Echoes Of The Past

05

Zx @dullifs
Guys I just found out that the new MCs of Winner Show were classmates. Cute! 😭

jioanday: hindi na ako magtataka kung mag bestfriend sila jfkdkekeks
eclipsq: SIBLING VIBES 💘
missubalikna: friends lang ba? 😂
cravingforseiupdate: I'M SURE THEY ARE FRIENDS.

I can't even count how many times did I shake my head when I read the tweets, and articles about Jio and me. They already found out that we were classmates during high school. Hindi ko alam pero hindi ako kinakabahan kung may mas malaman pa sila tungkol sa past ko. I mean, I admit that I was harsh— pero kay Jio lang! I have nothing to worry about. And as they said he was my best friend, it's normal for friends to tease each other like that, right? Hindi naman ako maaccuse as a bully for that, right? And I know that our school won't release many details about their past students. Kahit bayaran pa sila ng malaki.

And I'll remind you lang, Jio is not my best friend. He's... He's my dog!

"Are you Miss Gizean?" A guy named Enoch asked me. I smiled at him and nodded. Ngumiti rin naman siya pabalik at umupo sa isang pang sofa. Enoch is also an emcee for this music show. Tatlo kaming kinuha nila. To be completely honest, I actually know nothing about him. But I heard, he is a soloist and an actor.

Ramdam na ramdam ko ang awkwardness between us two. Kaming dalawa palang kasi ang narito sa office ng director ng music show na pagtratrabahuhan namin. Our managers are outside, maybe waiting for the director to come and greet them.

I keep taking a glimpse to the man who is now reading a magazine. Should I start the talk? I don't know how to communicate! Wait, I'm am emcee, dapat pala alam ko 'yon! Pero ayoko pa rin. My gosh, bakit ba ang tagal dumating ni Jio? Wait, bakit ko ba siya hinihintay? He can arrive as late as he want! Though maaga pa naman.

"Are you going to say something?" The guy looked up.

My eyes widened. "A-ah, the weather is so bright," I expressed. Honestly, I'm not fun of small talks. Pero dahil nga hindi ko pa siya kilala ay wala akong choice. I need my manager or Kia right now!

"Mhm. I like this kind of weather," he shared while he was staring at the glass window of the building. I also like hot weather, but I prefer rainy days more. Dahil siguro minsan lang umulan? I'm always longing for its presence.

Noong wala na akong masabi ay pasimple kong tinignan ang wrist watch ko. Our meeting will begin at 10:30 am, it's already 10:15 but Jio is still not here yet. We will just sign the contract but he's already late! What kind of behavior is that? An utterly wrong and intolerable one!

"I heard that you and Jasiah of Xcapes were high school sweethearts— I mean, classmates," Enoch mentioned. Muntikan ko na siyang mabato ng vase dahil sa sinabi niyang high school sweethearts! Is the definition of sweethearts ay magsagutan, magbardagulan, mag-asaran the whole day? If that's the meaning, I guess, we really are.

"We're just classmates. And we are not close," I corrected him. Tumingin siya sa akin at ngumisi, like he was thinking that I just lied. Gosh. Kung ganito rin pala makakatrabaho ko, huwag na lang. Uuwi na lang ako.

"Oo nga. Hindi kami close." My heart jumped a little when I heard his voice. Tumingin ako sa pinto at inuluwal nito ang pinakapangit na nilalang sa mundo. Jio is wearing a large denim jacket and his inside shirt is a plain white one. Nakasuot din siya ng black ripped jeans and a black cap— he looks like he went on an earlier schedule pa.

I almost rolled my eyes when he first went to Enoch to have a handshake with him instead of me. Nevertheless, I don't care. Kahit batiin niya pa lahat ng staffs at employees in this building, wala akong pake. "You are late."