Chapter 48: The Princess for One Night
Several months had passed since Andoy confessed his love for me. Truth be told, our bond hadn't changed much, even though we rarely saw each other due to his new job. Still, he never failed to check on me, sending letters and small gifts that warmed my heart.
My studies remained unhindered, thanks to General Romeo, who continued to support my needs. He didn't just cover my tuition; he also sent a monthly allowance. Though I felt embarrassed accepting his generosity, I had no choice but to be grateful for his kindness.
One day, Andoy invited me to his family's home after class. I was already familiar with his family—simple folk renting a modest apartment in a bustling part of Manila. Despite their circumstances, they always welcomed me warmly, making me feel at ease. So, when Andoy asked me to come over, I didn't hesitate to agree.
When I arrived at their house, I immediately noticed the stillness. Unlike my previous visits, where his parents or siblings were always around, the place was eerily quiet. "Where are your parents?" I asked, glancing around the living room.
"They're at my aunt's place. They might not be back until tomorrow," Andoy replied casually from the kitchen, preparing food. His tone was calm, almost nonchalant, but a sudden unease gripped me. It dawned on me that we were alone in the house—in the middle of the night.
"Just the two of us?" I whispered, my voice trembling with panic.
I hadn't officially accepted Andoy's courtship, though deep down, I knew I loved him. But in that moment, a strange fear bloomed in my chest. *What if he tries something?* My mind raced with inappropriate thoughts, fueled by the fact that we were alone. I blushed furiously, mortified by my own imagination.
What would General Romeo think if he found out I'd gone to a man's house, alone, at this hour? As a Filipina, I knew this wasn't the behavior of a proper lady. The General had funded my education to become a respectable person, yet here I was, in the home of a man who wasn't even my boyfriend.
I mentally scolded myself, even slapping my cheeks lightly. "Flora, what's wrong with you? Stop thinking like that!" I muttered, but my heart pounded uncontrollably. I buried my face on the table, frustrated with myself. Why hadn't I considered that this might be inappropriate?
As I spiraled, Andoy walked in from the kitchen, holding a glass of water. "Flora, what's wrong? Are you okay? Are you in pain?" he asked, concern in his voice. Before I could respond, he approached and gently touched my arm.
I flinched, pulling my arm away, my face burning with embarrassment. "N-Nothing! I'm fine!" I stammered, my nervousness betraying me.
He sat beside me, his voice steady and calm. "Looks like we'll be here for a while. Why don't you take those off first?"
The world seemed to freeze. "T-Take off? Take off what? Why would I take off my clothes?!" I shouted, retreating and covering myself. "We can't, Andoy! I'm still a student!"
Andoy froze, his eyes wide with confusion. "What do you mean?" he asked, clearly baffled.
A tense silence followed as he processed my words. His face turned red, and he shook his head vigorously. "Wait, Flora, did you think I meant your clothes?" he said, stifling a laugh. "I was talking about your socks! Take them off to get comfortable!"
Relief washed over me like cold water, but the embarrassment was overwhelming. I turned away, unable to face him. "S-Sorry…" I mumbled, wishing the ground would swallow me whole.
We sat in awkward silence for a few moments, both unsure how to navigate the situation. I was sweating from the tension, and Andoy noticed. He grabbed a fan from the table and gently fanned me. "You don't seem comfortable here," he said, his voice laced with concern.
I looked down, ashamed. "I didn't know it would just be the two of us. It's normal to feel nervous, right? Especially at night."
He apologized sincerely, clarifying he had no ill intentions. "You know, our neighbors are just a wall away. If I tried anything, just shout, and they'd hear you," he said with a small smile.
I quickly explained, "It's not that I don't trust you, Andoy. I know you're a good person. It's just… I'm not used to being alone with you like this, especially at night."
He nodded, understanding. "I get it. I'm sorry, I didn't think it would make you feel this way. But tonight's special—I didn't want to miss this chance for us to spend time together."
I stared at him, my nerves returning. "Why does it have to be just us? What do you want to do?" I asked, my voice trembling again.
He chuckled, shaking his head. "Not what you're thinking, Flora! It's something else entirely…"
"I'm not thinking anything weird! Maybe *you're* the one thinking something weird!" I shot back, my voice rising in frustration.
"If you're not thinking anything weird, why are you shouting? I haven't even done anything!" he teased, still laughing.
"Haven't done anything *yet*? So you *are* planning something?" I retorted, stepping back and clutching a pillow for defense.
"I said shout if I do something bad! The neighbors will hear you!" he explained, his patience wearing thin.
"Why should I wait for you to do something bad before shouting?" I yelled, gripping the pillow tighter.
"Because shouting is frowned upon here—the neighbors will get mad!" he said, exasperation creeping into his voice.
