Chapter 16

I've received my first pay yesterday and I immediately send half of it back home. As much as I deserved it, mas deserve nila 'yon at kakailanganin nila kumpara sa akin na halos wala akong ginagastos ngayon. I've only received half of my whole salary incurred last month dahil hindi naman buong December ay nagtrabaho ako dahil mga kalagitnaan na rin ng buwan ako pumasok. Fifty thousand isn't bad at all. Naitabi ko na rin naman sa bangko ang dapat kong itabi.

Nakatutuwa lang din na makatanggap ng milyon sa una kong sahod. Though of course, the conversion will differ the amount pero ang sarap pala sa pakiramdam na pitong digit ang makikita ko sa bank account ko.

BJH told me that it's normal and I'll be getting more in the next few months or even years. Aside from the money I'll be getting in this work, mas sabik ako sa mga experience na pwede kong makuha rito. If BJH told me that I'll be able to get a huge amount of money every month, I hope it won't end. But I know things will change in the future, pero 'wag naman muna sana dumating sa puntong kailangan kong umuwi agad katulad no'ng unang taon ko rito sa Korea.

The online selling back home has been going so well. Lalo na't nagdaan ang Christmas at New Year ay maraming bumili sa aming shop. Iyon nga lang ay si Chrizzle lang ang humarap sa trabahong iyon. Good thing for her, naka-school holiday rin kaya nasasagot niya agad ang queries at buyers. If we continued this kind of set-up, iyong kinikita namin sa online selling would suffice for the daily needs and that's the only thing I want na makakain ng tatlong beses ang pamilya ko sa isang araw.

Nakahilata lamang ako sa kama, bored at scroll lamang nang scroll sa mga social media feed ko. May dumaan naman sa feed ko na pamilyar na brand kaya napataas ang pag-scroll ko at tiningnan ko pa ito nang maigi at saka nagplay video.

Dali-dali akong bumangon sa kinahihigaan ko at lumabas ng kwarto para hanapin si BJH. I headed downstairs where I found him with his nephew. Nag-uusap silang dalawa so I come in their direction and bothered them. Umupo ako sa pagitan nilang dalawa. Pagtataka naman ang bumakas sa mukha nila. I just showed the screen of my phone to him and then his phone rings so he immediately excused himself to answer the call.

"Let's watch this first." Hinarap ko si Seo-Jun.

Napakunot noo naman ito. "What are we going to watch?"

"This!" Then I slanted my phone and played the video and we both watched it.

Tutok na tutok naman kaming dalawa ni Seo-Jun sa video. Tuwang-tuwa naman ako nang makita ko si Cashel sa video and he's so fine and sexy as hell. Napansin iyon ni Seo-Jun pero mabuti na lang ay nailipat kaagad kay BJH ang video at nagulat naman ito nang makita niya ang kanyang tito. He's so surprised. Bakas na bakas sa mukha niya pero agad naman itong natawa dahil nga underwear lang din ang suot nito.

"When did this happen?" he asked.

"Oh, that was... a few weeks ago before we went here. I'm actually surprised that they've released the campaign video now and it's actually good."

"Yeah, hella good. Those ladies are fine."

Natawa ako sa sinabi niya. Saglit lang din naman ay bumalik si BJH at pansin ko namang hindi maganda ang timpla ng mukha nito. Ayoko namang bungaran ng tanong kasi baka sa akin maipasama iyong inis niya.

"Dangxineun dangsin sogote joha boynda!" Natatawang sabi ni Seo-Jun kay BJH. (You look great in your underwear!)

Napakunot na lamang ang noo nito. "Mwragu?" (What are you saying?)

"Oh, Jin-Hyeong, the Calvin Klein campaign video has been out. It looks so great. I mean, you did so well." Ngumiti ako, but he still doesn't seem to look fine. Ano naman kayang pumapasok sa isip nito ngayon? Hindi ko alam kung tatanungin ko pa o hindi. If he's not going to tell it to me, para kasing masyadong personal kung sa akin pa mismo manggagaling iyon. I have the slightest idea about it, but I'm not sure if it really is.

