"Alya, are you okay?" her cousin asked. Hearing Dory's voice, Alya immediately snapped back to her senses.
"Yes—sorry, what were you saying?" she replied. It was obvious she wasn't focusing on the conversation; instead, her eyes were fixed on a young man smiling at her from a distance.
"Be careful with that guy," Dory warned. "Our town is small, so I know everyone who lives here, but I don't recognize him. People say his family lives near the forest entrance, but that's just weird."
"Dory, he's staring at me," Alya whispered.
"Let's get inside. I have a bad feeling about him," Dory said. she grabbed her cousin's arm and pulled her quickly into the house.
The Rice Cakes
On the other side of town, Nana Amelia smiled as a familiar face approached. "Oh, Elijah, my apo! You're here. Where's your mom?"
"She's at work, Lola," Elijah replied. "I'm just here to pick up the rice cakes she ordered."
"Yes, wait here. Let me get those boxes from the kitchen," Nana Amelia said. She headed inside, but stopped when she saw Aki standing there, staring blankly toward the door. "What are you doing? I thought you were going to help me carry these."
"Yeah, of course," Aki replied. He was wearing only an apron and shorts, and he was busy rubbing a little oil onto his arms and chest.
"And why are you doing that?" Ethan asked, walking over with a look of disbelief.
"So I look hot and delicious," Aki smirked.
"No, you look like a stripper. Stop that!" Ethan hissed.
Before they could argue further, Baekhyun approached them. "Elijah is here, bro. Go! Show off those muscles. Remember what I told you: adore him. And don't forget to bite your lip while you're looking at his."
"I got it, bro," Aki said, grabbing a stack of boxes. "Wish me luck."
Ethan watched them, looking deeply annoyed. Since when were they "bros"? he wondered.
"Good luck, man," Baekhyun called out. "I'll pray for your love life!"
When Nana Amelia saw Aki emerging with the boxes, she moved to introduce him to Melody's son. "Eli, this is Aki. I'm sure you remember him. And this is the last of the boxes."
"Yes. Ohayogozaimasu!" Elijah said, giving a polite bow.
"Ohayo," Aki replied, trying to look effortless. "Nana Amelia no tsukutta omochi o kiniitte itadakeruto ureshīdesu. (I hope you like the rice cakes Nana Amelia made.)"
"Tashikana koto," Elijah smiled. (Sure thing.)
"That's enough," Nana Amelia interrupted, gesturing to the car. "Aki, take these to Elijah's car."
Aki immediately obeyed, making sure to secretly flex his biceps as he walked beside Elijah.
"Thank you, Lola Amelia," Elijah called back.
"Take care, apo. Say hi to your mom for me, okay?" she said before heading back inside.
Aki broke the silence as they reached the vehicle. "Is this new?" he asked, nodding toward the car.
"Yes, my mom gave it to me as a birthday present. Actually, I'm inviting you to my party tonight," Elijah said. "I forgot to tell your friends, so please invite Ethan and Baekhyun for me, too."
Elijah opened the trunk. "You can put the boxes here. I'm sure your arms are tired."
"Nope, I can manage," Aki said, slowly lowering the boxes while making sure his muscles stayed tensed.
"Arigatogozaimasu, Akihiko-san," Elijah said.
"Nihon-go ga jōzude sugoidesu ne? Doko de son'na koto naratta ndesu ka?" Aki asked. (Your Japanese is impressive. Where did you learn that?)
"Watashi wa chichi to issho ni Nihon ni ninenkan ryūgaku shite sunde imasuga, chichi wa watashi ni Nihon-go no hanashikata o oshiete kuremashita," Elijah answered. (I lived and studied in Japan for two years with my dad; he taught me how to speak it.)
"To iu koto wa, otōsan wa Nihonjin datta ndesu ka?" (So, your dad was Japanese?)
Before Elijah could answer, a sudden chill swept past. Something moved—too fast to see—leaving behind the heavy, sweet scent of roses.
Aki blinked, startled. "Do you smell that? The roses?"
