Gotta Be You {Chandara} - COMPLETED

19. DROP THAT

"Bakit ba kasi kailangan pang pa-suspense?" Tanong ni CL sounding a bit annoyed because our manager refused to tell us where we're headed.

Maaga kaming sinundo isa-isa ng YG van to take us sa isang secret location for work. All we're told about was that this is a highly confidential project and details can't be revealed to anyone just yet.

"Ikaw Dara kanina ko pa napapansin na wala ka sa mood. Is everything alright with you? You look terrible," biglang baling ni CL sa 'kin.

"Well terrible is an understatement. May problema kasi kami ni kapre," I sighed.

"I bet he's fuming mad right now. Kasi kung sa 'kin mangyari yun mapapahiya din ako. What's up with Jiyong ba? Parang baliw lang," inis na banat ni CL.

"But from what I've heard inside the agency, Jiyong is dead serious about pursuing you, unnie. Mukha naman s'yang sincere. Hiningi pa nga daw nya permission ni CEO," paliwanag ni Minzy.

"Sincere or not, that doesn't erase the fact na our Dara here is in a relationship with someone already so he should definitely back off," seryoso si CL and it's like she's reading my mind because that's exactly what I wanted to tell Jiyong right after the presscon.

"Well, I'm no longer sure about me still being in a relationship," I said silently in my head.

"What????!!!" Sabay pang napasigaw sa gulat ang dalawa.

Ooops! I honestly didn't realize that I said that out loud.

"Nag-away kasi kami ni Channie nung isang araw and we're no longer on speaking term," malungkot na pag-amin ko, trying hard not to cry. Grabe kasi pagkamiss ko kay tenga. Kahit madalas bwisit na bwisit ako sa pang-aasar n'ya, hindi ako sanay na di kami nag-uusap.

"Oh no! That's not right. You should apologize, Dara. I mean c'mon, you should understand what he's feeling. He must feel terribly embarrassed and hurt right now by that confession," paliwanag ni CL.

"Pero sana ako din naiintindihan n'ya. Di ko naman alam na mangyayari 'yun. Saka to be honest, I'm bothered na until now tago pa din sa lahat ang relasyon namin. He even asked me to clue in everyone na may balak manligaw na boyfriend ko sya. Di ba dapat s'ya ang gumawa nun? S'ya yung lalaki sa 'ming dalawa," paliwanag ko.

Nagkatinginan lang nang makahulugan ang dalawa matapos ang litanya ko.

"Sorry Dara. But I'm with CL on this one. Knowing everything he's done for you and with the recent circumstances, parang this time dapat ikaw naman ang magpakita kung gano mo s'ya kamahal," dagdag ni Minzy na lalong ikinagulo ng utak ko.

"She's right, Dara. Importante pa ba kung sino ang lalaki at babae sa inyo? Basta mahal mo, go! Saka kanino bang idea na itago ang relasyon?" Tanong naman ni CL.

Napaisip ako bigla. Kasi sa totoo lang hindi ko alam talaga. "Wala naman. Nangyari lang na ganun yung set-up. Private. I don't know," I answered.

"That's what I've been saying," makahulugang sagot ni CL leaving me more confused, or maybe guilty?

"We're here," baling sa amin ng manager.

It's actually a huge remote studio outside Seoul. Madami-dami nang staff ang nandun at mukhang maaga pa lang naka-set up na halos lahat.

"Guysssss!!! Hellooooo!!!!! Did you miss me????"

Sabay-sabay kaming nagtilian nang makita kung sino ang sumalubong sa amin.

"Bommieeeeeeeee!!!" We all screamed in unison.

We immediately ran and hugged her tightly. Grabe! Sobrang tagal namin s'yang di nakasama. It feels amazing na mabubuo kami ulit after all this time. I can't believe she's really back and that everyone managed to surprise us like this. Nakakaiyak sa tuwa.

Magkakayakap pa kaming naglakad papasok ng studio. And when we thought that Bommie was our big surprise that day, our jaws dropped nang salubungin kami ng mas malaking surprise: mga miyembro ng EXO.

It was Sehun we saw first who looked so shy, but he immediately bowed to us as courtesy. Baekhyun was there too and introduced himself to us together with DO and Kai. They were all smiling looking really happy that we're there with them.

I managed to plaster a permanent smile to my face greeting them one by one. Although sa totoo lang ang lakas-lakas ng kabog ng dibdib ko. For sure kasi andito din ngayon si tenga. Kapag sinuswerte ka nga naman talaga.

Maya-maya pa ay dumating naman sina Lay at Xiumin na nag-alok pa sa amin ng milk tea habang itinuturo kung saan banda ang dressing room namin.

Suho then appeared and immediately shook hands with CL after introducing himself to us. It was quite obvious to us how much CL fancies the EXO's leader because she was blushing like mad. She couldn't utter an entire sentence well enough to be understood and could not even manage to keep eye contact with him. Looks like she really got it bad.

On a normal day I would have snickered and prodded CL to do something silly because it's really funny but not today. Masyado akong uneasy ngayon because of what's to come.

"Have you guys heard the news? You must be pretty surprised," asked Suho to us.

"Not really. We're surprised nga na andito si Bom. We had no idea lalo na you guys would be here also. But if this is a collab, this is gonna be so awesome. Imagine YG plus SM? Who would have thought?" Sagot ni Minzy, who was smiling from ear to ear.

"It is a collab. Apparently, our CEO's already inked a deal for us to perform together sa MAMA this December. Sobrang tuwa namin when they told us this morning. It's an honor," paliwanag ni Suho na muling nag-bow.

"Wow! Really? Salamat. You are too kind. Honored din kami," kilig na kilig na reaksyon ni CL sa narinig.

Nag-high five naman sa tuwa sina Bom at Minzy.

"This is gonna be so much fun!" Bom added.

"Hello Dara!" I was startled all of a sudden by Chen's appearance in front of me.

"Hi," I answered briefly.

"It's so nice to finally meet you in person. We've heard so much about you from..."

"Ehemmm..." Hindi na nakuhang tapusin ni Chen ang sasabihin n'ya because of sino pa nga ba ang nag-ehem? Sa lalim pa lang ng boses alam mo nang galing sa ibang dimension. Kapreng-kapre talaga ang datingan.

Alam kong nakatayo sa likod ko si Channie and I just stood there frozen unable to look back to see him. Hindi ako prepared for this. Kung pwede lang talagang irewind ang oras or burahin ang chapter na 'to nagawa ko na.

"Hello," bati ni Channie kina CL, Bommie at Minzy.

"Chen, saan ang CR dito?" I asked out of the blue.

"CR? Malapit lang naman. Sa likod mo. Dun lang." Tinuro pa ni Chen ang CR 'kuno' sa likod ko gamit ang nguso n'ya.

I still refused to look back dahil alam kong may kapreng nakatayo sa likod ko.

"Dun sa kabila sa may malapit sa stock room may CR?" I asked again, referring to the other side na malayo sa kung nasaan si Channie. "Oo meron di ba? Napansin ko kanina nung pumasok kami. Sabi ko nga meron. Oo meron. Papunta na ko dun now na. Grabe ihing-ihi na 'ko," dire-direchong sabi ko not giving Chen or anyone else a chance to talk. I sprinted like a professional runner away from the awkward scene.

How do I get myself out of this mess? Bakit ba parang inaasar ako ng universe ngayon?