it was around 11AM when he got back into his work area and slumped back into his seat.  "another hour to go," he said to himself as his work week was coming to an end.  he'll be having a busy weekend, as appointments here and there filled his calendar.  the area was filled with his team, together with others, talking to people on the phones, and some, who don't have calls, talking to each other.  in the midst of him going about his work, he overheard one of his agents talking about how life was back in her old center.  she had already made known where she came from, but this time around, he suddenly became curious because she worked in the same company.  he didn't know why he suddenly became interested to know if her agent was in the same area as her.  he tried to brush off his itching feeling by going back to work, but as if fate was tempting him, he continued to overhear the conversation that was going on.  they haven't had any form of communication, not after she replied to his greeting on christmas day, asking him what days he didn't have any work.  he was puzzled at first why she would ask that, but replied nonetheless with the days he filed for vacation, as her usual response being… nothing.

just to get over that feeling, he suddenly turned to his agent and asked her, "which branch of your old company were you based?  the one in the north or the one in the south?"  the one in the north was where two of his cousins–well, one used to, but now has left to become a seafarer–was working, while she worked in the south.

"the one in the south," she replied.  "the nice thing about working there was we all almost knew each other because on that building, we were the only occupants," she continued.

this surprised him even more, his curiosity starting to build up as he may have first hand information about her during the time before his agent came on board a couple of months ago.  he then asked her, "do you know a certain person named…" and mentioned her name.  it took a couple of seconds before she could reply back.  "i'm not sure about her.  was she on the south end too?"

"yes, definitely," he said as he wasn't quite expecting that answer to come out of his agent.  "i'm not quite familiar with the name, but maybe i would if i could remember what she looked like," she said, looking pensive as she tried to recall the face associated with the name he gave her.  "why, is she your girlfriend?"  she then asked noticing the curious look on his face.

"no, well, i wish she was," came his reply.  "but as far as what she looked like is concerned, i think i can have that arranged," he continued as he reached into his pocket for his mobile phone.  he then searched among the pictures in his gallery and chose the picture which he then showed to her agent.

her face suddenly lit up and said,"ah yes!  i know her!  well, not personally, but we say hi and hello once in a while when we cross paths.  i know his boyfriend.  i don't know if they're still together though, but his boyfriend and i used to talk a lot."  to say that he was taken aback by the response was an understatement.  he had a look on his face like he just came out of a car wreck.  all along he knew that her boyfriend was the one working outside the country.  unless they broke up without him knowing, well, how would he know?  he then explained to her agent how they came to know each other and, well, their history in a few short sentences.  she then continued, "she was always the perky, bubbly and girly one.  she was fun to be with, according to those who were close to her, but i really don't know if they remained together after the guy resigned to go back to school."

"i see, but that's official, i mean she, or they were really a couple?"  he asked again, still cannot believing what he just heard.  "yeah, they were, or at least were until the guy left and i also left the company a couple of weeks later," she answered.  "ok, thanks," he replied back and went back to his seat, still shell-shocked at what just transpired.  she had always told him that she loved his boyfriend back when they were close, and wouldn't do anything to jeopardize their relationship.  that was why their closeness ended in the first place, because it was going too far.  at least, that's what she said.  but how they acted while they were together was something else.  he had always thought that she would eventually end up getting married to his boyfriend when the time came.  but with this revalation, more questions came up.  questions such as, did they break up?  when did that happen?  if so, why didn't she tell me?  did her having a 'boyfriend' was just a lie?  yet he felt deep inside that the answers to those questions are already irrelevant.  she has changed.  and even though he still felt something for her, their situation was like something out of a tragic love story–never to be realized.  and as his shift ended for the week, he then focused his attention on what he'll be doing that weekend.  and although this new information about her is still vividly in his mind, it's something that he cannot do anything about.  but there was one thing he can do for her, and that is to just wish her well.