Chapter Three

No one had warned me about this... no one had warned me that an encounter like this could still happen even after all those years.

Napa-atras ako nang kahit na may gulat sa mga mata niya habang nakatitig pabalik sa akin ay pinili pa rin niyang humakbang papasok ng elevator na nagpakaba ng sobra sa akin, lalo na at masyadong maliit ang lugar para sa aming dalawa. We had the whole world away from each other so being in this secluded place with him at this very instant was like... an inescapable dream. All over again.

I just stood still with my heart racing so fast, unmoving and very caught up as I couldn't just take my eyes off him when what I was seeing now was the perfect face resemblance of my daughter.

My daughter! Si Eve!

Ang pagkaka-alala ko sa anak ko ang siyang gumising sa akin sa tuluyang pagkakahulog muli sa gising na guni-guning... naging pinakamalaking pagkakamali ko noon. I couldn't let myself even consider building a new door for a dream I had long ago awaken from.

Nang makita kong nagsara ang elevator sa likod niya ay bahagya akong yumuko para magbigay ng formal greeting at respect sa pamamagitan ng pagba-bow saka mabilis na nag-iwas ng tingin at umurong para lumikha ng malaking distansiya sa pagitan namin. Far enough to keep me on my trance and not get affected by his sudden appearance.

I was not letting myself get affected by a Park Jimin again. Not again.

Nagugulat lang talaga ako sa presensiya niya ngayon sa mismong harap ko dahil hindi ko inaasahang magkikita pa kaming muli pagkatapos ng lahat. We had broken up yes, and I was not like some pathetic ex-girlfriend who needs closure to get moving. My case was different, I had every reason to move on before, I had my daughter to keep moving and forget everything.

The shocked idol seemed to get himself back too because he quickly turned to the lift's door after making a subtle noise of clearing his throat and completely turning his back on me as he silently looked at the buttons. His familiar sweet and minty scent from the past lingered on my nose, making me shake away the memories from my mind. Nang makita niya ang buttons ay tumayo siya ng tuwid na para bang napindot na ang numero ng palapag na pupuntahan niya.

We were both going to the emergency room.

Unti-unti akong napanganga nang may mapagtanto ako habang nakatitig sa malapad niyang likod. Pupunta kami pareho sa emergency room at posibleng makita niya si Eve! Not that I was hiding my daughter from him but that was exactly what I had been doing! I didn't want him to know about the existence of my daughter and shove to my face how wrong my decision was back then... he didn't need to know that I was already pregnant before he had left. That what he had wanted to happen before he had left was already happening.

Bakit pa? It wouldn't change anything now. Umalis siya, iniwan niya ako at doon natapos ang lahat.

Nasa dibdib ko pa rin ang takot para sa anak ko pero nadagdagan na ng kaba dahil ayaw kong magkita silang dalawa. Bulag na lang ang hindi makakapansin ng resemblance nila! Now, I suddenly hated the fact that Eve got her father's features!

Your daughter's health is what's important right now, Hanselle! What's wrong with you?! My inner Goddess scolded me.

When the lift finally landed on the third floor, hindi pa man tuluyang nagbubukas ang pinto ay agad na akong tumakbo palabas. Hindi ko na inalam pa kung sumunod ba siya sa akin dahil tuluyan nang nagtungo sa kalagayan ng anak ko ang isipan ko.

Unang bumungad sa akin ang hallway patungo sa glass sliding double-doors kung saan may nakasulat na 'Emergency Room' sa itaas. It opened automatically when I went in front of the door. Ang nurse's station ay nasa gilid lang kaya roon agad ako nagtungo.

"Is there a little girl who came here wearing a Eun Sang Kindergarten uniform?" agad kong tanong sa isang nurse na nakatingin sa computer.

Nag-angat ang babaeng nurse ng tingin sa akin ngunit isang mabilis na sulyap lang ang iginawad niya sakin dahil agad na lumagpas ang mga mata niya sa likod ko. Nanlalaki ang mga mata ng nurse nang malakas siyang suminghap. And I didn't need to turn around to look because I knew.

Who could get anyone's attention by just mere existing until now?!

