"Boys," an imaginary female voice coming from a loud speaker stops everyone from finishing their breakfast "16 hours to go before today's task ends"
There's suddenly tension in the atmosphere for a few seconds.
"Sige po. Wait, ano daw yung sabi?" (Alright. Wait... what did it say?) Stell breaks all the seriousness and shouts in the air, making the girls around him giggle.
"Gentlemen, in fifteen minutes, please be ready to enter the question room. Ladies, we request you to gather at the lounge upon the boys' exit." The robotic female voice announces before a mic drop is heard from the PA system.
"Ang serious naman" (Why so serious?) Pablo tries to keep the friendly environment so the girls won't feel scared.
"Fifteen minutes lang yung naintindihan ko. English lahat eh." (All I understood was 'fifteen minutes'. It was all in English) Josh admits adorably, making fun of himself.
"Wala bang kasunod na Tagalog translation d'yan? Yung parang nasa LRT" (We need the Tagalog translation like the ones from the train announcers in Manila) Justin demands.
Fifteen minutes passed, the breakfast table has been cleared.
Paige remains to clean up the kitchen while the girls scatter about to the living room.
The boys have entered a door with an "off-limits" sign that must be called the question room.
A big television switches to life all on its own where the girls have congregated.
The television showed all five boys inside their detainment.
They are compressed together on one couch.
An imaginary interviewer starts asking them questions: "How are you, gentlemen?"
"Okay lang po" they all said in unison, with some thumbs up.
"So far, so good naman po" Pablo, being the leader, spoke for the team.
"How has the 8 hours of your challenge been?" The questions keep on coming.
The boys look like they're all searching the air for answers. Except for Felip who is twiddling with his rings.
"Sobrang gaganda po ng mga girls" (The girls are stunning) Josh smiles widely.
This earned Josh playful blows at the back of his head from the other members.
And made the girls in the living area shriek like rubber ducks.
"Pero, ayun po. Besides don, tinuturuan po kami ng challenge na 'to kung pano talaga dapat mag-alaga ng mga babae." (But, yeah. Besides that, this challenge is teaching us on how to properly take care of women) The baby boy Justin shares his soft insights.
"Ewan nalang po namin kay Ken." (We don't know about Ken, though) Stell attacks his co-member with his jokes.
Laughter fills their room.
Felip just gives Stell an expression that says 'Are you kidding me? I think I did really well'.
"Nung first night po kasi... Akala po talaga namin hindi po magkakasundo si Ken and si Paige. Nagpustahan pa nga po kami eh" (During the first night, we really thought that Ken and Paige won't get along. We made a secret bet about it) Pablo confesses.
So that's the part where they were looking at each other during their choosing ceremony.
In addition, Josh reveals "Para po kasi silang may wall pareho" (Because they both look like they have built in walls)
"Ano yun, antivirus?" (Like an antivirus) Stell is an unstoppable clown.
"Tell us more about what you've learned about every girl in this competition" The voice is now testing them.
"For me, si Erin po, napili ko po sya dahil sa fashion nya. Yung style po kasi ng isang tao una kong nakikita." (For me, Erin caught my attention because of her fashion. Since style is also the first thing I see in a person) says Josh "Pero na-consider ko din po nung una si Dianne, si Mika, si Louise, and si Paige" (But I've also considered Dianne, Mika, Louise and Paige)
Hearing Josh mention Paige's name, Felip squints his eyes at Josh and they both give each other the 'I'm watching you' hand gesture.
"Sakin naman po si Ally, na-kyutan po talaga ako sa smile nya. Parang sobrang natural po kasi. Sabi ko, 'ay, eto friendly 'to', so sakanya na po ako lumapit" (I chose Ally because I find her smile really cute. It just seemed natural. I was like, 'this one looks friendly', so I went for her) Pablo shares "Actually, naisip ko din po non piliin sila Frances, Paige, Ivonne, Sophie, Krystal and Zae pero--" (Actually, I also wanted to choose Frances, Paige, Ivonne, Sophie, Krystal and Zae but--)
"-- Pero narealize po ni Pablo na sobrang dami na nun" (--but Pablo realized that's too many) Classic joker, Stell, strikes again "Ako po kasi tatlo po choices ko: si Sev, si Bianca and si Cat. Kasi na-aamaze po ako sa chinita. Pero si Krisha po pinili ko." (I had three choices: Sev, Bianca and Cat. Because I'm in to the Asian-looking types. But I chose Krisha.)
Stell never fails to keep a room laughing.
