Chapter 2

*KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK*

Seohyun opened up her blood shot eyes and rolled off her bed. She finally realized that the jetlag was hitting her.

“My goodness…I’m so drowsy…”

*KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK*

The pounding on the door was growing louder. Seohyun walked into Tiffany’s room only to find her bed empty.

“Fany?”

“Seobaby! I’m outside!”

Seohyun walked over to the front door and opened it. Tiffany was holding two plastic bags filled with numerous knick-knacks.

“I decided to go out for an early stroll around the hotel and found myself going nuts in the souvenir store! Look at these cute little hats I found!”

Seohyun lazily looked through the bags and Tiffany recognized her drooping face.

“Seohyun, you know it’s like noon, right?”

“Huh?!”

Seohyun leaped towards the curtains and pulled them open. A beam of sunlight shot through the window and temporarily blinded her.

“Oh my goodness…what didn’t you wake me up?”

“You were so tired and you pushed my hand away so I went out alone…but don’t worry…Ara will be here in an hour so you have time to dress up…”

“Oh man!”

Seohyun remembered one thing in particular with Go Ara, which was her pet peeve of being neat. Because of that, while Ara lived with them, Tiffany and Seohyun made sure to have the dorm completely clean. Ara freaked out when she saw the dishes stacked up or the laundry not folded.

“I’m going to take a quick shower, Unnie!”

Tiffany laughed as Seohyun quickly undressed and vanished into the shower. Tiffany leaned against the door and spoke up.

“Seohyun, you’ll be fine...I’m sure Ara has changed from that crazy neat freak we once knew…”

The loudness from the shower blocked Tiffany’s words so she decided to head to the kitchen to grab something eat. While she picked out an apple from the fruit basket left as a complimentary gift from the staff, there was once again a knock on the door. She answered and to her surprise it was Piolo. Tiffany got excited.

“Oh, hi there, Piolo…”

Piolo smiled innocently.

“Seohyun called yesterday…were you two interested in visiting the Rizal Park?”

“We are actually but Go Ara will be up here real soon…she’s been busy huh?”

“Yes, the wedding is a real big thing so everyone is really busy…”

Tiffany moved aside.

“Do you want to come in?”

Piolo nodded.

“Sure…”

Piolo entered and Tiffany guided him to the living room. Piolo overheard the shower as he sat down.

“Where’s Seohyun?”

“She’s in the shower…”

Piolo suddenly grew hot and he turned to see the steaming door where the body of Seohyun was behind. He snapped out of his lustful moment and returned his view back to Tiffany.

“I see…well…Ms. Ara will fill you in about what’s going on this week...”

“Seohyun and I actually haven’t seen or heard from Ara for about 3 years or so…this invitation to her wedding as been actually a huge surprise…”

“Wow…”

“We’re still adjusting to the jetlag though…”

“Did Seohyun get hit hard?”

“She did…we’re curious though…what does Yun Ho actually do? Also, how did Go Ara and him meet?”

Piolo chuckled.

“I actually don’t know how they met...but…what I can tell is Yun Ho is a very hardworking and intelligent man…he’s one of Korea’s youngest and smartest diplomats stationed at the Korea Embassy downtown…he’s also real wealthy since his family runs a huge construction business back in Korea…Go Ara made a good decision marrying him…”

“Wow…that’s impressive…a diplomat?”

“Yes…he’s one of the liaison officers and works close with the Korean Ambassador…speaks four languages and because of his wealth and influence he has a full staff at his mansion in Alabang…I’m part of the staff…”

“My goodness…”

“It’s impressive like you said…but…I’m sure Go Ara will fill you in on more about him…”

Suddenly, Seohyun walked out in a towel, not noticing Piolo was there.

“Hey Unnie could I borrow your razor?”

Piolo turned and spotted Seohyun scantily clad with only a towel on. Seohyun blushed brightly and ran back into her room. Tiffany spoke up.

“Sorry Seohyun!”

Piolo, who was also red with excitement, stood up.

“I apologize! I’ll be leaving now…”

He tried to cover his face as he rushed out the room but Tiffany could tell he was blushing. Seohyun poked her head out.

“Is he gone?”

“He is…”

“Unnie, why didn’t you tell me he was here?”

“You were showering…plus…you told him to visit since he’ll be taking us to the park later…”

Seohyun felt guilty.

“Oh, that’s right…dang…”

“We’ll make it up to him…you should get dressed before Ara shows up…”

“Oh dangit! Could I borrow your razor though? These legs are looking bad…I forgot to pack my bathroom things back home!”

“Seo-baby, I got you…”

Go Ara was elegantly dressed with a white blouse and a khaki pencil skirt. She wore an expensive bracelet on her right wrist and a slim gold Coach watch on her left. Tiffany and Seohyun were mesmerized by the glowing engagement ring on her left hand. Seohyun thought to herself.

“Wow…so this is what a bride-to-be looks like…”

Go Ara’s hair was nicely curled and her makeup was light yet attractive. She resembled a movie star. She lifted her cup and sipped her tea.

“So how do you girls like the hotel?”

Tiffany responded instantly.

“It’s incredible!”

Go Ara laughed lightly.

“I’m glad…how about you, Seohyun?”

“I’m real thankful that you invited us here, Unnie…it was unexpected…”

“I’m sure it was…”

“I’ve been curious though…why Tiffany and me?”

“That’s a good question, Seohyun…to be completely honest…I had trouble finding who would be the right bridesmaids for my wedding…I have no sisters…no real close girlfriends…but then…I remembered you two girls back in LA…it was a brief moment since I was graduating but I couldn’t forget your polite and friendly personalities…”

Tiffany swooned.

“Aww…thanks Ara!”

Tiffany hugged Ara while Seohyun nodded.

“I have to be honest as well Unnie…I barely knew you so I was truly surprised to hear from you again…this is a great opportunity though so thank you…”

Ara moved over and touched Seohyun’s hand.

