COME BACK TO ME, SLAVEN | #Wattys2019

Chapter 20 - They look and sound good together.

"Uhm...Jônûn Ellaieyo." Pilit niyang kinalkal sa utak ang mga natutunan na niyang salitang Hanguk. kinalkalPati ang speech na inihanda ni Min Ho at Shinye para sa kanya.
"Chôûm poepkessôyo? Aju kôngang hamnida." Tinapat pa niya ang kamay sa dibdib while saying she's perfectly well. "P'ilip'inesô wassôyo, Cebu Philippines. Il ttaemune wassôyo. Jadongcha hoesae EL Entertainment, Slaven imnida. Hangugûn arûmdaun naraimnida. Ne, Hangungmarûl hal jul ûmnida. Hangung marûl mollayo. Hanguk sarami anieyo. P'illip'in saramieyo. Krum, ah. . ." Ang haba-haba na ng nasabi niya, ngayon pa siya na mental block. Ang hirap-hirap naman kasi e-memorize ng mga salitang ang daming syllables at puro vowel-consonant pairs.
"What the heck." she sighed. "I can't even pretend I know how to speak it."

'Bahala na. Maintindihan man nila ako o hindi, gagamitin ko ang salitang alam ko para ipahayag ang nararamdaman ko' sigaw ng isip niya.

Wala na siyang toothpick to calm her now or give her strength. But she looks at the guy beside her and who is the reason why she's here right now, and she found courage.
Nakakainis isipin pero, unting-unting nauunawaan niya kung bakit ganun ang nararamdaman niya para sa binata. At natatakot siya sa ibubunga nun.

"Ella, they're waiting." Pinukaw siya ni Slaven sa paglalakbay ng isip niya. Nag-uumpisa na kasing magbulong-bulungan ang mga tao.
"Come on, you can do it. Make them understand. If you're having a hard time expressing yourself, use your own words. Or better, sing your heart to make them understand." He was saying this while squeezing her hand tight under the table and smiling at her, reassuring, telling her it's gonna be okay.

She stood up and look around her. Dozens of unfamiliar faces, almost all are 'alien' to her. Is she dreaming? Parang bumigat ang mic na hawak niya, pati ulo nya ay parang sasabog sa sobrang nerbiyos at pag-iisip. Nagwawala naman ang puso niya sa sobrang kaba.

They're all looking at her like she's some specimen that needs to be scrutinized and dissected. Like she's gone lunatic and she's a hopeless case. She tried to open her mouth and sing but no words come out, not even a single 'a'. Mas dumarami ang nag-iingay sa paligid, some were even 'booing' her. May iilan na ring nakahanda nang umalis. 'God can you just open the ground and let it eat me?' piping hiling nalang niya. She's ruining the whole presscon. Hindi na siya nakagalaw, o nakapagsalita, she's not even breathing!

She felt Slaven stood up and took her hand. He whispered on her ear.
"Close your eyes and pretend. Pretend it's just you and me, pretend we are in a beautiful place where there are flowers and trees everywhere. And you are singing because you're at peace and happy. Now, close your eyes."

She didn't know how he did it but she was following his lead. She close her eyes and pretended. The prince of elves came back and transported her to his world. Where she became the princess of elves and they are happy. Just him and their subjects.

She magically is hearing Slaven's beautiful music on the background. And Slaven is singing the song . .

She open her eyes and everything around her change. They were in the Elven world, their loyal subjects are below them, she - the princess, and right next to her holding her hand, is the prince. He was singing to the crowd, he looked at her and nodded his head. She got the message, he's giving her the signal to sing the chorus part.

She breath in her fear and listen to the music, ready to sing her heart out...

♪ Haengbokhaejwo ijen haengbokhaejwo

Slaven blended in with her.

♪ Nae gyoteso orae himdeuroddon mankeum

♪ Himdeurodo nega himdeurodo