"This is Rei, right?" he calmly spoke again, but it was like my brain fried and I couldn't process any information. "I called because I... want to talk to you about the project you auditioned for the other day."
Am I Rei? He wants to talk to me? Project? Audition?
I tried my best to fire up the gears in my head to connect the words and comprehend what he just said. It took a few more seconds before my system finally completed loading.
"Huh???" I finally was able to react. "Wait lang! Seryoso ba? Si Zeno ka? Hindi 'to prank? Kapag prank 'to hahanapin kita pati pamilya mo pramis!"
He was silent for a few seconds which made me check if he was still on the line.
"Hello?!" tawag ko.
He cleared his throat. "It's not a prank."
"Scam?" I accused.
Naalala ko yung mga post na may text message silang natatanggap na nagpapanggap na artista tapos nanghihingi ng load.
Mukhang may load naman siya dahil natawagan niya nga ako, pero baka mangutang ng pera? Nabasa ko rin na may ganoon ang style.
"It's not a scam. I'm really Zeno." May emphasis na yung 'really' niya. Mukhang na-fr-frustrate na siya na hindi ako naniniwala.
"Weh?" sabi ko, hindi pa rin talaga nakukuhang maniwala.
Dahil una sa lahat, paano siya nagka-number ko? Pangalawa, bakit naman siya tatawag sa akin? Sino ba naman ako? Alam ko naman na delusional ako madalas pero hindi naman ako uto-uto!
He heavily sighed. "How can I prove to you that I'm really Zeno?"
Nag-isip ako ng pwedeng ipagawa sa kanya. Lumiwag ang mukha ko nang may maisip na magandang isea. "Selfie ka nga ng may hawak na tinidor tapos i-post mo!"
"I'm not going to do that," he quickly dismissed my challenge.
"Wala ka pala, e. Hindi ka si Zeno. Ibababa ko na 'tong tawag. Iba na lang lokohin mo—"
"Wait," he quickly uttered before I could even end the call.
"Mag-po-post ka na?"
"What if we just meet so you can see that I'm really Zeno?"
"Ayaw ko nga! Paano kung sindikato ka tapos bebenta mo laman loob ko?"
He sighed again. I think he murmured something but I didn't quite catch it.
"How are you going to believe me then?"
"Post ka nga ng selfie mo na may tinidor," utos ko.
"Won't you believe it more if you see me in person?" he argued. "Let's meet."
Hindi ko na alam ang isasagot ko. I could simply hang up and not entertain whoever this was. But I wanted to prove to myself that it wasn't really Zeno. At kung hindi talaga si Zeno 'to, gusto kong hulihin kung sino 'yung nanloloko sa akin at papatikimin ko ng masasamang words sa personal.
"You said you were hungry. I know a Korean barbecue restaurant."
Ibubuka ko pa lang ang bibig ko para tumanggi but then he added, "My treat."
"Grabe! Alam na alam kung paano ako kunin," angal ko.
The guy on the line paused for a few seconds before asking, "Is that a yes?"
"Fine! Kahit pa 'di ikaw si Zeno basta libre. Mamaya takasan mo ako tapos ako pagbayarin mo ng bill?"
"I am Zeno. And I won't do that," he said to reassure me.
