Chapter 27
I should've been home by now pero dahil nandito rin si Chini sa condo ni Jin-hyeong, I'm staying until we all headed back home.
For dinner, Chini just ordered us some food. Tinatamad siyang magluto since walang supply sa condo ni Jin-hyeong and I would probably be going to grocery tomorrow para mag-imbak ng stock dito. I'm not his house staff to buy his some goods, but this already entails on my job.
While Chini's preparing for our dinner at the dining hall, she made me call for Jin-hyeong in his room. I don't know why I'm so scared checking him out there so when I stood behind the room's door, I took a deep breath to get some courage and little of hope he'll talk to me.
Hindi naman siya galit sa akin. I just don't think he's in the mood to talk to anyone.
I knocked on the door and heard his voice giving me permission to enter his room. I grabbed the knob and slowly pushing the door inside and there I saw him lying his back on the headboard. He's not wearing any shirt, only on his boxer—and I could still remember the first day I had been here again. The thick blanket just covered half of his leg while his on his phone.
"It's time for dinner, Jin-hyeong," anunsyo ko sa kanya.
"Sure," he said. "I thought you already gone home. You're not tired? You didn't take some rest?"
I slowly shook my head. "No, I stayed with them and I just slept for a couple of hours in the living room."
"You should've told me. You can just go to the guest room if you want to rest anytime you want when you're here, alright?" Tumango na lamang ako sa sinabi nito. It feels like an order to me kaya hindi na ako papalag pa. He started moving, folding away the blanket, and hooked his slippers with his feet. "Let's have some dinner."
Nauna akong lumabas ng kwarto saka siya sumunod at may suot na siyang loose white shirt. Magkasabay kaming pumunta sa dining hall where we found PSG and Chini preparing our food for tonight. As we settled in, we started eating our food and I'm trying not to look around and only focus on what I'm eating.
"Okay, this is so plain and awkwardly disturbing now," pagputol ni Chini. Iniangat ko ang tingin ko sa kanya. Hindi lang din pala ako ang nakatuon ang atensyon sa kanya. She breathe in and let it go. "I'm sorry Jin-hyeong if you felt suffocated, but you know how intrusive I am simula pa lang no'ng bata-bata tayo and since this is work and I love my work, ginagawa ko lang ang best ko and what's best for you, so I apologize if I make you feel so suffocated and all."
"That's all right," Jin-hyeong said and bite on his buttered chicken. "Let's just pass by it. It's done and fine. My holiday in Jeju made me feel okay so all are good. I just had to say that."
Chini's smiling widely. Tumango-tango na rin naman 'to. "Right, right. I'm glad that your stay in Jeju helps you a lot. But work is finally here, are you ready?
BJH nodded. "Go on. Tell me about it."
"Jelay and Seung-Gi already know about it and they were excited for you as well!" she said, trying to hype the discussion. "I told you 'di ba last week na may meeting ako with our boss? Well, he discussed with me what he has stored in for you! Our boss planned to give you your single debut and as an individual performer this time! You'll be working with the producer and a lot of people to work this out, but I know with only a little work and practice, you'll nail it! Ikaw pa ba?"
Nakatingin kami kay BJH at nag-aabang ng reaksyon niya, but he's only nodding as if that answered anything.
"So, Jin-hyeong? What can you say about it?" Chini asked.
He hummed. "It's cool. What did you tell to the boss?"
"Uh... I told him that it was a great idea and a good opportunity for you. You'll venture into new stuff and this is far from being in a group. You'll be the center of attention and no one else will. So, I told him na kukunin ko muna ang feedback mo saka ko sasabihin sa kanya ang decision natin. Actually he's waiting for our decision this week or if we don't, baka i-let go niya 'yon at mapunta na naman sa iba. So... what do you think?"
He shrugged off. "I like the idea, but I don't think I can make it. It's fine for me, but I don't think people will love to see me perform again."
There he is again, doubting what he can do. Before Chini could even rebut, I joined the conversation.
"May I?" I raised my hand and I just all of their attention. As they gave me the floor to speak, I cleared my throat and fixed my posture. "I know we've been through this conversation before Jin-hyeong, but I believe this is the time something you haven't done before. It's time for you shine on your own. Just like what PSG said, believe me."
PSG laughed, nodding his head. "Yup, that's my line. Believe us, Jin-hyeong. This moment is just for you and you gotta make it or you'll regret it at the end and it's painful and heartbreaking whenever we passed that line. Trust me, I've been in this industry for so long and I've worked with a lot of actors, singers, and all, but not all of them are still making noise. You've got it, you just gotta take it and believe in yourself."
"There you go! They said it! What do you think?" Chini asked once more.
"Alright," he said, without even thinking—he just agreed. "I'm gonna go for it. Tell it to the boss. I'm going to do this."
"Yes!" Chini exclaimed. Waging-wagi siya dahil alam niyang magandang opportunity 'to for BJH and I know she's been working too hard for this kaya naman gano'n na lang ang reaksyon niya. "I feel like we're going to end his night with a little celebration!"
At hindi nga ako nagkamali, just right after we finished our dinner, Chini popped a bottle of champagne and we just drink like we're already celebrating this huge project for BJH.
"Wait, I'll try to call boss now," Chini excused herself and three of us left on the balcony.
"Why did you end up with her?" BJH asked PSG. Napakunot noo naman itong jowa ni Chini. "She's mad as hell. She couldn't even shut her mouth. Don't you get annoyed with her?"
PSG laughed at his questions. I thought he's being serious, but then he just laughed it off as well. "I mean, yeah... she's like that, but what can I ask for more, right? She's very supportive and loving. Though she got jealous sometimes when another manager tries to flirt with me, I know my limitation and I will only get dirty with Chini." Ngisi pa nito sabay inom sa kanyang baso. Napatitig na lang ako sa kanya dahil sa sinabi nito. "Oh, did I just say that out loud? Oh, my bad."
