In Love With Narcissus : Chapter 3

Meet the Gods

(Eun Hee-Jun POV)

“This teacher is driving me nuts!” Since first day of class, kinukulit na kasi kami nung culinary instructor na mag-judge daw kami sa cooking test ng class niya. 

“Let’s refuse!” Jiwon said. “Ayokong kumain ng ganung karaming pagkain!”

That guy is Jang Jae-Won, my cousin from my mother-side. He’s a popular model na lumabas na sa mga piling TV commercials and magazine. If you’re going to ask me what special trait there is in my mother’s bloodline, it’s their good-looks and athleticism. Palaging nire-refer ang Jang clan as people with god-like faces na successful sa lahat nang mapili nitong sports. By the way, I call him Jiwon for short. 

“Anytime soon, babalik na yun dito at magmamakaawa. Better decide now, dahil naii-stress ako sa boses niya.” Ang sabi naman ni Kyun habang binabasa ang isang novel na hindi pa nare-release sa market.

He’s Eun Kyun-Soo, pinsan ko naman sa father-side. He’s the oldest son, and he is also the president of our school’s student body organization. Dahil dala niya ang surname na “Eun,” he also inherited my father’s bloodline attributes. Eun Clan is very famous in different business industries, name it and the Eun’s are there. That’s because Eun’s are born charismatic, idagdag mo pa na tinatawag silang the family of geniuses. Ang nickname ko sa kanya ay Kyun. 

So as I already mentioned, both Jang and Eun Clan have their own unique and special traits. Na kapag pinagsama mo ang dalawa, you’ll be able to form an unbelievable hybrid. And luckily, ako yung Jang and Eun hybrid na yun! My name is Eun Hee-Jun.

I’m the only son of my mother named Jang Shi-Ahn and my father, Eun Hee-Bum. Ang mga taong pwede lang akong tawagin sa nickname kong Eunhee are only those who are as magnificent as me, or better than me. Yun ay kung may lalamang pa saakin. 

I only got three best friends in my life. Si Kyun na three months older than me, and Jiwon na mas bata lang saakin ng isang buwan. My third best friend is no other than ME. Ngayon kung itatanong niyo kung bakit kaming tatlo ang close, I’ll be glad to narrate it.

Let’s start with Kyun. As I mentioned, si Kyun ang panganay sa tatlong magkakapatid. But his younger brothers were jealous of him. Hindi naman niya gustong mas dominant ang looks at talent niya, but he’s just so perfect that he’s given much attention by his parents. Yan tuloy, lagi siyang pinagseselosan. 

The same thing happened when he started studying, at magkaroon siya ng mga stupid classmates. Ang bobo nila na hindi nila kayang talunin si Kyun sa lahat ng bagay. Kyun was bullied dahil sa galing niya, so he decided to never trust anyone but himself.

When I came into their house when we're eight, we had a chess match for fun and I defeated him easily. Syempre mas matalino ako sa kanya! We played a lot of times, but guess what, he never won! 

“Loser!!! I’m way smarter than you!”  I smiled and I was teasing him but he was rather glad. Natuwa din ako sa kanya since hindi ko masasabing wala siyang binatbat. “Gusto mong maging bestfriends tayo?” He agreed to me and since then, we became best friends.

Medyo kakaiba naman ang kwento nung magkakilala kami ni Jiwon.  Nakilala ko siya only three months after kong maging ka-close si Kyun.

Baby pa lang si Jiwon nang maging commercial model siya for milk, kid’s wear, vitamins and a lot to mention. Hindi katulad ni Kyun, mahal na mahal si Jiwon ng mga kapatid niya. Meron siyang ate, si Jae-Lin na three years older than him, at ang nakababatang niyang kapatid na lalaki na si Jae-Sung.

Perfect na sana ang childhood niya, kaso nakidnap silang magkakapatid. Grabe yung insidenteng yun dahil namatay sina Jae-Lin at Jae-Sung noon. And people thought na dahil popular si Jiwon, binigyan siya ng priority ng mga kidnappers kaya siya lang ang nakaligtas.

After that, Jiwon would always isolate himself from the others.  Natatakot siya kapag binabati o binibigyan ng compliment ng ibang tao. But when Kyun and I came into his life, at last he felt that not all eyes are on him anymore.

“I look way better than you. Better than all of you!”  Then again, I smiled and was supposed to tease Jiwon but rather he felt glad. Natuwa ako sa kanya dahil alam kong kaya niyang makipagsabayan saamin ni Kyun. “Gusto mong maging bestfriend namin ni Kyun?” He agreed and since then, the three of us got along very well.

Naging close din sina Kyun at Jiwon kahit hindi sila magkaanu-ano. They would even treat each other as real cousins.

So yun yung kwento saaming tatlo. I think na sila lang ang talagang worthy na maging kaibigan ko. I think they are as perfect as me. Pero mas lamang pa rin ako. 

Oo nga pala, I still have my third best friend, who is actually ME! The story is short and simple. Bago ko makilala sina Kyun and Jiwon, I never did like being with the company of other kids or oldies. If it wasn’t my father or my mother or my grandparents, then I don’t see the need why I have to talk to them or mingle with them. I don’t deserve them, I deserve more than that.

Pero kahit loner ako, that doesn’t mean I’m sad like Jiwon or Kyun. I actually enjoyed myself being in the company of myself. Do you get what I mean? Lagi akong pinupuri ng mga tao, at tama naman yun! But if I praise myself, it felt much better. Parang ganito lang yun eh, “Before you love others, you should love yourself first.” And so I did!