Elijah didn't answer. His expression shifted instantly. He slammed the trunk shut, his movements hurried. "I have to go."
"Okay?" Aki said, confused by the sudden change in mood.
As Elijah climbed into the driver's seat, he seemed to recover his composure just enough to wink at Aki. "I'll see you later tonight at my party. Don't be late."
"Yeah... sure," Aki said, watching him pull away. "See you there. Take care."
Back in the city, a woman's frantic weeping caught the attention of Jasmine and Ambrose. They approached her immediately to find out what was wrong.
"Madam, what is going on? Where are they taking your child?" Jasmine asked, concern etched on her face.
"The Tamawo," the woman sobbed. "They took my daughter. We only just recovered her from the woods." Before they could ask anything else, she hurried away, clutching her child.
"Tamawo?" Jasmine repeated, the name tasting strange in her mouth.
In Philippine folklore, the Tamawo is a malevolent, elf-like entity known for its striking albino features. Some believe they are a type of Encanto—extremely handsome beings with pale, shimmering skin that sparkles under direct sunlight. Their physical attributes often include pointed, leaf-shaped ears, high-bridged noses, and a distinct lack of a philtrum—the vertical groove above the upper lip.
"Yes, in this part of the city, my team keeps receiving reports of missing persons," Ambrose explained. "The victims are almost always young women."
"Seriously? And you haven't done anything to resolve this?" Jasmine challenged him.
"I've sent a Babaylan into this town, but it seems even they can't stop the Tamawo from their kidnapping business," Ambrose replied.
As he was explaining, a woman accidentally bumped into Jasmine. "Sorry, Miss! I didn't see you. My bad," the lady said.
Jasmine's eyes widened as she recognized the face. "Miss Ara?"
"Huh? How do you know me?" Ara asked, stepping back suspiciously. "Are you one of my dad's minions sent to capture me?"
Jasmine scoffed, "Minion? Even though I am short, I am far too beautiful to be a minion, Miss Ara."
Ara turned to Ambrose. "Mr. Mayor, who is this woman?"
"She's—" Ambrose began, but Jasmine intervened, introducing herself directly to Jin Ae and Baekhyun's mother.
"My name is Jasmine. I am not a minion, regardless of my height," she said firmly. "I'm actually here to ensure your safety. Jin Ae and Kuya Baekhyun asked me to check on you."
"My children... how are they?" Ara asked, her voice softening with motherly worry.
Before Jasmine could answer, a young lady approached and caught Ara's attention. "Tita Ara, we have to go. My cousin needs these herbal plants."
"Tita Ara, we have to go," the young woman interrupted. "My cousin needs these herbal plants."
"Oh, yes," Ara agreed. "Mr. Mayor, Jasmine—it would be better if we discuss these matters at home. Follow me; I'll prepare some tea and food. I have a strong feeling my father's minions are still lurking in this town, but first, I want you to meet my niece, Dory."
They left the clearing and soon arrived at a house with a striking, ancient design.
"If I'm not mistaken," Jasmine noted, looking up at the eaves, "this architecture was inspired by the era of the Japanese occupation."
"I'm impressed. You're quite the history buff, aren't you?" Ambrose asked.
"The Japanese occupation of the Philippines occurred between 1942 and 1945 during World War II," Jasmine added confidently. "And the Philippines was granted full independence by the U.S. in 1946."
Ambrose pulled out his phone, scrolling quickly. "Wow, everything you just said is exactly what's on Google," he said, looking at her with newfound amazement.
"Yeah, well, maybe my brain is just functioning well today," Jasmine quipped.
"That's enough history for now. Let's go inside," Ara urged.
Ambrose hesitated at the threshold. "Ah, Miss Ara? I'm safe to assume this house doesn't have any ghosts, right?"
"None," Ara replied. "Do you see that Bagua at the entrance? Lola Charito said these Baguas are blocking charms. No bad entity can enter this house."
