"By the way ma'am, this is Dr. Raz Domingo, professor of Business and Finance at Mount Juliet University, and the faculty in charge of this class" Kim said as he introduced Professor Domingo who quickly and enthusiastically shook Maya's hand.
"Welcome to the Labrador Group Headquarters Dr. Domingo, I hope you enjoy your tour of our building" Maya said as she ended their handshake.
"Kim, what areas will they be touring today?" Maya asked as Kim responded with a forced chuckle.
"I haven't gotten that far ma'am, I was actually just going to wing it since we haven't had this kind of tours before. I was actually thinking about showing them the offices and other facilities of the Marketing Department" Kim admitted, somewhat embarrassed about it.
"I understand where you're coming from, we'll have to discuss this with Human Resources so we can establish a proper tour route in the future" Maya said.
"For now, give them the tour of the Finance and Accounting Department, Human Resource Department, IT Department, Marketing Department, Public Relations Department, R&D Department, and lower levels of the Administration Department. Bring them to the Bayside View Restaurant on the 45th Floor for lunch, and forward their lunch expenses to my office, and make sure to give them some souvenirs at the end of their tour of our facilities, let me know as well so I can see them off" Maya instructed surprising everyone who heard Maya when she gave Kim instructions for the tour.
"Yes ma'am, will do. Also, thank you for your understanding" Kim responded with a smile on her face.
"You don't have to pay for our lunch Ms. Montalban, the university actually gave us allowance for any expenses we incur on this field trip" Professor Domingo said, hesitant on accepting Maya's generous offer, "I don't want to impose on you or the Labrador Group, you've already accommodated our field trip".
"Don't worry about it, Dr. Domingo, consider this as the Labrador Group's gesture of good will and the first step in our future partnership with Mount Juliet University" Maya said, "Please. I insist, Dr. Domingo"
"But this is a little bit…" Professor Domingo responded, still hesitant, "I would have to ask the Uni-"
"I'm approving it, professor" Aiden suddenly interjected, his usual voice back to normal, but was still a little weak, still feeling a throbbing pain in his head.
"But.. President Kobayashi, I have to at least inform the Dean and the Administration" Professor Domingo countered, still hesitant.
"I'll talk with Dr. Baltazar and the Administration" Aiden responded, surprising Maya and Kim who were not aware of the extensive powers and authority of the Mount Juliet University Student Council President.
"If the Labrador Group is interested in investing and partnering with Mount Juliet, then it would be rude for us to decline their gesture of good will" Aiden continued.
"Alright then Aiden if you put it that way. I don't want to start off Mount Juliet's prospective relationship with the Labrador Group on the wrong foot. I'll leave Dean Baltazar and the Administration to you" Professor Domingo finally acquiesced as Aiden slightly nodded his head.
"I think this is the first time I've seen a Student Council President overrule a professor" Kim added, surprised to see Aiden in action in discharging his duties.
"Ah! Mount Juliet is kind of unique wherein the Student Council President has some degree of authority when it comes to the decision-making process in the university, and by far Aiden has proven to be the most effective President of the Student Council, at least in my opinion" Professor Domingo explained as Maya and Kim nodded their heads.
"By the way Ate Kim, what is the Bayside View Restaurant we're going to?" Jennica interjected, curious as to what Maya was talking about, changing the topic of the conversation.
"Oh, that's a restaurant in the upper-level that cater to the employees working in that section, it has a great view of Manila Bay" Kim explained as Jennica got excited.
"Speaking of the tour, I'm going to send out a memo to the Departmental Managers and the restaurant to inform them of your tour group" Maya said, almost forgetting about the tour, "You all should get going, we don't want to keep you here any longer than necessary, I'm sure you all have things to do after you return to the university".
"Aiden, do you think you can join us?" Professor Domingo asked, concerned about Aiden. The question quickly gave him an opening and excuse to stay behind to avoid having to use the biometric scanner.
"My head actually still has throbbing pain, I think I'll just stay down here and rest on one of the couches here at the lobby" Aiden said, using the pain in his head as an excuse.
"I think that would be for the best then, we can handle the rest from here. Also, just so you're aware, I contacted the Dean and the Vice Chancellor earlier informing them of the change in our itinerary. The Dean okayed it, but I did not get a hold of the Vice Chancellor" Professor Domingo said.
"Thank you professor. I'm sure the Vice Chancellor is busy with meetings, as long as the Dean knows" Aiden said as he placed his hand on his head again.
