Chapter Six

Wala akong nagawa nang talikuran na ako ni Chelsea at hawak ang Polaroid camera ko, kinuhanan niya ng litrato ang façade ng BH Entertainment Building.

Yes. This was the plan she was talking about. A very absurd and dangerous plan. And I didn't know why I was still with her. Normally, I wouldn't keep up with the kind of attitude she had. Maybe I had just left with no other choice.

"We better have a souvenir of this!" And she never ran out of crazy escapades. Too bad, I was her only companion.

Oh sorry for that. Gusto ko ang ideya niyang magtungo kami rito sa BH Ent., pero ang pumasok sa loob? We knew for sure that it was just so impossible. Hindi naman kami empleyado at mas lalong hindi kami artists ng BH, oh probably not executives.

"Chelsea..." I called her while she was still busy with my Polaroid camera. Hinihintay niyang lumabas ang developed photo.

"Come on, Hanselle. Makikita mo na ang BTS lalong-lalo na ang Jimin mo! Don't you want that?!" untag niya habang ibinabalik sa akin ang Polaroid camera ko but she kept the developed photo for herself, again. Mabuti na lang pala at nagdala ako ng maraming films.

Isinabit ko ang itim na Polaroid camera ko pabalik sa leeg ko habang nililingong muli ang matayog na building. What if he was really inside? Makikita kaya namin siya? Makikita kaya namin ang BTS? At ano naman ang sasabihin namin sa mga guards para makapasok?

I sighed in defeat. At dahil si Jimin na ang ipinain niya sa akin, makakatanggi pa ba ako? He was my freaking weakness! God knew how much I wanted to see him! No, I didn't want to see him! I wanted more than that. I wanted to hold him! I wanted to check if he was real. If this craziness was even possible!

Each of the two main entrances was guarded by two muscular men in black. That made it even harder for us to go inside.

"Ganito..." And Chelsea explained the flow of her plan. It sounded so easy but actually so hard to do. Naiintindihan kong malaki ang impluwensya sa kaniya ng mga dramang napapanood niya na nai-aapply na niya ang mga ito sa totoong buhay. And I admired her for that! Damn, she only took life so easy!

Tinanguan ako ni Chelsea bilang senyales na umipasahan ko na ang dapat kong gawin. She stared at me as if what she wanted me to do was just so easy, when in reality, it was not!

I gulped hard. This was really harder than what I had heard from her! Nakita kong naglakad na siya patungo sa isang entrance. Taas ang noo niya at dire-diretso lang sa mga guards na naroon. The two guards immediately gave their attention to her as she started talking to them in exagge enthusiasm. It was going smoothly just like how she planned it.

Bumuntong-hininga ako at hinawakan ng mahigpit ang sling ng bag ko habang pinapa-ulit ko sa utak ko ang planong sinabi ni Chelsea.

"I will get their attention and you go in. Simple! Just be fast! Kapag nakapasok ka na at napansin ka, just run ahead! But if you succeeded, I will follow. Sounds like a plan, right?" confident niyang sinabi sa akin kanina na tipong napakalaki ng tiwala niya sa aking magagawa ko nga iyon. Napakasimple! I must do this! No, I could do this!

Habang tutok ang dalawang guwardiya kay Chelsea ay ginamit ko ang pagkakataon para kalmadong maglakad papasok. Diretso lang ang tingin ko at tahimik na nagdasal na sana hindi ako mapansin. It was smooth. It was perfect. But breathtaking.

"HAHA! YOU'RE SO FUNNY! I'm actually here for some business, anyways, thanks for entertaining me. It was a very big help." Narinig ko ang malakas at pang-asar na tinig ni Chelsea nang daanan ko sila. I just hoped those guards could understand her.

There was no flaw until I passed through the entrance and was met by the elegant lobby of the building. Neat reception desk, wide ground and Korean faces. And well, my thumping chaotic heart inside.

"Hey, you're a reporter!" Nakarinig ako ng sigaw at nang lumingon ako ay nakita kong palapit sa akin ang ilang mga lalaking naka-itim mula sa isang hallway. Mas pormal ang suot nila kumpara sa mga guards na nasa labas pero hindi ako tanga para hindi makuhang mga security sila.

They were still meters from me but by the looks of it, they wouldn't let me live if they got near me. I turned to look at Chelsea for a backup plan, pero hawak na siya ng dalawang guards.

