Chapter 3

"Facin your sit belt Vnúchka"

    Dedushka's voice was low and commanding,as if he was angry. It's my first time seeing him like this—This side of him.I admit I was quite afraid. And maybe dedushka noticed as he soften  his face as he looked at me through the rearview mirror.

"Vnúchka...I didn't mean to startle you" dedushka started. "I'm sorry..." he apologized.

"Uhm dedushka I have somewhere to go"

"I'll take you there" dedushka quickly answered. "Sa SM, Mira is waiting for me there" I said in Taglish. This is my first time talking Taglish while with dedushka. I usually talked English or Russian but rarely. Dedushka won't get confused as he knows Tagalog. Dedushka simply nodded at me.

The ride was quite. It was unusual as we always find stuff to discuss even if it's random. I silently drifted my gaze outside as we got stuck in a traffic. My thoughts wonder on the man dedushka was talking with earlier. Those greenish blue eyes.

Those eyes we're somewhat familiar...

As the surroundings got noiseir I looked at dedushka. Finally parting my lips to ask. "Dedushka...uhm who was that man you were talking to earlier? "

Dedushka look back at me.As if he knew I was gonna question him.I mean it's unnecessary, but I can feel something weird everytime I remember that man. His eyes...

Gosh those eyes! WAHHHHHHH!!!

"Dedushka...why did he say he'll wait for the truth?" I added.That single sentence from him already confused me. What more if I know the truth?

It's not like dedushka can't explain. It's just, sometimes he jump from another language to another and it's confusing! Plus his a fast talker so it's hard to know if his talking Russian or German!

Wait...is that man my Dad?

No it can't be. Carmellia said we look exactly the same. And me and that man didn't even look related by any means. Or is he really my father just go through plastic surgeries?

But still he looks young and not in his forties or fifties. He must be in his early thirties. But mom look twenty in her forties. So could it be...My father?

"His the Pakhan vnúchka... " dedushka sighed.

Wait! My Dad's the Pakhan!?

But wait!

From their discussion earlier dedushka mentioned he just turned the Pakhan last month,so it can't be...

Who is that man....

"Do I know him...?" I asked full of hope. "You might not remember him but he looked for you for everywhere...And now he found you..." Dedushka gave me a small smile before looking back at the stirring wheel.I look out, the traffic was finally moving.

Huh? Could it be...

The ride went smoothly. As dedushka was parking the car I spotted Mira. I quickly opened the car window so she could see me. Mira did not disappoint and immediately went to the car. I opened the door when Mira was near.

"Call me so I could pick you up Vnúchka" dedushka reminded before I closed the door. "Goodbye dedushka, and yes I'll call you to pick me up" I repeated as I know what he will spat next. Me and Mira walked to the elevator wrapped on each other's arms.

When we got there, Mira started "you didn't tell me your grandfather was that hot! " . She slapped my shoulder before continuing "Gurl if you told me earlier I could have been your grandmother by now" she squealed making me freeze in horror.

The thought of Mira being my grandmother is already terrible what else if it came true. Gosh...

The elevator dinged and we got out. Mira being the food lover immediately drag me to Jollibee. She told me to go and get a table as she will be the one ordering. I told her my order and shoved five thousand on her hand before leaving to find a table. The table that I found was just near, I had a glimpse of Mira's shocked face before getting my phone to check if there's any notification from Mom.

As expected there were several messages. I started to read Mom's messages and reply to them. Mira was taking long so I opened TikTok and scrolled. Mira went to the table with the timer. I closed my phone and waited for her to sit.

"Gosh, Beh 'san mo'to na kuha? Hindi ka naman siguro nag i-iligal anoh? (Gosh,beh where did you get this? don't tell me you do illegal things?)" She integrated me. "Kay dedushka (from grandfather)" I simply said a smile forming in my face. " 10k? "  Mira's shocked whisper. I nodded.

"By the way, Mira would you like to study with me in Russia? "

Mira looked at me surprised, then confusion. "Bat sa  Russian pa eh pwede naman dito sa pinas? (why in Russia when we can just study here in the Philippines?)" I sighed taking her hand. "Gusto kong sa Russia narin kayo manirahan ni Tito...Susuportahan naman kayo namin alam mo yun. (I also want you and uncle to live in Russia...You know we'll still support you)And we can both go to the same university there"

"Your going back to Russia? "

I nodded...

" Bakit? (why?)"

"Mom's condition need more medical attention so dedushka decided to go back to Russia for better treatment"

"Then...why do you want us to come with you? "

That caught me off guard...

I know my reason was to be with Mira and not be separated from her. But this was kinda selfish. And I'm here gaslighting myself it's also for her own benefit. What really is my reason?

Is it because I hated being away from people who are close and dearest to me...?

I bit my lower lip before finally answering

"Para narin kay Tito, dedushka can provide a helper for you and Tito so you two wouldn't struggle. (also for Uncle,grandfather)"

"I know this is selfish but I want to stay with you...Your my bestfriend I can't just left you here..."

"Hiraya...Im just your bestfriend. Russia us your life. I know that you longged to go back to Russia now you have the chance... Why are you persuading me to come with you? "

"You can achieve the dream you've been meaning to..."

"But it would be without you...We vowed to do everything together... "

We both flinch when the timer started to bep.We looked at each other for a moment before laughing together. "I'll think about it" Mira's words before getting up and taking our order. We didn't take long to ate,after finished we went to the bathroom to retouch.

