Chapter Seven

The anticipation to know what was inside the closed door was slowly killing me. I could hear loud music from the inside, vague voices and thumping reciprocating the same exact operation of my now chaotic and drumming heart.

May hint na ako kung ano ang nasa loob, because the words imprinted on the door said it all and that made it even more breathtaking for me.

BTS Mirror Room. That were the words imprinted on the door with a gold rectangular plating. Too intimidating and looked expensive.

I almost caught my breath… ah no, I literally stopped breathing when Jimin held the doorknob and squeezed it before he pushed the door open. Mas lumakas ang mga musika at mga tinig na naririnig ko. Sumuot din sa ilong ko ang isang mabangong amoy. I couldn't explain it. It was like a mixture of several perfumes but it really did smell good.

Heaven found its way to me. Jimin was enough for me, he was all I asked but other BTS members were a big big bonus! Pakiramdam ko, nagbukas ang secret portal patungo sa Mount Olympus at nasa harap ko ang mga legendary deities, with all their sweaty bodies, messy hairs and gorgeous beings.

Ang mga taong nasa loob ng silid ay huminto sa kanilang mga ginagawa at dumako sa amin ang atensyon, while I just stood there, stunned by those pairs of hawk eyes looking at us. Isa, dalawa, tatlo, apat, lima, anim… and to complete the package, pangpito ang lalaking nasa tabi ko.

They were BTS. My favourite K-Pop boy group. Just… just what did I do in my past life to deserve this luck?

Hindi ba't halos maiyak ako noon nang hinayaan kong ma-sold out ang VIP standing tickets ng BTS nitong kakatapos lang nilang concert sa Pinas kahit na kayang-kaya ko naman iyong bilhin pero ngayon, who would have thought that I would be standing before them? In their mirror room at this matter!

If this was just a dream, I would kill whoever would try to wake me up.

"Where did you go?" It was J-Hope who first managed to break off the silence, his familiar raspy voice that I only heard through my gadgets was too raspy to be real. He was staring confusedly at me as if I was a specie he couldn't contemplate well.

Who said Jin was the only visual of this group? Only people with sore eyes would fail to see how good looking J-Hope was!

Sobrang kinis ng balat niya sa mukha. He had a pair of small and almond shaped eyes, small pointed nose and heart shaped thin shiny lips. His prominent jaw could rip a heart, I swore. His beauty truly rivalled the sun's.

"I thought you went out to buy foods? But why are you with a girl?" Taehyung, or as mostly known by his stage name V, asked in his natural deep baritone. Napatunayan ko na sa wakas na sobrang lalim nga ng boses niya. Ah this man! Just where star did he seriously come from? His looks were so just out of this world. I would run out of words if I would be describing his out of world perfection.

Nahihilo ako. Nahihilo ako sa mga hindi ko maintindihang salitang naririnig ko. I was like in the middle of a turmoil, I wanted to get out yet I wanted to go deeper. I was in a paradoxical havoc again and I needed to know what was making me go all through this.

These people… they were the least expected people to cross the path of my life but why were they here in front of me? That was the biggest puzzle in my mind right now. Was my life having its biggest turn now? And it included BTS? Seriously? O baka naman kailangan ko nang magising dahil overtime na ako sa panaginip na ito?

"Hey Jiminie, who is she?" RM suddenly said from behind Taehyung. Nakapameywang siya at kagaya ng lahat ay basang-basa din ng pawis.

Napalunok ako dahil sa intimidasyong umaapaw mula sa kaniya. Lumalabas ang dimple niya sa simpleng pagsasalita lang niya. Oh my gosh! Ano bang mga sinasabi nila? Were they now cursing me for ruining their practice?!

Sa tingin ko kasi, kagagaling lang nila sa pagpa-practice nang dumating kami ni Jimin. May tripod na nakatayo sa harap ng malaking salamin. There was still a music playing in the air, I recognized it as one of their songs and they were all heavenly bathed with their own sweat…

This couldn't be real, of course. BTS ang nasa harapan ko at kahit kailan, hindi puwedeng magsama ang BTS at ang reyalidad ko. Masyadong malabo. But then, how would I explain all this? Dream still? Ang haba at napaka-makatotohanan naman yata. They should be disappearing one by one from my sight now but they didn't, they were still so vivid in my sight.

"Hyung, you can speak English, right?" Jimin finally said, and I couldn't believe I missed hearing his soft voice. Nakatingin siya kay RM so he must probably be talking to the leader.

RM gaped his mouth for a while but then nodded afterwards. I really did notice how his dimple showed with how the way his mouth went ajar. "Yes, but why?" RM answered in confusion.

Jimin sighed exasperatedly as he side-glanced at me. "She can only speak English and she can't understand Korean."