Inis na hinampas ko ang reception desk dahil sa tagal sumagot ng nurse gayong natataranta na ako sa kung anong kalagayan ng anak ko. Napatalon siya sa gulat at agad na itinuro sa akin ang kinaroroonan ni Eve. Hindi ko napigilang gawaran muna siya ng masamang tingin bago ako nagtungo sa direksiyong itinuro niya. Kailangan ko nang makita ang anak ko kaya hindi ko na mahihintay pang matapos siya sa paninitig sa idol na iyon! She could stare at him in awe for all she wanted but my daughter came first!

Ibig sabihin, trabaho niya muna!

What if my daughter's in a very bad condition? I would seriously sue her and this whole hospital!

"Bien!" tawag ko kay Bien nang makita ko siyang nakatayo sa harap ng isang kama, naroon ang isang lalaking naka-doctor suit, ilang nurses at maging si Jessie na umiiyak.

Oh my gosh!

My fear doubled at the sight of a crying Jessie, magulo ang buhok at tila kanina pa umiiyak dahil sa pamamaga ng mga mata. People blocked what was in the bed so I didn't know how Eve was.

Bien immediately walked towards me when he saw me, I even noticed some eyes from the other patients looking at him as he made his way towards me. Hinila niya ako patungo sa kamang pinagkukumpulan nila at saka ko pa lang napakawalan ang ilang mabibigat na buntong-hiningang kanina ko pa pinipigilan nang makita ko si Eve na naka-upo sa kama. Suot pa rin niya ang uniform niya at wala naman akong nakikitang dugo sa katawan niya maliban sa isang benda sa isang braso niya.

"Eve!" I called her as I went near her and immediately pulled her in a tight hug. Hinaplos-haplos ko ng marahan ang likod niya habang bumubulong. "Are you okay, mahal ko?"

"She's fine, Seol. She fell from the swing while playing and waiting for me. Though, she got a an ugly scratch on her arm." Si Bien ang sumagot sa akin habang nakatayo na sa gilid namin ni Eve.

Nang humiwalay ako kay Eve ay nakita ko ang ilang bakas ng luha sa mga mata niya. Hindi ko mapigilang humikbi habang iniisip kung gaano siya nasaktan sa pagkakahulog na iyon.

"Is somewhere hurt, baby?" mahina kong tanong sa kaniya, hinahaplos naman ngayon ang basa niyang pisngi at bahagyang hinahawi ang bangs niya.

"T-That ahjusshi was trying to... to p-poke my arm with h-his needle, M-Mommy..." Pagsusumbong niya sa akin habang itinuturo ang doctor bago siya tumingala kay Bien na nasa likod ko. "Tito Bien stopped him." Dagdag niya pa.

My heart both drummed and ached at the same time, my hands now cupping her small face while continuously nodding at her. She was too fragile and precious for me and I would do everything just to keep her away from all the things that could hurt her... only in my capability, that was why it hurt, because I was not that capable. And it was too fluttering to see her seeking comfort from me. Nakakagaan dahil hindi naman talaga niya ako kinakailangan sa buhay niya.

Nilingon ko si Bien at tinitigan siya gamit ang mga matang puno ng pasasalamat. Just what would I do without him?

He just smiled understandingly at me before looking at the doctor and signaled something. They then both left. Baka pag-uusapan nila ang prescription ni Eve.

Muli kong nilingon si Eve at nginitian. "Of course, your Tito Bien won't let them hurt you, mahal ko," sabi ko sa kaniya saka ko marahang pinaghahawi ang ilang hibla ng kulot niyang buhok na nasa pisngi niya at dumikit na dahil sa natuyong luha.

"Ma'am Hanselle, sorry po. Sorry po kasi h-hinayaan kong masaktan si Chan. Gusto po k-kasi niyang maglaro."

Nilingon ko si Jessie at hindi pa rin pala siya humuhupa sa pag-iyak. Her eyes mirrored both worry and relief. Kahit na tinakot niya ako dahil akala ko ay kung anong malalang bagay na ang nangyari sa anak ko dahil sa inakto niya kanina ay nagpapasalamat pa rin ako sa kaniyang nasa tabi siya ni Eve nang mangyari iyon.

