16.

I couldn't stop smiling as I walked hand in hand with Jarred through the bustling streets of Tokyo. My heart was still reeling from the surprise gift he had given me earlier - a beautiful silver necklace with a delicate cherry blossom pendant.

As we strolled, I found myself glancing down at the necklace again and again, feeling a surge of happiness and love each time. The way the silver chain sparkled in the sunlight, the intricate details of the cherry blossom pendant... it was all just so perfect.

Jarred noticed my gaze and smiled, squeezing my hand gently. "You like it, huh?" he asked, his eyes crinkling at the corners.

I nodded enthusiastically, feeling a little silly but not caring. "I love it," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen."

Jarred chuckled and pulled me closer, his arm wrapping around my shoulders. "You're the most beautiful thing I've ever seen," he whispered, his breath tickling my ear.

I blushed and leaned into him, feeling grateful for this moment, for this gift, and for the love we shared. As we continued our leisurely walk, I knew that this was a day I would never forget, and that this necklace would always remind me of the love and thoughtfulness of the person who had given it to me.

As we walked around, I couldn't help but yawn, feeling the exhaustion of the day's activities catch up with me. Jarred noticed and softly said, "Antok na siya."

He suggested we head back to our hotel room, and I nodded in agreement. As soon as we arrived, I made a beeline for the bed, flopping down onto the soft mattress.

"Bihis ka muna, love, before ka matulog," Jarred said, reminding me to change into something comfortable.

I stood up and headed to the bathroom for a quick shower, then changed into my cozy pajamas. As I slipped back into bed, I whispered, "Thank you for today, love."

I snuggled into Jarred's chest, feeling his warmth and comfort. He kissed the top of my head, and I felt a surge of love and gratitude.

"I'm glad that I make you happy," he said, his voice low and soothing.

I smiled and gave him a gentle kiss. "Sleep na," he whispered. "So you can have a lot of energy."

I nodded, feeling my eyelids growing heavy. As I drifted off to sleep, I felt Jarred's arms wrapped around me, holding me close. I knew I was safe and loved, and that was all that mattered.

I woke up to the sound of Jarred's gentle voice, "Good morning, love. Happy anniversary."

I stretched and yawned, feeling a little groggy from sleep. But as soon as I saw Jarred's smiling face, I couldn't help but smile back.

"Good morning," I replied, my voice still husky from sleep. "Happy anniversary."

Jarred leaned in and gave me a gentle kiss. "I have a special breakfast prepared for us," he said, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

I sat up in bed, intrigued. "What is it?" I asked, trying to peek behind him.

Jarred chuckled and blocked my view. "You'll just have to wait and see," he teased.

I pouted playfully. "That's not fair," I said, trying to sound indignant.

Jarred just laughed and pulled me out of bed. "Come on, let's go," he said, leading me to the dining table.

As we sat down, I gasped in surprise. The table was set with a beautiful traditional Japanese breakfast spread, complete with steaming bowls of miso soup, grilled salmon, and steamed rice.

"Wow, Jarred, this is amazing," I said, feeling touched by the effort he had put into making this special.

"I made it by myself," Jarred said, beaming with pride.

I looked at him in surprise. "How?" I asked, curious about how he managed to prepare such a delicious and elaborate breakfast.

Jarred looked a bit shy, but his eyes sparkled with excitement. "Well, when you fell asleep last night, I actually snuck out," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

I raised an eyebrow, intrigued by his confession. "Kinaibigan ko 'yung parang manager ng hotel," he added, his face lighting up with a smile.

I couldn't help but laugh at the thought of Jarred charming the hotel staff. "Tapos ano, sabi ko 1st wedding anniversary natin ngayon," he said, his eyes shining with love.

I felt my heart melt at his words, and I reached out to take his hand. "Thank you, love," I said, my voice filled with emotion. "This means so much to me."

Jarred smiled and took my hand. "I wanted to make our first anniversary special," he said, his eyes shining with love. "And what better way to do that than with a traditional Japanese breakfast?"

I felt a lump form in my throat as I looked at him. "I love you," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

Jarred's face lit up with a smile. "I love you more," he replied, squeezing my hand.

As we sat down to eat, Jarred couldn't help but tease me. "So, how's the food?" he asked, grinning mischievously.

I rolled my eyes good-naturedly. "It's delicious, of course," I said, trying to sound dignified.

Jarred chuckled. "I'm glad you like it," he said, leaning over to kiss me.

As we ate and chatted, I couldn't help but feel grateful for this special day, and for the love we shared. Our first anniversary was turning out to be a day I would never forget.

