CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Big Consequences

[ Author's note: It's the start of... well, it's the start of something? ]

[ Minjeong’s. ]

[ 5 Months, 1 Week. ]

Naistorbo ang tulog ko nang maramdaman ko na may humahalik sa leeg ko, and there is a sharp upon that certain spot that makes me whine as my hands immediately go to whoever it is that’s giving me love so early in the morning… siguro? 

“J-Jimin,” I said, letting out a shaky hum as the events of last night sink into my system. “Hindi pa enough sa’yo yung kagabi?” 

I hear and feel her laugh as she places another kiss under my jaw, and when I enclose my arms around her all I could feel is her bare skin against mine. 

“H-Hindi ka pa nagdadamit,” I said, and when I look at the state of my room nakita ko yung shirt pati yung swimsuit na suot niya kahapon, scattered around the floor. Pati damit ko, nakakalat din. “Baka malamigan ka, Jimin.” 

“Why would I worry about getting cold when you’re here to warm me up?” 

“Jimin—”

“Alright, baby.” she says with a laugh, getting up without even covering herself with the sheets. 

Lord, patawarin mo ako pero hindi ko maiwasan na mapatitig sa kanya, until she disappears into the bathroom and emerges with a robe, tossing me one as well as she sits next to the bedside table at kinuha yung phone, probably to order room service for the both of us. 

“What’s your plan for today, babe?” tanong niya, waiting for me to wear the robe and stand up for a stretch, though I sat back down again since medyo masakit yung legs ko and I chose to sit down next to her to hug her tight. 

“Island hopping?” tanong ko, since yun ang narinig ko kay Ate Seulgi kahapon bago kami maghiwahiwalay. “Ewan, basta kasama kita wala ako pakielam kung ano gagawin natin.” 

She laughs at that, and it makes me smile as well. “You’re so clingy, baby.” 

“Ikaw din naman,” I said, at ngayon ko lang napansin na nakaakbay siya sa akin, pulling me closer uli to place a kiss on my cheek. 

“Can you blame me? You’re so adorable, babe.” 

Natigil yung landian namin nang tumunog yung doorbell, at ako na yung tumayo para salubungin yung dinala sa amin na pagkain para sa agahan. 

Nagulat nalang ako nang sumalubong sa akin si Ate Seulgi na parang humahangos, at kita ko sa mga mata niya na parang may problema na hindi ko pa alam kung ano. 

“Minjeong,” pagtawag niya, at tinignan niya ako from head to toe, at mukhang narealize niya na etong robe lang ang suot ko pero wala na siyang sinabi na kahit ano. “Nandyan ba si Karina?” 

Tumango ako, pero bago ako makapagtanong kung anong problema dali-dali na siyang pumasok at kinuha yung cellphone ni Jimin na nasa bedside table, at sinara ko yung pinto habang hinihintay kung ano bang nangyayari. 

“You posted a picture of you and Minjeong kahapon,” pagsisimula ni Ate Seulgi habang nakatingin kay Jimin na nagtataka rin kung anong nangyayari. “It’s in your private instagram account, tama?” 

“Yes, but what’s the problem—”

“Alam mo bang nakafollow si Jeno sa’yo?” 

Hindi ko pa gets yung ibig sabihin ni Ate Seulgi kahit nung tumango na si Jimin tungkol doon, pero nanlaki nalang ang mga mata ko nang makita ko yung ilang article na nakapost online—tungkol sa akin or kay Jimin halos lahat. 

New CEO of Jang Corporation under fire for posting pictures with an unknown girl…

Who’s the Mystery Girl? CEO of Jang Corporation seen with a girl in new leaked photos…

From poverty to riches? Mystery Girl accused of interacting with new CEO for money…

“No,” sambit ni Jimin, at kita ko na nanginginig ang kamay niya habang hawak niya yung cellphone na may laman nung articles. “How dare they? How ing dare they say that?” 

Ngayon ko lang nakita si Jimin na galit ng ganito. Binuksan ni Ate Seulgi yung closet na pinaglagyan namin ng gamit at naglagay ng damit at underwear sa kama, massaging her forehead as she grabbed the phone back from Jimin bago pa man niya masira ito. 

“Maligo na kayo at magbihis, in thirty minutes babalik ako dito. Minjeong, sasama ka sa akin sa San Juan, tapos si Jimin sasama kay Hyun pabalik ng San Lazaro—”

“No,” Jimin says, at mabilis siyang lumapit sa akin para hawakan ang kamay ko ng mahigpit. “I’m going wherever she’s going. Hindi ako papayag na mahiwalay siya sa akin—”

“Nasa San Juan si Ate Taeyeon at kinakausap si Tito Kihoon tungkol sa problema sa lupa,” Ate Seulgi says, at medyo nagpapanic na ako since hindi ko rin alam yung gagawin. “Karina, kailangan mong pumunta ng San Lazaro para iclear yung issue niyo. Hindi ko alam kung makakabalik ka pa ng San Juan pagkatapos, pero kailangan mong gawin ‘to para sa inyong dalawa ni Minjeong.” 

