"Kaiden Adler at Dariantha Fernsby, tinakasan umano ang kanilang shooting para lamang makapag-date."

I heard Kaid read the caption again. Sinend talaga siya sa manager ni Kaid pero nang i-search namin sa social media, kalat na rin 'yun. Naging number two pa nag iyon sa mga trending. And of course, there were also some comments. And her are some of them that we saw.

"Grabe talaga, akala ko ang babait nila, tapos biglang may nakita akong ganito."

"Ang la-landi niyo! Dapat sa inyo, hindi na nag-artista kung tatakas lang naman pala sa shooting."

"Sabi nila dati, uunahin nila lagi ang mga shooting at aalis lang kapag may emergency sa kanila. E, hindi naman ito emergency."

Yup, we really did say that sa pangalawa naming press conference as a love team. But wala naman kaming shooting na tinakasan, e. "Allairy, yes, we dated pero we don't have a shooting in the first place. Kaya paano kami tatakas?" I asked my manager.

"You know the people, Dariantha." I know that she's also mad, but she still maintained her posture. "And 'wag na rin kayong magtaka if you will hear your names in the TV later. Kalat na kalat na 'yan sa social media."

"Tama ang manager mo, Dariantha. Kaya please, tell to us next time where will you go, so that at least, we're informed. At kaya nila nasasabing tinakasan niyo ang shooting dahil dapat ay may shooting naman talaga kayo ngayon," Blander started.

"We were about to tell it to the both of you, but nalaman naming wala na kayo rito sa studio. If we didn't still ask Dalton, we won't know that you two went on a date. At oo, pagkatapos naming malaman 'yon ay may nagpadala naman ng picture niyong dalawa kay Blander," Allairy finished.

As much as I wanted to be irritated by the people who we saw commented, I can't. And I know that I shouldn't kasi tama naman pala sila. May shooting naman pala talaga kami. Ang mali lang nila ay akala nilang tumakas kami, where in fact, ngayon pa lang namin nalaman.

"Just let it pass, manager, bro. Mawawala rin 'yan, magsasawa rin 'yang mga tao tungkol sa isyu na 'yan. At saka, hindi naman masyadong nakaka-apekto sa amin ni Dariantha," Kaid told his manager.

He pulled his hair out of frustration. "You don't understand, Kaiden. Oo, hindi 'yun nakaka-apekto sa inyo ni Dariantha, but it was a big blow for Allairy and I. Naturingan pa kaming manager niyo pero hinahayaan lang namin kayong gawin ang mga gusto niyo. At akala rin ng director ay alam niyo na pero tumakas pa rin kayo."

"It wasn't, Blander." Napatingin ang manager ni Blander sa manager ko. 

"Anong ibig mong sabihin na it wasn't, Allairy?"

"It wasn't a big blow for us, only for you. Because you're taking it too seriously. Tama si Kaiden, we should just let it pass. Mamatay rin 'yang issue na 'yan. Sinasayang lang natin ang mga oras natin kung pagtutuunan pa natin 'yan ng pansin. Why don't we just go to the director and explain what really happened?"

She stood up and looked at us. That is the one thing I like about my manager, mas pagtutuunan niya ang mas importante. Marunong siya mag-balance, and I admire her for that. 

When she noticed that hindi pa kami tatayo, she pulled me. "I will take Dariantha with me. If you two don't want, pwede muna kayong mag-stay rito sa office ko. But when you changed your mind, feel free to follow us."

We, then, went out of her office, leaving the two men inside. Pumunta kami sa office ng magiging director ng next project namin ni Kaid. And katulad ng naabutan namin sa office ng manager ko, the director was fuming mad.

"At may gana pa talaga kayong magpakita sa akin, ha?! Pagkatapos niyong hindi pumunta sa shooting, pupunta pa rin kayo rito?! Gaano kataas ang confidence na meron kayo, ha?!" he exclaimed.

Allairy sighed. "Direk, can we settle this without shouting, please? Pumunta kami rito ni Darianthaㅡ"

Naputol ang sasabihin sana niya when the door opened again. "Correction, Allairy, pumunta tayo."  Blander even did give an emphasis to 'tayo'.

She cleared her throat. "Pumunta kami ritong apat to explain to you kung ano talaga ang nangyari, Direk. So can we?" tanong niya at tumango naman 'yung director.

"Kung hindi ka lang talaga maganda, Allairy Relish."

Nagpantig ang tainga ko nang marinig ko ang bulong na iyon ng director. It looks like ako lang ang nakarinig dahil hindi naman sila nag-react. Before my manager can even sit, I stopped her. She gave me a questioning look. "What now, Dariantha?"

