want to eat just reheat the food in the microwave. I'm going out."

Where would she go at this time? It's almost nine and she's not home yet. Kanina pa ba siya umalis ng bahay? I don't even have her number.

She's really troublesome.

I fished for my phone inside my pocket and dialed Zen's number. It rang for a few times bago niya ito sinagot. "Yo, Maiko! Tapos ka na? Napatawag ka?" Zen blurted in an awfully cheerful manner. He's like a ball of sunshine who kept bouncing from one corner to another.

"Yes, the manuscript is done. As for why I called you, do you have the girl's number?" Sagot ko sa sunod sunod niyang tanong.

"Girl? Who are yo- Ah! Seira-chan?"

"Seira? Is that her name? Give me her number." I heard her mention her name earlier but I wasn't really paying attention so I forgot.

"Why ask me? Can't you just ask her yourself? Didn't she report today?" What's the use of asking you if I could just get it by myself, really. Kaya nga ko nagtatanong kasi I don't have any other means of having it.

"Just send it." I said, sighing.

"Don't tell me you scared her away?! You bullied her, didn't you?" Sigaw niya sa kabilang linya.

"Hell no! Why would I bully her? I just told her to stop meddling with me and go play house somewhere else. Was that enough for her to run away?" I rebutted.

"Stupid, of course that girl felt disheartened by your words! Look, Seira doesn't have a home to go back to. In other words she's currently homeless, okay? I talked to her over lunch earlier and ask her about certain things that's why I came to know about it. Her father disappeared out of thin air and left her with a huge debt, loan sharks are currently after her. You, telling her that is really insensitive of you."

I- I didn't know. I have no words to retort.

"Listen, I'll send you her number so you should go and look for her right now, alright? Just stop acting stupid and go after the girl. Even though she's young, at this time, she's still a woman. Someone might take advantage of her. You're her employer, you better take responsibility of your employee." After giving me an earful, the line went dead. Just a few seconds later, I received a text message containing her number.

I quickly grabbed my coat and went outside. I dialed her number but she wasn't picking up the call. I put her on auto dial and continued my search for her. I circled the whole place but she was nowhere to be seen. I have been looking for her for almost half an hour already when she finally picked up the call. "You troublesome girl! Where are you?!" I snapped at her. Seriously!

"S-sir Maiko? B-bakit po?" Gulat na gulat niyang sagot sa kabilang linya.

"Stupid. I said, where are you?!"

"Sa p-park sa labas ng p-primdale po." She stammered. The heck. She went that far, this girl, really!

"Don't move from there." I ended the call and ran towards the park's direction.

The supposedly fifteen minutes walk from the initial point I was in to the park took me only 5 minutes to cover the whole travel.

I halt in front of her as I heave to catch my breath, exhaustion finally setting in. Napahawak ako sa magkabilang bewang ko sa pagod. "F-finally." I managed to croak as my voice stutter due to exhaustion.

"Found you."