Prologue

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"This is Miss Azina Dela Vuega. An architect and also the owner of this art gallery." I smiled genuinely at the students in front of me after their teacher introduced me to them.

They were all amazed by the interior of the gallery. I want it to be old and at the same time modern. So I decided to combine the two. The interior was so big that it could accommodate hundreds of people. The stairs will let you feel like a royal as you descend the stairs, and the shiny, smooth surface of the floor even reflects your own image.

"This is amazing miss Azina," Manghang sabi sa akin ng isang babae. Halata sa tono ng kanyang pananalita ang pananabik na makita ang kabuuan ng art gallery.

"I heard that you're also an artist. Is that true?" Tanong naman ng isang lalaki.

It's a sunny day but this man's wearing a leather jacket. Mga pinoy nga naman kahit mainit naka jacket tapos magre-reklamong mainit. Naku naman!

"Yes, I am! I made a lot of artwork. As you can see, kaunti lang ang mga artworks ko na naka-display dito. Some of my artworks are already been sold at naka—display na sa ibang gallery." Sagot ko sa kanya.

Siraulo kase yung kaibigan ko, binenta ba naman yung mga gawa ko but it's a success kaya hindi naman disappointing yung result. Kung hindi niya yun na isipan siguro aabutin pa ako ng ilang taon sa pagpapagawa nitong art gallery. Thanks to her.

"So... ikaw po ba tour guide namin?" Tumango ako bilang pagtugon sa babaeng hindi mawala ang ngiti sa akin.

I can see the excitement in her russet brown eye color that suits her elbow-length curly light brown hair to her fair skin. Base sa mukha niya, mukha siyang may lahi.

"Yes! And you're lucky to have me." Kumindat ako sa kanya, she was stunned and suddenly uses her hand to cover her face. 

Siguro kinikilig siya sakin. Nahalata kong namula bigla tenga niya. Nagsimula na silang maglakad at ako ay nanatili muna sa kinatatayuan ko hanggang sa makalapit ang babae sakin, sumabay ako sa kanya sa paglalakad. "I like your hair." ngumiti lang ito saakin at tsaka nagpatuloy sa paglalakad.

They asked a lot of questions about me at hindi sa mga artworks na naka-display dito. I answered all of their questions and when they started to ask questions that concerned my private life I would just say that I can't disclose that part of my life to them which they understood pretty quickly than I expected. That was our routine hanggang sa makarating kami sa gallery 3 kung saan naka display ang mga malaking artworks ko. We are about to pass the third artwork when someone asks a question.

"Why is the jigsaw missing a piece?" A girl wearing glasses asked. She reminds me of my friend na nasa ibang bansa ngayon.

Tumingin ako sa artwork na gawa ko. At first, it looks like a simple jigsaw puzzle but it tells about a person's life. There are two people painted on that canvas, they are friends who uncommonly met each other. On the left side was a guy surrounded by fireflies in a well-lit garden. While the girl on the other side was surrounded by darkness and her feet were coiled up by some thorns. There are twenty puzzle pieces and ten were missing.

Hinarap ko silang lahat.

"Did you know human life is like a jigsaw puzzle?" Tanong ko at napa-awang sila. I guess hindi pa nila alam ang tinutukoy ko. "It is because you must look and collect all the pieces to build the puzzle, right?" I said and I can say that all ears are on me. "If you build the puzzle with no missing piece your life is complete. Ibig sabihin lang noon ay kotento ka na sa kung anong meron ka. Na-achieve mo na yung mga bagay na gusto mo. But if the puzzle isn't complete you must look for that missing piece. Ibig sabihin may kulang pa, there is something na kailangan mo pang matutunan or ma-achieve. That's the reason why you should search for it." I saw someone frowning his eyebrows while the others were thinking deeply about what I'd said.

"In other words, our life isn't complete." Nakangiting sabi ng Isang babae. I nod at her and smiled back

This painting always reminds me of him. I guess he's doing well now.

After an hour of roaming around the gallery, they finally said goodbye. They ask a lot of questions about me it simply means that they are not interested in arts. Or maybe they simply want to know me.

Naupo ako sa couch ng lobby at pinagmasdan ang mga taong nasa loob. Couples are imitating the paintings while some are taking pictures and want to touch the canvas which is prohibited. After years of hard work. I can finally say that I made it.

I opened my phone and saw a lot of messages from my friends.

Kinukumusta nila ako at nagbabalak din silang umuwi ng Pilipinas at magbakasyon kasama ako. Habang binabasa ko mga messages nila an unknown number suddenly pop up on my notification. I click it and read the message.


'I'm so proud of you. My missing piece.'


I almost dropped my phone when I realized who texted me.


He's the only one who calls me his missing piece.


The guy I lost for almost 10 years




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dedicated to: Empress2Escribe

Missing Piece (Amigos Series #1)Tahanan ng mga kuwento. Tumuklas ngayon