Bitter Holidays in Jeju

Chapter 1

"Basta! Alam mo na 'yon! Ito naman akala mo baguhan!" She giggled and grabbed my hand patungo sa elevator.

This entertainment building, TYPE ENT is located in Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam-gu sa Seoul. It's almost two hours away by transit from Incheon International Airport. Hindi ko nga na-realize na gano'n pala kahaba ang naging biyahe namin kanina dahil mas matuon ang atensyon ko sa paligid at sobra akong nalilibang at hindi naaagaw ng oras ang atensyon ko. And I mean that's a good thing for me, wala rin naman akong hinahabol na oras.

I've been here for so many times no'ng first year kong magtrabaho for Jin-Hyeong, though sa tingin ko ay maraming na-renovate sa loob ng building dahil hindi ganito kasilaw ang paligid no'n. Noon ay napaliligiran lamang ng mga dry accent grey walls, may pin light at paintings sa lobby pero ngayon ay halos nagliliwanag na sa iba't ibang palamuti. Halos puro salamin ang division kaya nakasisilaw talaga. Napaliligiran din naman ng mga touch screen TV ang iba't ibang area. They really changed everything, mabuti na lang ay hindi sila nagbago sa paghahandle sa aming boss.

Not that long when we finally reached the 18th floor where usually Jin-Hyeong goes for meetings or other stuff. Ang nasa ibabang floors kaso karamihan ay mga studio o kaya naman mga office. This building has twenty-three floors and I've only been into those floors kung nasaan nagpupunta rin ang boss ko.

Unlike the other floors, this floor hasn't changed that much aside from its new furniture and set-up, but not with all the division and stuff. Sinusundan ko lamang si Chini kung saan kami pupunta. Kahit na nakapupunta na ako rito, people might not knew me dahil baguhan lang ako and I needed to have my own access para makalabas-pasok ako sa building without being held-up sa entrance. Fortunate of me, Chini already did that for me so we're only waiting for my personal access card so I won't be tagged as an intruder, but BJH personal's assistant.

When we finally reached the meeting room where BHJ is waiting for us. Chini entered the room first before me following her behind so timidly. I was kinda feeling so cranky about BHJ's reaction upon seeing me. I know naman na na-brief na siya ni Chini, but is he expecting to see me again? Hindi sa pang-aano... but I was excellent to my job before, though may ilang lapses, but I still believe it was really a good experience for me.

"Annyeong hashimnikka," pagbati ni Chini kasabay nang pagyuko nito. Pagkapasok ko rin ng meeting room ay nakita ko na si BHJ na nakaupo sa dulo ng oblong table while his boss is sitting across him. Tumapon din naman ang tingin nila sa akin kaya naman agad na pinasok ni Chini ang pagpapakilala sa akin. "Nan gnang moduga mannal su issdorockhago sipspnida, Raijine! Jinyeongyn yision gaein bishowa gnioenen gnioe sicupeul yusihagi wiha dolawassa." She perfectly said it all kahit nawala ako sa sarili kong translation. (I would just like to let everyone meet, Raijine! JinHyeong's previous personal assistant and she's back to keep her job.)

"Dashi oshin girl hwanyeonghapnida, Raijin!" pagbati naman sa akin ni BHJ na may kasama pang ngiti. (Welcome back, Raijine!)

Yumuko ako na pinamutian ng ngiti ang aking mukha. I'm so grateful to him again... though what we have seen earlier isn't a good thing. "Gamsahapnida, sunsangnim!" (Thank you, sir!)

Feeling ko tuloy ang importante ko ng tao at nabalewala na 'yong kaninang pag-aalala kong hindi niya ako magugustuhan. "Cini, ne yeope anja," he added which Chini just grabbed my hand and we just sat next to him just like what he said. (Chini, sit next to me.)

We sat there and listened to what the management was saying. Nakikinig lamang ako sa kanilang tatlo. Sa totoo lang, I really have no business in here dahil hindi naman ako kailangan sa mga ganitong meeting. Minsan nag-stay lang ako sa lounge area o kung kailan lang ako kakailanganin saka lang ako tatawagin. Hindi rin naman ako assumera na magbibigay sila ng lead role sa akin.