Chapter 14 - Under his smile

WARNING: This story contains Boys’ Love (BL) themes and is intended for mature audiences. The content and characters in this work are purely fictional. Any resemblance to real people, living or dead, is purely coincidental. This narrative includes mature subject matter, such as romantic relationships between men, and may explore sensitive topics. Reader discretion is advised.

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Ezekiel pov

Fuck!, anong nangyayari kay Skyler? Kanina pa ako nagsusumikap na maging seryoso, hindi lang dahil sa trabaho, kundi dahil feeling ko kailangan kong maging... well, professional. I mean, as the head of this department, I’m supposed to be the one who sets the tone, Calm, collected, no room for mistakes. But every time si Skyler na yung nagsasalita or may ginagawa, para akong nakatingin sa isang live comedy show.

I should’ve known.

Kasi, siyempre, si Skyler ‘to. Si Skyler na laging may bagong kapalpakan at laging sablay. Kakaibang charm niya ‘yung kahit na sumasablay siya, parang ang saya lang niyang panoorin. But shit!, hindi ko yata kayang pigilan ‘to today.

We were in a meeting. Tense atmosphere, lahat nagpo-focus. Wala nang kalokohan, walang distractions. Maliban sa isang tao.

Nagumpisa ang presentation ni Skyler, and honestly, I didn’t expect much. I was already preparing myself for the usual—basta Skyler na, expect mo nang may mangyayaring kabaliwan o kapalpakan, He was standing there in front, holding his notes na parang exam na ‘di siya handa. Gago, di ba? Kung makaporma siya, akala mo siya na ang pinakamature sa office. But deep inside, I already knew what was coming.

And then...

“Ano na naman kaya ang mangyayaring sablay ngayon?” I muttered under my breath, just waiting for the moment.

Tapos, out of nowhere, BAM! Nadapa siya. Notes nagkalat, at siya pa mismo, dumulas. Puta, napatampal nalang Ako sa noo. It was like slow-motion, like some dramatic scene in a movie. Pero, hindi ko na siya matanaw. I tried to keep it together, but the next part was even worse.

“And that’s the first step of my presenteEee—”

Piyok.

Fuck!!, I almost lost it. I tried to compose myself, but my lips were twitching. I swear, I couldn’t stop the little laugh that escaped. Everyone in the room noticed, and the moment Skyler recovered, I tried to keep it cool. But let’s be real, I wasn’t fooling anyone. The whole room could sense it.

“Continue, Skyler,” I said, but I could feel the amusement in my tone, and I couldn’t help it. Hindi ko na kayang pigilan, I didn’t know whether to be annoyed or impressed. It’s like he was trying to make things more complicated than they should be.

In the back of my mind, I thought about how this wasn’t normal—how I was the one supposed to keep it all together. But every time Skyler was in the room, it felt like everything was flipped upside down. Puta, bakit ba ako naaapektohan?

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After the meeting, I stayed behind for a minute. Puno pa ng tawanan ang office dahil kanina why is he fuckin clumsy guy!, pero ako, nandoon lang ako, trying to figure out what to do next. Skyler’s chaos had become a regular part of my life. At first, I didn’t know how to handle it, but now... it’s like I expect it.

But still, there’s something about him that I can’t shake off.

I sat back at my desk, looking at my screen but not really seeing anything. All I could think about was that moment. The way Skyler fell, the way his voice cracked, how his face looked when he tried to play it off. He was the most clumsy person I knew, but it was so... Skyler.

“Ezekiel, focus. You’re the boss here. Stop thinking about it,” I muttered to myself. Pero hindi ko magawa. Every time I closed my eyes, all I could see was his goofy expression and that damn laugh.

Then, just as I was about to get back to work, I saw them.

Skyler and Zachary, standing in the hallway, laughing together like they were the only ones in the building.

I don’t know why, pero... shit. I hated it.

Zachary had his arm slung around Skyler’s shoulders, and they were laughing, no care in the world. They looked so comfortable, like they had all the time in the world. It was... weird. Seeing them like that made me feel something I couldn’t explain. Was it jealousy?

I don’t even like Zachary that way. Hell, I don’t even like anyone that way. I’m not some emotional wreck. But when I saw the way Skyler laughed at whatever stupid thing Zachary said, something twisted inside me. What the hell is going on with me?

I turned away quickly, trying to push the thought out of my head. I had no business being affected by this. But as I walked past them, I couldn’t help but glance back. And there they were, still enjoying each other’s company, like the world didn’t matter.

Why the hell does this bother me so much?

I tried to shove my thoughts aside, to focus on the work in front of me. But every time I thought I was being rational, there was that nagging feeling—something in my gut telling me I wasn’t as unaffected as I thought I was. I told myself, Ezekiel, get a grip.

But the truth was, I couldn’t stop thinking about Skyler and Zachary. Why did it bother me so much? Why did seeing them laugh together, so carefree, make my chest tighten?

Get it together, Ezekiel. You’re the fucking boss here. Focus.

I started typing, but the words didn’t make sense. It’s like everything in my head was scrambled. How could I focus on numbers and proposals when he was the one invading my thoughts?

I had to leave the office for a bit. I couldn’t stay there any longer. I didn’t know what was happening to me, and I didn’t like it. The last thing I needed was to be caught in some... feeling about Skyler.

I grabbed my jacket and headed to the exit, but before I reached the door, I saw him again. Skyler.

He was talking to Zachary, laughing like usual. But this time, when he looked up, our eyes met. For a second, I saw that spark of recognition—something in his expression shifted. It was like he knew that I knew.

I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know how to react.

I just turned around and walked out.

It felt... wrong. But at the same time, it felt like the most right thing I’d done in a long time.

Outside the building, I took a deep breath and stared out at the street. Everything felt so damn complicated all of a sudden.

What the hell am I even doing?

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That night, I couldn’t sleep. Thoughts of Skyler kept running through my head. The way he walked into the room, always full of energy, always alive. The way his presence changed everything around him, making the most mundane thing feel like an adventure. I hated how I noticed those things.

I hated how his laugh had this effect on me. How his clumsiness wasn’t just something to laugh at—it was him. And maybe... maybe that’s what bothered me the most.

Skyler wasn’t the kind of person I usually paid attention to. Hell, I wasn’t the type to get distracted by someone’s personality, especially not someone who was as chaotic as he was. But now, everything felt like a mess. A mess that I didn’t know how to clean up.

It’s funny. In the office, I’m the one people go to for direction. I’m the one who keeps things in line. But when it came to Skyler, I was completely fucking lost.

And maybe, just maybe... I didn’t want to find my way out of it.

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The next morning, when I walked into the office, I tried to act like everything was normal. I was the boss, I had responsibilities, and I had to keep my emotions in check. But when I saw Skyler at his desk, looking at me with those eyes—those damn eyes—I knew I was in deep shit.

“Morning, sir,” he said, flashing me a smile.

I couldn’t help but notice how everything seemed to stop when he spoke. And just like that, I was stuck again.

Shit, Ezekiel. You’re screwed.

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