Chapter 42 - Attending to a program

"Hey, wait up guys. Let us not make haste. I have still got something do you know, and besides, there is still an hour and several minutes left before the program will start." exclaimed Kenneth as we were going down the long circling stairs on our school building together with our whole section coming from an early dismissal in the afternoon. "I promise that this won't even take that very long." He added, assuring us about his matter.

And in response, the rest of us nodded in agreement to Kenneth's request. "Sure, let us go."

"O-Okay then. As you say bro Ken" Yet on the other hand, Francis sighed deeply in disbelief, his face was obviously leaking out the disappointment he has on this very moment because of our sudden change of course, us tagging along with Kenneth was indirectly killing his excitement in wanting to go directly to the place where our program is about to be held.

Jeez. This guy can't patiently wait when it comes to things like this, and besides, what are we going to do if we would get to arrive at a very early time then? Would we be just walking around the place and do nothing else? Going for window shopping, or maybe visiting the arcade over there to be exact?

Good grief, troublesome.

"What are you going to do so anyways?" Kevin questioned.

"I have got to go get the allowance that my mother has transferred for me at the money transfer shop 'Palawan'. Don't worry. The place is just near the school"

"Oh right. Since you have been living far away from your parents, you have been up to this kind of method." Romeo followed.

"That's right"

Well, I don't really mind stopping by at some place for a couple of minutes since I'm not really into and excited about this program, but even though this is a mandatory requirement that was given by our advisors to participate in, I think it would still be best if we would arrive a few minutes early before the event will start in order to be rest assured.

"Please be on time everyone for the event later, okay?"

Hearing Alisha's heeding voice from behind upstairs, reminding us about today's event as the class president, I turned to look at her while we were on our way down.

"Okay miss press!" Everyone responded, but except for me who has just stared at her.

There is no helping it. I do admire her.

Noticing my gazing eyes, Alisha shot back at me with smile, making my heart go doki doki and instantly have smiled back a little at her as well.

"Hanzaki, be on time as well, okay?"

"Uhhh! En, sure thing." I said as I shifted my gaze away from Alisha a bit, then next I only get to hear a giggle coming from her.

Shortly after walking a distance from exiting the campus, we arrived at the money transfer shop that was located at the opposite side of the school, but things were not looking good as we saw the long line of people that were also transacting in their own business.

"A-he-he-he" Kenneth scratched his head as his declaration of assurance has now been crumbled, he was getting ashamed of his promised words.

Looking at the other three, they were somewhat… anxious, I think? Most likely it is, since Kenneth would probably put all of us under a rattling situation because of this.

"There is no helping it. Let us go on Ken. This is necessary for you. We will wait for you until you will get it" Romeo remarked, giving Kenneth some relief, and then the rest of us nodded.

"Thanks much guys. I will be right back at you."

As Kenneth moved ahead into his own matter, Romeo, Kevin, Francis and I were just standing outside because we saw that the seats that were provided inside the shop were all occupied.

"Well, have you guys heard of it as well?" Kevin suddenly questioned.

"Heard? What heard? What is it?" Romeo wondered.

"It seems that we are not the only ones to attend this business program." said Kevin.

"Of course it's not. The whole ABM strand would be going there, you know. What is with you today bro Kevin? haha." Francis replied.

"No, I don't mean it that way. Well apparently, other schools would also be attending in this program."

Wait… WHAAAAAT!? Goodness gracious, more and more people.

"Whoa, is that for real?" Romeo arched his back as he somehow has gotten lively while wearing a wide smiling face due to the piece of information that Kevin just shared to us now.

"Jeez Rom, there you go again. Is there a time that you won't be thinking about girls?" said Kevin.

"Oh shut up you low-key pervert. From all the time that we tried making a move on the girls we met, they all took their fancy on you in the end! H-How about me, huh? What about me? D-Did you enjoy tormenting me you b-b-bastard?" Romeo grabbed Kevin on his shoulders and was shaking him back and forth, crying out as he was releasing his perverted frustrations on Kevin.

"Wha- whoa- hey! It was not my fault that they liked me. I didn't force them to do so, you know."

"Wha- YOU! How could you be so---"

"Hey guys, stop being so thirsty in getting a girlfriend. That is very rude, and it is not the right behaviour in trying to engage in one---"

"Huh!? Did you say something Francis? Can you say it again?" Romeo glared and has taken a few steps in nearing to Francis.

"I said that---"

"You have no right to say things like that to me, you one lucky bastard as well! Don't you think I haven't known that you have been dating a girl all along since from the beginning, HUUUHH!?" Romeo pinched Francis at the both sides of his cheeks and was stretching them wide out, making Francis to have said weird and funny incomprehensible words while he was trying to speak clearly to him.