“You’re welcome…”

Tiffany spoke up.

“So, time to get down to the REAL mystery…how did you find your man?!”

Ara laughed and began to speak about her wonderful love story. As they listened in, Seohyun saw that arrogant man she ran into last night at the spa pass through the lobby. He was wearing dark shades, a white v-neck shirt, and khaki jeans. A young girl with glasses followed close behind him. Seohyun became curious about him instead of Ara’s story.

“We met at a party actually…”

Seohyun’s eyes followed Kyuhyun as he exited the hotel. Tiffany noticed Seohyun’s inattention to Ara’s story and bumped her knee. Seohyun realized she was distracted and return her attention back to Ara.

“After we met at the party, we started calling each other then eventually started dating…he is so funny and outgoing in public but he has a very calm and gentle side when we’re alone…his gentle side was what attracted me…”

Tiffany sighed.

“Oh wow…I wish I could find someone like that…”

Seohyun asked a question.

“Unnie, how did you end up in the Philippines anyways?”

“Well, remember how I wanted to be a teacher?”

“Yes.”

“After teaching English in Korea, I got bored and I wanted a change of scenery so I got transferred here to Manila to teach English at the University of the Philippines…while teaching I met a lot of Korean nationals and socialized with them often…that’s how I ended up at the party with Yun Ho…”

Tiffany leaned over and whispered to Seohyun.

“Weren’t you listening?”

Seohyun blushed with embarrassment and realized that she had been distracted longer than she expected. Still, she couldn’t get over whom exactly Kyuhyun was. He was indeed handsome, overly confident, but also familiar.  It was driving her nuts.

“Excuse me Unnie, I’m going to use the restroom…”

Seohyun stood up and hurried to the restroom. Tiffany and Ara shrugged and continued on with the conversation. Seohyun detoured from the restroom and walked through the lobby leading to the entrance. She went through the doors and felt the humidity cover her entire body.

“Where is he?”

She turned to her right and saw him speaking to another man in a suit. Seohyun moved out of the range of vision and spied over him. She didn’t know what came over her but she wanted to see what he looked like. She observed his mannerisms and expressions.

“They must be waiting for their ride…”

As Seohyun peeked behind the bushes, Jiyeon arrived holding a bag filled with bottled water. She was curious what Seohyun was doing and stood behind her to see what she was looking at. She realized it was Kyuhyun and dropped the water.

“HEY!”

 The bottles went crashing onto the cement, spilling water everywhere. Seohyun turned around and was slapped across the face.

*SLAP*

All the employees gasped. Seohyun was surprised and held her stinging right cheek. Jiyeon tried for another assault but Piolo grabbed her wrist.

“Stop!”

Kyuhyun and Leeteuk saw the commotion and ran over to the entrance. Kyuhyun saw Piolo holding Jiyeon back as Seohyun was rubbing her cheek. Leeteuk spoke up.

“What the hell is going on? And you, release her!”

Piolo let go of Jiyeon’s wrist and she walked over to Leeteuk. Jiyeon pointed towards Seohyun.

“This girl was stalking Kyuhyun!”

Kyuhyun looked at Seohyun and was stunned to see her. Tiffany and Ara arrived to see what was going on. Leeteuk responded back.

“Why did you slap her though? Was she trying to attack you?”

Jiyeon began to fumble at her words.

“Well…umm…”

Piolo spoke up.

“First thing, this girl was attacking my client! She had no right to attack her! Another thing, this girl you slapped is a guest of the Honorable Jung Yun Ho; it would be best if you apologized!”

Ara interrupted.

“Alright everyone! Calm down…Piolo, I’m thankful for your service but I’ll take care of this…”

Ara turned to Leeteuk.

“This is all a minor inconvenience, I’m sure we can settle all of this with a mere apology…”

Jiyeon spoke up.

“I was simply doing my job as a bodyguard for Cho Kyuhyun!”

Seohyun was stunned to hear his name and stared at him. Kyuhyun looked back and was confused. He spoke with his lips.

“What?”

Leeteuk held Jiyeon back and spoke up.

“I’m sure these two girls could apologize to one another…I’m sure it was all a misunderstanding, right?”

Leeteuk looked at Jiyeon and she sighed. She walked up to Seohyun and bowed. Seohyun bowed back.

“I’m sorry for slapping you…”

“I’m sorry for alarming you…”

They both raised their heads and Seohyun caught Kyuhyun staring at her. Leeteuk quickly pulled Jiyeon away and Kyuhyun followed. They hopped into their van and drove out of the hotel. Tiffany pulled Seohyun to the side.

“Seohyun, what has gotten into you? This isn’t how you are…”

“I’m sorry, Unnie…it’s just that I thought that guy looked familiar…that’s all…I’m so embarrassed…”

Piolo spoke up.

“No need to be embarrassed…he’s an actor from Korea…big time soap opera actor and model…”

Tiffany spoke up.

“Oh ok! Don’t be too embarrassed Seohyun…I bet he’s one of your favorite hunks from those Korean dramas right?”

Seohyun didn’t realize he was an actor but decided to go along with the misconception to avoid stretching the issue any further. Ara spoke up.

“Well, I guess Piolo will be showing you girls around town right? I have to get back to work but I’ll be seeing you two later for dinner, okay?”

Tiffany was excited.

“Alright! Yeah, let’s go!”

She braced her arm around Piolo’s and tugged him along. He turned to Seohyun only to find her spacing out again.

“She’s always deep in thought, huh?”

Tiffany turned to Seohyun.

“Seo-baby let’s go!”

Seohyun didn’t want to delve any deeper into Kyuhyun’s identity but it simply bothered her. She hated her curiosity because it would drive her to the point of sleeplessness. She sighed and followed behind Tiffany and Piolo.

