Chapter 12

Xander is so freaking mad, this is the second time he tried to invite Hale on a date. How unlucky he is, his silly parent just called at the wrong time.

Before he answered the call, he crumpled a dummy document as if he were willing to destroy someone with his clenching fists. However, he is trying to calm himself because he is going to talk with his mother.

He hates his mother, he will never forget the dark past, and he will never forgive. He is not expecting a call from her, he is hoping it is not about business as he is already stressed with his own company.

"What took you so long, Xander? If you are busy, you simply ask for an excuse."

"Don't teach me what to do! You are the one who has a need from me, right? So will you give respect?"

"Alright, my son. I miss you so much, when will you come to us? Or will you do the favor of inviting us with your father to visit your company? You know, my amigas were asking if you are willing to receive another set of investors."

"My company is fine, I can handle it no matter how high or low the losses. I have much trust in my board of directors and my accountant is doing his job."

"Good to hear that. But are you going with my request? Not the investor one, it's the invitation."

"Do you think you can tame me? I am still mad at you, remember? Do you have an amnesia? I left in your house and I founded my own company here in the Philippines to live alone and enjoy my freedom."

"What's your problem with me?"

"I will never forgive you."

"Is my financial support not enough for you? I invested my millions of pesos in your company but you still have grudges? God forgives, so you must too."

"But I am not God. The hell I will believe to a universal imaginary friend."

"Xander! You are mocking the Creator of the universe."

"From the day you left me when I was little, I disconnected my faith in any god. I can do what I want. I, myself, can grant what I wish. I don't need any miracles, and don't you ever care to ask prayers to bless me."

"My son, I admitted that I am a bad mother. But please, have respect for my religion."

"Whatever! If you don't have anything to say, I will hang up."

(Call disconnected)

He went to the elevator and clicked the button for the basement. When he arrived, he entered the baseball arcade to release his anger.

He is playing batting and he always missed the baseball. He shouted loudly. He feels bad for himself because of being unlucky. He is not lucky enough to invite Hale, even on the arcade he is still missing the good pitches.

"What a life! If God is good, please give me a sign that this will be my lucky day."

After two missed balls, he successfully batted the third one.