Ngayon kung iri-rate ko ang buhay ko from 1-10, one being the lowest and ten being the highest… Come on!!! ‘Ten’ is still low so I’m giving myself a hundred. Why? Dahil na saakin na ang lahat! Mayaman na ako, matalino, magaling sa lahat ng bagay at higit sa lahat gwapo! Mabait? Mabait kapag trip ko lang. 

So if you are me, ang swerte mo! But no one deserves to be me but ONLY ME.

Anyway, nangyari ang lahat ng yun sa mother country namin, sa South Korea. I just had to narrate it ng Filipino so you would understand. Nung magha-highschool na kami, pumunta na kami dito para mag-aral sa East Verlake Academy. We already love this country and our school, para na nga kaming mga pure Filipino eh, so we decided to stay here for as long as we want.

“How troublesome!” Tumingin ako sa salamin at nakapag-isip din. Ang gwapo ko kasi, ang talino ko pa! Good timing dahil kumatok na si Mrs. Randall.

“Good afternoon. Nakapag-decide na ba kayo about sa invitation ko?

“Yeah, Mrs…um?” I forgot her name. “Mrs. Randall.” I smiled, now I remember! 

“Ms. Randall.” She corrected me. Miss pa lang siya? Hindi halata!

“Really? MS. Randall?”  I purposely highlighted the MISS when I said that. Natawa tuloy sina Kyun at Jiwon.

“You’re a funny guy! Of course I’m not yet married!” She tapped my shoulder, at I don’t like it when people do that! Gross! Nakadikit na tuloy ang amoy niya sa balikat ko!  She’s horrible! Pero dahil respectful ako…

“Yes, we’re accepting it. It’ll be an honor to judge your cooking test on Monday.” She was very pleased to hear what I said that she almost gave me a hug, pero pumalag na ako.

“May I know your brand of perfume?”

Nagulat siya. “Hindi ako gumagamit ng perfume! It was just my body scent. Why?” Anak ng! That explains! Bakit parang proud pa siya doon? 

“Wala naman po. Tingin ko busy po kayo, do you have any more concerns with us, Ma’am?”

Buti na lang at naawa ang kalangitan at umalis na siya. I almost shove her out of the room, at nung maiwan na kaming tatlo, nag-spray agad ng pabango si Jiwon.

“Thanks Jiwon.” Bumango din. Okay, I think I can breathe now. 

Jiwon was holding his breath too, at nung huminga na siya, “Kinailangan ko rin eh! Ang sama naman ni ma’am!” He sighed.

“Oo nga! Dito pa naghasik.” Patuloy namang nagpapaypay si Kyun gamit ang libro niya to clear his breathing space. “So, talaga bang magja-judge tayo?”

“Pagbigyan na natin para matapos na!” I plunged myself in our soft couch, still traumatized by that teachers’ scent.  “Alam niyo dapat talaga bilhan natin siya ng perfume eh?”

Natawa lang kaming tatlo pero hindi ako nagjo-joke nun.

*     *     *

Pumunta kami sa smart hotel ng Culinary Arts Building, kung saan magaganap yung food evaluation. Jiwon kept on nagging, “Why do I have to suffer like this!”

Kyun was also pissed, “There are too many girls in this building.” Masyado siyang strict sa mga ganitong bagay.

I’ am not thrilled as well. “Let’s just get over with this. Twenty-one dishes and we are out!”

“Twenty-one!!! Akala ko ba twenty lang?” 

“Yeah, what’s with the additional?”

“She gave me a short notice about a newcomer. Let’s just deal with it, okay?” Excited pa kanina si Ms. Randall about dun sa new student, pero ano namang interesting dun? Sumakit tuloy ulo ko lalo! Maya-maya pati siguro tiyan ko!

“Good afternoon, Mr. Hee-Jun, Mr. Kyun-Soo and Mr. Jae-Won.” Ms. Randall gave us a warm greeting. Tapos pumasok na kami sa room. Ang daming outsiders, actually mga fans namin sila!

So dahil they went all this way para makita kami, pagbibigyan na namin. Hindi naman kami madamot eh. Nagpose kaming tatlo para sa picture, at lalo silang nagtilian. Hay mga fangirls talaga! Ang hirap lalo kapag ganito ka ka-gwapo eh.

“Blurry na ang mata ko.” Kyun’s eyes were very sensitive.

“Pagod na nga akong ngumiti eh.” At ang fake na ng ngiti ni Jiwon. Natatawa na tuloy ako sa kanila.

“Eunhee oppa!!! Look at this way please!!!”

“OMGeeeee!!! They’re so cute!!!” 

“Oppa!!! Oppa!!! I LOVE YOU!!!” 

“Nakakabwisit na. Ang ingay nila.” Binulong saamin ni Kyun with a very troublesome voice.

“Lagi nang ganito since high school. Hindi ka pa ba sanay?

Oo nga, para namang kasing timang ang mga babaeng ito. Lahat ng may kinalaman saamin, big deal sa kanila! They are almost worshipping us. But I can’t blame them. Hindi kasalanan na humanga sa mga gwapong tulad namin.

“The question is, aren’t they used of our faces?”  Kyun replied. Mula first year highschool hanggang ngayong third year college na kami, ganito palagi ang situation.

“If they’re looking at faces like ours, there’s no getting used to it. We’re too handsome to get used with.” Ang yabang ko noh? Pero yun ang totoo. Obvious naman kung paano mabaliw ang mga babaeng ito saamin.

“I agree with you!!!” At nagtawanan na lang kaming tatlo. Masaya na sana ang lahat eh, kaso dumating na ang kinatatakutan namin. Yung mga culinary students dala-dala ang mga niluto nilang pagkain.

End of Chapter 3

>>>CHAPTER 4 HERE