I
Years ago...
When he was in his last year in college, his mom arranged an engagement for him, making sure he's got to marry some girl, if not from a well-to-do family, atleast a celebrity, in the future.
Wala siyang naging tutol doon. Noon pa man ay sunod na siya sa lahat ng gusto ng kanyang ina. It doesn't mean his mom, Fatima, is always right. It doesn't mean everything she wanted is what he wants.
She was his mom, the only person in the world who cared for him and there is no one else. Dahil doon, gusto niyang ipakita sa kanyang ina na thankful siya sa lahat ng efforts nito para sa kanya.
Unlike his other older half-brothers, he's got no friends. He may be a loner like Leighton, his youngest half-brother; he wasn't as brave as him. He yearned for friends somehow.
"—Juno... your name is... pang-girl pala? Hmmm...pero ang bongga naman, I look here in Google, oh? Juno is a Roman goddess."
Juno suddenly came back to his senses. Nag-angat siya ng paningin sa babaeng katapat niya.
Her name, as he was informed, was Louelle Carandang, mas kilalang Lou C., isang singer at actress na member ng isa sa mga sikat na all-girl group sa bansa. Louelle's group agency was owned by Fatima and Morris, his elder half-brother.
"O-Oo. Gusto ni mommy na babae ang maging anak niya na hindi nangyari... maybe out of frustration... she still named me with that."
His name doesn't really bother him. Most people don't care as long as it can be a name of a guy, and it sounded just like one. May mga nagiging kaklase siya na inaasar siya kapag may mga subjects siya kung saan nababanggit si Goddess Juno pero hindi naman iyon long term.
Ini-slide-slide pa ni Louelle ang mga daliri niya sa kanyang phone. Hindi sinasadyang nagasgas ng kuko niya sa hinlalaki ang kuko sa kanyang hintuturo. "Owww, gosh! My nail art! Shit, kakapaayos ko lang nito sa favorite nail art salon ko. My God!"
Ngumiti si Juno. "Kung gusto mo, sasamahan kita doon. Have your nails repainted. Ako na ang sasagot ng bayad."
Delighted, Louelle smiled, sipped a little from her cup of cappuccino, then smiled again. "Really? How thoughtful of you... ay, teka! Nabasa mo na ba ang contract natin?"
Bumaling ulit si Juno sa hawak niyang mga papel. Masakit sa mga mata niya ang kulay na ginamit na ink pangsulat kaya aminado siyang mabagal ang kanyang pagbabasa.
Earlier in his date with Louelle, binigyan siya nito ng 'written terms and conditions' ng mga mangyayari bago at pagkatapos silang ikasal.
Inspired daw iyon sa mga Koreanovelas na pinapanood nito, and he doesn't have the slightest idea whatever she's talking about, not until he read the first few parts of the contract.
Since Louelle is a celebrity, humihingi ito ng limang taon bago nila pormal na i-a-announce ang kanilang engagement. Pinagbabawalan siya nito na lumapit dito ng atleast 20 miles—does she have any idea how far is 20 miles though? Pinagbabawalang bumisita sa shoots, fanmeets, at kung anu-ano pa.
Kapag kasal na sila at 'sikat' pa rin si Louelle, kailangan ay minimal ang public appearance nilang magkasama. After 10 years, she can file an annulment. She will have alimony and custody of their kids if they would have any.
"Puwede mo namang iuwi iyan at basahin. Leggo na?" Tumayo na si Louelle at kinipkip ang mamahaling Louis Vuitton bag nito na obviously ay regalo ni Fatima.
It was him who shopped for his mom last Christmas holiday. Siya ang bumili ng lahat ng mga ipinangregalo nito sa mga paborito nitong talents.
"Why would you want to file an annulment against me after ten years?" Curious na tanong ni Juno kahit alam naman niya ang sagot doon.
Louelle rolled her eyes. "Obviously, I'm like in a drama where I am forced to marry someone I don't love... Ay! Huwag kang ma-o-offend, huh?"
Forced? As far as Juno can tell, nobody forces anyone to get married. It has to do with fame and money. Umiling si Juno at ngumiti para ipakita kay Louelle na wala sa kanya ang sinabi nito. "It's okay. I'm not." Tumayo na siya at inilagay sa kanyang inside pocket ang 'contract'.
It's okay... who would want to stay with him in the first place?