Ang mahulog at madapa ay normal lang sa mga batang katulad ni Eve lalo na at may kakulitan din itong batang ito pero kailangan ay may kasama siya. She needed someone to help her get up and comfort her... because I couldn't be able to.

"Okay lang iyon, Jessie. Sa susunod, ayusin mo na lang ang mga ibabalita mo sa akin. Tinakot mo ako, akala ko malala si Eve," sagot ko sa kaniya saka bahagyang ngumiti para kumalma na siya.

Matapos maka-usap ni Bien ang doctor ay pinayagan na kaming i-discharge si Eve. Palabas na kami ng emergency room nang bumalik si Jessie mula sa nurse station matapos kunin ang ilang gamit ni Eve. She was smiling from ear to ear, obvious that she was happy.

"Bakit?" tanong ko sa kaniya habang inaayos ang bimpo sa likod ni Eve na buhat-buhat ni Bien.

"E nakita ko po kasi kanina iyong crush kong idol, Ma'am Hanselle. Tapos tinanong ko po iyong mga nurse kung bakit siya nandito, na-confine daw po kasi iyong girlfriend niya. Hays, ang guwapo niya po talaga!" malapad ang ngiting sagot niya sa akin. "Pero Ma'am Hanselle, guwapo rin po si Sir Bien kaso masyado na po kasing matatanda ang grupo ng LUX para sa akin."

Natawa ako nang kunot ang noong napalingon si Bien kay Jessie dahil narinig niyang binanggit ang pangalan niya, hindi malamang naintindihan ang sinabi ni Jessie at nakita ko naman ang pagyuko ni Jessie, tila nahihiya.

Jessie was just twenty years old, nakapagtapos naman siya ng two-year vocational course. She wanted to continue her study but she had to save money first that was why she came here and accepted the job. Ilang taon lang ang tanda ni Holly sa kaniya since twenty-three na ngayon si Holly.

Umiling na lang ako nang mapagtanto ko kung sino ang tinutukoy niya. I didn't know they had fans younger than Holly. Iba nga naman talaga ang karisma nila na pati mga younger generation ay talagang nahuhuli nila ang kiliti. Kinse pa lang si Jessie noong mga panahong kami pa ni Jimin. Imagine, fan girling at that age. It could be a distraction to her studies.

To be honest, talagang nagulat ako sa nangyari kanina sa elevator, hindi iyon ang unang beses na nakita ko siya matapos ang nangyari sa amin noon sa loob ng limang taong lumipas. I often saw him on television with his girlfriend, on tabloid, on magazines and on social media but it was the very first time we met again after all those years.

He... I could say that he changed a bit in terms of physical appearance. Trust me if I said that even after all the panic and fear I was feeling earlier, I had managed to picture out his every change in my mind. Mas pumayat siya, mas payat siya sa personal at mas tumangkad din siya. But the usual glow and shyness of his eyes were gone. It was like I was looking at a different man and not the man I used to know. But then, I thought, people change. I couldn't expect him to be the same man I had loved before. Kahit nga ako at ang naramdaman ko ay nagbago rin.

Hanggang sa biyahe ay maganda ang mood ni Jessie na para bang nakalimutan niya na kanina lang ay umiiyak siya at ang crush na idol pa rin ang bukam-bibig. Natatawa na lang si Bien habang nag-da-drive, kahit na may ilang bagay siyang hindi naiintindihan sa sinasabi ni Jessie dahil madalas itong magtagalog.

Hindi ko alam kung kilala niya ba ang tinutukoy ni Jessie. Malay ko rin ba kung nakita niya si Jimin sa hospital kanina.

"Eseeen!" Agad na tumakbo si Eve patungo sa couch kung nasaan ang namamahingang si Esen nang ibinaba na siya ni Bien pagdating namin ng bahay.