"Sersuna, raijinirang na dangbungan bang zom nwajulra? Urinen danji zhongyohan gute daeha iyagi hal gutipnida," utos ni BJH sa kanyang pinsan. (Seo-Jun, would you please let Raijine and I have the room for now? We're just going to talk about something important.)

"Joha nagagoissa," tugon naman ni Seo-jun. (Okay, I'm heading out.)

Dali-dali rin naman itong umalis sa kanyang kinauupuan at lumabas ng bahay. His parents are out in the backyard and we're the only ones left inside. Tumabi naman ito sa akin at napabitaw na lamang ng malalim na buntonghininga. Kumunot ang noo ko sa ekspresyong binitawan niya.

"Hindi naman sa pang-aano... may problema ba?"

Hindi niya ako direktahang tiningnan sa mata at muling humugot ng malalim na hininga. "That was Chini who called me and she's been wanting us to go back to Seoul next week. But I don't want to. Not yet. She's just making my comeback so relevant that I know people don't even like to see me perform again. There's nothing much to see me the way they did see on me before."

I reached his arm and tapped it. "Uy, 'wag mong isipin 'yon. I don't think people don't want to see you perform. I'm your number one fan, sir. Don't ever think na parang walang sumusuporta sa 'yo, but at least one I know they're still does. Ako, iyong parents mo, at si Seo-jun. And I want to see you perform again on the stage and watch you on TV. People will want that, sir."

He smirked at pinasaludsod niya ang kanyang sarili sa couch at humalukipkip. "I hope so... maybe I can. I just need to prepare myself again."

"Of course, take your time... and I guess while we're in Jeju, you should really take your time."

"And one more thing," he said. Itinaas niya pa ang hintuturo niya at saka ako hinarap. "Chini mentioned to me about Mi-Sun and Dong-Yoon and that they're dating together. She doesn't want to tell the details, but did you know a thing about this?" He rose his brow as if he already knew that I know something about this stuff.

Hindi naman ako sumagot at pinilit ko pang iwasan iyong tingin niya sa akin.

"So, you know?" Ngisi pa nito.

Napatungo ako at napangiwi na lamang. Hindi ko alam kung paano ko iku-kwento sa kanya 'yon since ex-girlfriend niya si Mi-Sun and he recently got a feud with Dong-Yoon kaya it's not a good topic to start with kaya kahit gusto kong ipaalam sa kanya, it would just make him bitter about it... but then it looks like he does—though I'm not sure, I might be assuming.

"What do you think they were doing?" he asked.

Inangat ko ang ulo ko at tingin ko sa mata niya. Napakibit balikat naman ako.

"Really?" he questioned. "I know you know something about this. Did Chini tell you something about this as well?"

Umiling ako. "Wala siyang sinabi sa akin pero... una kong nalaman 'yan no'ng new year din. I thought it was just a joke, but then a lot of media people confirmed that they are really dating. And then Chini told me... it could be good for you."

Mas lalong nanliit ang mata nito sa sinabi ko. "How does it became good for me?"

"Kasi sabi niya hindi na mapupunta sa 'yo 'yong project na magkasama kayong dalawa ni Mi-Sun. At dahil their relationship status has been out in the light, the project could be offered to him and so they'll do it together. I'm not sure... pero baka ginagawa lang nilang promotion ito? Hindi talaga ako sigurado..."

He let out a heavy sighed. "Maybe you're right... they're just playing with us. And that's fine, I really don't want to work with Mi-Sun anymore."

"Yeah..." pagsang-ayon ko pa. "I feel like... she's only after the fame?"

He extended his arm on the couch and look at me as if he's interested knowing why I've said that. Nakuha pa nitong magde-quatro.

I swallowed before I continued what I was saying. "Hindi... naisip ko lang kasi. When you guys broke up almost two years ago, gumawa siya ng ingay para maging matunog ang pangalan niya. She made herself feel like na naloko at kung ano-ano pa man. I was there at the moment when you came back at the agency and she just came at you and smack your face. She knew she has an offer and project to be with you and yet she's making herself feel like na big deal pa rin 'yong naganap sa inyo no'n. And because you've rejected the offer, kumakapit ulit siya sa taong maingay ang pangalan. Si Dong-Yoon."

