Here’s Chapter 2. Enjoy reading! 😀
TN: sevfulmine
ED: whosays25
Hio’s POV
F*cking shit…
So tiring. Looks like all my muscles had been pulled over! Yet our pay was just a meager 300 pesos. F*ck.
Maybe Kape and I should have really gone into a modelling agency. Dang, the problem was… it’s too far from here. I have no fare money for it. But fine, we would give it a go next time.
Stretch…Stretch…
It’s already past 5 pm. Our shift should end soon.
We bought a stupid fish in a can and some rice before heading home.
While walking, I slung my arm on Coffee’s shoulder.
“Don’t bro! It hurts!” He complained.
“You shit. You started working heavy jobs way earlier than me and you’re telling me you have a weaker constitution?”
“You know Heyo–” My mood always turns sour whenever Kape speaks my name—“—I’ve ben’ thinking ‘ef we will ever have a future.”
So he could actually think things like that.
Well, I have also been thinking lately. Like wondering how my older brother and grandpa are nowadays. And how would our life be if they didn’t left me in the orphanage.
I punched Kape’s hurting shoulder. “You know Kape, don’t lose hope. We’re still young. We’ll just have to make sure that we will not yet marry and spread our seed. We can’t even feed ourselves, why add another mouth to feed—”
“—I know ‘dat bro’. ‘Dat’s why I bought a condom!”
Pak!
I hit his head. He’s different, alright. He should have bought a cigarette instead of condom.
“You demon! You’re really gettin’ on my nerves now!”
I only gave him a dirty finger while grinning. “Cook the rice when we get home.”
We live at the squatter’s area which was near the river. This hovel where we settle in was precipitously built on the water ways. There’s a comfort room and the whole river serves as the septic. That’s why if Mother Nature calls, you know how would it be. It would fall straight down the river.
The electricity was a jumper. I just connected it on another jumper line. However if a fire broke out, it’s okay. Anyways, we don’t have any appliances like ref or washing machine to mind.
The water here has to be taken from the faraway well. But since Kape and I were the only asset of the village when it comes to handsomeness, the chicks here were courting us. They’re the ones who take care of our water.
But sometimes it’s also irritating. Maybe even if we spit over, someone would still catch our saliva and ingest it. Yuck.
The moment we stepped into our house, Kape immediately turned on our 14-inches Sonya* TV, as well as the DVD player that has a Sumsung* brand on it. He picked it up from trading junk and it was repaired by him.
He let a pirated porn CD played.
F*cker. This jerk is really lustful. Sometimes I also watch such things; sometimes we masturbated while watching it together. But to think that we were already tired and yet you’re still doing it? Hell! That’s HELL!
I just laid down because anyway, he’s the one to cook.
“Bebe? Bebe!” seemed like someone’s calling from the outside. I peered through the window.
“Kape, Bakekang* is outside!”
Bakekang is my nickname for Barbie Doll. Seriously, that’s her name. Even I did not believe it at first until I saw her birth certificate. She’s the daughter of the village chairman and Kape made her his girlfriend just so that we could have a free rent.
Yes, you read it right. They’re the one who own this den. Captain was surely amazing. It’s just a mere squatter area, but they’re still running an apartment business here. It’s a profitable trickery eh.
Bakekang has fine looks in actuality, it’s just that her skin could make anybody repulsive. It’s like a champorado* that was embroidered with a peso coin. Maybe when she was a kid, she liked swimming in the nearby filthy river.
“Don’t make a racket, what ‘ef she hears you!” Oooh, Kape’s still putting on an act. However she also calls her ‘Bakekang’ behind her back.
I opened the door.
Bakekang was smiling and she handed me a bag full of isaw*. Cheap ah. She could have handed out some pork barbecues.
I already know the next thing to happen. I took Kape’s guitar and went out.
I sat on the stairs, had my cigarette break before strumming the old guitar.
I was playing the violin when I was still at the mansion. My older brother was good at it that’s why I bothered him to teach me.
I sighed. There are really some talents that you can’t put to use without money.
But I’m not aspiring to live like a rich person again. It’s impossible.
I didn’t tell anyone about my life before. After all, they would just laugh at me.
I still remember Medea. She’s really just the only woman I still think about even now. What would she look like now that seven years had passed? Would she still remember me?
If our family became impoverished, surely she’s already married to another rich man.
And my promise about me marrying her someday? It no longer hold any meaning now. Besides, I’m still too young for her.
I sucked the cigarette again and stared at the smoke I’ve blown.
Aaaahh!
Aaaahh!
Oooh!
Bakekang sounded like she’s been possessed by an evil spirit.
I hit the door. “HEY, STOP IT ALREADY.”
Are they still undone? F*cker, I’m already starving! Kape was enviable, surely he’s already full.
I accidentally caught sight of a small lady at a corner. She looks like a life-sized doll. The name Barbie Doll suits her far better.
She’s staring at me.
Our eyes met but then, she’s the one who first looked away before leaving.
I was mystified by her but not to the point that it became a major pain. Later, I forgot about her.
My life went on without knowing where to head to.
Work. Home. Lazing around.
