Spoiling the Two

A week later.

Leila sat cross-legged on the floor, her notebook spread open as she chewed the end of her pencil, brows furrowed in concentration. Math homework again. She grumbled under her breath, frustrated by another tricky subtraction problem.

Seated nearby on an old wooden chair, their grandmother Lina. 

Inigo stood at the doorway, hands in his pockets, watching them for a moment before clearing his throat.

"Leila, Lola," he called.

Both looked up, Leila immediately brightening at the sight of her brother. "Brother! You're home early!"

Inigo smirked. "Yeah, and I was thinking... Let's go to the mall today."

Leila's eyes widened. "Huh? The mall?"

Lola scoffed, already skeptical. "Son, do you think we have money for that?"

Inigo shrugged. "I'll handle it."

Lola squinted at him, not buying it. "Handle it with what? Your salary from that coffee shop? You should be saving, not spending. We have bills to pay, electricity, water—"

"I did save," Inigo interjected smoothly. "I already set aside money for that. This is just… extra."

Lola still wasn't convinced. "Extra, you say? Hah! I've been alive long enough to know no one ever has 'extra' money in this house." She folded her arms. "You should think ahead instead of wasting it on things we don't need."

Leila frowned slightly, already sensing that the fun outing was slipping away. She looked up at Inigo, hopeful but silent.

Inigo sighed but remained patient. "Lola, I promise, we can afford it."

His grandmother studied him carefully, as if trying to read his mind.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, she exhaled. "You really won't let this go, will you?"

"Nope."

Lola shook her head. "Dios mio… Alright, fine. But don't come crying to me when you're broke."

Leila squealed, instantly packing up her books. "Yes! Thank you, brother!"

"Go get ready," Inigo grinned. "We're leaving soon."

Dressed in their best 'going out' clothes, they stepped onto the side of the road. Lola adjusted her simple blouse while Leila, wearing her cleanest dress, practically bounced with excitement.

"Alright," Inigo said, scanning the road. "Let's get a taxi."

Lola frowned. "What? A jeepney isn't good enough for you now?"

Leila giggled. "Brother's acting fancy today."

Inigo only smirked and raised a hand. Within seconds, a bright yellow taxi pulled up. He opened the door, gesturing for them to get in.

Lola hesitated. "Taxi? Are you crazy? That's expensive!"

"It's fine, Lola. Just get in."

She clicked her tongue but climbed inside, mumbling, "Tsk, ayayay… this boy is losing his mind."

As the taxi pulled away, Leila pressed her face against the window, taking in the city sights. She had only been to the mall a handful of times, and always on tight budgets.

Today was going to be different.

The moment they stepped inside SM Mall, the blast of air-conditioning greeted them. The bright lights, towering store signs, and endless display windows made Leila's eyes go wide.

"So where are we going first?" she asked excitedly.

Inigo smiled. "Department store."

Lola huffed. "What do we even need from there?"

Inigo glanced at Leila's worn-down bag, scuffed shoes, and slightly faded dress. "We're getting Leila new clothes, shoes, and a bag for school."

Leila gasped. "Really?!"

Lola, however, was already shaking her head. "No, no, no, that's too much—"

Inigo was already leading them inside.

The three of them browsed the children's section first.

Leila ran her hands over new dresses, colorful shirts, and sturdy school shoes. She hesitated, unused to picking things for herself.

"Brother… what's the budget?" she asked quietly.

Inigo ruffled her hair. "Just pick what you like."

Leila's eyes went huge. No budget? That was unheard of.

She picked out two new dresses, a few shirts, new socks, and a sturdy pair of school shoes. She hesitated over a pink backpack, looking at the price tag before shaking her head.

Lola, watching closely, scoffed. "You think he's made of money? Put that back."

Before Leila could, Inigo grabbed it and tossed it into the cart. "She's getting it."

Lola stared at him, aghast. "This is madness! Where are you getting this money?!"

Inigo only grinned. "Lola, don't worry about it."

