Melodious

Verse 6

Recap from Verse 5:

Maine was in a coffee shop where she met a talkative waiter named Kenneth. She also watched the video Ria posted on Youtube, which consisted of RJ creating his own music.

***

Alden was inside his friend's coffee shop when he learned about the video. It was past nine already, and fortunately there weren't that much customers. Meron man, mga busy naman sa phone at laptops nila.

Then there was him, watching his video for the umpteenth time. Sa mga oras na iyon, hindi niya alam kung papasalamantan niya ba ang kapatid niya o sasakalin. Tinawagan niya ito pero nang sagutin ang tawag, hindi niya rin alam ang sasabihin.

"I'm not sorry, Kuya," bungad ni Ria sa kanya.

"Ria, the producers—"

"Producers na naman? Palagi mo na lang sila iniisip, isipin mo naman ang sarili mo. Be honest with me, Kuya. Do you still enjoy what you're doing? Are you still having fun? Kaya ka pinayagan ni Daddy na magtuloy sa pagpasok sa music career ay dahil alam niyang mahal mo ang music. Pero kuya parang nakakalimutan mo na what songs meant."

Alden clenched his fist, pissed. "Ria, it's not that easy! Nasa ilalim ako ng kontrata at pwede akong makulong dahil sa ginawa mo!"

"Eh di bayaran mo yung termination of contract!" Ria snapped at him, equally pissed. "You're rich enough to pay them, Kuya!"

"No," Alden automatically retorted. "Para sa inyo ang perang 'yun, Ri."

"Mas kailangan naming masaya ka at kasama namin kesa sa pera," Ria's tone turned softer. "Just come home, Kuya. Please?"

Alden closed his eyes, unable to help a sigh that spilled from his lips. "It's not that easy, Ria. Not anymore."

Ibinaba ni Alden ang tawag at inihilamos ang kamay sa mukha. He watched the video again, frustrated. Inaasahan niya na rin na tatawag si Tori, ano mang oras—

"Alden Richards, what have you done?" bulyaw ni Tori mula sa kabilang linya. "Ang dami nang tawag sa management ang nakukuha ko! Ano na naman 'to?"

"It's not my fault," Alden defended himself. "It's Ria. My sister's out and playing hero again."

"We need to do damage control. Please, ask your sister to take down that video. Gah, kahit naman alis yang video kalat na kalata sa buong internet. Emergency meeting. Asan ka ba ngayon? Puntahan kita?"

"Sa coffee shop ni Sam," sagot ni Alden. "Sige, hintayin kita dito. Bye."

Ibinaba niya ang tawag. Makailang ulit na niyang pinapanood ang video niya and he couldn't help but agree with his sister. He looked more like himself when he does his music. But he's not just RJ. Not anymore.

He needs to put Alden Richards into consideration.

"Excuse me," tawag niya sa isang waiter. "Baka pwedeng makahingi ng tubig?"

Natigilan ang waiter. Kumunot ang noo. Tinitigan siya. Tumango lang ito at umalis, at sa pagbalik nito inilapag niya ang baso sa lamesa ni Alden. Iniangat niya ang tingin at nagpasalamat sa waiter, ngunit nagulat nang pumalatak ito at umupo sa harap niya. "Ikaw si Al—"

Nasamid si Alden sa ininom at agarang tinakpan ang bibig ng waiter. "Pre, wag masyadong malakas."

Nag-peace sign ang waiter sa kanya at nakipagshake hands. "Sorry, sorry. Na-excite lang. Pang-umaga kasi shift ko, kaya ngayon lang kita nakita. Nako, matutuwa mga kapatid ko neto! Pwede makahingi ng autograph?"

Alanganing ngumiti si Alden. "Sure... uh, saan ako pipirma?

"Ah, teka, babalik ako."

Pagbalik ng waiter, may bitbit itong punit na paper cup at sharpie. Kahit medyo naweweirdohan, pinirmahan pa rin ni Alden ang baso na agad itinabi ng waiter sa bulsa niya.

"Nako, hindi ka ba pagkakaguluhan pag nakita ka ng mga tao dito?"

"Kaya nga ako nakadisguise."