Wait a freaking minute. What in the hell? The guy actually has a girlfriend all this time?

"Whoa, really? Is that true Francis?" Kevin said in disbelief--- or rather, out of happiness for his friend.

"Uh, yeah. We were already dating since for a long time."

"Wow. I envy you being in that kind of relationship. I wish that the two of you would be together until the end." Kevin commented.

"Well, thank you for that bro Kevin, ahehehe." Rubbing his head, Francis humbly gave his thanks.

This is quite surprising indeed. Somehow when it comes to his recently, involuntarily announced status of being taken, his attitude has drastically shifted. I guess love could change and conquer all, don't you think?

"Damn you bastards. Can't you be considerate to the people around you? You are so insensitive to others' feelings" Romeo sarcastically cried out once more.

"What are you talking about? I don't even have a girlfriend now!" exclaimed Kevin.

"You say that so confidently because you can easily attract girls with that annoying pretty face of yours!"

"Well, I can't deny that, but you are just overreacting Rom. Seriously, stop it."

"Hmp!"

"I mean, including me, you are not the only one who is single here. Take Zaki for example."

Oi Oi Oi. Good grief. Why have I gotten abruptly involved in this?

"Hoo? Zaki? Hmmm… hell no! I doubt his single status would last any longer!"

Tell me Romeo, what kind of a person do you really think I am?

"Hu-hu-hu-hu, I've got no one that could understand me. All of you guys are not being considerate to your good frie---"

"Hey guys! I'm back. Sorry for the wait." Without noticing at first, Kenneth popped out in front of us after waiting for several minutes. "I'm glad that it did not take that much long despite that long line. So, there is no more time to lose, let us get going now, shall w--- Huh?" Kenneth noticed something odd as he looked at Romeo who has suddenly and weirdly gone staring at him with his sobbing face. "Hey, why are you looking at me like that Romeo?"

"Oh, nothing. I'm just glad." said Romeo with a grinning face. "People like us should get along better buddy." Romeo remarked as he put his arms around Kenneth's towering shoulders.

"I don't know why, but somehow, I got pissed with that happy mood of yours."

-----*-----

Limketkai Mall, located in the city's central business district and known by the locals as Ketkai, is where this said program of ours would be held, specifically in the mall's atrium where it could hold approximately 4500 seats.

Arriving in front of the entrance of the mall coming from a trip in riding a Jeepney, there were quite a number of people that were lining up to go inside at the entrance.

"Oh man. Look at this line. If we only just arrived earlier---" Francis mumbled, but then he paused as he has been interrupted.

"So are you saying that we should have left Kenneth behind?" questioned Romeo, raising his one brow up.

"Ah, no. Forget about it."

"Let's just line up shall we?" Kevin said as he made his way first, taking the initiative.

"Hey, you are too silent today cuz. Speak up even if it is just a little will ya? Or is there a problem?"

"Huh? Oh Kenneth. No, not actually. I just don't feel well about going into this atrium." I said.

"What? Why?"

"Nothing complicated. I just can't stand being in the middle of hundreds of crowds."

"Haha, okay okay. I understand." Kenneth giggled.

After going through the entrance, and taking a number of steps in heading towards the centre point of the mall, we began hearing loud noises coming from the sound systems inside the atrium as we were closing in.

"Oh! Just in time!" Romeo loudly exclaimed as we rendezvous with some of our classmates, and Alisha was included in the count.

"I wonder where the others are." Alisha mumbled, her head was frequently turning around in trying to find our other classmates.

Jeez, it must be really tough to be the class press.

"Hey Alisha, it's almost time, so why don't we go inside now. It's our classmates' fault if they would not be able to arrive early, and at first, we were given enough time to go here and not to mention our early dismissal. Let them face the consequences of their careless decisions." Romeo suggested.

"I feel bad for leaving them, but you're right. We made our efforts in going here early. Alright then, let's get in, and we must stay close to each other inside, okay guys?" Everyone then nodded and responded as Alisha gave out instructions to us.

As we walked through the small and narrow entrance to the atrium, I immediately noticed the colder temperature and the noisy atmosphere inside.

There were already a lot of people, more likely students from other schools, or maybe students from other sections in our school that were seated on the numerous chairs that were set and arranged into a number of columns and rows, and in front was the humungous stage together with the flashy and classy decorations fixed all over.

Eventually, the four of us have taken a seat closed to our other classmates that were seated near the stage at about three fourth of the column of chairs starting from the front.

"May I seat here?" Looking up from sitting down, Alisha asked to me.

