Chapter 18

"Let's hide here," suhestyon ni BJH. Hawak-hawak niya ang kamay ko at hindi na niya talaga ako binitawan makalayo lang kami ro'n sa paparazzi na 'yon. Kabang-kaba ako sa kung anong pwedeng mangyari. If that paparazzi spoiled BJH's location now, maaaring maraming makaalam at susuyurin pa siya rito. "We should be fine here."

"Sana nga..." usal kong halos pabulong na lamang.

We tried to hide behind a store and BJH just pleased the vendor. Good thing for us, pinayagan niya kaming makapagtago. Hinintay naming makalagpas ang paparazzi hangga't sa makalayo ito para makalabas na rin kami sa kinatataguan namin. But if this person chose to stay, we would be staying here longer or could be whole day sa ganitong lagay ng sitwasyon.

"Aya!" He hissed as soon as he checked his bruised elbow. I gasped a little when I saw that it has a little dry blood on it. "I hate paparazzi." Iling-iling naman nitong tugon. (Ouch!)

"We should wash that out. Baka kung mapaano ka pa," nag-aalala kong suhestiyon. Umiling naman ito at nirolyo pababa ang sleeves ng kanyang sweatshirt. "Okay ka lang ba talaga?"

He nodded continuously as if that would make me feel fine. While he's worrying about the paparazzi who's coming after us, ako naman 'yong nag-aalala sa kanya. He was so serious no being caught. His determination makes me laughed, but I'm trying to hold it off since if I did, we could be caught.

Saglit lamang ay sumulpot na ang taong iniiwasan namin. As much as we want not to get caught ay nagtago talaga kami ni BJH and we're just hoping so hard that the vendor wouldn't rat us out. When the paparazzi talked to the vendor, nakinig kami nang mabuti if she would say a thing about us hiding behind her store. Taimtim namang inintindi ni BJH ang usapan nila and he was just relieved as soon as the rough deep voice from the paparazzi slowly faded away.

Naghintay pa kami ng ilang minuto at saka kami sinilip ng vendor at sinabi sa amin na nakalayo na nga iyong naghahanap sa amin. She just then realized that BJH is a celebrity and she wanted to have a picture with him, but she has no phone with her so he used his phone to take the photo. He get her name so he would remember it.

"Jeongmal gamsahampnida!" Pagpapasalamat ni BJH. Yumuko rin ito bilang pagrespeto sa vendor. (Thank you so much!)

Tinapik ng matanda si BJH sa balikat. Her smile seemed genuine. Para bang ngayon lang din siya nakakita ng artista sa personal. Though I believe most of the time ay maraming local celebrity ang nagpupunta rito para mag-taping nang kung ano-ano. Even the foreigners ay dinarayo talaga ang lugar na 'to.

As soon as we left our hiding spot, we just made sure that this paparazzi won't be seeing us at the base of the hill. Mukhang hindi na rin namin matutuloy ang pagpunta namin sa Aqua Park since the paparazzi could show up at any moment. We tried going to another trail so that we could somehow lose him. It almost took us an hour before we could even reached the base of the hill. Mas napagod kami sa pagbaba which should be the opposite dahil pababa na at mas mabilis na lang ang lahat, but then because of this paparazzi's way to culminate our privacy.

Though there were some people who are about to go up the hill, nakasasalubong namin sila at nakikilala nila si BJH and they would just come at us and asked if they could take a picture with him. Hindi naman ako mag-aassume na gusto nilang makipag-picture sa akin so I would know agad kung sino ang tinutukoy nila.

Some of them wanted to kiss him on his cheek at pinagbibigyan naman niya 'yon. Some tried hugging him so tight that his face scrunched dahil natamaan iyong sugat niya kanina. That's the part where I had to get in and made some space between them at bago pa mang tuluyang magkaroon ng commotion ay umalis na kami ni BJH. Just to be sure. Para hindi na rin siya pagkaguluhan since ang iniiwasan namin ay ang malaman ng mga tao kung nasaan na siya ngayon.

While we're waiting for the transit, I nudged him off. Tiningnan naman niya ako na pinanliitan pa ng mata.

"Sabi ko naman sa 'yo, marami pa ring nakikilala sa 'yo. Marami pa ring gustong makita ka. Tingnan mo, kahit na nasa military ka ng halos dalawang taon ay hindi ka pa rin nila binitawan. Katulad ko... naniwala pa rin akong makababalik dito and it's you who made it happened again."

He took a deep breath. "You believed in me so much."

"Syempre naman. Bakit naman hindi?" Napangiti na lamang ako. "Bakit ikaw? Don't you believe in yourself? If people believed in you, maybe you should do the same thing."

"It's easy to say you know," he said. "But I'm trying to believe myself... they uplift me though. They made me realize that I'm still here and doing a part in this industry." Pinalibot naman ni BJH ang braso niya sa balikat ko at hinila niya ako papalapit sa kanya. Halos kulungin niya ako sa yakap niya. "Thank you for believing in me, Raijine."

Tinusok ko siya sa tagiliran niya para kilitiin siya. He didn't react, but he smiled. "Of course, ikaw pa ba!"

He chuckled. "But I'm sorry that we had to leave early and it's because of that paparazzi. Maybe next time we could do it again."

Mabilis naman akong tumango. "Yes! We really should do it next time. At okay lang naman sa akin if we left early, at least we've got to see the sunrise. Iyon naan ang importante, 'di ba?"

He nodded as if I'm saying it right. "Yup. That's the important thing and what made this day for me. Do you want to go home now or eat in someplace?"

Napa-isip naman ako sa tanong and I have to consider such things before saying a thing. Papayag sana akong kumain kami sa labas if it's not risky pero dahil may nag-aabang sa amin, it would be better for us just to go back home so I could get back to sleep na rin.