She definitely worried about it.

At checkout, the cashier tallied up the total. The numbers climbed higher and higher, making Lola grip her rosary like she was about to faint.

"₱8,200, sir," the cashier announced.

Lola visibly flinched.

Without hesitation, Inigo pulled out his BDO debit card and handed it over.

Lola gasped. "BDO?! Where did you get a bank card like that?"

Inigo winked. "Salary."

The cashier swiped the card.

Approved.

Leila clutched her new bag, bouncing on her heels. "I can't believe this!"

Lola shook her head, staring at the receipt. "You… you really paid for this?"

"Of course," Inigo chuckled. "And we're not done yet."

Leila, still overwhelmed with her new things, followed as Inigo led them toward the electronics section.

Lola sighed, already resigned to his madness.

"What are we doing here?" she asked warily.

Inigo smirked. "Leila needs a phone."

Leila froze.

"A—A what?" she stammered.

Lola nearly choked. "Now I know you've lost your mind! A phone? At her age? And how in the world do you expect to afford one?!"

Inigo just kept walking. "Relax, Lola. It's just a simple one."

Except when they reached the counter, Inigo picked up a brand-new Samsung S.

Leila's jaw dropped. "Brother… are you serious?"

He grinned. "Now you don't have to borrow Lola's phone when you need to text me."

Lola looked horrified. "You really are going to spoil this child."

"Maybe."

"Do you even realize how much that costs?!"

"I know and it's twelve thousand," Inigo simply replied and casually handed over his BDO card again.

Swipe.

Approved.

Lola put a hand on her forehead, like she was about to faint.

Leila, however, clutched the phone to her chest like it was the Holy Grail. "Brother, I love you so much!"

Inigo laughed. "Just don't lose it, okay?"

Lola sighed deeply. "I need to sit down."

"No time to sit down, Lola. I'm not finished," he said with a grin.

Lola shot him a wary look. "What do you mean you're not finished? We're already going home after this."

"No, we're not," Inigo replied smoothly. "We're heading to the appliance and furniture section."

Lola's forehead creased, her suspicion growing. "And why would we go there?"

Inigo folded his arms. "Because I'm replacing all the old, broken furniture and appliances at home."

Lola's mouth fell open. "You—what?! Have you completely lost your mind, hijo? Do you know how much those things cost?!"

"Yes, Lola," Inigo answered calmly. "And I don't mind paying for them."

Lola clutched her chest as if she were about to have a heart attack. "Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, this boy is going to bankrupt us."

Leila, on the other hand, gasped with excitement. "Wait—does that mean we're getting a new TV?"

"Yep." Inigo smirked. "And not just a TV—we're getting a new fridge, a proper gas range, an electric fan that doesn't sound like it's dying, and maybe even a new sofa."

Lola threw her hands up in the air. "Dios mio! Now I know you've lost your mind!"

Inigo simply chuckled and led them toward the appliance section of the mall.

The moment they stepped inside, rows of CRT televisions, LCD flat screens, and the newly popular LED TVs lined the walls. Inigo knew exactly what he wanted.

"We're getting a Sony Bravia 32-inch LCD TV," he said, scanning the options.

Leila's eyes sparkled. "A big TV?! No more squinting at the small one?!"

Lola's hand flew to her head. "That's too much!"

Ignoring her protests, Inigo moved to the refrigerator section. Their old fridge barely kept food cold, let alone frozen.

A sales assistant approached them. "Good afternoon, sir! Are you looking for something specific?"

"Yes. I need a two-door refrigerator with a good freezer," Inigo said.

"Ah, I recommend the Samsung No-Frost 10 cu. ft. Refrigerator, sir. It's efficient, and you don't have to manually defrost it."

"We'll take it."

Lola gasped. "Wait—what?!"

The sales assistant blinked, clearly not used to such quick decisions. "O-Oh! Alright, sir. Anything else?"

"Yes. Show me a gas range with an oven—not a single burner like what we have at home."

