"Cut!" direk shouts. "Okay, next scenes with Sam and Kim. Where's Sam?"

     "He's not here yet," Haidi replies.

     "Ugh. Okay. Review your lines, Kim. We're changing materials."

     I walk back to my dressing room with Haidi. "Did Sam text or call me yet?"

     "He texted, said he's on his way," she says, handing me a new change of clothes. "You want to eat after you change?"

     "Yeah, sure. I'll be right back," I reply.

     After changing clothes, I quickly notice my late dinner on the table. It's almost midnight. I settle in my chair and can smell the delicious barbeque and pancit. "Haidi, can you hand me my script?" I see Haidi chatting with some of the Kimsters. I smile at them.

     Haidi walks over and hands me my script. As I eat, I keep rereading my lines and then I shift into my character, feeling her within me. I let my character's similarities with me emphasize but let the difference dominate. I am reborn, feeling only what my character should feel. "They're right. This can't go on anymore. But believe me when I say that I was true to--"

      "Kim."

     I jump at the sound of the voice and at the feel of the touch on my shoulder. I turn around to see Sam standing behind me. "Jeez, you scared the crap out of me."

     "Sorry," he says with a smile. He bends down to give me a light peck on the cheek. He smells so good.

     "It's okay." I smile back at him. "You're late. We've been waiting for you."

     "Yeah, I know. There's been a slight mess-up with my schedule. Is direk mad?"

     "Potentially," I shrug.

     "I just have to change. I've been reviewing the script on my way so I'm pretty much ready."

     "Okay, go." I shoo him away.

     I finish the last of my barbeque as Haidi starts to retouch my hair.

     "There's grease on your lips," Haidi points out. I grab a napkin. "Is Sam getting ready?"

     "He's changing clothes then we can start," I reply.

     Sam comes back in new clothes and greets Haidi. We all walk back to the set where everyone was waiting for us.

     "Finally, Samuel is here. Let's get this started. Everybody!"

     Everyone goes back to their places and spots. The set is now on shift mode. "Action!"

     After taping, everyone starts to pack up. "I'll just be over with the Kimsters," I tell Haidi and she nods.

     Some dozen KimBAOS and Kimsters were patiently waiting just outside the border of the set. They've been present since we started taping. I grab Sam on my way to them. "Let's chit-chat with the Kim Chiu Lovers," I whisper to him.

     "Like me?" he asks.

     "Um, potentially." I pause. "Potentially not."

     "Oh, really?" he starts poking me in my underarms when we we're just about to reach the Kimsters and KimBAOS.

     I start giggling uncontrollably and  kept giggling even after he stopped. Once I regained my composure, I look around to see amusement written all over the fans' faces. I playfully smack Sam in the arm. "Don't do that again!"

     But he just ignores me, a naughty smile lingering on his pretty face. "How's every Kim Chiu Lover doing?" he says.

     One of them says, "Super happy!"

    "Star-struck!" another chimes in.

    "You all must be very tired," I say to them. "You've been here all night. It's almost daybreak."

    A lady says, "It's worth it." And everyone else pitches in. "Especially seeing you guys sweet."

    Hoots from the crowd arise. I hope I'm not blushing. Sam looks at me and he's smiling. I am definitely blushing so I just smile at them. "Do you guys want to take pictures?" I say.

     Cameras start to flash from everywhere and I plaster on the smile. Sam puts his arm around my waist and I lean against him. Fans pose next to us and the flashes continue to come.

***

     "Kim, wake up!"

     I force my eyes open to see Haidi shaking me.

     "Lakam wants to talk to you," she says, handing me my phone.

     "Hello?" I yawn out to the phone.

     "Hey, sis," Lakam greets me cheerfully.

     "Thanks a lot for ruining my beauty sleep."

     "My absolute pleasure. So, how'd the meeting go?"

     "Er, not bad," I say. "I guess."

     "Not bad? That's it? Well, what about the leading man? Did you come up who you're casting? Papa Piolo? John Lloyd? Echo?"

     "Uh, no. I've already done movies with them before."

     "So what?" she asks. "It's not like it's gonna hurt to do it again. After all, you had perfect chemistry with each one of them."

     "Well, okay but no, it's still not any of them."

