Once Upon a Time in South Korea

Racing Heartbeats

KRIS' POV

Oo, ako pa rin ang narrator para sa chapter na 'to. Wag ka nang umangal dahil nagbabasa ka lang so no choice ka. Isa pa, ang gwapo ko kaya. Choosy ka pa?

Anyway, I was now currently heading to the trainees' apartment. LSM gave me their address para masundo na sila at tulad nung ibang EXO members, wala rin silang ideya sa mga mangyayari. Surprise kumbaga.

Ako lang ang pupunta sa kanila dahil masyadong nakakabulabog kung lahat kami. Takaw disgrasya pa at baka makita kami ng mga sasaeng. Ang lakas pa naman ng dating ko lalo kapag kasama ko sila. Nangingibabaw kasi ang charisma ko.

Nang makatuntong agad ako sa 15th floor, hinanap ko agad yung room nila. I needed to rush. Malayo pa kasi ang biyahe. Xiumin, Suho and I decided not to do the training within Seoul. It wouldn't be suitable for the trainees kaya nilayuan namin. At masuwerte na pumayag dun si LSM.

Huminga muna ako nang malalim nang mapatapat ako sa room 333, ang apartment nila. I gathered all the strength I can. Posibleng si Joona ang magbukas ng pinto. I should be ready.

Nag-doorbell ako at agad din akong pinagbuksan. I crossed my fingers and hoped it wasn't her.

Pagbukas ko ng pinto, napaawang ang bibig ko. Hindi ko rin maigalaw ang katawan ko. Weird but all I could hear was my racing heartbeat. I just stood there, motionless. What was happening to me?

The girl in front of me smiled and bowed. "Kris-oppa! What are you---"

I didn't give her the chance to finish what she was saying and immediately ran away. Pagliko ko sa pasilyo, napahawak ako sa dibdib ko. My heart was still beating wildly at nag-iinit din ang mga pisngi ko.

Gusto ko tuloy sisihin si LSM. Bakit hindi niya sinabi na may ganun siya kagandang trainee?! Nakapaghanda sana ako. Heck, I looked so stupid there. Ngayon lang ako naka-experience nang ganito. Sino kaya ang trainor nun? Geez. He was so lucky.

Ugh. I have wasted so much time calming myself here. Malayo pa pupuntahan namin!

Patakbo akong bumalik sa tapat ng apartment nila. Haay. This was the first time a girl made me this rattled. The feeling was so new to me I don't know what to do.

Nag-doorbell ulit ako. At dahil mukhang trip akong paglaruan ng kapalaran, yung magandang trainee ulit yung nagbukas. She welcomed me with a bow. Nakangiti na naman siya and that was enough to have my heart beating fast again. Shiz. Focus, Kris.

"Kris-oppa, what brought you here? T-tsaka, bakit bigla kang umalis kanina?"

I cleared my throat and avoided looking at her face. "Uhm. C-can I get inside?" Great. At nauutal pa talaga ako?

Unsure, she nodded. "S-sige."

Mabilis akong pumasok sa loob, making sure I won't get close to her. May mga bagay pa akong dapat unahin kesa sa attraction ko sa kanya at yun ay ang training nila.

When I reached their living room, I found three girls. Yung maliit---na obviously ay maknae nila---ay umiinom ng kape. Yung isa ring maliit, eh, nagbabasa ng magazine. Yung isa namang may katangkaran, busy sa phone nito.

I was about to get their attention when another petite girl approached them from what I think, eh, yung kusina nila. "Breakfast is ready. Gisingin nyo na---" She then looked at me. "K-Kris?!"

The next thing I knew, she was already hiding behind a sofa. Pati yung tatlo, nakatingin na rin sa akin. Take note, wide eyed and jaw dropped. Surprised was an understatement to describe how they looked now.

"Uh, girls. Sorry, pinapasok ko na agad siya. Baka kasi may pinapasabi si LSM sa atin," paliwanag ng magandang trainee sa tabi ko.

"Sana sinabihan mo muna kami. Nakakahiya tuloy," sabi naman 'to ng babaeng nagtatago sa sofa.

I repressed a smile. Hindi man sila kasing wild at ingay ng mga karaniwang babaeng nakakakita sa akin, obvious pa rin ang lakas ng epekto ko sa kanila. Well, Kris of EXO was in front of them. Who wouldn't be affected?

"No. It's fine. May sasabihin lang naman ako kaya pumasok ako."

"Ano naman yun?" tanong nung babaeng nagbabasa ng magazine.

"I'm giving you one hour to fix yourselves and prepare your things---"

"Whoa! Wait. Wait." Biglang tumayo yung babaeng nagkakape. "Pumasok ka nang basta-basta dito sa apartment namin tapos uutusan mo lang kami?! Hindi porke't alam ninyong fandom namin kayo, eh, ganyan na kayo sa amin."

Napatawa lang ako sa sinabi niya. Ang liit pero matapang. Hmm. She was something. Sino kaya trainor nito?

"Miss, it's not like that. Kami ang trainor nyo, remember? Sinusundo ko lang kayo. We'll be heading to the place where we will hold your training."

"Eh, si LSM---" worried na sabi ng magandang trainee.

I smiled at her. "He knows this already. Siya pa nga ang nag-prepare, eh. Kaya kung ako sa inyo, start moving. Time is running at bawas na ng five minutes ang one hour nyo."

With that, lumabas na ako ng apartment nila. I would let them do their thing. Besides, it would be kinda rude if I stay there. Kaya hihintayin ko na lang sila dito. Ang gentleman ko, right? Syempre, gwapo ako, eh.