"Kim, go ahead and start their tour. I'll take Aiden to my office so he can rest" Maya said, catching Aiden completely off guard by what she said.
"I don't think you can rest down here properly, it's always noisy down here. I have a couch in my office, you can rest there until you feel better, it's quieter" Maya continued.
"Thank you Ms. Montalban. I appreciate you looking after Aiden" Professor Domingo said.
"Of course, as Chairman Labrador's personal assistant I feel obligated to look after Mount Juliet's Student Council President. It's the least we could do" Maya responded, "Go ahead Kim" she instructed as Kim gathered everyone and passed through the security gate.
"You don't have to do this Ms. Montalban, I'll be okay down here" Aiden insisted as his group went on with the tour without him, still trying to avoid the biometric scanner.
"It's fine Aiden-" Maya quickly paused, "Sorry, do you prefer I call you President Kobayashi, was it?"
"Aiden's fine, there's no need for formalities" Aiden responded, "Besides, we're not in Mount Juliet, and you're neither a student nor faculty, so you're not obligated to address me by my title".
"Fair point" Maya responded, "In any case, someone with your position shouldn't be resting down here". Maya added before grabbing Aiden by the arm and pulled him towards the security gate. Aiden suddenly got nervous as they walked towards the biometric scanner but was relieved and surprised when they passed by it and headed directly towards the security railings.
"Manong Guard, I'm taking Mr. Kobayashi to my office to rest" Maya called out to the guard who helped Aiden earlier, who nodded in acknowledgement.
When they reached the security railings, Maya scanned her badge on the scanner and a small gate opened allowing them to enter the elevator area. Aiden was able to subtly breathe a sigh of relief as he was able to avoid the biometric scanner which ensured that his identity was safe – at least for now.
His main concern at the moment was Maya, who might accidentally discover who he really is, even more so that he was carrying with him indisputable evidence that would confirm without a doubt nor question who he really is – the pendant around his neck bearing his initials. Maya is one of the few people who knows about the pendant, since she was present when his mother presented it to him and Itsuki.
As he and Maya entered the elevator, Aiden knew at that moment that he has to keep his guard up, acting and speaking with extreme caution as to not say or do anything that might arouse Maya's suspicions. Aiden is fully aware that he had already indirectly revealed his existence to his father the moment he entered the building, as his image has already been captured by the CCTV cameras. Entering the elevator, Aiden had some flashbacks during his childhood, remembering how the elevators worked and exactly what button Maya was going to press to get to her office.
"As soon as the elevator doors close, she's going to insert her badge in the elevator console, and the buttons of the floor she has access to will light up. Then she's going to press the button for the 80th floor where her office should be, as well as my father's. Which is basically a full-floor apartment with select few administrative staff" Aiden thought to himself as he watched Maya.
Just as he remembers, the moment the elevator door closed, Maya inserted her badge in the elevator console and immediately all the buttons lit up – a testament to Maya's senior position within the company. She then pressed 80th floor - the top level of the building - and the elevator started ascending.
As the elevator started moving Aiden thought to himself again, "It would take approximately 1 ½ minutes for us to reach the top floor. Since Maya's credential is that of a senior and key employee of the company, the elevator will not stop at any other floors except for the floor we're heading to".
Maya, who was standing next to Aiden, noticed he was looking at the console. Thinking that Aiden was curious as to how the elevator worked, Maya decided to explain it to him, completely unaware that he already has familiarity and extensive knowledge of the security measures they have in place.
"I guess you were watching what I just did, right?" Maya asked with a smile. Aiden knows he had to feign ignorance as it would be extremely suspicious for him to say he already knows how it worked.
"Yeah, I've never seen anything like it before" Aiden said, sounding amazed by what he just saw – although not the best actor, Aiden was able to pull the bare minimum to convince Maya.
"It's part of the security features of this building. All employees are required to insert their badges into the elevator console for them to be able to use it, and the floors they have access to will light up. It's to prevent any employee accessing areas they're not supposed to" Maya explained as Aiden nodded.
"As you can see, we're heading to the 80th floor, which is where my office is located. It's also where Chairman Labrador's office is, the floor is basically a full-floor apartment with few offices and select few administrative staff, me included" Maya explained.
Aiden reacted as if he was hearing about this for the first time, acting interested about what Maya was talking about. He feels like he was taking a refresher course about the building he already knows about.
"Oh! Fun fact, it takes approximately 1 ½ minutes to reach the top floor from the ground floor since the elevator doesn't stop at any other floors. It's like a privilege afforded to senior managers and executives as well as my direct reports. It goes without saying that security has access to all floors, for obvious reasons" Maya further explained.