Sana lang hindi nila ako minumura. Sucks to be in a place where you couldn't understand everything! This was worst that having an amnesia! At pinapatunayan lang noon na hindi nga ito isang panaginip, o guni-guni o halusinasyon! They were real! Everything was real!

"But Jimin hyung, where did you find her?]" Jungkook said that pulled me from my thoughts once again, my eyes instantly rolling to where he was, he was wearing a pair of black baggy hoodie and sweat. He was the youngest of them all but his body was coping up really well with the older ones.

Oh please spare me for having to still think of that in the middle of the chaos I was in! Bukod sa malakas na tibok ng puso ko ay wala na akong ibang maisip gawin para mapanatili ko pa ang sarili ko sa tamang huwisyo.

I just… I just wanted to disappear from here! I just wanted to stay here longer! Aaah! Hindi ko na alam! I was getting crazier! I needed someone to wake me up now!

"She trespassed here. The guards thought she's a reporter, that was what I thought too." Muling nagsalita si Jimin, naroon pa rin iyong panunulyap niya sa akin sa kada-magsasalita siya. Pakiramdam ko, binabantayan niya ang bawat reaksiyon ko.

I could swear to him I truly couldn't understand every words he spoke. Nababaliw na nga ako sa pakikinig sa kanila e.

"Then why did you bring her here?" Min Suga, or Min Yoongi as I had always preferred to call him, said in a lazy low voice. Just when I thought he lost his voice to say anything, I remembered… ah, Yoongi was usually silent. That was his normality. Kahit sa mga videos na ginagawa nila ay natural na tahimik siya. He would either sleep or keep quiet but then… his lazy eyes never failed to intimidate me.

Kahit pala sa personal, natural na ganito siya. Seemed so hard to approach and so fragile? Cold and distant.

"We shouldn't spare her, she might be sent here to spy on us!" Taehyung suddenly shouted, his shoulders were squared in defense as if he was ready to act if I ever did even single move.

Halos mapatalon sa gulat dahil doon. What?! Bakit may sigawan nang nagaganap? Ano na bang pinag-uusapan nila? Nililitis na ba nila ako?

Oh my gosh! Calling all the buddhas of native Korean, please let me be safe! Or at least, keep the minds of these handsome guys in good track. I silently prayed.

Umatras ako at bahagyang nagkubli sa likod ni Jimin para magtago sa mga mata nila. Sinundan nila akong lahat ng tingin na para bang kaunting maling galaw ko lang ay malalagot ako.

I know, you are all cute but you can't look at me like you're all ready to eat me alive. Yumuko ako dala ng kahihiyan dahil nasa akin ang mga mata nilang lahat. Damn it, hindi ko ina-akalang sa ganitong paraan ako matititigan ng BTS!

I had imagined them smiling down at me while they performed up the stage as I hyped along their songs, or them giving me soft pats and simple 'thank you's during their fan signing events, not like this…

"Yah, yah, stop it now." To save me from being in the prey situation, Jin finally said as he lightly tapped Taehyung's shoulder. The visual of the group. No doubt about that though, he really was so handsome. Even expert painters would fail to get the perfect features of his face.

Just, God sculpted him perfectly.

Naglakad siya palapit sa amin ni Jimin habang nakapamulsa, nilampasan niya si Jimin at huminto sa harap ko na sobrang nagpakaba sa akin ngunit nang gumuhit ang matamis na ngiti mula sa mga labi niya ay pakiramdam ko, lumutang ako sa ere. I couldn't feel my sole on the ground and I felt too high all of a sudden. Though I remained hidden behind the pink haired guy to keep myself from them, from their beautifully dangerous pairs of eyes.

"I heard… you can't understand Korean?" he asked me softly in a slow English. He slouched down at me since he was too tall, my eyes just levelled his chest, having his eyes leveled to mine and his sweaty flawless face in the nearest vicinity.

Tumango ako ng dahan-dahan. "But I can speak English," mahinang sagot ko na umani ng singhap sa iba. I bit my lower lip nervously. I guessed, I shouldn't say anything.

Pumihit paharap sa akin si Jimin at bahagyang umatras bago niya ako tinitigan. Mahigpit akong napakapit sa dulo ng jacket niya na suot ko dahil sa pagtatamang muli ng mga mata namin.

Too much to hold, I looked away and just settled my sight back to Jin.

"Ah de. But what… what brought you here?" Jin asked again, still had that trademark of a smile that was keeping me at least a little bit less nervous.

Sinulyapan ko muna silang lahat. Firstly, I stared at Jimin who was still looking at me blandly. His pair of small eyes were the most comforting yet heart drumming of all the eyes here. Na kahit walang emosyon siyang nakatitig sa akin ay sobra-sobra pa rin nitong pinapakabog ang dibdib ko.

