Intro
Nakakasilaw. Nakakabingi. Ang mundo ng show business ay hindi kailanman tahimik. Ang paglago ay parte na ng mundong ito. May biglang mawawala, aalis at may bigla ring papasok at mananatili. Ano nga bang mahika ang mayroon sa showbiz para mahumaling ang iba na pasukin ito? Was it some kind of a paradise that everyone will missed if they didn't try to enter it? Kung paraiso nga ang mundong ito, bakit marami ang nasasaktan? Bakit marami ang nahihirapan? From the abuse to cheating issues, how can they say that it was paradise?
My mother was never a fan of showbiz ever since she left that world. Kilalang sikat ang aking ina sa pag-arte ngunit naglaho iyon. My mother left that world because it was tricky, deceptive, abusive and a bunch of lies. Ang mga artistang hinahangaan ng mga tao ay nakakubli sa mundong hindi naman talaga kaaya-aya. People were smiling upon seeing their idols, praising them but they didn't know exactly who they are. Sa mundo ng show business, kailangan mo ng maskara. Kailangan mo ng pagtatago at pagkukunwari. That's how you survive in that world.
She reminded me not to join that world but I was curious. I wanted to see it. The entire world of it.
Now, I was here. In a world with spotlights, with noise, rush and fun. Na-engganyo ako at ngayon ay hindi na maalis-alis ang tingin at isip sa mundong ito.
"Saoirse, hurry up! Kailangan ng tao ngayon sa team!" My aunt was in a hurry to pull me inside the back stage of the event. Hindi pa man ako tuluyang nakakapagpahinga ay agad naman akong pinagmadali sa paglalakad.
The usual setting of concerts and events were as bright as the first time I saw them. Ang iba't ibang kulay ng ilaw sa stage, ang mataas na platform, ang mga taong hindi magkanda-ugaga sa pag-aayos ng lahat ay ganoon pa rin. They were still as busy as ever. It's not like I never see them every week. With my aunt being the head of the production team, I was always with her. Sa kahit anong lakad, hindi ako nawawala dahil kailangan niya ako.
Pumasok kami sa kwarto ng artist na magp-perform ngayon. Dahil sa sobrang busy ko ngayong linggo, hindi ko alam kung sino ba ang kailangang asikasuhin ngayong araw. I wasn't really that interested however, I am part of the team so I needed to know. A part of my job here is to do chitchats with the artist if they want to. Kung gusto nila ng tahimik na proseso ay susundin ko rin naman.
"Sa Sweet Amber, Miss Juli. Kulang ang tao roon," rinig kong sagot ng isang staff sa aking Auntie.
"At talagang sa Sweet Amber pa tayo kinulang? We need to impress them!" pagalit ang tono ni Auntie.
"Sorry po, Miss Juli. Nagpalipat po kasi 'yong iba ng assignment."
Bumuntong-hininga ang aking tiyahin at hindi na pinansin ang staff. Lumabas kami sa kwartong iyon at dumiretso sa isa pang kwarto. Dim ang ilaw at bilang lang ng aking daliri ang staff na nakikita ko. May isang nagtutulak ng rack ng mga damit. May isang nakatoka na sa isang artist.
I have recognized the famous faces of the group, Sweet Amber. It's a three-man band composed of the three Benitez siblings. They were one of the famous young artists of this time, or even when I was younger, I kept seeing these three on the television.
"Asikasuhin mo si Gio, Sorch. Pupuntahan ko muna si Mrs. Benitez." Bahagya akong tinulak ni Auntie at iniwan na sa gitna ng kwartong iyon. Napansin kong ang isa sa mga myembro ay napalingon sa akin.
The Benitez's only girl smirked at me. Sa tagal ko na sa production team, ngayon ko lang aasikasuhin ang Sweet Amber. They were recently transferred to my Auntie's production. Hindi ko alam ang nangyari sa nauna nila pero I think that it was a good thing. Bringing my Auntie's production into the spotlight means having a lot of artists coming to us. Mas lalago ang team, mas malaki ang pasok ng pera.