"I reckon that since you're Chairman Labrador's personal assistant, you have access to all of the floors here at headquarters?" Aiden asked to convince Maya that he was listening and that he's trying to learning everything for the first time.
"Yes, that's correct!" Maya responded as the elevator continued to ascend, passing the 56th floor.
"I'm impressed by the complexity of the security here. I feel like it's stricter than an international airport" Aiden said blandly, his voice sounding mono-toned.
Maya gave a chuckle, "Chairman Labrador wanted to ensure that our trade secrets and our operations are kept secret from our competitors. That's how the Labrador Group was able aggressively expand and outmaneuver our competitors".
"No. That's not the main reason for it…" Aiden thought to himself before Maya spoke again.
"Truth be told, that wasn't the actual reason for it" Maya admitted, as if she was reading Aiden's thoughts. She paused for a moment, smiling as if nostalgia has taken over her before speaking again.
"Mom asked father to implement the security features to protect me and Itsuki", Aiden thought to himself.
"Lady Yuriko asked the Chairman to implement the security features to protect the young masters" Maya said simultaneously as Aiden thought about it.
Mentioning Yuriko and the young masters made Maya a bit emotional, just a push away from actually tearing up right then and there. Aiden shared the same sentiment as he remembered his mother and younger brother, and the building he's in was evoking memories from his childhood – something that Maya was completely unaware of, having been convinced that he died that night as well.
To avoid tearing up, Maya quickly changed the subject, "How's your head, Aiden? Feeling any better?"
Picking up on what she was trying to do, Aiden went with the flow, "No. Not really, it's still hurting".
"Is that so? Is it migraine? Do you get them a lot?" Maya asked as the elevator passed by the 72nd floor.
"It probably is. I've been getting them lately, it could be stress" Aiden replied.
"I see. I can imagine it being stressful and busy for you as Student Council President, plus your studies" Maya said in an understanding voice, "You should properly take care of yourself. You're still young".
"I can't make any promises" Aiden responded blandly, causing Maya to chuckle, confusing him as to what was funny with what he said.
"Well, I bet your family must be really proud of you" Maya said as they got close to their floor.
Aiden became silent, responding a few seconds later, "They probably would be" pausing for a little bit before speaking again, "My parents are dead, and I'm an only child" he added in a cold, but bland tone as the elevator slowed to a stop before the chime dinged, and the doors opened.
"I-I'm sorry.. Aiden, I didn't know" Maya apologized, regretting having asked that question.
"It's fine, you didn't know. Plus, you're not the first person to ask, and you won't be the last" Aiden replied as he gestured for Maya to exit the elevator first.
"Thank you. I apologize again" Maya said as she stepped out of the elevator followed by Aiden.
As they exited, Aiden threw away the water bottle he was holding in the trashcan outside the elevator, before being greeted by a familiar and nostalgic atmosphere. He took a second to scan the area they were in, remembering how he and Itsuki would race to the living quarters on the other side of where they're standing. Maya though, thought Aiden was enthralled by the reception area which looks like a Hotel.
"Aiden, over here" Maya called out to Aiden who followed Maya as they traversed the carpeted floor towards her office. As they walked down the corridor heading towards the office suites, they passed by large window panes that offered a view of Manila Bay.
When they turned the corner where the office suites were located, they were greeted by some of the administrative staff who were out on the hallway, with some staring at Aiden, wondering who he was. Just as they were about to enter Maya's office, a voice called out, "Maya!".
It was a familiar voice for both Aiden and Maya as they both looked at the direction of where the voice was coming from, "Dad! I didn't know you were here" Maya said as she greeted her father who was walking towards them.
"Mano po" Maya said before taking his father's hand, bowing towards it, and pressing her forehead on it.
(T/N: "Mano po" is a Filipino gesture performed as a sign of respect to one's parents or elders. This is common between family members and blood-relatives especially during family gatherings or when visiting their grandparents' or relatives' house)
"I didn't know you were here. I thought you were with Chairman Labrador?" Maya asked after seeing her father, who was supposed to be with the Chairman, as he was his personal driver.
"The Chairman asked me to pick up some documents for their meeting later in the day, so I drove back" Maya's father replied, "I'm still waiting for Rowena to get them together".
"Don't work too hard Dad, remember to watch your blood pressure" Maya said as his father gave a chuckle.
"By the way, Maya. Who is this handsome boy beside you?" His father asked, looking at Aiden who was standing behind his daughter.
