CASTIEL

WHEN AN opportunity came knocking at your door, open it and welcome it with open arms. So when one of my junior officers presented me with the perfect opportunity to advance my plan, I seized it without any second thoughts.

Today was my scheduled interview with The Herald's feature writer. Noong una'y gusto niyang sa normal na paraan gawin ang interview—pupunta siya sa USC office at babatuhin ako ng mga tanong habang nire-record ang usapan namin. But I had a different idea, something more exciting and visually engaging. Karamihan sa mga estudyante ay walang oras na magbasa ng mga article online kahit gaano pa kagaling ang pagkakasulat at sumulat n'on. No, they needed more than just words.

Case in point: Oplan First Lady. Would anyone be interested in Priam and Fabienne's relationship if someone only wrote about them being spotted at Astra Blend Cafe? Maybe some. But thanks to the addition of photos and videos, our First Couple managed to capture the attention of gossip-hungry students. It's like dropping honey on the ground to lure out the ants. The visuals allowed us to tell a more compelling story.

I applied the same logic to my interview. I asked The Herald if they could livestream it so that everyone could watch me unfiltered and hear our conversation unedited. After all, I am the acting president—I shouldn't be treated the same as ordinary interviewees. Fortunately, The Herald approved my request and sent a small crew to the USC office.

Because this interview was important, I had to look better than usual. Ayaw ko sanang magpalagay ng kung ano-ano sa buhok at mukha ko, ngunit pinilit ako ni Tabitha at ng tatlong junior officer namin. They wanted me to bring my A-game. So they sat me in my swivel chair and began working their magic.

"Look up," Tabitha instructed, gently pressing the powder puff under my eyes. I complied, rolling them upward. "You're the acting president kaya dapat you look presentable. You shouldn't look like someone na parang pinabili ng candy sa store."

"Exactly!" Mignonette, working her hairspray magic on my hair, chimed in. As interim press secretary and a Tourism student, she must have been accustomed to this process. "You're the face of the USC kaya dapat pleasing kang tingnan. Looking good can easily grab someone's attention."

"My answers matter more than my appearance," I retorted, giving them a sidelong glance. This was one reason I disliked being in the spotlight—I had to dress up and look good. If I were on the sidelines or backstage, I could look however I wanted. There would be no need for these unnecessary rituals.

"Pinabibigay ni Felix ang updated list of questions," sabi ni Daphne pagpasok niya sa cubicle ko. "May ilan silang tanong na idinagdag."

"Can you hold it up for me?" I asked, and she complied. I could not look down because my makeup artist would surely scold me. I read every question silently. Oh, they want to ask about my ex-officers, huh? That's somewhat expected. When I finished reading, I raised my gaze to her. "Can you ask them to add a question for me? To make things more interesting."

She took our a pen and notepad. "Ano po 'yon?"

I told her the question. Tabitha flicked her eyes toward me. Our gazes briefly met. "I'm one hundred percent sure that my answer will pique everyone's interest."

"Oh!" Mignonette paused from combing my hair. Nagtagpo ang tingin namin sa malaking salamin sa harapan ko. "Ano kaya 'yon? Na-curious tuloy ako, Kuya Cas!"

I glanced sideways at Tabitha who was applying powder under my left eye. Our gazes met again. "No spoilers! You have to watch the interview if you want to know."

"Ipaaabot ko na po sa kanila." Daphne excused herself before leaving my cubicle, brushing past Reginald who had just entered.

"The interview will start in ten minutes," he announced as he stopped in the doorway. "Ready na ba kayo?"

"We're almost tapos na. In three... two... one." Tabitha stood back, surveying me for a few seconds. She returned the powder puff to its container. "Done."

Mignonette fixed a loose strand of my hair before stepping back. She looked at me again before smiling. "Perfect! Lalo kang gumuwapo, Kuya Cas!"

I examined myself in the mirror. Makeup works wonders. Halos nawala na ang mga eyebag ko, hindi na gano'n ka-prominent. The pores on my face were no longer visible. My hair was shining and firmly in place. Kahit magtatalon ako, hindi yata magugulo ito.

"Thank you," I said to the ladies as I stood up. I grabbed my maroon blazer from the side and put it on. My necktie was a bit loose, so I straightened it. Once ready, I turned to my officers. "Let's get this over with."

After picking up my cane, I led them out of my cubicle and limped toward the lounge. May dalawang naka-standby na camera at dalawang ring light doon. One staffer was operating a laptop, two were handling the cameras, while another was holding a tablet. The feature writer, Felix Wenceslao, was already seated on one of the couches. Mukhang siya ang ginamit para sa test shots.

"Good afternoon," I greeted them all. "Sorry for keeping you waiting. My officers insisted that I look better."