"RUN!" she mouthed while gesturing me my Polaroid camera, her eyes in distance screamed panic and worry. As if everything was in a slow pace, I stared down at my neck. I had my black Polaroid camera hanging around my neck. That was when reality hit me!

Pinaghihinalaan ba nila akong reporter?!

Nang nilingon ko ang mga lalaking patungo sa akin ay nasurpresa ako nang makitang malapit na sila sa akin. Ang mga taong nagkalat sa hallway ay napahinto at pinapanood na ang mga nangyayari. Kabadong-kabado ako habang pinaplano ang susunod kong gagawin para lang makalayo sa mga lalaking iyon, saka ko na poproblemahin ang paglabas dito.

Following my only remaining choice, my crazy instinct, I ran towards the opposite direction of the exit, towards the direction where there was no security. I ran towards the opened elevator without looking back. Thankfully, just as I reached the elevator, it closed making it impossible for those guards to catch me.

I exhaled deeply. "Muntik na iyon ah!" I said under my breath. Napahawak pa ako sa dibdib ko dahil sa pinaghalong kaba at hingal na nararamdaman ko.

"Who are you?"

I stood still as I heard that very, very familiar voice. Dumako ang mga mata ko sa mga buttons, maging sa lift bar. Naroon ang numerong '1' habang naka-ilaw naman ang number '19' sa mga buttons. Funny how I found those numbers comforting despite of my drumming heart.

Ayaw kong lumingon. I was afraid that if I did so, I would be doomed.

"Yah, I asked who you are." His soft yet firm voice once again rang my ear. Oh my god, I was really hearing his voice and I couldn't understand any of it!

Pumikit ako ng mariin. I felt my body stiffen but still shaking. Just as I was ready to turn around, I saw an arm swiftly pass from behind and over my left shoulder and reach for the emergency button. The then elevator alarmed in a noisy way as I felt it halt. Napahawak pa ako sa gilid dahil sa biglaang paghinto nito na mas nagpakaba sa akin.

"Reporters nowadays are scary. They are fearless." He again spoke, his familiar voice was soft but unfriendly and I wanted to bang my head against the wall for not being able to understand even a single word.

Damn, I should have studied Hangul! Hindi ko siya maintindihan! God's sake, who knew if he was cursing me already?!

I nervously bit my lower lip as I gathered more strength to face him. Isang buwelo at tuluyan ko na siyang hinarap. Bliss have found its way to me. Heaven pulled down itself for me. I came across a living angel. Pair of gorgeous small eyes, pointed small nose, luscious pink plump lips and flawless fair skin.

Oh my god, since when did I see such perfection in this nearest perimeter?!

He was wearing a black jacket zipped till his chest, revealing a portion of his pink shirt inside. Ang kulay rosas niyang buhok ay natatabunan ng suot niyang cap. He looked so cool! And heavenly... it didn't much of a help that there was no much space between us. He was like a bubble now. I was afraid if I touched him, he would puff off in thin air because this moment itself was far from my reality, this was just one of my dreams.

A dream, that if I blinked, he would disappear.

To see Jimin this near, to smell his scent, to hear his voice and to feel his presence. It was both pressuring and flattering actually. Parang lalabas sa ribcage ko ang puso ko dahil sa sobrang lakas ng tibok nito, beating for the only man it longed for as if recognizing the only man it desired.

Yes. Park Jimin was possible, it was just that, he was illegal. And I didn't mind committing crime for him because he was my illegal man. My beautiful dream...

"Come here. I'll bring you to the headquarters," muli niyang sabi na pumutol sa gising na pagpapantasya ko sa kaniya. His natural sweet and cool voice sounded rough and I knew, he was not pleased with my appearance.

Umatras ako habang napapalunok dahil sa kaba. Ang bigat ng boses niya kaya alam kong hindi maganda ang sinabi niya. Hindi kaya minumura talaga niya ako?

"Is someone there?!"

By then, we heard a banging sound from the outside. May kumakalabog ng pinto ng elevator at ilang mga tinig na sa tingin ko, kailanman ay hindi ko maiintindihan. Saka ko pa lang napagtantong naka-emergency stop ang lift.

Nanlaki ang mga matang tinitigan ko siya. He couldn't! He couldn't just put the lift in an emergency stop and plan to hand me to those guards chasing after me a while ago, could he?!

