Falling for you (Peterpan 1)

JAYEM “What is it this time Dad?” Tanong ko kay Daddy na kaharap ko ngayon. Kasalukuyan kaming nasa office niya sa loob ng mansion namin. This is not usual; Dad only comes home if there is something he needs from us. Sa South Korea kasi siya namamalagi. Busy with his business empire while kaming mag-iina niya ay nandito sa Pinas. Isang pure Korean ang Daddy ko habang ang Mommy ko naman ay isang pure Pinay. Pero kahit na walang dugong Pinoy ang Daddy ko, ay fluent parin siyang magsalita ng tagalog dahil ilang taon din silang nanirahan dito sa Pinas noong bata pa ang Noona Yoona ko na panganay nilang anak. “You know the only reason why I come home Jayem,” matipid niyang sagot. Yeah right. As always, ang laging pakay niya kapag umuuwi ng Pinas ay ang kumbinsihin akong i-take over ang posisyon niya sa Kumpanya. The last time he came here ay nag-argue pa kaming dalawa dahil pinipilit niyang iwanan ko ang Entertainment Industry. Being a Pinoy and a South-Korean at the same time, I truly value and respect my parents, but in this case, I don’t like the idea of being a CEO of a giant company in Cars and Automotive. I love cars but only to drive it, not to the extent of being an expert in manufacturing it. It’s not really my thing, so I better leave it to the experts. Music is more than my passion, actually it’s my life. Kaya sa tuwing sinasabi niyang iwan ko ang career ko, ay parang sinasabi na niya ring itigil ko na ang pag hinga ko. “You know, I’m not feeling well these days, signs of aging I think.” Dad laughed softly. “I’m planning to stay longer here and I want you to take place on behalf of me.” I shook my head, alam ko na kung saan patungo ang usapang ito. Papunta na naman sa arguement. “Dad, here we go again, alam mo naman na ang sagot ‘di ba?” Sabi ko. Instead of letting him convince me ay nag suggest ako sa kanya. “Puwede naman nating ibenta ang shares mo d’on at magtayo ng Entertainment Agency dito sa Pinas para magkakasama na tayong lahat. It’s time for you to take a rest and settle here in Pinas, Dad.” Pero nagalit lang siya sa sinabi ko. “Wala ka pa rin bang kasawaan sa kalokohan mong iyan?” Anito na may tonong galit at hindi na maipinta ang mukha. “I will not give up the company that I worked hard for.” Napa kunot naman ako ng noo at sumagot. “Why does it have to be me? Why not Noona?” Tanong ko. All these years, ang Noona Yoona ko ang namamahala sa branch ng Company niya sa Pinas, and she always does well sa loob ng mga taon na iyon. Napalago niya ang business and she even got awards for being the most outstanding business woman every year. Kaya kung mayroon mang karapat-dapat mag take over sa posisyon ni Dad ay si Noona iyon. I know she is better than me when it comes to that. Kaya hindi ko maintindihan kung bakit pinipilit ni Dad na ako ang dapat pumalit sa kanya, gayong wala naman akong knowledge about that kind of business. He smirked. “I gave her the chance, but she lost it because she chose to be reckless and be impregnated by such a random guy.” My sister was arranged to be married to his business partner VP Lee’s son. Para raw mas lumago pa ang business at magkaroon ng strong ties between the two families who were considered the major stock holders sa company. Such a lame excuse right? My sister is just a human who falls in love. She got pregnant with her secret boyfriend kaya hindi natuloy ang kasal na ‘yon. VP Lee’s second child happens to be my ex-girlfriend, Stacey Lee. Unlike my sister’s situation, Stacey and I just fell in love with each other. We were supposed to get married at approved ‘yon ng lahat. Everything was perfect not until the day she cheated on me. She fell out of love and broke up with me. But what’s more ridiculous? Nobody knows the truth. It’s been a year and still I can’t move on. Until now, ang pagkakaalam parin ng lahat ng tao ay fiancee ko parin siya at pinalalabas lang na delayed ang wedding namin dahil nasa peak pa ako ng career ko as a P-pop artist.   “I have already announced in Korea na ikakasal na kayo ni Stacey at the end of the Month kaya wala ka nang magagawa,” Dad suddenly said. “What?” Gulat kong tanong. “You did that without even asking my consent?” Dad didn’t answer me. “You better quit showbiz silently to avoid publicity. Just come to Korea and pursue what I paved for you.”   I shook my head. “No way.” Kahit mahal ko parin si Stacey. I will never force myself to her. I will never approve this.   Nagpaalam ako kay Dad, “I’m leaving.”   I walked out of his office at nagpasya akong puntahan si Mommy. Nakakasama ng loob si Dad, wala nang ibang inisip kundi yung negosyo niya. He never cared for our feelings. Especially my Mom. Nang mapuntahan ko si Mommy sa room niya ay nadatnan ko siyang naka-upo sa rocking chair kasama si Manang Lucia at ang private nurse na nag-aalaga sa kanya. Her room now used to be shared by her and Dad, but since Dad went back to SK for his company, she was left alone here in the Philippines with my Noona Yoona and her son. Minsan ko lang makita sina Mommy, Noona at pamangkin ko dahil sa dorm ng Peter pan ako nakatira kasama ng co-members ko. At tuwing holiday lang kami puwede umuwi. Sobra rin kaming busy sa schedules kaya hindi ako halos maka-bisita ng kahit saglit man lang. “Young master,” bati ni Manag at ng private nurse sa akin. ‘young master’ lakas maka rich kid.   Ganito ako sa amin, sobrang malayo sa mundong ginagalawan ko sa Entertainment industry. Baby sitter lang kasi ako ng walong isip batang members ng Peterpan kapag nasa dorm ako.   “Manang, na miss po kita,” Bati ko kay Manang Lucia sabay niyakap siya, sobrang laking pasasalamat ko sa kanya dahil inalagaan niya kami noon, nung nagkasakit si Mommy pagkatapos akong ipanganak. “Kumusta po si Mommy?” Tanong ko. “Wala paring pagbabago sa kundisyon niya, young master,” sagot ni Manang. Laging tahimik si Mommy at parating nakatulala. Minsan lang siya magsalita, minsan naman nagwawala. At kapag nakikita niya kami ni Noona, ay hindi niya kami nakikilala. “Mommy,” I called her. Hindi siya sumagot kung kaya’t nilapitan ko na lang siya habang nakatalikod mula sa pinto. It’s been months since the last time I saw her and I feel guilty about that. I can see that she aged a lot, her wrinkles became more obvious than the last time I saw her. “I’m sorry Mom, I have been very busy lately, I got no chance to visit you here.” Kung kanina ay nakatitig siya sa kawalan, ngayon naman ay napasulyap siya sa akin. “Baby ko? Ikaw ba ‘yan?” Aniya saka humawak sa pisngi ko. I saw a small curve forming on her lips, pero agad din itong nawala at inalis niya ang mga palad sa pisngi ko. “Hindi ikaw ‘yon eh, baby Jayem ko maliit pa eh,” Sabi niya na parang naiiyak na isang bata. Mom had a nervous breakdown after she gave birth to me, ginawa naman ni Dad ang lahat ng possible treatment na pwedeng gawin sa kanya, pero until now ay hindi pa rin nagbabago ang kundisyon niya. We became so busy in life to a point that I admit, we fail to make time for her, Especially Dad. We’ve tried to bring her to the Mental Health institution many times, but her situation just gotten worse there, kaya napagpasyahan na lang naming na i-home therapy na lang siya. Hindi ko maiwasan ang malungkot sa sitwasyon niya. Sa sitwasyon ng buong pamilya. Marami nga kaming pera pero hindi naman kami buo at masaya. How does it feel to be a Billionaire superstar? It may sound fancy and fulfilling. But behind that is the lackness of love and true hapiness.