Rizal Park

Also referred to as “Luneta Park”, it’s located in the heart of Manila. It is the place where the Spanish executed world-renowned writer, pacifist, and national hero Jose Rizal on December 30, 1896. In dedication for his sacrifice for the Philippines, this park was constructed along with a giant monument and statue of him. Nowadays, the park attracts thousands of tourists every year and it’s known not only for its nationalistic pride and beauty but also as a romantic location for lovers.

Kyuhyun, Leeteuk, and Jiyeon remained in the van as they waited for the rest of the crew to prepare the set for the commercial. Kyuhyun turned to Jiyeon.

“I was told you were talented and smart…but…I never knew you were dangerous…”

Leeteuk spoke up.

“I’m afraid I forgot to tell you, Kyuhyun but she’s not only your assistant but-“

“Your bodyguard…”

Kyuhyun looked back to Jiyeon.

“I’m afraid I wasn’t as honest as I wanted to be with you, Kyuhyun…I applied for this job because I’m training to be a police officer…”

“Wow…are you serious?”

Jiyeon simply stared at him.

“Leeteuk, she is…”

“What happened back there was me doing my job…”

“Oh man…how did it come to this, Hyung?”

Leeteuk cleared his throat.

“Well, if you remember a couple months back…Hyomin, your past assistant, got super close to killing you…”

“Killing me?”

Kyuhyun closed his eyes to remember what happened with him and Hyomin.

*CRASH*

Hyomin drove her car onto the set of his latest drama and pulled out a knife.

“You’re the father of this baby!”

Kyuhyun quickly woke up from his flashback.

“Oh yeah…that was nuts…”

“Well, we needed to look for a bodyguard for you but we all knew you wouldn’t cooperate with a huge macho protector so we went along and searched for female bodyguards…Jiyeon entered the office looking for a job and well…here we are…”

Kyuhyun stared at Jiyeon and she stared back. She was indeed serious.

“I guess that drink might need to wait then, huh?”

“Don’t be intimidated, Kyuhyun…I’ll share a drink with you…”

Jiyeon winked and Kyuhyun chuckled. Leeteuk was relieved.

“I guess we can be a happy family, right?”

Kyuhyun smiled.

“Sure…the actor, the tough girl, and the stressed out manager…just dandy…”

The make-up artist walked over to the van and tapped on the window. Leeteuk slid the door opened.

“Mr. Kyuhyun, you’re needed on the set now, we’ll get you ready…”

“Sure thing!”

Kyuhyun hopped out and looked back at his entourage.

“Thanks Jiyeon…”

“For what?”

“For having my back this whole time…”

“You’re welcome…”

Jiyeon watched as Kyuhyun hurried along. Her heartbeat nearly skipped when he smiled at her. Leeteuk whispered into her ear.

“Make sure he doesn’t get too drunk, alright?”

Jiyeon giggled.

“I got it, Oppa…”

Piolo, Seohyun, and Tiffany walked together as they circled the park. Seohyun watched as children ran through the grass chasing each other while the adults sat at picnic tables and chatted away. Seohyun pulled out her camera and took a picture of the monument from behind.

“What a beautiful figure…”

Piolo stood beside Seohyun.

“It is beautiful…”

She looked back to him and they smiled at each other. Tiffany was at one of the street carts trying out deep fried squid balls on a stick.

“Hey guys! Try this out!”

Seohyun shook her head and laughed. Piolo spoke up.

“Tiffany is very social, huh?”

“She is…”

“You two girls seem to be the exact opposite of each other…”

“Yeah, but our personalities compliment each other well…”

“I see…opposites attract?”

“I guess you can say that…”

“I see…”

“I was wondering, do you live in Manila too?”

“Oh ummm…not exactly in the metropolitan area…more like in the suburbs of it…”

“Oh wow, what’s your suburb called?”

Piolo laughed for a second.

“It’s place called Tondo…”

“Tondo? Is it nice there? Do you have like driveways, garages, green lawns, and medium sized homes?”

Piolo was amazed by Seohyun’s relentless thirst for knowledge.

“Haha…actually, the suburbs here aren’t really like what you see in the States…picture it like the apartments you see in New York…kind of stacked up on each other…”

“I see…you know…I like tourist attractions and what not but I’d like to see what its really like to live here…could we visit your neighborhood sometime?”

Piolo was stunned and thought.

“Bakit gusto nya magpunta sa Tondo? Deligado doon…chaka maganda sya at makinis ang balat nya…ay naku…”

Why does she want to go to Tondo? It’s dangerous there…plus she’s beautiful and fair-skinned…oh man…”

Piolo smiled.

“We can do that before you girls leave…”

“Oh thanks, I want to see what it’s really like…forgive me for my ignorance…”

“No, it’s okay, we’ll just need to be safe…”

Seohyun smiled.

“Sure thing…”

Tiffany came up to her and handed her a stick of squid balls dripping with sweet and sour sauce.

“Please try this! It’s so tasty!”

Seohyun took a bite.

“Mmm…tasty…”

“See! Seo-baby is CUTE!”

Seohyun shook her head and continued to eat. As she chewed, she looked at the other end of the park and saw huge lights being set up.

“Whoa, what’s going there?”

Piolo squinted his eyes.

“Let’s check it out…”

Kyuhyun’s commercial was an ongoing mini drama for a credit card company. The story of the commercial was about a man traveling all over the world to search for his long lost lover. For every country he visits, there’s a hint he must find to lead him to the next clue. It’s like a lovers’ scavenger hunt but the only way it could happen is with the help of his trusty credit card.  The mix of breathtaking cinematography, professional actors, and advertisement couldn’t have been any better.

Kyuhyun stood in the middle of the park, in a khaki suit, as he went through his lines. This would be the conclusion of the three-part commercial and he would be finally reuniting with his lover. As the director addressed the rest of the crewmembers to prepare the set, Kyuhyun was drenched with sweat beneath his suit. He was growing annoyed. He walked over to Taeyeon as she went over her lines.