Until one night, after we came back home from the construction site, we saw what seemed like a paper stuck under the door.
Kape grabbed it and was almost about to throw it away if only I hadn’t stopped him.
I read it.
It’s an announcement from a private personality looking for a musician. The instrument was not specified.
There’s an address stated with the time of the audition starting at six pm.
I thought maybe it was just a whim of some junkie. After all, what kind of people in their right mind would start an audition at night —
“—C’MON KAPE LET’S TRY THIS OUT!”
“But we only know how to play guitar. ‘Der’s so many people who know how to play ‘dat!” said Kape with no enthusiasm whatsoever.
I rolled the paper and swatted it down his head.
“FOOL! With our current life condition, we should have no hesitations! We should seize all the upcoming opportunities!”
“What? Recitation?!”
Lord, please bless me with money. I swear I’ll buy Kape some brain vitamins!
I’ll just put it like this so that he may understand it. “Bro, are you contented with a life like this? Is Bakekang really the one you’ll face in the altar and then you’ll just inherit District Captain’s management of his hovel apartment business?!”
The fool gawked at me. “Heyo, how did you know my plan?”
F*CK! I knew it! Kape has really gone astray!
In the end, what I wanted was followed. We went to the address.
Not even in my imagination that we will find ourselves inside a huge mansion. Their garden full of beautiful plants was very spacious.
There’s also many statues adorning the place. At the middle of it, there’s a huge fountain.
“—Bro’ are you sure ‘dat ‘dis is ‘da right place? ‘Dis is ‘por rich people!”
“You’re really STUPID. The guard let us in, right?”
But Kape really has a point. Why held the audition inside a mansion and not in a studio.
I also haven’t seen any applicants aside from us. Wasn’t it supposed to be full of people since there’s an audition?
The chilly wind suddenly breezed past us. The chilling cold it brought bit our skin. It’s weirdly hair-raising.
The maid and the main butler met us. They led us toward a room at the second floor.
Harr… Brings back the old memories.
“Bro’ why do you look so relaxed out der’? Aren’t you nervous about the probability of ‘dey being a member of a cult? ‘Dey might turn us into their offerings!” Kape was whispering to me.
Well their god sure would be lucky, if tonight the offers would be two handsome men.
We halted in front of a huge double door.
The main butler knocked on the door.
“—Master…Your guests have arrived.”
“—Let them in,” answered a voice behind the door. It’s a male voice. It sounded young. Maybe just about our age.
They opened the door and then we stepped inside a lavish study room. The floor was carpeted and the chandelier hanging at the middle of the ceiling looked elegant. The prices of the furniture were surely not to be trifled with.
The so-called master turned to face us. I was right, he was about my age. The suit he was wearing also looked expensive. Alright he’s handsome and I’m somewhat pleased with his strangely gleaming eyes.
“You can leave us now.” He said to his servants. Only when the servants had left did he continue speaking.
“Please sit…” he pointed at a nice sofa. It’s so nice my washed-out jeans wants to feel embarrassed.
“My name is Noir Andrea Rosseau. You?”
Whoa. His name sounded like for rich people.
Rosseau…Sounds familiar…
“—I’m Hio. And he is Coffee Mañego.” I spoke for the both of us since Kape sure had this look like he would be fainting anytime soon.
“You’re not even going to say your whole real name, Mr. Hio?”
I nodded.
“Very well… You both are here for I have chosen the two of you to be some of the members of the band that I’ll be creating.”
Chosen? The f*ck? We haven’t even started the audition yet!
Oh well. I still won’t refuse it!
“—I’m the drummer…You, Hio—”
“—we only know how to play the guitar—” Kape cut him off.
You’re really rude! He’s already giving us a career, you know?
“—It’s okay! I will give you enough time to practice.”
So it all worked out.
But it seemed like Kape suddenly became talkative. “—Eh, no, thanks dude. We have no budget for such things—”
Noir smiled. “I will take care all of your expenses, accommodation, food, clothes…And aside from that, I’ll pay you thirty thousand a month—”
IS THIS A DREAM?! I don’t want to wake up. SHIT!
Could you believe it, their 300 pesos suddenly has two more zeros!
Kape and I gaped.
And that’s how my life as a rock star began.
We formed the band ‘Equinox’.
TN:
stupid fish in a can – sardines!
Heyo – Kape/Coffee’s way of calling Hio
jumper – stolen electricity, an illegal way of wiring electricity from a legal source
Sonya- a by-play of the Sony brand
Sumsung- a by-play of Samsung brand
Bakekang- basically, when said to someone, it’s an insult saying that the person is ugly. Often used as an insult for females.
Champorado- Champorado or tsampurado (Spanish: champurrado) is a sweet chocolate rice porridge in Philippine cuisine.
Isaw- Isaw is a street food from the Philippines, made from barbecued pig or chicken intestines. The intestines are cleaned, turned inside out, and cleaned again, repeating the process several times; they are then either boiled, then grilled, or immediately grilled on sticks. They are usually dipped in vinegar and are usually sold by vendors on street corners during the afternoons.
SHARRAMYCATS TRANSLATIONS 
Thanks for the chapter!
LikeLiked by 1 person