Sitter

13

Dara didn't answer for a while kaya nag-alala si Sanghyun.

He knew it was a touchy subject for his sister but his curiosity got the better of him. Now, he just wanted to punch himself for basically dragging his sister's unwanted memories back to her.

"Sandy, if you don't want to talk about it, it-"

"For the first year na umalis ako, wala naman masyadong nangyari." She said, cutting her brother off. "Did I mention I had a girl best friend there? She was the one who helped me sneak out of the City through car. She, Minho and I became close and we practically were inseparable. For a year, ganon lang. Then when I stepped foot in college, I became CL's half-sister's sitter. Before you ask, I had to live up to my 'I'm poor' act so I had to go to part time jobs and the likes with Minho. Then, CL offered me the job of being a sitter.

"At first hindi talaga ako umayon doon sa batang babantayan ko. Umabot pa nga ako sa point na gusto ko na talaga sanang iwan nalang siya, which is so not me, as you know naman Kuya na mahilig ako sa bata. Then when we were out for her mother's birthday which they celebrated at the beach, I saved her from drowning kahit hindi ako marunong lumangoy. Wala kasing ibang tao sa paligid, and if I didn't do anything, baka nawala na yung bata. Kami sanang dalawa yung malulunod, but thankfully, nakapansin yung half-brother ng bata saka isa sa mga kaibigan niya kaya naligtas kami. Simula noon, naging ka close ko na yung bata and she relied on me.

"A few months later, her half-brother - which was also CL's step-brother, started acting weird. Nakakatawa nga ang ibang ginawa niya, now that I think about it. Magkaiba kami ng course pero panay ang dalaw niya sa college ko. He was popular, kasi nga mayaman saka may itsura, so naging target din ako ng mga kutya at pang-aaway for a while."

Sanghyun kept listening as he stroked his sister's hair with one hand while the other was balled in a tight fist.

Hearing that her sister almost drowned was one thing, but hearing her getting bullied was another.

At least she was trying to save a life when she risked her life for a child. Pero ang ibully siya dahil sa isang lalake na hindi niya naman lubos kakilala nang mga panahong iyon, well that was different.

"I got sick and tired of all the bullying kaya I confronted the guy. I asked him why he kept on visiting me every day and if he could stop para lubayan na din ako ng mga fangirls niya. But then, he said he didn't want to. He said it so seriously that I almost punched him in the face right then and there.

"I asked him why, and he - out of the blue, announced that he'd court me with or without my permission. Akala ko noong una nang gogood time lang, yun pala totoo na. And you know me Kuya, may experience ako sa dating, pero wala sa totoong relationship at sa love. Ewan ko kung pano niya nagawa, but that man had me falling for him big time.

"We ended up in a relationship and it lasted for 2 years. Pero yung relationship na iyon, laro lang pala. Saklap no? Parati kong pinagsasabihan si Bom na huwag magtitiwala sa mga kaklase niya sa US kasi puro mga mukhang fuc*boy at baka mapagtrippan siya, ending, ako pala napagtrippan. Alala mo nung bumalik ako dito for the first time after I left? The moment we met after I arrived at the City, he broke up with me in the most hurtful way possible for a woman who's seriously committed in a relationship.

"Then I found out that his friends - who got closer to me in those 2 years, were in on the game and they were even the ones to choose me as the toy. Then I returned home right after that. Yun lang Kuya, that basically sums everything up, pero don't worry. Those events made me stronger kaya stop balling your fist and let your blood circulate."

Sanghyun did just that and frowned. He then inched closer to his sister, giving her a side hug.

"Don't worry sis, I won't let any of that happen to you again. Okay?"

"Hmm."

~

Finally, the day of the banquet arrived.

There was no way that the media won't know about the event as majority of the people invited - who were famous businessmen and professionals, talked about it in interviews and the likes.

With a scoop like this, siguradong hindi ito palalampasin ng media.

Sanghyun - who had predicted this, had already prepared a red carpet outside of the venue where all the attendees paused for their photos to be taken.

"Oh? Tinalo pa entertainment awards ah?" Natatawang sabi ni Seungri.

He and CL were inside their car, waiting for their turn.

"Nagtaka ka pa? This is a family included in the .01% richest in our country. It'd obviously be like this."

CL wore a pink one shouldered gown with gems scattered all over it. The dress hugged her body perfectly from the upper body down to her upper knee and flared out right after that point. The dress had a slit reaching mid thigh, revealing her baby pink heels. She had her hair in a bun and kept her jewelry at the minimum, wearing only her engagement ring.

The car stopped and it was their turn.

They went out and noticed Jiyong with a woman dressed in a green silk floor length dress that revealed just too much of her front and back.

"That Kwon Jiyong!" CL hissed at the sight of the woman her step-brother had brought as his date. "Can't he find someone more decent?!"

"Just let him be." Seungri sighed before escorting CL along the red carpet.

CL and Seungri just managed to step inside the venue when a black Mercedes-Benz S-600 Pullman pulled up.

Everyone - including those walking down the red carpet, turned to look at the newcomers. They were sure the people inside the vehicle weren't simple.

Sasakyan pa lang, iba na.

The driver exited the vehicle and circled it to open the door for the people inside.

A few minutes later, a tall masked man, wearing a customized suit from Black Label, emerged from the vehicle, followed by 2 other men.

2 of the 3 men looked like they were in their late 20s to early 30s while the other appeared to be their grandfather and all three of them were wearing masks.

'Sila na ba yan?'

'Shit! Sila yan! Tingnan mo ang figure na nasa unahan ng sasakyan.'

'Iba talaga ang force ng mayayaman ano?'

'Pero ba't nakamask?'

Just when everyone thought that the vehicle only catered to the three men, a pair of gold colored heels stepped out of the car.

Nauna nang naglakad ang matandang lalake kasama ang lalakeng unang bumaba ng sasakyan while the other man escorted the woman out of the car.

The reporters have seen a lot of beautiful ladies walk down the red carpet that night. These ladies had on the perfect make-up, coupled with the perfect dress and smile.

Yes they were pretty, but the woman who just walked out of the car was breathtakingly gorgeous - even with her face covered.

"Is that?" A woman walking down the red carpet turned to her brother to ask.

"Yep. The Yang-Park family's only direct female family member. The elusive Sandy."

"Elusive Sandy?"

"That woman is so difficult to come by. Wala pa nga sigurong tao dito sa City natin ang nakakakita sa kaniya but people from the high society in their City says she hides her face for no damn reason at all. Sabi pa ng mga kakilala ko, baka mainis pa ako sa kaniya because she hides her face when there's no reason to do so."

The woman, understanding what her brother meant, looked at this woman dubbed 'the elusive Sandy', and understood why her brother's friends said what they said.

She was a girl, but she wanted to rip the mask off of the woman's face just to satisfy her curiosity.

The woman was wearing a royal blue off shoulder floor length dress with a train adorned with Swarovski crystals, making her dress appear to sparkle every time she moved. She wore a black mask with blue accents over her face and for some reason, no one can look away.