"Oh, Dad. I forgot to introduce you. This is Aiden Kobayashi. Student Council President of Mount Juliet University, he's here with some of their students for a tour, but he's not feeling well so I'm letting him rest in my office for now" Maya explained as he introduced Aiden.
"It's very nice to meet you Aiden, my name is Alfredo Montalban. Maya's father and personal driver to Chairman Labrador" Alfredo said as he shook Aiden's hand.
"Nice to meet you too, sir" Aiden said before ending their handshake, acting like he doesn't know Alfredo, who, like Maya, was someone he was close to when he was a child.
"Aiden, I'm going to speak with my father for a little bit. Go ahead and enter my office, the couch is to your left when you enter. I'll be there in a minute" Maya said as Aiden promptly followed her instruction, but not before bowing slightly to Alfredo as acknowledgement.
As the door behind Aiden closed, Maya looked at his father, and in a whisper, "Dad, that boy.." her voice fading, the atmosphere becoming somber.
"I know dear, at first glance, he reminds me of the young master as well" Alfredo admitted, equally somber, "Maya, you know full well that the young master died in that explosion. You saw it yourself, it happened in front of you. You yourself was hospitalized for weeks after that because you were close to the car when it exploded, with him just being a boy, there's no way he could have survived that".
"I know Dad, but.. They never found a body besides that of lady Yuriko and master Itsuki" Maya insisted as she started becoming emotional, "What if.. He did survive, and somehow it's him?".
"Maya…" Alfredo said, feeling sympathy for her daughter, "Just because the boy reminds us of the young master, and they share the same name, you can't just assume that it's him".
"But what if.." Maya further insisted, her eyes watering, "He's just about the same age the young master would've been if that accident never happened"
Alfredo gave his daughter a tight hug, as a tear rolled down her cheek, "Maya, you need to stop blaming yourself for what happened. That wasn't your fault, and there was nothing you could've done at that point"
"But he was there Dad.. Just a few feet away from me.. I could've saved him before he got caught in that explosion" Maya cried, still carrying the guilt of not being able to save the young master.
"It's okay Maya, you've done enough convincing the Chairman to at least let us have their portraits displayed in the lobby" Alfredo said as he rubbed his daughter's back, "I'm sure that lady Yuriko and the young masters are appreciative and grateful for your effort in preserving their memory".
"Believe me dear, I would've given my life to save lady Yuriko and the young masters, but that's out of our control" Alfredo continued, "Your mother feels the same way as well, she would have gladly offered her life to save them, but we're not God, we're only people, and there's only so much we can do".
"Come on now Maya, stop crying. It'll be fine. You should check on your guest, you don't want to keep him waiting. I'll check on those documents, okay?" Alfredo said as Maya wiped her tears.
"Thank you Dad, for always comforting me when I become emotional over their deaths" Maya said before giving his father a quick hug and a kiss on the cheeks, "I'll see you later tonight, okay?"
"Yeah. I'll see you tonight. Don't eat all the side dishes before I get home okay?" Alfredo said teasing his daughter as he walked off, causing Maya to smile.
Unbeknownst to both Maya and Alfredo, Aiden was listening in on their conversation. Although they were almost whispering to avoid the other employees from hearing them, he was able to hear all that was said. Aiden shed a tear after hearing what they were discussing, not knowing that Maya was suffering from the guilt of not being able to "save" him that night. The fact that the Montalban Family was still loyal to him, his mother and younger brother after all these years, and the fact that they were willing to give their lives for them, hit Aiden hard, striking a vulnerable spot in his heart that he thought didn't exist anymore.
Maya refreshed a little bit before entering her office, not wanting Aiden to see her in such an emotional state, given the fact that he is the Student Council President of the university that they were planning on partnering up in the near future.
After Alfredo left, Aiden quickly sat down on the couch, wiping his tear off his face, and pretended to sleep. His left cheek resting on top of his right knuckles. When Maya entered, he saw that Aiden was already "sleeping", so she proceeded towards her desk, to send the memo to the departmental managers and inform the Bay View Restaurant about the tour group from Mount Juliet University.
After sending the memo, she dimmed her office lights, closed her curtains, and messaged her staff to not enter her office for the time being. Maya continued working for another hour, in which time Aiden actually fell asleep since Maya kept the lights dim, and the temperature in the office was somewhere around his comfort zone, enabling him to somewhat relax.