"Disguise eh namukhaan nga kita," well, that waiter had a point. Pero busy naman ang ibang tao eh, hindi naman siya napapansin. "Buti na lang pala nagstay ako! Tapos na shift ko kaya lang hinihintay ko pa kasi yung kaibigan ko."

Alden awkwardly smiled.

"Pinapanood mo pala yung video mo? Alam mo, ang daming nanonood niyan dito sa coffee shop. Kanina, sa shift ko, mga labing-isa ang nanonood," mukhang madldal talaga ang waiter na 'to. Di kaya paparazzi 'to?

Mukhang hindi naman, baka sadyang madaldal lang.

"—tapos may nahuli pa nga kong umiiyak pagkatapos panoorin yung video. Naisip ko, ang OA lang niya, 'di ba? Pero baka superfan mo lang. Pero nung nag-usap kami sabi niya hindi daw siya fan... school mate mo daw siya dati? Kaya lang di ko rin alam kung maniniwala ako, pero sabi niya kakabalik lang niya ng Pilipinas kaya di niya alam na sumikat ka na."

"Oh? Ano daw pangalan niya?" Hindi rin akalain ni Alden na makikinig siya sa madaldal na waiter.

"Hindi ko natanong eh."

Alden's face fell in disappointment. "Sayang naman."

"Pero nakita ko yung pangalan niya!" the waiter scratched his chin, deep in thought. "Medyo unique nga yung pangalan niya eh, pero di ko maalala... teka. Mana? May? Mai—"

Alden felt his heart skip a beat. "Maine?"

"Oo ata?"

Anong ata? Hindi pwedeng ata! Dapat sigurado ka! Gustong sigawan ni Alden ang waiter, pero ayaw niya naman maiskandalo. Kahit pakiramdam niya mailuluwa niya na ang puso niya.

Maine? Si Maine nga ba? Nasa Pilipinas nab a ulit siya? Nagbalik na siya? Kailan pa siya nakabalik? Bakit parang walang nagsasabi sa kanya? Teka, bakit ang dami niyang tanong?

"A-anong... anong itsura?" Alden swallowed the lump in his throat.

"Cute, mukhang manika," the waiter smirked. Alden felt like punching him. "Medyo morena. Brown na buhok, tapos brown na mata. Actually, maganda siya. Masungit nga lang."

At this point Alden started doubting. "Masungit?"

"Oo," the waiter nodded. "Mataray, ganon. Tsaka magaling mag-English, ganda ng accent."

Then he felt disheartened. And maybe a bit disappointed. Neither masungit nor mataray describes Maine at all. Maybe it wasn't her. Maybe it wasn't his muse.

Alden was distracted when Tori arrived for the emergency meeting. His head was filled with possibilities, that even if he didn't want to hope he prayed Maine came back, though it was highly unlikely that it was for him. Tori was saying something aabout him performing short original pieces in his mall shows, and turning his recent songs to mellow when he sings it live.

"—Alden, are you even listening?"

Tori crossed her arms when the singer snapped his focus back to her. "Ano bang problema? I know you're not paying attention. What is it?"

"Wala, may naalala lang," he mumbled. "Ano na ulit sabi mo?"

"Iniisip ko kung paano iikutin ang sitwasyon. Hindi natin pwedeng ilagay sa alanganin ang pangalan ng Golden Angel Records. At lalong hindi naman pwedeng ikaw ang ilagay sa alanganin."

There was some sort of silence between them. Before his thoughts fully slipped back to Maine, Tori snapped her fingers. "Alam ko na! I'm getting an idea, but I need... shit. Gah. Alden, can you make some more compositions? Kahit maiikli lang?"

That froze him on his seat. He tried smiling, even though his cheeks hurt at its falseness. "Hindi naman ako ang nagsulat nun."

"Huh? Eh di sino pala?"

"Yung... dati kong kaibigan," Alden lifted his eyes to hers, and for the first time ever since meeting him, he seemed like a stranger. This wasn't Alden at all.

This guy.

This was RJ.

He smiled. "Maine ang pangalan niya. Nicomaine."

***

supposed to be uploaded yesterday but I ended up watching replays... the kilig doesn't fade, no? Kahit ulit-ulitin pa. Hihi. Hi guys! Happy 44th weeksary! :)