Connect 16: Ellin's Campaign

Ellin's POV

Naglelecture na si Sir Pagayunan pero hindi parin maalis sa isip ko ang mga sinabi ng Bangtan Boys kanina. Everyday they never fail to amaze me. Coachella is turning into a world without music and harmony. At tama si Rap Monster, we need to bring back the old Coachella. The Coachella that we used to have. Someone needs to stand up for it.

Someone needs to stop the drastic changes and scream out to the world that these changes need to stop.

Someone needs to be the first to say NO.

"Miss Valdez!" nagulat ako ng tawagin ako ni Sir. "Miss Valdez are you even paying attention to our lecture?!" mataray niyang tanong.

"Ah—"

"Well expect your ranking to get lower by Finals if you continue this attitude in my class!"

Kinabahan naman ako sa threat ni Sir Pagayunan. "S-Sorry sir..." napayuko nalang ako dahil sa sobrang kahihiyan.

Pagkatapos ng class agad akong dumiretcho sa section F. Gusto kong malaman ng Bangtan Boys ang plano ko. Pero nung makarating ako wala sila sa room.

"Huh? Sila Rap? Nagcutting sila. Hindi sila napasama sa attendance sa first subject kasi hindi sila nakauniform kaya dun sa mga sumunod na subjects, umalis na sila." sabi nung kaklase nila. Kung ganoon eh di siguro sa Grade 12 at 10 kung saan nandoon sila Jin, Suga at Jungkook mukhang ganoon din ang nangyari?

I sighed and went to the cafeteria. Nagsusulat ako ng maaaring gawing campaigns para maibalik ang dating sistema ng Coachella. Sigurado naman ako na may mga sasama dito dahil ayaw nila nang bagong uniforms eh.

"Anti-Coachella Tech?!" napatayo ako ng may magsalita sa likod ko. I hold on to my notebook at humarap sa taong yun.

"J-J-Jhope?!" gulat kong sabi nang marealize kong siya yun.

"Are you—"

"Shhh! It's a secret." nakangisi kong sabi.

"Ellin, you're gonna get yourself in trouble. You know that, right?" he said and sat down with his lunch tray.

"Oo. But someone has to stand up. At sa tingin ko ako ang makakagawa nun!"

Jhope looked at me with worried eyes. "Look Ellin, I know how precious Coachella is to you but you need to stay away from the school admin."

"But Bangtan—"

"I know you're doing this for Bangtan but you need to slow down. If you get caught they will expell you."

"If that means Coachella School of Music and Arts back, then that would be okay. Worth it yun, trust me."

"Hindi papayag ang Bangtan. At hindi ako papayag dun Ellin." ah shemayyy hinawakan niya yung kamay ko. Natutunaw ako shet!

"Ah— eh—"

"Ellin—"

"Look, I know what I'm doing. And I'm not just doing this for Bangtan. I'm doing this for you, for Chowa and Wowa and for all my schoolmates who wanted to reach their dreams. They enrolled here because of their dreams. Magkakaiba man tayo ng talento but we all have that similar dream of performing and being able to share their God given talents to the world."

Jhope still has that worried eyes but he smiled at me at pat my head. "Well I can't beat that, right?" he giggled.

Lumapit ako sa isang grupo sa klase ko na noon ay nasa musical major. Natugtog sila ng violin at cello.

"Hi guys." bati ko sa kanila.

"Hi." They smiled at me.

"Nakakamiss naman marinig yung quartet ninyo kapag may vacant tayo." sabi ko sa kanila. Quartet ay yung pagtugtog nilang apat gamit ang violin at cello ng isang musical piece or ensemble. Madalas silang tumutugtog kapag vacant or lunch break.

"Oo nga eh. Pero bawal na ngayon magdala ng instruments or kahit tumugtog man lang. Hindi na tuloy kami makapag-quartet session." malungkot nilang kwento.

Napangisi naman ako at inabot sa kanya ang isang papel. "Baka gusto niyong sumali sa Anti-Coachella Tech group?" sabi ko ng pabulong.

"A-Ano?"

"Campaign toh para mabalik ang dating system sa Coachella!"

Takot na tinabig ng isa ang papel. "Baliw ka ba?! Kakalabanin mo ang school admin? Are you nuts? Mamaya maexpell pa kami!" bigla silang lumayo saken at umupo nalang sa kanya-kanyang upuan.

