Have you ever wished you were more talented than the best student in class?

Or have at least half the skill of your competent co-worker?

Do you ever have that frustration of planning something, but can’t execute it right?

Or knowing something is easy but doing it ends up in failure?

Or maybe when you feel that you’re almost there to achieve something, but your efforts were still not enough?

 

 

We’ve been through all of that.

 

 

Do you know why?

 

 

Your frustration isn’t exactly because you are mediocre.

 

 

 

Before we were born in this world, bestowed on us are the general knowledge of this universe.

We all know each other.

We have extraordinary talents.

We know the science of how things work.

We know the engineering of things before they were even crafted.

We can speak all the languages.

 

 

 

We

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can

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see

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the

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future.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And at the final point of that long list of powerful data, we also know how our lives will come to an end.

 

If you are reading this, it means you were once a soul waiting for a physical body.

 

We all lose this knowledge from the bottom to top of the list once we come out of our mother’s womb.

We are born naked, and in that birthday suit our memories are washed out from the shock of being finally pulled out in this world. Whatever and whoever we know from our roaming days as an intellectual soul are all gone in exchange for an actual life where we can use the knowledge we have lost and find the people we have forgotten. We become normal human beings in the possibility of replanting and rekindling the talents that we didn’t know have disappeared.

 

 

In that context, some are lucky enough to bring with them a part of that gift, thus people who excel on a certain niche. Others’ brains are not fortunate enough to develop it, thus people who rely on hard work, or those who simply have difficulty to adapt. And there are those who have the gift but can’t enhance it, thus the mediocre people.

 

 

 

 

 

And then there are others…

 

 

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Those who were lucky to bring a huge percent of their soul knowledge with their birth…

 

 

 

The geniuses.

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So if you feel frustrated about not achieving the talent you aspire to have, remember that you were once learned in that field. You were a genius. You just have to find the key to that washed out memory.

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With the loss of our knowledge, we gained something else: fate and chance.

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They are looming with us, growing with us, waiting to be used.

It can be weak or strong.

Most people take it for granted.

Some people use it wisely.

For others, they waste it.

 

 

And for a select few…

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It changes their lives.

 

 

And once they present themselves and we use them, it is over, they will never appear again.

 

 

 

 

They cannot be used again.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ACE POV

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“Trias! Fix the mic placement at the corner! We’re filming a romance scene, not National Geographic! Do something with the duck sounds!”

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I groaned. That’s the director of a movie over there shouting at me.

We are currently at the countryside and it’s been ages since I went to one. I breathed the fresh air caused by the hundreds of trees surrounding the green field. There are rows of straw houses overlooking the lake at the other side. I have always liked lakes than beaches. Not far from here, a local’s fat cattle can be seen grazing the pastures –

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“Trias did you hear me?!”

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“Yes boss, please wait!” I shouted back.

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Siiigh. What a way to ruin one’s mood. I’m here sitting on a stack of hay admiring the nature but the director just had to rattle me for a single stupid thing.

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It’s not even my job!

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“Where’s the sound guy huh?!” I muttered.

“Did you say something?!” he shouted again.

“You look handsome boss.” I told him and everybody laughed.

 

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Instead of fixing the mic, I got a giant abaniko and fanned it to shoo away a flock of ducks that have decided to make a cameo on our current scene. Why is he complaining about duck sounds? He was the one who picked this place. A farm. Of course there will be animal sounds. Psssh.

 

(AN: abaniko – a heart-shaped Filipino hand held fan made of stems and leaves of the abaniko plant.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you’re wondering what I’m doing here, then let me tell you.

 

 

I am a freelance production assistant for various shows of ABS TV. This is my line of job, preparing stuff for behind the scenes, assisting the director with their demands, sometimes running an errand for the producer, or light manager or sound director or photographer – you get the point? I’m at the bottom of this pre-production chain. And now it looks like the sound guy has found a way to pass on their job to me too. Freaking asshole.

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The sound guy is actually my friend, Elliot. Yep, there he is, the chubby boom operator for this project is currently flirting with a staff from the actor’s team. I can’t really complain, it’s because of him that I got this job anyway. I mean, who would get an undergraduate like me?

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I’ve successfully bothered the ducks who all ran away from fright – from my face or from the fan, I don’t even want to know.

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“Ace, I got the guy’s number!” Elliot ran towards me and waved his phone just as the director signaled a break. “He’s working for a photographer for Viva films.”

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I rolled my eyes at him. Elliot is gay and it is through him that I met my boyfriend.

 

 

Yep.

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A boyfriend.

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I like men.

 

 

I’m not the girly type of gay although I can see that Elliot is close to being one.

I can’t also say that I’m a closet gay, because plenty of people know I’m into guys. I admire women too, but I just have 10x appreciation for men’s muscles, biceps and handsome faces... crotches. Oops. No.

 

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Siiiigh. I miss my boyfriend.

