Behind the Curtains: A Tale of Hidden Emotions

Chapter 20

I woke up the next morning with a surge of energy and excitement coursing through my body. I felt invigorated, eager to meet the fans, and thrilled about the surprise I had planned for Faye.

"Good morning, everyone!" I greeted cheerfully, hopping into the kitchen. Even did a dancy dance.

"You're extra energetic today, Yoko. Must have had a wonderful night, hmm?" P'wanwan teased, exchanging meaningful glances with Denise.

"Yes, I did." Giving them the satisfaction of their teasing. We all turned to look at Faye as she emerged from our room, looking puzzled.

"What? Is there something on my face?" she asked, wiping her face nervously.

I grinned and nodded. "Yes."

Panic washed over her face as she wiped her face vigorously.

"Beauty," I said proudly. Watching her ears turn red with embarrassment, I laughed heartily.

P'wanwan and Denise squealed with delight. "Oh my goodness, that was so smooth, Yoko!" Denise almost pulled her hair out, while P'wanwan punched the air in excitement while slightly pushing Denise over.

It was chaotic.

"I'm palpitating!" P'wanwan exaggeratedly fanned herself.

"Let's just eat," Faye said firmly, retreating from the kitchen where she was supposed to see what she could cook. Since we hadn't done any grocery shopping, we decided to head downstairs for the buffet.

In the elevator, Faye pinched my side gently. "You always catch me off guard," she whispered, making me giggle.

"What? I'm just being honest. You know I would never lie to you," I said, grinning.

I know you will all agree with me, right?

She rolled her eyes at me in jest as the elevator doors slid open. Together, we made our way to the buffet hall. As I glanced around, taking in the hotel's design, I couldn't help but feel a warm, homely vibe emanating from every corner of the establishment.

As we entered, we were greeted with a variety of cuisines. There were Filipino dishes, French dishes, English dishes, Japanese dishes, Chinese dishes, and more.

We gravitated towards the Thai section and picked our usual dishes. I grabbed a small portion of Thai green curry and rice, eager to try other foods. Eventually, I found myself at the Filipino section. My interest was piqued by a dish called adobo. After a taste test, I found it surprisingly delicious.

I continue roaming around the buffet hall until the desert caught my attention once again.

At the dessert table, an array of Filipino sweets caught my eye: ube halaya, buko pie, mais con yelo which is a corn with milk and crushed ice, cassava cake, maja blanca, turon, and the very unique one for me halo-halo. The usherettes explained that the halo-halo was a blend of beans, jelly, bananas, and more, topped with ice cream and leche flan. This unique combination struck me as bizarre yet delightfully intriguing.

"Did you get everything you wanted?" Faye asked as she guided me to our table.

I nodded, settling down with our colleagues. We talked about our expectations and hopes for the day's show, sharing different opinions but ultimately laughing and praying for good results.

After finishing our meal, we returned to our room to prepare for the event scheduled to begin at 3:00 p.m. Time seemed to fly, and soon everyone was bustling with final preparations. Despite my nerves, I found comfort in knowing I had good company and, most importantly, Faye by my side.