Maya continued working on some documents on her computer, making sure to lightly tap the keyboard as to not wake up his guest. She worked for the next hour or so before saving all her computer work to prepare for a meeting. Before leaving, she went to the walk-in closet in her office and placed a blanket on Aiden who looked like he was sleeping well, considering he was sitting up.
She turned the lights off her office and left instructions to her staff to check in on Aiden every now and then to make sure that he was doing okay, and if he wakes up to inform her immediately. She told them to give him some snacks or drinks if he requested some before heading to her scheduled meetings.
Aiden suddenly woke up, his heart was beating really fast. He had another dream, it was the same dream with the child's voices, "I promise… I promise…" and "Mee-Mee". Aiden was getting really confused as he cannot decipher anything about those children, his memory isn't helping much as he cannot picture a visual image of the children talking in his head.
"Mee-Mee?" Aidan whispered to himself.
He pressed his right hand on his forehead, recalling that he uttered the words "Mee-Mee! Help me!" overlapped by a child's voice inside his head.
"Why.. Did I say those words? Why did it feel like I used to say that before?" Aiden asked himself, but his memory wasn't cooperating, prompting Aiden to ruffle his hair in frustration.
"Damn it all. Why is this happening now? Here of all places" Aiden said in frustration.
Then, it suddenly dawned on him that he had been asleep, and he doesn't know for how long. He looked at his watch, and it shows that it's already 15:24 – he'd been asleep for almost five hours. He got up from the couch, the blanket that Maya put on him falling on the floor.
Aiden noticed this and picked it up, wondering where the blanket came from, "Did Maya put this on me?", he asked himself before neatly folding the blanket and putting on top of the couch. He then turned on the lights and walked towards the window, the curtains still closed.
He pulled the curtains to the side, allowing for the natural light to enter the office. After opening the curtains, Aiden turned around and scanned the room. The first time he was able to do so, given that he didn't have the chance earlier as he was eavesdropping on Maya and his father, before he pretended to sleep, and then ended up actually falling asleep.
As Aiden scanned the room, he realized how spacious Maya's office actually was. Although she had been his Father's assistant since he was a child, he doesn't remember Maya having an office, as she was mostly staying in his father's office helping him with filing documents and other errands.
The desk that Maya had was a made out of glass, supported by aluminum legs and brackets. There were three apple monitors on top, and a stylish looking keyboard. The tower for her computer is conveniently located underneath the desk, directly below the monitors. On the right-hand side of the keyboard was the office phone, and to the left is a stack of documents. Behind her desk was a comfortable looking office chair that had back support pillows sitting on it.
There were four large filing cabinets to the right-hand side of the desk, and two doors on the left-hand side, which Aiden deduced to be a walk-in closet and a restroom. Right next to the restroom was a large bookcase embedded in the wall, filled with all different kinds of books, mostly business related but there were also some for casual reading, next to the bookcase was the entrance to the office.
In front of the desk are two high-end chairs facing the couch, and a small glass coffee table in the center. Underneath the coffee table was a large circular mat with a dark bluish hue, which blended well with the white carpet floor. The couch was leaning against the wall right next to the door.
Across the room from the bookcase was a long table that was place against the wall, it had several picture frames on top, two framed diplomas are hanging on the wall just above the long table. Between the long table and the large filing cabinets was a mini fridge, with a fruit basket sitting on top of it. The lighting for the office was a mid-sized chandelier hanging from the ceiling, and smaller lights built into the ceiling.
After looking around the office, Aiden commented on how clean and organized it was. Although he wasn't that surprised given that Maya had always been a clean freak and liked organizing her things even since they were younger. Out of curiosity, Aiden walked over to where Maya's diplomas were hanging, and was impressed that she graduated summa cum laude from Ateneo with a business administration degree. The other diploma she has was a for her masters in in the same degree.
After looking at her diplomas, Aiden turned his attention on the picture frames on top of the long table. Most of the pictures she had were mostly of her with coworkers, friends, and classmates back in college, on the other end of the long table were pictures of Maya and her family. Manong Alfredo, manang Lucinda, Maya, and her younger sister Erielle who Aiden recalled was the same age as Itsuki. There was also an older picture with Maya's younger brother Erwin, who also happened to be Erielle's fraternal twin.
As Aiden continued looking at the pictures, he saw one with him, his mother, Itsuki, Maya, Erielle, and Erwin when they were younger, he remembered that it was taken at the Labrador Mansion Gardens. Right next to it was a picture of him, his mother and Itsuki, a few weeks prior to the accident. As he was looking at the picture, he noticed another picture frame at the very back of the long table.
