CHAPTER FIFTEEN

The Child Who Loved

[ Minjeong’s. ]

[ 5 Months, 1 Week. ]

“My name is Winter Minjeong Kim,” pagsisimula ko, at alam kong kailangan ko nang ilahad dito lahat para wala na akong tinatago. “…para hindi na mystery girl ang tawag niyo sa akin.” 

Ilang segundo lang ang tinagal ng katahimikan bago magsimulang magkumahog na magtanong yung mga journalists na nasa harapan namin—all that I could feel while that’s happening is Jimin’s hand on mine. 

Tinuro ko yung isang reporter na tahimik lang habang nakataas yung kamay, at agad siyang tumayo at kinuha yung microphone na nakasetup sa harapan niya. 

“What do you have to say about the leaked pictures? Are they real, or are they just fake?” 

Napalunok ako sa kaba habang nag-iisip nung sasabihin at isasagot sa tanong niya, pero kinolekta ko na muna yung thoughts ko at tinignan si Jimin ng isang beses bago ako sumagot.

“W-We were on a trip to San Lorenzo when that happened,” I said, remembering Ate Joohyun’s words na sabihin ko lang yung totoo, since wala naman kaming kasalanan dalawa ni Jimin. “It was a harmless that Ji—that Karina and I took, at hindi ko naman alam na malileak pala yun just to feed a narrative na hindi naman nangyari.” 

Pagpindot ng keyboard yung narinig ko at yung parang hindi matigil na shutter ng mga camera na piilit tinatry na icapture yung bawat expression at reaction naming dalawa dun sa mga tanong at sa sinabi ko, at di pa nagtagal nagtaas na uli sila ng kamay at pumili ako ng susunod na magbibigay ng katanungan. 

“There is only one article that says something about you, and it’s heavily restricted by KK Corporation,” the reporter says, at naalala ko yung sinabi ni Jimin nung inaccess niya yung article na yun bago siya lumipat ng San Juan. “Do you have close ties with their CEO, enough for you to be protected by such a big company?” 

Siguro sa mga tanong na dumating at darating pa, alam kong ito yung pinakamadaling sagutin. 

“Taeyeon Kim is my older sister,” sagot ko, at agad na lumakas yung bulungan ng mga journalist at bumuhos uli yung malakas na tunog ng shutter. “To give you my entire family tree, my mother is Marianne Kim, the former CEO of KK Corporation before she died. My father is the current Mayor of San Juan, Kihoon Kim.” 

Mukhang nagsearch muna yung mga journalist sa internet tungkol sa mga pangalan na binanggit ko, at tinuro ko nalang yung unang nagtaas ng kamay after ng ilang minutes. 

Taray. Parang teacher ako na nagtatawag ng mga nagrerecite sa klase. It takes away the nervousness a little, kahit papaano. 

“Can you tell us about the details of the accident you suffered when you were just a child?” 

Kita ko na nagpanic si Ate Joohyun tapos mukhang sasabat na si Jimin dun sa biglang tanong, pero alam kong kailangan ako na yung sumagot para kahit papaano para hindi masyadong maging negative yung tingin ng mga tao sa akin, at para hindi na rin maapektuhan si Jimin in the future. 

“I don’t think that’s connected to the picture leak, which is the main issue we’re trying to discuss through this press conference,” sagot ko, at agad naman na napangiti si Ate Joohyun sa akin. “Please refrain from asking questions na wala namang connection sa kahit anong issue maliban doon.” 

“Then why did you—”

“Binigay ko lang yung family tree ko as a background para maestablish ko sa inyo na I’m not with Jimin just because of her social status or the riches she inherited from her grandfather,” sagot ko, at medyo nainis na din ako since parang ayaw tumigil nung journalist na iyon. “My sister’s corporation is equal, if not second to Jang Corporation and its subsidiaries, if my information is correct. How can I be a gold digger with that?” 

Tumaas na uli yung kamay ng ibang mga journalissts, at itinuro naman ni Jimin yung isang nakatayo dun sa far right na hindi ko pa natatawag since earlier.

“What is your relation with Jeno Lee?” 

Finally, may question na pwede kong masagot. 

“He is an acquaintance, at most,” sagot ko, and I feel Jimin encircling her arm around my waist, as the lower half of our body is hidden behind the table in front of us. “As childish as it may seem, nagconfess siya kay Karina who rejected him immediately, and there is no way she led him on because she said at the start na hindi siya interested.”

Jimin pulled the mic closer to her, and she’s the one to speak this time since hindi pa siya nagsasalita since earlier. 

“We didn’t file any case since we did not want any more trouble and issues with that man, but he retaliated against my rejection by beating up Minjeong one sidedly,” she says, at nagulat nalang ako nang may biglang lumabas na projection ng mukha ko na may mga pasa at mga sugat—hindi ko expect na may picture pala ako at that time. 

“This is already grounds for assault, and we just let it go since Minjeong did not want him to be sued for his own privacy and for the sake of her mutual friend with him,” Jimin says, at ngayon ko lang siya nakitang seryoso ng ganito. “Personally I would have done something, but I didn’t want to do anything Minjeong does not want.” 

