"THE TAMAWO"

"Alya, are you okay?" Her cousin asks and when she hears her cousin's voice, she immediately returns to her senses.

"Yes, and what are you saying again?" She replied and while it was obvious that she was not focusing on the person she was talking to. Instead, she was looking at a young man smiling at her from afar.

"Be careful on that guy. Our town is small so I already know the people who live here and that man I don't know him, everyone said his family lives near the entrance to the forest. But that's weird." Alya's cousin said.

"Dory he's staring at me," Alya said.

"Let's get inside, I have a bad hunch about that man," Dory said and she grabbed her cousin's arms and immediately went inside their house.

On another side of the story,

"Oh, Elijah my apo you're here. where's your mom?" Nana Amelia asks.

"She's at work Lola, and I am here to get the rice cakes she orders," Elijah said.

"Yes, wait for me let me get those boxes in my kitchen." Nana Amelia said and she went to her kitchen while Aki was staring at Elijah when Nana Amelia saw him the old lady asked.

"What are you doing? I thought you would help me to carry those boxes." Nana Amelia said.

"Yeah of course, I will bring the remaining boxes and I'll wait for Ethan to finish putting the ribbon," Aki replied that he only wore an apron and shorts. He put a little oil on his arm and chest to...

"And why are you doing that?" Ethan asks.

"For me to look hot and delicious," he said to Ethan.

"No, you will look, stripper, stop that!" Ethan said then Baekhyun approached them and said,

"Elijah is here bro. go! Show your muscles and remember what I told you. always adore him and don't forget to bite your lips while you are staring at his lips." Baekhyun said.

"Yes, bro. I'll bring these boxes now. Wish me luck, bro." Aki said. At the same time, Ethan looks at them like he was annoyed by what they were doing.

"Since when they were brothers?" Ethan said to his mind.

"Good luck bro. I'll pray for your love life." Baekhyun said.

When Nana Amelia saw that Aki had brought the remaining boxes of rice cakes, she immediately introduced the young man to Melody's son.

"Eli, this is Aki. I'm sure you already remember him. And this is the last box." Nana Amelia said.

"Yes, Ohayogozaimasu!" Elijah said and bowed to him.

"Ohayo, Nana ameria no tsukutta o mochi o kiniitte itadakeruto ureshīdesu. (I hope you like the rice cake made by Nana Amelia)"

"Tashikana koto (sure thing)" Elijah replied and smiled at him.

"That's enough, you'd better take these boxes to Elijah's car." Nana Amelia said as she asked Aki to bring those boxes of rice cakes to Elijah's car, and immediately Aki carried those boxes. While he secretly flexes his biceps to Elijah.

"Thank you, Lola Amelia," Elijah said.

"Sure thing, you take care apo and say hi for me to your mom, okay?" Nana Amelia said.

"Yes of course Lola," Elijah said when Nana Amelia went inside to her house.

Aki broke Elijah's silence by asking about...

"Is that new?" Aki asks while referring to his new car.

"Yes, my mom gave me this as my birthday present. Anyway, I'll invite you tonight to my birthday party." Elijah said.

"Sure, I forgot to tell your friends as well especially Ethan and Baekhyun please invite them for me. I can't see them in Lola Amelia's house earlier." Elijah said when they reach his car, Elijah immediately opens the compartment of his car.

"You can put those boxes here. I am sure that your arms are tired." Elijah said.

"Nope, I can manage," Aki said and he slowly put the boxes of rice cakes in the compartment of Elijah's car.

"Arigatogozaimaisu Akihiko-san." Elijah said.

"Nihon-go ga jōzude sugoidesu ne? ' Doko de son'na ko to naratta ndesu ka?

(I'm impressed you are good at speaking Nihongo. Where did you learn that?)" Akihiko asks.

"Watashi wa chichi to issho ni Nihon ni 2-nenkan ryūgaku shite sunde imasuga, chichi wa watashi ni Nihon-go no hanashikata o oshiete kuremashita." Elijah replies.

(I, studied and lived in Japan for two years with my dad and he taught me how to speak Nihongo)

"To iu koto wa, otōsan wa Nihon hitodatta ndesu ka?" Akihiko asks.

(So, your dad was Japanese?) When Elijah was about to answer he suddenly felt a creature pass by quickly and leave a smell of roses at the same time. Immediately Akihiko asks Elijah if he also smells the roses but Elijah doesn't answer instead, he closes his car's door compartment and quickly says goodbye to him.

"Okay?" Aki said when he saw that Elijah was now inside his car but before he left, he reminded the young man to be at his birthday party.

"I wait for you later tonight at my party," Elijah said and winked at him at the same time.

"Yeah sure, see you there. Take good care." Aki said.

GOING BACK TO THE CITY.

Jasmine and Ambrose caught their attention about the incident where a woman was crying. They immediately approached to find out what happened.

"Madam what is going on and where are they taking your child?" Jasmine asks.

"The Tamawo, they take my daughter and we just recently recovered her from the woods." The woman said which immediately left them.

"Tamawo?" Jasmine said.

In Philippine folklore, The Tamawo was a malevolent elf-like entity with striking albino features. Others said, that a Tamawo was also an Encanto, they are believed to be malevolent but extremely handsome with very pale skin to white skin that sparkles under direct sunlight and physical attributes may include pointy, leaf-shaped ears, high-bridged noses, fair skin, and a lack of a philtrum.

"Yes, in this part of my city. My team keeps receiving a report about a missing person which usually the victims are young women." Ambrose said.

"Seriously? And you didn't do anything to resolve this?" Jasmine said.

"I have sent a Babaylan into this town but it seems they can't stop the Tamawo from doing their kidnap business," Ambrose said. While Ambrose was explaining, Jasmine was suddenly bumped into by a lady she immediately recognized.