At bakit hindi niya gagawin, Hanselle?! You're a trespasser!

My inner Goddess managed to smirk at me in this kind of situation.

He raised an eyebrow at me. The way his perfectly brushed brows moved, so graceful only if he was not mocking me now. Pero napakaguwapo kasi talaga niya.

Oh my... stop fantasizing of him, Hanselle!

"I'm here!" JM shouted back to those people outside, my hope of not being caught was snatched together with his voice. Talagang ibibigay na niya ako sa mga guards na iyon...

I attempted to hold him but stopped when I realized, I was not ready to wake up from this dream yet! Umiling-iling ako sa kaniya. No, no please, no. Nagmamaka-awa ang mga matang tumitig ako sa kaniya.

He only grinned at me. His plump lips stretching up in a perfect heart-hammering and mind-blowing smile.

God, Jimin! Stop being mean, I'm falling more! Nagawa pang isigaw ng malanding bahagi ng utak ko gayong hindi ngayon ang tamang oras para ma-distract sa kaguwapuhan niya.

"Are the buttons inside not working? Try the open button, sir!" Voices outside are not much of a help, really.

What if those were the guards who were after me a while ago?! Crap! I was in trouble! Ayaw kong lumabas ng building na ito na kadikit ang salitang trespasser sa mga social media outlets kinabukasan! Or worst, a sasaeng fan!

"No..." I found voice in a husky pathetic tone as my eyes remained looking at him, pleading. Mukhang nagulat siya dahil muling sumeryoso ang mukha niya at tumitig siya sa akin.

Oh, you don't want me to melt Jimin, do you? You cannot stare at me like that!

Yumuko ako habang umiiling. "No please. Spare me, please," wika ko sa nagmamaka-awang tono.

Alam kong hindi siya nagsasalita ng ingles pero alam kong kahit papaano ay nakaka-intindi siya dahil sa Los Angeles sila nagtraining. So I hoped, I really hoped he understood me.

"You... n-not Korean..." he said in a slow and broken English. Dahan-dahan akong tumango habang nagpapasalamat dahil nakakapagsalita naman pala siya ng ingles. "Why y-you here?" matigas niyang wika, emphasizing the letter 'R' pero kahit na ganoon ay naintindihan ko ang gusto niyang itanong.

Hindi mo dapat ako tinatanong niyan, Jimin. Magugulat ka kapag sinabi kong isa ako sa mga fans mo na nag-overboard at minahal ka. You would avoid me after that. Kasi 'di ba, hindi naman kayo puwedeng magkaroon ng pribadong koneksyon sa isang fan na gaya ko? That would put you in trouble. That's the least thing I want to happen to you. 'Di bale nang ako ang mapahamak, huwag lang ikaw. At least, napatunayan kong totoo ka.

That perfection really did exist. That I was dreaming for a real person and not just a fantasy. That it was really possible to be this crazy over someone so far from me, so high from me and so out of my league. Na nagmamahal ako ng totoong tao, na puwede ko pa lang mahalin ang isang taong ngayon ko lang nakita ng personal.

That in love, anything is possible.

"Sir, are you still there?!" Voice from the outside again.

Jimin sighed as he slowly took off his black jacket. I couldn't hear anything but the zipping sound. He softly threw the jacket to me, making him left only with his pink shirt that complemented more his white paper white skin and well, his creamy fluffy pink hair.

Para na siyang ice cream... ice cream that I was afraid to taste because it might run out. Ah no, ice cream that didn't even belong to me.

"Wear... w-wear that," aniya habang isinisenyas na isuot ko ang hoodie.

Nagtataka man ay sinunod ko siya. I stared at him questioningly after. "What's this for?" I asked.

"The hood..." he said, struggling to say what he wanted as he motioned me something. Naintindihan ko ang gusto niyang sabihin kaya hinawakan ko ang hood ng jacket at itinakip sa ulo ko.

He smiled... he then smiled shyly while bowing his head a bit as if hiding his smile from me, that made my heart stop beating for awhile.

Nakabawi lang ako nang muli na namang may kumalabog sa pinto ng elevator.

"I'm fine now! Thank you for worrying!" sigaw niya pabalik bago niya pindutin ang emergency stop to make the lift move up again.

