Those who will post certain anime references in the comments will automatically be muted... I will not lift it. If its not mentioned anywhere in the story then please don't say it, utang na loob lang po.

- LK

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TRACK 7: Freek'n you

[K-Ci's POV]

I opened my eyes as I hear the knocks over Devante's door. Panaginip lang pala!

More like a nightmare, muntik na kasi akong patayin ng grupo ni Dino sa panaginip na yun.

I got up from the bed and walked to the doorstep. I opened the door to an aged man. Kasama nito si JoJo. It took me a while to figure out that it was ninong Keith.

"Pwede ka bang lumabas saglit, Cedric? Mag-usap tayo sa sofa," alok ni ninong.

Kinamot ko mata ko. "Pasensiya na po kayo, ninong Keith. Kagigising ko lang po." Sumunod na lang ako kay ninong, at sa kapatid ko.

Mag-uumaga pa lang. Tipong lumiliwanag pa lang, asul na asul ang langit; si Haring Araw sumisilip pa. This is the only time I can eat pandesal, at dahil late ako nagigising usually, I don't get to eat bread and my coffee would always get warm.

"Wh-what are you doing here?" I asked him.

"Wala lang naman, I just want to visit Devante and ask you guys about your conflict against H-Town."

Lagot. How does he know about it?

"How did you know?" wala sa isip kong tanong.

Huminga siya nang malalim, tumingin sa itaas si ninong Keith bago niya ako sagutin.

"One of the moderators in the meeting place must've seen it, but I'm out on a vacation when they texted that something wrong was happening; it turned out that you four guys and H-Town had some misunderstanding." He licked his lips and breathed.

Paniniwalaan ko ba siya? Ninong namin, eh.

"Pero kahit na misunderstanding pa iyon, hindi namin ito-tolerate ang ganoong kaguluhan. Nasa meeting kayo noon, so please lang..." he sternly mentioned, fixing his glasses as he paused. Tiningnan niya kami nang isa-isa bago kami sermunan.

"This is your first warning, Jodeci, the first ranks. Sana matuto kayong i-discipline ang mga sarili nyo." Ninong Keith sat down on his sofa. "Can one of you make some coffee?" he requested.

Sinabi ni JoJo kay ninong na siya na raw ang magtitimpla ng kape. Bumalik siya sa table dala ang mga mug naming lima, at isang plato ng pandesal. Finally!

Napaisip ako, I think next time we should pick out some even better disguises for future meetings.

Tinanong kami ni ninong kung bakit kami nandito sa unit ni Devante, sagot ko naman sa kanya, na dito muna kami until our house was fixed. I felt my chest tightening and my tears welling up my eyes... not because nakakuha kami ng unang warning mula sa Zero Ranks ng Thug world—ang governing body sa underground, but because I couldn't forget what happened a month ago.

Our mother's will made us rich, and powerful... ngayon, hindi ko na alam. I was afraid. It's just that my expressionless face didn't make it obvious, kaya akala ng lahat cold ako... I really was in so much pain. Natatakot na kapag nalaman ng tatay namin, itatakwil kaming dalawa, which didn't happen. Masyado lang talaga siyang pabaya.

~

Nasa kwarto kami ni Devante. Nagpa-practice kami for our performance later. Pinapupunta kami ni Mr. Chang sa function hall mamaya.

"Seryoso? Ito yung kakantahin natin?" asked Dalvin. He made a grimacing face.

He's like JoJo, except that he has such a pure mind na kapag narumihan, 'di na siya maibabalik sa dati kasi alam na niya... parang bata.

"Pang-hokage talaga!" Sinabayan niya ito ng tawa. JoJo shook his head.

"Sino pa nga ba ang pumili niyan?" Binigyan ako ng kapatid ko ng maasim na tingin.

I gulped. He mentioned to me na h'wag ko siya kausapin; na nabibwisit siya sa'kin dahil lang pinagalitan kami ng ninong naming apat kanina. Wala naman isyu sakin sina Dalvin at Dev, business kami as usual.

"Hindi na lang Love U 4 Life, at Stay... Mas matino pa pakinggan!" JoJo lamented. "Gagawa-gawa ng sexy song, walang namang mga girlfriend!"