Felix stood up from the couch and came over to shake hands with me. "Good afternoon, Mr. President! I'm Felix Wenceslao, your interviewer for today. Kasama ko ang technical team ng Herald na pinangungunahan ni Tristan."

I turned to the guy handling a tablet. Lalapitan ko sana siya, ngunit siya na ang sumalubong sa akin. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Tristan."

"Likewise, Mr. President." He shook hands with me before motioning to one of his staff. "I hope you don't mind kung lalagyan ka namin ng lapel mic. We want to ensure your voice comes through loud and clear during the livestream."

"Do whatever you think is necessary," I said, allowing them to clip a transmitter to my belt and pin the mic on my lapel. Once done, they directed me to settle onto a couch opposite Felix. Mignonette approached to check my appearance and gave me a thumbs up.

"We will go live in two minutes," Felix informed me, checking his cue cards.

I closed my eyes and took deep breaths. This is it. I never imagined being interviewed like this. As chief-of-staff, I was content in the shadows, my voice seldom heard.

But circumstances changed. As acting president, I needed to step up—for my plan, for Priam, and for my sister Cassidy. I used to be faceless and voiceless. Now I was visible and my words were being heard by almost everyone. I wanted all eyes and ears on me, and thats why I had stirred up some controversy since assuming the acting presidency.

"We're going live in three, two, one!"

"Good afternoon, Elysians!" Felix addressed the camera with a smile. "Welcome to the Man of the Hour segment. I'm your host, Felix Wenceslao, and today we have a very special guest! You've likely heard or seen his name recently. Please welcome the acting president of the University Student Council, Castiel Seville!"

I took another deep breath and forced a smile. Here we go. "Good afternoon to my fellow Elysians. Thank you for having me here, Felix."

"We're honored to have the current head of the student government with us," Felix replied. "So, first things first! How are you feeling right now?"

"I'm quite nervous, to be honest," I chuckled nervously. Relax, Cas. "This is my first live interview not only since assuming the presidency, but since my time as chief-of-staff. I must say, mas nakakakaba pala rito kaysa no'ng nagsalita ako sa harap ng campus media sa unang press briefing ko."

"Maybe it's the lights. Ako nga ang mas ninenerbyos dito, eh!" Felix maintained his smile. "Many of our Elysian friends may not have seen, heard, or read your name until you took office as acting president. Can you tell us who Castiel Seville is?"

"I'm a junior Psychology student," I answered. "Before joining the USC, I was active in the Psychology Society. Kung mahilig kayo sa archery, malamang nakita o nakasabay n'yo na ako sa archery range."

"Did you expect to reach this position? You started as chief-of-staff, then moved up to vice president, and now you're acting president."

I inhaled deeply first. "To be honest, I expected to begin and end my term as chief-of-staff. I had no plans to seek higher office. But things happened, I suppose. When Valeria stepped down as VP, I wasn't my first choice to replace her. In fact, I asked Priam if he was absolutely sure about nominating someone like me—who was essentially a nobody—to the second-highest position in the student government. But then, circumstances changed again, and here I am."

"So the president must trust you so much," Felix commented. "Kung hindi gano'n kalakas at kalaki ang tiwala niya sa 'yo, hindi niya basta-basta ibibigay ang honor at privilege na maging vice niya. How long have you known each other?"

"Priam and I have been friends since our second year," I recalled with a weak smile. "We first met at the intercollegiate debate during our first year. May qualifiers noon para sa fourth slot sa college debate team namin at nataon na sabay kaming nag-apply. Long story short, he got in while I did not. During our second year, we met again during our NSTP immersions, and that's when we became closer."

"Wow! But do you think your friendship with him played a factor in him choosing you as his VP? No offense, but some students might think he chose you because of friendship, not because of your merits."

"Choosing me as his VP wasn't a sound political decision," I admitted. "I suggested he nominate someone from our allied political party, but he chose me instead. While I hadn't held elective office before, he likely appointed me for my skills as his campaign manager in the 2021 presidential elections."

"We know that Priam is currently in a coma." Felix slowed down, approaching a delicate topic. "Do you think he's going to be proud of what you've done once he wakes up?"

I paused, my eyes lowering. "I hope so. I don't want to disappoint him or make him regret choosing me as his VP."

Truth be told, if he were to wake up today, he might be disappointed in me. My business with Alaric the Prick needed to be resolved before he could regain consciousness. He should see the results, not the messy process. Maybe that would soften the impact of my methods.

"It's too early to say right now." Felix then pointed at my left leg. "Let's talk about that. You're probably the first USC acting president and officer to have a physical disability. Has it hindered you in any way?"

"Only when I need to run," I joked, earning a smile from my interviewer. "Kidding aside, I haven't let my disability hinder me in performing my duties and responsibilities. Minsan nga'y nakalilimutan kong may diperensya ako sa paglalakad. My leg bothers me at times, but the pain usually subsides quickly."

