Seven and Nine (FIN)

Fifty Three

Seven's (Seoul, Korea) (Hangul)

"Congrats"

"Thank you, Seven! Hindi pa rin ako makapaniwala grabe! I owe this all to you"

"Of course not, Ju-hee. You deserve it"

"Ay sandali lang ha? Hintayin mo ko dito, i-ttreat kita ng lunch okay lang ba? Papaalam lang ako kay President"

"Sure. That would be great"

It's been three months since that day an unknown stalker emailed me to get my career back. Pero isang linggo na ang nakakaraan, walang stalker na naghihintay sa harap ng pinto ng bahay ko to give me a straight punch in the face for failing.

Three months na ang nakakalipas and yet...I'm still stucked into nothing. Hindi ko parin nagawang ibalik ang career ko after all.

Ju-hee on the other hand is soaring higher. Today, pumirma na sya ng kontrata sa Dream Entertainment after kong ipakilala kay President two weeks after I met her that night. I really like this girl kaya ayokong masayang ang talent nya. In a month, i-lalaunch na sya as the company's newest and youngest recording artist. Seventeen palang kasi sya.

"Seven, sabi ni President pumasok ka daw muna sa office nya bago tayo umalis. May sasabihin daw sya"

I stood up from the couch and smiled at Ju-hee ng makabalik sya.

"Wait for me. Sandali lang to"

"Okay!"

I gave a warning knock bago pumasok sa office ni President. We never talked privately simula ng ipakilala ko si Ju-hee sa kanya or tuwing sinasamahan ko si Ju-hee kapag pumupunta dito. I'm not her manager. I gave that job to Rica kesa nakatengga sya kakahintay sakin. She really doesn't want to handle any other one except me pero pinilit ko syang gawin yun. Ju-hee likes me around her kasi mas confident daw sya around me so I told her that I'll be with her hanggang sa mai-launch sya.

"President"

She motioned for me to sit down kasi may kausap pa sya sa phone pagpasok ko. I patiently waited on the couch.

"It's been a long time since I heard from you, Rafael. What's this all about?"

I heard President. Hindi ko makita ang mukha nya dahil nakatalikod sya sa gawi ko facing the glass window. That person seems important kasi hindi naman sya nagtatagal sa phone lalo na kung may bisitang naghihintay sa kanya. Natahimik sya for a while, maybe listening on the other line. I grab a magazine to read habang naghihintay.

"What? How come? That's impossible to even think. I'll call you back later. I have someone to talk to right now. Okay. Bye"

I glanced at President ng marinig kong mukhang tapos na ang pakikipag-usap nya and she looks stressed out. I walk towards her huge table.

"Are you okay, President?"

"Yeah. Some personal issues to sort out"

"What is this all about, President? I mean why do you want to talk to me?"

"Don't you have any plans of making a comeback?"

"Not at this point. Why?"

"I'm planning to guest you on Ju-hee's launch. Are you up for it?"

"No. It might ruin her fresh start"

"Looks like you're enjoying your overstay in that place you're currently in. What happened to your music? Did it stop?"

"I'm afraid not. The music in me is overflowing right now"

"You mean, you can already compose new songs?"