"But in that movie Feng Shui," Ambrose countered nervously, "Miss Krissy was shouting—"
He turned around mid-sentence and caught a glimpse of his own reflection in a nearby mirror. He let out a blood-curdling scream. The others rushed to the door to see what was wrong, only to find Dory and Jasmine doubling over with laughter. Ara bit her lip, trying her best to stay composed.
"That's enough, okay? Stop playing around, Jasmine," Ara said, though her eyes twinkled.
"I just can't get over it, Ambrose," Jasmine gasped, clutching her stomach. "You have such a muscular body, but when you scream, all I hear is the voice of Kris Aquino!"
"Whatever, minion!" Ambrose huffed, crossing his arms.
"That's enough," Dory smiled, gesturing toward the living room. "Let's get inside, Miss Jasmine, Mayor Ambrose."
The Birthday Party
Aki and Ethan stood at the entrance, stunned. The scale of the event was massive, and the crowd was even larger. Melody's house was sprawling—easily as grand as the famous Choi mansion.
"Where's Baekhyun?" Ethan asked, looking over the sea of heads.
"Miss Melody asked him to be the host, remember?" Aki reminded him.
Just then, Ethan spotted Baekhyun on the stage. The crowd went wild as the music started; he was singing the hit song that had topped charts in both Korea and the Philippines. As the melody filled the room, Ethan found himself drifting back to the first time they had met.
FLASHBACK
"Baekhyun! Baekhyun! Baekhyun!" the crowd had roared, chanting his name in a deafening rhythm.
When the music began, the energy was electric. After the first stanza, Baekhyun paused, a mischievous glint in his eye. He wanted a duet. "Who knows this song?" he shouted into the mic. "Who wants to come up and sing with me?"
A forest of hands shot into the air. Ethan tried to stay small, but his friends were having none of it. They began pointing at him frantically.
"My friend Ethan knows it! He's right here! Pick him, Baekhyun!" Janferd yelled.
Ethan felt his face heat up with embarrassment and tried to refuse, but it was too late. Baekhyun was already weaving through the crowd toward him. The audience screamed as Baekhyun reached out and grabbed Ethan's hand.
"Ethan! His name is Ethan!" Jan shouted, ever the supportive friend.
"Wow, super supportive," Ethan muttered under his breath, though he couldn't help but smile.
"Go, Ethan!" Baekhyun encouraged, leading him toward the stage as the crowd began to chant his name.
Despite his shyness, Ethan found himself standing under the bright stage lights. Baekhyun handed him a spare microphone and offered a hand in greeting.
"Mannaseo bangawoyo Ethan, Baekhyun-ieyo," he said with a warm smile. (Nice to meet you Ethan, I'm Baekhyun.) The crowd's cheers reached a fever pitch.
BACK TO THE PRESENT
"Oh, thank you so much for being here, Ethan, Aki! Where's Amelia?" Melody's voice snapped Ethan out of his memory.
"Miss M, she said she couldn't make it tonight," Ethan explained.
"But why? I specifically asked her to be here," Melody said, looking disappointed. "But anyway, you guys enjoy yourselves, okay?"
"Yes, Miss Melody. Thank you," Ethan replied. A shadow of worry crossed his face, which Aki noticed immediately.
"I can feel it too, E. Don't worry," Aki whispered, leaning in. "My police friends are here roaming around since Miss Melody asked for our service. Even Ninong Jef is just around the corner. I saw him earlier."
Ethan turned to scan the room for Ninong Jef, but his gaze stopped short. His eyes locked onto a guest who didn't seem to fit in. He nudged Aki.
"Wait," Ethan whispered.
"Wait, what?"
Ethan pointed toward a mysterious man standing in the dim light. "Is he wearing a costume? Why are his ears like that? His hair and skin are completely white... but in fairness, he's handsome. He looks like a prince from an enchanted forest."
They both leaned in, squinting to get a better look at the man's face. Then, the realization hit them at the same moment.
"He doesn't have a philtrum," they whispered in unison.
Before they could react, they watched as Melody and Elijah began walking straight toward the mysterious guest.
TO BE CONTINUED...