Illegitimate

Part 4 : Implicitly Damaged

• Julian •

"You are very open on your support dun sa bill" tito Mark said, I'm already told where this conversation is going. "I will ask you this. Have you experience things that made you support this?"

"Tito Mark, I'm very happy to say that we're blessed to have a happy and intact family" I told him and unlike kanina naging serious yung mood ng studio. "I have a friend who experienced that, hindi si Kyle 'to ha. I'm a witness of his pains at yung pinagdaanan niya, and I can feel his agony lalo na nung simula niyang nalaman na meron palang kabit yung dad niya. Now that I have means, para marinig, why not tell the people our side? And the reasons why we're supporting this"

Tito Mark's just nodding althroughout.

"My side is, there is a need to protect the family for the sake of their children. Dahil tito nakita ko yung kaibigan ko, nakita ko yung damage sa kanya" I said, my three co-actors and actresses are just staring at me. "Iba-iba naman tayo ng side, pero ako, anti-kabit ako, sabihan niyo ako kung may mali dun sa pananaw ko. May dahilan man yung kabit or yung kinabitan or may kasalanan man yung isang asawa kaya naghanap yung asawa niya ng iba, at the end may effect yun sa anak nila. From the experience my friend, merong damage nangyari. That's why I supported this, my side was built from his experience of his. Alam kong iba't iba yung kinakalabasan ng ganong kwento, it just happen na yung mga bad side yung nakikita ko. I don't know if there's a good side though"

"I can see your point there" tito Mark said. "I myself witnessed those kinds of things and it is a case-to-case situation. And also from my experience, hindi rin maganda yung kinahahantungan kaya nauunawan ko. Meron namang friends pa din at okay yung mga anak, pero mostly hindi talaga maganda yung kinalabasan. Correct me if I'm wrong Kyle, aunt mo yung one of the principal author nung bill. Tama ba?"

"Yes Tito" he said. "Congresswoman Agnes Torelba Policarpio, nagwowork siya dati dito sa news department"

"Yes I personally know her, lile what he said, she worked at the news before" tito Mark said and meron siyang iniiwasan na masabi. "She's a very hardworking and kind lady, I can attest to that"

"Nabasa ko yung mga comments Julian sa social media" tito said. "Apparently merong mga tao na nagalit o di kaya ay nainis sa pagsuporta mo sa batas. Meron nga din akong nakitang fans ng ilang mga artista, mga former artists natin particularly, anong masasabi mo dun?"

"Hindi naman maiiwasan, kung against sa kanila siyempre magagalit, kung pro sa'yo siyempre matutuwa, depende lang yun tito sa tao, I'm expecting this to happen" I told him. "Pero tito ang kapal naman ng mukha nila kung sila pa yung magagalit, sila na nga yung kabit. Eto lang sasabihin ko Tito, wala silang karapatan magalit"

And some of the audience agreed with me a clapped their hands.

"Strong words from you Julian, sabi nga ng iba, isa ka sa key factor kung bakit naipasa yung batas" sabi ni tito Mark. "I'm now getting really curious sa movie niyo, it seems na ipapakita niyo yung posibleng realidad tungkol dito. Well, I'm really looking forward to your movie, Elaine, Kyle, Julian, Charmaine. We'll be right back"

I saw the camera light turning from red to black, it's over. And there's my assistant behind the cameraman.

We four went for a short picture-taking with the fans. Picture doon, picture diyan. Ang dami nila, pero okay lang.

After that a staff gestured me to go backstage. Yung tatlong kasama ko, busy pa din sa picture-taking.

Mamaya meron silang mall tour. Ako pinili kong hindi sumama.

As soon as I reaches the backstage.

"Very impressive Julian" a lady behind me said, she's clapping. I turned back, I really don't believe na napadaan lang siya dito. Martina, yung head ng news department. "You really worked your persuasion skills"

"Good morning Ma'am Martina" I told her, I should be polite kung wala pa naman siyang sinasabi. There's no other people except for us two and that staff that called me. "Mukhang nanood kayo ng taping, nagustuhan niyo po ba?"

"Well, unfortunately, maraming dapat i-cucut sa interview mo" she said, she seems mad and just hiding that with her fake smile. "Di ka marunong umintindi? Tuloy ka pa din sa pagcomment tungkol dun. The higher ups have already told you na tigil-tigilan mo na yang pakikisawsaw"

"Unfortunately ma'am, merong nagsabi na tungkol doon yung magiging flow ng interview kanina. Ma'am, baka huli na kayo sa balita, hindi niyo na lang ako talent dito stockholder na ako dito" I told her and her eyes widen, it seems that hindi pa niya talaga alam. "I apologize ma'am kung natatakot na kayo ngayon, gusto ko lang naman magbigay suporta dun sa mga pamilyang winasak ng isang kabit. I never thought madadamay kayo"

"Anong sinabi mo?" She said and that smile of hers faded away, her hands clenched on her side. "How dare you?"

"Ma'am, kung nagpunta kayo dito para pigilan ako magsalita, wag na kayo mag-abala" I told her, I'm aware na hindi lang siya yung makakabangga ko tungkol dito. She's the most vocal and direct among all of them, yung iba mga parinig lang sa social media. "Ma'am, wag kayo matakot na mabubuksan ulit yung pagiging kabit niyo, hawak niyo ang news department. Kahit nga siguro may makita at makarinig sa atin dito 'di mababalita. Kung magkaproblema kayo dahil kabit kayo, hindi ko na problema 'yon"

"You son of a..." she said as she was about to slap me.

"Martina!" I heard the chairman's voice. Kasunod niya si Kyle and Rachel. Anong ginagawa ni Chairman dito? "Wag kang mag-eskandalo dito"

"Chairman" ma'am Martina said and lower her hand.

"Goodbye ma'am" I told her and smiled at her. "Have a nice day"

"To the office now!" The Chairman said. And she immediately move to the exit.

Rachel walked towards me, holding the iced coffee I told her to buy me. She also has the make-up bag hung on her elbow. Why is she looking so pissed?

"Inaway ka na naman?" she asked me, in a mad and serious tone. We walked towards the exit. "Mukhang from this moment forward marami kang hindi makakasundo dito. Kumpata sa iba bago ka pa lang dito, magkakakilala na sila dati pa lang"

There's really something about her.

"Alam ko naman yan" I said. Considering na masasabi kong normalized na 'to sa entertainment industry, maraming magagalit sakin. I'm being bashed by their fans at tinatanong kung anong pakialam ko. "Too late for them, hihintayin na lang nila yung oras bago sila mapakulong"

• End of Chapter 2•