"Honestly, ako po hindi po ako makapili" (Honestly, it was so hard for me to choose) Justin chimes in "And na-pressure na po ako sa timer so tumakbo na po ako kung kanino nalang and si Mitch po yun" (The timer pressured me so much so I ran over to anyone and it turns out to be Mitch)
Everyone is waiting for Felip's turn now.
"Bago pa sila dumating lahat sa villa, meron na talaga akong naiisip" (Even before they all arrive at the villa, I already had one in my mind) Felip clears his throat, sitting too still
The other boys are now frantically 'ooh-ing'
"Kasi diba si Paige, sya yung lucky raffle. Lucky raffle ba tawag dun?" (Paige, she... She's the lucky raffle. Is that what it's called?) Felip explains unsuccessfully.
"Wild card" The other members corrected Felip in sync.
"Ah, basta yun." (Whatever. That) Felip continues even with embarrassment while the others shake their heads, embarrassed for Felip, too "Kumbaga, para sakin, unique. Sobrang tahimik. Parang meron palaging pumipigil sakanya, ganon" (It's unique for me. She's always in the back ground. It's like something is always stopping her)
"Ayun. Hopefully po soon mas matulungan namin sila i-build confidence nila samin" (So yeah. Hopefully, soon we can help them build their confidence towards us) Pablo says before he and the boys started playing an adorable game of pillow catch like there's nothing serious about anything around them.
Shocked by his blooper, Felip threw a pillow too hard at Stell who is sitting on the opposite side of the couch "Ay, gagi" (Shit)
Felip hides the guilty laughter behind a fist on his mouth.
"Yun. Pa-censor nalang po yun" (That's about it. Just cut that part) Pablo concludes with a self-deprecating sorry.
"Thank you, boys. Now, we'd like to hear from the girls" The intercom moves on to the speakers around the lounge area where the girls sat "Ladies, any thoughts?"
"We're just so happy to be here with SB19" Erin unleashes a whole different personality in front of the cameras "Super bait po ni Josh and kinantahan nya po ako bago magsleep last night. Si Ken din po ang understanding nya, knowing na naging close friends po kami sa college before and di padin sya nagbabago" (Josh is super kind. He even sang to me before I fell asleep last night. Ken is also understanding, knowing that he and I were close friends back in college. But he still hasn't changed.)
Some girls 'awww'-ed at Erin's story while some rolled their eyes.
Paige wasn't sure if she heard it right.
Erin, the same girl who warned her about Felip is also Felip's close friend.
Erin isn't done talking "Very equal naman po treatment saming lahat ng mga boys kaya understandable po na they're having a hard time na mamili" (The boys give us equal treatment that's why it's understandable that they're having a hard time choosing)
"Does anyone else want to say something about the things they've learned from the first day of the experiment?" The questions just never end.
Paige shyly raises one hand, "Magkaka chance po ba kami lumabas ng villa?" (Will we be given a chance to go outside the villa?)
There was silence.
"Can you share something about what you've learned from the first day of the experiment as the wild card?" The loud box repeats the question. But this time, it is directed to Paige.
Paige's patience is wearing so thin, that she just wants to release the words from her lips so the world could hear.
So Kent would hear.
"First of all. I'm not 'the wild card'. I'm me. I'm Dakota Paige David. Paige for short. And hindi ako nandito to be 'the wild card'. I'm here kasi may pangarap akong gustong puntahan. And for the very first time sa buong buhay ko, kagabi ko lang nalaman na I am free to do anything I want. To choose me. Not anyone. Not anything else. Me. So pwede ko bang malaman if magkaka chance kami lumabas labas?" (First of all. I'm not the 'wild card'. I'm me. I'm Dakota Paige David. And I'm not here to be 'the wild card'. I'm here because I have dreams to chase. And for the very first time in my whole life, last night was the first time I realized that I am free to do anything I want. To choose me. Not anyone. Not anything. Me. So may I please know if we'll be given a chance to get out of here?) Paige erupts before she can even regret everything that came out of her mouth.
The girls look at her in shock horror.
Erin rolls her eyes.
If the speakers had eyes, they'd be looking at her in extreme disbelief too.
The boys from the TV are covering their mouths for a quick second.
The five of them couldn't believe that the same angel faced girl who smells like baby powder all the time is the same person who could fight the producers like that.
Except for Felip who is looking at the floor, just grinning.
Nothing is too serious for the boy.
Until the voice from the speakers comes back "Yes. You are given a day outside the villa every week."
"But only if it is to be spent with one of the gentlemen."
Great. Just great.