COME BACK TO ME, SLAVEN | #Wattys2019

Chapter 13 - The Elf Prince

Natigil sa pagkanta si Ella at pinakinggang mabuti ang kanta. Para kasing may 'third voice' siyang naririnig at hindi niya matukoy kung saan nanggagaling iyon. Napabalikwas siya ng bangon sa pagkakahiga when she felt the hair at the back of her nape raising. Somebody is singing with her, not Slaven on the mp3 player but somebody else... She removed her earbuds, the singing continued and it's right behind her! She immediately turned around to see who it was. And her eyes grow wide seeing the man towering upon her,

"Amudo moreuge naege, ije dowa dwae ijen..naege.."

"Anyong haseyo!" Anito pagkatapos kumanta. "Panghaerul haeso mianhamnida. Oh, mian hamnida. Good morning by the way." Anito't ngumiti ng matamis.

Mas nanlaki ang mata niya when she realized something. Nasa fantasy world pa rin ata siya! She is in flesh and blood in the world of elves at nasa harapan niya mismo ang ebidensya! The prince of elves himself! Gusto niyang tumili ng malakas pero walang lumalabas na tinig sa lalamunan niya. Pa'no siya napunta doon? Nananaginip lang ba siya o resulta na iyon ng palagiang pakikinig ng 'alien'. Na transport siya ng tuluyan sa mundo'ng ilalim. Sa mundo ng mga lamang lupa.

No other explaination can further justify the creature before her. Shining ever so brightly in while long sleeves, knee-length shorts, and shoes. And even his fedora hat looks so good on him. Immaculately handsome! Walang normal na tao ang ganito ka-gwapo, chinky eyes, perfectly shaped nose, very yummy lips, pati mukha nito kumikinang sa pagka-flawless. Nakakahiya ang mga pimples niya sa noo dahil sa palaging pagpupuyat. Teka, nasa'n ang pointed ears nito gaya ng sa fairy at elves?

Napakunot-noo ang 'prince of elves' sa kanya at nagsalita. "Aren't you gonna say 'Welcome to the Philippines!' or something?"

"Philippines?" tanong niya sa sarili. Nasa Pilipinas pa ba ako? Saka siya napalingon sa kinaroroonan niya. Nagtatayugang mga gusali,skyrises, fastfood restaurants, trees and bermuda grass she's sitting on. Tiningala niya ang katapat na building ng kinaroroonan niya. Her office building - QNU. Nandito pala siya? Eh kung ganun...

"Sino ka?" Wala sa sariling tanong niya.

"Ah, only English please." Sagot ng elf sa kanya.

"Ah..." Ba't ang bobo niya ngayon? For the past months she's been talking to customers in English straight out. May isip pa ba kaya siya o hinigop na ng elf? "What are you?"

Napakunot-noo ang elf at pagkaraa'y napangiti.

"Do you mean, 'who are you?' " Pagre-rephrase nito. Napatango nalang ang pobreng ulo niya. "Don't you recognize me?" tanong nito na ipinagkunot-noo niya. "I'll take that as a no then."Humakbang ito palapit sa kanya at yumukod para magkapantay sila. Napaisod naman siya palayo dito. Naisip niya baka e-hypnotize siya nito bigla at dalhin siya ulit sa 'underworld'. Pero hindi ba kanina pa naman siya na-hypnotize? Kanina pa nga siya nakatitig lang sa gwapong mukha nito pero hindi naman siya makapagsalita.

"Hey, don't get scared. I'm just trying to get near you so you can see me closely." Malumanay nitong paliwanag, at tinanggal ang suot na sumbrero. "Now, do you recognize me?"

Hindi pa rin siya makapagsalita kaya umiling nalang siya. Bigla itong natawa. "Wow. That was harsh. First time that I got this close to someone and not recognize me." Kausap nito sa sarili at ibinalik ang suot na sumbrero sa ulo. "I guess I have to introduce myself huh? Slaven." Anito't iniabot ang kamay sa kanya. "Nice to finally meet you, Ella."

"Slaven?" Hindi makapaniwalang sambit niya. She looked down at her mp3 player who had Slaven's face on the track of his song 'Come back to me'.

"Haengbokhaejwo ijen haengbokhaejwo. Nae gyoteso orae himdeuroddon mankeum, himduerodo nega himdeurodo. Amu ildo hal soo obneun nareul wihaeso.."

Pagkanta nito sa isang bahagi ng chorus ng kanta. Her mouth dropped open and her eyes went wide.

"Did you come out of the song or am I dreaming?" Wala pa rin sa sariling tanong niya. He chuckled again and patted her head.

"You're really funny." Parang maiiyak na ito sa kakatawa. "But no, I didn't came out of your mp3 player if that's what you mean and neither are you dreaming. I came all the way from Korea to talk to you about something. And of course to congratulate you personally for winning the contest. Your video singing my song 'Come back to me' caught my attention, the ONLY one which caught my attention. Now, I know why." Walang paligoy-ligoy nitong paliwanag. Saka lang tuluyang nag-sink-in after 30 seconds sa utak niya ang kahulugan ng sinabi nito at kung anong sadya nito sa kanya.

"Oh no. Don't tell me you are here to get me to come with you to Korea?" Hindi makapaniwalang sumbat niya dito. Tuluyang nawala ang magandang ilusyon niya na isa itong 'prince of elves' at nasa elven world siya. Nabalik sa reyalidad ang utak niya at pati pag-iisip niya luminaw.

"Yeah. Sort of. But I really want to meet you first, that's why I came here." He sheepishly answered.

'Cute!' Agad naman niyang binawi ang naisip. Sa katulad nitong celebrity, natural na rito ang magpa-cute sa mga fans. Pero hindi siya dapat magpadala doon, dahil hindi siya kabilang sa mga liga ng babaeng dead na dead dito. She's hooked to his song but that doesn't mean she needs to be hooked on him as well.

"I thought I made it clear to your. . .your team, that I'm turning down the offer?! I'm sorry Mr, . . Slaven, I've got better things to think about than this! I'm leaving." She hurriedly stood up and gather her things. Sa pagmamadali ay naapakan niya ang sariling tsinelas at naiwan pa iyon. She's about to pick it up pero naunahan siya ng lalaki.

"I'm not giving them back to you unless you agree to talk to me. Thirty minutes, that's all I need." Itinago pa nito ang tsinelas sa likuran nito. Bigla siyang nag alangan dahil marumi ang tsinelas niya at parang balewala lang nitong hinawakan iyon. But he was playing with her. Nakangisi pa ito ng nakakaloko.

"Fine! It's all yours! I don't care! But I'm not talking to you!" She doesn't like how she is around him. She has to leave at baka magbago pa ang isip niya at sumama nga siya dito. How can a guy be so damn good-looking and enchanting like him?! It's unfair!