Just The Benefits (PUBLISHED)

Kabanata 61

Sino ba naman ang hindi magmamahal sa kanya? He's too good. He's just too much.

Nung matapos iyong video, agad kong inabot mula sa kamay ni Shiloah iyong phone ni Marga at saka tinignan iyong mismong post. Halos manlaki ang mata ko nung makita ko kung gaano karami ang likes, views, at shares nito! Not to mention iyong mga comments-positive comments!

1.1M views

52, 347 likes

36, 092 shares

And not one negative comment in sight! Parang umiikot sa alapaap ang sistema ko habang binabasa ko ang mga comments. Lahat sila ay puro papuri kay Shiloah. All of them loved his voice and most of them appreciated the fact that he held the show while Kyle's attending to his family.

I know I shouldn't be saying this but damn. The management played it all so well. Nung akala ko ay mas makakasira lang sa career at reputasyon ni Shiloah ang pagiging front act kay Kyle, they proved me wrong. Hindi ko nga alam kung gawa lang ba ng management iyong 'emergency' ni Kyle. Was that their way to showcase Shiloah's talent to the public? Hindi ko alam. Hindi rin naman kasi kami close ni Kyle masyado para tanungin ko siya kung totoo nga bang nagkaproblema sa pamilya niya noon.

But I shouldn't be thinking about these things. I should be celebrating with Shiloah!

"This is it," I croaked. I still couldn't find my voice. It all felt so surreal. I didn't really like the internet but today, I was proven wrong plenty of times and there's no complain from my side. "You're officially it, Shiloah. Sikat ka na."

I looked at him and he was smiling but it didn't reach his eyes. Biglang naalala ko na naman iyong naging pagtatalo namin.

Nagbuntong-hininga ako at saka hinawakan ang kamay niya.

"Let's end this fight, okay? Ayoko ng nag-aaway tayo."

"Ayoko rin," he answered.

I didn't want him to be the bad guy. I didn't want him to break anyone's heart because he's too good for that kind of breaking. I didn't want to taint his broken heart but what was I supposed to do?

I love him.

I love him, I really do.

And gods, he loves me, too. Mas sobra pa sa sobra.

I know it's wrong to hurt someone just to be happy but isn't it worse to hurt yourself because you're denying yourself of the things that make you happy? It's all going to bite us in the ass one day. May masasaktan at masasaktan kami... Kaya bakit pa namin mas pahahabain?

"Go to Candy. Break up with her and be with me."

We were looking at each other's eyes. This was so wrong but someone's bound to get hurt. Mayroon talagang masasaktan. And I was done thinking about them. They wouldn't make me happy but this guy in front of me? He will. He'll make me happy.

He held my hand. No words we spoken but I knew that when he came back, things will change. And for once, the ball will finally be on our court.

Hinintay namin si Marga na bumalik dahil itatanong namin kung mayroon bang appointment si Shiloah ngayong araw.

"Aalis na ako," he said.

"Umupo ka nga," I told him. Kanina pa kasi siya alis na alis. "Papatayin tayo pareho ni Marga kapag bigla kang nawala."

He sat down unwillingly and I could see that he's so annoyed. Shiloah's almost never annoyed. He's always calm and smiling and always so kind. Kahit pinapagalitan 'yan ng mga direktor o producer, tahimik lang siya at hindi naiinis. But now? Parang kung hindi lang masama, iiwan na niya ako rito at baka siya pa mismo ang magdrive papunta sa Cavite.