Chapter 3

"Are you sure you're okay?" Clear asked Bloom.

They just finished reporting to the precinct about the holdup. They are on their way home.

"I'm fine, don't worry about me. Thank you very much." Bloom's shy language.

"It's okay. I just did the right thing."

The vehicle stopped and parked opposite a building.

"I'll be right back."

Clear got out of the car and left immediately. Bloom peeked out the window and was stunned to see the young man enter a first class coffee shop.

"Is he really a taxi-driver?" she said in amazement.

A moment later she saw Clear come out of the coffee shop carrying two glasses of coffee and a paper bag that she predicted was full of food. It got into the car and put the luggage on the headboard. He adjusted the seat a bit and then he took a cup of coffee and handed it to her. She hesitated to accept it.

"It's too much, too embarrassing..."

"You don't have to be shy. We need to drink coffee so we don't get cold. One more thing, I haven't eaten dinner yet, I'm hungry. Did you eat already?"

Then Bloom remembered that she was still not eating dinner. From what happened to her earlier, she no longer felt or remembered hunger. She simply shook her head.

"I still don't eat. I forgot that thing."

Clear took the paper bag and pulled out the contents of the two Styrofoam with only the food. Includes plastic spoon and fork. It opened the lid of a styrofoam and she was a little surprised to see the only food. She knew it was not lightly.

"Can't you lose that? You really helped me, then here... You even treat me some food. I don't know how I can make up for you. The extent of my gratitude..."

Clear sighed deeply and smiled sparingly at her.

"You don't have to take me back. Don't think about anything and don't be shy. Come on, let's eat. Then, I'll take you home."

"All right..." she agreed.

He handed the styrofoam he opened to her and she immediately took it. It also took another styrofoam that contain foods and they started eating at the same time.

"Have you been a taxi-driver for a long time?" she asked curiously.

Clear stopped eating and glared at Bloom. He first hung the food in the air.

"I'm just new." his short answer.

He ate some food.

"Ah... Okay. Thank you all. I'm sorry if I'm a little bothered on you. But the big thing for me is that you help me even though I’m a stranger. I can’t imagine what would have happened to me if you hadn’t come. Thank God really." Bloom added.

He ate some food. Clear did not say a word because he was busy chewing. She still thinks the she bothered him? While he could not count how many times the girl thanked him. He drank coffee. His companion also drank coffee and smiled at him. He was rewarded with a frugal smile. He seems lucky to have his field work coming. When they finished eating, Clear started the car again and a bit of an awkward silence prevailed. So, he thought of turning on the radio. A love song is playing. Ipagpatawad Mo(Forgive Me). It's late so the song in the radio program is full of love songs. He simply glanced at his companion. It looked out the window and was silent.

He wanted to speak but he could not think of a topic until...

"Do you have a boyfriend?" he suddenly asked.

Yes! No pleasure at work. But he could not control himself. Bloom looked at Clear and her cheeks warmed. She felt that.

"Ahm, I have no boyfriend." her short answer.

"Ows?! Impossible."

"True. I really don't know why. I'm not that beautiful but I'm not ugly. That's why I don't know why those Never mind, anonymous, yours truly beat me. Because they have a love-life while me doesn’t have."

Clear laughed slightly.

"Never mind, anonymous, yours truly?!" he asked curiously.

"Well, my friend and I managed to call people who are a little unattractive so that we don't insult. Eh you, you have a lot of girlfriends?"

"Girlfriend, nothing. I'm focused on my youngest sister. She is a teenager so she is a headache and needs to be watched by me because she is reprimanded and cursed. You know, she is in the critical stage. But me, too, my brain will soon become critical because of her. Just a few strands, I might be brain-damaged."

She laughed softly at what Clear said.

"I can't believe you don't have a girlfriend. Is that true?" she asked curiously.

"Nothing really. I've been single for two years because there are so many reasons. Just... But if I'm lucky to have a girlfriend now, why not?"

Bloom was stunned because Clear stared at her with a wink. Then he turned his gaze back to the road. Her cheeks grew hotter.

"Crazy." her language was weak.

