Chapter 6

CHAPTER V

" AH SHIT! " malutong na mura ni Mandi. It`s been only two hours but it felt like ages ago. Iniwan lang man lang siya ng magaling na si Younghoon sa loob ng kotse nito at pinagbawalang lumabas. Baka kung anong chismis daw ang kumalat kapag nakita silang magkasama. O, edi siya na ang sikat as if she cares!

Her stomach growed for nth time. It`s upset most probably because of the Bimsu. How can someone put milk on a chocolate flavored ice cream. She tiptoed out of the car. Luminga-linga sa paligid, sinisiguradong niyang walang presensya ng masamang elemento na nagngangalang Young Hoon sa paligid, she hurriedly enters the building through the backdoor. Hawak-hawak ang tiyan, hinanap niya ang cr. The building was bigger inside than the outside. She tried to ask for help but with no luck.

"Hokshi---ehmmm, do you know where the cr is? The cr-- you know? cr? " Napailing na lang sa kanya ang babaeng bago niya lang natanong at lumayo na para bang may nakakahawa siyang sakit.

"Fuck!!!" she cursed silently. Malas talaga sa buhay niya ang lalaking yun. This is one of the embarassing moment of her life kung di ba naman siya tanga at nagpauto sa gunggung na yun. Humanda talaga ang lalaking yun! When she`s hit , she hit back --- harder, iyon ang kaniyang golden rule. No one messes with Amanda Loise Benetiz the Great.

"Excuse me, Sir!" hinawakan niya ang lalaylayan ng t-shirt ng isang lalaking dumaan sa gilid niya. Napatigil ito at napatingin sa kanya. She was taken aback, embarassed at agad binitawan ang damit nito.

" O! Naneun neoleul al-a." (I know you )

bulalas ng lalaki.Napakunot noo siya. Did he just say he knew her? Bakit? Paanong may nakakilala sa kaniya? Creepy guys have been following her like crazy eversince that article get out.

"I`m not the one your thinking ok? I`m not her," akmang lalayo na siya ng hagipin nito ang kamay niya.

Uh oh.

" You`re the girl in the airport right?" he said. Maganda ang accent nito. Aakalain mong native American speaker ito.

She blinked. What the hell is he saying?

"Airport?"

"Yeah. The one I bumped in? I'm really sorry about that," he smiled at her, revealing a perfect white set of teeth.

" Ah...." she nodded. So it was that guy.

" It`s not a big deal." She can feel her intestines tightened. Nagkandabuhol buho na siguro dahil kanina pa siya nagpipigil.

"Can you help me? Perhaps you know where the cr is? My stomach is really upset right now, like its really really upset."

"Oh, it`s right here. Come on I`ll take you there" He pulled her towards the end of the corridor.

"Thank you," aniya. "Really."

"You`re welcome and I`m really sorry for the interruption."

"No problem. I`m glad to help," sumaludo ito sa kaniya at tumalikod. Akmang ihahakbang na niya sana ang kanyang mga paa sa loob ng cr ng maaalala niya ang isang bagay.

" Wait! Can I ask you a favor one last time?"

"Of course! What is it?"

"Can you buy me some meds for an upset stomach?" no need too feel ashame about it. Tutal tinulungan na rin naman siya nito bakit di niya pa lubos-lubusin di ba?

Again, he flashed his smile for the nth time, "Sure. I`ll be back in a while so take your tiime."

Nang umalis na ang lalaki, tumalilis na siya sa pinakamalapit na cubicle at inilabas ang sama ng loob. It`s stinks and gross. The growling in her stomach seems to not dissipate. Nang makalabas ay naghugas siya ng maigi. Isinabay na rin niya ang paghilamos ng kaniyang muka. She look awful --- real awful. Naghalungkat siya sa bag niya at nagsuklay ng buhok at itinali iyon. No wonder sinabihan siyang pangit ni Young Hoon. Nagretouch siya. Now, she look refreshed.To her amazement the guy was already outside leaning against the wall.

