Chapter 60

"Idiot, do you really think that I'm such a person?"

"Are you not?"

"... I'm not."

"Then why did you hesitate for a moment just now?"

"... Nevermind, anyway, we broke up already."

"Broke up? How long have you been dated?"

"... is three days long enough?"

"..." Patricia looked at him with a dumbfounded look, as if asking, 'Are you for real? ' and Edward sighed and spread his hands helplessly.

"What happened?"

"Ah, we're still friends?"

"Oh, you mean with benefits?"

"Of course not,"

"Hehe, I can see through you."

"Did you just use our previous skit dialogue as a reference?"

The two engaged in light-hearted banter, discussing different random topics and playfully teasing each other until the rest of the group arrived.

"How was it? Did you get the permit from the district (barangay) hall?" Edward asked after chatting with everyone and then turned to look at C, who was in charge of it.

Public establishments, unlike business spaces, usually require permits for their various activities.

Each type of public establishment follows a distinct set of requirements, separate from those of business spaces, as dictated by existing policies, regulations, and local authorities.

These specifications aim to ensure compliance with safety, zoning, and operational standards within the community.

The last time they were able to shoot at the school was on a Saturday when there were no classes, and the person in charge was easy to talk to.

Otherwise, under normal circumstances, securing a permit and covering associated fees would be required for such activities.

"Yes, we've already paid the necessary fees, and there's still some money left over from the amount you sent."

"Oh, that's fine. Just keep the extra. It's not a lot anyway, especially considering the hard work you've put in."

"Eh? But the task wasn't that difficult. It only took me several hours."

"... Several hours isn't considered difficult."

Edward looked at C with a doubtful expression, wondering if it was really difficult or if he was simply perceiving it as challenging.

Shaking his head, Edward didn't dwell too much on it and went to the stadium with everyone.

As they approached the gate, a guard promptly checked their permit, then nodded with a warm smile as he proceeded to unlock the gate to allow them entry.

Inside the stadium, a standard basketball court awaited—a space that struck a balance, not overly spacious but far from cramped. About 500 seats lined each side, adding up to a seating capacity of a thousand. Above, a sturdy metal roof enveloped the court, providing complete coverage and shielding everyone from the whims of the weather.

Upon entry, the team efficiently organized the necessary equipment—calibrating camera lenses, adjusting lighting, and arranging props to enhance the scene's authenticity. Simultaneously, actors diligently rehearsed their lines, ensuring everything was in place for a successful day of filming.

Time passed.

The filming began and progressed as before, but with the cumulative experience of the previous skits, they were better prepared. Having all the plans, props, and scripts in place from those earlier skits, the work flowed more smoothly.

The only problem they encountered was a shortage of extras to play the audience... to work with it, they decided to use more additional close-up shots and reduce the number of wide angles, then the rest could be covered up through editing.

Around 5:00 in the afternoon, the group finally shot the last scene of their final skit, prompting a collective exhale of relief and a round of applause, emphasizing their sense of accomplishment.

Right after finishing, the team quickly packed up their gear, making sure everything was securely stored, and then headed to a cozy nearby restaurant.

Once inside, they found a corner, placed their orders, and started eating. The place soon filled with laughter and chatter.

"I swear, that conyo (rich kid) guy classmate is really weird.. you know the way he talked? Like, 'yeah, I really missed US.', 'you know our Yaya? She did some weird stuff and blah blah blah,' and I was like, WTF? What are you doing suddenly telling us that? Were talking about ilog(river) not US! Were talking about our pets, not your maid!"

"Isn't he a bit arrogant?"

"No, not really; he's actually quite cool, and he's nice. He just talked like that. It's weird at first, but when you get used to him, he's actually nice to talked to."

"Oh, here's mine; my classmate got pregnant."

"You're a classmate? Is she a girl?"

"Obviously, idiot, do you think a man can be pregnant?"

"I'm just asking, tsk. I mean, what if I mishear it?"

"..."

"Anyway, yes, my classmate got pregnant, and guess how old she is?"

"18?"

"Lower."

"17?"

"Yes!" 

"So what? Many girls got pregnant at such an age, not to mention 17, I've seen 16 and 15."

"It's different this time because the one who gets her pregnant is old; I don't know how old, but from what I heard, he's married already!"

"Holy sh*t! Is that girl out of her mind? Why would she date a married man?"

"Obviously for money. I heard that the gut was a bit rich, and at first she only wanted to turn him into her sugar daddy, but accidents happen and she gets pregnant... Afterwards, her parents learned about it, and they were furious and wanted to sue the guy for doing it to the minor, and now the guy was begging them and even offering millions in order to back down the case."

"Woah, that... you know what, I don't feel pity for that girl anymore... I mean, so what if she gets pregnant? That amount of money was a lot, and she could buy a huge house with it."

"I know, right, and she could even use the child to make the guy send her money annually."

"Woahh, what about the parents? Did they agree?"

"Unfortunately, no, the girl's father used to be a soldier and was stubborn; he really wanted to put the guy in jail."

"I don't think so. I mean, what if they just wanted to raise the guy's offer?"

While casual conversation flowed and stories were exchanged, when it was his turn, Edward simply told them the truth.

"I woke up at 5 in the morning, did an hour of morning running around the park, got to the school at around 8, and the class went from 9 in the morning to 2 in the afternoon, and then afterwards, I'll start recording from 2:30 to 10:00, and around 11, before I slept, I opened my Facebook accounts to back read the messages in the GC."

"..."

The room fell into a sudden hush, the weight of silence heavy in the air. All eyes converged on Edward, their expressions a mix of awe and disbelief.

"So you only had 6 hours of sleep?'

"Well, I don't usually record for seven straight hours; sometimes, I take a break at 7:00, and then practice bass guitar."

"Do you still practice bass guitar?"

"Yeah, I've been practicing it for a while now, and I usually practice it daily, but this week, because I had to train my assistant, my bass practice schedule was reduced a lot."

"..."

Once more, the room went silent, and everyone was at a loss for words until Alfred spoke up, breaking the silence and asking the question that everyone had in mind.

"How are you still alive?"

"... People don't usually require eight hours of sleep to function. For some, five or six hours are already sufficient, but generally, 7-9 hours is the standard healthy sleeping pattern. Also, the reason why I only got 6 hours of sleep this week is due to training sessions with my assistant. It will be a regular 7-8 hours in the future."

"..."

The Next Day

Edward woke up at his parents' place and headed to the bathroom. He washed his face in the sink and brushed his teeth, getting ready for the day.

Afterward, he made his way to the kitchen and started preparing breakfast.

Later, sitting at the dining table with his parents, he couldn't help but ask his dad about the progress of buying the store.

"It's looking good," his dad said. "The guy is in a rush to sell his store, but the price is still a bit high."

"How much?"

"₱190,000."

Edward went quiet, absorbing the figure and contemplating.

The ₱190,000 now wasn't the same as ₱260,000 in the future; the peso hadn't depreciated yet, and inflation wasn't severe.

Currently, you could still buy rice for 10 to 15 pesos per kilogram; various necessities were still affordable; and in some places, you could even buy a house for ₱70,000 to ₱100,000.

So ₱190,000 was a significant amount of money... But considering the actual value of the store, Edward thought for a moment and sighed.

"Dad, how about we finalize the deal?"

".. Y-you, why?" His dad looked at him in disbelief and asked, sounding hesitant.

"Dad, I feel like spending more money is better than wasting more time.."

"Huh?" His dad gazed at him with an incredulous expression. For someone who grew up from the bottom of society such remarks sound stupid.