Clear was amused when he saw the redness of the girl's cheeks and the bridge of her nose up to her forehead. It makes her look better while blushing.

"Hmm... How was your day before you were holdup?" he simply asked.

Bloom couldn't help but smile as she remembered Crush. The joy of her world would have been if it had not been fulfilled.

"Well, my morning was super fun earlier. I had a once in a lifetime chance earlier that to meet an Men in Action agent, what a luck! Thanks for the traffic! I really rubbed my face just to get his phone number and he gave it to me. He was very kind because he gave in to my whim even though he didn't know me. That's all I lost the chance to get to know Crush better because those who robbed me included my phone. Hopefully, I left my simcards with me. I know, it just throw it away. And it's a pity my make-up kits and perfume are there. Plus my five hundred-fifty pesos money, fare and snacks. On the positive side, at least I was not harmed. And I lost nothing as important as IDs and paperwork." Bloom's long story.

Clear simply grabbed his chin. Crush is also the nickname he gave her. 'Nice...'

"You are one of the fans of the elite force of Men in Action." he commented.

"Well, yes! What a waste of the chance that come to me earlier." Bloom's language still regrets.

"You know, maybe you and Crush will meet again at an unexpected time. We have a small world and sometimes, weird things happen..."

Bloom blinked and looked at her companion. The fluent of the last said it and still has an accent. She was a little surprised and she could not hold back.

"Are you really a taxi-driver?" she asked curiously.

Clear was a bit taken aback. He had not restrained himself before. He couldn't help but confess and he barely forgot that he was on a spy mission. He was quick to think of an answer.

"Of course. If only I had been lucky enough to graduate, I would probably be a teacher now. I am an undergrad in the Education course. But when I save a little, I plan to continue my studies."

Bloom felt admiration for her companion. She lost the feeling of doubt she had.

"Don't worry, you can finish too. Just don't give up on your dream. You are a good person so you will succeed." She commented.

Clear could not understand but he felt guilt when he heard Bloom's comment to him. When he is in Field work he is very good at making lies just to cover his identity...

"Thank you." his answer was short.

A few more moments...

"Oops! Wait, we little past my house!" Bloom said suddenly.

Clear immediately stopped the vehicle. He looked around and he was a little surprised because this place where Bloom lives is just near the Residence Area of Men in Action. He swallowed and smiled, he could easily go to Bloom whenever he wanted. He did not have to go any further. He shifted and pulled the car over to the opposite side of the house. It's just a simple bungalow house that he estimates is only for three people. The yard is very clean with a variety of flowers. He stopped the car and removed the seatbelt then got out and turned towards Bloom. He opened the door for it. The girl also removed her seatbelt and got out of the car. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw her house.

"Thank you very much, Clear."

"At your service! Your welcome."

She smiled at what it said.

"If you want, I'll take care of picking you up and coming home from work. You know, while your uncle is not well yet." Clear's presentation.

Yes and this is a bit contrary to his work but he will not be reassured when he is not sure the girl is safe. He will not allow anything bad to happen again here. Bloom stared at Clear in amazement. She has no right to refuse its offer.

"I have no right to refuse. Hopefully, I have a discount." Bloom joked.

A wide smile appeared on Clear's lips.

"If you're as good as you ask me for a discount, I have no problem. But if you want to be free, I'll be your boyfriend... I want to drive you 24/7."

Clear winked mischievously and Bloom laughed while shaking.

"Crazy..." her short comment.

Clear did not speak but stared at her. She looked up at it and saw nothing but his frugal smile and his sincere gaze. She did not know why it was such a gesture. She can't get it. Even though they had only been together for a while and talked, they became close immediately. Weird if weird but she feels like she has met the man.

"Think about my offer. Will I pick you up tomorrow? What time?" suddenly its language.

"Are you serious? All right, I'll think about it. Just pick me up tomorrow around 8:30. Thank you very much. I owe you a lot."

Clear took a deep breath.

"All right, I'm leaving. I need to go to the border." he said goodbye.

"Wait, here's your polo. Thanks again."

Bloom took off his polo-shirt that the man had lent her. She handed it to the young man and he immediately took it.

"Bye, and good night!"

"Goodnight."