Chapter 24. Pasikat
DAHIL mas naging abala na ang Eclipse, hindi na nag-alala si Rachel na baka biglang sumulpot na lang si Sage sa kanila at akitin na naman siya. Hindi siya makapaniwalang natibag nito ang pader na tinatag niya ng ilang taon. No other men had succeeded coming into her life.
At dumating na rin sa punto na hiatus na ang Sunshine. Mabilis na lumipas ang mga buwan at hindi namalayang kalahating taon na ang lumipas.
Nagpasya siyang kumuha ng short courses sa pagbe-bake at pagluluto. At sa mga susunod na anim na buwan ay magfo-focus siya sa pagbe-bake. She never realized she had a talent in cooking, but she liked baking better that's why she decided to focus on that one for the next few months.
That sunny afternoon, she's at the kitchen and ransacking their baking materials when her dad came home. She greeted him good afternoon.
"What are you cooking?"
"Nagbe-bake ako, 'Pa."
"Hay, mabuti naman!"
Natawa siya sa reaksyon nito.
"No offense, masarap ang luto mo, anak. Pero wala na bang ibang putahe bukod sa steak?"
Dinaan na lang niya sa tawa.
"Let Manang do the cooking, Rachel, nang hindi tayo mapurga sa kaka-steak," reklamo nito.
"Papa naman," kunwaring pagtatampo niya.
"Just kidding. Anyway, don't you want to work at the office already?"
She groaned to protest.
"You're on hiatus, aren't you?"
Heto na naman ang usapan nila.
"Maybe, you'll like it better in the office."
"I'd like to focus on baking, 'Pa. Heto nga, o, nagbe-bake ako ng lemon pie. Sa susunod, mga pastries naman ang gagawin ko. Tikman mo po itong chocolate brownies na ginawa ko kanina."
Sumusukong tinikman nito ang brownies na ginawa niya. "Mm... Better than your steak."
"Papa naman!"
Tumawa ito at nagpaalam nang papanhik na sa kwarto nito.
Dahil naging abala ay hindi niya namalayang matatapos na ang short course na kinuha niya. Isang taon na rin pala mula noong maging hiatus ang Sunshine kaya nagulat siya nang magpa-meeting ang CEO.
She met the girls at least twice or thrice a month and they had their quality time. Gayunpama'y na-miss niya pa rin ang mga ito.
They had their meeting at the conference room. Parang tukso namang bumalik sa isipan niya ang eksena noong kasama niya si Sage doon. Kahit matagal na ay parang naramdaman pa rin ang ginawa nito. Nagsitaasan ang balahibo niya.
"Rachel—"
Napakislot siya nang tinapik ni Bree ang balikat niya.
"Masama ba ang pakiramdam mo?"
Umiling siya.
"Are you sure?" sansala ni Rexton.
"Oo, Boss. Sige na, ituloy na natin ang meeting."
Rexton smiled knowingly. "Alright, then. May gustong bumisita sa inyo."
They were all stunned when a skinny, pale, almost bald yet so beautiful Acel came into the picture. Kung hindi pa tumili si Lana ay hindi sila matitinag.
Nagtilian sila nang lapitan ang kanilang keyboardist. Akmang yayakapin ito ngunit natigilan sila.
But she spread both of her arms and they got it. Okey lang na kuyugin nila ito't yakapin.
They were busy catching up that whole day. Hindi pa sila nakuntento dahil niyaya niya ang lima na mag-sleepover sa mansiyon.
Sunshine's keyboardist came back healthy. They couldn't wait to surprise her about their decision that she's going to perform with the four girls again.
Eclipse would be having a three-day concert and Acel wanted to watch but was unable to purchase tickets. Kaya nga ba'y gumawa sila ng paraan para makanood ito sa unang dalawang araw, at ang tickets nila sa ikatlong araw ay complimentary tickets para sa buong miyembro ng Sunshine.
Since they would be having their comeback album soon, they're still Eclipse' rookies or juniors in the industry. Kaya nga ba bago magsimula ang concert ay nagpunta sila ng backstage kung nasaan nagpe-prepare o nagpapahinga ang Eclipse para batiin ang mga ito sa tagumpay na namang concert ng mga ito. Especially the third day, the venue was so jam-packed and lively.
Naging emosyonal pa sila nang ipaalam nila kay Acel na hindi tinuloy ng Sunshine ang pagpe-perform dahil hinintay nilang tuluyan itong gumaling.
That's why when they congratulated Eclipse, all of the members were surprised seeing Acel with them but no one dared to ask questions. They just greeted her happily especially when Acel cleared things out.
Naghiyawan pa ang mga ito at sinabi rito kung nasaan ang pakay nito.
"He changed his mind on the last minute. Kinuha niya ang violin..." esplika ng leader ng Eclipse.
"Aanhin niya ang violin?" takang-tanong ni Acel.
"Said he will play that on his solo..." the rapper explained.
"Ano'ng tutugtugin niya?" tanong ulit ni Acel.
"'Missing You'," Damien answered. Rachel knew the song. It's a ballad, and a very sad song.
"Grabe, mapanakit ang kantang iyon," komento ni Jinny.
"He was the composer of that song," pagbibigay-alam ni Ali, miyembro rin ng Eclpise.
"...for you," dagdag ni Ray.
"Uh, do you have a flute?" biglang tanong ni Acel.