Pinanood ko nang buhatin niya ang may kalakihan at kahabaan ng pusa na nananahimik sa couch at pinanggigilan. The black parts of the cat had darkened as time passed by. Iniisip ko na ngang ipa-breed siya pero mukhang natutuwa pa si Eve sa kaniya kung kaya't isinantabi ko na muna ang ideyang iyon.

"Did you worry about her?" tanong bigla sa akin ni Bien na nakatitig na rin kay Eve.

"Of course! I thought something worst have happened to her!" sagot ko habang inaalala kung paano akong natakot kanina na halos paliparin ko na ang sasakyan ko patungo sa hospital, at siyempre, hindi ko puwedeng banggitin sa kaniya ang tungkol doon dahil paniguradong pagagalitan niya ako.

He tend to get really particular when it came to my driving, hindi niya ako madalas payagang magmaneho kapag nandito ako at kung puwedeng mag-hire siya ng driver para sa akin ay ginawa na niya. But who said I agreed with that? I had been confident with my driving skills.

"I'm sorry she had to get hurt. If I've only come earlier-"

"Stop it, Bien. It wasn't your fault. She's a kid. It's normal for her to play and fall. I need to get ready actually 'cause this is just one of her many falls." Pinutol ko siya dahil hindi tamang sarili niya ang sinisisi niya gayong wala namang dapat sisihin. And did he even know how grateful I was for just having him with us? He was just more than to ask for.

Niyaya ko siyang sa bahay na mag-lunch para kay Eve. Tinawagan ko rin si Aly kung bakit ako umalis sa Eve kanina nang hindi man lang nagpapaalam. Nag-panic din siya nang sabihin kong na-ospital si Eve pero kumalma rin kalaunan nang sinabi kong hindi naman malala. Hindi ko na sinabihan sina Em at Evah dahil baka mag-alala lang sila.

"Stop her," utos ko kay Bien dahil hinahayaan niya lang na ubusin ni Eve ang dala niyang chocolates.

Sasakit talaga ang ngipin ng batang iyan kung hindi niya pa ititigil ang kakakain niya ng chocolates. Kakatapos lang kumain at iyon kaagad ang pinapapak niya. Ni hindi nga siya kumain ng marami, masyadong excited para sa dessert.

Bien chuckled at me while watching Eve eating cheerfully. Sinasabi ko na nga ba at talagang ini-spoil niya ng sobra si Eve. Pinangakuan ko si Eve ng chocolates kanina pero hindi katulad ng chocolates na dala ni Bien. That was why I didn't stock chocolates in the refrigerator because it would only take one time for her to eat all of those.

Hinampas ko siya dahil hindi niya ako siniseryoso. I didn't know why people always tend not to take what I said seriously. "She'll cry for a toothache later, you'll see!" sabi ko.

"Arasseo, arasseo! Aish, I'm torn between the two of you. You know, I can't resist the both of you and I don't know why you two are doing this to me," he said still laughing before he walked towards Eve who just sat on the couch while eating chocolates, beside her was the sleeping cat.

Naupo si Bien sa tabi ni Eve at agad naman niyang nakuha ang atensyon ng bata. He talked to her so far for me to hear and in just a second, Eve was already handing him her chocolates. Nakipag-high five siya sa bata na masaya naman nitong tinanggap. Nakita ko nang isantabi ni Bien ang chocolates at binuhat si Eve.

"Aigoo, our baby girl's getting heavier. Like I promised you, we'll visit baby Jiji later. Ask your Mommy if she wanna come." Narinig kong sabi ni Bien kay Eve habang lumalapit sila sa akin at pinupunasan niya ang bibig ng batang may mantsa ng chocolate.

Ngumuso si Eve nang makalapit sila sa akin. "Mommy, Tito Bien promised me that we'll visit Jiji. You wanna come?" Eve invited me, blinking at me innocently with her small cute eyes.

I smiled widely at her. "Of course, mahal ko..." I answered her, leaning over her and peppering her face with loud smooches.

"What about me?" tanong naman ni Bien kaya napa-irap ako sa kaniya, ang pagsimangot niya ang dahilan kung bakit ngumuso si Eve saka pinaliguan ng halik ang mukha ni Bien. "Hm, so what about every time you get a kiss from Mommy, you'll give me kisses too?" Bien told Eve.

