I quickly waddled my way down the small street, passing by every restaurant and shop there is, looking everywhere I could.
Where did he go?!
Biting my lip, I heard murmurs around.
"Gosh, have you seen that good-looking guy in that Tapsilugan place?"
"Yeah! That tall, dark, and handsome?"
My feet stopped.
They giggled, walking past me.
"It's ashame that he already has a wife though..."
"Well, who knows. Maybe he just like that shirt--"
'I love my wife' was written on that shirt.
My eyes widen and rushed to that restaurant I ate at yesterday.
The Tapsilugan.
My feet ran as I panted heavily. Its wooden walls and the roof made of palm leaves were getting closer in sight.
I quickly stepped inside and saw a tall figure standing in front of the counter, his back almost blocking the vendor--
"Sir, you can have your order but make sure to pay first!" my eyes widen at what I heard and stood beside him.
His eyebrows were furrowed and looked at the vendor.
He threw his hands up, "I promise I'll pay someday, I just need to buy my maste--" I heard him trailing off--then he paused. his he, then he stopped at his shirt.
What? Someday?!
"My wife....I need to buy her food." He insisted, making and my eyes snap.
"Uh--excuse me! I would like to pay for this guy's meal." I finally interrupted and the vendor squinted her eyes on me.
Argh, this is embarrassing...
"Oh, wifey I told you to stay at home--" He froze and my neck snapped at him.
"I'm not your--" I scream-whispered and his mouth parted. "W-well, uh..."
"Excuse me, Ma'am, but are you still willing to pay?"
We slowly faced the vendor.
~0~
"Sorry, Annie."
My hand stopped, holding the spoon near my mouth. I looked over him and saw him staring at his food with the pout on his lips.
Gosh, he looks like a puppy.
"For what?" I asked non-chalantly, testing him.
"For....making you buy the food instead..."
"And?"
"And what?" My brows furrowed at his question, blinking twice at his confused look. He's staring as if it's asking 'is there another thing I did wrong?'
He grabbed the small bowl over the table and sipped the soup, glancing over me. "For calling you my wife?"
I coughed, fanning my hand over my face. His eyes widen slightly and he quickly grabbed the glass beside his plate. He brought it near my mouth.
It made me pause.
"Well, wouldn't I be a good friend if I didn't?" He uttered calmly, pouring water on my glass.
"I was actually on the way to buy something...then I overheard that prick's voice while facing you."
I smiled slightly as Dylan filled the glass beside me.
Pouring water for me now? I guess you're more gentle manly than I thought--
He held the glass and drank it up.
I gulped and realized we were sitting on the same place as to where me and Dylan sat. My eyes hovered at this guy's chest.
Same pendant, different guy.
"Drink up, Annie." My brows raised up, and met his gaze. He's got that worried look again as he held the glass up near my mouth.
His eyes fixed on me, brows slightly meeting upwards and lashes fluttering slightly.
Why is this guy....
So different?
I held the glass from his hand, sipping as my eyes didn't leave his. He continued watching me as I jugged down the water in one setting.
"Ahh~" I placed the glass on the table--
I felt a tissue on the side of my lips. My eyes widen slightly.
"Don't worry....I'm just taking care of you." He uttered and smiled with his eyes--the kind of smile far from Joshua's fake cheerfulness due to business matters.
I silently ate the food and glanced over him slightly from time to time.
He ate the food enthusiastically and whenever our gaze met, he would give me a cheery smile.
"Uhm....so....what's your name?" I asked as I forked a piece of sunny-side up egg.
He....doesn't seem so bad at all...
He stopped scooping the rice. "Well, what do you want to call me, Annie?"
"Huh?" I blinked twice and held my glass, sipping water.
"Well, it's actually up to you...since" He rubbed his nape and glanced over me shyly. "you're my master--"
"Pftt!-" I accidentally spat my drink.
His jaw dropped and hurriedly gave me some tissues. "Well, I don't mean it badly. I'm just saying that you're free to call me whatever."
"Don't you have a name?" I asked and stared at him in disbelief.
"I have but...."
My eyebrow raised and he sighed, placing his spoon at the side.
"Chat0021234."
"Huh?"
"That's....my program name...." He avoided my gaze, then glancing back at me as if he's reading my reaction.
"You're kidding."
"No, I'm not--"
"How can you don't have a name?"
"I told you. I'm a chatbot, Annie."
My eyebrows furrowed and huffed. "Fine, Mr. A.I." My head lowered to my food and scooped the last piece of rice, returning to my food.
"You're not asking anymore questions?"
"No."
"Why?"
"Well, it kinda make sense when I think about all our encounters at home." I said nonchalantly.
"You're....not going to scream..." I glanced at him and he gulped. "Right?" He stared at my face and making me sigh.
I propped an arm on the table and placed my chin. "Well, what else do you have to prove when our interactions say so--"
He held my hand and placed it on his chest.
"What are you--"
"Do you feel anything?"
My eyebrows furrowed and stared at his dark brown hues, looking back at mine.
"T-there's....nothing...."
I blinked, my hand still on his chest. It's muscular but....it doesn't beat?
"Wait, why--this is your left chest, right?" I looked at his chest area covered by my dad's shirt and he held my hand a bit lower, almost feeling his breastbone.
"Why doesn't it beat?" I blinked and looked at his face and he gave me a small smile.
"Because....I don't have a heart." My eyebrow shot up and mouth parted. My hand flew away from his grip over and covered my mouth.
I gasped and froze at my seat, eyes widen still.
At the same time, I hear a familiar male voice murmur from a distance.
"Isn't that Annie?" I heard footsteps behind and suddenly, I felt a fingers gently holding my chin--making me look back at him.
"H-huh?"
"Just....trust me, don't look at anything else than me." His voice gentle and worried, as his gaze never falters mine.
"But that's impossible, that person is with a guy?" I heard a girl mumured and the footsteps from behind stopped.
My eyebrows furrowed slightly at A.I. guy.
"Hey, I think someone I know is behind--"
"Please." My brows raised at his eyes twinkling with desperation. "Only look at me."
I heard footsteps away and he finally let go of my chin. "Is....that...someone I didn't want to see?" I asked and he held the glass that I drank from earlier.
He didn't answer and drank from it instead, making my eyes widen slightly.
"Uh, that's my glass."
He froze, slowly placing the glass back on the table. "Sorry, just got caught up in the moment."
"It's Dylan, right?" I leaned against the chair.
His eyebrows raised and sighed with a pout, looking away. It made me smile a bit.
"Anyway...you really don't have a name?" I asked and his eyes returned to me.
"I....really don't have one...only a program name. But I prefer you call me something instead of Chat0021234."
"Pft--" I cracked in a loud laugh, enough to make it echo around the small restaurant. He placed his chin on his palm, smiling warmly.
My laugh faded and heat up my cheeks arose.
'Badum'
I felt a faint sound in my chest.
What....is this?
His dark brown eyes gazed over mine with a small curve on his lips.
"What do you want to call me?" He asked and I avoided his intense gaze, my eyes roaming around to wherever--the restaurant's counter, the floor, the hanging designs.
I paused at the vintage frame hanging on the corner. It has a tainted photograph of a known singer.
'Ely Buendia' - Eraserheads
My gaze returned to him.
"Eli!" I snapped my finger and pointed at him like I hit a jackpot.
"Eli?"
"Yes. That's what I'm going to call you."
His brows went up as he leaned backwards, the smile on his lips faded. Eyes looked at mine shakily--
I saw a faint blush crept on his cheeks.
"Okay. Eli it is." He mumbled.