Next, I stared at RM who was nearer to Jimin, nakapameywang pa rin siya at tahimik ding nakatingin sa akin, he really looked intimidating for me with his tall height and sharp eyes. Next, sa katabi ni RM na si Yoongi, he still had those lazy eyes bored at me, kung nababasa ko lang ang iniisip niya, masasabi kong bored na bored na siya sa mga nangyayari. Sa tabi ni Yoongi ay si J-Hope na hindi naman seryoso at pangiti-ngiti lang, the always playful J-Hope.

Somehow, J-Hope's sunshine smile was lessening the uncomfortable atmosphere.

Next, kay Jungkook naman na ngayon ay nakapahalukipkip at pinaglalaruan ang mga labi gamit ang mga daliri ng isang kamay niya. He didn't seem so troubled with the way he just listened to his hyungs, if anything, the bit of amusement that swam in his eyes told me that he was intrigued. I could say that my sister had an eye for crushing this guy, he was the youngest and well, so handsome too.

Lastly, before I turned back to Jin, I stared at Taehyung who was now glaring at me with those animated pair of small and deep hooded eyes. What was wrong with him? Bakit ganyan siya makatingin?! He was like the most adorable of them all, was he trying to ruin that image of him?!

Sa mga clips nilang napapanood ko, siya ang pinaka-makulit at pinaka-nakakatuwa. Why now? Halatang hindi niya gusto ang presensya ko, at hindi niya itinatago iyon.

"I… I…" I stuttered as I was comforted by Jin's soft stares. I tensely pinched my fingers behind my back while still playing with the hem of the jacket while trying to find somewhere my mind the answers for Jin's question.

What brought me here? Now, what should I tell them? That I went here to see Jimin and the rest of them? Wasn't that too… weird? Paghihinalaan nila akong isa akong baliw na fan!

"She doesn't seem to be a reporter," June said again that made me even more nervous. Ang lalim ng boses niya at feeling ko, kung hindi pa ako sasagot, bubugahan na nila akong lahat ng apoy. Hindi pa nakatulong na wala akong maintindihan sa kanila!

"I… I'm a… t-tourist…?" Pinakamalabong at pinakasigurado kong sagot sa mahina at utak na tinig. I knew! I knew that I was a paradoxical person! I always got tangled between two different things! It was true that I was a tourist! I had got a tourist visa! But it was not the reason why I was here…

At kaya ko bang sabihin sa kanila iyon? Puwede ba?

"And?" dagdag na tanong ni Jin na mukhang may inaasahan pang ibang sagot. There was really a reason why Jin was the oldest, aside from the age difference. He could manage the situation well and I could say he was doing a good job. He could make the situation cool for the both parties.

Come on, Hanselle. Let's get this done over with. It's either you tell them the truth and don't ever hope of seeing them again or construct a white lie to get out of this situation and be done with them too. Either way, both will lose your precious BTS. My inner Goddess nudged and encouraged me.

Now, I had to choose. It was just a matter between what was easy and what was hard.

Pumikit ako ng mariin at nagpakawala ng malalim na buntong-hininga. Kinapa ko ang Polaroid camera ko at dahan-dahan kong inangat. As I opened my eyes, I clicked it.

Flash!

It flashed before I said, "I guess… I'm a fan."

In the end, I chose to tell them the truth, not knowing at all that I couldn't stop anymore the sudden turn of events in my life that had just started.

"Yes! Dala ko na! Sa dami ba naman kasi ng maiiwan, bakit ito pang production opening costume ni Robert?!" pasigaw kong sagot sa natatarantang si Chelsea sa kabilang linya dahil natataranta na rin ako.

Ilang minuto na lang at mag-uumpisa na ang concert and Robert's clothes were still with me! Naiwan kasi ng personal stylist niya ang mga ito sa kanilang hotel. I didn't have any choice but to get it since everyone was so busy. And yes, our team chose an expensive high-end hotel for Robert and Alexis kaya ngayon ay nagkukumahog kami. Sana kasi sa hotel na lang na tinutuluyan namin since malapit lang ito sa theatre dome.

Chelsea and I were just double checking everything just to find out the problem! Mabuti na lang at medyo maaga naming nalaman na may problema at may oras pa.

["Thank goodness! You have to hurry!"] sigaw ni Chelsea sa kabilang linya.

I rolled my eyes. "I'm in a cab, Chels. Don't worry. The traffic is with me," sagot ko sa kaniya.

Mabuti na lang at maluwag ang daan. Huminto ang taxi'ng sinasakyan ko dahil sa pagkukulay pula ng traffic light. Well, except of course to this. Natural na ang traffic lights. They were considerable, too.