"Now you're telling me not to shout? What if you *do* try something?" I shouted again, unable to contain my emotions.
"You've been shouting this whole time! If you don't stop, I might actually do something!" he snapped, but immediately covered his face, clearly embarrassed by his own words.
We both fell silent, the tension palpable. I clutched my chest, trying to calm my racing heart. Moments later, his phone rang, snapping us back to reality. He excused himself to the kitchen, returning with a roasted chicken, a small cake, and a bottle of Coke, which he set on the table.
I blinked in surprise. "What's the occasion? Why all this food?" I asked, eyeing the spread.
He smiled shyly. "I found out it's your birthday today. So I prepared a little celebration."
My cheeks flushed. I hadn't even remembered my own birthday, buried under my busy university schedule. "Andoy…" I whispered, fighting back tears.
"I know I was busy all day and couldn't prepare much," he said, moving the cake closer. "But I wanted to make your day special." A single candle glowed on the cake, its soft light warming my heart.
Tears spilled over despite my efforts to hold them back. "Andoy, thank you… I didn't expect this," I said, my voice breaking. He handed me a handkerchief, his smile genuine. "Happy birthday, Flora," he said softly.
That night, our connection deepened. As we ate roasted chicken and cake, I realized how sincere Andoy's feelings were. For the first time, I wondered: *Should I accept his love? Should I let him in?*
---
The next morning, I was jolted awake by the incessant ringing of my doorbell. Groggy from the previous night's events, I dragged myself out of bed, still in my tank top and pajamas, not caring about my appearance. "Who's there?" I grumbled, opening the door.
I nearly jumped out of my skin. "General Romeo?!" I exclaimed, rubbing my eyes, half-convinced I was hallucinating.
"Good, you finally opened the door," he said, striding into my unit without warning, heading straight for the living room. He wore a simple polo and jeans, but his commanding presence was unmistakable.
"Why are you here?" I asked, trailing after him. "Aren't you supposed to be in Batangas?"
He smirked, a teasing glint in his eyes. "Is it wrong to visit my junior? I'm still your guardian, in case you forgot."
I shook my head. "General, I'm older than you, so stop calling me 'junior'!" I said, exasperated.
He looked me up and down, then said, "You seem healthy enough."
I suddenly realized I was still in my tank top. I crossed my arms, covering myself. "General, stop staring at me like that!" I said, my face burning.
He laughed but quickly clarified, "Relax, Flora. I'm not interested in your figure."
"You shouldn't say that to a woman!" I snapped, pouting dramatically. "And sorry if my figure isn't that interesting!"
He scratched his head, clearly struggling. "Okay, I take it back. I *am* interested in your figure, and I like it," he said, then immediately shook his head, realizing his mistake.
My cheeks burned as I turned away. "That's not something you say to a woman either!" I shouted.
He sighed, clearly frustrated. "Women are so hard to understand."
I ducked behind the sofa, hiding. "General, you can't just barge into a woman's place! I just woke up—I haven't even fixed myself!"
He waved off my complaint. "I'm used to seeing you like this, Flora. Have you forgotten? We were in the same camp. I've seen you drooling in your sleep and wearing childish underwear."
"I'm pretty sure I've seen all the embarrassing things there are to see about you."
"General!" I shrieked, my face exploding with embarrassment. "Don't bring up those humiliating moments! And you said you didn't see anything in the bathroom because of the fog!"
He ignored my outburst and asked, "Got any coffee here?"
"General, answer me first! Did you see me or not?!" I demanded, but he avoided my gaze, pretending to busy himself in the kitchen.
"I don't know what to say, Flora. You'll get mad either way, right?" he said, stepping closer until our faces were inches apart. "Besides, Flora is Flora. No matter how you look, you're still my junior."
I shook my head, unsure how to respond. I knew he saw me as a sister, but why did he keep calling me "junior" when I was older?
Our banter was cut short when his expression turned serious. "I'm disappointed in you, Flora," he said, and my world seemed to stop.
"W-Why, General?" I asked, my voice trembling. His disapproval was one of my greatest fears.
"You told me you were fine here in Manila, but look at this place—it's tiny and half an hour from your school!" he said, irritation in his tone.
"It's cheaper here, General. It's enough for me," I explained, but he wasn't convinced.
"You've been enduring this kind of place for two years? Do you think I can't afford to pay for a better home?" he said, almost angry.
"General, I'm already embarrassed that you're spending so much on me. I feel like I owe you too much," I replied, but he shook his head.
"Money means nothing to me, Flora. I want you to be comfortable while you're under my care," he said, his eyes sincere.
I couldn't tell him I was happy in my dorm, especially because of the community I'd found here. Before I could explain, I blurted, "General, why are you really in Manila? And how did you know where I live?"