"I'll take more kisses from Mommy then."

And well, their deal was extended to my delight.

Tinanguan ko ang anak ko matapos ko siyang bihisan. Noon, noong wala pa sa isipan ko ang pagkakaroon ng anak, madalas kong makita ang ilang mga posts online ng mga mag-inang may matched clothes at madalas ko ring maisip kung gaano iyon ka-cute. Kaya gusto kong gawin namin ni Eve iyon.

"Mommy, we're wearing the same clothes," takang sabi ni Eve sa akin nang mapansin niyang pareho kami ng suot ni dress.

Pares ng pink thick collar blouse down a white skirt that didn't reach my knees ang suot ko at ganoon din siya. Pareho rin kaming may suot na pink bucket hat at puting gladiator sandals. These dresses were from the Philippines that I brought here. Hindi ko naman inaasahang agad-agad namin itong magagamit.

"Yes, mahal ko. Let's go, your Tito Bien is waiting for us." I sweetly told her. Dinampot ko mula sa kama ang baby bag na madalas kong gamitin para sa mga gamit niya tuwing may lakad sila ni Bien. Narito ang mga powder niya, lotion, bimpo, ilang damit pampalit, ilang mga laruan at vitamins.

She nodded curtly at me and went out the room first, leading the way. Nangingiting pinanood ko siya habang pababa ng hagdan, ang maliit niyang kamay ay nakahawak sa railing at maingat siyang tumatapak sa bawat baitang.

'No running at the stairs.' I remembered Bien giving her that as one of their princess rules that she was following very curtly.

She was just a baby bean before but now, she was almost reaching the above of my hips. Parang hindi pa ako ready na lumaki siya at gusto ko baby na lang siya parati pero na-e-excite din naman ako na makita ang paglaki niya.

"Let's buy Jiji a toy, Tito Bien!" masayang sabi ni Eve mula sa backseat, naka-upo siya habang naka-stretch ang mga binting magkadikit at naka-ekis ang seatbelt sa katawan niya.

"She's still a baby, Chan. She isn't allowed to play toys yet." Bien softly told Eve.

"But I wanna give her a Finn stuffed toy..." Lumungkot ang tono ng boses niya. She was referring to her favorite cartoon character. She really liked Finn of The Adventure Time, though it was a cartoon series too long ago and it was too old for her. She actually had a lot of Finn stuffed toys in the house, and a lot of stuffs with Finn as a design.

"It's okay, baby. You can still give her that when she starts playing with you," malambing na sabi ni Bien na para bang sanay na sanay na sa takbo ng isipan ni Eve.

Lumiwanag ang mukha ni Eve. "Tito Yeol won't get mad then?" she asked cheerfully, her small eyes filled with sparkle of excitement.

"Just don't pinch his baby's cheeks, Chan," natatawang sabi ni Bien saka binigyan ng huling sulyap si Eve sa rearview mirror.

Madalas ikuwento sa akin ni Bien kung gaano kagusto ni Eve si Jiji, baby girl ni Yeol. Yeol was Bien's former co-member in LUX. At kung panggigilan ni Eve ang bata ay kinukurot niya ito sa pisngi. Nagmamaka-awa na raw si Yeol kay Bien sa tuwing dadalaw sila na pakalmahin muna si Eve dahil naaawa raw si Yeol sa anak niya tuwing pinanggigigilan ito ni Eve. Though, there were instances that I was with them and I was witnessing all of it. Magdadalawang taon na ngayon ang anak ni Yeol. The baby was only months old when I last visited them.

"Okay. I won't," sagot ni Eve habang mabagal na tumatango.

"Did you tell Yeol that we'll visit?" tanong ko kay Bien dahil ayaw ko namang biglahin sila ni Mandy sa biglaan naming dalaw.

"Ne, Sean and Key are also coming," he simply answered, eyes focused on the road.

I remembered when I had first met his co-members. Months before they were announced disbanded, they were all easy to get along with. May mga kabaliwan din pero mas mature sila mag-isip...

Hey Hanselle, who are you comparing them to? My inner Goddess interrupted me.