Hinihintay kong magbigay ng reaksyon si BJH kasi parang ang bida-bida ko magbigay ng opinion sa taong hindi ko naman nakasasasama palagi.

"I don't want to be sound so rude pero let's be honest here... even though she's already a model of her time when she met you, mas nakilala siya because you guys got into a relationship. She became full of herself na kailangan ivalidate lahat ng ginagawa niya. And now that she's dating Dong-Yoon, they're already making a fuss about it para pag-usapan... but we don't have to be bitter about them, iyon ang gusto nila, e."

He sighed and nodded. "You're right. I don't have to deny it. She used what's good for her and the bad thing happened there that it was me."

"But the campaign video comes out very good. You should watch it!" pag-iiba ko ng usapan.

He smirked, shaking his head. "I feel like I don't need to. Dong-Yoon just ruined everything there."

Hindi na naman ako nagbigay pa ng komento. Tumapon naman ang tingin ko nang buksan ni BJH ang kanyang phone. Napatitig ako ro'n at bahagyang nanliit ang mata ko upang suriin ang phone niya. Para bang nanigas ang buo kong katawan ng ma-realize kong ibang phone ang gamit niya ngayon. He's not using his usual phone kung saan nakalagay ang tracker app na nilagay ni Chini.

"Bago 'yang phone mo?" pag-usisa ko naman sa kanya.

Pinakita naman niya sa akin iyon at tumango. "Yeah... I got it some other day."

"Ah... okay... nasaan 'yong luma mo?"

"I left it at the condo," sagot nito sa akin. Sa loob-loob ko ay halos gusto kong mahimatay dahil sa puntong iyon ay ro'n lamang malalaman ni Chini kung nasaan kami. Gagamitin niya iyong tracker sa phone ni BJH pero kung bago ang phone na gamit niya ay imposibleng malaman ni Chini kung nasaan kami ngayon. And then I'm here believing that she already knew where we are because of the tracker pero ako pa itong naglaglag ng aming location sa kanya ngayon. "Hey, what do you ask?"

Bumalik ako sa wisyo at umiling. "Wala naman... napansin ko lang."

"Do you want it?" he asked. "I can give it to you if you want. I won't be using it anymore and you could have it since you're using an old model. You'll get it soon once we get back there."

"Sige, sir... thank you..." Napangiwi naman ako. Hindi ko naman kailangan ng bagong phone ngayon pero mabibigyan pa ako. Pero ang mas inaaalala ko ay ang pagbigay kay Chini ng location namin na ayaw ipaalam ni BJH sa kanya. Gusto kong sabunutan ang sarili ko.

"You know what, you should stop calling me sir, boss, or anything," he said. Nagtaka ako sa sinabi niya. "That's just too formal when we're not even at work. Just call me by my name. That's fine. I don't mind."

Tumango na lamang ako sa kanya. Hindi pa rin maalis sa isipan ko 'yong mga sinabi ko kay Chini. Napakagat na lamang ako sa ibabang labi ko. Nauto ako ni Chini ro'n, a! Pero may right din naman siyang malaman 'yon. At kahit pilit kong pinapagaan ang sarili ko sa pag-iisip na 'yon, BJH reminded me not to tell her. Lagot na lagot ako nito sa kanya.

"Hey, we're leaving tomorrow. Sleep early, okay?" bilin nito sa akin. Wala na namang binigay na information kung para saan iyon. "I'm just going to check them in the backyard. Dinner's coming soon..."

As he left me at the living room, napabitaw na lamang ako ng malalim na hininga. It's not that I was relieved, mas napuno pa ng kaba ang dibdib ko dahil sa puntong malaman ni BJH na alam na ni Chini kung nasaan kami ngayon, ako lang naman ang pagsasabihan nito. But good thing Chini hasn't tell anything to him kaya safe pa ako. But I can't be at peace knowing that she could show up here as soon as possible.

Oh, Chini... please stay ka lang sa Seoul.

***

Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoy this chapter! Let me know your thoughts! I would appreciate it so much!

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