I laughed internally to that, if I did it out loud baka i-flying kick ako ng kapatid ko! We're still not in good terms.

Narinig kong tumawa si Dalvin at sinabing, "Di naman ako kakanta, kayong dalawa ni K-Ci."

"Big deal sa'yo yung kanta? Sa bagay..." Kinuha niya ang mic sa stand para i-emphasize ang sasabihin niyang ito: "BATA ka pa lang!"

Tinakpan ni Dalvin ang tainga niya at ngumiwi dahil sa feedback. It must have been too loud for him. Devante was chuckling, I chuckled silently.

"Every time I close my eyes..." kanta ko. "I wake up feeling so horn—"

I stopped singing when I heard JoJo's microphone feedback, which made my ears almost bleed. Tiningnan niya ako nang masama. Nag-OK sign na lang ako.

"Wag ka nga excited! 'Di pa kami tumutugtog!" He crossed his arms at me.

"So—" Bago ko pa ituloy ang apology ko, JoJo shushed me.

Dalvin started to play the drums, while JoJo was on the acoustic guitar. Devante is starting the song with his voice over. Magsisimula na kami.

"I wanna freak you..." Devante's deep voice is enough for the women to drop their panties. His talking voice was so smooth.

Sa practice pa lang na ito, I'm sure na kapag ipe-perform namin ito, we'll make lots of women fall in love tonight.

~

https://youtu.be/CzQ2cj92ETo

Nagpalakpakan ang lahat ng nasa function hall nang umakyat kami sa stage, matapos kaming i-introduce ni Ma'am Judy, secretary ni Mr. Chang. May mga nagsigawan ring mga babae, nang makita nila ako na naka-jacket lang... wala akong suot na t-shirt o sando kaya mangha sila sa katawan ko at ganun din ang suot ni Devante. Naka-ilang beses kami sa kanta namin, naaasar na nga ako sa kanta, dagdagan pa ang mga earful sa'kin ng kapatid ko.

The music started playing. Devante walked in front and entertained the audience. Napatingin ito sa kinikilig na Tamara, na nandirito ngayon kasama ang mga kagrupo niya.

"This one goes out for the ladies..." he said with his deep voice. "Are y'all ready tonight?!" sigaw pa nito. The function hall erupted with screams in response, the instrumental was still playing.

"Okay," Devante breathed, making body rolls while playing with his light blue polo. "I wanna freak you," he chanted na nagpapahiyaw sa mga tao.

I licked my lips getting ready for me to sing my lines. Just doing that made everybody fangirl to us a lot more. I breathed through the mic.

"Every time I close my eyes, I wake up feeling so horny!" I danced in the middle, earning deafening yells from the audience.

Ang sarap talaga sa pakiramdam. You get to let out your negative vibes through singing. Nawala bigla mga problema ko sa buhay, and I feel inspired again.

"I don't give a damn about nothing else..." hinubad ko nang bahagya ang suot ko as I sang more, sabay napasigaw naming muli ang manonood na mostly babae.

"Tonight, I need your body," kanta ng mga nasa likod na sina Dalvin at JoJo, sinabayan naman nila ito. Ngiting ngiti si Tamara, watching us. I repeated "I need your body!" bending my back upward, singing through the microphone.

Pumunta ako sa isang gilid ng entablado kung saan maraming mga babae. I dipped, rolling my body, and reached my free hand to them. Tumanggap ako ng haplos sa abs ko as the girls started freaking out.

"... all I want to do is freak you!" I sang as nakahawak pa rin ang mga babae sa katawan ko. Kinakanta na namin ang chorus.

Sinabayan rin kami ng audience namin. Pumunta sa harap ang kapatid ko and didn't bother to look at me. Kakantahin na niya ang part niya.

"I... I could go on for days..." May napasigaw sa crowd ng "Blonde na panda, anakan mo ako!!"

Inakbayan ako ni JoJo, habang ako ay nagsasayaw. Devante reached his hand to everyone while they're touching his body. Tumingin sa'min si Ma'am Judy, pursing her lips.

He's beginning to belt his high notes with the second refrain. Sa reyalidad, bored ako sa buhay. Ang kapatid ko naman, suplado sa'kin. Si Dalvin na mahilig sa cute things, at si Devante na mahilig gumawa ng tsaa at beats. We may be random, pero kapag kaming apat ang sumalang sa entablado, we're bed-wild freaks... as in!