“Jimin, sumama ka na.” sagot ko, at nilapitan ko siya para hawakan yung pisngi niya, and she moves her face to my hand to nuzzle on it as she frowns, clearly not wanting to leave. 

“Hihintayin kita sa San Juan, mahal.” I said, at wala na akong pakielam kung nakatingin si Ate Seulgi sa amin. 

I kissed her like it’s the last time, then hugging her tight as she folds under my arms, and I could hear her hum as she hesitates to let me go. 

“See you, Jimin. Bibigyan mo pa ako ng label.” 

(“Wala pa kayong label and yet you did…” Seulgi asks Minjeong who’s already dressed up after thirty minutes, entering a new van with Ryujin, Ningning, and Chaewon who could only look at her in worry and pity about what happened.)

(“Ewan ko sa’yo, Ate.” Minjeong says, laughing a little despite being worried about what was going on.)

“I do not like that my sister has been exposed to the world, and it’s because she’s associated as a gold digger vying for Jang Corporation money,” inis na sabi ni Ate Taeyeon the moment na nakarating kami sa bahay ni Ate Seulgi, and she’s sitting at the living room like she owns the place. “I told you to stay away from that girl, Minjeong—”

“Mahal ko siya, Ate,” inis na sabi ko, at tinignan ko yung sarili ko sa salamin. “All I want is to be with her right now, so kung hindi mo ako matutulungan, umalis ka nalang dito—”

“I can’t, technically,” she says, at grabe ang lawak ng ngiti niya. “The entirety of San Juan is my land now.” 

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko dahil doon. Napapayag na niya si Papa na ibigay sa kanya yung lupa? Ng ganun kabilis? 

“It’s either you follow every order I give you for your sake, or you leave. Just hope that the little girlfriend of yours decides to woman up and take you in, or you’d just come running back to me.” 

I flinch at that, at mukhang napansin ni Ate Seulgi yon since she opens to speak quickly. 

“Ate Taeyeon—”

“Pareho lang kayo eh, noh?” tanong ko, at kita ko na nag-iba yung mukha niya from mischievousness into disdain with what I said. “Pareho lang kayo ni Papa. You both use me and blackmail me just so you can get what you want—”

“I told you to stay away from Katarina Yoo and you didn’t listen,” pagsabat niya sa akin, at tumayo na siya para harapin ako. “Now look at what happened. If you’re done playing house with that girl, please remember that she has a billion pesos’ worth of a company and riches to get back to while you’re just going to be stuck here.” 

“At sino may kasalanan nun?” I ask, at wala na akong pake kung magkasakitan kami dito since ako nalang yung palaging nasasaktan or naiiwan sa pagitan naming dalawa. “Iniwan mo ako dito, Ate. You left me here with him when it’s clear from the start na si Summer ang gusto niyang maging anak, hindi ako.” 

At the mention of Summer, her eyes softened with hurt. 

“Minjeong—”

“Iniwan mo ako dito, and for the first time in sixteen years ngayon lang kita nakita ulit. Ano, hiling mo rin ba na sana ako nalang yung namatay nung araw na iyon, hindi si Summer? Hiling mo ba na si Summer yung kaharap mo ngayon, kasi puro si Summer nalang yung gusto niyong makasama imbis na ako?!” 

Natahimik nalang siya at hindi na nakasagot, and all it does is just convince me na tama ako sa mga sinabi ko, and it’s what had happened from the start pero dinedeny ko lang yun kasi alam kong mahal naman nila ako, kahit papaano. 

Pero ganito? Ganito ba yung pagmamahal na gusto ko? 

“Minjeong, listen—”

“Ate, isang hiling lang,” I said, at wala na akong pakielam kung three hours yung binyahe namin mula San Lorenzo hanggang dito, kasi gusto kong pumunta doon. “If you’re not going to bring me to San Lazaro, then I’m going to get out of this place myself.” 

Hindi na ako naghintay ng pagsagot ng kahit sino sa kanila at sa halip ay naglakad papunta dun sa kwarto para magpack ng kahit isang pampalit na damit sa maliit na bag, tapos kinuha ko yung ipon ko na nasa loob ng metal na box, product ng ilang taon kong pagtatrabaho kaiht pakonti-konti dito sa San Juan.