Pang-ilan na ba silang tumanggi sa alok ko? Pang-limampu na yata. Haaaaaaay. Mahirap mang-persuade ng mga sasali. Kainis! It's not easy as I thought it would be. But! I shall not stop. Alam ko may sasali din sa campaign ko! Eventhough I have been turned down for almost 50 persons. Still, I shall not surrender!

Oh well I'll try to look for interested persons in other sections.

V's POV

Naglalakad ako palabas ng bahay nila Jin nang marinig kong nakasunod saken si Jungkook. I turned around and stopped.

"Jungkook I said stay inside." naiinis kong sabi.

"Sama ako! Kakain ka ba?" nagpuppy eyes pa siya saken. Mukha niya. Tss.

I rolled my eyes. "Ang daming pagkain sa bahay nila Jin hyung. Nagluluto pa nga yata siya eh. Hindi ka pa rin ba masaya doon?"

"Eh kasi ang dami pang sinasabi ni Jin Hyung saken. Dapat daw fruits at vegetables daw kainin ko. Daig niya pa yung biological mother ko. Sama nalang ako sayo Hyung~"

"Well you're not coming with me Jungkook. Stay here." I said at naglakad na ulit palabas ng bahay ni Jin. I took a cab back to Coachella. I need to have a serious conversation with him. Yung wala na sanang palitan ng kaluluwa na interruption.

Dire-diretcho lang akong pumasok kahit sinita ako ng guards. Papunta pa lang ako sa office ng may humarang sa daraanan ko.

"Sevanne, we need to talk."

Napakamot ako ng ulo. "Not now JHope hyung. I need to—"

"You need to talk to the school admin?"

I sighed. "Yes. I need to talk to him. Masaya ka na? Now if you'll excuse me—"

"Ellin is trying to make a campaign against Coachella Tech. And I can't stop her."

I don't know why I got so irritated and laughed sarcastically. "Wow, so what do you want me to do then? Mas gusto ka naman niya kesa saken Hyung. You know that too, right? So why are you saying this to me now?"

"You know how important Coachella is to Ellin. I know you're about to do something too. But you need to do it fast or else Ellin will get herself in trouble."

I clenched my jaw and shrugged. "I'm not doing anything for her. I'm doing this for Bangtan. At least I get to do something, at hinding hindi ko iiwan ang grupo kahit ano pang gawin ni Dad... not like you." binangga ko pa yung braso niya nung pagkalampas ko sa kanya. I was about to enter the office of Mr. Lee nang may marinig ako.

"But Mr. Lee, ang usapan natin ay shareholder ka lang dito. You don't have the right to take over my school at baguhin ang buong pamamalakad nito!"

"Mr. Bang, I wanted to help you improve the school. As a shareholder, I want the institution to grow as a competitive school with armed students that are capable to excel in their chosen fields after they graduate. Anong masama doon?"

"Listen to me Mr. Lee! Those kids have talents and they will be successful in the future so you don't need to change this school into a Technical School. I believe in those kids! Coachella is not a business and skills training school! It is a school for music and arts!"

"I do not care. I will take in-charge from here Mr. Hitman Bang. You may leave the office."

Napaatras ako ng marinig kong may palabas. Padabog pang sinarado ng dati naming school admin ang pinto pagkalabas niya. I guess Hitman Bang did not sell this school to Mr. Lee after all.

At talagang consistent si Dad sa pagsira sa buhay ko.

Natapos ang araw na hindi ko nakausap si Mr. Lee tungkol sa plano ng Dad ko. Bumalik ako sa bahay nila Jin Hyung at nagpractice kami ng bagong sayaw sa second round ng rookie battle. Mukhang inspired si Leader-nim sa mga nangyayari sa school. Isang masterpiece na naman ang nabuo nilang kanta ni Yoongi hyung.

Catchy pa yung chorus at ako ang kakanta nung "We roll, we roll, we roll~" mehehehehehe.

I went home at naabutan ko si Anya na nasa tapat ng TV. Excited na nakain ng popcorn. I sighed and walked towards her. Binaba ko yung bag ko at umupo sa tabi niya.

"Ginabi ka yata? Nagpractice kayo?" she said while munching some popcorn.

"Yeah. Bawal na sa school at inayos na nila yung practice room namin kaya dun nalang kami sa bahay ni Jin hyung." sabi ko habang nakasandal sa malambot na sofa. Ngayon ko naramdaman ang pagod. I closed my eyes and tried to relax a bit.

