The Bad Boy's Property (TAGALOG)

Prologue 1

3rd Person Narration:

7 years old Jelaine...

"Jelaine, look, narito na si Jeon oh!" Mabilis na ihininto ng batang nagngangalang Jelaine ang paglalaro sa kanyang manika nang marinig niyang sabihin iyon sa kanya ng kanyang ina.

Kasalukuyan silang nakaupo sa isa sa mga set ng table ng restaurant kung saan siya idinala ng kanyang ina.

Inilapat niya ang kanyang tingin sa mga taong umupo sa mga upuan sa kanilang harapan sa kinaroroonan nilang table. Itinuon niya ang buong atensyon sa mga taong ito na kararating pa lamang.

Agad niyang nakilala si Jeon. Ito ang batang lalaki na sobrang sikat na sikat sa kanilang paaralan. Narito siya ngayon sa harapan niya kasama ng ina nito.

Sa wakas ay dumating na ang oras na ito para sa kanya. Ang mangyari ang unang araw na makita nila ni Jeon ang isa't-isa. She has been anticipating this day. It's like yesterday she was only dreaming about this and now, it is happening for real. She can't imagine how near she is to him right now.

She knows this day will be so special since she was aware that this is the very moment that the two of them will be present and known to each other.

Her mom told her that Jeon's dad could not make it to this formal meeting. She didn't mind as her dad could not attend as well. She thought that they both possessed busy dads whose hearts held focused on securing their future.

Jelaine was already aware of being arranged for a marriage to the boy in front of her. Before her mom decided to let her go into this situation, her mom asked her multiple times. Her mom has found out that she has a crush on the boy and talked to her about him. She was surprised by discovering that the boy's mother happens to be her mom's best friend. She has never met any of her mom's friends. Kailanman ay hindi nagdala ang kanyang ina ng kaibigan sa kanilang tahanan. Never once introduced her to one either. Ikinagulat niya nang tanungin siya ng ina kung gusto niyang pakasalan ang batang lalaking si Jeon pagdating ng panahon na nasa tamang edad na sila.

She has had a serious discussion with her mom about the matter. Binigyan din siya ng mahabang panahon nito upang pag-isipang mabuti ang pagpapasya sa bagay kung saan niya ilalagay ang sarili. Ipinaalam sa kanya ng ina ang lahat ng bagay na kailangan niyang malaman tungkol sa bagay na ito. All about consequences and responsibilities. All the terms and conditions. But because of the feelings she has for the boy, she remains okay with all that. Handang-handa siyang harapin ang lahat ng maaari niyang kaharapin at hindi na niya inisip pa ang mga kahihinatnan nito. Ang akala niya ay malinaw niyang naiintindihan ang lahat. She was very willing to step forward into taking this decision because she liked this boy named Jeon so much.

Hindi niya maipagkakaila na may malalim siyang pagkagusto dito sa batang lalaki, dahilan kung bakit ginawa niyang tuntunin ang desisyon na tumuloy sa isang masasabing pangako.

Every dismissal time, she was used to waiting at the bench near the gateway where she was not too visible to people's eyes only to watch this boy walking his way out of their school. Masilayan lang muli ang maamong mukha nito.

Sa tuwing magkakaroon siya ng pagkakataon upang masilayan ang mukha nito palihim ay hindi niya palalampasin ito. Always ready to make her way to lay eyes on him from a distance, somewhere not noticeable. Sigurado rin naman siyang walang makapapansin sa kaniya na tumitingin dito dahil ang atensyon ng mga tao sa buong paaralan nila ay nasa nasa batang lalaki sa tuwing nariyan ito at ang mga kaibigan nito. He's that eye-catcher to people.

Masaya siyang nakikita ito parati sa simpleng paraang iyon. Pero alam naman niyang hindi siya nito mapapansin dahil laging nasa gitna ng maraming tao ang batang lalaki, laging nasa kaniya ang atensyon ng mga tao. Sa ganito kamurang edad ay agaw-pansin na ito sa napakaraming batang babae sa kanilang paaralan. Palagi itong napaliligiran ng kababaihan. There is a bunch of bunches before her turn comes. The main reason why without thinking twice, she has accepted her mother's offer of being engaged to the boy of her dreams. Hindi niya maipaliwanag kung gaano siya kaligaya sa mga oras na iyon habang iniisip na ikakasal siya sa isang lalaki pagdating ng panahon. Hindi siya makapaniwala na darating ang araw na iyon. Ang araw na pakakasalan niya ang lalaking itinatangi niya ng sobra at pinapangarap na makapansin sa kaniya.