He grinned, a teasing edge to his expression. "I have people watching you, keeping track of your day. I need to know if my troublesome junior is up to no good."
I froze, my heart racing. *Does he know about Andoy? Does he know I've been entertaining Andoy's courtship when I'm supposed to focus on my studies and becoming a soldier?* I forced a smile. "O-Of course, General! Everything's fine!" I said, trying not to stammer.
He studied me, as if reading my every move. "Don't worry, Flora. I know you wouldn't do anything foolish," he said, but there was a hint of doubt in his voice.
To deflect, I asked again, "Seriously, General. Why are you here?"
He paused, his face turning serious. "I've been given a new mission. And I need you to come with me."
"You're taking me along?" I asked, stunned.
"Yes. It's classified, so get ready. You have one hour," he said, his expression leaving no room for argument.
I saluted and rushed to my room to prepare. Minutes later, we left my unit and climbed into a sleek black van—a luxurious vehicle I hadn't expected from the General.
"What's the mission, General?" I asked.
"Call me Romeo," he said, placing a finger to my lips before I could protest.
"But General—"
"Top secret. For our safety and those around us, we need to conceal our identities. For now, I'm Romeo, an ordinary citizen, and you're Flora, my younger sister. Clear?"
"Understood, General—er, Romeo," I said, shaking my head. Calling him by his first name felt strange, especially since I was used to addressing him formally out of respect.
As we drove, I noticed he called me "younger" again. "If we're ordinary people now, why am I still the younger one? I'm three years older than you!" I protested.
He ignored me, staring out the window. I sighed, secretly preferring to think of him as older—after all, he was the one always providing for me.
After a few minutes, we stopped in a street in Tondo. The area was unfamiliar, but I followed Romeo without question. I wanted to ask about the mission, but I feared disrupting it.
He suddenly stopped at a kwek-kwek stall and invited me to eat. "Let's have some kwek-kwek," he said casually. Surprised, I complied. We then went to a park, where we sat and ate while watching children play. He was quiet, but his eyes scanned the surroundings intently.
We continued walking through a crowded market, where I struggled to keep up. When we reached a mall, he stopped. "What are you doing? You're falling behind," he said, visibly impatient.
"There are too many people!" I explained.
He grabbed my hand and pulled me along. "Hold on to me so you don't get lost," he said. Though I knew he saw me as a sister, I blushed at the contact.
We ended up at a gaming center. He bought tokens and invited me to play. I was shocked—since when was the General into arcade games? But as we played, I noticed his focus, especially when he stopped at a claw machine, staring at a doll with a flower on its head. He gazed at it for nearly ten seconds, as if communicating with it.
"Romeo, why are you staring at that?" I asked, but he didn't answer. Instead, he inserted a token and tried to grab the doll. He failed twice, and on the third try, the doll slipped just before reaching the chute.
I saw the disappointment on his face. "Give me a token," he said. Hesitant, I handed him one. After ten attempts and no success, I said, "That doll's probably cheap, Romeo. It's not practical to keep spending on it."
He grabbed my hand, taking my wallet, and said seriously, "This isn't about money, Flora. I'm beating that claw machine, and I'm getting that doll no matter what." He sent me to buy more tokens.
I didn't understand his obsession, but I complied. After countless tries and nearly five hundred pesos spent, he finally got the doll. He grinned like a child, proud of his victory. "Told you I could do it," he said.
"You did, but you spent five hundred pesos on a doll worth a hundred!" I said, shaking my head.
He handed me the doll. "Hold this for now," he said.
"Are you giving it to me?" I asked, hopeful.
"What, you think you're lucky? I worked hard for Sampaguita—why would I give it to you?" he teased.
"Sampaguita?" I laughed. "That's not a sampaguita flower on its head!"
"I don't care. I'm calling it Sampaguita," he said, explaining he chose the name because it was the smallest doll, like it was being bullied by the others. "Reminds me of someone," he added with a mischievous grin, clearly referring to me.
"I wasn't bullied!" I protested, but he ignored me and kept walking.
We left the arcade and went to an ice cream shop, where he let me choose a flavor. As we ate, he seemed relaxed, but I wanted to ask about the mission. Before I could, he suddenly stopped and raised his arm in front of me.
"I knew I'd see him here," he whispered, staring at an old man in a white jacket across the street. Assuming he wanted to follow, I crossed the road with him.
We trailed the man to a building, but instead of pursuing him directly, Romeo bought movie tickets. Confused, I followed. I saw the man enter the theater and was amazed—Romeo had predicted his move. *He's incredible at this,* I thought.
Inside the dark, crowded theater, I whispered, "Romeo, it'll be hard to find him here."