Kinagat ko ang pang-ibabang labi ko nang mapagtanto kong may ibang mga tao nga akong iniisip. I didn't mean to. Dahil noong nakilala ko sila, sariwa pa sa ala-ala ko ang BTS. Somehow, they had played a big role in my life so when I had met LUX, I couldn't help but compare them to each other.

That was all in the past. Dahil magka-iba sila.

LUX and BTS were both different group of people. They had edges. Though, LUX was a bigger family than BTS, it didn't measure the happiness that both groups had given me. BTS had played a big role in my past and now, LUX was playing a big role in my present... or maybe even in my future.

Dumaan muna kami sa isang bake shop para bumili ng pasalubong kina Yeol. Noong huling dalaw namin nina Bien at Eve sa kanila ay nagreklamo siya dahil sa kakuriputan ni Bien pagdating sa kanila.

Hindi na naitago ni Eve ang excitement niya nang huminto na ang sasakyan ni Bien sa harap ng isang matayog na kulay tsokolateng gate. She clapped excitedly, almost wriggling at her seat and smiling widely. A guard opened the gate for us before Bien maneuvered the car into the vast driveway. He parked the car just beside other cars, which I assumed were both visitor cars too and in front of the big modern white house.

Nang matanggal ko ang seatbelt ko ay bumaba na ako para sana puntahan si Eve kaso napahinto ako sa pagbubukas ng pinto ng backseat nang mula sa kabilang pinto ay lumabas si Bien na buhat-buhat na si Eve. Napa-irap ako. Oh, sure, magsama sila.

I was about to turn around to go inside the big house in front of us when Bien spoke.

"Next time, we'll buy matching clothes for the three of us," aniya.

"I'll love it, Tito Bien!" Eve cheerfully said.

Nagpatuloy na ako sa paglalakad habang nangingiti ng tipid.

Do whatever you want. For now, that's I can only do for you, Bien. Do what pleases you until you get satisfied.

"Annyeonghaseyo, Seol-ah!" bati sa akin ni Mandy nang pagbuksan niya ako ng pinto. "Thanks for coming!" dagdag niya sabay luwag ng bukas ng pinto. She even bowed at me when I crossed through the door.

They all had used to call me Seol, at first I was confused as to why they had called me that but they said it came from my name. They said, it just came out from how they pronounce my name.

Hanselle... Hanseol, so it made sense for me.

"Honey, is that Bien and Seol?!" Narinig ko ang sigaw ni Yeol mula sa loob ng bahay.

"Ne!" sagot rito ni Mandy. She then bowed again while looking behind me and also greeted so I assumed, Bien and Eve were already behind me. "Let's get inside. They're all waiting at the living room," ani Mandy matapos isara ang pinto.

We then got inside. Naabutan namin sina Yeol, Sean at Key sa living room pero may iba pa silang kasama. Sean had a pretty girl beside him same as Key only that... the girl beside Key looked very familiar. Nagbatihan kami at pabiro pa nilang kinamusta ang Pilipinas, at tulad ng madalas mangyari ay tinanong ni Sean kung kamusta si Evah. I didn't know if he was interested with Evah because he always asked about her ever since I got them all introduced to my friends. Pero dahil may kasama siyang ibang babae ngayon, naisip kong hindi naman siguro.

Though, I found him weird, sinagot ko na lang siya ng maayos ang tanong niya. "She's doing fine, she's always doing fine."

Sean, the former leader of LUX just smiled at me before drawing his attention to Bien and Eve. Agad na tumakbo si Eve kay Sean matapos siyang ibaba ni Bien nang kawayan ni Sean ang anak ko para palapitin.

"Who's your very generous uncle, Hyechanie?" Sean sweetly asked Eve after he lifted her to his lap, her legs on each side of Sean's waist.

"It's you, Tito Sean. You're richer than Tito Bien," inosenteng sagot ni Eve habang nakatitig kay Sean. She would really say that because she had been taught. Iyan ang madalas na itanatanong ni Sean kay Eve dahil totoo namang sobra-sobra kung bigyan niya ng regalo si Eve.