We got stuck at the sixth floor so the lift had to move up to the nineteenth floor. We were engulfed by a deafening silence afterwards. No one tried to break it. No one attempted to talk. Hindi ako, not now that I was still too stunned by his mere presence, not now that he was just behind me, breathing calmly and not now that his perfection was taking my breath away.

Noon, pinapangarap ko lang na makita siya. No, umabot pa sa puntong gusto ko siyang mahawakan. I wanted to hold him near me. I got greedier the longer I was falling deeply for him because I was greedy... when it came to him.

At suot ko ang jacket-mabangong jacket niya. Suot ko ang jacket ni Park Jimin ng BTS!

Just who would have thought? Hindi ba't kina-iinggitan ko lang noon ang mga masuswerteng fan girls na nginingitian niya sa mga bawat fan signing events nila? Hindi ba't insecure na insecure ako sa mga babaeng idols na nakaka-engkwentro niya sa bawat awarding events na dinadaluhan nila?

Wow, hindi na ako magtataka kung bigla na lang ako magigising dahil nalaglag ako sa kama sa ganda ng panaginip na ito. But the case here was, I was not dreaming. This was real...

This time, I wasn't in one of my dreams, I was in reality.

Tumunog ang elevator, sensyales na nasa tamang floor na kami. I didn't know if it was just a pure coincidence that no one had lodged at the elevator on the way up or I was just pure lucky. Nasolo ko siya sa elevator, I bet, walang maniniwala sa akin kung maisipan ko mang ikuwento ang lahat ng ito.

Nang bumukas ang pinto ng elevator ay sinalubong kami ng mahabang deserted hallway. Maliwanag din ang buong paligid at puti ang mga dingding maging ang marbled floor.

Lumabas siya ng elevator, hindi pa rin siya nagsasalita. He just walked coolly with his hands tucked in his pants' pockets. His lean and slender sexy back was facing me.

Uh... what was I supposed to do now? Susunod ba ako sa kaniya? O bababa na lang ulit at iisipin kung paano ako lalabas sa gusaling ito nang hindi napapansin? Aish, what kind of trouble I had really put myself into?!

Napatalon ako at naputol ang linya ng mga pinag-iisip ko nang humarap siya sa akin at muli akong pinakaba gamit ang mga magaganda niyang mga mata.

"Out..."

And who could make me stop on my every track? Only this perfect but illegal man. Jimin of BTS

Nasa pinto siya at hawak ang pinto para pigilan ito sa pagsasara dahil nasa loob pa rin ako at mukhang tangang pinapantasya ng gising ang kaguwapuhan niya.

"Huh?" I asked as I blinked in both confusion and daze.

Anong binabalak niya?

He should be letting me go. Kontento na akong nakita ko na siya. Baka mas ikabaliw ko na nang tuluyan kung makakasama ko pa siya ng mas matagal.

He stared disbelievingly at me using those two gorgeously mesmerising pair of small eyes. Kahit na malalalim ang mga mata niya dahil malamang sa kakulangan ng tulog ay napakaguwapo pa rin niya. And I still couldn't believe that he was now materializing in front of me.

Could I just touch him to check if this was really happening?

"You out there." He managed to construct a sentence again.

Okay lang iyan, baby. Naiintindihan ko namang hindi nila pina-prioritize ang pagsasalita ng ingles. Anyways, I found him so adorable trying to speak English.

I slowly stepped out the lift. Mabibigat ang mga hakbang ko dahil pakiramdam ko, susuong ako sa apoy na hindi ko dapat gawin kasi matutupok ako ng init nito. But what could I do? His words were like a form of law that my heart should abide.

Muli na niya akong tinalikuran at nagpatuloy na sa paglalakad. Lean straight back, hands on his pockets and so cool. Again, I got the chance to fantasize his lean sexy back. Parang ang sarap-sarap sandalan...

What the hell, Hanselle?! Where are these thoughts coming from?! Saway ko sa sarili ko.

This time, I followed him silently. Nasa likod niya lang ako habang tinatahak namin ang tahimik na pasilyo. May ilang mga pinto kaming nadaanan but we didn't stop for them. Huminto lang kami nang marating namin ang dulo ng pasilyo kung saan may isang pinto.

From here, I could hear loud music from the inside, vague voices and thumping but despite that, it never overpowered the loudest beats and thumps my heart attained now that I was staring at those words imprinted at the door.

BTS Mirror Room.