"I've got a gift for you," I said with a sly smile, as I handed him a sleek, mysterious black box.

Jarred's eyes widened in surprise as he took the box from me. "What is it?" he asked, his fingers tracing the edges of the box.

I smiled, feeling a little nervous. "Open it and see," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

Jarred carefully opened the box, and his eyes lit up with excitement as he saw the black leisure flow espadrilles in split leather inside. He pulled them out of the box, and his face lit up with a huge smile.

"Babe, ito 'yung sapatos na gustong-gusto kung bilhin." Jarred exclaimed, his voice filled with excitement. "How did you know?"

I smiled, feeling happy that I was able to surprise him with the perfect gift. "Palagi mong sinasabi." I said, my voice filled with love. "I wanted to get you something special for our anniversary."

Jarred looked at me, his eyes shining with love and gratitude. "Thank you, love," he said, his voice filled with emotion. "This means so much to me.

I smiled, feeling my heart melt at his words. "I love you," I replied, my voice barely above a whisper.

Jarred put on the shoes, and they looked perfect on him. He smiled at me, his eyes shining with love. "I'll wear them always, and think of you," he said, his voice filled with emotion.

"Sa'n tayo ngayon?" I asked, curiosity getting the better of me as we stepped out of the hotel.

"Basta," Jarred replied with a sly smile, leaving me wondering what surprise he had in store for me.

I raised an eyebrow, intrigued by his secrecy. This guy was full of surprises, and I loved it.

We hailed a taxi, and Jarred whispered our destination to the driver, making sure to keep it a secret from me. "Isip bata," I teased, trying to get him to spill the beans.

He just grinned mischievously. "I don't spoil surprises, unlike some people I know," he said with a wink.

I playfully rolled my eyes, trying not to laugh. "Really?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

Jarred chuckled. "Biro lang, hehe."

The taxi ride didn't take long, and before I knew it, we arrived at our destination. I looked up at the building in confusion, my eyes widening as I read the sign: "teamLab Planets."

My jaw dropped as I realized where we were. I turned to Jarred, my face a picture of surprise.

"I've noticed you love watching videos of people's experiences at teamLab Planets on social media," he explained with a smile. "So I wanted to bring you here to experience it for yourself."

I was overwhelmed with emotion, and I immediately hugged him, showering him with kisses all over his face. "Luh, PDA siya," he laughed, trying to compose himself.

I grinned, still on a high from the surprise. "Let's go inside!" I exclaimed, grabbing his hand and pulling him towards the entrance.

I was bursting with excitement, and I couldn't wait to experience teamLab Planets with the love of my life.

As we walked into the exhibit, I couldn't help but bounce up and down with excitement. Jarred chuckled and shook his head, "Kulit mo, baby."

I grinned at him. "I just can't wait to see everything! You know how much I love art and technology."

Jarred smiled and took my hand. "I know, that's why I brought you here. Now, let's go explore."

We walked through the various exhibits, marveling at the stunning visuals and interactive displays. At one point, we found ourselves in a room filled with floating lanterns, and I squealed with delight.

"Oh my god, this is so beautiful!" I exclaimed, spinning around to take it all in.

Jarred laughed and pulled me close. "You're so cute when you're excited," he whispered in my ear.

I blushed and playfully pushed him away. "Shut up, you're just trying to distract me from the art."

Jarred grinned. "Maybe a little. But you have to admit, you're pretty adorable when you're geeking out over this stuff."

I rolled my eyes, laughing. "You're just trying to get on my good side, aren't you?"

Jarred shrugged, still smiling. "Maybe a little. Pero effective, right?"

I smiled, feeling happy and carefree. "Oo na, it's effective."

As we continued through the exhibit, Jarred and I couldn't help but tease each other and joke around. We were both having the time of our lives, and it was clear that this was a day we would never forget.

At one point, we stumbled upon a interactive display that allowed us to create our own digital art. Jarred and I looked at each other, and without saying a word, we knew we had to compete with each other to see who could create the best piece of art.

The competition was fierce, with both of us frantically tapping away at the screen and laughing hysterically. In the end, Jarred declared himself the winner, but I was quick to dispute his claim.

"No way, I'm the clear winner here!" I exclaimed, holding up my digital masterpiece.

Jarred chuckled and shook his head. "Magaling ka sa art, baby, but I am just better this time."

I playfully hit him on the arm. "You're just biased because you made it!"

Jarred grinned. "Maybe a little. But I'm still the winner."

I laughed and shook my head. "Whatever, you can keep thinking that. But I know the truth."