" Here you are! " iniabot nito ang plastik na may lamang gamit. "I also brought you some water. I thought you would need it."

"Thank you---- Gamshamnida." Wala na siyang ianaksayang pagkakataon at agad na nilagok ang gamot. Right then she felt okay.

"Hindi na ako kakain nun !" she patted her stomach. "And I won`t let that guy lock me up in his car for freakin` two hours!"

"Kiyomne,"he chuckled. (You`re cute) Ngayon niya lang napansing. Kanina pa siya tinitingnan nito.

"Ay, sorry."

"So, you`re a Filipina ?"

Tumango siya, "Uhm, yeah."

"I knew it! I thought I was just dreaming when you speak in Tagalog. I've stayed in te Philippines like for five years? " kwento nyo.

"Oh thats great to hear so do you speak Tagalog?"

"Konti lang" His voice seems odd and all but it`s so cute she couldnt help laughing.

"So I can talk to you in tagalog and youll understand me right?"

"Hmmm..pwede din"

She was amaze how fluent he is.

"Sorry I was kinda joking when i said the first one. Ang ganda mo kasi kapag ngumingiti ka," bawi naman nito sa sinabi.

Did he just complimented her twice in a row?

"T-thank you?" she said, flustered.

"Ako nga pala si Kim Dong Hyun but you can call me Hyun for short," inabot nito ang kamay. Kahit na mag pag aalinlangan, inabot niya ito. What if kidnapper pala to o di kaya paparazzi?O taong gustong gawan siya ng masama? HIs pretty face must be a decoy.

But he look genuin though. Okay , napapraning lang siya siguro. Napabuga siya ng hangin at walang pag-aalinlangang tinananggap iyo. "I`m Mandi, and it`s nice meeting you."

"Same here. Ano nga palang ginagawa mo dito?"

" I`m on a vacation," he ecorted her out of the building. Habang naglalakad pansin niya ang titig ng mga tao sa paligid lalo na ng kababaihan. Oo gwapo si Dong Hyun, hindi lang gwapo charming pa. But who cares? Immune na siya sa mga lalaki. It was getting darker already. Naghahalo ang kulay pula at lila sa kalangitan.

"Vacation? That`s nice to hear. It`s been nice since I've been in one," kwento nito. Sa di kalayuan tanaw na nila ang set, ang pulutong ng mga camera at mgacrew. Matagal pa ba ang shoot?Nangangati na ang paa niyang makaalis dito.

"Well, actually it`s my first time. Hindi kasi ako yun tipong nagbabakasyon,"

she answered, slowly openingup to him. Maybe he is not that bad like she thought him to be.

" Workaholic ka pala."

"No!"she said defensively. "I just happen to love my job you know."

" Ahh.... that`s good." By and by she seemed to like takling to him. Not certainly attracted to him pero nakakagaan ito ng loob. He seems cool with everything. Unlike someone she knew, someone who happens to be he husband. Referring to Young Hoon as her husband felt off. But she need to do this--- for Ninang Amelia.

"Not everyone loves their job you know," anito sa malungkot na tono. "You must take your pride in it."

"Syempre naman ! It`s really fufilling if your job is to help other people. Don`t you enjoy your job?"

" Uhm... not really. Sometimes its just I get tired by it. Burn out lang to siguro." Yes, mukha siyang pagod. Hindi na natatago ng concealer ang pangingitim ng ilalim ng mata niya. Someone approached them. It was probably one of the crew members dahil na rin sa mic na nakakabit dito.

"Dong Hyun-ssi! Itgamdog-i dangsin-eul chajgo issseubnida," anito.

(The director is looking for you)

" I'll be going off now, Mandi-ssi. I have to shoot my scene. It`s nice talking to you and I hope we met again."

Shoot?

"Same here."

" Are you sure you`ll be ok here all by yourself?"

"Of course! I`m a strong and independent woman, you know."

"I`ll go now. Take care of your stomach."

Ipaalala ba naman?

