32. I’ll give you all the assistance you need
'Briella, ready?" Braun heard the director ask Briella.
Briella nodded and prepared herself. Today was the last day of their shoot, and everyone was amazed at how quickly Briella picked things up. She grasped everything the director and photographers said immediately, without needing repeated instructions. Even the photographs taken by the photographer were almost perfect.
It was only the fifth day today, but they were already going home tomorrow. Their planned two-week vacation there only lasted for five days. Today, Briella will shoot the final advertisement video, wearing an Ifugao-designed dress that Miss Janice has specially prepared.
Chelsey took a deep breath, unable to wait any longer to see Briella in action. Among all the people there, she was the one who applauded the loudest when the shooting finished. Why? Because she was proud of her best friend!
'Do you think Briella knows what's happening in the city?" someone suddenly spoke behind her.
'Ah! Such a frog with the foul body of a lizard!" she exclaimed when someone spoke behind her.
'A frog... what? Do I look like that to you?" Miss Janice raised an eyebrow at her.
Chelsey winced and scratched her head. 'I-I'm sorry, I guess I've had too much K-drama, coffee, and peanuts."
Miss Janice raised her eyebrows even further at her words, but shortly after, she chuckled.
Was what I said funny?
'Anyway, I was asking if Briella knows what's going on in Manila right now?" she repeated.
She shook her head. She didn't want to tell her about the chaos caused by those animals! Briella shouldn't suddenly get stressed out because it might affect her shooting.
'I haven't informed her yet. I'm afraid it might affect her, and her first appearance in the magazine might not turn out well," he replied.
Miss Janice nodded with a smile. 'Good, but I don't think it would affect her. She's very professional and a hard worker. You've heard the praises from my team; I haven't heard them praise someone so much during a shoot. This was the first time," she said, glancing at Briella.
Briella was talking to the Ifugao people and learning to use the gong while dancing. She could see she was enjoying bonding with the Ifugao people and couldn't help but tear up.
She took her camera and took some shots of her friend before hearing Miss Janice's voice again.
'Can I see it?" she asked, referring to her shots.
She shyly nodded and handed her the camera to show her shots.
'Wow, I didn't know you were so good at taking such beautiful photos," she exclaimed in amazement.
She scratched her head and chuckled softly. 'This used to be my hobby before I became Briella's assistant. Sometimes, she would teach me how to make my shots even better."
'Briella?" she asked.
She nodded and looked at Briella.
'Maybe Briella knows how to appreciate beautiful shots because of the many photographers and editors she's worked with. She's probably learned to recognize good shots," she replied.
'Do you want to try being my photographer? Even just freelance," she said, surprising her.
'Uh." She scratched her head, unsure of what to say. She wanted to be a photographer, which was one of her dreams, but she couldn't leave Briella and preferred to always be by her side. Plus, she wasn't confident in her shots yet. 'Honestly, I want to try, but..."
'Okay, we'll start in one minute!" she heard the director say. 'Briella, you need to act like you're one of them. Dance with them gracefully. You'll act as the Goddess who blesses the tribes, okay?"
Briella just nodded, showing no emotion on her face. If anyone else saw her, they would probably think she was ridiculous, but they had all fallen victim to Briella's calm aura.
Her expression changed when she stepped into position, and she brought out the appropriate emotions for each movement and pose. Everyone there respected her, and they were confident she would soar when the magazine came out next month.
The director signaled to the four Ifugao people holding the gong, and after a few moments, they started.
The shooting began, and the beautiful sound of the gong echoed throughout the area. Some gasped, unable to take their eyes off Briella.
The diamond stripes of white and red characterized the Ifugao Ikat. It was known for its colors and striking design patterns - they called it Lufid.
But Miss Janice gave it a unique version, saying she had thought about it for a long time before coming up with the design. Briella wore a white strapless top shaped like a heart, while the red-striped skirt she wore was long-sleeved but had slits on both sides to show off her long and smooth legs. Her cropped top also emphasized her beautiful collarbone, which any woman would envy. She also wore beads made by the Ifugao themselves, as well as numerous bracelets on both arms. She tied half of her long hair while letting the rest flow freely, and the pearl on her head added to the vibe of a nature goddess.
The shoot was short, but the director didn't intend to stop Briella from doing what she was doing. If the staff member hadn't tapped him, he wouldn't have realized and shouted, ‘Cut!'
When Briella stopped dancing, she suddenly snapped back to reality. Her eyes widened as he ran towards Briella.
'Wait!" she stopped Briella as she was about to change.
She looked at her with curiosity.
'Can you repeat the dance? Like ther?" He raised one foot and hopped around. 'Like of that ‘Sun Dance'! I didn't get a video or even a picture! Why is your beauty so overwhelming!"
The Ifugao people looked at her, their expressions turning sour. He froze and approached Briella.
'Did I say something wrong?" she whispered to her.
'You just called their native dance the ‘Sun Dance.' Do you know you can be cursed for a week if you don't learn their dance properly?" Briella replied and left her there.
She said something to the Ifugao people before leaving her behind. Their expressions darkened even more, and she felt like crying and dragging Briella back.
Since when did Briella learn how to betray her? God, please help me! I take back what I said about the Sun Dance. She begged silently in her mind.
She forced a smile at them and bowed three times before subtly leaving.
'Sorry, it won't happen again," she apologized before quickly following Briella.
****
Inside the dressing room, Briella relentlessly teased Chelsey, who seemed genuinely scared by her joke.
'Brie, come on, accompany me there, and apologize on my behalf!" Chelsey pestered her.
Chelsey lowered the camera she was holding and approached her. Briella suppressed a smile and maintained a calm face, enjoying teasing her friend because of her gullibility.