"You look tired. Kumusta ang bagong routine? Mahirap ba?" napamulat ako nang humarap siya saken at mukhang siyang excited na magkwento ako.

Umiling ako. "They focused on the lyrics instead of the steps. Nakakapagod lang kasi tinapos namin ngayon ang lahat ng steps." inabot ko yung popcorn bowl at kumuha ng konti. Nagsisimula na rin ang URDB. Sakto ang uwi ko!

Agad umupo ng maayos si Anya at kumuha ng unan tsaka niya niyakap. Well, sanay na ako sa pagfa-fangirl niya kay JHope kapag nanunuod ng URDB. Kawawang unan. At least hindi ako yung nahahampas dahil sa kinikilig siya.

"Hi guys! We just have to make a few announcements. One of our front man, our one man show dance machine, J Hope, will not be in our show for now because of some slight technical issues with his school. But don't worry guys, we can still catch up with him soon, that's for sure. So now let's begin our show!!!"

Nalaglag ang panga ko ng marinig ko iyon. JHope left URDB because of the Coachella Tech rules. Grabe. Kahit kelan talaga masunurin ang isang yun. Nakakapagtaka lang na binitawan niya agad ang URDB samantalang he worked his butt off for that show spot. Iniwan niya kami for that and studied abroad. I mean, akala ko yun ang huling huli niyang gagawin, ang igive up ang pagsasayaw.

"ANDWAEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!! Inabangan ko si Jhope pero hindi ko siya makikita!!! At hindi ko siya makikita sa susunod pang weeks. Aigoo!!! My heart hurts so much omg." ToT

"Aish. Ang arte mo. Nakikita mo naman siya sa school ah?"

Tumigil naman siya sa pag iyak at humarap saken. "Duhhh! Hindi naman siya nasayaw kapag nasa school eh! Isa pa, ibang iba si JHope kapag nasa stage na siya! Parang nagbe-beast mode siya tapos pag nagsayaw na siya puro byuntae lang maiisip mo!!!"

I rolled my eyes and iniwan ko nalang ang baliw na si Anya sa living room. Bahala siya sa buhay niya. Maghanap siya ng kausap niya. Papakabaliw siya dun kay JHope eh.

Binuksan ko ang kwarto ko at dumiretcho ako sa kama ko tsaka humiga. I wanted to sleep pero hindi maalis sa isip ko ang mga sinabi ni JHope hyung kanina. Anya is such a moron but at the same time, walang makakatalo sa fighting spirit niya. I think namotivate namin siya dahil sa rebelious act na ginawa namin kanina. But for Bangtan it was not an act para labanan ang school. It was just plainly because we are Bangtan and we will do what we want.

Ang key word ay ang salitang 'DREAM'. Oo mukhang natrigger nga ni Leader-nim ang 'dream freak' na si Anya kaya nagkaganyan siya. Kahit maexpell pa siya or mamatay, basta gagawin niya ang lahat para sa pangarap niya. That's why I'm not surprised.

Although I was more surprised to see how JHope was worried about her. He never cared for anyone. Well before nung nasa grupo pa siya, he cared about Jimin and Jimin's stupidity but aside from that wala na.

And now he even confronted me about her. Nakakapagtaka pero nakakainis. Hindi ko alam kung saan galing yung inis pero siguro dahil na rin sa malandi si Anya at mukhang tama siya. Type nga yata siya ni JHope.

"Sevanne!" napatayo ako ng marinig ko si Manang Ason. Ayaw pa naman niya ang pinag aantay. Masakit kaya yung newspaper smash niya nuh!

"Manang! Bakit ho?"

"May package ka. Eto oh. Ang weird nito. Ang laking box pero ang gaan." inabot saken ni Manang ang box at umalis na.

Ang weird lang ng pakiramdam ko. Parang alam ko na kung ano toh.

I opened the box with an army knife. Puno ang box ng confetti at nakalagay doon ang picture ng Bangtan noong first round ng rookie battle at picture ni Anya.

Ang mga mukha nila sa picture ay may guhit na 'X' gamit ang pulang marker.

May note pa, and it says:

“Follow the rules and go back home or else..."

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Happy New Year Army's! Let's all wish that this year will be an eventful and successful year for our boys! BTS Fighting! ♥

I need comments to read btw. Are guys still enjoying this story? Or should I stop? Lol.