[FILIPINO] My Irreplaceable Flower

Chapter Three

GENESIS woke up later than usual the day after he moved to his new house. Napagpasyahan niyang lumipat ng tirahan dahil may pakiramdam siyang ini-stalk na naman siya ng isang fan. It was something he had been used to when he was still based on the States.

Kung noon ay hinahayaan lang niyang gawin iyon ng mga ito sa ngalan ng pagiging fan, ngayon ay hindi na. Genesis learned the hard way that ignoring the actions of rabid fans would eventually lead to something regrettable. At hindi lamang sa kanya kundi maging sa mga fans na rin.

Bumangon siya mula sa kama at nag-inat. For the first time in a long time, he felt refreshed after a long sleep. Kadalasan ay mahaba na ang tatlong oras na tulog sa kanya. Pinatay niya ang cell phone nang nagdaang gabi at buong magdamag na hinayaan lang iyong naka-charge sa dock kung kaya payapa siyang nahimbing.

Genesis wore some clothes, as he slept in the nude, before going out of his room. Bago siya lumabas ay kinuha muna niya ang cell phone mula sa charging dock nito at binuksan iyon. He readied himself for the barrage of calls and messages he would inevitably receive. Hindi kasi niya sinabi kahit kanino na lilipat siya ng bahay at nawala siya sa sirkulasyon ng isang araw. Kabilin-bilinan pa naman ng handler niya na huwag na huwag siyang mawawala sa radar nito na kadalasan ay sinusunod naman niya. Kadalasan being the operative term.

Hindi naman nagkabula ang kanyang hinala. His phone started ringing just a few seconds after booting up. Genesis smiled upon seeing the name of the caller.

"Hey, Glynn." Bungad niya sa tumatawag. It was his older sister.

"Goodness, Geno! Where the hell are you?" was his sister's hysterical reply. "I've been trying to reach you for ages. Bakit patay ang telepono mo?"

Genesis went down to the kitchen and placed the call on speakerphone. Breakfast first. "I'm fine, Glynn. You don't need to worry much about me."

His sister's exasperated breath came through the phone. "Alam kong malaki ka na at alam mo na ang ginagawa mo sa buhay. But you can't expect me to calm down when it seemed like you disappeared from the face of the Earth again."

Iiling-iling na nagsalang siya ng kape sa coffee maker. Expect his sister to exaggerate. Ever since his sudden disappearance a few years back, she'd been worried like a mother hen. Na nauunawaan naman din ni Genesis. He'd been living with her and her family when he was still at the States. Marahil minsan ay busy siya sa mga concert tour ngunit hindi pa pumalya na tawagan niya ito at kapag natapos naman ang tour ay diretsong umuuwi siya rito. Ngayon lang siya tuluyang mapapalayo sa ate niya dahil mas pinili niyang manirahan na sa Pilipinas.

"Besides, I heard from Timothy that you think you're being followed again." Tukoy nito sa pinakabago at pinakabatang miyembro ng Chapter Three.

Damn you, Timoi, and your big mouth!

"Kaya nga lumipat na ako ng bahay, eh. You worry too much, Glynn. You know perfectly well that I can protect myself from stalkers and such."

"You did what, Genesis?!"

Here we go again. Kilalang-kilala na ni Genesis ang tonong iyon ng kapatid. Kadalasan ay daig pa nito ang kanilang ina sa pagiging overprotective sa kanya. "I left the condo and bought a new house."

He heard a pause on the other end of the line. Malamang ay kinakalma ng kapatid niya ang sarili nito. "Care to tell my why your band and handler did not know of this."

"Because I wanted to keep it a secret," Genesis nonchalantly replied. "Pero ngayon, sinabi ko na sa iyo. So, malalaman na rin nila."

"Sinasabi mo bang tsismosa ang ate mo, ha, Genesis?" ang tila nasaktang tugon nito sa sinabi niya na ikinatawa ni Genesis. "Whatever. O, eh, saang lupalop ng Pilipinas mo naman naisipang lumipat ng bahay, aber?"