I winced while they laughed. A little moment, Chini came back jumping out of her excitement.
"Calm down, Chini," pagpapahinanon sa kanya ng jowa niya.
"No, no! I just can't," natataranta nitong sagot. Pumwesto naman siya sa harap namin. "Anyway, that's boss and he's happy about your decision about this project, Jin-hyeong. He wanted us to meet tomorrow and you'll be signing a contract for this and as your solo debuted single, a plan has already laid down after it. Tomorrow we'll run through every aspect of this project and I can't wait for you to venture on this new journey!"
"I see. Thank you for doing so hard about this, Chini. What about my former group? What will happen to the other members?"
"Uh... I really have no idea about it. Since the group already has been disbanded and the other members of your former group have been enlisted to the military as well, so only a few left but I've heard they'll be enlisting soon so you're the only one who is free to do this. Maybe when everyone finished their military training, the company may do a comeback project, but for now, that's a little blurry so I can't say anything about it anymore. But we'll see..."
"To Jin-hyeon's solo debut!" PSG made a toss.
"To Jin-hyeong's solo debut!" we all tossed our glasses and drink at once and just filled it in once again.
Chini and PSG headed back inside while we stay at the balcony watching the night sky and the towering buildings nearby.
"Am I being so nosy about telling you such thing about what you really want?" I asked. We shared a look. "I mean, am I too much or in a place to say that on you?"
He smirked and shifted his eyes back to the view. "No, you're fine. You didn't do anything. You didn't hurt me or anything. You just believe in me when I don't. You've been for me for the past few weeks and I can feel your sincerity and your kindness. I'm lucky to have you as my assistant, Raijine. Good thing you came back here."
"Yeah, I guess that's the best decision I've ever done."
He chuckled. "It really does... so after this, what will you do?"
Napakunot ang noo ko sa tanong niya. "After what?"
"After you finished your contract as my assistant, would you stay or venture for new opportunities so you can focus on your own future then. What's on your mind?"
Napabuntonghininga ako sa tanong niya. Napatungo ako at bahagyang bumagsak ang balikat ko. That made me feel weary. "Sa totoo lang, hindi ko alam... but I know for sure that this is my future."
"How long is your contract again?" he asked.
"Three years and if I'm still needed, Chini will extend my contract and I'll be still glad to work for you. You're such a humble person and I love the way you are. You inspired me. You're the one who made my dreams come true. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you. So, I guess I'm still far from that future that sets for me because I believe as of the moment... I'm living my future now. For the past two years, I've dreamed of coming back here and it happened. It happened because you happened so I believe in you so much because you've done something incredible in my life."
He's not talking when I finished my sentence. He's just watching the moon above that starting to be covered by dark clouds. And then I just noticed a tear slipped out on the side of his eye and it just dropped on his shirt. He then drinks his champagne, looking back at me with a smile on my face.
"I thought I'm too old to do something like this and I can't just do the same thing I did before. I'm actually losing interest in things and once I thought of joining the military for real. To serve the country because it'll be an honor for me to die in this country."
"That's a brave thing to do, Jin-hyeong... I know you can do that."
"I know you'll say that."
I giggled. "Yeah... what can you expect, right?"
"But, yeah, because of you, maybe I can do this once more and let all the bad things washed away."
"True! This is about you and yourself alone."
He chuckled, nodding his head. Ang sunod niyang ginawa ay inakbayan niya ako. But I just let him do that. Hindi maalis ang ngiti sa labi ko. Kung nakikita lang ng kapatid ko kung gaano kami kalapit ni BJH ngayon, she would freak out dahil fan na fan siya ng kapatid ko. Sinabi ko sa kanya 'yon and he's excited to meet my sister. Susubukan pa sana namin tawagin si Chrizzle pero sa tingin ko tulog na 'yon at busy sa online shop namin kaya ise-set ko na lang kung kailan kami magvideo call na kasama si BJH.
"I've read somewhere, an article yata 'yon. A CEO from London named Connagh Macek says that it's okay to try new things because opportunities come at a new beginning. All the experience and learnings will follow and that's the biggest reward for taking a risk. I think what he said there was lovely and insightful."
"I agree... it's always gonna be a risk, but you'll never get what you want if you don't work hard for it. I did work so hard, I just don't think that I'm now—and don't say anything again. I'm believing in myself now, alright?"
We both laughed at what he said kasi tama naman siya, sasabihin ko talaga 'yon.
"Anong ginagawa niyo riyan?" usisa ni Chini nang makita kami,
Agad na inalis ni Jin-hyeong ang pagkaaakbay niya sa akin. Hinarap namin si Chini at dala-dala na nito 'yong purse niya.
"Uuwi na tayo, Jelay. Matulog ka na, Jin-hyeong. Maaga pa tayo bukas sa office."
"Pa'no 'yong gamit ko?"
"Si Seung-Gi na bahala. Do'n na nga rin siya tumutuloy, 'di ba?"
Napatango na lamang ako at saka ko hinarap muli si BJH. Inaabangan ko kung pipigilan niya ako pero hinayaan na niya akong sumama kay Chini. As we left his unit floor and heading out of the building kung saan naghihintay na ang sasakyan sa amin. While on our way, napansin naman ni Chini na kakaiba raw ang ngiti ko. Pinipilit pa nitong tinatanong sa akin kung bakit gano'n ako makangiti. Hindi ko siya sinasagot. I'm keeping it for myself.
I just knew that BJH and I's conversation was heartfelt and I'm so happy that he cares for me.
***
Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoy this chapter! Let me know your thoughts! I would appreciate it so much!
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