He reached for the picture frame at the back and moved it closer to his face. It was a picture of two kids, one of them Aiden recognized as him, but the other child he doesn't seem to remember nor recall. The picture was taken somewhere that looked like a park, though he can't recall visiting any parks in the Philippines when he was kid.
By the looked of how young he was, Aiden guessed he was probably six or seven years old. What baffled him was how it looked like they were close, seeing that the other kid on the picture was giving him a hug from the side as he was eating a lollipop. What was equally baffling was that, if they were indeed close just as the picture would suggest, why couldn't he remember who the kid is.
As he was trying to figure out who the other kid was, Maya entered her office, catching Aiden by surprised as he placed the picture frame down. "Oh Aiden, you're up. How long have you been awake?" Maya asked as she walked towards her desk carrying a bunch of folders.
"Not long, about 10 – 15 minutes" Aiden replied, "I was just looking at the pictures here on your table, it caught my attention. I hope you don't mind".
"It's fine, that's why those pictures are displayed, so people can look at them" Maya said as she placed the folders on top of her desk before walking to where Aiden is.
"Were you looking at my family pictures?" Maya asked as he stood next to Aiden.
"Yeah, but I don't know which one you are in these pictures" Aiden replied, once again feigning ignorance to keep his identity from being revealed.
"Oh, this is our latest family picture" Maya said as she picked up the picture frame where it was just her, Erielle, manong Alfredo, and manang Lucinda, passing it to Aiden for him to look at.
"Is this your mom and your sister?" Aiden asked as he looked at the picture.
"Yeah, that's my mom Lucinda, and my younger sister Erielle, of course you met my dad earlier" Maya said as Aiden looked at the picture for a few more seconds before returning it on the table.
Maya then picked up the one that included her younger brother, Erwin. "Here's a picture of my family with my younger brother included", passing the picture frame to Aiden.
"I didn't know you have a younger brother" Aiden said, though he already knows that fact, "Why isn't he on the other picture though?" he added, this time it was a legitimate question.
"Actually, my younger brother has been missing for over a decade now. He went missing the same day that lady Yuriko and the young masters died" Maya said, internally shocking Aiden, given that he didn't know that Erwin had gone missing the same day of the accident.
"I'm so sorry to hear that" Aiden said as he returned the picture frame back on the table.
Maya then picked up another, "This is lady Yuriko, and the young masters".
"The late wife and children of Chairman Labrador" Aiden said in a soft and somber tone, a genuine reaction that he was having as he looked at the picture.
"How did you know about that?" Maya asked, a bit surprised how Aiden could know something that was only known within the company.
"Kim explained it to us when she showed us the portraits down in the lobby" Aiden calmly responded, being careful not say or react that might raise suspicion, "She also mentioned that you fought hard to have those portraits hanged down in the lobby".
"I didn't think Kim went over that with everyone earlier" Maya said as she gently took the picture frame from his hands and looked at it, "I guess she reacted when she heard your name for the first time".
"Yes, Kim did react to my name earlier, she said that the oldest son of Chairman Labrador and I shared the same name, and the youngest son's name was Itsuki" Aiden replied.
"Aiden is actually the young master's middle name, and Itsuki was the other young master's first name" Maya clarified for Aiden, which he already knew.
"Master Itsuki's real name is actually Itsuki Aurelius Kurosawa Labrador" Maya revealed. Aiden had a nagging feeling that Maya would also mention his real name, but he couldn't react whatsoever because he was trying to keep his survival a secret.
"Master Aiden's real name is Yukiya Aiden Kurosawa Labrador, firstborn son of Chairman Carlos Labrador and lady Yuriko Kurosawa Labrador, the successor to the Labrador Group of Corporations" Maya said before rephrasing her last sentence, "I'm sorry. The late successor to the Labrador Group of Corporations".
Aiden softly bit his lips, his hands forming into a fist as he heard his real name for the first time in over a decade, a name he has forsaken and abandoned. Hearing his name associated with the name Labrador made him remember his deep hatred for his father.
Realizing where he is, Aiden tried to control his anger, and try to act naturally before Maya notices the change in his emotions, which was somewhat visible on his face, a rare occurrence given that Aiden was practically a professional when it comes to suppressing his emotions.
Maya kept her focus on the picture in front of her, somewhat becoming nostalgic as her emotions were internally stirring, the guilt she was feeling not being able to save master Yukiya still weighing heavily on her shoulders.
Like Aiden, Maya knew that she can't let her emotions become visible, owing to the fact that the person in front of her is the Student Council President of Mount Juliet. As she returned the picture frame she was holding on the long table, she noticed the last picture that Aiden was looking at.
