Gap 4
Jin brings out a pencil and a pad from his bag. André took the Macbook from the desktop and sat at the foot of the bed, on the floor. Jin sat beside him, uneasy.
André took the remote and turned the tv on by the far left corner of the wall. The Smart TV switches on. After a few set-ups and pressed buttons, Hercules is playing on Disney Plus.
[Starts playing THE GOSPEL TRUTH by The Muses]
André turns on the subtitles.
Throughout the film, Jin and André took some notes on their answer to Ms. Montalban's question. André typing away unconsciously while savoring the movie, the hundredth time he had watched it.
Jin, on the other hand, is ecstatic from the music. He dances voluntarily, humming to the soundtrack like I Can Go the Distance, Zero to Hero, and A Star Is Born. Jin lifts himself to his feet and dances all-out to the closing credits, remarkably memorizing its lyrics despite the first time watching the movie in its entirety.
André [Voiceover]:
He has a nice voice. He's so confident. Medyo mayabang pero tolerable. How I wish I can have the same guts?
Jin looks down at André and smiles at him with his teeth flashing.
André:
Okay ka lang?
Jin:
Sobrang ganda.
André:
Oo nga eh. Parang nanood ka na nga lang, and nagperform.
Jin:
Uy, hindi ha. Heto patunay.
Jin gives him his pad. To André's surprise, he wrote down seven paragraphs of straight English himself. André noticed a few grammatical errors, but the substance of Jin's content was more than enough for him to close the Macbook out of embarrassment with his answers.
Jin:
Kumpleto na 'yan.
André looks at him, confused.
André:
Jin, 'yung totoo? Why did you even pick me as a partner? Pwede naman 'yung best friend mo. Hindi mo pa ako kilala and all, pero nagvolunteer ka. And now, this.
André shoves the pad to Jin.
André:
Kaya mo naman pala mag-isa. Why did you even choose me?
Jin:
[Contemplates on his answer] Sa totoo lang? Naawa kasi ako sa'yo.
André:
Naawa? At bakit ka naman maaawa sa akin.
Jin:
Ewan ko rin. Pakiramdam ko kailangan mo ng kausap. Wala namang mag vovolunteer na iba. Wala namang ganun sa lowest section.
André:
Pero ginawa mo. And with your answers on that paper, parang hindi ako naniniwalang sa last section ka talaga.
Jin:
[Smiles profusely] Parang nahiya ako dun ah.
André:
Stop it. I'm not flattering you. So bakit nga?
Jin:
Hindi ka nakikinig.
André:
Wow ha.
Jin:
'Di ba, kakasabi ko lang? Mukhang kailangan mo ng kausap. Mukhang malungkot ka.
André fell silent. Jin notices his reaction and falls silent too. It stayed that way for a while. On the wall, the parallel beams of neon lights began to flicker, automatically turning on based on the clock.
André:
It's late.
Jin:
[Nods] Gabi na nga. Una na ako.
Jin picks up his bag and slings it on his shoulder. He pauses to say something to André, but just leaves the pad on his bed. He darts towards the door. André can hear his footsteps, until they go away. Somewhere, the sound of engine started and the gates opened.
All the while, as Jin was transported by Manong Ricky, André stayed at the same position in his room for a long time.
Frame fades out.
[Faintly playing XANADU by Menudo]
André [Voiceover]:
[Reads Jin's answer] ... As a Greek hero Hercules is just like any other human being. His emotions are his weaknesses. When he is angry, he gets angry at anyone including Philoctetes. When he is in love, all he can see is Meg and his voice changes. When he is sad and remorseful, he thinks he cannot do anything good or heroic at all anymore...
...because maybe that is why Hercules is a hero. He's just like any of us. What people see in him is a reflection of who we can be if we only knew how to use our emotions to our advantage. If we feel angry, we should feel it. If we feel sad, we should not hide it. If we feel love in our heart, we should welcome it. Hercules is a hero, not because of his super strength or his father Zeus. He is a hero because he wears his emotions on his breastplate, and everyone who watches him will always feel the same humanity. That's what saves us from destruction and doom, when we find someone, even though they are not real, who feels the same way...
Screen will interchange between André and Jin.
André appears, relaxing on his bed, shot from the top in circular motion, spiraling closer to his face. He is wearing eyeglasses. Heavily thinking. The laptop near his head spits the song.
Frame glides from his face to the laptop screen.
Scene abruptly jumps to Jin, walking from the car which Manong Ricky started and drove off.
Frame pans towards him, looking at the dark starless sky. Yellow post lights illuminating his face in the night. A thin sheet of sweat covers his face, making it shine with his eyes.
Jin begins to walk, the camera follows his back.
Scene abruptly jumps to André, now standing. His back is turned to the camera. He begins dancing.
Jin paces on quick strides. His bag beating on his back. He begins to wear a small smile.
[XANADU breaks into Chorus]
André mimics Jin's choreography from the Hercules soundtrack earlier. His arms flailing wildly, as his mom quietly opens the door to his room. André did not notice her. He continues dancing.
Jin is now running. He breaks off on a bridge near the mall and jumped as high as he can, fisting the air with triumph.
André starts singing.
André's mom watches him, a smile on her face.
Jin continues running, then he is out of the frame.
André flopped on the bed on his back. He rolls to his side and moves the laptop closer to him. He opens Facebook, keys in Jin's full name, and clicks the search tab.
Scene cuts to his face, his eyes narrowing in the blue light glow.
End of Episode 1
[Playing RHYTHM OF THE NIGHT by DeBarge for End Credits]
BINABASA MO ANG
Nostalgia
Teen FictionAndre leaves his ten-year homeschooling as he enrolls in the fictional Marcelo Del Pilar Memorial High School. There he navigates his way through introversion, discrimination, stereotypes, and a background of broken family. Meeting a classmate named...
