My word, Leeteuk can be very demanding at times! He seems to have forgotten that he’s just tagging along on this trip. I guess I had no choice but to impose on the kindness of some friends. Luckily, I have one who has all of the qualities that Leeteuk is demanding for: he speaks Korean, he’s very discreet and he likes Super Junior…sort of.

Me: (~On the mobile phone~)Hello, Jorge!!!

Jorge: (~Confused on the other line~) Huh? Who’s this?

Me: Have you forgotten me? I’ve only been gone less than two weeks!

Jorge: Rain? Noona?!? Is that you?

Me: Yes! How are you doing? Are you busy?

Jorge: Well, I am, a bit…but…wait, are you back in Manila? How come?

Me: Just a short visit, business matters. Well, are you?

Jorge: Well, darn it, I missed you! I am a bit busy, but I can do lunch, I suppose?

Me: Aissshh, just lunch? I was kind of hoping you can spare me a couple of days….

Jorge: Are you in trouble? What? Is Andy bugging you again? Let me call my hoodlum pals and we’ll put him down!!

I laughed so hard my eyes teared a bit. That has always been his line: “I’ll put him down” whenever somebody has been giving me a hard time. He doesn’t really have hoodlum friends, but it’s always a comfort to know that there’s someone who’s willing to fight for you.

Jorge has been my closest friend for years. We grew up as neighbours in Manila, and he has been a witness to all of my triumphs and downfalls. It was just my misfortune that the painful episode in my life happened while Jorge was away on business in China. He has never forgiven himself for the fact that somebody messed with me when he wasn’t there.

He calls me “noona” because it’s the first Korean word he learned from me, and because I am a few months older, but in a lot of ways, he’s more mature than I am, so, I actually call him “oppa”, too. We don’t always agree on everything, no, that’s not true, we rarely agree on anything at first, but eventually, we see each other’s point and we come up with a compromise. And of course, we always find ourselves looking to each other for help.

Me: Ahh, I really missed you! No, I’m not in trouble, not really. But I’m with some clients and I need you to take care of them while I handle a fire at the office.

Jorge: A fire in the office? Again? Who is it? No, don’t tell me. Melvin again, right?

Me: Uh-huh. He resigned two days before deadline.

Jorge: I should’ve put him down a long time ago! Damn, Noona, I really can’t spare two days, you know how it is. But I can spare a few hours to see you. And why don’t you stay at my place, so we can at least catch up when I get home from work?

Me: Uh, I’d love to, but I can’t leave the clients alone at the hotel. Hey, why don’t we meet at Dianna unnie’s for lunch today? Can you make it?

Jorge: Just my luck! I have a client this morning in QC, I can be at her place by 1130. She cooking?

Me: Yeah, I warned her I’m coming with a couple of clients today. She prepared a feast. Janine and Ruth’ll be there, too. There’s a school event thing, apparently, so, they’re free this week.

Jorge: Great! I’ll see you there! I know it’s only been less than two weeks, but you always seem sad when we chat, I’m tempted to follow you to Seoul and take care of whoever is bugging you there.

Me: Aissshhh..you just want to visit SME!

Jorge: Well, there is that…but honestly, are you okay?

I looked at Leeteuk, who was impatiently listening to a conversation that he can’t even understand.

Me: Never better. I’ll talk to you later, okay? I’ll get our bags unpacked and meet you at unnie’s. I have a pleasant surprise for you…

Jorge: See you later. Take care!

Me: You too!! (~And I ended the call~)

Leeteuk: (~Arms across his chest, right eyebrow raised~) Well?

Me: He said he’s too busy.

Leeteuk: So, what’s your Plan B?

Me: I don’t have a Plan B. I said, “he said he’s too busy”, I’m confident he’ll be taking you around town all week if you ask him to.

Donghae comes out of his room, still sulking.

Donghae: Whoever that was, I don’t care if he speaks Mokpo dialect, I’m staying with you.

Leeteuk: Hae, you’re being silly…

Donghae: Stay out of this, hyung.

Leeteuk: Aissshhh…I don’t know what you did to get two of my dongsaengs in a tangle like this, Rain, but I’m leaving it up to you to fix this. I’ll get changed for our lunch, I’m hungry. I hope your unnie is a good cook.

Me: No, she’s not…she’s a great cook! Donghae, fine, if you want to go with me to the office, it’s up to you. Stop sulking you look like a blowfish.

Donghae: (~Cheering up and giving me a hug~) Really?  You’re not breaking your promise?

Me: (~Pushing him away~) Yeah, really. Now, enough with the skinship! That’s not allowed here! Get dressed, I’m calling them to tell them that we’re on our way…

Within half an hour, we arrived at Dianna’s house in Marikina. And I gave my friend the longest, most heartfelt hug I have ever given anyone.

Dianna: I can sense something is wrong…

Me: Yeah, but not right now, unnie, please. I have guests.

Dianna: yes, I can see that. Now, introduce me to these two lovely gentlemen…

And I introduced her to Leeteuk and Donghae, who the charm full-blast. Dianna understands a bit of Korean mainly because she has always been addicted to Korean drama, but she doesn’t really speak it, so I had to translate.

Me: And where are the fangirls? I’m sort of hoping they’ll take over the translation duty…

I was referring to Ruth and Janine, Dianna’s nieces, who are big fans of Super Junior.

Dianna: They’ll be here soon. I didn’t tell them you were coming so they won’t pass out from excitement before they even arrive, but that means they’ll be a little late. Why don’t you make yourselves comfortable? I’ll see if the food is ready…

As we sat down in Dianna’s spacious living room, I heard a familiar sound outside. It was Jorge’s car pulling roughly into the driveway.

Donghae: (~Looking out the window at Jorge’s Jaguar~) Whoa, nice car!

Me: Aissshhh, there’s Jorge..he drives almost as bad as Leeteuk.

Leeteuk: You haven’t even seen me drive.

Me: I don’t have to, it’s a well-publicised fact that you’re the worst driver in KPop. Stay here while I let him in.

And I met Jorge in the hallway.

Jorge: (~Welcoming me with a flamboyant hug that lifted me of my feet and twirled me around~) Noona!!!! I missed you sooooo much! (~Then he gently pushed my hair behind my ears and gave me a gentle peck on the cheek~)

Me: I missed you too, Oppa.

Donghae: (~Coming out of the living room, looking angrily at Jorge’s arms around me~) Hey! Enough of skinship! That’s not allowed!!!