Well, siya ang pinakamayaman sa lahat ng miyembero ng LUX. That was indeed true, he was even named as the richest K-Pop idol before.

"But who's your very handsome uncle, Chanie?" sabat naman ni Key na mukhang ayaw rin patalo at mukhang may inaasahan nang sagot mula kay Eve.

Naupo muna kami ni Bien sa couch na para sa amin. Inilapag ni Bien ang dala naming pagkain sa mesa kasama ang ilan pang pagkain na marahil ay dala rin nina Key at Sean.

"It's you, Tito Key," sagot ni Eve na ngayon ay kay Key naman nakatingin. Nag-angat ng kamay si Key kay Eve para makipag-apir na agad namang tinanggap ng anak ko.

"Tss, stop teaching the kid nonsense stuff, we all know that I was the face of the group," sabat ni Yeol na agad namang kinontra ni Bien at Key.

"Yah! Who said that?!" They chorused in a ridiculous tone.

Napa-iling na lang ako, samantalang natawa naman ang dalawang babaeng kasama nila.

I really knew this scene. Ganito talaga sila parati. Mabuti na lang talaga at hindi nababaliw ang anak ko sa kanila. Apat pa lang sila sa lagay na ito dahil wala pa rito sina Xander, Chad at Dae. Pito na lang sila noon noong ma-disband sila. Maybe one of the reasons why they disbanded but seriously, they were more of a mess when they were complete.

As of now, they were all stockholders of SMT Entertainment. At kagaya ni Bien ay nagtatrabaho pa rin sila under SMT. Malapit si Eve sa kanilang pito, may mga pagkakataon kasing nagpapaalam sa akin si Bien noon na isasama si Eve sa SMT building pagkagaling nila parati sa kindergarten ni Eve. Narinig ko nga rin from Bien na kinagigiliwan si Eve ng mga staffs doon though hindi siya nakikihalubilo sa mga ito dahil hindi niya kilala. Sean and the others would just keep her better company while at the building, sometime spoiling her with chocolates and any other stuff she liked.

"Oh please, Hyechan, don't make her cry again," naiiyak na pagmamaka-awa ni Yeol kay Eve matapos niyang ilapag si Jiji sa couch sa harap ni Eve. Ayaw siyang tantanan ni Eve kung kaya't wala siyang nagawa kung hindi ang ibigay rito ang gusto nito, his daughter.

Nakakapaglakad na si Jiji kaya kinailangang maglagay ni Yeol ng harang sa gilid ng couch so the baby wouldn't fall, he put two long hotdog pillows at both sides while Eve just crouched on the side, knees on the ground.

"Don't be such a daddy, honey. She's just playing with the baby." Umirap si Mandy sa asawa saka nakangiting pinanood si Eve na laruin ang anak nila. Sabay pa kaming napatawa nang makitang ngumingiti si Jiji dahil sa baby chant na kinakanta ni Eve.

Gaya ng madalas mangyari sa tuwing nagkakaroon kami ng ganitong bonding, we would eat and drink while talking. Nagkukuwento sila ng mga bagay-bagay sa kanilang buhay.

"So, you two are really dating?" paninigurado ni Bien kay Key habang itinturo ito at ang pamilyar na babae sa tabi nito.

Now I knew why she looked familiar. I had seen her on TV. At hindi lang iyon, minsan ko na rin siyang nakita sa personal. I knew it was too long ago that was why some details of her face had changed but it was her. Nevertheless, she was still very pretty.

Jillian of Bubbles. Ang babaeng nakita namin ni Holly noon na kasama ni Sally sa harap ng Bighit building noong muntik nang mabangga si Holly ng service van nila.

Nahihiyang nangingiti si Jillian habang proud namang tumatango si Key.

"Yes. We just started 'cause you know the rules inside the management, but since we were disbanded, we aren't really in a same management anymore so they agreed," paliwanag ni Key sabay akbay kay Jillian.

Now that I was looking at her this near, I couldn't help but remember what I had just seen in an article on my phone before we came here.

BTS Jimin, worried for his girlfriend, Sally of Bubbles.