Imperfectly Perfect 3

47 : Bambam

TRIGGER WARNING: This chapter contains content that might be troubling to some readers, including, but not limited to, sexual assault, intimate partner abuse, violence, and PTSD. Please remember to practice self-care before, during, and after reading.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

"Hello, Mina."

"Oh." Mina promptly turns to the storage room's entrance with eyebrows scrunched. "Hi, Bambam. Why are you here? I mean— No offense by that but I wasn't expecting anyone else to come over since you were all busy working at the pool when I left."

Bambam faintly chuckles. "Don't worry. No offense taken. Ms. Sandara thought that the buckets would be hard for you to carry alone."

"No, they're not." The council president confidently states. "I have lean muscles, you know. You'll be surprised how strong I am."

"Okay, okay. I acknowledge that." The theater guy starts walking inside the room and casually reasons out. "But I'm already here so please don't waste my attempt at chivalry and please let me help you."

Mina playfully scoffs. "Okay. Alright. If you say so."

"Nice!" Bambam exclaims in excitement. He then looks around, not finding anything that looks like a bucket beside his teammate. "So... where are the buckets?"

"That... is something I wasn't able to ask the caretakers a while ago. You know what?" Mina slowly walks towards the door. "Why don't you keep looking here for me and I will go back to the pool area to ask them where the buck—"

"No, no, no, no." The theater director quickly moves to block the council girl's way. "Wait. Let's not— Let's not do that. The— the place is not that big! We can find the buckets in no time."

Contrary to how it is expected to be, the storage room is well lit and not dusty. It is also serving the retreat place well since it is evidently housing a lot of the place's things. There are gardening materials, some patio supplies, and even what looks like small and old machinery all lying around the area.

"Umm..." Mina awkwardly smiles. "But I have been looking for it before you came and I got no luck in finding—"

"Well..." Bambam holds the council president's shoulder. He gently twirls her to turn back around towards the inside of the room. "Congratulations. Because with me here now with you... you just got two more eyes to look for the items in question."

"You're one persistent guy. I'll give you that." Mina lets out a short sigh. "Then, let's try scanning the place for just about two more minutes and let's—"

"Five."

"Huh?"

The theater director puts his open palm in front of Mina's face. "Five minutes. If after that, we still can't find it, then... Then that is when we will head back to the pool area and ask the caretakers where the notorious buckets are. What do you think?" He flashes a wide grin. "Sounds like a plan, right?"

"O—" The council girl hesitatingly nods. "Okay. Five minutes. But— but no more than that, okay?"

Bambam then softly smiles at her. "Got it."

After a minute of the two students scanning the place in silence, Bambam decided to speak and start a topic. "So, Mina."

"Hmm?"

"How— How is— Umm..." He glances at the council president, then quickly goes back to moving his eyes around the room. "How is the leadership camp this year for you, so far? You know, comparing it to the past two years we've attended."