“Taeyeon, you ready?”

“Just about…just need to memorize my lines…”

“It’s simple…I say that I’ve been searching for you and all you say was that you’ve been waiting for me…we kiss and smile at each other…done…”

“I know…but still…I want to get it right…”

Kyuhyun rolled his eyes and went back to his spot.

“Geez…I hate actresses…”

Jiyeon approached him and handed him some water.

“I can tell you’re suffering in that suit…”

Kyuhyun smiled and took the water.

“You can tell huh?”

Jiyeon chuckled as he gulped the entire bottle down.

“Thanks…this country is too freaking hot…I’m dying here…”

“Just hold on a bit and we’ll be done…”

“I’ll take you word for that…”

Jiyeon took the bottle, winked, and exited the set. The director spoke into his microphone.

“Alright kids, we need to finish up this scene before the sun sets…now Kyuhyun remember that there isn’t a lot to the script so we need to rely on your facial expressions and body language, alright?”

Kyuhyun gave a thumbs-up.

“Did you hear that Ms. Taeyeon? Body language and facial expression! Remember, you have been waiting for his love for a long time, alright?”

Taeyeon seemed nervous.

“Got it, Taeyeon?”

“Yes sir!”

Kyuhyun shook his head.

“She’s going to mess this up…”

*TAKE 1!*

The shoot for the commercial started and the actors began to go through their motions. As Kyuhyun began his line, he saw Seohyun watching from the distance. He was suddenly distracted and forgot to embrace Taeyeon.

“Kyuhyun?”

Kyuhyun shook his head.

“Oh crap…”

*CUT!*

The director spoke into his microphone.

“I know it’s hot everyone so let’s take it from the top again…please Kyuhyun, let’s focus…”

“Sorry!”

Seohyun, Tiffany, and Piolo watched from across the street as Kyuhyun went through the shoot. Piolo spoke up.

“Oh it’s Kyuhyun again…”

Seohyun looked around and saw a huge fan gathering. There were girls with his name written in Korean across their cheeks and others holding huge posters with his face on it.

“KYUHYUN!!!! WE LOVE YOU!!!!”

Tiffany laughed.

“Wow, he has a whole cheering squad…is he even a good actor?”

Piolo shrugged.

“I don’t watch his shows but what I do know is that he’s under a lot of public scrutiny for his relationship with his assistant a couple months back…his fans have been rallying behind him but the girl has a strong case against him…”

“I’m not really into actors…how about you, Seohyun? You love dramas!”

“I don’t know much about him…”

Seohyun watched closely as he embraced Taeyeon and kissed her. The fans swooned and cheered. The director signaled that the scene was finished and Kyuhyun waved over to the fans. He walked across the street and began signing autographs. Security quickly jumped in to control the chaotic fans.

“You’re so handsome, Kyuhyun!”

“I love you, Kyuhyun!”

Jiyeon stood behind him as he signed a couple of pictures. As he got to the end, he looked up and saw Seohyun staring at him. He looked back her. Jiyeon saw who it was and stood in front of him.

“It’s you again! You better stand back before I do more than slap you!”

“It’s ok, Jiyeon…”

Kyuhyun walked around the barricade and approached Seohyun. Tiffany and Piolo were confused.

“Are you interested in me? I’m single, you know?”

“Don’t get cute with me…I just thought you reminded me of someone but I was mistaken…”

Kyuhyun smirked and rubbed his chin.

“Oh, an old love? I get that a lot…who knows…. we might have been fated to be together…what do you say?”

Seohyun was amazed by his ridiculous pride.

“I might have thought that you were an old friend of mine but I’ve been sadly mistaken…”

Seohyun turned to her group.

“Let’s go…”

Tiffany was in awe of her sassiness against the Korean actor.

“Holy…”

Seohyun turned her back and pushed through the crowd. Tiffany followed along. Piolo stared towards Kyuhyun then turned to follow the girls. Kyuhyun shook his head and chuckled.

“Alright everyone, thank you!”

Jiyeon spoke up.

“That’s enough autographs everyone!”

“AWWWWW!!!!”

Kyuhyun returned to his van and removed his sweat-filled jacket. He ed his shirt and drank more water. Jiyeon caught up to him and noticed his exposed chest. She blushed.

“Hey Jiyeon…”

He handed her some water.

“Yeah?”

She took the water and drank it.

“I think that girl likes me…but I don’t even know her name…”

“She’s another stalker…”

“She can’t be…I can tell she’s never seen my shows or anything…but…she said I looked familiar…I wonder what she meant…”

“She’s pulling your leg…”

“Maybe…maybe not…”

Leeteuk poked his head in.

“You’re not finished yet, bud…”

Kyuhyun sighed.

“Ok…”

As he got his jacket on and strolled back onto the set, he began to think about Seohyun. She was real cute yet feisty and, she wasn’t foolish enough to fall for his stupid tricks.

Seohyun looked out the window as Piolo drove them to the mall to do some shopping. He looked into his mirror and saw her deep in thought again.

“Hey Seohyun…”

She looked up and saw him through his mirror.

“Don’t think so hard…”

She smiled and went back to looking outside at the scenery. Tiffany spoke up.

“I’m still shocked that you stood up to that guy…I would have never expected that from you…”

“We ran into each other last night in the spa and he tried to flirt with me there as well…I’m just shocked that men like him exist…you’d think people like him only existed in TV shows or books…crazy…”

Tiffany lifted her eyebrow.

“You don’t happen to like him, do you?”

“NO!”

Tiffany turned around.

“I’m just kidding, Seohyun…”

Seohyun sighed and returned to staring out the window. Tiffany whispered to Piolo.

“I have never seen her act like this…”

Piolo looked through his mirror again to see Seohyun. She seemed uneasy about Kyuhyun and it was bothering her.  He wanted to get to know her some more but he felt it was all too sudden and she wasn’t going to be in the Philippines for too long so he felt it really wasn’t worth it. Yet, something about her drew him in.  Maybe it was her innocent curiosity or her cute smile. He knew that he was having a small crush on her and that he would get over it after she left.

