Stolen Kisses

Chapter No. 2 - Kiss Thief

J E R E M Y

“GOOD EVENING, PURPLE COLISEUM!” Sabay-sabay naming sigaw ng mga kasama ko sa stage. Ito ang unang performance namin sa stage kaya binati na muna namin ang mga manonood.

Hindi rin naman kami nabigo dahil sinagot nila kami ng nakayayanig nilang mga sigaw.

“AAAAAHHHH! TITAN!”

“Ah~ ang sarap sa tenga ng mga sigaw ninyo! Isa pa!” Keith demanded then raised his microphone in the air.

“AAAAAHHHH! TITAAAN!” mas malakas naman na sigaw ng mga uto-uto naming fans.

“ORION!” This time it is Zack who’s calling them. “Thank you so much for waiting for us!”

Dahil isa kami sa main act ng festival ay sa huli kami inilagay sa program. Nangawit na nga ako kauupo sa backstage sa paghihintay. And now that it’s our time to perform, there’s no way I’ll stay still. Magpe-perform ako ngayon para pagpawisan. Lalo na at wala na at pinalilimitahan sa akin ang isang paraan ng pagpapawis ko.

I stepped in forward then waved in the air as I screamed, “DEAREST ORION! Here we go! Tonight, we will sing to our heart’s content to express our happiness from seeing you here!”

The moment those words left my lips, the background music started to play and my members also went to their positions on the seats that were prepared for us on the stage.

“Everybody, sing with us!” aya ni Dale sa lahat. Kanya rin kasi ang unang linya ng kanta. Kaya matapos ang ilang segundo mula sa opening music ng kanta ay agad nagsimula na si Dale.

“I felt the pain as the fire burned through my chest. I picked up a pen and the ink blood that the fire made…”

Keith, “And take the heavy words burning along my heart. I take the mem’ries, the fire creeping up my mind…”

“I gathered all the last agony you built inside me. Keeping from the fire's salvation. I reached for a piece of paper…” Zack.

I lifted my microphone in front of my lips, with all my heart I started to sing, “Using the black mem'ries. Using the blue blood. And a flawed pen. I write you as pain. Because I know this is when… burning is the only way to save you.”

“Because this is when burning saves our heart!” Keith.

“Burning saves our heart~” Dale.

“A piece of paper…” Zack, “burned for our hearts…” Zack and I sang the last part together.

Nang matapos ang musika ng kantang ito ay muling nagdilim ang stage. Walang nag-ingay sa audience. Probably because the song is too painful to rejoice. Even I who was so excited to party and dance on the stage felt a painful squeezed in my heart.

The song is titled Blood Ink, it was written by Zack who among us is the emotional and gloomy person. Malayong-malayo sa image na ipinapakita niya sa mga fans. It was a sad song dahil sa pagkakaalala ko ay kabe-break lang nila ng first girlfriend niya sa mga panahon na ‘yon. It was a big choice for him because we were just a newbie boy band back then. No fans, no fame. We only have our talents and handsome faces.

We just started to gain popularity after our second year in the industry and became the hot shot of our company. Now after five years, we are a successful music group with millions of fans inside and outside the country.

“Here’s the next song, Orion!” sigaw ko sabay tayo at nag-ikot sa stage. I raised my hand with the mic on my lips singing, “The only thing he is capable of, is to suppress these feelings of love at the bottom of his heart~”

This time, we started singing our latest single, Tears. The beat of the song is less lonely than the other one. However, the perspective is still the same of a man being held back to reach something he desires.

After singing two songs we proceed in dancing our hiphop songs. The coliseum went wild with deafening screams of the fans. Naging makulay ang stadium with the special effects for our performance. There are also flame projectors that rise up in the stage to add up on the effect. Although it is aesthetically pleasing in the eyes, they are quite warm for us who are on the stage. Yet, despite the drops of sweat we shed we still continued to dance.

Finally, I got what I wanted. Naka-pagpapawis na ako.

I enjoy seeing our fans singing and dancing with us.

Two more performances later ay natapos na kami ang segment namin.

“Thank you, Orion! Thank you, Purple Coliseum!” sigaw ni Keith when we were about to exit the stage. Mas mahina na rin ang boses niya dahil sa pagod mula sa pagsasayaw.

I, on the other hand, did not bother to scream. I just looked at the closest camera to me. I waved and smiled in the camera. Na-project sa malaking monitor ang mukha ko kaya sumigaw ng pagkalakas-lakas ang fans.