[Tamara's POV]

Kanina pa ako tingin nang tingin dito kay Devante. He's so sexy with that blue maong polo, wala siyang t-shirt. The garter on his underwear is making my ovaries explode!

Pinapunta ako rito ni Sisqo sa tinitirahang unit niya rito sa building ni Mr. Lee Sooman. Ang sabi niya sa'kin, hintayin ko raw siya, magmi-meet pa kasi sila ng nagpapautang. For now, we're at the function hall, in front of the stage with my two members, watching Jodeci perform their new song.

Sinamaan ko ng tingin si Lelee, na tumitingin din kay Devante. Kanina nakita ko siyang tumingin kay K-Ci... napakataksil niya! Pero kaming tatlo ang naba-bias wreck kay JoJo dahil sa high notes niya, at isa pa, isa siyang panda!

"JoJo!! I-wushu mo nga ako mamaya. Sa kama!!" sigaw ni Coko.

Si Coko ang legit patay na patay kay Joel. Since childhood nga lang, pero ang sungit nu'n sa'min and I can still imagine how he treated us back then. I don't know kung ganun pa rin yun hanggang ngayon.

Sumabay sa kanila ang mga tao rito sa chorus ng kanta nila. Ano nga ulit title ng kanta na ito? Mamaya, tanungin ko si Devante my loves—char!

"Devante Swing!" K-Ci chanted. Humiyaw itong si Lelee, making me elbow her sa tagiliran niya. Bwisit siya! Hindi ko pa siya asawa, inaagaw na niya agad sa'kin... aba! Delulu ka lang, girl?

"Ang sakit, Tamara! Ano ba problema mo?" reklamo niya sa'kin.

"Wala," I deadpanned to her. Malapit ko na ito sabunutan e!

"Akin lang si Devante, magfi-freak kami mamaya." Then I flipped my hair, hearing her chuckle at sabihin sa'kin na nababaliw ako.

I turned around to see Sisqo, standing in front of me.

"Hey," he greeted, giving me an awkward smile.

"Why are you here?" I wanted to know kung ano ang ipinunta niya rito. Could it be 'yung nagpapautang?

"Nagkita kami ng nagpapautang, sabi niya bayaran ko na siya. Ikaw ba?" He scratched his nape, looking at me. Why was he staring at me like he is my boyfriend? We're just... casual friends. Tumingin ito sa malayo, Sinundan ko kung sino ang tinitingan niya... si Devante. Anong mayroon sa kanila?

"Hindi ka pa magbabayad sa'kin, Donald Swing Castro?" I heard him mutter under his breath.

Before I could ask about it, he pulled me into a hug as the chorus to the Jodeci song played.

"What must I sayyyy, what must I do??" kanta nila. I could loudly hear Sisqo's heart beating inside his chest. I hugged him back, and my face instantly turned red.

"Every freaking day, every freaking night..." I hear Sisqo sing. "Nakalimutan ko ang lyrics." Tumawa siya nang mahina.

Binitiwan namin ang isa't isa. Hinawakan ako ni Sisqo sa ibaba ng mukha ko. His face is slowly coming close to mine, and he puckered his lips. My eyes widened by his sudden actions. Wala pa naman akong sinasabi sa kanya! Agad—

"Insan Sisqo!!" someone called.

Hinarap namin kung sino ang tumawag. Kyle, with his colorful sweater kahit mainit ngayong panahong ito, waved smiling at us. His long hair was tied. Nag-fist bump silang magpinsan.

"Ginagawa mo rito, Kyle?" Sisqo asked.

"It's Norman, my dearest cousin. H'wag mo nga ako matawag-tawag na Kyle!" pagtatama niya, crossing his arms, at nagkasalubong ang kilay niya.

Tinawanan ito ni Sisqo. Sinabi ni Kyle kung ano ipinunta niya rito. "Hinahanap kita, sabi kasi ni tito Elvis, dito ka nakatira." Then he looked at me. "Nakalimutan ko. Andito rin si Noona Tamara! Ngayon ko lang napansin," he mentioned, waving at me. I waved back at Sisqo's cousin, smiling.