"Uh--- Oh. Sure, why not." I flustered, and Alisha sat next to me at my left.

Observing Alisha, she then was just talking to her friends at the further side. Jeez, why am I expecting all of a sudden?

"By the way, what are we doing here exactly?" Two seats away from me, I heard Francis asked.

"Seriously? *Sighs*. We're going to lend our ears to listen to the speakers, duh!" replied Romeo, a seat away from me.

"Is that all?"

"That all"

"Oh man. Just wake me up when this is all over, okay?"

"Do whatever you want there Francis."

"I wish I could do same as Francis, but I couldn't do so in the middle of this massive and noisy crowd." I said.

"The struggle is real cuz?" Kenneth said, confirming me.

"The struggle is real alright." I confirmed.

Well, I could not blame Francis for getting bored of this since we don't have a choice because this is mandatory, and for the sake of our attendance, we must be present during this event to gain some extracurricular points to be added in our grades.

Yes, just for the attendance.

Taking a look around once more, the second floor of the mall which you can go through up using an escalator and which is located at the rear side of the atrium was occupied as well by some of the likely staffs of this program.

In my front and back, the noises were constantly running through inside my ears which was making me go deaf even in the instant when I step foot inside, and the light systems in the area has been now put to focus at stage, indicating that this program that we have joined in would sooner be starting at any moment from now on.

-----*-----

Even though most eyes and ears were lend to focus on stage when the program started, I could still hear noises coming from the different directions and ESPECIALLY to the people sitting at my right side who were Kenneth, Romeo and Kevin whose voices were overpowering the speaker's from afar which prevented me from having to clearly hear and understand of what was being discussed.

But to be honest, I do wanted to join in their conversation even if I could just give a sentence or two, yet since the people who were sitting at my left side, Alisha and company, and not to mention Alisha being the class press were all carefully and seriously listening to the speakers in front, I didn't even think twice in halting my decision to join because I might get scolded by Alisha and obviously because I am currently sitted next to her, and I don't want that to happen. But despite it, I was just listening to these three buddies of mine with their convos which were hard for me to relate, about 'chika babes' and stuffs.

But still, Good grief~ These idiots sure have a tough blood on them. I know that this kind of event would make our boredom strike but... since we are sitting in a place that is nearer to the stage and in which it is very open and people would easily notice movements and noises, I hope they could minimize their voices even if it is just a bit. It is quite a big embarrassment if we would be special mentioned in front and especially if the name of our school would be included.

On the other hand with having myself to hear a bit of what was going on in this program of ours, it looks like the event was regarding about a big international company and some representatives coming from it are here present to give introductions and show some activities of what is their business all about. Yet despite such an honor to be visited by these people giving an opportunity to us, being a student with a lot of troubles regarding school was making us restless in attending this event, making all of us to not take this event seriously and just chill out, most likely.

Looking around, I was right of my thought. I noticed some students at the back that were sleeping and were all making likely gestures in talking.

Oh man, I'm jealous. Why did we even bother to take a seat close to the stage anyways? I'm starting to regret this.

"Please welcome the CEO of STOCKOLMES, Miss Wendy Lin!"

Yet at some point in the discussion on front, necks were widely stretched and eyes were gone wide when the announcement of a certain person's name was followed by an appearance of a beautiful and gorgeous mature lady wearing her fit business attire that showed her curves and with her hair that was tied into a ponytail. All people, especially the girls, but mostly the men have regained their energy and were sent into a vigor state when they saw such a beauty displayed on stage.

I sigh.

Well truthfully, I too was awed, causing my jaw to drop a bit when I saw such a beauty, but I couldn't imagine myself having to react excitedly as if I was like drooling over to the lady with what these three buddies of mine and most likely to the other guys out here have done.

Goodness, couldn't they just keep their perverted reactions to themselves?

And surprisingly after the lady--- or Miss Wendy Lin, has took over authority of the microphone for her turn to present, the atmosphere inside the Atrium has been completely turned upside-down into a serious-listening.

-----*-----

Time check, it is 6:36 pm, about an hour more to go for this program to end, and also about an hour since this Miss Wendy Lin has started her part in presenting. I guess most of the presentations is being catered to her since she's the CEO of their company.

Scanning my surroundings, it looks like mostly everyone has reached their limit already, yet anyhow, eyes and ears were still focused on front with having a minimal noise around the area, likely people who still have the energy in talking.

Meanwhile at my side, the people sitting to my right and left side were as well getting a hold of themselves as their faces were looking haggard from the boredom and hunger, and I was blinking a lot for getting sleepy because of the same reason when suddenly....

Booooom!