Jarred chuckled and pulled me close. "I love you, even if you can't accept defeat."

I smiled and hugged him back. "I love you, even if you're a cheating winner."

As we sat down to eat lunch at a famous Japanese restaurant, I couldn't stop raving about the exhibit we had just seen. "Super ganda talaga ng teamLab planet, love. Lalo na 'yung parang nasa outer space tayo. Gosh, I love it."

Jarred chuckled and shook his head. "Cute mo. Maganda din 'yung The infinite crystal universe."

"Pati din 'yung sa Floating in the Falling universe of flowers." Dagdag ko pa.

Jarred smiled and leaned in close. "I'm glad you enjoyed it, mahal, but you should eat first, okay?"

I laughed and picked up my chopsticks. "Okay, fine. But I can still talked about it while eating."

After lunch, we headed to Disneyland in Japan. As we walked through the gates, I couldn't help but feel like a kid again. Jarred grinned at me and took my hand. "You're so excited, aren't you?"

I nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, I love Disneyland! And I've heard that the one in Japan is especially amazing."

Jarred chuckled. "Well, I'm glad I could bring you somewhere that makes you so happy. Even if you are a big kid at heart."

I playfully rolled my eyes. "Hey, being a kid at heart is a good thing! It means I'm still young and adventurous."

Jarred smiled and leaned in close. "I like that about you, love. You're always up for an adventure, and you never lose your sense of wonder."

I smiled back at him, feeling happy and content. "Thanks, Jarred. I like that about you too. You're always so supportive and encouraging."

As we walked through the park, we continued to tease each other and joke around. We rode roller coasters and ate churros, and even watched a parade or two. It was a perfect day, and I was so grateful to have shared it with Jarred.

At one point, we were waiting in line for a ride, and Jarred started making funny faces at me. I laughed and tried to make him laugh too, but he just kept on making silly expressions.

Finally, I couldn't take it anymore. "Okay, okay, panalo kana." I exclaimed, holding up my hands in surrender. "You're the king of silly faces!"

Jarred grinned triumphantly. "Ha! I knew I could make you laugh. And by the way, hindi lang ako king of silly faces, I'm also the king of your heart."

I rolled my eyes good-naturedly. "Ang cringe mo."

Jarred chuckled. "Kinilig ka naman."

As the day went on, we continued to enjoy the rides and attractions at Disneyland. We even managed to sneak in a few romantic moments, like when we shared a kiss on the "It's a Small World" ride.

As the sun began to set, we decided to grab some dinner at one of the park's restaurants. We sat down at a cozy little table and perused the menu.

"I'm so glad we came here today," I said, looking over at Jarred with a smile. "This has been the perfect anniversary celebration."

Jarred smiled back at me, his eyes shining with love. "I'm glad you're enjoying it, love. I wanted to make this day special for you."

I reached out and took his hand, feeling grateful for this wonderful man in my life. "You've definitely succeeded," I said, squeezing his hand. "I'll never forget this day."

Jarred smiled and leaned in close. "I'm glad to hear that," he whispered, his breath tickling my ear.

As we strolled hand in hand through the streets, the soft glow of the setting sun casting a warm light over everything, we suddenly found ourselves surrounded by a sea of delicate pink cherry blossoms. The street was lined with beautiful trees, their branches heavy with the iconic flowers, and the air was filled with their sweet scent.

Jarred squeezed my hand, and I looked up at him to see a soft smile on his face. "Do you remember how cherry blossoms became a special part of our love story?" he asked, his eyes shining with nostalgia.

I nodded, a smile spreading across my face. "How could I forget?" I replied, my voice barely above a whisper. "You gave me a paper cherry blossom with a letter inside, and it changed everything."

Jarred's smile grew wider, and he pulled me closer. "I remember writing that letter, pouring my heart out onto the page," he said, his voice filled with emotion. "I was so nervous, but I knew I had to take the chance."

I looked up at him, my eyes shining with tears. "That paper cherry blossom was more than just a gesture," I said, my voice trembling. "It was a symbol of your love, a declaration of your feelings. And it was the start of our beautiful love story."

Jarred's eyes locked onto mine, and I could see the love and adoration shining in them. "I'm so glad I took that chance," he whispered, his voice filled with emotion. "I couldn't imagine my life without you, Clyde."

I smiled, feeling my heart overflow with love. "I couldn't imagine my life without you either, Jarred," I replied, my voice barely above a whisper.

As we stood amidst the whimsical cherry blossoms, their delicate petals swaying gently in the breeze, I felt the weight of our timeless love story settling upon my heart. And with Jarred by my side, I knew that every moment, every laugh, and every adventure was a gift to be cherished.

