17

As our Japanese escapade drew to a close, Jarred and I indulged in a shopping spree, scooping up stylish outfits and thoughtful trinkets to share with our loved ones.

It was our inaugural trip together, and Jarred had pulled out all the stops to make it an unforgettable adventure. I was walking on air, my heart overflowing with gratitude for this incredible man who had swept me off my feet.

As we touched down at the airport, Ashley greeted me with a warm hug and a bright smile. "Welcome back, ma prend!" she exclaimed. "Musta ang Japan?"

I beamed, still basking in the afterglow of our trip. "It was amazing," I replied, squeezing her hand. "I missed you, though!"

"Ikaw, kamusta?" I asked.

Ashley chuckled, her eyes sparkling with mirth. "I'm fine, thanks for asking," she said, with a playful roll of her eyes. But I knew her too well, and I could sense a hint of sadness lurking beneath her carefree facade.

"Ash, what's wrong?" I asked, my voice low and concerned.

She sighed, her shoulders sagging slightly. "Wala talaga akong matatago sa 'yo, no?" she said, forcing a laugh. "Masyadong observant asawa mo, Jarred."

Jarred smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Hey, someone's got to keep an eye on you two," he teased.

Ashley grinned, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "I'll tell you everything when I'm ready, okay?" she said, with a sly smile.

"Tara na nga, Clyde. Dami mo pang utang na chika sa 'kin."

As we made our way home, Ashley and I chattered excitedly, our conversation flowing easily. Jarred trailed behind us, laden with luggage, but his eyes never left mine, shining with love and adoration.

As we stepped into our cozy home, I felt a surge of joy and contentment. It was great to be back, surrounded by familiar comforts and the people I loved.

Jarred smiled, sensing my happiness. "I'll prepare our lunch, babe," he said, dropping a kiss on my forehead.

Ashley and I settled onto the sofa, our conversation flowing effortlessly as we devoured every detail of our Japanese adventure. It was a homecoming like no other, filled with laughter, love, and the promise of new memories to be made.

"Jarred, thumbs up ka sa 'kin!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with excitement.

I couldn't help but smile as I showed her the necklace. Ashley's eyes sparkled with delight as she took in the intricate design. She playfully hit me on the shoulder, her expression incredulous. "Shit, ang ganda!" she breathed. "Bagay na bagay sa 'yo!"

I smiled, feeling grateful for the thoughtful gift. "It's not just the necklace itself, but the thought behind it that makes it special," I said, my heart full of love for Jarred.

Binili niya ang necklace dahil naalala niya 'ko nung nakita niya ito.

Ashley nodded in agreement, her eyes shining with warmth. "Swerte niyo sa isa't-isa," she said, her voice filled with sincerity. I smiled, knowing that we were indeed lucky to have found each other.

In that moment, surrounded by the joy and love of our friendship, I felt grateful for the beautiful bond that Jarred and I shared. And I knew that our love would continue to flourish, nurtured by the thoughtfulness and kindness that we showed each other.

Ashley's eyes were still shining with excitement as I continued to share our romantic escapades. "And then, there was the fireworks display," I said, a dreamy smile spreading across my face.

Ashley's eyebrows shot up in curiosity. "Fireworks display? Talaga?" she asked, her voice filled with anticipation.

I took a deep breath, reliving the magic of that moment. "Jarred had arranged for a fireworks display, just for the two of us," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "It was breathtaking, Ash. The fireworks lit up the entire sky, and it felt like the whole world was celebrating our love."

Ashley's eyes widened in awe. "Wow, nakaka sana all!" she exclaimed. "And then?"

I smiled, my heart still racing from the memory. "The fireworks spelled out a message," I said, my voice trembling with emotion. "It said 'Happy anniversary miloves"

Ashley squealed with delight, her hands flying to her mouth. "Oh my god, ka inggitttt!" she exclaimed. "Jarred is really something else, Clyde. Haba ng hair."

I nodded, feeling grateful for the love of my life. "I know, right?" I said, smiling. "He's always surprising me with these romantic gestures. I feel like the luckiest person alive."

Kiraz suddenly appeared in the doorway, a hint of mischief in her voice. "What's up, bitchess? Kamusta 'yung pag backstabb niyo sa 'kin?"

"Okay lang naman. Topic namin 'yung na reject ka."Ashley said while laughing. Kiraz and Clint joined in, and soon we were all giggling uncontrollably.

"Jarred's in the kitchen," I said, still chuckling. Clint nodded and headed to the kitchen, exchanging a knowing glance with Kiraz.

"Girl, I've missed you so much!" Kiraz squealed, throwing her arms around me in a tight hug.

"I've missed you too," I replied, caressing her back.

Ashley, not one to be left out, chimed in, "Hey, no pasalubong for us, te?"

