Modelo

Chapter 3

napabalikwas si katerina ng higa nang marealize nya na wala sya sa kanyang kama, sigurado syang wala sya sa bahay nya dahil wala naman syang magagarang gamit sa kwarto nya. luminga linga sya, nagpapanic na at di alam kung anong gagawin.

bumukas ang pinto ang bumungad sa kanya ang matangkad na lalaki. ngumiti ito. "good afternoon, sleeping beauty."

pinantaasan nya ang binata ng kilay. "sino ka? pano ako napunta dito? nasaan ba 'ko?"

bahagyang lumapit ang binata, nakangit parin na parang walang nararamdamang kaba si katerina. "nasa bahay kita, and calm down... please."

"sino ka'ba?"

"I'm vien."

"okay, vien. bakit ako nandito, sa bahay mo?"

"i kidnapped you."

nanlaki ang mata ni katerina sa sinabi ng binata. wala syang nakikitang takot, sama o kahit ano sa mukha ni vien pero ngiti lang na para silang magkaibigan. "seryoso kaba?"

naglakad palayo si vien at umupo sa couch na nakaharap kay katerina. "i didn't do that to harm you. i just wanted to help."

"help? tulong? anong pinag sasasabi mo?" naguguluhan na usal ng dalaga.

"how do i explain it... uh! that's it. i know you, Ms.  Katerina Loui Mercado Rojas" he said, mispronouncing the last part.

"rohas po ang pronounsation nun, ganun lang po ang spell" pag tatama ni katerina. "paano mo naman nalaman ang pangalan ko? pati middle name ko?"

"That's not all I know about you. I know how old you are, where you live, what you do for a living, and I know many more things about you." katahinikan bago sya muling mag salita. "I'm also aware of what your mother needs to get better."

sa part na yun ay wala ng masabi si katerina. iba na ang nararamdaman nya, di nya alam kung magtitiwala ba ito sa binata na nakasuot parin ang maamong ngiti na kahit matapang na aso ay magiging malambing dito.

"tulong para sa mama ko?"

"i mean... yes. for your mother and your brother. I'll pay for your mother's surgery, hospital bills, I'll pay all of your depth, scholarship for your brother, the 12 years old boy who's almost not attending to his class and just eating leftover from your work. i can help you with all of that just do me a favor."

it almost made Katerina's knee fall in the ground. that's a big deal. as in all of his depth? the hospital bill? surgery and scholarship? isn't it too much for a favor... but what favor? it must be also a big deal but judging on vien's expression, it's a piece of cake.

"anong kailangan mo?"

"come, sit down." he pointed the couch from across him that Katerina hesitated but still sit in it.  "the favor is... pretend to be someone"

"ano?"

"Act as freen, and I'll do all the thing i said."

"sino ba tong si freen bakit kailangan kong nagpangap na sya? anong trip nyo? social experiment? prank kung kanino?"

"freen is a model, a famous model actually. she knows as a princess of modelling. she's a princess" silence. "... unfortunately... she passed away"

"huh?" mahigpit na tinginan mata sa mata. "paanong patay? gusto mo kong mag pangap ng taong patay na? sinong maniniwala dun?"

"every person in earth. everyone." he sigh, standing to take the framed picture of a girl. he handed it to her. "she is Freena Valen Costa. model, born in july 19 1998, 25 years old... died on may 30 2024, and no one knows she's dead except me— her family doesn't also know it too. it's crazy but she just looks like you"

katerina zoned out as he sees the woman in the photo. no it doesn't just look like her, it's... a duplicate of her. no. katerina is the duplicate of her.