Hyun bade his goodbye at sumama na sa sumundo dito. Doon lang sa puntong yun niya lang naramdaman ang kahihiyang dinanas na. If he is an actor, then he must be famous right? Tapos pinabili niya ito ng gamot sa sakit ng tiyan? And worst he is the only witness to her near death experience. Hindi. Hindi. It`s alright .Lahat naman ng tao sumasakit ang tiyan di ba? She took a deep breath habang paulit ulit na pinapanalangin ang kaniyang mantra: Everythings fine now.

"Ya! Eodi gassni?!" (where did you go)

May kung sinong demonyo ang kumalabit sa kanya. "I`ve been looking for you for more 15 minutes," she immediately recognized that voice. Speak of the devil and te devil shall come. Si Young Hoon.Dumadaloy ang masaganang pawis sa mukha nito.

"Why? I didn`t even ask you too look for me in the first place right,"mataray na sagot niya. At siya pa tong may ganang magalit 15 minute lang naman pala siyang naghanap sa kaniya eh halos isang oras siyang ikinulong nito sa kotse partida sumakit pa ang tiyan niya kaya wala itong karapatang magreklamo.

" Neo... jinjjaya nal michige hae! I told you to wait in the car right ?didnt i?"

(Are you for real?This is driving me crazy)

"I don`t have a choice ok? My stomach became so upset. I mean you`ll get angry if get out and you`ll get mad if I poop in your car. Either way you`ll get angry so why would I bother following you?" she crossed her arms and gritted her teeth. Hah! Akala nito magpapatalo siya .

" Ahhh....jinja mid-eul suga eobs-eo.9

( I can`t believe this). Listen, Mandi-siii if the media starts to notice were together, they will get suspicious. Of course we don`t want this marriage to get public right? So you better tlisten to me and do as I say if you don`t want us to get screwed."

Mandi felt her blood slowly turning into a hot boiling matter called lava but maintained her cool.

"No. Of course I dont," a devilish smile formed on her lips. "I don`t know this guy! Everyone I don`t know him!" sigaw niya . "O, ayan sinabi ko nang hindi kita kilala. Is it enough to satisfy your overly insentive jerk?!"

Napasabunot ito ng buhok.

"Why did I let father make marry a crazy girl like you? Jinja michigene, huh."

She stride over to him at kunyaring inaalis ang alikabok sa polo nito. Inayos nya rin ang tanging tie nito at suot na coat at saka nilapit niya ang muka niya rito , "You know what people used to call me when i was in college? Mandi the freek. You heard it right, Young hoon dear, I am a freak. So if I were you, I wouldn`t push the red button." She whispered in his ear. Young Hoon was frozen in his spot. No one should ever underestimate her. Not ever.

Pero agad din itong nakabawi at hinawakan ang galanggalangan niya, he closed the distanc between them. " Sadly, I am not you. I dont care if you`re a freak a witch or a bitch , Mandi-ssi. Just know who you are in my life and we`re good," saka nito siya marahang itinulak palayo. Okay. The war between them had officially began.

"Young hoon-ssi!" A man emerges from their back. Nagpabalik balik ang tingin nito sa kaniya at kay Young Hoon.

"Geunyeoneun nugu-inga?" (Who is this girl?)

"Ihaehabnida, choecho li choi,"napabuga ito ng hangin. "You dont have to worry, she is harmless. Were not in a relationship or whatever."

"Al-ayo, al-ayo. seol hyeon-iga dangsin-ui deiteu balam-eul algedoemyeon mueos-eul hal su iss-eulji dangsingwa dangsin-eul chajgo issseubnida."

(I know ,I know .I am just looking out for you and you what Seolhyun can do if she ever found out your dating an affair)

"Oh right, Manager Choi this is Mandi," ngumiti sa kaniya si Manager Choi. She just give him a loopsided smile.

"Mandi, this is Manager Choi." Her eyes almost popped when Young hoon pulled her close to him," My new personal assistant."