"Have you collected all the things I needed?"
"Yes ma'am. Nandiyan na rin po yung bago pa magsimula yung show."
"How about some videos? Hindi dapat pictures lang. I need those videos too."
"Ma'am isesend ko na lang po sa inyo. Nakalimutan ko ho kasi yung drive na naglalaman po nun ee."
"Ano ba yan. Better give it to me tomorrow."
"Yes po ma'am."
"Oh heto. Bukas ko na bubuuin yung bayad pagkabigay mo nung isa pang drive."
"Naku maraming salamat ho. May maipapakain na ako sa pamilya ko."
"No kuya, thank you! These things mean so much to me. Hindi mo alam kung gaano mo ako napasaya sa mga ito."
"Walang anuman ho yun ma'am. Bukas na lang po. Dito po ba tayo ulit magkikita?"
"Isesend ko na lang yung details kung saan. Sige na."
...
"So? Welcome to House of Muppets." Elmo is now on the phone with Julie. Taping pa rin kasi ng battles but Julie is now on their office.
"Yep, and hindi ko alam kung ano'ng pumasok sa kokote mo at kinuha mo pa ako. I was planning on going back to my normal life na kaya."
"Well you are simply good Ms. San Jose. Hindi ko kakayanin kung hindi ka mapupunta sa team ko."
"Hoy Moe, huwag mo'ng sabihin na nag-steal dahil gusto mo lang ako'ng makasama. Sayang naman yung steal kapag nagkaganoon."
"No! Of course not! Narinig mo naman siguro yung comments nila Coach Lea 'di ba? You are good Juls. At gusto ko pang ibring-out yung galing mo."
"Naku ewan ko sa'yo Magalona. Teka 'di ba may taping ka today? Ano? Landi landi na lang? Kumayod ka rin naman." Elmo chuckled at what she said.
"Eto na, just checking on you baka pinagpapalit mo na ako ee."
"Actually oo, 'di ba babe?"
"Hey! Pupuntahan kita diyan sa office mo ee tignan mo lang."
"Joke lang hahaha ang OA ha? Sige na bye na. I'll see you soon Moe!"
"Nakakainis namimiss na naman kita."
"Ireserve mo muna yang kaharutan mo for quite some time. Kailangan na nating mag lie low kasi alam mo na, camera's everywhere."
"Fine fine, pero sana magkita tayo this week, before yung meeting for Knockouts."
"We'll see. Byeee! Hoy mag-trabaho ka na diyan."
"Yes ssob!"
"Aba natuto na, jejemon ka na rin?"
"Jejemon na pogi, Ms. San Jose."
"Ewww yuck pwede ba? Sige na bye na huwag mo na ako'ng landiin gagawa pa ako ng report." And she ended the call, leaving Elmo full of smiles.
"Oh lapad ng ngiti natin diyan Coach ha? Kausap mo ba si Ella?" Bamboo asked. Nasa may "lobby" sila ngayon ng studio, consuming their remaining time bago magbalik sa taping.
Elmo didn't answer Bamboo's question dahil mas lalo lang itong mangungulit, and just shrugged.
Pagkatapos ng taping nito sa The Voice ay dumiretso ito sa isang press conference for his new endorsement. Pagkarating niya sa venue ay agad siyang pinagkaguluhan ng mga camera. Dumiretso muna siya sa isang room and prepared himself.
"Yes po, can we all behave? We will all have the chance para makapagtanong at makausap si Elmo mamaya." The host said, leaving the press anxious.
"Okay I think ready na po siya, the new endorser of Century Tuna none other than Mr. Elmo Magalona!" The host announced, ito na rin yung cue para lumabas na si Elmo from the room where he's staying.
Pagkalabas pa lang niya ay nagsunod-sunod na yung flash ng mga camera, almost blinding him but he seemed to manage those lights.
"Magandang araw po." He greeted them pagkaupo niya.
"Ayan, so we will now be entertaing questions from Entertainment Today!"
"Hi Moe! How does it feel to be part of the Century Tuna Family?" The reporter asked.
"Ahh sobrang saya po. I never thought they'll pick me as one of their endorsers given po na almost katatapos ko lang po'ng ayusin yung katawan ko. But ayun po, very grateful and really overwhelming yung trust po na ibinigay nila sa akin to carry their product."
"Next one, from Fashion Pulis."
"Hi Moe! What made you decide to take this offer from Century Tuna? I mean you've endorsed a different brand before, same line of business but what made you accept this one?"
"Uhm honestly po I find Century Tuna more delicious than the others, and at the same time perfect po kasi yung content ng product nila for my workout regimen."
"From Entertainment Star"
"Maiba ako Moe, have you seen the pictures Ella posted a while ago? Is this a sign of a comeback project with her?" Nagulat siya sa tanong nito.
"Uhmm I haven't checked my social media accounts today kasi po busy sa taping ng The Voice and I did some other stuffs din po so ayun but we haven't really had a decent talk kasi I think busy din po siya sa project niya and busy din po ako ngayon sa The Voice."
"So you are saying na hindi pa kayo magkakaroon ng comeback project? Everyone's excited sa reunion project niyo."
"I really couldn't answer that one po ngayon since ayun nga po, we haven't had a nice talk pero ayun I am personally grateful kasi everyone's still looking forward sa comeback project namin ni Ella but I think hindi pa siya magiging possible ngayon since mayroon nga po ako'ng The Voice and she's busy with her stuffs din po."
"Next is from Pep."
"Hi Moe! Your team sa The Voice are really good! Pero hindi nakaligtas sa mga maiinit na mata ng mga studio audience na nasa taping ng The Voice ang yakapan niyo ng isang contestant nang ma-steal mo siya from Coach Sarah. What's her name? Julie ba yun?" Biglang kinabahan si Elmo sa tanong nito.
"Uh...yes po. Yes Julie po yung name niya. I don't really know what to say. I mean she did great po sa Battles so I stole her from Coach Sarah. Hindi naman na po siguro kailangang bigyan ng malisya yung yakap. Niyayakap naman po namin yung other contestants at hindi lang po siya. Niyayakap ko rin naman po si Coach Sarah, Coach Lea, Coach Bamboo. Let's spare the person from showbiz intrigues."
"Well some claim kasi na close daw kayo nitong si Julie. Is it correct?" Hindi alam ni Elmo ang isasagot niya sa tanong. Part of him wants to shout how proud he is with Julie, na kilala niya ito at mayroon silang espesyal na connection, but a part of him also wants to protect her from all the stuffs that could ruin her, them.
"Uh Moe?"
"Oh yeah sorry sorry I was thinking of The Voice. What was your question again?" Stupid Moe, ngayon ka pa nag-space out, he thought.
"Close ba kayo nung Julie?"
"Uhmm we talked after the Voice, along with the House of Muppets." He simply said. May mga ilang tanong pa siya na in-entertain tapos ay natapos din ito, giving him so much relief. Grabe he almost slipped, buti na lang he had learned the language of showbiz.
...
"Ma'am, heto na po yung videos. Pasensya na po hindi po kasi ako pwede bukas kaya nakipagkita na po ako sa inyo."
"Buti na lang may free time ako ngayon. Oh heto yung buong bayad. Huwag mo'ng ipagsasabi kahit kanino 'to ha? Ipagpatuloy mo lang 'yang ginagawa mo. Magkita na lang tayo ulit sa susunod na linggo. Itetext ko sa iyo lahat ng detalye."
"Sige ho ma'am. Salamat po ulit dito."
"Sige na, baka may makakita pa sa atin."
