Second Chance

ATHENA 15

ATHENA 15

“WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING, HA SOYI???!!!”

Rachel took the flight to Philippines as soon as sumabog yung issue. It was the day after the news broke out at di ako makalabas ng condo. Some of the media were still downstairs.

Di naman ako makapag-isip ng maayos. Di ko matanggal sa isip ko yung mga comments ng mga tao.

“Hoy SOYI!”

Tinignan ko si Rachel. Ano pa nga ba ang masasabi ko?

“Ano?? Wala ka bang sasabihin???”, frustrated na tanong nitong si Rachel.

“A-anong sabi ng agency?”

Mas lalo ata siyang nafrustrate. Hinagod nito ang ulo niya at tumabi sa akin.

“Ano sa tingin mo?? They were mad, Soyi. They want you back in Korea asap.”

“Asap??”

“Bakit?? Gugustuhin mo pa bang magstay dito?? You’ve caused a huge scandal, Soyi!”
“Pero…pano, si Minhyuk…? Si Clyde! Kailangan kong magexplain. Di to makakabuti sa kanilang dalawa!”

Naalala ko yung fan meeting dapat ni Minhyuk, Rachel told me it was cancelled. Si Clyde naman, their family kept silent pero nagkaroon ng balitang the Franco family did not want anything to do with them anymore.

I messed up. Dapat ayusin ko to. Tumayo ako at lumabas ng unit ko.

“SAN KA PUPUNTA??”

“I…I have to talk to them.”, pagmamadali ko.

When I opened the door, I saw a familiar face standing outside.

“ATHENA BUMALIK KA DITO, HINDI KA PWEDENG---”

Natigilan din si Rachel.

Pauline immediately hugged me. Di ko mapigilang hindi maiyak.

“We’ll talk inside.”, sabi nito.

Rachel left my unit since Pauline wanted us to talk privately. Medyo may pagkamaldita talaga tong stepsister ko pero she’s very kindhearted. When it comes to family, talagang malambot ang puso niya.

“Kailan ka pa nakabalik??”, tanong ko dito.

“Kaninang umaga lang. I saw the articles, Athena. What happened??”

Kahit na mas matanda ako sa kanya ng dalawang taon, she seemed like the older one. Pano ba naman kasi, mas mature talaga tong mag-isip kesa sakin. Kahit pa noon.

“We were photographed. That’s just about it.”, pagbuntong hininga ko dito.

“Screw those photos. Why don’t you deny them???”

“Pauline, you don’t know how cruel the society is now. Kahit anong sabihin ko, they won’t stop.”

“At least tell them the truth! So tatahimik ka na lang???”

She was already mad. Napayuko na lang ako.

“I have to go back to Korea…I’ll talk it out with my agency. Pero…can you help me with something first??”

“Ano yun???”

I asked for Pauline’s help na makalabas ng condo without letting me seen. Since we look almost the same with the hair at yung tangkad namin, naisip niya na magpapanggap siyang ako while I drive out of the condo. She’ll distract the reporters from seeing me escape.

Luckily, gumana yung plano. Nagdrive ako agad sa office nila Clyde. I dialled his number.

“Sagutin mo, Clyde…”

Pagkatapos ng ilang ring, sinagot na din niya.

“Athena?? You shouldn’t really call me right now. Mainit pa dito sa office.”

“I know, I know. But can I at least explain?? I’ll try to apologize to Mr. Willford. Ako na ---”

“Athena, he’s really mad at you right now. I tried explaining..pero he was frustrated with the Franco’s decision to cut all their ties with us…”

May naisip naman akong ideya.

“Sige, wag ka mag-alala Clyde. Aayusin ko to.”

I drove quickly to one of the Eli Hotels. I searched kung ano yung main office nila and luckily it was just around the vicinity. Nagbabakasakali lang akong baka nandito si Ms. Eliza.

Sinuot ko yung cap at sunglasses ko para di ako makilala. I went to the reception area and asked if I could have a word with Ms. Eliza Franco.

“Sorry ma’am but you can’t speak with her unless you have an appointment. And Ms. Franco is not available right now.”