 

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Gary whom I met a few months ago and is also working in this type of field. He’s currently with another team preparing for the Platinum Awards photoshoot. They are at the TV Station. I wonder if he has eaten yet?

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“By the way, I’ve heard from this guy that his team will be at the TV station tomorrow.” He kept on blabbing about this guy he just met. Why would I care? He’s not my type.

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“Guess who will be there?” Elliot continued slyly.

“Who?” I asked in a bored manner, fanning the abaniko lightly.

“S-O-H-A-N.” he spelled out.

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My eyes widened and I covered my mouth in shock.

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“That’s right, bitch. Sohan will be there in the afternoon.” He smirked.

“Now we’re talking. Hey, get me a job there. I don’t have any schedule for tomorrow.” I giddily said.

“I don’t know. It’s already on full-force.” He said, scrolling up his phone.

“Elliot, come on. You can do better. Who are you? You’re better than Rihanna. Katy Perry is so jealous of your beauty. Securing me a spot is a 'no sweat' for you.”

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Damn. I hate praising this guy. But who am I but a victim of grandeur? Elliot is older than me and has been working in the industry for years so he has access to celebrity schedules and filming locations. He’s not just a sound guy. He has experienced all positions of pre-production and the company trusts him with it. You should know who to be chummy with.

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“Alright. Actually, they are looking for an additional staff for the afternoon so I can ask my friend from there to place you on the list.”

“OMG, thanks!” I said happily. This guy knows how much of a Sohan fan I am. “Gary will be surprised.”

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“Yeah yeah, stop declaring your couple life to a single beauty like me. Gary this, Gary that. When are you guys going to get married huh?”

“When you’re ready to be the godmother.” I smirked.

“Fuck you!”

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I just laughed. My boyfriend will be there tomorrow too. I checked my phone if he has any messages, but since last night, there are none. I understand. It’s really hectic over there. The Platinum Awards is a yearly tradition to honor various renowned people who have contributed not only in the entertainment industry, but to the whole needs of the country. There’s the Business Awardee, Young Entrepreneur, Best Consumer’s Bank, Science Award and so on…

What I’m most excited about is the Youth of the Year award.

 

My favorite actor, Sohan, is nominated in that category and I have no doubts that he will win the competition.

Funny how I work in this field but still haven’t met him or had the chance to work with him.

Fifty percent of the reason why an undergraduate like me is working in this toxic field is because I want to meet Sohan.

 

 

“Trias, back on set, dismantle the lights! Hurry up!”

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I raised my eyebrow at the lighting director. Hey old man, I’m not even from your team. Why are you ordering me around?

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“Trias, move the chairs to face the sunset.” The set manager said.

“Trias, the ducks came back!”

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“Wait!” I shouted.

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Argh. Why are they so demanding?!

We have teams for this project, why are you all putting the duties on me?! There’s the lighting team, the sound team where I belong, the director’s immediate team, the actors’ teams, the set designer team, the props team.

All of them have production assistants, do I look like I’m the only staff here?!

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“Trias, bring this water to the actors’ tent!”

 

 

 

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Fuuuck!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I went home haggard and fatigued, but I have two reasons to wake up early for tomorrow.

One, I’ll see my boyfriend after a week without proper communication. I miss him so much.

Two, I’ll get to see Sohan. I’ve been a fan of him since I was a child.

 

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But before I declare my undying love for this genius actor, have I introduced myself yet?

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Yeah, my bad. I haven’t.

 

 

Well, there’s not much to say about me. I’m not that interesting to be honest. You already know my line of work, my sexual preference. That’s about it.

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“Ace? Have you eaten yet?” I heard a knock on my open door. My grandma stood beside it, squinting at me because I have only turned on the lamp.

“Yes I have.” I said loudly.

“That’s good. Never skip meals.” It’s what she always tells me. It’s a good thing no matter how much I eat I never get fat. She walked away slowly to go to her room.

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Oh. Yeah. I live with my grandmother. I have an older brother, but he’s abroad right now living with my dad. My mom is probably the busiest workaholic there is. It’s no surprise that they divorced. So yeah, I’ve lived here since I was seven. My brother and I got separated when our parents divorced but my mom can’t take care of me because of her work, that’s why I’m living with grandma.

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My childhood is not a good bedtime story to tell you the truth. It’s quite as dramatic as my teenage life. I might cry so I’d just save the story for another day. Good thing there’s Sohan to keep my gray life colorful. I can say that he’s the one who woke me up from the endless dream that I was in – literally.

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“I wonder what his color is?” I asked myself as I held a cold diamond color ball which I bounced to the ceiling and then back to my hand. It didn’t emit any sound. It’s like a solid spirit. Get what I mean? 

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No, probably not.

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It glowed white and purple and felt like electric ice on my skin. I feel like Naruto and this is Rasenggan.

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If you’re searching for anything interesting in my life, then I guess this is it.

 

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Can you see it? 

Nah, you can’t.

Because in this life, we are rare.

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The ones who can see these floating colored orbs.

 

 

 

 

The fates.

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