The Singer's Dream

Bae Joo-hyun

Irene's POV:

I have seen her lonely eyes upon entering the cafe, she was staring blankly straight ahead. Mukha siyang malungkot, my father died of his depression, he overdosed when I was 15, I should have known then that he was having difficulties. Kaya mag-mula ng mamatay si Daddy, I made it a point to strike up conversations with everyone around me, if only to make them smile or laugh, to ease their troubles. People may find me weird, but this is what I have resolved to do to keep my father's memories alive. My name is Bae Joo-hyun, daughter of Junmyeon Bae and Elise Bae. I work as a kindergarten teacher at the local grade school. Dahil dito, meron akong training for Psychology. I took it as my minor in college, I want the kids I teach to be comfortable to tell me about their troubles. Naka-upo na ako sa tapat ng babaeng nakita ko kanina, sobrang ganda nya, parang artista.

I already asked her a question kanina, but she asked me if I could act in love with her, not really telling me why. Medyo loka-loka din ang isang to. We sat in silence, she's busy eating her meat pie and soup, and drowning everything in coffee. I absolutely hate coffee. Ugh! Napaka-pait ng kape, she drank it like she was drinking honey. Sinakyan ko naman ang joke ng babaeng ito, I said sure about acting so in love with her for the week. I know I am a strange person for saying yes right away, I have my own reason as to why I agreed to do it. First, I wanted to enjoy myself just for a week, no worries and no reservations and what better way than to spend the day with this cute lady, she had a blue hair color, her lips are so red and her face barely a touch of make up, she would be fun to be with judging at how we initially interacted. Second, I recently broke up with my ex-boyfriend, I caught him cheating with another woman, this café is where my ex and I first met, I always replace bad memories with happy ones, ngayon imbes na maalala ko ang hayop kong ex, maaalala ko ang unang beses na nakilala ko si Seung-wan sa café na ito.

"Salamat nga pala for letting me sit with you, Seung-wan. Ngayon napalitan ko na ang unang alaala namin ng ex ko." I said to Seung-wan right after I took a sip of my Iced Chai Latte.

"Napaka-bigat mo naman Joo-hyun, bakit kailangan mong palitan ang alaala ninyo ng ex mo? A Goddess like you has an ex? Tanga naman nung ex mo." She said to me as she ate her meat pie.

"Oo, meron akong ex boyfriend, I recently caught him cheating on me with another woman. Mga three months ago pa." I said as I closed my book.

"I hate cheaters! Gahd! Mabuti na lang at nabisto mo na siya at least hindi pa kayo kasal." She said to me.

"Kaya din ata hindi ako nag-expect ng proposal coming from him kahit na college pa lang eh kami na, kilala siya ni Mommy. You know, come to think of it, may mga red flags ang ugali nya eh, masyado siyang seloso, demanding sa time pero pag ako naman ang nag-demand galit siya agad at laging naka-sigaw." I said to her.

"Joo-hyun, matanong ko lang, ilang taon kayo nitong ex mo?" She said rather cautiously.

"5 years. Teka, ang dami mong tanong tungkol sa ex ko, ex ko na yun, ikaw lang mahal ko babe ngayon at kailanman." Tatawa-tawa kong sabi kay Seung-wan.

"Iba din talaga siya. Tinawag pa ako sa term of endearment nila ng ex nya." She said her eyes rolling.

"Anong term of endearment namin ng ex ko ang pinagsasabi mo dyan? Kahit hindi naman babe ang tawagan namin? FYI, hindi babe tawagan namin. Bunbun ang tawag nya sa akin at ang tawag ko naman sa kanya Teddy Bear, mataba kasi yun." I said rolling my eyes at her comment.

"Okay my bad, my bad. I don't want you to call me babe though. Babe is too common, gusto ko tawagin kang 'Mine' or 'Heaven'." She said and winked at me.

"Heaven? Para namang santo yan. Mine sounds possessive don't you think? But, I love the call sign Mine. Hmmm... Yeah. Mine." I said to her rather dreamily.