     "Well, tell me already! Who is it?"

     "Gerald."

     There's a pause on the other end of the line. Lakam knew very well how working with Gerald will be a challenge. She's been there throughout the falling out between Gerald and I. She knew very well the pain and misery I went through.

     "Hello?" I say, making sure she was still on.

     "Oh, Kim," Lakam conveys in sympathy.

     "No, it's fine," I say. I don't want this sympathy that I seem to be getting from everybody. It's starting to insult me. "It's just work. Nothing personal."

     "You don't have to do this, you know."

     "Yes, I do, Lakam. I want to do this. It's another big project for me. We should be happy, instead of sulking about Gerald. And what's there to sulk about Gerald, anyway?"

     "Well...," she replies, hesitant.

     "Nothing to sulk about," I say.

     "Okay, then. Well, good luck, I guess. I'll tell Twinkle about this."

     Haidi hands me another phone and mouths, "Portia."

     "Well, I have to go. I miss you guys," I tell Lakam.

     "We miss you, too! Take care! Bye!" she replies and hangs up.

     Taking the other phone, I greet, "Hello, Portia.

     "Hey, Kim. Did you consider Gerald yet?"

     "Um, yeah. He'd be good for the role."

     "Oh, yeah?" she questions and there's something playful in her voice.

     "Yeah. This is work. It's gonna be great. Another big break for me here, Portia!"

     "That's my girl! I like your enthusiasm. I should probably inform Jose about this. I'll call you back, okay? Bye!"

***

     “I had to call in an early meeting. Sorry to mess up your schedule but I just wanted to inform everyone what has been decided so that there’ll be no delays and we can get straight to the point this coming Wednesday,” Jose says to everyone around the table. “Kim has finally considered working with Gerald so it has been decided that Gerald Anderson will be the leading man of this movie.”

     I swear I just heard a muffled squeal. As I look around the room, smiles are plastered on everyone’s faces including Mrs. Malou’s.

     “So Gerald has been informed and we’ve been given a ‘go’ signal from the management,” Jose continues. “Now, people, this might be one of the biggest block busters yet this year but...," he pauses, "we have to remember that we’re walking on a minefield here. We don’t wanna come in too strong—"

     “Well, Jose, we’re gonna have to come in real strong,” Mrs. Malou interjects. “It’s just the natural thing to do to make good sales.”

     “I knew one of you would mention that,” Jose replies, shaking his finger at Mrs. Malou. “I’m not talking about coming in real strong in terms of advertising and publicity. You can advertise and publicize all you want. What I’m talking about here is the Kimerald fans. This comeback isn’t permanent. It’s just a temporary reunion... for now. We don’t want them holding on to Kim and Gerald for dear life hoping that they’ll get back together.” Jose softens his voice and continues, “We all know how that went before.”

     I look down to my hands when he said that and I could feel gazes burning on me. I couldn’t look up. No, not to their sympathizing faces.

     “Well, how do we not come in too strong?” Portia asks, breaking the awkwardness.

     “Ah, thanks to Kim, there’s a way,” Jose announces. “Recently, reports have been linking Kim to Sam Milby.”

     I look up and am puzzled as to why he was saying this and of course, how these reports have gone out.

     “The fact that Kim is being romantically linked to Sam will fizz out ideas that Gerald and Kim has a romantic relationship," declares Jose.

     At that, I burst. I didn't like the management controlling what I do or letting them make up things about what I do. I've had enough and I know better. “What?” I snapped. “You want me to fake a relationship and use it for this movie? That’s absurd! Portia?!”

     “Yeah, we can’t do that, Jose. Like you said, we all know how that went before,” Portia tells him.

     “Well, it’s not so much faking if the reports are true. I think you should thank me instead because I’m only doing you a favor. This is for your own sake and Gerald’s sake. Do you want people thinking and hoping that you’re back together again?”

     Portia leans towards me and whispers, “He’s got a point. You’re not exactly faking it with Sam.”

     That got me thinking. Since I'm not faking it with Sam, I'll do it. I start biting my lip and say to Jose, “Well, okay... fine.”

     “So are the reports true?” Mrs. Malou asks me.

     “What reports?” I ask, a little too quickly.

     “About you and Sam.”

