001 - Panaderia De Quaro

            "Oh Lord, he's coming! There, there... just a little bit more. Oh!"

            Impit na tili ang pinakawalan ng nakapilang mga estudyante sa gilid ng bakery-slash-coffee house nang unti-unting rumolyo paitaas ang steel sheet door tanda na magbubukas na iyon.

            It was only seven in the morning and the sun set the sky brightly. Ang mga huni ng ibon sa paligid ay nagbabadya ng magandag umaga; tinatakpan ng mga iyon ang ingay na nililikha ng mga sasakyang dumaraan sa highway hindi kalayuan mula roon.

            It was that same time of the day again, and almost all the ladies from the nearby college were lining up to buy—uhm, no—to have a glimpse of the Adonis who owned the shop. Iyon ang araw-araw na kaganapan doon sa tahimik na parteng iyon ng bayan ng Montana, at hindi na bago iyon sa mga katabing gusali ng Panaderia De Quaro.

            Umaga pa lang, at kahit hindi pa oras ng pasok, ay naroon na sa shop ang mga kadalagahan upang mag-almusal, magpalipas ng oras, at magpa-cute sa lalaking ang tawag ng lahat ay Quaro.

            Some girls found his name so manly, others thought it was unique. But the town people, especially the locals who had known the guy for almost a decade now, called him Jaque.

            And that guy—Jaque, or Quaro to the ladies—was the main reason why women would pile up at the bakery. Kombinsido ang lahat na ang binata talaga ang habol ng mga babae roon, at hindi ang paninda nitong tinapay at kape. But who could blame the ladies, anyway? The guy was hot and delectable, just like the hot chocolate and caffe latte he sold to them girls.

            Ang nakae-engganyo pa ay game na game si Quaro na sakyan ang trip ng mga customers nito—he was accommodating and friendly to them, and when he'd find someone he liked, he would flirt back.

            Well... at least that's what the girls would fantasize... Quaro flirting back.

            But nobody really knew him—nobody could read his mind.

            He was mysterious.

            But, really. Yummy.

            Kung naibebenta lang ang mga pandesal nito sa tiyan, ang mala-monay nitong dibdib, ang mala-pan de leche nitong mga braso, at mala-apple pie sa umbok nitong pang-upo, baka nagkabutasan na ng bulsa ang mga babae.

            And some people had started to think na baka ginagamit ni Quaro ang pisikal na katangian para dumami ang mga customers, at nakikipag-landian din para balik-balikan ang mga paninda nito.

            Oh well, hindi rin nila ito masisi; that's how business works, anyway...

            "Oh my gosh, hayan na..." nanggigigil na wari ng isa pang estudyante sabay yugyog sa kasama. Ang mga nasa likuran ay nagbubulungan na rin at impit na nagtititili.

            At nang tuluyan nang bumukas ang rolling steel door at iniluwa ang binatang kanina pa inaantabayanan ng lahat ay sabay na bumati ang mga ito ng;

            "Good morning, Quaro!"

            Si Quaro, na sumilip sa pinto at nakita ang mahabang pila ng mga kadalagahan ay ngumisi, bago tuluyang lumabas at hinarap ang mga ito.

            "Good morning, sweethearts," he said in his husky, soul-penetrating voice. Tinig pa lang nito ay nainitan na ang sikmura ng mga dilag. "Are y'all ready for a cup of hot chocolate and a piece of warm bread?"

            Hindi kaagad naka-sagot ang mga dalaga; pawang mga nagsi-buntong hininga ang mga ito habang sinusuyod ng tingin ang lalaking nakatayo sa harapan na tila nililok pa mula sa langit.

            The guy had a firmly-built body like a knight in a fairy tale— the only difference was that Quaro wasn't wearing armor, but a signature tattered jeans and a white T-shirt with sleeves rolled up to his broad shoulders. His face was lethal; those sensuous and radiant eyes were like black diamonds—rare and mysterious—capturing every nerve of their being. His long, narrow nose made him look more like a foreign man rather than a local, and his thin, sensual lips were making them fantasize about sex.