"Bakit kayo naghahanapan? Di ba present kayong mag-pinsan sa meeting kahapon?" tanong ni Lelee, putting her hands on her hips. Narinig kong nag-shush sa kanya itong si Coko.

"Nandoon ka kahapon insan? Hindi kita nakita ah!" Kyle exclaimed.

"Nasa meeting ka rin, Ky—Norman pala." Bakas pa rin kay Sisqo ang awkward smile niya sa'kin kanina. Nakita kong biglang bumusangot si Kyle sa pinsan niya. The same Coko told them to keep quiet.

"Oo, dearest kong pinsan!" Kyle pops his chest out. "Hindi mo ba narinig boses ko?"

"Can we go home, Sisqo?" I asked. But he told me to stay for a while.

Nasa hallway na kami at mukhang tapos na magperform ang apat... hindi pa pala. I can still hear them sing another one of their songs.

I turned to Coko to ask what's wrong. She reminded in a whisper na bawal i-discuss ang ganitong matters outside the Thug world. Kaya pala...

"Anong meeting yan?" tanong ni Sir Keith na napadaan sa'min.

Napatingin kaming lima sa kanya, sa'min, at sa mga tao sa paligid.

"Wala po," denied Sisqo. Sir Keith nodded to us, gave us a thumbs up and left.

Sisqo is one good liar... but he's never lied to me once. I trust him. He only does this kapag muntik na kaming mahuli dito sa surface for talking about confidential matters.

"I really want to go home," I lamented. Pakakainin ko pa goldfish ko sa bahay!

Narinig ko rin kay Kyle na umuwi siya rito sa Pilipinas a week ago. Galing siyang Korea, nagsi-stay siya sa tatay ni Sisqo. Natawa na lang ako.

Sabi kasi ni Sisqo, "Pagod ka na ba makakita ng K-pop doon?"

I wanted to tell the guy, not everything in Korea is about K-pop. Bumaba kami sa building. Bago ako umalis, Sisqo gave me a warm hug. That feels so good!

"Magiingat ka pauwi," Sisqo reminded, to which I nodded. He gave me a sweet smile. Kinilig ako sa panty ko!! Kyaa!

Naglalakad na ako pauwi, nang may bumangga sa'king babaeng pula ang buhok... kasing pula ng lipstick niya. I fell to the ground. She was giving me a sullen look. I stood up to face her. Hindi ako magpapatalo sa bitchesang 'to!

Pinangunahan ko na siya. "Oh. Ayan, titingin na ako sa dinaraanan ko next time ha?!" This made her look at me wide-eyed.

Kung siya, bitchesa, I'm bitchier than her!

"Ikaw naman kasi, ang laki ng daan tapos nagka-bangga-an pa tayo rito sa sidewalk! Ay nako, Diyos ko! Clumsy ka rin minsa—"

She covered my mouth with her palm. She breathed exasperatedly. Angrily looking at me like she wants me to pay attention to her.

"I saw you talking with Sisqo." Tapos para siyang naiinggit kung tiningnan niya ako.

Buti pa siya, may karapatan magselos. Sa bagay, hindi ko naman boyfriend si Sisqo. Sa kanya na siya, I'd dare say.

"Ano ngayon?" I questioned. "What's it to you?"

She walked towards me, crossing her arms, smirking. "Di ba may mga grupo kayo sa industry? Bakit invested ka masyado kila Sisqo? He has Dru Hill's music to worry about."

Tumingin ako sa paligid without even turning my head, if I did baka sabihin niyang I was ignoring her. Of course, I wanted to make sure na walang makakarinig sa'min dito.

I chuckled. "What the hell are you talking about, miss?" Tinaasan ko siya ng kilay. "Parang ang dami mong nalalaman. Manager ka ba niya?"

Tinawanan ako ng babae. "None of your business!" she then exclaimed. But still, I stayed in my place, trying my best not to slap her ugly face.

"Stay away from him," she told me. Dinaanan lang niya ako.

So rude! She didn't want me to ask why. Sinundan ko pa siya ng tingin before making my way home.

Sorry, little goldfish. Nagutom ba kita? Don't worry, babawi si mommy sa'yo tomorrow.

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