Siobhán’s Wrath

Unfortunate Phenomenon

"1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8,"

"8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, and tsa, tsa,"

"Again!"

"Binna-ssi, higher!" Our dance instructor said.

We have been practicing for straight 4 hours now.

"Areum-ssi, slowdown!"

"Vawn-ssi. You are the center, keep your stamina until the end." I just nodded.

My name is Shiobhán Fabroa, I am 18 years old. I am a pure blooded Filipina who has been living here in Korea for 5 years now. I started my training when I was 13. Pretty young, isn't it? Well, I fought for this. I even had a huge fight with my mother because of my dream, and that is to be part of a KPOP girl group.

Isa itong malaking hakbang sa akin dahil iniwan ko ang pag-aaral ko para sa pangarap na ito. I wouldn't say that I have completely abandoned my studies over a career that I wanted to pursue since the agency allowed us to do home study, in my case, ang rest is studying. I have to keep practicing throughout the years while studying, ang ibang kasama ko na nag-training ay inabanduna talaga ang pag-aaral nila. Itinaya nila lahat sa pangarap na ito, I wish them all the best!

"Okay, lunch break!"

Others are spending their lunch to have a nap while I mostly spend my lunch break time on studying. I just got used to it.

"Studying again?" I heard a voice.

"Sunbaenim," I greeted him. It was Kang Do-Hyun, we call someone sunbaenim when they debuted before us. Kang Do-Hyun debuted already last year with his four other members kaya tinawag ko siyang sunbae.

"Oh, yeah." I went back to studying.

"You sure are a genius, yeah?" umupo siya sa tabi ko.

"Aniyo(no), I'm just studious," sagot ko.

"Take a rest too, Vawn-ah. You are not a robot," ginulo niya ang buhok ko.

Do-Hyun has been so good to me since his training days, even when he debuted already, walang pinagbago. He is 3 years older than me so he is an oppa also.

"I will," saad ko, tsaka lang kasi siya humihinto sa mga habilin niya kapag sinabi mo na gagawin ko ang sinabi niya.

"Very good, your group's debut is near. I wish you all the best, Vawn!" He did a two thumbs up. "I gotta go, I need to practice."

The sad reality in the entertainment industry in Korea is that you have to keep proving yourself that you are worthy. Unlike sa Pinas na kapag sikat ka na ay madalas stable na ang career. Speaking, since it's my break time, I'm gonna call my sister!

"Hello, Shiyooo!" My sister greeted me, she is always full of energy.

"Hi, ate. How are you?" I asked.

"Anong how are you ka riyan, ikaw ang kumusta! Malapit na ang debut ng grupo niyo, I can't wait!" She said from the other line. We are doing FaceTime kaya kitang-kita ko ang excitement sa mukha niya.

"Ate naman, anim na buwan pa po 'no!"

"Trust me, mabilis na lang 'yan. Anyway, I gotta go dahil nasa taping ako. Bye, I love you!" I didn't get to say I love you too because she hung up already. Kagaya ko ay busy rin si ate, artista siya sa Pinas. She's one of the best actress in the Philippines, ipagyayabang ko na, kapatid ko e. I sighed.

"You spent your whole lunch time studying again?" Aera asked, isa sa makakasama ko sa debut.

Tumango ako.

"You should've spent it taking a nap, we have to practice until midnight," hindi na bago 'yon. Sanayan na lang talaga.

"It's okay, I'm healthy." Natawa na lang siya.

"Woah, I am so excited for our debut. Imagine, we will be having our own fans! I'm so excited to perform in front of them," Aera is one of those trainees who gave up studies. She would always daydream about becoming an idol.

"Me too," but my voice sounds tired. Lunch break is almost over so I have to put my things back in my bag.

"Oh My God!" sh*t! Bakit dumulas? Iinom sana ako ng tubig nang bigla kong nabitawan ang baso ko, ayon basag.

"Stay out of it, Vawn! Do not injure yourself!" Larisa yelled, kaya natauhan ako. I was about to pick up the shattered glasses.

"Come here, let the charwoman clean that,"

I followed what my co-member told me, we must always take care of ourselves. Ayan ang habilin palagi ng chairman sa amin.