Kiraz playfully retorted, "Kapal ng mukha, indeed!"

I laughed and stood up to retrieve the gifts I had bought for them.

"Ta-da!" I said, tossing the presents their way.

Ashley's eyes widened as she unwrapped her gift - a beautiful cloth from Beauty and Youth. "Wow, Clyde, bigatin natin ngayon ahh!"

Kiraz, on the other hand, squealed with delight as she unwrapped her DSLR camera. "Clydeee, ang ganda!"

I beamed with pride, happy that they loved their gifts.

The three of us shared a warm hug, with Kiraz and Ashley squishing me from both sides.

"Bigat niyo. Ano ba!" I laughed.

Ashley mischievously shouted, "Kilitiin si Clyde!" and they both began tickling my waist.

"Hoy! Hahahaha! Ano ba?" I exclaimed, laughing uncontrollably.

As Ashley and Kiraz continued to tickle me, I heard the sound of Jarred and Clint walking into the room. "Pinag-gagawa niyo?" Jarred asked, a hint of amusement in his voice.

Clint chuckled and said, "Pinagtutulungan Asawa mo oh! Payag ka nun?."

Ashley and Kiraz stopped tickling me, and we all turned to face Jarred and Clint. "Lunch is ready," Jarred announced, a warm smile on his face.

"Yes! Finally!" Ashley exclaimed, rubbing her hands together. "Nakaka gutom pagmumukha ni Kiraz"

We all cheered and headed to the dining table. The spread was impressive, with all sorts of delicious dishes. We dug in, savoring the flavors and textures.

"Mmm, Jarred, sarap ng luto ah!" Kiraz said, her eyes closed in appreciation.

"Thanks, Kiraz," Jarred replied, smiling.

Ashley, being her usual quirky self, started making funny faces and jokes. "Hey, Clint, tahimik mo ah? Ano binabalikan mo 'yung mga araw na parehas kayong naging gago ni Kiraz?" she teased.

Clint chuckled and shot back, "Ingay mo, kaya ka hindi pinipili eh!"

We all burst out laughing at the witty exchange. Jarred and I exchanged a look, both of us thinking that Clint was slowly showing his other side.

As we ate and laughed together, I felt grateful for these wonderful people in my life. They brought so much joy and love into my world, and I was thankful to have them as friends.

After lunch, we lounged around the living room, still chatting and laughing. It was one of those perfect afternoons, filled with good food, good company, and plenty of laughter.

"I'm so full," Kiraz said, flopping onto the couch. "Sirang-sira diet ko eh."

Ashley giggled and snuggled up beside her. "Diet? Mama mo diet."

We all laughed again, and I smiled, feeling happy and content in the company of my dear friends.

As the afternoon wore on, the jokes and teasing continued. Ashley pretended to be a model, striking pose after pose, while Kiraz and Clint giggled and snapped photos. I rolled my eyes good-naturedly, and Jarred chuckled, shaking his head.

At one point, Kiraz turned to me and said, "Gandang-ganda sa sarili, amputa!" She then showed me a hilarious photo of Ashley that she had taken, and we both burst out laughing.

"Ang sama mo talaga." I said while laughing.

Ashley jumped in, "Ganda ng dugo namin diba? Ako lang 'to."

Kiraz laughed, "Sa dugo lang. Hindi na umabot sa mukha"

The teasing continued, with everyone taking good-natured jabs at each other. But as the afternoon drew to a close, it was time for our friends to say their goodbyes.

Clint stood up, stretching his long frame. "Well, we should get going. Salamat sa pakain mo Jarred."

Kiraz and Ashley followed suit, hugging me and Jarred tightly. "Thanks for the laughs, guys," Kiraz said. "Bukas nanaman."

As they left, Jarred and I looked at each other, smiling. We spent the rest of the evening lounging around the house, enjoying each other's company.

As night fell, we snuggled up together on the couch, watching the stars twinkling outside. Jarred wrapped his arms around me, pulling me close.

"I'm so glad we had today," he said, his voice low and husky. "I love spending time with our friends, but it's also nice to just relax together."

I nodded, feeling grateful for this quiet moment with Jarred. "Kaya nga." I said. "I love our friends, but sometimes it's nice na tayo lang muna dalawa"

Jarred smiled, his eyes shining with love. "I love being us," he said.

And with that, we leaned in, our lips meeting in a soft, sweet kiss.

The post-Japan blues hit me like a freight train the next day. I trudged back to the office, my happy memories of Tokyo's neon streets and Jarred's loving arms replaced by the harsh glare of fluorescent lights and a mountain of paperwork.

"Good morning, Clyde!" my coworker chimed, as I collapsed into my chair.

"Morning," I muttered, rubbing my temples. "I'm already stressed."