Tinanggal ko naman yung cap at sunglasses ko. Nakilala naman ako nung nasa reception.

“Please tell her it’s Kim Soyi and it’s urgent.”

Siguro nabalitaan din niya ang nangyari kaya pinaghintay niya muna ako.
After ilang minutes, she gave me a piece of paper.

“Ms. Eliza wants to meet with you in this place. She’ll be there soon.”

Hindi na ko nagsayang pa ng oras. Nagpunta na ko sa restaurant na nakalagay sa papel and it was a place near the bay area. Hindi magarbo yung lugar at konting tao lang ang nandoon.

I waited for her for a few minutes at may nakita na kong dumadating na babaeng nakashirt and jeans. Lumapit siya sa akin at inabot ang kamay niya.

“Hello, Ms. Kim. Ms. Eliza Franco.”, sabi nito.

Halos di naman ako makapaniwala sa nakikita ko. Totoo ba to?? Reincarnation ba to??? Kamukang kamuka niya si Faye! She looked like the girl I saw in Clyde’s pictures. Mas mature nga lang ang muka pero, hawig niya!!

“H-hi…”

Umupo naman siya at seryoso ang muka nito.

“Is there a problem Ms. Kim?”

“H-ha?? Wala..it’s just that…kamukang kamuka mo si—”

“Yung ex ni Clyde? Yes. He told me that too.”

Ang tadhana talaga pag nagbiro minsan di din nakakatawa eh.

“I agreed for us to meet here para wala masyadong makilala satin. Is there anything you want to say?”, diretsang tanong nito.

“Ah. Yes. Please let me apologize for what happened. Hindi talaga totoo na---”

“Clyde cancelled our marriage. He used dating as an excuse. Sa tingin mo ba, maniniwala pa ko dun after I saw your pictures with him the night before our engagement?”

Seryoso ang muka niya at kung di ako nagkakamali, she was sounding so bitter about everything.

“I know you, Ms. Kim. Clyde has talked about you ever since I met him. Don’t tell me now na hindi ikaw ang rason sa pagcancel niya?”, dagdag pa niya.

“You…you like him, don’t you?”

Nagulat naman siya sa natanong ko.

“Does…does it matter? He likes you, not me.”

“Eliza, it’s true that he did…pero times have changed. And he knows, that even though years have gone by, we will be just friends.”

She had a poker face. Mayaman man ang pamilya niya, and she may have been a part of an arranged marriage, but she liked Clyde genuinely.

“But let me tell you this, please. Seryoso si Clyde sa sinabi niya sa event. He wanted to give you and him a chance. He cancelled the wedding dahil ayaw niyang makulong kayo sa kasalang minadali…he believes that if he would be given a chance to marry you, he wants to do it the right way and not just because it would be advantageous for your companies.”

Hinawakan ko naman yung kamay niya.

“Eliza, we’re in not that kind of relationship. Please believe me.”

She looked at me blankly for a second. I don’t know if she’s trying to figure out kung papaniwalaan ba niya ko o hindi.

Pero tumayo din siya at nagpaalam na.

“I’ll go ahead, Ms Kim…I wish you well.”

------

Pauline helped me pack my things habang si Rachel ay nasa telepono pa rin niya. Kinukulit na kasi siya ng agency na bumalik na ako at magcconduct sila ng meeting regarding sa issue.

“Are you sure you have to go?”, tanong ulit sakin ni Pauline.

“Oo. I sent all the documents to your email na kakailanganin mo for the renovations.”

“Yeah, I saw them. Don’t worry, ako na bahala dun.”

“I’m really sorry, Pau. Tatapusin ko talaga dapat to, kaya lang…”

Nginitian naman ako ni Pauline.

“Ano ka ba. Fix your life first. It’s time you face your problems now.”

Di ko pa nagawang makipagusap kay Pauline tungkol sa biglaang pag-alis ko. Kahit na updated sila sa nangyari sakin sa Korea, I wasn’t able to tell them personally. They were the ones who understood always. And even though I lived like it didn’t bother me, I’ve always felt so guilty about it. Sadyang di ko talaga kayang harapin sila noon.