'I'm tired, Chelsey. I want to go home," she said, grabbing a simple plain v-neck shirt and jogger pants to change into.
'Home? You mean to Big Boss?" Chelsey asked.
'Yes," she replied, removing her cropped top and putting on the v-neck t-shirt.
'Do you miss him? Does he miss you too?" Chelsey prodded.
'I turned off my phone so he wouldn't distract me. He called a while ago to check on me. I think he missed me," she said, putting on the jogger pants. 'Can you please hand me my sneakers?"
'Won't he get angry if he can't contact you?" Chelsey asked, handing her the black sneakers.
'He told me to do it," she replied, sitting down to put on her shoes.
'And you're okay with that?" Chelsey raised an eyebrow at her.
'Why not? It's also to my advantage. I won't get distracted, and he knows that," he answered.
Before Chelsey could say more, they heard a knock.
'May I come in?" they heard Janice ask outside their makeshift dressing room.
Briella signaled Chelsey to be quiet before letting Janice in. Janice hugged her, and although she was surprised by her gesture, she managed to return the hug.
'My team is speechless about you. Your photos and videos look stunning! I can't wait to see the whole package!" Janice said with a smile.
She smiled politely and nodded at Janice.
'I'm glad I passed," she joked and removed her makeup in front of the mirror. 'By the way, Apo invited us to join them for a little gathering tonight in their village."
'That would be perfect! Especially since we're leaving tomorrow. I can't wait to edit your pictures!" Janice said excitedly.
When they all returned to their cottage, they were showered with praises. Briella sincerely thanked all the staff, knowing that it wasn't just her who deserved praise but the whole team who supported and guided her.
In the afternoon, their tourist guide and two Ifugao people picked them up to accompany them to their tiny village. They had to walk on narrow paths through the Banaue Rice Terraces to reach the small town of Tam-an. She could sense the concern of her team, especially Janice, but she assured them that he could handle it and that it wasn't her first time in such a place.
It was even worse before because the paths she used to walk on were narrower. She had been to deserts and wild forests, which were dangerous if you weren't careful.
It took them over half an hour to walk before reaching the small village of Tam-an. They were warmly welcomed, and everyone in the town cared for them. They participated in a ritual and offered a hen to ask for blessings from their deity.
The Ifugao people have an indigenous religion unique to their traditional culture, which is highly significant in preserving their lifeways and valued traditions. They believe in the existence of thousands of gods, which may enter specific sacred objects such as the bul-ul.
The Bulul, also known as bul-ul or tinagtaggu, is a carved wooden figure used to guard the rice harvest of the Ifugao people of Northern Luzon. The sculptures are carefully crafted in the style of representations of ancestors, believed to gain strength and wealth from the spirit of the ancestors.
The offering they made today was a thanksgiving because the gods had favored their successful shoot. One of the traditions of the Ifugao people was always to thank their gods when experiencing good events, which was admirable. They never forgot to pray and give thanks for the graces they received, no matter how small or big. Hopefully, the culture and traditions of the Ifugao people would remain private, and their livelihoods would continue to be sustained, preserving their culture and traditions inherited from the country's earliest ancestors.
After their offering led by their mumbaki or shaman and drinking rice wine, as a respect to their tradition, everyone in the tribe gathered for a performance prepared for them. On other occasions, according to their tourist guide, the villagers introduce their tradition to tourists, offering and dancing to showcase their inherited culture.
They were all dressed in their traditional attire; the men wore small red and black loincloths and scarves on their heads, while the women were wrapped in skirts made of the same material and white blouses adorned with beads, feathers, shells, and gold. The women sang together and waved red dongla leaves while the men played the gongs joyfully, accompanying the women's dance.
As the sun began to set, they bid farewell to them. He even saw Chelsey tear up as she hugged the new friends she made.
'Thank you very much for your warm welcome, Apo," she respectfully said to one of the oldest people in the village of Tam-an. Briella bowed before them, feeling the Elder's hand on her head.
'May you be blessed and guided by the gods. May you achieve the happiness and peace of mind you desire," the Elder said softly.
She repeated the prayer in her mind after the Elder mentioned it in their dialect. Afterward, she hugged the Elder and couldn't help but feel emotional. He promised herself that he would return there with Braun; if possible, she wanted their prenuptial to be held there.
'I wish I could stay here longer," Chelsey said sadly as they walked away from the village of Tam-an. 'It's so nice to live in such a simple, happy, peaceful place, far away from the world's gossip."
She took a deep breath and agreed with her.
When they arrived at the cottage, she was surprised because Janice had prepared a surprise for her. She had prepared native foods for them to share, as well as some drinks and a small party to celebrate their successful shoot.
There was dancing and a photo shoot for everyone. Janice allowed her to take some photos and videos with her, but she said not to post them on any social media platforms yet. It would spoil the element of surprise.
'Excited to go home?" Janice asked with a smile when she found her packing.
She gave a restrained smile. 'Yeah."
'If you don't mind, can I ask you a question?" she asked her.
Briella nodded and closed her suitcase, sitting on her bed and signaling her to sit beside her. Janice was a good person; she felt comfortable with her and felt they shared similar personalities, especially in dealing with the people around them. They were both observant.
'If someone is willing to help you rise, will you accept it?" she asked.
She was momentarily stunned by her question but quickly recovered and smiled.
'It depends on the help offered to me, but in my opinion, I want to do it on my own. You can't say you've succeeded if you only choose the easiest way to become successful. If someone helps me reach the top, I'll make sure it's only for assistance," she replied.
Janice smiled meaningfully at her and tapped her shoulder. 'Very well said. I agree with you. And for that, I'll give you all the assistance you need."