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He glances at the woman in black, and just like that, everything else. . .vanishes. Including her.
His mind zeroes in, thoughts razor-sharp, as a different version of himself steps in.
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Myeongdong. My fellow Aguilas couldn't stop raving about this place before we even got here. But when I finally get to see what the hype is all about, all I find is disappointment at every corner.
Apat na piraso ng maliliit na takoyaki na kamukha ng ibinibenta sa mga bangketa sa Quiapo—250 pesos. Tatlong stick ng strawberries na nilubog sa pulot—400 pesos. Isang fish-shaped waffle na kasing-laki ng palad ko at may palamang mainit-init na monggo—500 pesos.
And on both sides of the crowded street, all I see are overpriced shops—mostly makeup brands I either don't recognize or vaguely do, but let's be real, I'm not exactly lining up to smear chemicals on my face. So, they didn't stick.
"Annyeong! Come with me, pretty girl!" Isang sumasayaw-sayaw na bunny mascot din ang biglang lumapit at pinakitaan ako ng food menu. Tadtad din ito ng mga presyong nakakahilo. "We have best food!"
Everywhere I turn, it's like everything is out to murder my savings. Makes me wonder what 'Myeongdong' really means. Pretty sure it's 'Capitalism.'
"Gab, bibilhin ko 'yang huling piraso ng strawberry mo, okay?" I tell my brother, who pauses mid-bite, looking at me like I'm an empty wallet. Which is fair because I really am that, figuratively speaking. "That's four hundred pesos in total, right? So, ang isang piraso ay one hundred thirty-three pesos na lang. Gusto ko lang kasing tikman—"
He frowns. Inilayo pa niya mula sa'kin ang stick niya na para bang isa akong snatcher. "Gumastos ka nga. May pera ka naman, eh," sabi niya, naiinis. "Aanhin mo ang pinagyayabang mo sa'king malaki mong ipon?"
Eh kaya nga malaki kasi hindi ko ginagastos. "Aanhin ko naman ang tigfo-four hundred pesos na tatatlong piraso ng strawberries?"
"Kakainin. At kung ayaw mong kumain, manahimik ka."
Naglakad siya palayo para tabihan si Eula. Umakbay pa siya rito na para bang—wait a minute. Did they get back together? Oh, oh, oh. Is that why Eula's been a bit nicer to me for the past twenty-four hours?
Napatingin ako sa iba kong mga kasama. Theo, Zalo, and Poli position themselves around Juan Miguel, forming a neat triangle. Yep, he is here too, sporting the same incognito look from Campo de Estrellas—white hooded jacket, black pants, and a face mask.
Inside the luxury boutique, packed with women's designer bags, shoes, and dresses, the Prince of Manila stands behind the glass, sifting through items with hyper-focus.
He's shopping. For someone. And it's definitely for Eloise.
The girl chased him all the way from Manila to Seoul.
The girl deserves a reward.
Speaking of her, I still can't get over the fact that she looks like me—not me, me. Hindi naman kami 'yong mga nasa soap opera na mukhang pinagbiyak na buko at siguradong kambal na pinaglayo ng tadhana. No. It's not like that.
But! There's an undeniable resemblance. At first glance, you'd probably think, yeah, she could be me. But when you really look closely, like I did last night when Juan Miguel walked up to her after dinner and I stood right beside her, you start to see the differences.
BINABASA MO ANG
The Pearl Princess (Taglish)
Ficción histórica(Be back on last week on November 2024) She's a royal guard, trained to protect. He's the Prince of Manila, born to rule. From the moment they met, they've been sworn enemies. Now, they're getting married.