“AAAHH! JEREMIAH!”

Pumasok na ang host ng festival habang isa-isa naman kaming bumaba sa stage.

“Thank you so much, Titan! That was a great performance!” Rinig kong bati nito sa amin.

I couldn’t care less for the scripted comment the host is spouting. Ngayon na tapos na ang performance namin ay gusto ko naman na magpahinga.

Hingal kaming lahat na pumasok ng backstage.

“Whoo! Great job, guys! Great job!” Keith clapped his hands as he tapped our backs one by one.

“Ikaw rin, Keith. Ang galing natin, gu– omph!” Dale was not able to finish his line when he stumbled into the wiring on the floor.

He instinctively stiffened his feet to not drag it any further otherwise the plug may have been pulled out of the outlet. Lagot kami kung nangyari ‘yun. Who knows if it's connected to one of the electrical devices on the stage. Edi, nag-fail pa ang music festival na ito.

“Careful, man,” sabi ko kay Dale.

Nasa unahan na ako, at nakasunod lang sa kanya si Zack kaya siya na ang nag-abot ng kamay may Dale para tulungan siyang makatayo.

This type of scene isn't new for us. Dale has been the clumsy type. Both in actions or in words. It might be because he’s indecisive and sometimes high on energy that he forgot his surroundings.

If he has as secret as a TV personality, it might be this. The management told us that being clumsy and indecisive is not totally a bad thing for a person, but not for a famous person since it would be often pointed out by the fans or haters.

Well, at least his flaw as a famous person is not as crucial as mine. 

“I want to eat. May pagkain ba, Mr. Leal?” tanong ni Dale habang nag-papagpag ng damit.

“Oo. Nasa kabilang large tent.”

The Purple Coliseum is not the typical coliseum na nasa isang malaking building. It's more like a large empty space with thousands of seats encircling it. It doesn't have a roof, it only has a large platform and a few cabins for comfort rooms and storage rooms. But there's not enough room for the crew. That's why the production has to build tents. And just so happened that one of the comfort rooms is conveniently separated from the rest so our company claimed that cabin and built a tent with it inside.

Wala rin namang tumutol dahil ang team namin ang may pinakamaraming tao sa lahat ng performers ngayon.

Nagtungo na sa large tent ang tatlo, habang ako naman ay nagpatuloy lang sa paglalakad para bumalik sa tent namin.

I just want to take a quick nap. I was up writing a new song last night so I am quick to get tired. I was just high on energy earlier due to the drink I drank before coming here.

Our tent doesn’t have anything but the materials for our concept. The makeup tools, the outfit racks, a long table for us to settle our materials, and a sofa that our team brought from the storage room.

Obviously, I only have the sofa to lay on. I just removed the flashy vest I am wearing and positioned myself to sleep on this narrow and small sofa.

Mas mabuti na rin ito kaysa nakaupo akong matulog. As soon as my body felt comfortable, I start dozing off.

…

It has been a good amount of time since I closed my eyes. I am about to fall asleep when I heard a bang near me. Mabilis kong inalis sa mukha ko ang vest na pinantakip ko para maiwasan ang maliwanag na ilaw sa tent.

“Come on, I am trying to sleep h— Who are you?” tanong ko sa sandaling nakita ko ang taong pumasok… I just don’t have any idea who is this woman?

Imbes na sagutin ako ay dumiretso lang siya sa loob ng tent, walang pakundangan na tumungo sa comfort room.

She’s staggering, with her eyes squinting she might have a bad eyesight. Pero nang pinanood ko pa siya ng matagal, I realized that this woman is drunk.

“Hello?” tawag ko sa kanya. Yet, for the second time, she just ignored me.

Is she drunk enough to not recognize a popular person like me?

I continued to watch her unstable steps until she grabbed the comfort room’s door knob. I am actually hoping that she would come to her senses and realize that she got in the wrong tent. Yet that did not happen even after she got inside the comfort room.

I patiently waited. Not a minute later I heard the splashing of water against the marble flooring of the comfort room. Then, a seconds after that the door opened and a female voice uttered in a slurred manner the following words of relief.

“Aaahh~ Finally! Naka-ihi na rrin ako… I really thought na shashabog ang pantohg ko! Hm? Nashaan na ba ‘to?”

She looked over the place. Nanliliit pa rin ang mga mata niya. She must have it hard because she’s too drunk.

Ano naman kaya ang ginagawa ng lasing na babae dito sa Purple Coliseum?

Audience ba siya?

