COME BACK TO ME, SLAVEN | #Wattys2019

Chapter 10 - It's nice to finally meet you up close.

Author's Note Quick One:

Okay, I'm really pressured by you Madam Dessa to upload haha. So here it is, done in a rush so no time to edit. Maybe I'll add later, I have to go somewhere first. Ciao! Enjoy!

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"Ella."

"Hmm?" Nilingon ni Ella ang kaibigan'g si Angeline. Hindi na naman ito mapakali. Ilang araw na rin niyang napapansin na parang may gusto itong sabihin sa kanya na hindi masabi-sabi. Para bang may itinatago ito at ginawang hindi maganda sa kanya.

Naninibago siya kay Angeline. Their friendshio has always been open. Ika nga, 'no secrets, no inhibitions'. They're both frank, open-minded and straight to the point. Kaya kung may nagawa ang isa na hindi maganda ay agad pupunahin iyon ng isa o itatama. Kaya nga sila close sa isa't-isa. Ngayon lang nangyari na parang hesitant ang isa sa gustong sabihin at hindi kayang e-express iyon.

"Anje? What did you do?" Diretsang tanong niya. Hindi na niya matiis ang pagpapaligoy-ligoy nito. Kinakabahan kasi siya at hindi niya mawari kung ano man sasabihin nito. Pero sigurado siyang tungkol sa kanya iyon at hindi niya magugustuhan. "Nag-post ka ba ng scandal sa Youtube?"

Tanong niya na pampagaan sa ng usapan. Kaso, Angeline just went stiff with wide eyes pa. She's hit something. "Ange? It's not funny anymore. Can you please quit acting weird? You're freaking me out!" Inis niyang sabi. Bigla ba naman itong humagulgol.

"Hoy! 'Wag ka ngang magkalat dito! 'Kita ka sa camera!" Nasa elevator kasi sila pababa ng building. Out na sila at tapos na ang shift sa araw na iyon.

"I know you'd never forgive me for this. But I just did it to help you. You have to understand. I hope you will." Umiiyak na sabi nito, sapo ang mukha. Inalalayan niya itong lumabas ng elevator. Nasa ground floor na sila.

"Ange! Ano ba! 'Wag ka dito magkalat sabi! At ano bang pinagsasabi mo? I can't understand you!" Inilayo niya ito sa karamihan at pumunta sila sa gilid ng building. Malawak ang bermuda grass na nakalatag sa grounds, doon sila madalas tumambay ni Angeline.

"I need you to meet some people. They'll be able to explain everything to you. Just promise me, hear them first before you get mad at me okay?"

"What is this all about?" Hindi na talaga siya natutuwa sa itinatakbo ng usapan nila.

"Just promise me first Ella." Desperada nitong pakiusap.

"O-Okay." Kahit hindi sigurado'y pinagkakatiwalaan pa rin niya ito.

"Thank you." Mukha'ng medyo nahimasmasan na ito. "They're here." Tumayo ito sa damuhan at hinila siya patayo. Nagulat na lang siya ng may lumapit sa kanila na dalawang 'alien'.

"It's nice to finally meet you up close. Mannaso bangapsummnida Ella. Do you have a moment?" tanong ng babaeng alien sa kanya.

She didn't know what happened 'cause she just found herself coming with them. Na-hypnotize siguro ng alien.

"There must be a mistake. I'm sorry,but I didn't remember entering myself in a contest - " She tried to reason out but stop when she remembered something. Binalingan niya ang kaibigan, na nakayuko pa rin ang ulo, sa tabi niya. "Anje?" she called her. She felt her throat tighten when realizations dawn on her. So this is what it's all about. "Did you?" she asked uncertainly. Anj didn't answer.

Nasa restaurant-coffee shop sila sa isa sa pinakakilalalang hotel sa Cebu. Doon sila dinala ng mga kasama nila para daw makapag-usap ng maayos. They were trying to explain to her that they are from an entertainment company in Korea. And they're informing her that she won a contest, which she totally has no idea about. She won apparently, 10,000 US dollars, and a free trip to Korea for two weeks.

"What is this contest all about?" Mukhang wala siyang makukuhang sagot mula sa kaibigang nagpahamak sa kanya. Tahimik pa rin ito. Kaya binalingan niya ang mga Korean at ang Pinay negotiator ng dalawa.

"Have you heard of Slaven?" tanong ng Pinay.

"Yes. Just recently."

"Well, Slaven will be making a come back a few weeks from now. And to make things more eventful, we've launched a promotion barely two months ago. . ." Unti- unting nagkakalinaw sa kanya ang lahat. Nanlaki ang ulo niya habang pilit inuunawa ang lahat ng ipinapaliwanag ng babae. "Your video was choosen among thousands of videos sent. And was the only one approved by Slaven himself. So here we are, asking if you are willing to come to Korea and do a promotional single with Slaven for the song 'Come back to Me'."

She simply could not believe everything. Korea? Slaven? Ten thousand dollars? Angeline betrayed her and uploaded the video on Youtube. Everything is so hard to believe. So unreal.

"Miss Ella?" untag ni Shinye sa kanya- ang babaeng Koreana. "We really are hoping for you to come. You don't have to worry about anything. We will take care of everything, from expenses, accomodation, fees, everything will be taken care of. We'll also be leaving money for your family to support them while you are away." Dagdag pa nito. Nalula siya sa lahat, pero. . .

"I'm sorry. I can't accept this."