Next, we will practice our vocals. This includes singing and rapping. Our main rapper is Hana while our main vocalist is Aera. Our group has seven members. Hana, Aera, Binna, Areum, Larisa, Chiyo, and I. Hindi sa lahat ay nagkakasundo-sundo kaming lahat but as much as possible ay inaayos kaagad namin kapag mayroon kaming hindi pagkakaintindihan.

We finished practicing at exactly ten o 'clock in the evening.

"Finally!" Hinihingal kong sabi. Pwede na kami gumamit ng phone for a while but the moment we enter our bedroom ay hindi na pwede.

I got so much notification, I received a missed call from a friend in the Philippines kaya inuna ko 'yong i-check.

Text me when you are on your phone. She left a message kaya nagreply ako. Wala pang isang minuto ay tumawag na siya.

"Shiyo!" It wasn't energetic, sounds like mayroon siyang mahalagang sasabihin.

"Hi, napatawag ka?" Pumwesto ako sa gilid ng practice room namin.

"S-shiyo..." She started crying.

"H-hey, what's the matter? Are you okay?" Nag-aalala kong tanong.

"Iyong ate mo, Shiyo..."

"W-what? W-why? What happened?" Mas lalo akong nag-aalala.

"S-she took her own life..." Parang nabingi ako.

"No, she would never do that." Paulit-ulit akong umiling, napatingin na sa akin ang mga ka-member ko.

"She did! Look at the news!" I did not hesitate to hung up the call and open google. Nalaglag pa ang phone ko dahil nanginginig ang kamay ko.

Azzura Serbio, enter.

Azzura take her own life

Azzura committed suicide

Azzura was found dead inside her apartment

Those are the top results from google. I clicked each link and I was redirected to the famous news channel in the Philippines. Time of death was 11: 35AM, PH time. I dropped my phone, nag-unahan sa pagtulo ang mga luha ko. Just 30 minutes after we talked, she was not on the set!

T-that was her good bye to me?

"Vawn-ah...what's happening?" Lumapit sila sa akin, including our vocal trainer.

"Are you hurt? Did you injure yourself during your dance lesson?" Sinuri pa niya ang kamay at paa ko. Umiling ako, I could not talk, I just feel like crying.

"T-then, w-what's going on?"

"Her phone!" Agad na pinulot ng trainer namin ang phone ko at tiningnan ang pinapanood ko, the news is still playing.

"I believe she is an artist in the Philippines, is she your idol? Vawn-ah, you c-,"

Our trainer was cut off by Binna, "S-she's Vawn's sister!"

No, this isn't true. Please wake me up, my sister wouldn't do such a thing! She is a strong woman, s-she is doted on the most by my mother. H-how come? W-why?

Bye, I love you. Mas lalo akong naiyak nang maalala ko ang huli niyang sinabi sa akin.

"V-vawn-ah," Binna hugged me, patuloy lang ang pag-iyak ko.

It took me an hour before I finally calmed down. But I'll probably continue crying for the rest of the night.

"I n-need to go home," that's the first thing that came out of my mouth.

That night, I cried myself to sleep. Early in the morning, I was called to have a talk with the chairman.

"I am sorry for your loss, Vawn-ssi." I did not even bother to respond. Tuliro na ako. "We have arranged your flight, going home. But it's gonna be tomorrow. Looking at you right now, I know that you cried the whole night. Rest for today, tomorrow you may go home,"

"Thank you," that's all I could say.

They also allow me to use my phone the whole day to make phone calls way back home. But I did not make any phone call, I was browsing online. But I did not know that I'll be more upset upon checking previous news about my sister, alam ko na kapag artista ka ay hindi maiiwasan na mayroon at mayroon kang basher, p-pero bakit ganito kalala?

Just recently, my sister was bashed for allegedly having an affair with a co-star na in a relationship. People are calling her kabit, before that ay mayroon pa, it was about her friend who is not her friend anymore, they had a huge fight according to the unknown source. UNKNOWN!

J-just why people are so mean? They even believe the news from an unknown source?

————

Disclaimer:

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, business, places, events, and incidents are either the products of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual events, persons, living or dead is purely coincidental.