["Fine! Fine! I'll calm everyone here first! Just get here safe—"] Humina sa pandinig ko ang boses ni Chelsea dahil may nakakuha ng atensyon ko at mahirap mag-focus sa sinasabi niya gayong palakas nang palakas ang kabog ng dibdib ko.

It was almost deafening me to be honest, that I couldn't hear anything else but the beats and thumps within. My eyes bored to something so shocking, that I couldn't bring my eyes to blink. My mouth instantly went ajar, that I almost forgot to breathe.

What… is… that…?

Sa malaking screen na nakapaskil sa malaking gusali kung saan madalas makikita ang mga public advertisement, naroon ang larawan ni Jimin suot ang itim niyang jacket noong nakaraang nag-cross ang mga landas namin habang papasok siya ng BH building, at sa pangalawang larawang nasa tabi nito, ang larawan naman ni Jimin habang ina-alalayan niya ang isang babae papasok ng taxi. The girl was already wearing his black jacket up to its hood kaya hindi kita ang mukha nito but it was so clear that the man on the photo was JM, his pink fluffy hair would strongly attest to that.

May red circle highlights pa ang dalawang larawan, emphasizing the same jacket on both photos, nakapulang bilog ang suot na jacket ni JM sa unang larawan at ganoon din sa jacket na suot ng babae, as if showing a point.

Kahit sino ay mage-gets ang ibig sabihin noon. May caption ito pero hindi ko mabasa dahil hangul but I understood, those two photos were enough for a whole story.

The photos were so familiar to me…

["Hey! Hey, Hanselle! Are you still there?!"] Chelsea's frantic voice pulled me back to reality but it never calmed my palpitating heart.

"Y-Yes! I'm hanging up, Ch-Chels. See y-you there," I stuttered as I ended the call.

The taxi moved again but I was never fine until we reached the place, no, I would never be fine.

The program had gone by smoothly as planned. Nagkaroon ng ilang maliliit na komplikasyon, just like how normal events happened pero natural naman na iyon. Na-handle naman namin ng maayos lahat. We thanked God for that.

Successful ang aming out of town project, successful ang aking very first project with the team, not to mention it was my very first out of town project.

"Cheers to our success!" sigaw ni Miss Alecia kasabay nang pag-angat niya baso niyang may lamang beer.

We happily cheered to her. Inangat naming lahat ang mga baso namin bago sumigaw ng, "Cheers!" We all beamed.

Kasama namin sina Robert Rogelio at Alexis Levinia ngayon sa pagse-celebrate. We occupied a long table in a not so fancy restaurant around the city. Maraming mga masasarap na pagkain ang nakahain sa mesa. Two big round Hawaiian pizza, four big bowls of fried chickens—to be refilled actually, some Korean foods I couldn't name and beers. I could see that we were following the Korean's tradition of celebrating.

Madalas ganito ang senaryong napapanood ko sa mga K-Drama tuwing nagsasaya sila. Either company party or company treat.

Minsan nakakabilib lang isipin na nagagawa namin ngayon iyong mga napapanood ko lang noon. It wasn't really about the will, it was really just the matter of place because you would adopt naturally.

Habang nagsasaya ang lahat, busy naman ako sa pagkakalikot ng phone ko. Thanked Korea for having the strongest and most reliable connection, I was able to update socially online.

Sa bawat parehong litratong nakikita ko, iba't ibang bersyon ang nababasa ko. Thanked again for the English articles.

'BTS JIMIN spotted with his unidentified girlfriend…'

Under that caption was the same photo I saw earlier. Mukhang iisang source lang ang pinagkuhanan ng lahat ng mga litrato.

I didn't know if I should thank that or not. That same source was the sole reason why I was in a deep… very deep trouble once again, because it already spread to other famous K-Pop online news—such as Dispatch and Koreaboo—like a wildfire.

'Who could be this lucky girl that stole the heart of BTS's lead vocalist and main dancer, JIMIN?'

'BH Entertainment has not yet released any statement about the photo circulating the media.'

'Is BTS JIMIN going to deny the photo? Is this really his girlfriend?'

'Lots of fans are now in front of BH Ent. Building seeking for answers.'

Under that caption was the photo of many people crowding the front of BH Building.

Of course, there was no way Jimin could get himself out of the trouble. Kung nakaligtas ang hitsura ko, well, Jimin's face was very clear in the photo. As if sinadyang ipakita ng kung sinong kumuha ng litrato na ipakita ang mukha ni Jimin.

If that was the case, posible ring nakita ng taong kumuha ng litrato ang… ang… pagmumuka ko? Oh my gosh! That was a more worst bigger problem!

Crap… what had I done?!