Jisoo's POV
I really don't understand why college week would take place before the exams. I mean how can we enjoy it kung ang laman lang ng utak namin ay mag-aral at pumasa?
Why can't it just be the week after so we could have more reason to celebrate? Makapasa man o hindi. Paano kami matutuwa kung may artistang bibisita knowing we will suffer next week?
Unang araw ng isang linggong selebrasyon ngayon. Wala namang masyadong ganap sa opening day bukod sa pageant. Our representative convinced me to join but it's not really my thing. Despite my outgoing personality, I get extremely nervous when I'm in front of a crowd.
They tried their chance convincing Lisa, Rosie and Jennie pero katulad ko rin ang mga yun. Hindi rin sila pumayag. Rosie would've been a great candidate if she agreed kaso lang siya pinakamahiyain sa aming apat. I don't think Jennie will like the attention she would get that's why she declined. Lisa would just take everything as a joke and not be serious about it.
Hindi ko alam kung sinong sasali but I'm rooting for her kaso wala akong ganang manuod. Mamayang gabi pa kasi gaganapin and I don't think my energy would last long today.
Iniisip ko pa nga lang yung booth namin, drained na ako. Mabuti nalang at sabay yung shift namin ni Rosie sa cafe which our department unanimously came up with. I don't exactly know what the theme is but it's very interesting. Parang drawing lang kasi lahat. The walls, the windows and the ceiling. It's like a coloring book waiting to be colored. The only thing that's real are the tables and chairs. Since the background is literally black and white, our uniform stands out.
I don't know if I should be happy that it's a purple matching set, blouse and skirt, because it's my favorite color but Chim said we will look like Barney's minions while wearing it. Napalo siya ni Rosie but it's stuck in my head now. Mamaya pa ang opening at hindi pa ako nakabihis but I'm picturing myself out serving in my cute purple uniform and I want to smack Jimin for crashing down my excitement. I was even planning to buy shoes to match it but we're required to wear black ones. Magsusuot din kami ng white waist aprons and beret hat.
Sa opening kaming dalawa ni Rosie tapos si Jennie at Lisa naman ay sa closing naka-assign. Bukas ay taga ibang course naman yung mati-take over. First year at second year lang yung may booths. Ang third at fourth year ang nag-organize ng buong event. Akala ko nga unfair kasi hindi naman lahat sila kailangan pero nalaman ko na ang dami pala nilang gagawin. Decorations, sound system, advertising, documenting and etc. Okay lang sana kung stage lang idi-decorate eh buong campus. Nitong mga nakaraang araw ay kung saan-saang sulok ko sila nakikita at nagkakabit ng kung ano-ano. Ang theme ng college week ngayon ay candy land kaya pagpasok na pagpasok mo palang, magkakatoothache ka na kasi may namimigay ng candies at chocolates.
May isang cotton candy truck where you can get as many as you want for free kaso lang ang daming inner child ang nagsilabasan kaya sobrang haba ng linya kahit umaga pa lang. Rosie and Lisa are probably lining up too at hindi ko lang siguro napansin kasi parang nakakita ako ng multo.
I got restless. Seeing Taehyung's billboard-like picture on the gates rattled me. Akala ko anytime lilitaw siya sa harapan ko kaya tumakbo ako papasok na parang may tinatakasan. I relaxed when I reached the hallways but I saw his picture again on a bulletin board. Siya yata ang ginawang model para sa posters to invite more outsiders. He's like the face of this university. Hindi ako magugulat kung makita ko man siya ngayon na dinudumog ng mga tao. The guys not even in the industry but he exudes this celebrity aura. Kaya ang daming admirers at stalkers.
And you're one of them now.
I winced. I wish there was a way to make my brain shut up. I'm always having a battle inside my head. It kept throwing unnecessary comments here and there, mocking me.
I hope there's a way to change my heart too. Bumibilis kasi ang tibok tuwing malapit si Taehyung which is bad... so fucking bad because I have no control over it and it sucks.
*****
Nasa girls CR kami ni Rosie ngayon para magpalit. Hindi naman ako ganun kapagod tulad ng inaakala ko. Marami naman pala kasi kaming servers. Maraming customers nung kakabukas palang namin pero naging konti nalang sila nang malapit na magtanghalian. They started coming back at two in the afternoon.
Nakakangalay tumayo but it was fun. It's not as busy as we expected. Hindi kasi dumadagsa yung mga tao. Sabi nga nung parang team leader namin na dapat gumawa kami ng gimmicks to attract more customers.
"I've been thinking, maybe we can offer people to color the drawings on the walls as part of our service." Sabi ko kay Rosie habang nagtatanggal kami ng make-up. We decided to stay and watch the pageant kasi nag-aya raw sila Jimin na sabay kaming lahat magdinner. I was ready to tell them an alibi pero libre raw ni Chim kaya di ko tinuloy. Magdadalawang taon ko na siyang kilala pero ngayon lang siya manlilibre.
I wouldn't miss it for the world.
Nang makalabas na ng CR, nagulat kami pareho kay Suho na mukhang may hinihintay. Rosie told me she'll go back to the cafe to tell the leader my idea and wait for me there.
Before walking away, she gave Suho a scowl. Gusto kong matawa kasi hindi naman ganun ka vocal si Chaeng sa galit niya kay Suho 'di katulad ni Jennie at Lisa na naging antis talaga.
"What do you want?" I wasn't tired pero napagod ako pagkakita ko sa kanya. Kailan niya ba ako tatantanan?
"Can we talk?"
Gusto kong manumbat na bakit niya hinihingi sa'kin yung bagay na hindi niya binigay when I asked for it... pero baka kapag hinayaan ko siya for the last time, he would finally drop it.
I look from left to right. The last thing I want is for a new rumor to spread again. "We can talk here."
"Is Taehyung courting you?"
I scoffed. "Really? Yun ang gusto mong pag-usapan? You know what, just forget it. Why did I even think of letting you speak to me again."
Like in those romantic movies, he stopped me from leaving by grabbing my arm but there's nothing romantic about this. "Wait Chi..." Hearing him call me by my nickname irate me.
"Ano ba kasi yun?!" I did not mean to shout but I really don't see the point of this conversation.
"I have something to tell you." Binitawan niya ang braso ko. He brushed his hair using his left hand, a mannerism I notice he does when he's nervous. "It's about Jinyoung."
