Beautiful Time [SHORT STORY]

Part 9: Dream

Nandito ako sa company ngayon. It has been weeks since that dreaded time. It passed so fast. Nasa labas lang ako ng meeting hall. Rinig kong pinag-uusapan nila yung plans about my dance series. Ang dami na ring nag-aabang dun. We missed lots of premiere dates.

Last release namin is yung Sugar choreo pa in Jomalig Island. Akala ko after nun babalik pa sila para tapusin yung series. Turns out, dinissolve na yung contract namin.

It has been rough for me pero my company has never failed to support me. Choice ko naman kung bakit maraming fans ang tumigil na suportahan ako since the word got out.

"No!" sigaw ni Sam habang nasa meeting hall ang executives.

Nahihiya ako sa kanilang lahat. I failed them. We were doing so well pero dahil di ako nag-ingat, nasira lahat ng plano.

"Samantha, Zen already agreed to do this. Kahit ang company, ayaw. It won't be our loss kung hindi gagawin. Matutuwa pa nga ang fans. Philippine entertainment industry is thirsty for love teams and romantic content. If we're just focusing on Zen, madali lang yun. But since that is not the case for Korean entertainment industry, matatarnish ang career ni Jisung. Zen insisted on this."

Kahit na paulit-ulit akong pabalikin sa sandaling yun, I would still choose to do the same. Mas pipiliin kong gawin to.

"Zen naman. Please be rational. It's your career we're talking about. We've invested so much in this." Sabi ni Sam. Konti na lang ay paiyak na rin siya. Sino bang hindi? She was there for me since hindi pa ako sikat. She believed in me, we grew together.

"I know. We've invested so much in me but trust me he sacrificed much more for his career." I saw how hardworking he is. I saw how passionate he is. I can't bear to be the reason para masantabi lahat ng yun.

While our dance tandem received lots of love here in the Philippines, hindi ganung positivity ang nareceive namin from Korean fans. We had to do something to clear things up.

"Please think about it, Zen. If you're sure, I'll support you alam mo yan. But think about it." Pagmamakaawa ni Sam.

"I'm sure, Ate Sam. If the fans really believe and support me for who I am, my past won't be an issue."

It was hard for me but I know it has much harder for her. All that was left to do was for us to be there for each other.

While I was waiting for the meeting to end and for the statement to be released, I stayed in the dance room. I was welcomed with all the memories.

Binuksan ko yung laptop and there was the edited finale episode. Something that was unexpected. Beyond all standards and expectations. Sino ba naman kasing mag-aakala na magcocontemporary kami.

[watch Let You Love Me performed by Sean and Kaycee]

This was the first for us. We went out of our comfort zones. Nung una ramdam ko na kabado kami pareho pero looking at each other's eyes, nagawa naming mapaganda yung performance.

We just felt the beats of the music, the message of the song and we let our bodies interpret it through movements.

This could have been it. The perfect finale.

But life doesn't always seem to go the way that we want it to go. There would be detours, stopovers and sometimes we wouldn't reach our expected destination.

Jisung may have had a detour but looking at him now. I can see that he's well on his way to his desired destination. Ang galing niya sa comeback nila. It made me feel proud.

The sacrifice was worth it.

"You do know that releasing this statement might be the end for you, Zen." Our CEO asked me. He was very fatherly to me.

"Yes" I quietly answered.

"You do know that releasing this statement would let the public know that you are a murderer's daughter and those who are in the orphanage were the children of your father's victims right?" they cautiously told me. It was already years ago. My father accidentally poisoned himself and his colleagues. We were sent to that orphanage. Samantha's father is one of my father's victims but she understood the situation. Hindi madali pero natanggap din niya.

Maraming nagalit sa pamilya namin. My mom even left me. Hindi ko kasalanan pero sabi nga nila, the child bears the sin of the parents.

"Once this is released, you could lose your whole career." Huling paalala ng CEO namin

Tumango naman ako. Handa na ako sa consequences.

"Zen" ramdam ko ang yakap ni Sam nang madatnan niya akong umiiyak sa practice room.

"You lost some of your fans, yes. But there were people who still chose to support you so the management decided to continue with the series." Nakangiti niyang sabi. Nabunutan naman ako ng tinik sa dibdib.

"But you know, hindi na si Jisung ang partner mo diba?" she told me.

Tumango ako.

Oo naman. Matapos ba naman lahat ng nangyari. Hindi naman ako tanga.

"Siya nga pala, may nagpadala nito dito sa company." Sabi niya sabay abot ng isang malaking box habang nakangiti. Alam ko namang nag-uusap pa sila ni Manager Jaehan. Mas close pa nga sila ngayon eh.

Binuksan ko ang box at nakakita ng cylindrical na lagayan at envelope. The Dream Show ticket and backstage pass pati na rin neobong.

Sobrang successful na talaga nila. Alam ko namang may upcoming concert sila dito. Makikita ko na uli siya sa personal pero nagdadalawang isip pa talaga ako.

"Pupunta ba ako?" tanong ko kay Sam

"Oo naman. Naclear na naman lahat eh" sagot niya.

"Eh anong gagawin ko? Anong sasabihin ko? Hindi ko alam. Kilala pa kaya niya ako?" aligagang pagtatanong ko sa kaniya. Ngayon pa nga lang na iniisip ko kinakabahan na ako eh.

"Paano mo malalaman?"

Huminga akong malalim habang iniisip kung dapat bang pumunta ako. Oo, namimiss ko siya pero mapapahiya naman ako kung di niya na ako kilala.

Patayo na sana ako nang makita ko ang isa pang envelope.

"Zen-hyung

I'm sorry we went home early. I'm sorry we went away without telling you. I'm sorry I gave you a hard time. I've heard from Managernim about what happened after we left. Thank you.

I am now doing well with the promotions. I miss the adobo and sinigang that you cooked for me and I miss the mango shake that you made me as well.

I miss you, hyung. You're still my friend right?

Sometimes I think about our times and wonder if it was a dream. It felt real but now it feels like it isn't. You exist right?

Jisung"

Natawa naman ako sa pagkakasulat ng Jisung. Parang bata talaga, may padrawing pa at smiley. Bata pa rin siya mag-isip hanggang ngayon. Gumaling na rin siya mag-English ah. Nakakaproud talaga. 

I wonder too if what we had was real. But for now, I choose to believe that everything was just a dream.