            He was a man in every girl's wet dreams, and Quaro knew it. He knew it damn, too well. And he was using it to his advantage.

            "We have been waiting, Quaro...." said the cute college girl who had long, silky hair. She was batting her eyelashes like a toddler asking for candy.

            Lumapad ang ngiti ni Quaro na halos ikawala ng ulirat ng iba. He flipped up the sign on the door that says OPEN, before returning his attention back to the ladies.

           

             "Thank you for patiently waiting, sweethearts. Get in—the shop is now open."

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            Alas-tres na ng hapon at halos paubos na ang laman ng dalawang mahabang estante na naka-hilera sa gitna ng shop. Kahit ang mga baskets na may lamang sari-saring pastries na naka-latag sa dalawang wooden shelves sa magkabilang gilid ay papaubos na rin, subalit ang mga customers mula sa kalapit na kolehiyo at ilang mga napapadaang turista at lokal ay panay pa rin ang pasok sa Panaderia De Quaro.

            Some of them would stay for a hot drink or two, some would just order and chitchat a little before heading out.

            Ang anim na pabilog na mesa sa loob ng shop ay pawang mga okupado; and Quaro recognized all the faces sitting at each table. Paano ba naman, halos araw-araw ay naroon ang mga ito, kaya memoryado na ng binata ang hitsura ng bawat isa.

            Muli nitong sinulyapan ang mga natirang produkto sa mga estante at wooden shelves bago nilingon ang wall clock sa likuran ng counter.

            Normally, he would close at 4:00 PM—whether or not there were still customers coming in. Inisasara na niya ang shop upang ihinto ang pagtanggap ng mga customers, at kung sino man ang nasa loob ay malayang manatili roon hanggang sa maubos ng mga ito ang mga in-order.

            By that time, he would also stop receiving orders, and he would hang around with the remaining customers and chat with them until they'd finish and leave.

            Pagdating ng alas-sinco ay dumarating ang delivery ng mga ingredients na gagamitin niya kinabukasan, so he would sit at the rooftop of his three-storey shop-slash-house to wait for the delivery truck with a coffee and a cigar in his hands.

            Pagdating ng alas seis ay bababa siya sa personal kitchen niya at magluluto ng hapunan. After which, he would go back to the rooftop and there he would eat his meal under the moon and the stars.

            Mula roon ay natatanaw niya ang karagatan sa hindi kalayuan, at madalas ay mananatili siya roon upang magmuni-muni, o tawagan at kausapin ang ina. Aabutin siya roon ng hanggang alas dies ng gabi, at kapag nakaramdam na siya ng pagod at antok ay saka pa lang siya babalik sa baba upang maglinis ng kusina. Pagkatapos niyon ay aakyat siya sa third floor kung saan naroon ang silid at banyo niya; he would take a bath to freshen up and sleep in his King-sized bed in birthsuit.

            That basically how his life went every day—same routine. And he had no problem with that.

            He liked to be on his own. Siya ang panganay sa labing-dalawang magkakapatid, and he was supposed to stay with his mother to help her guide his younger siblings. But... he chose to leave after he finished college because he felt like he'd be happier being alone.

            It was a selfish act and he had already apologized to his family. He expected his younger siblings to be resentful towards him, but surprisingly, they accepted and supported his decision.

            All along, his siblings knew what he wanted. They knew that he never wanted to lead a pack, but to fly solo.

            And yes, he led a solitary life—but it was the best kind of life for him. And he didn't need people to tell him what he was supposed to do.

            Kung gaano siya katagal na mananatiling mag-isa sa buhay ay hindi niya alam. All he knew was he enjoyed his life as it was, and he didn't need anything... or anyone else... to complete him. 

            Or so he thought.

TO BE CONTINUED...