EXTRAORDINARY CONTEST 2.0

Kabanata 5

"Hello! My name is Iana Laranez and uhm. Yeah! I am single and looking for a fiancé!"

I smiled at the camera.

"Cut! Pwede isa pa? Last one na, Iana!"

Scent instructed while holding it.

Tumango ako at tumingin sa paligid. Nandito kami ngayon sa bahay ng parents ni Scent. It's been a month since her wedding with Jeremy at dito raw muna sila maglalagi habang under construction pa yung magiging bahay nila.

Tito Mikhail just smiled at me a little as if encouraging me.

Meanwhile, Tita Cris...

Well, she is still giving me that weird ridiculous look na hindi ko maintindihan. Para bang hindi siya makapaniwalang nandito ako ngayon at gagawin ko talaga ito!

I sighed and just concentrated on the video shoot para matapos na. Nasa office daw si Jeremy pero nakakahiya pa ring nandito ako ngayon! Pakiramdam ko ay ang laking abala ko sa honeymoon phase ng dalawa. Tsk!

"Snacks are ready! Kumain daw po muna kayo!"

Sulpot ni Vimiko, younger brother ni Scent. I blushed a little dahil crush ko talaga ang batang ito! Carbon copy siya ni Tito Mikhail and he looks like my forever celebrity crush na si Kim Soo Hyun!

I think he's three to five years younger than me, kaya off-limits! At ayoko din ng jowa prospect na immediate family ng friends ko. Kapag talaga naunahan pa akong mag asawa ng batang ito ay ewan ko na lang!

Nagkwentuhan lang kami habang kumakain ng merienda. Nasa boundary ng city at province itong bahay nila, around forty-minute drive din mula sa bahay ko. Nasa Canada na ang parents at younger sister ko na naunahan na akong magkaroon ng sariling pamilya. Ayoko namang umalis ng Pilipinas dahil dito ko gustong maglingkod kahit sakit sa ulo ang gobyerno at sistema.

"Thank you talaga, Iana! I mean, thank you sa cake! Nag abala ka pa..."

I smiled at Tito Mikhail. Nginitian ko na rin si Tita Cris na nakatingin na naman ng kakaiba sa akin. Tila ba may gusto siyang sabihin sa akin pero hindi niya pwedeng sabihin.

Ang weird!

"You're welcome po! Kulang pa nga po iyan sa pang aabala ko sa inyong lahat dito! Maraming salamat po sa support ninyo sa misyon kong lumagay na sa tahimik! Sana po ay hindi ko kayo mabigo!"

Tumawa silang lahat.

"Amen! Walang kaso sa amin, ano ka ba! Tara sa study at may applicants ka na!"

Nagpaalam kami ni Scent sa hapag at umakyat sa second floor. Dito sa study nila kami madalas tumambay noong araw kasama ang orgmates namin. Ang bilis talaga ng panahon, parang kailan lang ang lahat!

"Eros Pol Villaruiz..."

Kumunot ang noo ko. Scent sighed.

"He applied, Iana. Nag apply siya as contestant! Paano ito?!"

My eyes widened at tiningnan ang mga forms at requirements na pinasa ni Eros.

What the hell?!

"Bago tayo ma-stress, good news muna! Monmon is officially our contestant! Nag send na siya ng signed forms at requirements kanina. At least meron na tayong isa! So dalawa na lang!"

Nanlaki ang mata ko.

Whoa, really?!

This is it na nga yata talaga!

I tried to recall Tito Mikhail's contestants.

Si Tita Jem ay girl bestfriend niya but they never had sparks or anything romantic. Then si Tita Nara naman ay long time admirer niya that time, schoolmates yata sila since high school. And Tita Cris was a complete stranger pero magkaibigan ang mga tatay nila kaya nag connect.

Scent can vouch for Mon. Can I do the same for Eros? Pero teka!

"Scent, hindi pwede si Eros diba? He's still married! At shocks! I am glad that Mon joined!"

Potek na mixed emotions ito!

"What if mag ligawan na lang kayo ni Monmon?! Hay naku! But anyway, at least nga ay kilala ko na yung isa! As for Eros..."

Umiling si Scent at may binigay sa aking panibagong papel.

"Their annulment is filed, waiting na lang sa hatol ng korte. So technically, nakapasa siya. But of course, ikaw ang last say at papel pa lang naman iyan! Nothing is definite yet and there's a probability na hindi yan i-grant ng court!"

Tumango ako.

"Too risky. It is too risky to accept Eros! And I feel like the contest defeats its purpose kung sasali siya! I mean..."

I massaged my temple. Scent sighed.

"I honestly don't know kung advantage ba ni Eros ang pinagsamahan ninyo or not but I understand where you're coming from, Iana! There might be a bias..."

Tumango ako.

"At ngayong alam na niya ang tungkol dito, he will surely intervene! Kahit hindi siya matanggap as contestant, I am sure that I will still have to deal with him. Kilala mo naman iyon!"

Natahimik kami.

"Iana?"

"Hmm?"

"Monmon or Eros?"

My heart skipped a beat. Nabigla ako sa tanong at parang naging blangko ang utak ko! Hindi ako makasagot!

Scent grinned.

"Accept his application, Iana! I think you are now ready to bring Eros to a level playing field. Sure he is your great love, but we are looking for that one true love, the one who's damn willing and ready to be with you for life! Without any reservations, without excuses! If he wants to try, hayaan natin! At tama ka, whether he's accepted or not, he will still try to wear that hat. Kaya mas mabuti na yung kasali siya!"

I sighed.

"You think so? Tingin mo, hindi unfair kina Mon at sa isa pang contestant iyon? I can never underestimate Eros again, Scent. I am worried that he might become a dark horse here and that alone seems unfair to the other two already!"

Scent just smirked.

"Once again Iana, Monmon or Eros? Choose!"

Napangiwi ako. 

Damn, wala akong sagot!

"See?! It used to be just Eros, Iana! But well, here we are now! I will give you time to think about this first, walang pressure! I will focus on finding the third one but just in case ayaw mong tanggapin si Eros, I will shortlist two..."

Shit ang sakit na ng ulo ko! Pero ayoko ng mag-isip! Baka umatras pa ako kapag pinahaba ko pa ang pag-iisip sa desisyong ito!

"Fine! No need to shortlist two, I accept Eros! One last, Scent. Let's find the last one!"

My Contestant #2: Eros Pol Villaruiz