The source of my stress walked in a few minutes later - Mrs. Tanaka, our most demanding client. "Clyde, where's my invoice?" she barked, her voice like a drill sergeant.

"It's being processed, Mrs. Tanaka," I replied, forcing a patient smile. "I'll send it to you by the end of the day."

But Mrs. Tanaka was having none of it. "I need it now," she insisted, tapping her foot impatiently.

I took a deep breath and tried to reason with her. "I understand, Mrs. Tanaka, but I have to follow procedure. If I rush the invoice, there's a risk of error."

Mrs. Tanaka scowled, her expression unyielding. "I don't pay you to make excuses, Clyde. I pay you to get things done."

I bit back a retort, reminding myself that the customer is always right - even when they're wrong. "Yes, Mrs. Tanaka. I'll see what I can do."

"Tsk, is this what you've replaced me with?" she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. She gave me a once-over, raising an eyebrow as she scrutinized me from head to toe. I opened my mouth to respond, but she turned on her heel and walked away, leaving me feeling frustrated and stressed.

The tension only escalated during lunch. Just as I was about to take a bite, my phone rang. It was my mother. I answered, expecting a routine call, but what she said left me reeling.

"Ma, it's been almost 14 years since Papa died," I exclaimed, my voice laced with frustration and desperation. What could she possibly want to tell me now?

Mama's voice trembled over the phone, and I could tell she was crying. "Inaangkin ng Tita mo 'yung yaman ni Christopher." she said.

I furrowed my brow. "But Papa wasn't that rich. Ni wala siyang milyon na para pag agawan."

Papa was just a hotel manager, and while he did okay, he wasn't wealthy by any means. His boss had been kind to us, giving Papa a bonus after he saved his daughters life and even treating us to a trip to Japan.

Mama's next words shocked me. " 'Yan din ang akala ko, but it turns out he had more than we thought."

My eyes widened. "What? What are you talking about, Ma?" I exclaimed, forgetting to keep my cool.

Mama hesitated before dropping another bombshell. "Christopher had hidden wealth."

I felt like I'd been punched in the gut. "Ma, paano?" I asked, my voice shaking.

Mama explained that Lola had received a document from Papa's former boss, but due to her illness, she hadn't remembered it until she saw a photo of Papa with his Boss. The document was somehow connected to Papa's wealth, but Mama didn't know the details.

"What document is it?" I asked, my mind racing.

Mama sighed. "I don't know. Ayaw sabihin ng tita mo, pero ang pagkaka alam ko nakapangalan 'yun sa inyo ng kuya mo."

I felt overwhelmed. "Ma, anong gagawin natin?"

Mama's voice was firm. "We'll go back to Mindanao."

I nodded, even though she couldn't see me. "I'll talk to Jarred about it first."

"Ni hindi nga natin nalaman kung bakit binaril si Papa." I said, my voice trembling as memories flooded my mind. The pain of losing him still felt like an open wound, and I'd avoided talking about him or even thinking about him because it hurt too much.

Mama's words dropped like a bombshell. "I know something, anak, mas minabuti ko lang na 'wag ng sabihin sa yo." I felt a wave of betrayal wash over me.

"Ma, Bakit? Kelan pa?" I demanded, my anger and hurt simmering just below the surface. Mama's response only fueled my emotions.

"Last year, and it's better if you don't know," she said, her voice firm but laced with a hint of sadness. I exploded, my emotions raw and uncontrollable.

"Ma, I have the right to know!" I shouted, my voice echoing through the room. Kiraz tried to calm me down, but I brushed her off, my focus fixed on Mama.

Mama's final words sent a chill down my spine. "You will hate yourself." And with that, she hung up, leaving me reeling and shattered.

I throw my phone across the room, as if releasing the anguish that had been building up inside me. Then, I crumpled to the ground, overcome with grief. Tears poured down my face like a torrent, as 14 years of suppressed memories came flooding back.

I curled up in a ball, hiding in the corner of the room as I wept uncontrollably. Kiraz tried to comfort me, wrapping her arms around me, but I was beyond consolation. The pain of losing Papa, the injustice of his death, and the secrets Mama had kept from me all combined to create a storm of emotions that threatened to consume me.

As I sobbed, the memories I'd kept hidden for so long came rushing back. Memories of Papa's laughter, his smile, and his loving arms. Memories of the day he was taken from me, and the anguish that had followed. It was all too much to bear, and I let the tears wash over me, hoping to find some measure of release from the pain.

"Papa, ang ganda ng Japan!" I exclaimed, still basking in the joy of our first family trip. "Thank you, Papa, ang bait ng boss mo!" I added, beaming with gratitude. Papa chuckled and pinched my cheek, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

Kuya butted in, teasing me mercilessly. "Ingay mo!" he said, making Papa laugh.

I shot back, "Pake mo ba? Ikaw nga naghanap lng ng chix dun" Papa guffawed, his laughter infectious.

