ISABELLA

Mum and I talked about dating and relationships out of the blue a while ago. She said she’s just curious, and it feels so new to me.

Back when my sisters and I are still kids, we are so open in telling her who our crushes are (except for Gabby who is not interested in boys during that time). It’s always so good to hear her puppy-love stories. She will diligently remind us that having a crush is not bad and that we should make that person our inspiration or motivation. Those moments are so precious, for I personally feel how much our Mum wants to reach out and relate to us, and that we can trust her with anything. Sadly, it all changed when we become teenagers. Blame it on puberty, or call it a teen thing, but it’s just so hard to open up to our parents already, especially now that they seem to be stricter than they were before.

“What’s up Unnie?” Gabby just woke up, her voice husky and lame.

“You won’t believe what just happened” my sisters are the only people I share my everything about (because no matter how I try to hide a secret, I’ll end up telling them).

She should be preparing for school now, but I can’t even hear her moving. “Don’t tell me there’s another drama in the house…I swear Unnie…it should stop already...you tell our dear brothers and sisters to stop messing around”

Ha! As if telling them will make a difference. My brothers and sisters are good kiddos, thing is, they just can’t keep themselves out of trouble (Danny is a perfect example). Oh well, maybe it really runs in the family, for Mum and Dad are always in trouble during their younger days.

“No!” I exhale heavily and check the clock. It’s still early for our meeting. “Mum just become random this morning…she suddenly asked me if I already have suitors...according to her…she’s just curious but I don’t know…I have a different feeling about it”

There was silence on her end. Oh please! Don’t tell me she falls asleep again. I’ll definitely kick her once I see her.

Gabby finally made a sound, she groans. “Why is it so hard to get up in the morning? Like seriously…as much as I want to move already…I can’t…I think I’m magnetized on my bed”. As usual, she didn’t listen.

“HEY!” I yell “If you don’t want to get up…then don’t…after all it’s not me who’s going to skip classes…gosh!”

She chuckles “Sorry Unnie…what was that again? Mum asked you about suitors?”

I sigh in frustration. My patience has gone down a level already. “Yes…she did”

“What’s the problem with that?”

Finally, she was able to pull herself up and get out of bed. I can hear her heavy footsteps even on the phone, it’s like someone is banging the floor.

“There’s no problem with it…it’s just that I find it a little weird because it’s been so long since she talked about boys to us…well…to me”

“Unnie…I think Mum is really just curious…to be honest…I am too” she says with so much noise coming from her end. One of Gabby’s morning routines is listening to her favorite songs with speakers blasting.

“I don’t get you guys…seriously” I say with full emotions as if she’s in front of me “Yes! I get curious about how dating works and what it feels like having someone chasing you around…doing mushy things and whatnots…but…I don’t feel like dating yet...maybe because I’m so into my career or I just don’t want to bother myself with Love s”

Gabby sighs “Look Unnie…I know that you love your career so much and that you’re still in the process of building a good foundation…but you’re human…you’re no machine…you have a heart…you have feelings…USE THEM! I think there’s nothing bad about dating and being open to relationships because we have to admit…you’re growing old and you need to experience these things…OH OH OH!” she sounds excited all of a sudden.

“What?”

“Maybe you’re just afraid of Dad…you know…because…he’s really strict when it comes to this thing”

I shook my head. No. I’m not afraid of Dad. Alright. I am. But, I know that he’s going to understand if ever I bring a guy home and introduce him to them. The only thing I’m not sure of is how he’s going to take me, dating and all. He might follow me and my boyfriend everywhere.

“Men are following you around…we can’t deny that you’re one of the hottest girls in the city right now…why don’t you try dating even just for once and if it doesn’t work for you then forget about it and just be an old maid…imagine yourself sitting on a rocking chair…knitting a scarf or something that you just trip on knitting with dogs running around your house that you raised just to not feel alone”

Why did I even think of talking to my sister about this matter when she’s not helping at all?

“I don’t want to be an old maid” I tell her, erasing the scenario that she just injected in my head.

“THEN GO OUT AND DATE!” she exclaims and hangs up.

“Thank you for your help Gabriella” I sigh heavily, talking to no one.

After that, my mind is not functioning at all. Our meeting with the YG RUNWAY team is just a few minutes from now and I’m struggling to organize thoughts in my head and convince myself to focus on work. I’ll just deal with my Mum-made dilemma later.

“Did you see it?” a staff asks while waiting for Mum and her team to arrive in the conference room.

“See what?” I ask curiously.

I have a feeling that Mum and Dad did a mushy scene again or something, because just a few weeks ago, Mum’s staffs saw her and Dad kissing, no, making-out in her office (just their shadows. Thank God for iced glass windows).

“You’re really a heartthrob Isabella” my good friend and senior magazine editor of Teen RUNWAY, Suki, says while settling down in her seat.

This is making more curious. What are these people talking about?

“Did you know that even men in their late thirties are having a crush on you? Wait” she raises her index finger up and pauses for a while “They just don’t have a crush on you…they LIKE you…and they have plans on making a move even when it’s a total risk”

“Can you please tell me what’s going on first? Because…I can’t understand a thing you’re saying”

She takes a deep breath and sighs “You know Nam Taehyun Oppa and Kim Han Bin Oppa…right?

Psh! Who wouldn’t know them? They’re from two successful and popular boy bands. Not to mention, they’re being mentored and managed by my Dad. I grew up watching their concerts and dancing to their songs.

“What about them?” I look at the clock and notices that Mum’s team is already five minute