"Beh yung pera nga pala(beh the money) " Mira reminder me.Oh right, the money that I gave her still have some left. "Sayo na yan(keep it) " I said wiping my hands. "Pinag sasabi mo? Gaga 10k?(what are you saying? idiot it's 10 thousand)" she slapped my arm. "Sayo nalang nga, tignan mo pa bag ko.(You can keep it, take a look on my purse)" I gave her my purse and she looked at it surprised."Tangina si Dedushka kasi sabing 5k lang ginawang 20! (it's all grandfather's fault,I said I just needed 5 thousand but he gave me 20!)" I complained.

"Over naman sa 20k na yan"

"Hiring ba Lolo mo for sugar baby? Apply sana ako(is your grandfather hiring for a sugar baby?cuz I'm in) " She laughed. "Kinikilabutan ako sa'yo (your scaring me) " I acted trembling,and we both laugh. She tried to give me back the money but I insisted,she thanked me with her teary eyes. After that, we went to the stores. Buying things we wouldn't even use. We've finished jumping from one store to another when we spotted a new store. It was fashion store. When we went in, it was heaven.

The design's? Uh! Gorgeous! Gosh I can spend my life here. I practically dragged Mira with me when I saw a stunning dress. A baby pink silk, below knee length, side slit, a soft mesh corset design for the waist, and roses on top making it the up shoulders design. I immediately asked the staff if they have my size and thankfully they have. I asked Mira if she wanted to she said "you know I don't wear dresses" right she doesn't like them.

The staff told us to wait by the fitting room. As we find our way there we shared chismis we gathered. Basically gossips. Mira told me the most jaw dropping gossip she had and I can't stop laughing when I bumped into a hard thing. I didn't even know what it is but for sure that sh#t was hard as rock-no hard as cement.

I looked up and I met those eyes again.Those greenish- blue eyes... I can feel his gaze softening as his arm wrapped around my waist. We kept our eye contact, examining each other, finding answers...

"Uhm Mr. Kuznetsov, we apologize for the inconvenience" the saleslady scramble to apologize cutting our eye contact.The saleslady pronounced the surname unsurely, or is it because she's trembling? The man steadied me before taking his hands back. I was about to say sorry when he cut me off.

"Becareful next time, or else your grandfather might kill me" He warned. His ears were turning red. Cute. "I sorry Mr.? " I look at him "Kazimir, call me Kazimir...Hiraya... " he said my name like a prayer. "And there's no need to apologize... " he continued. I nodded. "Be good and don't get into trouble" he patted my head before walking past me. There were two men behind him they both gave me a warm smile and said "The little princess grown up so big" then patted my head before catching up with Kazimir.

The saleslady looked confused as she catches up with the men's. Mira was dangerous silent on our way to the fitting room. When I sat on the vacant sit she immediately went in front of me and interrogated me.

"You two know each before"

"Who was that man?"

"Are you two dating each other? "

"You didn't tell me your dating someone?"

"Wait your dating behind my back? "

"You said we'll be single together forever"

"You even trashed talked a guy before"

Those we're what came out of Mira's mouth the moment she opened it.

"Come on Hiraya spill the tea" she shaked my shoulder. I took her hand to make her stop. "Gosh my head is aching" I say as she took my hand. "Tell me, tell me, tell me" she squealed. Great...

"His,dedushka's boss"

"What!?"

I quickly pulled her down to sit with me. I placed a finger between her lips, telling her to quiet down as people are staring. She nodded and I slowly take my finger off her face. "He looks so young how can he be your grandfathers boss? " she screamed in a whisper.

"The former boss's son, he took over awhile ago" I explain. "So you two know each other? " she eagerly questioned. "No" I honestly answered. "What? " her confusion was written all over her face. "He knows me but I don't know him" that made her even confused.

"Why you like him? " I teased. "Nah girl, I prefer the man behind him" she fought back. "Gosh those green eyes? Ugh make me want to bend over for him" she added. I slapped her arm. "For real, I'll even kneel in front of him take it whole, memorize every part, every vain, won't stop till my legs are shaking, till the doctors think he replaced my red blood cells with white blood cells, till I can't take it anymore and beg for more" she laughed.

She's concerning.

"titikman, luluhodan mamahalin, iingatan, iiyakan, pagsisilbihan, ipaglalaba, paglulutoan, aalagaan, yayakapin, hahagkan, luluhuran, aasawahin, mamahalin habang buhay, papakasalan, owner of my heart, the person who saved me, my one and only, the love of my life, the person who makes me happy everyday, the most special person in my life, my safe place, my home, the one that i adore, my infinity and beyond, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, to love and cherish from this day forward until death do us part, YES FATHER, I DO. " she memorized. This was a viral meme here. This was very long but she managed to memorized it word for word.

She's making me feel uncomfortable...

We couldn't continue our conversation as the saleslady approach with the dress I wanted. She handed me the dress and I went inside one of the fitting room. The fitting room was massive. The floor was marbled,the mirror was designed like royalty. It's life a fantasy world here. The wall was equipped with things that would hold your bags, phone, clothes, and more. The door also has a soft curtain. It wasn't thin it was actually thick yet soft. It's like silk. You can use it to cover the door in case someone get in.

I love it!

"Sobrang Latina" Mura praised. I did a little twirl to see if I did like it. There were also mirror's outside so you can look. I did love the dress it's like love at first sight. After I changed back into my clothes the saleslady gave me the dress, me and Mira then went to pay. We strolled back and forth for awhile before we decided to part ways and go home.

I video called dedushka as he said his already in the parking lot. As I was walking a black Mercedes Benz stopped by. The window lowered, there sat him... Kazimir. "Your heading home? " he approaches. "Yeah.. "

He went out the car and went closer. "Sorry to frighten you" he apologized before placing a kiss on my forehead.

"Kazimir Khorolovich Kuznetsov! " dedushka's angry voice from the other line...

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