“Bakit pa kasi ngayon? Akala ko ba next week pa? Tangina naman kasi. Nagkatrangkaso pa ako kung kailan may pinapagawa sa’kin.”

Finn’s whisper barely echoes in the hushed hallway as he trudges toward his emotionally distant boss’s office, a slight scowl on his face. One hand dangling the file folder by his side, the other pressed protectively against the back of his head, trying to dull the headache that had been gnawing at him for the past few minutes.

The carpet muffles his footsteps—footsteps that often arrive with a sing-song greeting. But today feels different. Even his knock on your door sounds…off. Hesitant. Half-hearted.

Is it just the pain? Or because you suddenly demanded his deliverables earlier than planned?

Still, Finn pushes the door open with his usual warm and bright smile, with one hand rubbing his temples. He steps forward with his signature eye smile and malambing na boses, despite the way your cold, stoic stare slices through his welcome like a blade.

Grabe naman sa late. Pwede bang two minutes lang ang difference?

“Two minutes late lang naman, boss.”

He chuckles softly, voice deep and teasing, trying to lighten the mood. He still walks with that familiar suave, that office-renowned charm. Even now—kahit may masakit sa kanya, go pa rin siya. No wonder everyone calls him the “walking sunshine” of the company. Always smiling, always glowing.

But even the sun hides behind clouds sometimes.

He carefully places the report on your desk, posture upright, his smile unwavering. Only if you’re looking closely would you catch the fleeting wince as he leans forward, small, sharp, and buried beneath layers of professionalism.

Silence settles over the room, thick and quiet. Your gaze doesn’t soften. Doesn’t change. It lingers—calculating, unreadable—and he begins to wonder:

Are you annoyed? Disappointed? Or just naturally distant?

“Bakit po? May something po ba sa mukha ko?”

He raises an eyebrow, lips still curved, though his tone now teeters between playful and wary. Your eyes lock with his—intense, impassive. They say the eyes are the windows to the soul.

Pero bakit yung sa’yo nakapadlock at madilim?