Once Upon a Time in South Korea

Change Has Come

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RIA'S POV

Two days has passed but it felt like two months for me. Everything was never the same ever since LSM-sonsaengnim was hospitalized due to heart attack. We were all agitated, lalo pa at hindi pa namin siya nadadalaw sa ospital. The last time was when we brought him there. The entertainment forbade us to. I didn't see the reason why and that pissed me off.

"Tapos ka na bang mag-narrate sa readers, Ria? We have to go."

Huminga ako nang malalim at inayos muli ang buhok ko. Kahit tulog ako, alam na alam ko kung sino ang may-ari ng boses na yun: si Lizzie-eonni.

Kinuha ko yung bag kong nakapatong sa kama ko at lumabas na ng kwarto. Sa living room, nakita kong nandun na halos lahat sila. Mukhang ako na lang yata ang hinihintay.

There was an awkward and uncomfortable silence in them, making me sigh and shake my head. Simula nung nangyari kay sonsaengnim, ganito na sa bahay. Tahimik, halos hindi nagsasalita lalo na kung hindi naman kelangan. Walang nagkukulitan, walang nag-aaway, walang naglalambingan.

Bigla akong napatingin kay Chanyeol at nahuli kong nakatingin din siya sa akin. Tatawagin ko sana siya nang bigla niya akong ngitian at saka umiwas ng tingin. Yung ngiti niyang yun, iba sa usual niyang ngiti. Pilit kasi yun. That fact had me frowning. Somehow, nakakamiss yung dati. Yung maingay siya, na kahit alam niyang wala ako sa mood, mangungulit pa rin siya, yung pamimilit niya sa aking mag-spazz kay Dara nag 2NE1 kahit alam niyang SONE ako at yung pag-aassure niya sa aking hindi ako nag-iisa at nandyan lang siya. Nasaan na yun?

"Ria, tara na. Mamaya mo na ulit kausapin yung readers," bulong sa akin ni eonni sabay hila sa akin palabas ng bahay.

Nasabi ko na ba sa inyo kung saan kami papunta ngayon? How I wish sa ospital kami papunta pero hindi, eh. Tumawag kagabi yung manager ng EXO at pinapupunta kaming lahat sa SMEnt. Wala namang sinabi kung bakit kaya wala kaming ideya kung ano ang gagawin namin dun.

Nang makapasok sa van, isinandal ko agad yung ulo ko sa bintana. I was startled when someone held my hand. Nilingon ko agad yung katabi ko at nakita kong si Chanyeol pala yun. Akala ko pa man din, si eonni ang tatabi sa akin. Miss ko na rin kasi siya. Lagi siyang nakatutok sa phone niya, to the point na nakakalimutan na niya ako. Hindi naman siya ganito dati. I missed those times when there was just me and her. Now that Suga (Pats) was here, I was suddenly out of the picture.

Nabalik lang yung atensyon ko sa katabi ko nang pisilin niya yung kamay ko. He flashed a tight smile again. I pouted in return and looked away. Hindi ko na inaasahang magsasalita siya, sanay na ako sa pagiging tahimik niya at sanay naman akong hindi nagsasalita.

Napaigtad ako nang maramdaman kong may nakadagan sa balikat ko. I didn't need to look just to know who it is and what is happening. Nakasandal ang ulo ni Chanyeol sa akin, bagay na hindi naman bago sa akin. I was used to him being like this, ma-skinship kasi talaga ang Dobi na ito.

Hinayaan ko na lang yun at nakakahiya mang aminin, I savored the moment. Kinakabahan kasi ako sa biglang pagpapatawag sa amin sa SMEnt. May pakiramdam akong hindi ko magugustuhan yung dahilan nun. And feeling this giant's head on my shoulders, something in me was saying this might be the last time we'll be having this kind of moment.

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3RD PERSON'S POV

Unknown to EXO and the trainees ay nagising na si LSM kahapon at kaya sila pinapunta ngayon sa SMEnt. ay dahil sa naging resulta ng pag-uusap ni LSM at ng management.

Suho sighed and closed his eyes as he turned the knob of the conference room's door. Basa sa sinabi ng manager nila kagabi sa tawag nito, dito sila dumiretso and being the leader, he was told the reason why they are here. Pinili niyang wag itong sabihin sa iba. It broke his heart that he even cried. He didn't want anyone seeing him like that because of the news kaya inilabas na niya kagabi lahat, hoping that today, not one tear comes out of any of his eyes, not an emotion can be seen on his face though he knew he wasn't as good as Sehun in hiding his feelings behind a pokerface. He was trying. Hard.