Just as the stars began to twinkle in the evening sky, a sudden burst of fireworks illuminated the horizon, casting a magical glow over the landscape. Jarred and I gazed up in unison, our eyes wide with wonder, as the night sky transformed into a kaleidoscope of colors and patterns.

As the fireworks display reached its crescendo, the explosions of light coalesced into a single, breathtaking word.

My heart swelled with emotion, my jaw dropped, and tears of joy streamed down my face as I turned to Jarred, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Love..."

Jarred's eyes sparkled with adoration as he smiled, his voice filled with emotion. "Happy anniversary, my love."

With trembling hands, I reached out to him, and our lips met in a tender, passionate kiss under the dazzling fireworks display. In that instant, our love became the only truth that mattered, a flame that would burn bright for all eternity.

As we stood there, wrapped in each other's arms, the fireworks continued to light up the sky, casting a magical glow over the entire scene. It was as if the universe itself was celebrating our love, and the anniversary of the day we promised to spend forever together.

In a flash, Jarred vanished from my side, only to reappear with a guitar cradled in his arms. His eyes sparkled like diamonds as he strolled towards me, a radiant smile illuminating his face.As he drew closer, his voice whispered sweet nothings in my ear,

"Baby, every time I hear this song, naaalala agad kita.. You're the melody that fills my heart, the harmony that soothes my soul." His fingers danced across the guitar strings, coaxing out a serenade that seemed to be written specifically for me.

As Jarred's voice wrapped around me, singing those heartfelt lyrics, I felt my walls crumbling down.

"Lift your head, baby, don't be scared

Of the things that could go wrong along the way

You'll get by with a smile"

His words were like a warm hug, enveloping me in a sense of comfort and reassurance. I felt my heart lift, my spirits soaring. It was as if he was singing directly to my soul, understanding my deepest fears and doubts.

I closed my eyes, letting the melody wash over me, and felt tears prick at the corners of my eyes. The lyrics spoke of perseverance, of getting by with a smile, even when the world seemed against me. It was a message I desperately needed to hear.

"You can't win at everything, but you can try

Baby, you don't have to worry

'Cause there ain't no need to hurry

No one ever said that there's an easy way"

As Jarred sang, I felt my worries slowly unraveling. His voice was a balm to my soul, soothing my fears and calming my mind.

"When they're closing all their doors

And they don't want you anymore"

I felt a lump form in my throat as Jarred sang of staying through the bad times. His words were a promise, a vow to stand by me through thick and thin. I felt seen, heard, and understood in a way that I never had before.

"This sounds funny, but I'll say it anyway

Girl, I'll stay through the bad times

Even if I have to fetch you every day

We'll get by if you smile"

The song built to a crescendo, the melody swelling with emotion, and I felt myself getting lost in the music. I was singing along, my voice barely above a whisper, but Jarred's eyes locked onto mine, and I knew he heard me.

"You can never be too happy in this life

'Cause in a world where everybody

Hates a happy ending story

It's a wonder love can make the world go round"

As the lyrics poured out, I felt my heart overflowing with emotion. I knew that Jarred was singing directly to my soul, reminding me that love was the key to making it through even the toughest times.

"But don't let it bring you down

And turn your face into a frown

You'll get along with a little prayer and a song"

The music swelled, and I felt myself getting swept up in the emotion of the moment. Jarred's voice was a gentle breeze on a summer day, soothing my soul and calming my mind.

As the song came to an end, Jarred's eyes never left mine. I felt like I was drowning in their depths, and I knew that I was forever changed by this moment, by this song, and by the love we shared.

"Lift your head, baby, don't be scared

Of the things that could go wrong along the way

You'll get by with a smile

Now it's time to kiss away those tears goodbye"

As the final notes faded away, I felt Jarred's lips on mine, his kiss a promise of forever, of always being there to lift my head and wipe away my tears.

"I love you more and more with each passing day," Jarred whispered, his breath tickling my ear.

I smiled, feeling my heart overflow with emotion. "I love you, Jarred. Gosh, hulog na hulo na 'ko."

Jarred chuckled, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "Such a romantic, Mr.Loverboy," I said, my voice filled with affection.

He shrugged, smiling. "Hey, someone's got to keep the romance alive in this relationship," he teased.

As the fireworks finally came to an end, Jarred took my hand, and we walked off into the night, surrounded by the soft glow of the cherry blossoms. It was a night I would never forget, a night that would stay with me forever, a reminder of the love that Jarred and I shared.