"Sorry Miss, I didn't see you. my bad." The lady said but Jasmine recognized her and said.

"Miss Ara?" Jasmine said.

"Huh? How did you know me? are you one of the minions of my dad who were tasked to capture me?" Ara said.

"Minion, even though I am short, I am too beautiful to be a minion, Miss Ara," Jasmine said.

"And Mr. Mayor who is this woman?" Ara asks Ambrose.

"She's ~" Ambrose attempts to introduce Jasmine but the woman intervenes and she introduces herself to Jin Ae and Baekhyun's mom.

"My name is Jasmine and I am not one of the minions of your dad or I am not a minion even though I am short, but I am beautiful to be a minion. Miss Ara, I am here too as I was assigned to make sure of your safety. Jin Ae and Kuya Baekhyun asked me to check on you." Jasmine said.

"My children. How are they" Ara asks. When Jasmine was about to answer her question then suddenly a young lady approached and called the attention of Ara and said.

"Tita Ara, we have to go as my cousin needs those herbal plants." The lady said.

"Oh yes, Mr. Mayor and Jasmine it would be better if we talk these matters at home. Follow me, so that I can prepare some tea or food for you guys. And I have a strong feeling that my dad's minion was still here in this town but I want you to meet my niece, Dory." Ara said. They immediately left the place and went to a house with an ancient design.

"If I am not mistaken, this type of architecture and design was inspired by World War II when the Japanese invaded the Philippines," Jasmine said.

"I am impressed, you're good at history huh?" Ambrose said.

"If I am not mistaken the Japanese occupation of the Philippines occurred between 1942 and 1945 during WWII. And Philippines was granted full independence by the US in 1946." Jasmine added.

"Wow, everything that you said was here in Google," Ambrose said as he was amazed by Jasmine while checking his phone.

"Yeah, maybe my brain is functioning well," Jasmine said.

"That's enough let's go inside," Ara said.

"Ah, Miss Ara? I'm sure this house doesn't have any ghosts?" Ambrose asks.

"Nope, do you guys see that Bagwa in the entrance? Lola Charito said these bagwa's were a blocking charm so that a bad entity can't enter your house." Ara said.

"But in feng shui, the movie, Miss Krissy was shouting ~," Ambrose said and when he turned around, he saw his reflection in the mirror that immediately made him scream. Everyone immediately rushes to the door to see what's happening but Dory and Jasmine are laughing at him and Ara tries to make herself not laugh.

"That's enough okay, stop playing that Jasmine," Ara said.

"I can't imagine Ambrose, you have a muscular body but when you scream, I hear the voice of Miss Krissy in you," Jasmine said.

"Whatever minion!" Ambrose said.

"That's enough, Let's get inside Miss Jasmine and Mayor Ambrose," Dory said.

ON ELIJAH'S BIRTHDAY PARTY.

Aki and Ethan were amazed at what they saw because of the many guests and they noticed that Melody's house was very big, it was as big as Choi's mansion.

"Where's Baekhyun?" Ethan asks.

"He was asked by Miss Melody to be the host of this party remember?" Aki said and Ethan saw Baekhyun on the stage singing. The crowd suddenly gets wild when Baekhyun sings their famous song which was hit in Korea and the Philippines then he remembers the time when the first time they met.

FLASHBACK:

"Baekhyun! Baekhyun! Baekhyun!" The crowd shouted his name.

When the music started and they shouted more and more then Baekhyun started to sing the first stanza but Baekhyun wanted to have a duet on that song, he asked the crowd who wanted to sing with him.

"Who knows this song? And wants to sing with me." Baekhyun said and everyone's hands up then he picked someone from a group of friends that time. Which Ethan's friends kept pointing at him

"My friend Ethan knows that song. He's here. Pick him Baekhyun" Janferd said while I got shy because of what he did.

I refused but Baekhyun approached me and the crowd got wild when Baekhyun grabbed my hands while my supportive friends kept giving my name to him at that time.

"Ethan, his name is Ethan!" Jan said.

"Wow, super supportive!" Ethan said.

"Go, Ethan!" Baekhyun said until the crowd called his name at the same time.

Even though I was shy, I still went to the front of the stage and Baekhyun gave me the spare of a microphone. And when I was on the stage, he offered his hands to me and he introduced his name to me.

"Mannaseo bangawoyo Edan, Baeghyeon-ieyo. (Nice to meet you, Ethan, my name is Baekhyun)" The crowd was even more thrilled by what he did.

BACK TO PRESENT

"Oh, thank you so much for being here Ethan and Aki, where's Amelia?" Melody asks.

"Miss M, she said she can't make it tonight," Ethan said.

"But why? I asked her last time to be here. But anyway, you guys enjoy, okay?" Melody said.

"Yes, Miss Melody, thank you," Ethan replied showing worry on his face which immediately his friend assured him and said.

"I can feel it too, E Don't worry, my police friends are here as well they are just roaming around as Miss Melody asks our service and our Ninong Jef is just around the corner. I saw him" Aki said When Ethan turned his eyes around to look at his Ninong Jef. Suddenly his eyes capture a strange guest and Ethan and Aki immediately capture their attention on this mysterious guest.

"Wait," Ethan said.

"Wait what?" Aki said while he saw Ethan was pointing at the mysterious man.

"Is he wearing a costume? Why are his ears like that and his hair is all white even his skin, but in fairness. He's handsome. he looks like a character in a Hollywood movie I saw. Like a prince of an enchanted forest." Ethan said but he noticed something on that mysterious guest.

"He doesn't have philtrum," they said together when they noticed that on the mysterious guest. While Melody and Elijah approach that guest.

TO BE CONTINUED...