They arrived in the suburb of Ayala Alabang, which is an up-town area compared to the numerous other districts of Manila. They parked into the crowded lot of the Alabang Town Center and got out the car. Tiffany and Seohyun linked arms as they crossed the busy street into the mall. Piolo found the two friends really cute and smiled at their quirkiness as they marched through the stores.

“These two girls…”

Piolo went ahead and had a waffle from a cart as he waited for the girls while they shopped for clothes. Seohyun stepped out of the store and sat beside Piolo.

“You’re not going to buy any clothes?”

“Tiffany is really the only one who loves to shop…I join her sometimes but I’m not much into spending…”

“Oh, so you’re pretty frugal as well huh?”

“Haha, you can say that…”

“And I thought being frugal was a Filipino trait….”

Seohyun smiled.

“Aren’t you going to get anything, Piolo?”

“I shouldn’t…I’m on a tight budget for school…”

“You know, we didn’t really get to finish our conversation on what your taking up at school…”

“That’s right…well…as I said I’m a working student and I’m majoring in education…I want to be a teacher…”

Seohyun was shocked.

“I’m also majoring in education!”

Piolo was excited.

“Really?”

“Yeah!”

“Wow…”

“So what do you want to teach?”

“English…I’m majoring in English as well…I want to travel outside of the Philippines and teach it…hopefully end up in the States…”

“That would be awesome! You know, California is always looking for more teachers…well in actuality…it’s been tough for teachers there since they’re laying off a lot of them but still…we could possibly teach together!”

Piolo laughed and smiled.

“That would be so cool…”

Tiffany saw Seohyun and Piolo laughing together through the window and felt a sting of jealous pinch her. She decided not to buy the skirt and walked out the store.

“Hey guys!”

Seohyun and Piolo turned to Tiffany and stood up. Piolo spoke up,

“You didn’t like the clothes there?”

Tiffany linked arms with Piolo’s.

“No, let’s go to the next one!”

She pulled Piolo beside her leaving Seohyun behind. Seohyun rolled her eyes and giggled.

Malate, Manila

Lolo Dad’s Restaurant

A mix of classiness and heritage, this restaurant is located in the glitzy urban area of Malate, Manila. The establishment was founded by the Ayuyao Family and was formerly a café during the Second World War. In 2000, it was reopened again as a restaurant serving 5-star quality ethnic Filipino food.

Piolo escorted Tiffany and Seohyun into the bustling restaurant and found Go Ara and Yun Ho sitting in the far corner. The interior design of the restaurant was very elegant with many historic photographs and furniture dating back to the 1940’s. A young, energized host met the group at the doorway.

“Hello! Do you have reservations?”

Piolo spoke up.

“They’re here for Jung Yun Ho.”

“Oh that’s great! If you could follow me, please!”

Piolo left the girls in the host’s hands. Seohyun turned around.

“Will you be joining us, Piolo?”

“Actually, this is only between your group, I’ll be back to drive you home though…”

Piolo smiled and exited the restaurant. Seohyun watched as Piolo hurried across the street and returned to the car. Seohyun suddenly felt sorry that Piolo wouldn’t join them. Tiffany pulled Seohyun and they met up with the lovely couple. Go Ara stood up and greeted them.

“My beautiful bridesmaids! Please sit down! Tonight, we getting to know who our special guests are!”

Tiffany and Seohyun both smiled and shook the other guests’ hands. The best man, Ok Taecyeon, smiled brightly.

“Wow Ara, your friends are cute!”

Tiffany blushed.

“Funny, we were thinking the same thing…”

Seohyun laughed lightly as they took their seats. Yun Ho spoke up.

“It’s great to see everyone has made it...we should start ordering now…”

Yun Ho slightly raised hand.

“Dexter…”

A slim, tall man with flamboyant hair hurried over to their table with a notepad.

“Hello Sir! It’s nice to have you back! What would you like to order?”

Seohyun observed as Yun Ho ordered. He had a very expensive black suit on and wore a shiny Rolex watch. His hair was gelled up and his skin was tan. He looked very fit so his facial features were very tight. The most attractive thing about him was his angelic smile. She figured that was the reason why Go Ara fell in love with him. Yun Ho spoke up to make the order.

“We’ll have the roast pig, the chicken broth, some of those delicious pork chops, and plenty of rice…”

The waiter quickly jotted down the order and smiled.

“Any dessert?”

Yun Ho looked to his fiancée. She smiled back.

“Maybe later, Dexter…”

“Drinks?”

“Wine would be nice…”

“Ok then, I’ll be right back with your drinks!”

Tiffany whispered to Seohyun.

“He’s very classy…”

Seohyun nodded. Yun Ho spoke up.

“Well let me be to first to say thank you for coming all the way to Manila to attend our wedding…I know it was at short notice but I’m trying my best to accommodate you well…has everything been alright at the hotel?”

Tiffany spoke up.

“This whole trip has been amazing! Seohyun and I have been ever so grateful, right Seohyun?”

Tiffany winked to Seohyun.

“Oh yes, it’s been great!”

Yun Ho smiled humbly and placed his arm around Go Ara.

“Well, that’s great to hear! A friend of Go Ara is of course…a friend of mine…”

The couple laughed and kissed. Seohyun sighed and admired their love. She brushed a strand of her hair back and looked over to the front door. Suddenly, Kyuhyun strolled in.

“Oh my god…”

Yun Ho and Go Ara continued to speak about their plans but Seohyun zoned them out. Her view focused on the annoying man that’s been bothering her all day.

“Of all the places to eat…why here?”

Kyuhyun and Jiyeon sat over at the bar and ordered a couple of cocktails. Kyuhyun looked over the crowd.