I hugged Pauline and thanked her one last time. I just don’t deserve them.

“Soyi, aalis lang ako saglit. Minhyuk’s manager wants to talk to me before we go back to Korea.”, pagpapaalam ni Rachel.

Nagmadali naman siyang kunin yung bag niya at palabas na nga siya ng pinto nang bumalik ang tingin niya samin ni Pau.

“Pau, please don’t let her leave this time. We can’t afford any more problems.”, sabi ni Rachel.

“Yeah, don’t worry.”

Pagkalabas niya ng pinto ay nagpatuloy na nga lang ako ng pag-aayos ng gamit. Habang tinutupi ko yung mga damit ko, naalala ko na naman yung mga masasakit na salitang nasabi sa akin ng mga netizens. How could they judge so easily? Hay. With everything that has happened, di ko magawang di isipin na karma ko na yata lahat ng to. This is where it would all end. After trying to conceal my guilty feelings for many years, talagang gagawa at gagawa ang mundo ng paraan na ipaalala sakin yung mga nagawa kong mali.

Apparently, nobody escapes their due punishment. Dadating at dadating yan.
Then, the doorbell rang.

Nagkatinginan kami ni Pau. Sino kaya yun??

“Hindi naman siguro…reporter yun no??”, tanong ko sa kanya.

“Wait. Dyan ka lang.”

Tumayo nga si Pau at pumunta siya ng kusina. Kumuha siya ng kawali.

“Hoy anong gagawin mo dyan!!”

“Shh! Pangtaboy ko sa mga reporters ano pa!”

Lumapit nga siya sa pinto at tumingin muna siya sa peephole.

Binaba naman niya yung kawaling hawak hawak niya.

“Sino yun Pau???”

Lumingon naman siya sakin.

“Uhm…yung ex mo, Athena.”

Binuksan ko agad yung pinto. Si Theo nga.
Nagulat naman siya ng nakita niya si Pau.

“Pauline??”

“Hi..”, awkward na sagot nitong si Pau.

Nginitian naman siya ni Theo.

“Uhm, can I talk to you Soyi?”, sabi nito.

Nagpaalam ako kay Pau na mag-usap lang kami saglit. She suggested na sa unit na lang ni Theo kami magusap at baka daw maabutan kami ni Rachel sa unit ko. She told me she would text me if parating na si Rachel.
Binigyan naman ako ni Theo ng maiinom.

“Thank you.”

Umupo siya sa tabi ko sa sofa.

“Are you okay?”, tanong niya.

“Ayos lang naman…eh kayo? I saw news articles na ibaback out niyo daw yung partnership kila Clyde??”

“That’s not true. Hay, grabe silang mag-exaggerate ng sitwasyon. I only told my team not to give any comments about the issue.”

“Ah, buti naman…”

I looked at Theo. Para siyang walang tulog sa itim ng eyebags niya.

“Siya nga pala, Clyde wanted me to relay his message...he said he’s sorry too. Di ka na niya nakausap ng maayos nung nagkita kayo, he said he was overwhelmed with the issue. Plus, his dad has been nagging him regarding our partnership and Eliza.”, dagdag pa ni Theo.

“Pasensya ka na. I really didn’t intend to ruin anything.”, nakayuko kong sabi dito.

“Soyi, none of this was your fault. They were stolen photos, sila dapat ang mahiya sa ginawa nila.”

I can’t help but to cry nung naalala ko na naman yung mga pictures and malicious comments sa net. Everything was just so harsh, idagdag mo pa yung problema ngayon ni Clyde at ni Minhyuk. Their plans were ruined because of me.

“Hey..it’s going to be okay.”, pagtry ni Theo na icomfort ako.

Umiling iling ako.

“Theo, you have no idea kung gano kalupit ang mundo ng showbiz sa Korea. You don’t understand, it’s all over. Worse is, I caused too many problems to my closest friends.”

Pinahiran ko yung luha ko. Hay bakit ba ko naiiyak kase.

“Do you like it that much there…?”, tanong ni Theo.

Do I like it that much??