"We won't settle this thing with the director, Allairy. I don't want anyone saying things like that about my manager. Direk, humanap na lang kayo ng ibang artista," I told the director that made not just him shocked, it made all of them shocked.

"What are you talking about, Dariantha?" Allairy asked me.

"I heard him whispered, 'Kung hindi ka lang talaga maganda, Allairy Relish.' That's his exact words, and you know that I don't want to hear something like that, Allairy." I glared at the director. "Kung magsa-sabi ka lang naman ng ganun, can you lower your voice more? Kasi rinig na rinig ko, Direk, e."

I pulled my manager with me papuntang labas. "Why did you do that, Dariantha?! Napaka-laking project 'nun for Pete's sake!" she exclaimed.

"I already told you my reason, Allairy. At saka, wala akong pakialam kahit napaka-laking project pa niyan. Ang mas mahalaga, there is no people talking like that about my manager."

"Fine! E, paano kung gusto pala ni Kaid tanggapin ang project na 'yun? What will you tell him? Gosh, you're not even thinking before doing something, Dariantha."

"Don't worry, Allairy, umayaw na rin ako sa project na 'yun. Kahit saang anggulo kasi tignan, medyo nakaka-bastos ang sinabi ni Direk," sabi ni Kaid na kakalabas lang. His manager was behind him. "Marami pang mga mas malalaking project na naghi-hintay sa amin diyan, Allairy."

My manager finally calmed down. "Wala naman na akong magagawa dahil nakagawa na kayo ng aksyon. Thank you for that, Dariantha, but please, let me handle it next time." Umalis na siya papuntang office niya after she told me it, at sumunod naman ang manager ni Kaid.

We were left there, so we decided to go and see Lynn to give her back her camera. Besides, na-save na raw kanina ni Kaid ang mga pictures namin sa phone niya habang nasa office kami ng manager ko.

Kumatok na kami ng ilang beses pero wala pa rin kaming nakukuhang sagot mula sa loob. Tinawagan na namin si Lynn to check if she's inside, pero rinig lang mula sa loob ang ringtone niya. 

Maybe she just went to comfort room? Maybe she just went outside? Maybe she just went to her manager? Maybe she just went to her new director?

Aish, wherever she went, naga-alala pa rin ako sa kanya. Of course, hindi ko 'yun mapigilan dahil kaibigan ko siya. And something like this happened before. But I don't want to compare the past to the present. Past is past nga, 'di ba?

When we heard a noise inside, napagdesisyunan na namin ni Kaid na pasukin ang loob. And we got shocked by what we saw. 

Naka-upo si Dalton sa swivel chair ni Lynn. Yes, she also has a office dahil sa pagiging camera woman niya. Nakita namin ang phone ni Lynn na patuloy pa rin sa pagri-ring sa tabi ni Dalton na natutulog.

I was about to wake him up nang biglang bumukas ulit ang pintuan. "Congratulations to the both of you!" Lynn exclaimed, holding a cake. Bigla ring nagising si Dalton, and popped a confetti. Para pa siyang pinilit lang that made me winced.

"Anong meron dito?" naguguluhang tanong ni Kaid. Well, we have the same question in mind, though.

"We surprised the both of you because may project kayong malaki, 'di ba?" Ah, baka ang tinutukoy ni Lynn ay ang magiging project SANA namin ni Kaid.

I shook my head. "Sorry to say, but we don't have a project as of the moment, Lynn. Hindi namin tinanggap ang project. But thank you for this. We do really appreciated this, kahit wala naman talaga kailangang i-celebrate," I smiled.

"What?! Nagkunwari pa akong tulog dito, then I will know that you didn't accept it?! Argh, sayang ang effort ko." I wanted to laugh because of what my brother said, but I suppressed myself. Paniguradong mas magagalit siya kapag tumawa pa ako.

I explained them my reason nang tanungin nila kami kung bakit. Ibinaba ni Lynn ang hawak niyang cake. "Okay lang 'yan. We can still eat the cake, para hindi sayang," she chuckled.

While eating, parang may napansin akong kulang. "Where's Ackley, by the way, Lynn?" tanong ko, naka-kunot ang noo.

"He was with me earlier. Sabi niya may pupuntahan lang siya, but he didn't come back anymore. Baka may emergency siguro, kasi we all know him. Hindi siya aalis na lang if hindi emergency," she shrugged her shoulders.

Kinain muna namin ang cake bago kami umuwi dahil hapon na pala. Dalton took my car because he said na pina-ayos niya muna ang kanya kaya kay Kaid muna ulit ako naki-sakay.

He brought me home, and bid farewell after. 

If I won't think about the issue, masaya ang araw na ito. I'm happy because of Kaid and I's date and because of their surprise.

~💐To be continued💐~