“This restaurant is pretty tasty but I prefer the bar…”

He looked to Jiyeon.

“So, you’re willing to have a drink with me now, huh? I’m excited…”

The bartender returned with their drinks. They both toasted and sipped their martinis. Jiyeon spoke up.

“I’m sorry for coming off as naïve at first…truthfully…I prefer cocktails over wine so that’s why I didn’t drink so much at our first time…”

“I see…you know…I’m glad to have you by my side…I feel…protected…”

Jiyeon smiled.

“Well I’m relieved to hear that, Kyuhyun…”

Jiyeon looked deeply into his eyes and smiled. Kyuhyun suddenly noticed something attractive about her and touched her hand.

“I never noticed how pretty you were…”

Jiyeon lightly laughed. Kyuhyun smiled and turned to take a glimpse of the rest of the restaurant. Suddenly, he caught Seohyun staring at him. She gasped and turned back. Kyuhyun chuckled.

“Oh my…hold on a second, Jiyeon…”

Kyuhyun took his drink and got off his stool. He walked around the other tables and approached Seohyun. As he walked up to her table, he noticed she was with a whole group of people. One of the male guests looked to him and was surprised.

“Whoa, it’s Cho Kyuhyun!”

Yun Ho and Go Ara looked up. Yun Ho stood up.

“Kyuhyun, my old friend, how are you?”

Kyuhyun shook hands with Yun Ho.

“Wow, it’s been awhile, buddy!”

Seohyun interrupted.

“You know him, Yun Ho?”

“Yes, we used to play water polo together at the Country Club back in Seoul…how’s the acting world now?”

“Stressful…”

Kyuhyun looked down to Seohyun.

“Real stressful…”

Seohyun was confused and stood up.

“Excuse me, I need to use the restroom…”

Seohyun stood up and walked around Kyuhyun. She hurried to the restroom and went over to the mirror.

“Who is this guy? Why do we keep running into each other?”

She washed her face and dried off. She walked out the restroom and found Kyuhyun waiting for her.

“I know we had a very bad first encounter…I was inconsiderate but let me make it up to you…”

Seohyun hesitated for a moment.

“Join me at the bar and I’ll get you drink…”

Seohyun glanced over to the bar and saw Jiyeon sitting at the far corner.

“I don’t think I should…your bodyguard is there…”

Kyuhyun looked over to the bar.

“Oh, don’t worry about her…”

Seohyun and Kyuhyun walked over to the bar and he ordered vodka mixed with cranberry juice for her. Jiyeon was shocked and approached Seohyun.

“Wow, you have a lot of nerve, girl…”

Kyuhyun blocked her.

“She’s not causing any trouble…I asked her to join me so don’t worry…”

Jiyeon finished her drink and slammed it on the counter.

“I’ll be outside…”

Jiyeon stormed out of the restaurant, frightening Seohyun.

“For a petite girl like her, she has a lot of spunk…”

“I apologize earlier…she’s new on my staff…”

“It’s alright I guess…I was acting suspicious anyways…”

Seohyun’s cocktail arrived and she took a sip. The taste was refreshing and she looked to Kyuhyun.

“I have to apologize as well…I’ve been overreacting about what took place last night at the spa and earlier at your commercial shoot…I guess since I was exhausted from the trip over here…I was a bit…irritable…”

“Irritable? Let’s say ‘pissed off’…”

Seohyun lightly laughed and Kyuhyun noticed her cuteness.

“You know, I never got your name…”

Seohyun took another sip.

“It’s Seohyun…”

“Seohyun? Cute…”

“Thanks…I guess…it was my Mom’s name…in a way it keeps me bonded with her…even though she passed away…”

Kyuhyun narrowed his eyes towards Seohyun.

“Oh really? I’m sorry…”

“Oh, it’s ok! Sorry to bring the atmosphere down…”

Kyuhyun thought to himself.

“This couldn’t be the same Seohyun I knew before, could it?”

Tiffany remained at the table with the couple but didn’t contribute to the conversation. She was more concerned about Seohyun and the actor who’s been bothering her. She looked over to the bar and noticed they were enjoying themselves.

“Seo-baby is drinking and having fun…odd…”

Seohyun took another sip of her drink and can feel her mind slowly loosen up. Kyuhyun spoke up.

“I guess you know what I’m doing here in Manila but what brings you here?”

Seohyun pointed over towards her table.

“My friend and I are here for Yun Ho’s wedding…he’s marrying our old roommate from college…she needed bridesmaids so here we are…”

“Fascinating…old college buddies with the old lady huh?”

“Yeah…she’s lucky…he’s real handsome and rich…”

“She is indeed lucky…a good catch for her…”

Seohyun finished her drink.

“Well Kyuhyun, thank you for the drink, I’ll get going back to my group now…”

“Oh wait…”

Seohyun slowly turned around; flailing her hair back in slow motion and for a moment Kyuhyun was lost in her enchanted beauty. She was mysterious and he wanted to know her more.

“Are you busy tomorrow? Would you like to have dinner with me?”

Seohyun smiled, melting Kyuhyun’s heart.

“Thanks but I think a drink would be enough…”

She walked back across the restaurant; leaving Kyuhyun is a state of perplexity. He suddenly felt drawn to this quiet girl and needed to find out more about her. The feelings he was getting from her weren’t the same when he would meet strange women in bars and persuade them to have a fling with him. He felt a touch of nostalgia from her as if he used to know her but they lost contact over the years. He sighed and finished the rest of his martini. He paid the tab and walked out the restaurant to find Jiyeon sitting at bench nearby, staring up at the night sky. Kyuhyun found her peculiar and quickly rushed over.

“Jiyeon, I thought you left…”

“I’m here for you, don’t you remember? So, was she okay?”

“She was cute…”

“They’re always cute…”

Kyuhyun laughed.