"Find him? Leave it to me. Just follow," he said, leading us to the third deck. We sat in the fourth row, and I noticed the man was just two rows away. I was impressed—how did Romeo know where he'd sit?
But then Romeo's expression changed. "I should've realized sooner," he muttered, standing. "Watch him, Flora. I'll be back."
"Watch him? What do you mean?" I asked, but he was already gone. Left alone, I focused on the man, trying to stay alert. When the movie started, Romeo returned with popcorn and snacks.
"What were you doing outside?" I asked.
"Shh, it's starting," he said, silencing me. As we watched, he offered me popcorn, but I noticed he wasn't even glancing at the man. Confused, I waited for his next move.
After the movie, he asked, "What did you think of the film?"
I hesitated, having focused on the man. "Uh, I don't know. I was watching the target." But when I looked, the man was gone. "Romeo, the target's gone!" I exclaimed, jumping up to chase him.
"Target? What are you talking about?" he asked, confused.
I ran out of the theater, pushing through the crowd. Outside, I spotted the man on the ground floor. I considered jumping from the fourth floor to catch him, but before I could, Romeo grabbed my shirt. "What are you doing?"
"The target's down there! He'll escape!" I shouted.
"Target? Escape?" he said, bewildered.
The world seemed to pause as confusion settled in. His expression showed he had no idea what I was talking about. "Wait, General, wasn't that man in the white jacket our mission target?"
Romeo sighed, frustration evident. "Flora, I don't know what you're talking about. Calm down. We weren't following anyone."
"But I thought we were here for a mission!" I said, panicked.
He explained we were just there to watch a movie, not to chase anyone. "What about the arcade, the park, and Tondo? I thought we were tracking someone!" I said, flustered.
He stared at me, eyebrows furrowed. That's when it hit me—I'd misunderstood everything. I thought every move was part of a mission, but he just wanted to hang out.
"If there's no mission, why are we here?" I asked.
He paused, then said, "I just wanted to spend time with you, to have some fun."
I was furious, feeling foolish. "I skipped class to come with you, thinking we had something important to do!" I complained.
As I ranted, he lightly tapped my head with a movie poster to stop me. "Quit being paranoid," he said and start walking.
I didn't follow him, still upset. "You lied to get me to play arcade games and watch a movie while I thought we were on a serious mission!"
He stopped and faced me, sighing. "I never said we were tracking anyone, Flora. You assumed we were on a mission. Can you stop pouting like a kid?"
I pouted harder, reminding him he'd mentioned a "top secret mission," making me believe it was real.
He stepped closer, grabbing my hand to pull me along. "Enough. We can't talk about the mission here," he said, dragging me forward.
I had no choice but to follow. As we walked, he clarified he hadn't lied about the mission. He was in Manila for one, but he wanted to have fun first. "I went out of my way to include you in my downtime. Shouldn't you be happy to get out and enjoy?" he said.
"If you just wanted to hang out, you should've said so! I feel ridiculous for thinking we were on a mission," I said.
He stopped and asked, "If I'd told you I just wanted to hang out, would you have come? I know you'd have made excuses about school and declined."
"That's not true. I do enjoy spending time with you, but it feels like *you're* not enjoying it," I said. "Every time we go out, I don't see you having fun. It's like you're only doing it to make me happy, and I hate feeling like you're forced to do this for my sake."
I opened up about my past. After becoming an orphan, I was raised by others, and life grew complicated when we faced abuse from the Spaniards in La Trinidad. My life had been lonely and chaotic. "I'm so grateful you came into my life, General. I know you do this to make sure I'm happy despite being a soldier. But it feels like you're only doing it out of pity, as my guardian. I'm telling you, I'm fine. You don't need to go out of your way for someone like me."
"I'm a crybaby and a coward, but I can be brave and strong. I want to prove one day that I can be a great general like you," I said.
He gently placed his hand on my head, smiling. "You don't need to prove anything to me, Flora. When I said I'd take care of you like family, I meant it."
He admitted he used "having fun" as an excuse for me, but the truth was he wanted to enjoy himself too, like normal people. "Don't think I'm just doing this to make you happy. I'm a selfish person, Flora. I'm doing this for myself too."
His words stung. I knew his reputation—many called him a traitor for working with the Spaniards. But I knew him. There was a reason behind everything he did, even if I didn't fully understand it.
Before we could continue, his phone rang. I overheard him giving orders, his expression darkening. "Hurry, Flora. We need to be at the venue in ten minutes," he said, and we climbed back into the van.
We arrived at the City of Dreams, a five-star hotel in Manila. I couldn't help but marvel at its grandeur. Inside a hall, we were greeted by soldiers and hotel staff, including some of my old camp comrades, women I'd trained with.