“I mean, can’t you go back here if things didn’t work out there…”

Go back? Hindi ko maimagine na bumalik ng ganun ganun lang. Ang dami ng pinuhunan ko sa career ko dun. I also have tons of memories there. Hindi madaling iwan na lang lahat ng yun.

“Korea has given me a second chance in life, Theo. I got the chance to live as a different person. Nakilala ako, hinangaan, binigyan ng rangya sa buhay…but most especially, I discovered what I wanted to do for the first time in my life.”

I reminisced to those times na binigyan ako ng pagkakataong makapagaral ng pagmomodelo. That first time I got an ad, at nung nagsign ako ng contract with my agency. It was fruitful and I was proud of myself. For the first time, I achieved something na talagang pinaghirapan ko.

“I felt so happy. For a while, nalimutan kong may mga iniwan ako. It was something that I would choose over and over again…”

Theo was just looking at me, ready to listen.

“All my life, feeling ko other people would always make decisions for me. Nung bata pa ko, palipat lipat na lang kami ng lugar ni mama, I was forced to change schools every now and then. Tapos….nakilala kita. Then we went to college…you wanted a business course for both of us…then you proposed…and suddenly, I was going to marry you…”

He looked like he was eager to listen more. Di ko alam kung anong nararamdaman niya, but I continued.

“I wanted to be responsible for my own decisions, Theo. I wanted to know what it’s like to have something that I wanted to do, yung hindi pinili ng iba para sakin. I wanted to feel secured about myself and not unsure.”

“Pero Athena, hindi kita pinilit noon. You could have easily said no.”

“I know…but would you understand? Paano ko sasabihin na hindi pa ko handa kasi hindi ko alam kung anong gusto kong gawin sa buhay ko?? Ni rason nga para hindian ka, wala akong maisip. How could I possibly have explained it to you then?”

Tumayo ako sa kinauupuan ko at lumuhod sa harap niya.

I had to tell him, he deserved it more than anyone.

“Theo…I know it’s years too late…but,

Napahibik na ko. Ugh Athena pls don’t breakdown now.

…I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. Mali akong iwan ka. I was too confused, too lost. I didn’t want us to tear apart ng dahil lang sa di ako sigurado noon. I didn’t know what it would cause you. The last thing I wanted is for you to get hurt.  I’m sorry…”

I reached for his hand and nilapit ko yun sa noo ko. Wala akong pakialam kung magmuka akong kawawa sa ginagawa ko. I wanted to apologize so badly.

“Tumayo ka, Athena.”

“Hindi. Gusto kong magsorry. Kasalanan ko ang lahat. I thought I was saving the both of us. But everything is still messed up until now.”, I cried more.

Pinatingala niya ako sa kanya.

“It’s not entirely your fault. I didn’t know that you felt that way…”

Umiling ako. “Kasalanan ko Theo…I’ve hurt a lot of people along the way…”

He helped me get back up on the sofa at hinawakan niya ang muka ko.

“Did you know what hurt me the most, Athena? Hindi yung iniwan mo ko…hindi yung hindi ka naging sigurado…

…it’s when you underestimated my love for you.”

Underestimate?

“You’ve thought so little to what I’m willing to do for you. Akala ko, you knew how much I loved you. I was wrong.”

His eyes were so sad, gusto ko siyang yakapin.

I did this to him. I didn’t know the price that I would pay para lang madiscover ko pa ang sarili ko. Come to think of it, it was too selfish of me.

Theo has never been the enemy para takasan ko sya…he was my person.

And I’ve hurt him.

“Bumalik ka na, Athena. Nagmessage na si Pauline.”

Tinignan ko yung phone ko. Di ko na napansin na nagtext na pala si Pau.
Kahit labag pa sa loob ko, umalis ako sa unit ni Theo… feeling worse than ever.

-------

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:

--- And we're down to the last three chapters!!! Thank u again for all my lovely readers 💖 Hoping I won't disappoint u guys 😢😢

--- ALSO, I have a NEW ROM-COM (Romantic comedy) story coming up. I've finished the first few chapters, will be posting it as I publish the next chapter ng Second Chance.

Thank youu!!!