“That’s true…”

“Let me call a taxi so we can get back to the hotel…”

“Sounds good…”

While everyone else was having dinner, Piolo drove over to his sister’s high school to pick her up. His sister participated in the choir so she often stayed after school but Piolo had been suspecting that she was staying after school for “something else” besides singing.

Piolo pulled up at the front of the school, where he usually waited and caught sight of her talking with her circle of friends. He felt happy knowing she was outgoing in school and got along with most of her peers. Suddenly, a tall, handsome man exited the gym with a group of his friends. He was spinning a basketball on his index finger.  He saw Erich with her friends and quickly hurried over. Piolo narrowed his eyes.

“What’s this?”

The tall man was flirting with her and she was flirting back. She winked at him and the whole crowd exploded in laughter. Erich and the man walked out of the group and went to seek privacy together behind the gym. Piolo grew nervous.

“Oh great…”

He exited the car and walked over to the group. Erich’s friend saw Piolo and an expression of panic was written all over her face.

“Kuya Piolo?”

“Maria, saan nagpunta si Erich?”

Maria, where did Erich go?

The whole group was quiet and avoided eye contact with him. He sighed.

“Nakita ko sila…sino kasama n’ya?”

I saw them…who was she with?

Maria hesitated to speak up. Piolo didn’t bother any longer and walked over to the gym. He peeked his head inside and only saw teenagers playing basketball and couples sitting in the stand holding hands. He became worried and walked around the gym. It was dark so he walked cautiously and reached the end of the building. He approached a chain link fence and looked outside towards the empty field.

“Where did she go?”

Suddenly, he heard a garbage can fall and whispering from a dark corner. Piolo pulled out his cellphone and used the light to illuminate his way. He slowly crept closer to the murmuring voices.

“Akala ko mayroon kang gusto sa akin, Erich?”

I thought you liked me, Erich?”

“Xian…wag…hindi pa ako handa….wag….”

Xian…don’t…I’m not ready yet…don’t

Piolo flashed his light over the couple and clenched his fist. Xian had Erich pinned in the corner with his lips running down her neck and his hand down her skirt. Erich was flustered and perspiring from the ual interaction. They both looked over to the light and Piolo angrily spoke up in a slow, calculated tone.

“Wala kang hiya….sabi mo mayroon kang practice….”

You have no shame…you said you had practice…

“Kuya…”

Piolo shoved Xian over and yanked his young sister away. Erich kicked and screamed as he dragged her down the alleyway.

“Bitawan mo ako!”

Let go of me!

When they made it to the front of the school, Piolo released Erich and she quickly slapped him across the face. Erich was growling with angry and embarrassment for what her brother had done. Xian appeared from the alley and quickly joined Erich’s side. Xian spoke up.

“Kuya Piolo, pasenya na nakita mo kami ganyan….nahiya kami sa’yo pero gusto namin mag-aminin…mahal namin ang bawat isa…”

Big Brother Piolo, sorry you had to see us like that…we’re embarrassed but we want confess…we love each other…”

Piolo couldn’t believe what he was he hearing. He walked over and yanked Erich away from Xian. He pulled her towards the car and forced her inside. She pushed back.

“Kuya! Mahal ko s’ya!”

Big Brother! I love him!

Piolo was enraged and glared at her.

“Batang-bata ka pa! Wala kang pakialam sa pamilya mo?! Si Nanay, kung narinig nya ang salita mo…mamatay sya…”

You’re still so young! Don’t you have any concern for your family?! Mother, if she heard what you said…she would die…”

Erich was in tears as she was placed inside the car. Piolo pointed towards Xian.

“Iwanan mo ang kapatid ko! Walang kang karapatan iibigin mo s’ya…hindi pa kayo handa mag-mahal…pasenya na…”

Leave my sister alone! You have no right to love her…you two are not ready yet to love…I’m sorry…”

Xian was left in tears as Piolo drove away with Erich. Piolo looked in the rear-view mirror as the school disappeared behind them. There was an awkward silence in the car as they drove home. He turned to Erich to see her leaning against the window, sobbing quietly. He was at a loss for words and he knew what ever he would say wouldn’t comfort his sister. It was best for the both of them to keep quiet and return home. Piolo thought to himself.

“I should have handled that situation better…instead…I went off like a loose-cannon and embarrassed my sister…do I have any right to choose for her?”

Erich wiped her tears and sniffled. Piolo swallowed his spit and turned the corner leading to their street. Erich slowly spoke up.

“Let me off here…I can walk…”

“But…”

“Tigilin mo ang sakyan…gusto ko maglakad….”

Stop the car…I want to walk…

Piolo slowly stopped the car and Erich quickly got out. She slammed the door without looking back and walked through the crowded street of their neighborhood. As he watched her, in her worn out school uniform and old, decaying leather bag, he felt selfish and guilty for mistreating his sister earlier. He did overreact and felt he did more harm than good. He wiped his tears and felt his relationship with his baby sister was deteriorating and it would only grow worse as time passed. He thought to himself.

“She’s getting older now and I know she wants to leave as bad as I do…I can’t control her…”

Piolo pulled up outside the restaurant and found Seohyun and Tiffany standing by the valet. Seohyun saw Piolo and waved.

“We’re here!”

Piolo lightly laughed and could tell the two girls were tipsy. He parked along the sidewalk and got out of the car.

“Hi Piolo!”

Tiffany ran up to him and wrapped her arms around him. She looked to him and smiled. Piolo could smell the strong stench of rum in her breath.

“You know…you’re so hot…I just wanted to let you know that…”

Tiffany hiccupped loudly and rested her chin on his shoulder. She quickly fell asleep. Seohyun walked up to Tiffany and tried to pry her away from Piolo.

“I apologize for this…”

Piolo chuckled.