"Do you mind telling us what happened to your leg?" he asked. "Based on your old photos on SchoolBuzz, you didn't have that cane and you didn't walk that way. You were physically normal."

My eyes flicked to Tabitha and the three junior officers. Seryoso nila akong pinanonood, hinihintay ang mga susunod na salitang lalabas mula sa aking bibig. I had not told Tabitha the full story because of the non-disclosure agreement I honored. Only Fabienne knew the truth because she had forced my hand, and I needed her on my side.

I returned my gaze to the interviewer. "I had an accident while walking."

He stared at me long enough to make me slightly uncomfortable. "And?"

"That's all I can say about it," I replied, my right hand resting on my left thigh. "I prefer not to revisit the details because it might bring back the pain. Kapag naaalala ko ang aksidente, sandaling sumasakit ang binti ko."

"I apologize for that question," Felix said apologetically, his expression contrite. "We don't want you to relive the trauma, so let's move on to the next question."

"I appreciate that." I nodded.

"Let's get a bit serious here," he continued after clearing his throat. "Two weeks ago, you suspended three USC officers. If you watched The Herald's livestream the other day or read our article about it, they gathered together and spoke out against you and your approach. If they're watching right now, what do you want to tell them?"

"Just enjoy their time away from the USC." I had anticipated that question, so I replied with a prepared response. "They have worked so hard in the past couple of months, so their suspension should be seen as a much-needed break."

"Do you think what you did to them is fair?"

"I only did what I believed was right and just," I argued. "One of them initiated a vote to remove me as acting president. Three agreed, with only one dissenting. Since they expressed dissatisfaction with my leadership, I felt it was best for them to take some time away to cool down and reflect on their actions."

"Do you want them back?"

"Of course, I do. That's why I only suspended them indefinitely. If I don't want them to return, I would have terminated them outright."

I did not appreciate them causing a stir, but I could not take action against them. Hanggang pagbabanta lamang ang puwede kong gawin. Ayaw ko nang dagdagan pa ang aking atraso sa kanila. They were not my target. They were not my enemy. Hahayaan kong sabihin at gawin nila ang kanilang gusto, basta huwag silang haharang sa plano ko.

"Enough with the serious business of running the student government," Felix said, replacing his cue card. "Let's talk about something fun about you! Is there a secret you wanna share with our viewers, with our fellow Elysians?"

Finally. "Yes, there is. I can think of one."

"Can you share with us what that is?"

"Do you remember what happened during the impeachment trial?"

Felix looked confused. If he thought that my idea of fun was the same as his, he was greatly mistaken. "Yes...? Higit isang buwan na no'ng nangyari 'yon, pero parang mahabang panahon na ang lumipas. What about it? What's fun about that trial?"

I looked directly at the camera. "I was the one who came up with the idea to coerce Chevy Serrano."

There was a gasp from almost everyone in the lounge. Only Tabitha did not react.

Even my interviewer was stunned by my confession. "B-But the vice president resigned—"

"I forced her to take full responsibility for it," I interjected, cutting him off. "I asked her to lie to the committee and everyone, claiming it was her idea. But the truth? It was mine."

"This is shocking—"

"What do you expect from a secret?" I gave him a sideways glance. "It should be shocking, right? Otherwise, what's the point of keeping it a secret?"

"By admitting this on a livestream, aren't you afraid the LEXECOM might move to impeach you?" Felix asked, concern evident in his voice. "This is pretty damning, unless you're joking."

"I'm glad you brought up the LEXECOM," I said, looking directly into the camera again. "Did you know that Majority Leader Alaric Esteban knew all along it was my idea to blackmail his fellow chairperson weeks before rumors of impeachment surfaced?"

"W-What?"

"Now that's more shocking, isn't it?" I almost chuckled, the edge of laughter in my voice. "He used that information to blackmail the USC. In exchange for keeping it quiet, he asked Priam and Valeria to step down and promise not to seek reelection. If you connect the dots, Alaric has been targeting Priam long before. Kaya huwag na kayong magtaka kung bakit pinu-push niya ang constitutional amendment para hindi na makatakbo sa susunod na election si Priam."

"I must say, this is a lot to process," Felix commented, growing more perplexed by the moment. "But can you assure us you're being completely honest in this interview? The Herald doesn't want to give a platform to lies."

"I'm sure he will deny it, but why would I lie?" I shrugged. "Why would I risk my position and reputation if I weren't telling the truth? No matter how you look at it, I have a lot to lose. Would I gamble everything for a lie?"

Check. Since assuming the presidency, there had not been a week where I had not called into question Alaric the Prick's character. This was another arrow from my quiver, and it hit the mark once again.

Now that I could be seen, now that I could be heard, I would make the most of it. If I was going down, I would bring that prick down with me.

♔

NEXT UPDATE: Fabienne and the USC must decide on how to respond to Castiel's confession.