"I haven't seen this picture since we cleared out lady Yuriko's quarters here over a decade ago" Maya commented as she looked at the picture, which caught Aiden's attention.
"What is it?" Aiden asked, trying to distract himself to control his anger, "Is it another family picture?"
"It's not a family picture, it's a picture I found when I was clearing out lady Yuriko's quarters" Maya said as she showed Aiden the picture with the kid he doesn't remember. When Aiden saw what she was holding, he decided to use the opportunity to uncover who the other kid that was with him in the picture.
"Is that Yukiya and Itsuki?" Aiden asked, trying to see if Maya knew anything about the mysterious kid.
"That's not master Itsuki, this kid looks a bit older" Maya replied, "Although, the kid here seems to be around the same age as master Yukiya"
"It's probably one of the kids master Yukiya met abroad" Maya theorized, "Chairman Labrador did always bring lady Yuriko, master Yukiya and master Itsuki with him whenever he travelled overseas".
"Ah, I see. Must be fun to be able to travel abroad" Aiden said.
"Normally it is, but for master Yukiya and master Itsuki, it was more of a boring trip since they didn't normally meet kids their age to play with, and their father were mostly engaged in business conferences and meetings" Maya explained before returning the picture frame on top of the desk.
"I have a weird question, if I may ask" Aiden said as Maya looked at him, "Why is it that you address the late eldest son of Chairman Labrador as 'master Yukiya' and Kim calls him 'Aiden' when she told us their story earlier?" Aiden asked out of curiosity, one of the legitimate questions he was actually asking.
"Oh, I didn't think you'd notice. You're pretty perceptive Aiden" Maya said before she started explaining the discrepancies.
"Most of us that knew lady Yuriko, master Yukiya, and master Itsuki address them by their first name, preceded by 'master' or 'young master', and 'lady' as a sign of respect" Maya explained.
"Those who joined the Labrador Group after their deaths, only called them by 'Aiden' and 'Itsuki', with the exception of lady Yuriko. The reason for why Kim calls master Yukiya 'Aiden' and not his first name was that the western business partners that visits our headquarters back then found it easier to say 'Aiden' than 'Yukiya', hence it's what most of the employees here call him, except for us who personally knew master Yukiya, including some members of the board of directors and senior executives" Maya continued her explanation as Aiden listened attentively.
"In the case of master Itsuki, most people were having a hard time pronouncing his middle name, and for the most part butchering it completely. The difference with master Yukiya and master Itsuki was that the younger master was more in the company of the Filipino employees, which found it easier to say 'Itsuki' than 'Aurelius", whereas master Yukiya was more exposed to the foreign business partners of the Labrador Group, due to him being groomed to be the eventual successor of Chairman Labrador" Maya said as she finished her explanation to Aiden's question.
"That's perfectly understandable then if that was the case" Aiden said after hearing Maya's explanation.
"In any case, are you hungry Aiden? You've been sleeping for the most part of the day, you probably want something to eat" Maya asked, shifting their topic of conversation.
"I don't usually eat much. I'd prefer to have a cappuccino to be honest" Aiden replied.
"That actually sounds good. I'll call down to one of the cafes and have them bring it up here" Maya said as she walked towards her desk and picked up her office phone.
"Do you want your cappuccino hot or cold?" Maya asked as Aiden walked towards the couch.
"Hot, please" Aiden said before sitting down.
After confirming what Aiden wanted, Maya dialed the number to order the cappuccinos, "It'll be here in five minutes" Maya said after ending her call.
"Thank you" Aiden replied as he got comfortable on the couch, with Maya sitting down on her office chair and turning her computer on, "Just relax there Aiden, I need to work on some of these reports".
"By the way, if you don't mind me asking, are you Japanese by any chance?" Maya asked as she waited for her computer to start up, Aiden unable to see her face as it was being blocked by the three monitors.
Aiden had to pause for a minute, thinking of a proper response to say to ensure that he didn't resemble his real self in terms of ethnicity, "My parents were Japanese, though my mother was a quarter Filipino".
"Is that why you ended up here in the Philippines?" Maya asked, her face still obscured.
"Yes. I was born in Japan and came over her when I was 4 years old. My parents died in a fire a year later and my relatives here took me in" Aiden responded.
"I see. So they just decided to keep you here instead of sending you back to Japan" Maya further inquired.
"Yes. According to my relatives, none of my parents' immediate family in Japan wanted to take me in, so they decided to just keep me here in the Philippines" Aiden replied.
