Chapter 23: Epilogue
NAPANGITI siya habang tinatanaw ang kagandahan ng lugar. Tama an kanyan desisyon na magbakasyon.
Been years, noong huling hinayaan niya ang sarili na – a time to be her away from everything. Huminga siya ng malalim.
Tanaw na tanaw niya ang napakagandang kagubatan ng Nueva Ecija mula sa tuktok na tinatawag nilang 1000 steps. Hindi maipagkaila ang saya niya sap ag-akyat kasama ang isang taong walang sawang sumusuporta sa kanya noon pa man,
"Here."
Napatingin siya sa kasama bago niya tinanggap ang bote ng mineral water. "Salamat." She roamed her eyes around and see the unfading beauty of the place. Iba talaga kapag nasa probinsya, langhap na langhap mo ang sariwang simoy ng hangin. Malayong-malayo sa mapolusyong syudad. Sa kadahilanan na rin na maraming establishment at mga factory ay halo-halo na ang polusyong nalalanghap ng mga tao.
"Been years, since I came here." Maya-mayang untag ng kanyang kasama. "And really planning to bring you here since that day,"
"Really." Napabaling ang atensyon niya dito.
"Mm… I knew you will like it."
Napangiti siya, "Absolutely. Thanks for bringing me in this kind of place."
Kilalang-kilala siya nito. From the kind of place to the food she loves and even her own preferences. No words or even those gestures – no need.
"Kaia."
"Mmm…"
"I'm curious why you didn't continue the Chain of Memories in your blog."
Hindi naman lingid sa kanya na alam nito na may WordPress blog siya. Still knowing that this person beside her reads those pieces she wrote, bring another surge of happiness deep within.
"Yes, I read it." Pagkumpirma nito, "Why you didn't continue?"
"You want to know?"
"Mm…"
Huminga muna siya ng malalim. Pilit inaalis ang kaba na nararamdaman niya. It's just him, Kaia. Pilit niyang kinakalma ang sarili.
"Those two last chapters. I don't have plan to share it with my readers," ika niya, "something that I intent to keep, something to cherish.���
The two last chapters has something with her. Special and she want to keep in order to cherish it.
"I guess… I know it."
"Of course you know."
Kahit hindi man niya iyon isulat. Alam niyang manantili iyon sa kanyang puso at memorya ganoon din naman sa taong kasama niya sa mga oras na iyon.
"Thank you for everything." She uttered sincerely. "Kung hindi dahil dahil sa'yo, I know- "before she could even finish, she was being cut off by him.
"Wala kang dapat ipagpasalamat sa'kin. Ginawa mo ang kaya mo, and you came to be the excellent."
Noon pa man ay mataas na ang believe nito sa kanya. He always expected what was unexpected when it comes to her. Yet, not that pushy type of. He's there whenever she doubted herself of doing something. He's there ready to boost her confidence.
Minsan pa nga ayhindi niya maiwasang makaramdam ng panliliit sa kanyang sarili kapag kasama niya ito. Masyado kasi itong positive, para bang walang nakikitang negatibo ditto. Ang pagkakaroon ng negatibong aspeto sa buhay ay normal. Nasa tao nga lang 'yon kung paano niya mina-manage ang negatibong aspeto na 'yon. How she or he would handle herself/himself when socializing to other person.
"Masyadong high ang expectation mo sa'kin."
"Hindi 'yon high expectation Kaia. You just did your best. Magakaiba 'yon."
She laughed para bang isang nakakatawang bagay ang sinabi nito. That it is merely a joke, she never wanted to believe in.
"You always assume it is a joke."
Napailing siya, "Hindi ka ba nagsasawang purihin ako?"
"It's not flattery."
"You are man of complications Luke. I cannot reach your mind – what you think." She intently stare at him, as if memorizing his facial feature.
"You don't have to, Kaia," he said. "hindi naman kailangang abutin kung paano mag-isip ang isang tao para maintindihan mo. Be yourself, that's all."
"Thank you for opening the wide picture before me."
He never failed to have the explanation; never failed to see the beauty of every single thing.
"Ikaw lang naman ang makuit."
"Luke Samaniego, I'm grateful to know you."
"You don't know how thankful I am to have you Kaia Monique Lindsey." He touched her face and gently caress it with his thumb.
And it's like, they are saying I love you to each other. Simply because I love you doesn't need to voice out all the time. It is something that always there, and never fade.
-END-
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