“It’s fine…you’re on vacation anyways so it’s expected that nights like this will happen…”

Piolo carried Tiffany into the car and placed her in the back seat. Seohyun stumbled into the passenger’s seat. Piolo got inside and started the engine. He looked over to Seohyun and could tell from her drunken eyes that she was struggling to stay awake. He noticed she was wearing a skirt and how smooth her legs looked. Seohyun had an incredible figure and he tried his best not to keep staring.

“Well then, back to the hotel we go…”

Seohyun nodded and rested her head against the window.

“Yes sir….”

Piolo and Seohyun giggled as they held carried Tiffany down the hallway leading back to the suite.  Seohyun looked over to Piolo and shook her head in laughter.

“I don’t drink often but when I do…it’s always seems to be unforgettable…”

“Ha…does Tiffany always get this wasted?”

“Not often but like I said…unforgettable…”

They reached the suite and Piolo held Tiffany up as Seohyun unlocked the door. Once the door was opened, Piolo brought Tiffany to her room and placed her in her bed. He pulled the sheets over her and closed the door. He returned to the living room and found Seohyun asleep on the couch.

“Seohyun, you should get to your room…”

“I’ll be fine here…”

“Ok then, well-“

“You seem tired, Piolo…”

“Oh…yeah…it’s been a long day…”

“You should get some rest then…”

“I will, Seohyun…”

“Will you let me visit your neighborhood tomorrow?”

“Oh…I don’t know-“

“I won’t judge…I watch a lot of Filipino dramas and I always see the crammed homes stacked on top of each other…I just want to feel the real atmosphere of this country…”

“Ok, if you’d like to…I will bring you tomorrow afternoon…”

“I can’t wait…”

“Goodnight Seohyun…”

“Goodnight…”

Piolo smiled and turned to the front door. Suddenly, Seohyun began to snore. Piolo shook his head and quietly left. As he stepped into the hallway, Kyuhyun was sitting on the ground, playing on his phone. He looked up to Piolo and smiled.

“Good evening…”

Piolo found it peculiar to see Kyuhyun in his pajamas sitting outside his door.

“Hello, it’s funny seeing you here…”

“Well, we did run into each other at the elevator that one day, remember?”

“Oh yeah…”

“Well, I couldn’t sleep so I’m out here playing some Angry Birds on my phone…”

“I see…”

“And, I’m a bit drunk so forgive me…”

Piolo chuckled.

“It seems that everyone has been a little tipsy tonight…”

Piolo began to make his way down the hall.

“Well, Kyuhyun, you have yourself a good night…”

“Yo, wait up!”

Kyuhyun jumped to his feet and hurried over to Piolo.

“Hey man, I was wondering about that girl your driving around….”

“Which one?”

“The cute, innocent looking one…”

“Seohyun?”

“Yes…ummm…is she doing anything tomorrow?”

“Ah…there are plans but-“

“Great, you see, I like her and she likes me back…but she can’t admit it…it’s fine though…I wanted to ask you a favor…”

“Umm…”

“Could you see if she wants to go out with me?”

Piolo began to think about how he would approach Seohyun with his question. Kyuhyun didn’t wait for his response.

“Awesome, tell her my room is the last one on the right…thanks man!”

Kyuhyun slapped him on the shoulder and hurried back to his room. Piolo was confused at what just occurred but shrugged it off. He wasn’t a big fan of Kyuhyun or his work but he figured it wouldn’t be a problem to do him a favor. Also, Piolo was anxious to see what Seohyun had to say about this proposal. He already saw the comedic hostility between the two and he wanted to see Kyuhyun eventually strike out.

“I wonder what she’ll say…”

Seohyun’s Dream

It was a cold winter evening and Seohyun found she was back in her old neighborhood outside of Seoul. She walked down the deserted street and turned right on the corner of the pharmacy. She saw her old house and recognized the light to her parents’ room was lit. She walked over, passed through the gate and peeked through the window. She saw her mother, pale and sickly, lying in bed.

“Oh no…”

Seohyun has had the same dream for the past couple of weeks and it always showed her watching over her mother on her deathbed. She still didn’t understand the meaning of it all and ended up slowly opening up old wounds she long thought were healed. Seohyun was young so she didn’t know how to deal with the loss of her mother. As Seohyun peeked through the window, the front door opened and her younger version appeared. She didn’t recognize this part of the dream and followed her younger self.

“This is new…”

Young Seohyun, wearing a bright red coat, long skirt and boots, walked down the road heading towards the playground. Seohyun followed close behind and recognized the park.

“I used to play here a lot…”

Young Seohyun walked over to the swing set and sat alone. Seohyun didn’t remember this event ever taking place and watched closely from behind a tree. Suddenly, a young boy appeared and sat beside young Seohyun.

“Kyuhyun…”

They sat together and slowly moved back and forth in their swing seats. Seohyun couldn’t quite see Kyuhyun’s face but she knew he would be the only one to come out and sit with her. Seohyun felt sad as she saw the two children try to comfort each other. She remembered that even though they were in elementary school, in some ways, they were mature for their age. Kyuhyun had to deal with two parents who constantly fought and she had to deal with her dying mother. Because of that experience, her and Kyuhyun were close.

“I wonder where he is now…”

Seohyun slowly opened her eyes and found the sunlight creeping through the curtains. She realized she had been crying and wiped the crust from her eyes. She thought to herself.

“This dream was different tonight…maybe Mom was trying to tell me something…maybe Kyuhyun was thinking of me…I don’t know…”

Seohyun slowly stood up and felt her head aching from the alcohol she consumed last night. She rubbed her temples and slowly opened the curtain to look over the bay.

“If I find him again…I will let him know how I feel…and…how much I missed him…”

After numerous encounters, will SeoKyu finally remember their cherished childhood together? With Jiyeon being Kyuhyun’s bodyguard, will she be able to balance the line between work and pleasure? Because of the commonalities between them, does Piolo have a chance to get closer with Seohyun? It’s only been a couple of days of vacation and already drama is beginning to brew! More to come in the next chapter of “Lovers in Manila”!