"Thank you, Lord! I hope this is real! Whhooahh!"

~~~

"Cheers!" Armando and Hale said in unison.

While waiting for their ingredients for samgyup to come and while their orders of street food and exotic food were not yet cooked, they enjoyed drinking a giant glass of beer.

"So how's your OJT, Armando?"

"Stressful. Yeah, very stressful. My boss gave me dual roles, his secretary is on leave so I became the acting secretary."

"How absurd. Is he strict?"

"Why did you ask?"

"Because I know him. Just want to compare how he acts when he is at work or with me."

"You are meeting with him? Since when?"

"He is my friend, he visits sometimes to school. He was contacted by our principal to be one of the observers of our incoming work immersion next semester."

"Sorry if I made you explain."

Hale can smell the smoky street foods being delivered by a waiter to their table. The samgyup is also set and ready to operate.

He placed the tenderloin on the grill after they cut it using the kitchen knife. He prepared the japchae and mixed it with a sauce.

"What is this delicious meat?" Armando pointed to the bulgogi ones.

"This is bulgogi. Try it!"

"Hhhhmm. Uhhhmm hhhmm. This is fantastic, what a unique taste."

"You also try this kimchi."

"Oh, kimchi!"

Armando disliked the smell of the kimchi. He tasted it but he is not a fan.

"Do you like it?"

"Not really."

"It's okay. You will get used to it soon. I also don't like it the first time I tried."

"Well, our street food and exotic food is now cooked."

Armando picked the egg from the basket covered with a cloth. "Introducing balut, this is a boiled fertilized duck egg."

"D-Duck egg? Are you kidding me?"

He cracked the upper part of the shell and poured a little salt and spicy vinegar to make the food tastier. "Try this, Hale. Promise, this is a hit. Just cover your nose if you cannot afford to smell its odor."

"Yes, I will."

Hale pinched his nose and then opened his mouth. He slurped the soup first and it looked like he liked it. He sipped the egg and forcibly devoured the whole fertilized duck egg.

"Uhhhmm hhhmmm. Yummy!"

"I'm surprised! I am so very proud you liked it!"

"It tastes like chicken broth."

"Yeah," he answered shortly while surfing on internet with his phone.

He received a text message from Xander. He was invited for a night date. Armando noticed that his girlfriend was focusing on the screen while they were eating.

"Who texted you?"

"Just my classmate. He asked me to give her an answer to a math problem which is our assignment."

"Ahh, I see."

"What are these orange circles on a stick?"

"This is called kwek-kwek. This is a boiled quill egg dipped on a batter mixed with annatto seeds, then fried on a deep fryer."

"Can I try it?"

"Sure. Have some bite." Armando assisted Hale, he dipped the food in a sauce and then offered the balls to Hale's mouth.

Hale is still talking with Xander, he replies stating that he is going on a night date.

To: My future boss

Let's meet at the same venue where you comforted me.

He smiled and turned off his phone as if nothing happened. He gets back on focus on their food trip. The tenderloin is already cooked, so they put it on lettuce leaves and then wrapped them.

The enjoyment is still on, however, Armando is starting to have doubts with Hale. Is he planning to investigate his girlfriend? The look in his eyes says yes.

Armando is observing the actions of his suspicious girlfriend carefully. It is impossible that what he is thinking today will be a mistake. He saw that Hale turned off his phone, what a suspicious move.

His boyfriend has a plan, he will tail him and even stalks everywhere he go. Armando is thinking that Hale might have an affair. There are questions tingling in his mind, he is wondering why there is a person disturbing them during their date.

He is quite sure that his girlfriend is making an alibi. "Classmate" is always the reason why Hale is texting so much during the bonding. For Armando, using gadgets during a date is a big no-no, a big waving red flag to be exact.

They are still sharing knowledge on food. Hale learned a lot about Filipino street foods and even the exotic ones, while Armando is taking the Korean samgyup food.

"Since you tried earlier the kikiam, kwek-kwek, tokneneng, squid balls, and fish balls; you may now try the exotic foods."

"Let's go!"

"This one is adidas, this is a chicken's foot. And we have here a betamax, this is a pork's blood. We also have a walkman, this is a pig's ears. And lastly, this one is isaw, the chicken's small intestine. Are you ready to try them?"

"Sounds interesting. You will dip them also to vinegar sauce, right?"

"Yeah. Let's have a bite. For starters, just pick first the isaw."

Hale looked carefully how the isaw looks perfectly cooked. As he bites, there is a slight crunch, and he is glad that the intestine is cooked toasted.

He picked the adidas and ate it. He realized that it tastes like fried chicken, so he never did some adjustment with his tongue.

Then Armando offered him the walkman. The name of the food is connected to what part of the pork is used. He realized why its name is walkman, it is because when we use walkman, a player for cassettes is we used earphones. It is slightly chewy but it has a tenderness and juicyness.

"And lastly, let's try the betamax."

"Betamax? Is it also a player?"

"Yeah, a player for VHS tape. The shape of the blood is look alike."

"Ahh, I see. I hope I will like this too."

Hale toke a small bite as he doesn't have confidence that he will like it. "I don't like this one. If I were to choose what is my best exotic food, that would be isaw."

"Great choice! How about the street food?"

"All of them! They are a hit and awesome. Maybe we must learn how to prepare them so that we don't need to travel and just enjoy cooking."

"I can foresee that you are a wife material. I can trust you to be my cook once we become married."

"Don't think about that, it's too early."

"Why? I am totally sure that we are for each other."

"Are you sure? You will not leave me? Like no break ups will happen?"

"Of course. I love you very much."

"I love you too and I will always love you."

They just hugged and didn't proceed to kissing as they respect the other customers here. They are so romantic but they don't practice PDA. Plus, it would protect their relationship as their parents don't have an idea that they are on a relationship.