“May picture pala ako niyan?” I ask in a whisper, and Jimin nods subtly as she pulls me closer. 

“I had Chaewon take a picture of you just in case something like this happens,” she says, and I nod at that. “Sorry I didn’t tell you in advance, baby.” 

“No, okay lang naman.” I said, since at least may ganito kaming maipapakita sa press about his wrongdoings. 

“Are you suggesting that the photo leak is another part of his retaliation against you?” tanong nung isang journalist na namukhaan ko to be the one affiliated with Ate Joohyun’s company nung nagpractice kami ng questions before this presscon, probably there to steer the narrative to our favor. 

“Yes, that is what I’m implying.” sagot ni Jimin, at nung nagtaas na uli ng kamay yung mga reporter biglang tumayo si Ate Joohyun na may hawak din na isang mic. 

“One last question for this presscon,” pagwarning ni Ate Joohyun, looking back at us. “After this, we will not answer any more questions about this incident unless it’s another presscon with Jeno Lee.” 

So may plano si Ate Joohyun na pagharapin kami ni Jeno? 

Wala pa nga, naistress na ako sa pwedeng mangyari. 

“What is your relationship with Miss Katarina Jimin Yoo?” tanong nung isang reporter na tinawag ni Ate Joohyun, and the hand on my waist taps with a steady rhythm, beckoning me to answer for the both of us. 

“I-If you were expecting me to deny any relationship with her, then you’re wrong,” nakangiting sabi ko kahit na may konting nerbyos sa tono ko. “Jimin is my… my girlfriend, and that leak will do nothing to affect this relationship of ours.” 

Tumingin ako kay Jimin at kita ko na abot tenga ang ngiti niya habang ineescort na kami palabas nung venue ng mga bodyguard, at bago pa man kami dumugin ng mga reporter at photographer nakasakay na kaming tatlo nila Ate Joohyun sa van at nakaalis na doon. 

“Girlfriend?” Jimin laughs habang nasa likod kami ng van, giving us a little privacy at hinayaan na kami ni Ate Joohyun na mag-usap habang may tinatawagan siyang kung sino man. “Hindi pa kita naliligawan and yet you’re my girlfriend now?” 

“Ang bagal mo kasi,” I joked back, and she laughed. “Hinalikan mo muna ako bago mo ako bigyan ng label, ganyan ka pala.” 

She playfully pouts at me and I laugh at that, kaso she’s pushing her pouty face into me—does she want a kiss? 

“Ano yan?” confused kong tanong, and she whines as I steal a look kay Ate Joohyun na mukhang hindi kami pansin sa ginagawa namin. 

“I want a kiss,” sagot niya, at kakaatras ko dun sa upuan napasandal na ako sa side nung van, at nakulong ako in between her arms, since sumandal din siya dun sa side with her arms outstretched. “Can’t you give your girlfriend a kiss, baby?” 

“S-Sinabi ko lang yun para kahit papaano hindi magtaka yung mga reporter,” kabado kong tanong, since she’s too close for my own sanity. “Hindi mo pa nga ako tinatanong—”

“I know,” she says, at kung makatitig siya sa akin parang bibigay na ako any second now. “But can I get a kiss, nonetheless?” 

“N-Nasa van tayo kasama Ate mo—”

“Just one,” Jimin whined, at napahawak na ako sa dress niya sa bandang waist, unknowingly pulling her closer. “The way you look in that suit… just one, please?” 

“Just one?” tanong ko, and I let out a shaky sigh as our faces are just inches away. “Will you be content with just one?” 

“Just one,” Jimin says, letting out a chuckle as she places a kiss on my forehead.

“Then I’ll ask for another…” she places a kiss on my nose. 

“Then another…” then both my cheeks. 

“If I could kiss you for all my life, then I think I’d be content.” She smiles, and I feel a warmth climbing up my cheeks, settling there as she looks at me like I’m the only one who exists right now, beside her. 

“So kiss me,” Jimin says, her smile still evident after what I declared to the press earlier. “Kiss me like you’ll never get to do that again, babe—”

I pull her in for a kiss, tasting the mix of her strawberry lip gloss and the mint candy that she’s been snacking on ever since earlier. The back of my head hits the side of the car as the kiss gets too intense for me to handle, making me wince in pain at napahawak ako sa ulo ko, making her laugh as the moment between us ends right there. 

“Masyado ka kasing excited!” I whined, at hindi pa rin siya matigil sa pagtawa even if she’s already pulling me close to hug her tight, caressing the back of my head and making sure na wala akong bukol na kahit ano. 

“Sorry, babe,” I said, at natigil na siyang tumawa nang maramdaman namin na tumigil na yung sasakyan, at pagdungaw ko dun sa bintana nung tinted na van nasa harapan kami ng pinakamataas na building na nakita ko sa buhay ko—hindi ko maiwasan na matulala dahil doon, since nasanay na rin ako na puro bahay lang ang nakikita. 

“Ang taas…” I whispered, at narinig ata iyon ni Jimin dahil sumandal siya sa akin habang nakasandal na din ako sa gilid nung van, at naramdaman ko yung chin niya na pu