Chapter 5: Baby Boie reunites with the Princess

Music from the 80s by : Kylie Minouge & Jason Donovan- Especially for You (requested by Budang)
For the First Time- Kenny Logins

I was watching a Friends episode on the cardio room entertainment system when I felt my phone vibrating in my jogging pants pocket. I turned off the treadmill, removed the headphones and fished the phone out of my pockets.

"Kenny Chou speaking!" I hurriedly answered, not bothering to look at the caller display. That was my personal number anyway.

"Kenny! Where are you? You told me you had nothing to do today! I called up your house and Hiro said you weren't there"

It was Jae.

"Didnt I tell you I was going to the gym?" I reminded him.

"Oh yeah right! I'm sorry!" Jae mumbled. "Well anyway are you done? Would it be possible for you to meet up with us at the airport?" he asked.

As much as I wanted to pass up on this one, I sort of committed myself already.
Also, I was the hottest Machi member lately, so whoever it was that was arriving, we had to be properly represented. Translation: Hottest member should pick her up!!!

"Yeah I'm almost done! Can you ask them to pick me up?" I asked.
"Sorry dude! Jeff and the others went ahead already, they had me take care of you, but unfortunately I'm stuck in traffic." Jae said. "Public transport okay with you?"

I sighed.
"Do I have a choice?" I muttered, "Alright alright, I'll just fix myself up and I'll be on my way."

Being the hottest Machi member also meant you would be subjected to humbling activities that would keep your feet on the ground.
Oh I can't wait till Nicky releases his album!

It took me around twenty minutes to take a quick shower, fix myself up and run out of the gym to hail a cab. Good thing someone stopped for me.
Even though I didn't look too fixed up in my runners, jogging pants, the Machi singlet and a hoodie.
Perks of being famous, I hate to admit it, but it is!

On the way there, people would take a second look at the window and wave at me or scream my name. I waved back, of course and gave a curt smile. Every five minutes, Jae or Jeff would check up on me and ask me to hurry up because the plane was scheduled to be landing on the runway in 20 minutes time.

I arrived at the airport and was surprised at the number of media people waiting. I was used to seeing them here, but this was too much. What the heck? CNN? Did I miss out on something? Was someone important arriving.

Oh yeah...Blade is arriving!
Good for us, we wouldn't be hounded too much, all of their focus will be on the other party arriving.

"Kenny!!! Are you here to pick up Blade?" one reporter asked me.
I shook my head and politely smiled at them, discretely laughing at his question.
Though it would be nice to work with Blade and share the same label with her, I knew it was next to impossible.
That would only be possible if she picked me for her collaboration.
It would also be nice if she remembered who I was.

"Yo Kenny! Over here!"
It was Edward, calling me over.
I sighed in relief and ran to where they were.
"Am I late?"
He shook his head, "Flight was delayed."
"Oh!" I said, "Did you see the media outside, it's crazy! Did Blade arrive already?"
Nicky smirked, "Not yet.Flight got delayed," he said
"Flights getting delayed today huh!" I said as I joined Steven on the bench.
I noticed a huge black guy walk up to where we were and approached Jae and Jeff. The two guys shook hands with him.
"That guy is familiar!" I said to nobody.
Steven, Nicky and Edward looked at the direction that I was looking at then all exchanged knowing smiles.

What's going on here?
First they've been acting all jumpy this morning specially when I came in for breakfast, then practically pushed me out of the house when I was about to leave to go to the gym, now they're exchanging knowing smiles as if they're selling me to the Indian trader.
My thoughts were interrupted when Jae and Jeff called us over and asked them to follow them. I walked beside Jeff.
"Okay Jeffrey, what's up? What's with the whole black guy escort thing."
Jeff smirked, "Nothing! Just go with us and you'll find out."
I noticed that some of the Asian journalists were following us and MTV Taiwan VJ Andy. Even CNN.
Okay Andy and the Asian media I could take, for sure they were interested in Aziatix newest artist, but CNN??? Why???

I looked at the black guy again. He really looked familiar!

Oh shoot! Now I know! He's one of P.Diddy's bodyguards who were in the series "Making the Band"

Holy crap! P.Diddy...Machi...where's the connection? I could connect Missy Elliot with Machi, but P.Diddy??? What the heck?

I felt Edward push me a little, "Dude, you're holding up the line! Walk!" he mumbled.

"But there's media people in front of me," I complained.

"Of course! You're about to meet up with Blade, of course there's media people around, for heavens sake!" Nicky said aloud.

"Huh? What did you say?" Kenny asked.

"Shhhh!There she is!" Steven said.

I looked at where I was, I didn't realize we were in the VIP lounge already and we were about to head inside one of the conference rooms. Joan pushed us inside while she was dodging the media people. My brain was still going in circles with what Nicky just blurted out.

Before I knew it, P.Diddy, Blade, and his entourage were all in the room.
I saw Jeff and Jae shaking hands with Diddy and Phil.
He made Blade approach Jae and Jeff.
"It's all coming back, it's all coming back to me now," Nicky sang in whispers as he noticed me staring at Jill.
I glared at him.
He just smiled cheekily, "Surprised you didn't we!"
He shoved a bouquet of flowers in my hand, "Go give this to her later!"

I didn't know if I was still in my right mind when Jae called us over and introduced us to Diddy and the rest of the crew.
I could see her two companions look at me and giggle once in a while, then stop when she looked at them.
I came up to her, smiled at her, gave her a peck on the cheek and gave her the bouquet. That peck was pure instinct, I didn't know what was going on in my mind.
She smiled and said, "Thank you!"
Occasionally, I would find myself looking at her, but I looked away when I sensed that she was about to turn my way.