Mama intervened, her voice gentle but firm. "Tama na 'yan, tara na. We need to get home and rest." We piled into the taxi, excited to share stories of our adventure.

As we settled in, I gazed out the window, dreaming of future trips. "Papa, when I grow up, can we go back to Japan? With my future husband?" I asked, my imagination running wild with visions of laughter, adventure, and love.

" 'Yan nanaman siya sa mga fairytales niya." Kuya snickered, "Yeah, right, you'll never find a husband!"

"Pa oh! Si Kuya."

Papa chided him gently, "Tristan, leave your sister alone." I stuck out my tongue, and Kuya rolled his eyes good-naturedly.

Papa smiled, "Mas mabuti pa kung tulungan mo 'ko dito sa mga bagahe natin." Kuya obediently followed Papa, and I snuggled into the taxi seat, feeling happy and content with Mama by my side. Little did I know, our lives were about to change forever.

Just as I was about to escape into a movie, a deafening bang shattered the air, shattering my world into a million pieces. Mama's and Kuya's terrified screams pierced my heart like a dagger. Mama burst out of the taxi, leaving me behind, and I was consumed by a sense of desperation.

"Christopher!"

"Pa!"

"Ma, Pa, Kuya, anong nangyari?" I yelled, frantically trying to open the locked door, my small hands pounding against the glass. The driver's fear-stricken eyes met mine, filled with a sympathetic sorrow that only made my heart ache more.

"Hija, it's better if you stay inside," he pleaded, his voice trembling, but I couldn't be silenced. I kept shouting, desperate to know what had happened, to know if Papa was okay.

And then, my world came crashing down around me. A river of blood flowed across the floor, and my father lay lifeless, his body cradled in Mama's arms. Kuya stood frozen, his face ashen, his eyes wide with shock and horror.

I was paralyzed, unable to move or speak, as tears streamed down my face like a torrent. The sound of my own screams echoed in my mind, but I was powerless to stop them. My father, my rock, my everything - gone.

In that moment, my heart shattered into a million pieces, and I felt like I was drowning in a sea of grief. The pain was suffocating, crushing me beneath its weight. I felt like I was losing myself, like I was disappearing into the darkness.

Mama's whisper pierced my soul. "Clyde, it's time to say goodbye to your Papa." The weight of her words crushed me. Today was the day I had to let go of the man who meant everything to me.

As I stood before Papa's casket, I felt like I was drowning in a sea of grief. Mama asked if I wanted to talk to him one last time, and I nodded, my eyes welling up with tears.

I took a step closer, my heart shattering into a million pieces. Papa lay peacefully, a thread of blood on his forehead a harsh reminder of how he was taken from us. I called out to him, my voice trembling.

"Papa." I whispered, my tears falling like rain. "Wake up, please." I knew it was impossible, but I couldn't help myself. I felt like I was losing my mind.

I remembered our laughter, our adventures, and our dreams. "Babalik pa tayo ng Japan, hindi ba?" I said, still crying. "Please, Pa. I'm going to miss you so much."

I placed the cherry blossom he'd picked for me in Japan on his chest, a symbol of the memories we'd shared. "Pa, I'm sorry if after this, I stop talking about you. If I stop thinking about you. Because every time I do, I just cry."

As I turned away from the casket, I felt a deep emptiness and anger. Whoever was responsible for Papa's death would never be forgiven. I'd hate them until my dying breath. The thought consumed me, fueling my grief and my anger.

"Papa," I sobbed, the memories I'd desperately tried to suppress crashing down on me like a tidal wave. I thought I'd long accepted his passing, but the anguish that gripped me now revealed the truth: I'd never truly accepted it. I'd merely learned to exist without him, to pretend he'd never been a part of my life.

But the pain still lingered, a festering wound that refused to heal. I recalled Kuya's pale face, his eyes haunted by the trauma of witnessing Papa's brutal murder. I remembered the countless times we'd tried to reach out to him, only to be met with silence, the times he'd lock himself in his room, unable to cope with the anguish that consumed him.

The memories of our struggles to help Kuya heal, to bring him back from the brink of despair, still lingered. And I remembered my own desperate attempts to erase Papa from my life, to hide every reminder of him, every memento that brought back the pain.

But it was all a lie, a fragile facade I'd constructed to shield myself from the agony of his loss. The truth was, I still mourned him, still felt the weight of his absence, still ached with a pain that seemed to have no end.

I never truly moved on. I just learned to exist in a world without him. The ache of his absence never faded, it just became a constant hum in the background of my life. I learned to navigate the darkness, to find ways to survive without him, but the wound never fully healed. It just scabbed over, waiting to be torn open again by the slightest reminder of what I'd lost.

----

I am not yet mentally prepared for the next chapters.😕