Nanahimik lang ako sa sofa. I’m sure she’ll leave in no time lalo na at tapos na ang objective niya rito. Pero sa kalagitnaan ng pagsuyod niya ng tingin sa buong dressing room ay huminto siya sa direksyon ko.

Mas lumiit ang kanyang mga mata at kumunot ang kanyan noo.

“W-What?” I said with a complicated face as she began to walk closer to me.

Hindi kaya ay nagkukunwari lang siyang lasi para makapasok sa tent namin? Hindi na bago sa amin ang insedente ng mga crazy fans na gagawin ang lahat makapasok lang sa private life namin.

“Ba’t ka nanditoh?”

“Huh?”

“Shabi ko, anong ginagawa mo ritoh?”

“Why shouldn't I be here? Are you crazy?”

“Kita mo ‘tong lalaking ‘to akala…” She began to mumble some words that I cannot hear.

The lady just continued to pace her way towards me. Now that I looked at her in closer distance, her face is not bad at all. She has a decent face considering how sweaty and messed up she looks like with her unkempt hair, red drunk face, and … yeah, sweaty overall appearance.

“I ssshould have known! Kaya ako dinala ni Lourdesh dito para makita ka noh!”

What is she saying? Is she making a mistake of me for someone else?

Naging agresibo siya nang nakalapit na siya sa akin. Nakatingala ako sa kanya, while she’s literally looking down on me with her glaring, angry eyes.

“H-Hey…”

Shoot, I am not allowed to hurt a fan. Wait, nihindi nga ako sure kung fan siya. Because she's a fan she should have recognized who I am no matter how drunk she is. 

“Akala mo ba matatakot ako sha’yo? Ikaw na manyak kah! Kissh? Kissh lang ba gushto mo?”

She grabbed me by the collar and bent over. “I can gib yoo that!”

And without any further ado, the woman hastily pressed her lips on mine.

I might be surprised by her sudden action, but I did not push her. I just stayed still and waited for her lips to move, either away or deeper is both fine. Yet, she did not move. She just clumsily and awkwardly stuck her lips.

Don’t tell me she’s just frustrated about the guy na akala niya ay ako? At dahil nga akala niya ay ako ang tamang tao ay basta-basta na lang siyang umatake without even having any experience in kissing?

Are you kidding me?

I can’t help but to roll my eyes out of annoyance. I would not allow this to end then it would appear that it was her who made a move on me. I don’t want to be devoured by a woman. It is me who devours them.

I held the back of her head to lock her in case she tried to escape. The moment I had my hand behind her, I immediately moved my lips to kiss her properly. I felt her hostility the moment I had my tongue in her mouth. 

“Hmph!” she tried to pull away yet couldn’t.

I held her arm when she started to push me.

Ha! Sino ba kasi ang nagsimulang humalik? Panindigan niya ang sinimulan niya kaya. I won’t stop. Nanginginit na rin ang katawan ko. She came to me first, so I am just wholeheartedly welcoming the blessing.

“Ahn!” she shouted when I grabbed her waist.

Naramdaman ko na bigla siya bumaba, mukhang matutumba na ata siya. So, I sat properly and tossed her gently on the sofa. I positioned her underneath me.

I paused for a little while to check her. And when I looked at her face, I saw nothing but a woman innocently blushing while touching her lips. She remained still looking sleepy with her drunk eyes.

“Shi-Sh-Shino ka?” I heard her mutter.

Mukhang napagtanto na niya na maling tao ang inatake niya.

I just smirked and was about to kiss her again. I was full of excitement when she mercilessly kicked my jewels!

Masyado akong naging kampante at nakalimutan na may mga binti at paa pala siya.

“AAGH!” Sh*t! That hurts so much!

Namilipit ako sa sakit at mabilis na napakapit sa junior kong lubos na nasaktan.

I was about to grab her when she nimbly jumped off the sofa and sprinted away to escape the tent. She stumbles a few times but because of my injured buddy, I can’t catch her in time.

“Hey! What the f*ck! You, b*tch!”

I know I’m a manwh0re, and most of the time it’s my fault for being overly h0rny but… did… Did a stranger just steal my kiss? Me? Jeremiah of Titan got his kiss stolen by a stranger!?

Sh*t! F*ck. My balls and pride hurt!

“Hm? Sino ‘yun?” tanong ng pamilyar na boses. I was right when I saw that it was Keith.

Nakasalubong niya ata sa labas ang babaeng ‘yon.

“A kiss thief…” I hissed as I tried to calm myself.