Snippets and Special Chapters

Love Will Set You Free

Author's Note: Henlo, lovely peoples! Happy 90k reads for TTWII!!! 😭✨ Thank you for reading and loving my stories, still. I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I enjoyed making them. Here's a special treat to celebrate the 90k mark.

I have linked the peg/OST for this special chapter HIHIHI. Listen while reading for more feels! 💕

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Juan Adriel's POV

I just got home from work when I saw Dad on our living room laughing while holding his phone. He's probably watching another silly video or pranks. Again.

"Dad," I greeted.

"'Nak!" bati niya pabalik saka tumayo at lumapit sa 'kin.

"Hmm?"

"Basahin mo 'to. Dami nagre-request na mag-collab daw tayo." His grin was wide, turning his eyes into slits.

I looked into his phone and saw the comments on his recent short cover of Kodaline's Love Will Set You Free that he remade. His original cover was decades ago, hindi pa ako pinapanganak.

"How did they know that I sing?" I asked confused. Hindi naman ako nagpo-post ng kahit ano sa social media. I mean. . . I did sing and I sometimes film it, but they never get to see the light of the day. It was something only my family and my friends see.

He chuckled. "Syempre anak kita. 'Matic na 'yon! Ano, game ka ba?"

"When are we doing this?"

"Tonight?"

I thought for a few minutes. Wala naman akong ibang gagaw'in kaya pumayag ako.

"Okay, sige po."

Malaki ang ngisi niya bago ako tinapik sa balikat. "Ayos. Sige, after dinner na lang."

Nagtungo na siya sa kusina para magluto ng hapunan. I walked towards my bedroom to change. We waited for my siblings and Mom to come home before we had dinner.

Pag-akyat ko sa home studio namin ay nandoon na si Dad at nag-aayos. My sister trailed behind me saying she wanted to listen. Siya na rin daw ang magvi-video sa amin.

"Wow, this is serious," I commented.

He laughed. "Naman!"

I walked to our mini fridge inside the studio and got two cans of beer. I handed the other one to Dad. Drinking makes my voice a little bit huskier and if my guess is right—that we'll be covering Kodaline's—then all the more reason to drink.

Kodaline was probably Dad's favorite band. He has a collection of their albums at home and some were even signed. Sa dalas niyang pagpapatugtog nito ay nagustuhan ko na rin sila. I liked their music and the lyrics of their songs.

"Pahingi din, Kuya," Alie said.

My brows furrowed. "Nope."

"What?! Malaki na ako!" protesta niya.

I know. She's already twenty-four but she'll always be a baby in my eyes.

"Malaki na nga 'yang kapatid mo. P'wede na ngang mag-boyfriend, eh!" natatawang sagot ni Dad.

I frowned at that. Alie just stuck her tongue out before she got her own can.

"Paano ang atake natin, Dad?" tanong ko bago naupo sa maliit na stool.

"Dalawang kanta ang naisip ko na i-cover. Isang piano version ng Love Will Set You Free mapanakit version," he laughed before he continued, "saka yung accompaniment version ng Wherever You Are."

I nodded.

"Gusto mo ikaw mag-piano?" he asked.

Me and my siblings all knew how to play musical instruments because Dad introduced them to us at such a young age. I played piano and guitar. Alie, too, while our youngest, Amie, played guitar, piano, and drums. I could also play drums but he's better than me.

"Okay."

Pinakinggan ko muna ang live version na gustong gayahin ni Dad bago kinapa sa piano. Hindi ko saulado ang notes ng Love Will Set You Free so I tried playing it by ear. Siya naman ay nag-test muna ng magiging arrangement namin para roon sa isa.

After fifteen minutes, I was confident enough to play the song in piano. I wore my headphones, then drink on my beer before I signaled to my sister to start filming.

Alie fixed two cameras at different angles para kita kaming dalawa ni Dad. This was not our first rodeo—Dad has been doing this for a long time already, doing song covers on YouTube and Facebook, kaya pati camera ay naka-set up na rin sa studio para maganda ang kuha.

"3. . . 2. . . 1. . . and rolling!"

I closed my eyes as I started playing the intro of Love Will Set You Free before I sang the first verse.

"I'm sure you're probably busy getting on with your new life
So far away from
So far away from
When everything we used to say was wrong is now alright
Where has the time gone
Where has the time gone

If you're ever feeling lonely
If you're ever feeling down
You should know you're not the only one 'cause I feel it with you now
When the world is on your shoulders and you're falling to your knees
Oh, please
You know love will set you free."

I looked straight at the camera as I continued the instrumental leading to the chorus, and then Dad sang the second verse.

Nang matapos ang recording ay pumalakpak si Alie.

"Ganda, Dad. 'Yan na siguro debut mo, Kuya," natatawang sabi niya.

We heard knocks on the door after a while and Alie peeked at the door. Alam niyang nagre-record kami kasi naka-on ang red light sa itaas ng pinto sa labas na parang sa mga Xray room para walang mang-istorbo.

"Wow. 'Di man lang nag-aya!" aniya bago tinabihan si Alie.

Dad chuckled. "May isa pa naman. Sama ka na dito sa sunod. Ikaw sa MIDI drum pad."

"Ayos. Ano'ng iko-cover natin?"

"Wherever You Are."

"Nice."

I'm still at the piano and Dad's now on the acoustic guitar. Amie was on the drum pad and near the sound system pati na rin sa egg shaker. Alie now arranged for three microphones for any adlibs we wanted to make.

Mom walked inside right after we finished and there's a ghost of a smile on her beautiful face.

"Gagi, trending na naman 'to!" natatawang sabi ni Dad pagkatapos namin. "Upload ko bukas ang isa para daily ayuda." Mom just shook her head at Dad's antics.

We spent the rest of the night at the studio drinking and singing our favorite songs as a family.