Ngayong araw ay matutupad na ang pangarap niyang makaharap ito ng malapitan. Her dream of hers seeing him near is lastly becoming a reality. Today, the agreement of a marriage between them is now becoming official.

Hindi niya maalis ang tingin sa mukha ng batang lalaki. Ito ang unang pagkakataon na masisilayan niya ito ng malapitan. Her cheeks are burning red, feels like fire, look like roses, just while looking at him, but she managed to give him a beam.

"Look, listen, my baby girl. We have already talked through this, remember? You remember everything I told you regarding this matter, right? And you agreed upon all the consequences and the responsibilities that are after this by taking the decision. Right? I am repeating myself once more and asking you once again. I am giving you a chance to answer honestly once again. If you do not want this, you can back out now. You'll have this last chance to do it." Her mom asked.

She thought carefully and looked up at his mom's face. Her mom's expression seemed to be waiting for her answer. Sinilayan niyang muli ang mukha ng batang lalaki sa kaniyang harapan at ibinalik ang tingin sa mga mata ng kaniyang ina, umiiling siya habang nag-uusap ang mga mata nilang mag-ina sa pagpapalitan ng mga tingin.

Her mom smiled and took a graceful sigh off her chest. "Alright." Her mom said. "Meet the boy that you are going to marry someday when you grow up." Said her mom enthusiastically, introducing the boy to her.

"Baby, Jeon, look at her. She's your fiancé. Jelaine." His mother spoke. "Look! Isn't she so pretty?" Stated again by his mother.

Nakita ni Jelaine ang pagsimangot ng batang si Jeon at parang iritado ito. "Is she that girl?"

Masama ang titig na nagmumula sa batang lalaki papunta sa kaniya.

"Yes, she is. What's the matter, baby Jeon?" Confirmed and asked by the boy's mother.

"She's not pretty. She looks so ugly!" He voiced and rolled his eyes at her.

Nalungkot si Jelaine sa reaksyon ng batang lalaki na makita siya at sa kung paano siya tinawag nito. She thought he adores her as much as she does, the reason why his mom allowed him to go through this agreement and have this set.

Did her mom not ask him before deciding on this?; The thinking was ringing in her head. But what Jelaine heard from her mom, the boy's mom was also doing the same thing and process she has gone through with his parents. Hindi sana siya um-oo kung alam lamang niya na hindi alam ng batang lalaki ang tungkol dito.

"Jeon, stop being like that? Didn't I warn you about this? We are not playing a game here. We are not joking." His mom strictly warned the boy.

"I don't like her." Said the boy and stood, then ran out of the restaurant.

"Jeon!" His mom called out his name. "Come back!"

Bumagsak ang balikat ni Jelaine. She felt so sad and bad about what just happened. 'Is the boy turning down the agreement? Is he going to make her feel rejected somehow?' Iyon ang mga naglalaro sa isip niya noong mga oras na iyon.

Jeon's mother paid attention to them, anxious about the fact that her son had suddenly run away and did not know where it went.

"I'm so sorry, best! I was so sure everything was fine with him. We have discussed everything with him. We made sure that everything was clear and understood. He accepted it, I swear. That was just-! That kid! He is just so naughty and playful. He's like that all the time. I made sure I'd strictly warned him enough of not doing his games here, but.." The mother of the boy sighed and was acting in a hurry. "He's a badass, stubborn, playful, and very uncontrollable."

Narinig ni Jelaine na natawa ang kaniyang ina sa sinabi ng bestfriend nito sa kanila.

"That's fine, best! I don't mind. I know your child the way you do, anyway." Her mother told the boy's mother.

Scratching her head, the mother of the boy talked again. "I'll talk to him again, best. I guess I have to go now. I have to find that bastard. The agreement is official between my son and your beautiful daughter, but let's just set another appointment for this, okay? I'm so sorry! I'm going now. Excuse me."

"Don't worry, that's alright. I understand. Bye, Bessy! Take care." Both mothers pecked on the cheeks of one another for a goodbye.

"Both of you, too. I'm sorry about my badass son." Jelaine could hear the woman saying.

Since she was just a kid at this moment who believed that she was doing the right thing and picking the right decision, she did not realize how serious it was to affect and bring changes to her life. Ito ang bagay na hindi niya naintindihang maaari niyang pagsisihan matapos niyang gawin.

•••

Note:

Remember, dalawa ang scene na nasa Prologue? Yes. Dalawa nga pero pinaghiwalay ko. Nagla-lag na kasi kapag masyadong mahaba ang tina-type ko. Kaya yung bawat chapter din hahatiin ko. Paiikliin. Nakakairita kasi magtype kapag always lag.

- Bri