When the public transit came, we both get inside and must wait for another two hours of ride to get back home. Nasa tabi naman ako ng bintana at naaaliw naman ako sa view dahil sag awing kaliwa ay matatanaw ang karagatan. Up in the Sunrise Peak, parang gusto kong tanawin ang Pilipinas mula ro'n pero imposible naman 'yon kaya inimagine ko na lang.

BJH then caught my attention and he asked something about what I do when Chini didn't call me to be back here. Ang dami kong gustong i-kwento sa kanya. Literal na nag-flashback sa isipan ko 'yong mga nangyari sa buhay ko sa nakalipas na dalawang taon.

"Siguro sisimula ko na lang by the time I left South Korea and I had to find another job to sustain the needs of my family... actually, it's kinda hard for me to find a stable job. Nag-apply ako sa isang call center company pero three months lang ang itinagal ko. I look for part-time jobs and yet what I'm getting isn't enough. And then a few months ago, pumasok ako sa online selling. Naging stable 'yon at naging maganda ang kita ng shop ko kaya hindi ko binitawan 'yon. Back before my first year here, everything changed. It changed my life and I've got to save up some money that eventually helps me, but within those months, it was really a struggle for me, but I keep coming by and I'm glad that I made it and back to this country once again."

He breathes and let it go swiftly. Napailing at pikit pa ito as if he's not believing that it happened to me.

"And you've made it all through those stuff?" he wondered. Tumango-tango naman ako sa kanya. "Wow... you're tough and unbelievable, Raijine. And you even hope that you'll get this job back?"

I sighed and nodded. "Actually, yes... ang taas pa ng pag-asa kong makababalik ulit ako rito. Na kapag tapos ka na sa military training mo, baka pwedeng makabalik ulit ako rito. Alam kong medyo imposibleng mangyari 'yon no'ng mga oras na 'yon kaya nag-stick na lang ako sa online selling ko. Binuhos ko ang atensyon ko ro'n. And it's the same platform where Chini would reach out to me once again... ang sarap lang sa pakiramdam na mabigyan ulit ng opportunity na ganito at hindi ko na sasayangin pa 'yon."

"I get it now..." he muttered. "Why you believed in me so much."

Napakunot ang noo ko sa kanya.

"When I got into the military, you had to go back to the Philippines and when I got back, you came back with another chance as well. It's like I was the one who killed your dreams for almost two years. I'm glad that Chini reached out to you. At least you're someone I can trust."

"This is all because of you, Jin-Hyeong... so thank you..."

He smiled. "Not a problem. I'm sure you'll make most of your time here and we'll make it the best one." Pinisil naman niya ang pisngi ko na para bang plush toy. Natigil lang siya nang may sumakay at kailangan niyang ibabaang suot na cap para hindi siya makilala.

For the rest of our trip back home, I didn't realize I fell asleep and BJH offered his shoulder once again. Hindi pa gano'n kabuo ang diwa ko nang makababa kami ng transit. I'm still trying to cope up with everything. Medyo lutang pa ako to think na ang aga naming magising tapos hahabulin lang kami ng paparazzi.

Pagkarating namin sa bahay ay naabutan namin si Seo-jun na may ginagawa labas.

"Mwhago issni?" tanong ni BJH nang huminto kami sa harapan ng pinsan niya. (What are you doing?)

"Nanen danjii ciateul euriogo noriokhagoissa. Nanen gdli god kkoceul piul gutirago saenggakhanda... animion yachae? Hwaxilhazi anhspnida," sagot ni Seo-jun. (I'm just trying to plant these seeds. I think they'll bloom flowers soon... or vegetable? Not sure.)

"Dangxineun danji dangsin shiganeul nangbihago isssnipda," iritadong sagot ni BJH. (You're just wasting your time.)

Seo-jun shook his head. "Ani. Nanen igerti jami issdago malhaehahanda." (No. I must say that this is fun.)

"Mwdngana," tugon ni BJH. (Whatever.)

"I think Noona Raijine likes it, right?" Ang laki pa ng ngiti nitong tanong sa akin. Para bang sumagot ako sa kanya at sabihing tama siya. Napangiwi na lang din naman ako. "Ajjssdn, dangxineun bangmunhaga issgo gnionen bumonimceae hamkke ana issspnida." (Anyway, you have a visitor and she's inside with your parents.)

Kumusot ang mukha ni BJH nang banggitin iyon ni Seo-jun. "Gnioga nugunji ashipnikka?" (Do you know who she is?)

He shrugged off. "I forgot her name is, but she's been here before. Go see her inside! She's been wanting and waiting to see you guys. And where did you guys go? Did you leave early in the morning?"

Napatingin na lamang sa akin si BJH dahil mukhang alam na niya kung sino iyong tinutukoy ni Seo-jun. He didn't even bother to answer his cousin's questions at dali-dali na itong tumuloy papasok sa loob ng bahay. Iniwan niya pa ako sa pagmamadali. Sumunod ako at sa pagpasok pa lamang ng bahay ay nadatnan kong nakatayo lamang si BJH at nakatitig sa isang direksyon.

At that moment, the person who he didn't want to see at this moment showed up. It's Chini and she's looking at us na para bang walang nangyari. Nakangiti pa ito at feel na feel pa rin niya ang kanyang apple haircut. Though what made me feel guilty about is when BJH look behind to see my face because, at this point, he knew that I was the one who ratted him out and tells Chini about where we are right now.

He changed his phone. She couldn't track him. I told her where we are so here she is now.

Napabitaw na lamang ako nang malalim na hininga. This is my fault.

BJH and I just had a wonderful morning and now... it has to lead into this situation. I hope he'll understand and forgive me. I hope Chini won't make this situation hard for me.

***

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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