Walang sumagot marahil gaya niya ay nagtataka ang lahat kung bakit bigla itong naghanap ng plawta. At narinig na lang nilang may kausap na si Sage sa cellphone.
"Yes, I need a flute. You can buy at the mall nearby."
Pinatay nito ang tawag at ngumiti kay Acel.
"We have a flute," sagot nito, nakangiti.
"Pasikat!" sabad niya. Sinamaan siya nito ng tingin.
She excused herself while the others were saying good luck on their performances.
"Pasikat, huh? How are you, my sweet Rachel?"
Natigilan siya sa paglalakad nang makaliko sa hallway. Naningkit ang mga mata niyang bumaling dito.
"I'm sorry for distancing myself. I had to control—"
"Hindi naman kailangan ng sorry mo. It's perfectly fine."
He sighed heavily. "After this, Rachel, I won't let you go anymore."
"Just go, Sage. I think they're already looking for you."
"I'm really sorry, Reych."
"Bakit ka ba sorry nang sorry?"
"Because I was haunted with what did I do to you. Tama ka, muntik ka nang mapahiya kung sakaling nahuli tayo sa conference room."
"But you locked the door."
"Kahit na."
"You know what? Just forget it. Lagpas isang taon na yata ang nakalipas."
"I can't. Kahit noong araw na pinuntahan tayo ng mga pamilya natin sa condo, hindi ko pa rin iyon makalimutan..."
"Why are you bringing those back?"
"Because I couldn't forget it, I couldn't forget everything about you. After that day, I bedded different women. Younger, older than me... Minsan sabay—"
Agad na tinakpan niya ang mga tainga. "I don't want to hear any of your sex escapades!"
"I had compulsive sexual behavior... and became a satyromaniac."
"What...?" Binaba niya ang dalawang kamay na pinantakip niya sa kanyang tainga. Hindi niya naintindihan ang huling sinabi nito.
"I had an abnormal, obsessive, uncontrollable, and insatiable sexual desire for sex. Hence, I fucked different women at any places..." maingat na paliwanag nito.
Napakurap-kurap siya't pinroseso sa utak ang sinabi nito. Pagkuwa'y luminga-linga sa paligid. Mabuti na lamang at walang tao. Agad na hinila niya si Sage pabalik sa dressing room ng Eclipse.
"I still want to talk with y—"
"'Tsaka na! I don't know why are you saying these things to me right now but this isn't the right place, Seiji. Baka may makarinig sa iyo."
"You're caring about my image? Not because of what I'm saying?"
Both, She wanted voice out but she ended up nodding.
"I don't care. I want you to know everything. Kaya ako lumayo ay para magpakonsulta ulit. I was terrified that I might have hurt you the way I did when I handcuffed you..." his baritone was husky.
"Oo na. Tapos na iyon. Now, go." Natataranta na siya dahil namataan niya ang mga papalapit na tao.
Pero nagpatuloy ito, "And that you might feel ashamed if I do you in some public places. Reych... It was never my intention to humiliate you."
"Sage, I said not now! Sige na, mag-uusap tayo pagkatapos. Just focus on your performances!"
Sa huli ay pinakinggan siya nito at bumalik na sa mga kasama.
Siya ay naiwang tuliro at hindi maalis sa isipan ang isiniwalat nito.
She decided to search it on her browser. She didn't remember the last word he mentioned but she remembered the phrase 'compulsive sexual behavior', so she typed in the search bar.
She silently read the result:
'Compulsive sexual behavior is sometimes called hypersexuality, hypersexuality disorder or sexual addiction. It's an excessive preoccupation with sexual fantasies, urges or behaviors that is difficult to control, causes you distress, or negatively affects your health, job, relationships or other parts of your life.'
Bumilis ang tahip ng kanyang dibdib sa nalaman kaya nama'y sa buong durasyon ng concert ay tulala lang siya kung saan nakapwesto si Sage. Maging sa solo stage nito ay mas hindi na naalis ang paningin dito.
Ang akala niya noon ay normal lang dito na mataas ang libido dahil nasa late teen pa. Hindi niya inakalang may pinagdaanan pala ang lalaki. At hindi maalis ang matinding kirot na nagdaan sa kanyang puso.
Before the encore song ended, Sage stayed on the extended stage near her place— she was on the Standing Section with the Sunshine members— and caught her gazes while performing. He sang his parts wholeheartedly and whenever he shut and opened his eyes, he looked at her straight away.
And then there's this segment, which was the ending ment, wherein the members went into the middle of the stage to express their gratitude towards the fans and bid goodbye because the concert had ended. Then the fans requested for a sexy dance but the members did it cutely instead.
But one member did it seriously.
It was Sage, locking his gazes towards her as he danced sexily. He even bit his lower lip as he stripped his black t-shirt and proudly exposed his well-toned muscles and six-packed abs.
Pabirong hinila ito ng ibang mga members at pinahiga sa stage, kunwaring tinakpan ang katawan.
Baxter made a wheezing sound, like it's a warning sign that what Sage just did wasn't suitable for very young audiences.
"Madam, you're drooling. Isara mo ang bibig mo," pansin ni Milka.
Agad na pinunasan niya ang invisible na laway sa gilid ng kanyang bibig. Wala namang laway, pero totoong nakanganga pala siya.
She snorted out, "Pasikat siya masyado!"