In the midst of filming in the Philippines, Korean actor Lee Jong Hee and Filipino actress Marianne de Guzman find themselves thrust into an unexpected turn of events on New Year's Eve. Fate, concealed by the lens of a mysterious camera, catapults t...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"Ang hindi magmahal sa sariling wika ay higit pa sa hayop at malansang isda."(Those who do not love their own language are worse than animals and foul-smelling fish.)
– Jose Rizal
•☽────✧˖°˖☆˖°˖✧────☾•
[Capítulo Uno: Consummatum est (It is Done)]
ONCE again, I found myself standing beside Marianne near the bridge's railings. The lights adorning it twinkled like stars, mirroring in her eyes.
My heart raced, a beat that strayed from the scripted instructions. Uneasiness lingered whenever I was with her. From the first meeting, her naughty personality grated on my nerves.
Taking a deep breath, I exhaled slowly. After this scene, I'd finally be liberated from this unpredictable encounter. The yearning for my homeland, Korea, tugged at me. I sought a place to call 'home.'
Raised by my Korean mother in America after my father's departure, his whereabouts remained unknown. Yet, meeting my grandmother changed everything.
My mother's ascent to a top agent left her consumed by busyness. In response, I channeled emotions into songwriting, gaining fame online. When I visited my grandmother in the Philippines with earned money, she imparted the wisdom of embracing the present.
Engaging in collaborations with bloggers and TV shows, I immersed myself in a vibrant life, attempting to bury the revelations about my parents. Then, on a fateful day, I lost my grandmother, coinciding with the need to care for my ailing mother in America.
.
THE feeling of strangeness tugged my heart out of my reminiscing, leading me back towards the present scene. As consciousness returned, a touch on my shoulder rendered me momentarily paralyzed, my heart racing. A voice, serious in tone, whispered by my right ear, anchoring me in an eerie reality.
"3, 2, 1. Action!" The clapperboard signaled us to resume the scene. Closing my eyes, I regained control over my body. Scanning the surroundings, I caught a glimpse of a mysterious woman in a white dress vanishing into the crowd.
"Cut!" The director's voice pierced the air, causing my heart to skip a beat. "Jong, what happened?"
"S-Sorry," I stammered, attempting to shake off the disconcerting sensation clouding my mind. Perhaps fatigue from consecutive tapings was taking its toll.
"Again!" he commanded. "3, 2, 1. Avoid any more unnecessary movements, Marianne... Action!"
Once more, I closed my eyes, aligning my body with Marianne, a scripted move I resisted internally. Unwanted as it was, compliance seemed necessary for the success of this film.