Before Maya could ask another question, Aiden asked a question himself, "Is everyone still doing the tour?"
"Yeah, according to Kim they're almost done. They're at the R&D Department right now, I reckon they're enjoying the new line of products we have for our food and confectionary subsidiary" Maya replied as she typed on her keyboard, "We actually had them all sign an N.D.A. for that".
"They might as well enjoy their field trip, I just hope they learned something educational" Aiden commented after hearing what Maya had to say.
Before anyone else could say anything, a knock came from the door, prompting Aiden to turn his head towards the door. "Come in!" Maya called out as one of her staff entered with a drink carrier.
"Ma'am, I have your order" the staff member said as he walked towards Maya's desk.
"Thank you" Maya said as the staff member gave her the cappuccino frappe, "Can you please give the other one to my guest over there please" she instructed as the staff member walked towards Aiden.
"Here you go sir" the staff member said as he passed Aiden his hot cappuccino before excusing himself and leaving the office.
"Thank you for the drink Ms. Maya" Aiden said before taking a sip of his cappuccino.
"You're welcome Aiden" Maya said as she continued typing on her keyboard. She was about to take a quick sip of drink her frappe when her office phone started ringing.
"Maya Montalban speaking, how may I help you?" Maya said as she answered the phone with her right hand, and holding the frappe on her left, "Alright. Thank you Kim, we're heading down there shortly".
After hanging up the phone, Maya got up from her chair, still holding her frappe, "Aiden, that was Kim, they just finished the tour and they're all waiting at the lobby".
"Let's get you back to your group, I'm sure you're ready to head home" Maya said as she walked towards the door, leaving her frappe on top of her desk.
Aiden stood up and opened the door, letting Maya exit first. As they started walking down the corridor towards the elevators, Aiden noticed that there were more people than there was that morning when they first arrived, "It looks like it's getting hectic around here" Aiden commented as he followed Maya.
"It's pretty normal around this time actually. We usually hold an end of the day meeting, and the employees you see right now are here to prepare the materials for the meeting attendees " Maya replied as they got closer to the elevators.
"This reminds me of my officers when they prepare for our Student Council meetings" Aiden commented, earning him a chuckle from Maya.
"I can't say it's similar to this, but I can feel the sense of urgency from everyone in here" Aiden added.
After reaching the elevators, they immediately rode down to the lobby. Like the elevator ride that morning, it took ½ minutes to reach their destination. The difference this time was that Aiden and Maya actually had a light conversation, the two of them avoiding the topic that triggered them emotionally.
After they reached the lobby, they walked past the security barrier, where Kim was waiting with Aiden's electronic devices he left with security that morning.
"Here's your phone and iPod" Kim said as she returned them to Aiden, "I hope you're feeling better".
"I'm doing a lot better, thank you" Aiden said as he placed his phone and iPod in his pocket. He then returned his "VISITOR" tag as he held on to his cappuccino with his other hand.
"Everyone has already boarded the bus and are waiting for you" Kim added as Aiden and Maya started to walk towards the entrance. "Ma'am!" Kim called out after they started walking.
Before Kim could say anything further, the portraits started being retracted inside the wall, which Aiden noticed. "Chairman Labrador just arrived, and I was instructed to tell you to wait for him here", Kim said.
"I'm sorry Aiden, but it seems like I have to wait for Chairman Labrador. It was nice meeting you though" Maya said as she extended her hand for a handshake, which Aiden shook.
As Aiden walked towards the exit, he spotted a large group of people in business suits walking towards the opposite direction. The man in front of the group was none other than his father - Carlos Labrador.
Aiden kept his eyes fixed at the entrance, trying his best not to directly look at his father. He quickly fisted his left hand, while his right fingers held the cappuccino cup from the rim, all the while trying his best to suppress and conceal his emotions.
As they were about to pass by each other, Aiden's sense of time seemed to have slowed down. This was the first time in over a decade that the both of them were in the same place, at the same time, not to mention in such close proximity. As soon as they passed by each other, Aiden's sense of time quickly returned to normal as the two continued their own separate ways.
When Aiden got outside, he checked his phone and saw 30 missed calls from Vice Chancellor Gutierrez. He immediately called her back and she was quick to answer the phone, "Aiden, are you alright?" she asked in a worried and concerned tone, "I heard from Dean Baltazar about the change of itinerary".
"You and I need to talk as soon as possible!" Aiden said in a cold and serious tone before he ended the call and boarded the bus.