Joan asked us to sit down and settile ourselves since the media people were coming in.
Jeff came up to me, "Liked my surprise?" he asked cheekily.
"Dude, whats up? Could I at least know what's going on?" I hissed at him.
"Relax!" Jeff said, "You'll find out soon!"

I sighed in frustration as he walked away from me and sat beside P.Diddy. The press conference was starting, and I think this is the first press conference that I'm going to be speechless.

"Kenny, can you sit beside Blade please?" Joan asked

Okay.
Standing beside her...I can still do it.
Sitting beside her...I just dont know.

I don't wanna think about the possibilities when we work with each other.
People might think we don't get along if we keep this up.
We dont even look like we had a past together.

Snap out of it Kenny!
Its been 10 years! What do you expect?

I turned to her and was about to ask something when Andy came up to us.

After I answered Andy's question which was greeted by a delighted applause from Jeff and Sean, I turned to her and winked.

Whoa!
Did I just do that?

Well, she looked really taken aback by what I did, she didn't react but I could sense the coldness in her reply when she got the microphone from me.

"Sure why not! I would be delighted to work not only with Kenny, but also the entire Machi crew. As you all know, all of us have the same background. Born and raised in the U.S soI'im sure we would work well with each other," she replied.

Hey Blade, they said work with me, not with the Machi crew.
I tried to hide my disappointment by just nodding my head and pretending to agree with her.

She turned to me and smirked at me, as if saying that's what you get for your wink.

All these years, that self satisfied smirk never changed.
You can still tell when she feels like she scored a point against you.

Oh well...
I sure as hell missed being the cause of that smirk.

***

As we walked down the tube that connected the plane to the airport, I smiled politely at the airport staff who were greeting me. I could hear Sean talking on the phone infront of me and instructing the person at the other end of the line to bring them to the VIP lounge.

"Hmmm...who could be that them? Did he send a drum and bugle band to welcome me?" I whispered to Angela and Kirsten.
"Snap out of it Jill! You're not in the Philippines! You're in Taiwan!" Angela said.
"Whats with her, she's been thinking silly thoughts since we left?" Kirsten asked.
"Two words. Kenny Chou!" Angela said.
"Hey!" I admonished them, "Not him!"
"Then why do you keep thinking about your childhood memories!" Kirsten said.
I shut up before I could even dig my grave deeper.
I sensed that the media people were coming,Ii could see flashing lights.
A chinese woman who looked like she was in her late 20's came up to us and directed us to the VIP room.
"Now I know I'm definitely in Taiwan! No more blondies!" Kirsten said.
Angela and I were giggling at her comment.
The next thing I saw made me stop giggling. My two sidekicks giggles changed from a fun giggle to a giddy giggle.
"Oh my gosh! It's them! What are they doing here?" Kirsten said.
"Probably picking up one of their friends!" I said.
"Yeah sure, but why is Sean there with that bald guy? That's definitely not Phil anymore" Angela retorted.
"Thats Jeffrey right?" Kirsten asked.
"Not sure!" I said.

Next thing I knew Sean called me over and introduced me to Jeffrey and Jae. Jeffrey had this smile that told me he recognized me, I smiled back at him. Jae shook my hand. I didn't know what to do when they called him over, I was stuck to where I was standing that Kirsten had to push me lightly to make me move. Everyone looked delighted when he gave me the bouquet of flowers and gave me a peck on the cheek.

Whoa!
"Thank you!"I said

Sean asked me to sit down already.
He sat beside Jeff while I was on the other side.

"Kenny, can you sit beside Blade please?" the twenty something girl asked.
I saw him nod and approach the chair next to me.
He nodded his head and smiled at me.

Goodness! He still has that killer smile!

Focus Jill! Focus!
Someone's asking you a question! You don't wanna look like you don't know what's happening with your career right now

"Jeff, P.Diddy, it's already known that Blade and Kenny are going to be working together on the Coke Light ad, Kenny is Taiwan's rap prince while Blade is, as we all know, the rap princess. Any chances of a collaboration between these two artists?"
I looked up to see who was asking that question. It was VJ Andy.
I turned to Sean and Jeff.
"Well, that's a big possibility, since Blade is going to be under the Aziatix label while she's here in Asia. So who knows, this might just be a royal team up," he guffawed.
Jeff was smiling and nodding his head to what Sean was saying. He reached for the microphone.
"Well, he said it already!" he chuckled, "So with that big possibility, a song might just be in the works as of this moment!"

I could feel Kenny's eyes on me, I could feel his shoulders twitching and was about to face me when suddenly...
VJ Andy turned to Kenny and me.
"You excited about the possibility of a collaboration between the two of you?"
Kenny reached out for the microphone.
"Who wouldn't be excited to be working with such a great artist? I'll be honored to be able to work with the rap princess on a single or if I would be lucky enough, an album!"

His reply was greeted by a delighted applause from Jeffrey and Sean.

I was about to get the microphone from him when he turned to me and winked.

What the heck?

Well I won't give him the satisfaction that I'm excited to be working with him.

"Sure why not! I would be delighted to work not only with Kenny, but also the entire Machi crew. As you all know, all of us have the same background. Born and raised in the U.S so I'm sure we would work well with each other," I replied.

The self satisified smirk he had on his face earlier changed into a fake, what the heck did she mean by that smile.

All this years, its still easy to tell when he's feeling good or he's just faking it.

Oh well...

Take that Mr. Playboy!!!

***