The assistant nodded enthusiastically. "We have a La Germania 4-burner gas range with an oven. It's very reliable."

"That one," Inigo decided.

Lola grabbed his arm. "Hijo, hijo, hijo. You do realize you've already spent more than a normal person's monthly salary, right?"

"Lola, it's fine," Inigo assured her. "Now, where are the electric fans…No better off, where are the aircons?"

"Aircons?!" Lola nearly fainted.

Lola's mouth opened and closed like a fish as she stared at Inigo. "Did I hear you right, hijo? You said aircon?"

Inigo nodded, amused at her reaction. "Yes, Lola. Air conditioning. It's about time we stop melting in our own house."

Leila gasped, clutching her new phone tighter. "Wait—does that mean I won't have to sleep next to the electric fan anymore?"

Inigo chuckled. "Exactly."

Lola, on the other hand, looked like she needed to sit down. "You really have lost your mind," she muttered. "First clothes, then a phone, now appliances? Do you think money grows on trees?"

"I told you, Lola. I can afford it," Inigo replied, already walking toward the air conditioning section.

The sales assistant, who had been watching their conversation with a polite smile, stepped forward. "Sir, are you looking for a split-type or a window-type aircon?"

Inigo considered for a moment. A split-type would be quieter and more efficient, but a window-type would be easier to install in their house.

"We'll get three window-type air conditioners," he decided. "One for Lola's room, one for Leila's, and one for me."

Leila's eyes sparkled. "I get my own aircon?!"

Lola nearly had a heart attack. "You're buying three?!"

"Yes, Lola. We need it," Inigo said, not backing down. "No more unbearable summer nights."

The sales assistant nodded. "I'd recommend the Carrier 1.0 HP window-type aircon for small rooms. It's energy-efficient and perfect for home use."

Lola looked like she was about to collapse. "Hijo… I don't know if I should be happy or terrified."

Leila, however, was nearly bouncing with joy. "This is the best day ever!"

After finalizing their appliance purchases, Inigo led them to the furniture section.

Lola tried one last time to stop him. "We don't need new furniture. Our couch still works."

Inigo raised an eyebrow. "Lola, if by 'works' you mean it still lets people sit on it while it stabs them with springs, then sure."

"Fine."

Leila ran ahead, touching everything with excitement. "Brother! What about this sofa?"

She pointed to a dark gray fabric sectional sofa. It was modern, comfortable, and far superior to their current one.

"We'll take it," Inigo said without hesitation.

Lola nearly dropped her purse. "Are you possessed?"

"No, I just have money," he smirked.

Next, they picked out a wooden six-seater dining set to replace their shaky old table, a new double bed for Lola, and a proper study desk and chair for Leila.

Leila stared at the desk in awe. "A real study table? Not just the kitchen table?"

Inigo ruffled her hair. "Yup."

By the time they reached checkout, the total bill had skyrocketed.

"Sir, your total is ₱385,900," the cashier announced.

Lola gripped the counter. "Diyos ko po…"

Inigo, unfazed, pulled out his BDO debit card.

Swipe.

Approved.

Leila practically squealed.

Lola whispered, "Are you secretly gambling? Tell me the truth."

Inigo laughed. "No, Lola. Just trust me."

The appliances and furniture were scheduled for delivery the next day.

Inside the taxi, Leila was busy exploring her new phone, while Lola sat in stunned silence.

Finally, she spoke. "Hijo…where did you get all this money?" 

Inigo knew that he couldn't hide it forever from them. "Remember the time when I asked for money?" 

"I remember, the one you need for your school project."

"Yes that one, well that's not really a school project, more like a business. And as for business, I do have one, and it's a business about making games." 

"You make games brother?" Leila looked up to him. 

"So it came from your business."

Inigo nodded. 

"I see, I thought you were doing illegal things. Because if it was, I won't accept everything you have just bought."

Inigo rubbed the back of his head, chuckling. "Don't worry, it's not illegal."