     “Well, we’re, um, not exactly a, uh, couple but, uh, we’re on the road to that, I guess.”

     “See? You’re not exactly faking it,” affirms Jose.

     “You’re not going to make the Kim-Sam issue big, are you? We don’t want you to do that,” Portia counters.

     “Don’t worry, we’re not... but we’re gonna have to make sure people know. But I promise you, we’re not gonna make this big.”

     “Okay, let me know how you’re going to publicize this issue. I want to take part in it,” Portia says.

     “You can work with Darla on that. Just keep me and the management informed, okay?” Jose turns to Mrs. Malou and asks her, “What do you think, Malou?”

     Mrs. Malou sits up after casually leaning and listening throughout the meeting. "Well," she huffs out. “We’re definitely off to a good start. And as someone who is greatly hoping that Kim and Gerald will get back together, I think the Kim-Sam issue will fizz it out so definitely off to a good start.”

     “Great! So ,Kim, are you agreeing to all that’s being planned out right now?”

     “Yeah, like Mrs. Malou said, definitely off to a good start.” I smile to them but really, I'm nervous on the inside. I’ve never been so public about dating and love stuff. I don’t know how people will react about me and Sam. But what really put the cherry on top of my uneasiness was seeing and communicating and interacting and touching and working with Gerald again.

     “Okay. Well. This meeting went much faster than I thought,” Jose says. “So this Wednesday is the story-con. I’m inviting Gerald to come join us. I’m giving you, guys, a ‘go’ signal on letting the press know about Gerald being the lead. I think you, Kim, should break that news in. Portia, work on that, will ‘ya?”

     “I will,” answers Portia.

     “Well, this is great, guys! I think that’s all. See you all in Wednesday!”

     Everyone stands up from their chairs and hugs everyone goodbye. I hug Jose and Malou and everyone else. As we walk out in the hall, I ask Portia, “Should I tell Sam about this?”

     “About what? About you and Gerald working again?” she answers.

     “No! Why do I need to tell him that?”

     “Well, I don’t know. Maybe to warn him that you might fall for Gerald again.”

     I elbow Portia in the side. “Portia, I’m being serious here.”

     “So am I.”

     I give her the stink eye.

     “Just kidding," she laughs. "What were you talking about again?”

     “Should I tell Sam about using the reports to fizz out the Kimerald ideas?”

     “Using the reports to fizz out the Kimerald ideas?" Her forehead creases. "I wouldn't put it that way. You're not just using it. This is time for you to be freely in-love.

     "So should I?"

      "Not a big deal, Kim. No need to,” she answers. “So what do you wanna do today? You’re free. Wanna go shopping?”

     “Not in the mood right now, I’m tired. I just wanna go home.”

     “Well, that's a shocker but alright, let’s go home.”

     Later that night, I get a text from the person I least expected to get it from; Gerald. It made me even more nervous than ever. He said, “Excited to work wit u again soon” with a smiley face. It took me a while to come up with the right response but here’s what I sent him, “Yea, me too” with a smiley face. A few minutes later, he sent me another message. I didn’t want it to look like I was anticipating his messages but here’s what I sent him: “See u, too!” with another smiley face.

***

     Wednesday comes and I’m so tense that I might just go insane. Portia and I came a wee bit early to the meeting. We’re sitting around the table with a few other people, silently waiting for the others to arrive. I look down to my hands on my lap and noticed that my legs are shaking up and down. I try to stop it from shaking but each time the door opens or closes, the rate at which my legs are shaking increases at a high speed. Soon, it'll be off the charts. The back of my neck and ears are hot, too.

     For the next half hour, the chairs around the table fill up as the door opens and closes, adding more and more tension to me.

     Creak, the door opens. Jose comes in. Whew. I stand up to give him a peck.

     Creak, the door opens. More people.

     Creak, the door opens. More and more people.

     Creak, the door opens. I see Mrs. Malou. I stand up, again, to give her a peck.

     Creak, the door opens and the moment he walks in, our gazes connect and he smiles at me. My God, he smiles at me! He comes, tall and striding, filling the seemingly never ending space between us. He leans down—since I forget to stand—and gives me a peck on the cheek ever so lightly.

     “Hello, Kim,” greets Gerald.