TRACK 5: New Manager

[Devante's POV]

It's been a month since K-Ci and JoJo left for their mansion in Quezon City to take a vacation. Speaking of which, kaka-email lang ni K-Ci sa'kin about sa beat ng kanta namin. Hindi pa naman kumpleto, kaya bumalik ako sa desk ko at binuksan ang editing software pati ang gagamiting instruments.

Pumasok si Dalvin sa kwarto ko. Tinawag niya ako, he told me that we're going to Mr. Lee's office.

"Fuck off, may ginagawa ako!" I jokingly replied. Sumimangot ito, then he stomped his feet. Bata pa talaga siya.

I chuckled at him. "Joke lang, ano ka ba naman." Kinamot ko lang ang ulo ko.

"Pwedeng mamaya mo na lang gawin yan?" he suggested. "Ako magko-contribute ng drums," dagdag niya.

I sighed and turned everything off. "Fine."

"Bakit tayo pupunta kila Mr. Lee?" I asked Dalvin nung nasa hallway kami.

Dalvin pressed the down button on the elevator. "Sasalubungin natin siya, today is the day he comes back, hindi ba?"

Binanggit kasi ni Mr. Lee na may business trip siya ng isang buwan, kaya in-extend niya ang deadline ng pasahan ng demo version ng kanta namin, this is supposed to be the day our dear manager comes back.

I nodded to Dalvin in agreement. Before we could enter, the elevator gate opened to a stranger in his about forties, way different than Mr. Lee.

"Excuse me young boys, but do you happen to know where Mr. Lee's office is?" tanong ng lalaking medyo forties. 

"Sa fifth floor pa po," Dalvin pointed out. The sort-of forties man looked at us from head to toe.

"Ah, you must be the boys from Jodeci!" bulalas ng ginoo. "Teka muna... bakit parang kulang kayo?" he asked us.

"Eh, kasi po... nasa Quezon City ang dalawa pa naming kagrupo, nagbabakasyon, their house was burned up po kasi," I said sadly. "What about you, why are you looking for Mr. Lee's office?" I asked back.

"Because...I'm here to take over his place."

I still try to process what this forties man said. Taking over Mr. Lee's place? That's impossible! We already are feeling comfortable with Mr. Lee and this forties man is just here to talk shit?!

 I giggled softly, and said, "We we're still waiting for Mr. Lee."

"I don't think that Mr. Lee can come back..." he stuttered, scratching his nape.

Who is he to say those things?

"How did you know about that, sir? Have you and Mr. Lee met before?" Dalvin asked. "Hindi ka pa po nagpapakilala sa'min, eh,"  he added.

This forties man has been here for minutes now tapos hindi pa sya nagpapakilala... ayos 'yon ah?!

"Ah, I'm sorry! Nakalimutan ko, buti naman naalala nyo... I'm Mr. Chang Yongmin, you can call me ahjussi." He then stuck out his hand. 

"Donald Swing Castro po--Devante na lang, and this is my brother Dalvin, short for Vincent Dale," I introduced as I shook his hand.

 "Nice to meet you po, ahjussi." then Dalvin shook hands with ahjussi---Mr. Chang.

"Nga pala po, why are you going to take over Mr. Lee's place?"

"Nah, long story." 

But how did he know that I was going to ask the same question that Dalvin asked?

"Let's just come inside the office, shall we? C'mon boys, magpaka-close naman tayo kahit ngayon lang," he suggested.

Pumunta na kaming office pagbaba naming tatlo sa elevator. He then fished out one bottle of champagne from his inventory. Is he trying to lure us? We had no choice to follow him, he deserves to be respected. 

We had fun talking in the office until I got lost in my thoughts habang nagpapakalasing sa champagne ni Mr. Chang. This is nothing like my usual milk tea. It's tempting to drink hard and expensive liquor. It really is.

Wala akong tiwala rito kay Mr. Chang. Parang may binabalak siyang masama. 

~

[K-Ci's POV]

"Bilisan mo naman kumilos, kuya!" JoJo shouted from a distance. "Tinatawag na tayo ng taxi!"

Here we are going out from our mansion. Out of the squatter houses here at this part of Quezon City, itong Casa del Mercado I(uno) ang pinaka-matinong tingnan. Tila nahiya sa'min ang kapitbahay naming madudungis.

I am struggling myself to carry our entire house... hindi pala entire house, itong keyboard at microphone, pati na rin ang isang kahon ng cup noodles.

"I couldn't move a single step, please help me..." I begged JoJo.

Moments later, there's JoJo marching right up the stairs going to my position. "Akin na nga 'yan!" sigaw niya sa'kin, kinuha na niya ang mga dinadala at ipinasok sa sasakyan. 

"I pity you! You couldn't walk while carrying these! I thought you are strong and you can handle everything..." he kept on nagging at me, he knows that wala akong palag sa kanya but, spoiler alert, bati pa rin kami!

"Tara na!" Then he held my wrist and got in the taxi together.

"So, what are we going to do first?" tinanong ko ang kapatid ko. "Kain tayo, gutom na ako."

"May binili akong cup noodles, dinala mo ba? Mamaya na lang kuya pag-baba." JoJo said.

"Would you like to share some to Dalvin and Devante?" tinanong ko siya ulit, baka kasi magdamot yan. "Of course," he mumbled.

We still live in their unit, but we don't have plans going back to our old mansion, baka ibenta na namin ang mansion sa Makati. I notified Devante that we're on our way.

~

[Narration]

"So I heard nagpalit na ng manager ang record studio na 'yon." the member of H-Town said to Dino. Kababalik niya lang sa labas para bumili ng pagkain. Nakita niya itong nakahubad, at tanging maliit na tuwalya ang tumatakip sa kanya.

"What are we going to do about it?" tanong nito sa kanya, tilting his head.

"I think it would be an advantage for us to easily get Jodeci and erase them," he said with finality. 

Pero sabi ni Dino, "You know, hindi porket nagpalit na sila ng manager we're able to get Jodeci."

"What do you mean?" he asked him again. "Alam mo, stop this little charade. Nadadala ka na ng galit mo."

Hindi siya nito sinagot. Bumalik na si Dino sa kwarto niya. Through the thin walls of their apartment unit, moans of pleasure can be heard.

"I just don't get what he said, what the heck is wrong with him?!" he whispered to himself.

Pumunta ito sa table. Nakita niya ang isang pirasong papel, may pulang rosas. The sender probably didn't think of securing this letter with an envelope, so he took a peek.

To "A", you're nothing but a pathetic son of a bitch.

Binalik na niya ang papel.

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