MY ALPHA BODYGUARD

CHAPTER 2: THE REHEARSAL

After the director explained some details, like the set-up, the flow of the concert and everything, we start the rehearsal. I get up on the stage wearing my white polo with tiny black dots and light brown pants and white rubber shoes that I also wearing earlier in the meeting with the producer. Its sleeves hug tightly enough to fit my biceps.

“Wait, wait.. Eris it seems you’re not in the mood. Is there something wrong?” the director said. And I just answer him a deep exhale.

“Direk, I’m sorry” Marco said then walks toward me in the stage.

“Eris, what’s wrong? Ever since in the morning, I already noticed you that you seem lost in thought” Marco whispered to me

“It’s nothing. I just feel tired” I said to him but I know he don’t believe me. “Direk, I just go to the restroom” I said in a loud voice for him to hear because he’s on the seats away from the stage. And the Director nods.

While walking towards the comfort room, I remember again the stranger’s last texted message, “Hopefully, we can bring back our college love story”. I enter the cubicle and sits on the toilet, clenching my fist, “That jerk, where did he get my number” I said to my mind, then shouts. Suddenly, my phone vibrates again from my pants’ pocket and I’m sure it’s the moron. I tremble with fear thinking that I might hear again his voice. Will I answer it or not? Why should I answer if we have nothing to talk about? So what if I answer, I have nothing to fear? I am different now, I am famous, I have money and I can report him if he mean me harm.

I gather all my courage and get my phone out of my pocket and look to its screen. I exhaled. It’s a video call. Thank God it’s not him.

“Hello mom” I said, calming my body.

“Eris, what took you so long?” my mom said. She and my dad, two weeks ago, went to Japan to visit my older sister because she is now 9 months pregnant and can give birth anytime now. My parents went there to help and take care of her when the baby comes. My sister, Erica, worked in that country 6 years from now and met a kind Japanese and married her. Since then, that’s where she lives with her husband and because she’s pregnant her husband work hard for his young family.

My sister became the breadwinner of the family as far as I could remember. She supported me on college and now she’s still supporting my parents with their needs. We will do any help that we can give back to her.

“I’m sorry, Mom. I am in a rehearsal” I explained.

“Oh yeah, I forgot. We’re very sorry, son, we will not be there in your concert”

“Mom, it’s okay” I said

“We’ll make it up you huh” his mother said

“Mom, don’t worry, it is really okay. Actually, I also want to go there if not just because of this concert” I assure her, “How’s Erica?” I ask next.

“Oh yeah, of course” her mother walks and it seems she’s in a hospital room, “Someone wants to meet you” she said in a funny and childish tone while showing the baby to the cellphone’s camera.

“No waaayyy!” I exclaimed, clasping my mouth, “He’s so adorable” touching softly my phone’s screen as if touching my nephew’s small face.

“I know” Erica said behind the phone

“Congratulations, sissy” I said to my sister

“Thank you” she replied.

“He is so handsome.., like me” I said with boast

“Nope” my father said not far away in the phone enough to hear his words. We laugh.

******

“You look okay now” Marco said as I returned to the rehearsal.

“Yeah, I am okay” I give him a smile thanks to the good news I receive earlier and then Marco shouts, “Direk, we’re ready!”

The rehearsal finished around 6pm in the evening. “Marco, I am an uncle now!” I announce it to him happily

“Oh no” the only first thing he stated.

“Oh yes” I humorously answered

“We must celebrate” Marco suggested while fixing our things.

“Which we will do” I said and shouldered him. “My treat!” I continued while walking out of the auditorium.

“Where are we going to eat?” Marco asked though it seems he already knows the answer.

“Sammy Cooks” we shouted at once. Sammy Cooks is a Korean restaurant that was owned by Sam, our Korean friend. And just in one call, he will close immediately the restaurant from the other customers for me to have privacy and not to be disturbed by fans.

When we reached the van at the parking lot, Marco asked, “How come you are gloomy and lost, the whole day even though you receive good news?”

“I just heard it in the afternoon. My mom called me when I’m at the comfort room. There’s just something in the morning.. *exhales* I’ll tell you later” I explained.

******

Marco’s POV:

As I drive the car, I glance occasionally to Eris on the interior rear view mirror and all he does is submerged himself to his phone, scrolled or typed. Eris is now wearing a lightly loose yellow gold long sleeve shirt with black stitches of ‘EW' initials on the left chest, a black pants and a white shoes. Oh he really loves white rubber shoes.

“Eris, have you called them?” I asked.

“Uhmm” he nodded without looking at me. “I already texted Sammy and he just texted me now, he said ‘no problem’” he added. I made a subtle smile for I was about to asks him about that.

Few moments later, as park the car, “We’re here!” I announced with excitement. We get out of the car at the same time and Sam immediately walks toward us from the counter and met us outside. And also, I almost forgot, Sam is the boyfriend of Eris' bestfriend. He hugged us.

“Thank you really Sam” Eris said, because without Sam and his restaurant, Eris always end up not enjoying his food because of the fans asking for photographs.

“No big deal” Sam taps his friend’s shoulder and then asks, “Just you?”

“No they’re on their way, Manager Nimfa, Jerry and Cindy, and Mike as well” I said. "She's also on her way" Sam answered back referring about her girlfriend, well, fiance now, Lily, Eris' best friend.

“Sounds good, let’s come in” Sam’s invitation. But before we enter the establishment, I thought saw a flash of light that seems from a camera in the side of my eye. I looked around but saw no one so I just ignored it.

While waiting, Sam starts to prepare our food in the kitchen with only one helper. Then, one by one, our friends started to come, greeting everyone with a big smile.

“Masissge deuseyo” Sam said which means ‘enjoy your meal’ in Korean, as he one by one put the food in our table; samgyupsal, bulgogi, bibimbap and last but not the least that shouldn’t be gone on the list, hangover stew.

“Tell me, what’s the reason why you suddenly gather to eat here?” Sam asked who just now joined us.

“Yeah, why did Eris suddenly treat us?” Jerry said, one of the staff in HYPR agency, and then everyone is looking at him.

“Wait” Eris said in excitement. He dials his phone to call someone. It rang. “Hi, sissy” he said to Erica.

“Yes, brother?” Erica said lying in her bed all the way across the world.

“Erica?” Cindy asked who first recognized my sister's voice. “How is she?” Nimfa also asked, chewing her food.

“Is Aki awake?” Eris questioned.

“Who’s Aki?” Jerry asked again but gets no answer

“No way” Nimfa exclaimed.

“No, why? I hear voices, are you with your friends?” Erica asked then Eris lifts his cellphone for her to see us.

“I just wanted him to meet my friends” Eris shrieked, happiness is obvious in his face.

“Hi” we all said in unison.

“You have given birth, the time flies really fast” Nimfa said. We are all happy for Erica and also for Eris. We celebrate and eat and drink. Well, because I am the personal assistant of the one of the famous singer of the country, it is my duty to take care of him and like in this situation, I must not get drunk. You’ll see.

A few moments later, all slumbered on the table except for me and Sam. “Marco take Eris home. I’ll take care of these people” Sam chuckled. "And this lady here who came late but first to get drunk" he kissed her forehead and then Lily poked his nose and smiled.

“It seems like that” I exhaled, looking to my friends dozing off, with smile. I get my bag and Eris’ and headed to the car. When I settled Eris in the passenger’s seat, I went towards the driver’s seat but before entering the car, I opened my mouth, uttering, ‘Thank You’ to Sam. And he waved to us.