Serendipity

Chapter 18

Chapter 18

"What is the meaning of this, Asher?" nagtataka kong tanong.

"Misa never told you? About the red string of fate?"

"Yes, she did. I mean..." I stopped talking.

Nasa kamay ko ang isang itim na lubid na kapareho ng kay Misa. I remembered our earlier conversation in the hospital.

"Why do you have this?"

His lips turned grim. "Ninakaw ko iyan sa isang matandang nagbebenta ng gayuma."

I halted. Nasabi na rin ito ni Misa sa'kin. She stole the red string because she was insecure of her friend who found her true love through a piece of string.

"I had a friend, he bought a string from that weird old lady. She said it has the power to lead you to your fated one. To your fated soulmate..."

Napalunok ako.

"And yes, my friend found his the one. I was so damn insecure that time. And stupid," natatawa niyang sabi at hinilamos ang mukha.

"It was all crazy but I was young and I guess, too inlove with Misa. Hindi ko maintindihan kong bakit ayaw akong bigyan ng matanda. When it was so obvious that Misa was the one for me."

Umiwas siya ng tingin at yumuko.

"I don't understand why we end up like this. Pilit kong pinapaniwala ang sarili ko na ang dahilan ay hindi kami ang itinadhana ng isa't isa. Na hindi kami ang para sa isa't isa..."

"... That we broke up because we'll just be a living memory someday. But not the future," aniya, naiinis.

Katulad ng kay Misa ay naging itim din ito simula ng iniwan siya ni Asher. Aniya, sinabi ni Aunt Chimera na hindi si Misa ang nakatadhana sa kaniya. Na hindi siya ang babae para sa kaniya.

Misa didn't receive any strings at all. But he was willing to give it to her because he had faith in love.

Ngunit anong silbi ng pulang lubid kong wala itong kapares? Mananatili na lamang itong paniniwala at panalangin. A dream. A prayer. A faith.

A faith in believing something our eyes cannot see.

"But I was just foolish. I let myself fooled by this fucking string! Ano ba ang basehan para malaman na hindi kayo ang para sa isa't isa? Time? Money? Status? No, nothing! Once I love someone, I'll even fight destiny just to be with her!" pagdadrama niya.

I clapped my hands. Bravo.

I realized Asher is stupid.

Can I punch him?

Huminga ako ng malalim. Hinanda ko na ang lahat ng sasabihin ko.

"You know what, you're stupid, Dad," pambabara ko. Nanlaki ang mga mata niya. I don't know why, maybe because I called him Dad or I told him he's stupid. I guess, both.

"That's it? Iyan ang dahilan kong bakit hindi mo binalikan si Misa? Dahil naniwala ka na hindi kayo magkakatuluyan dahil sa lintek na itim na lubid na'to? Are you kidding me?" natatawa kong sigaw.

"That's just cowardice. Duwag ka lang. Sino bang tangang maniniwala sa isang lubid na binili mo lang naman sa daan? It is not by a thread of fate that controls life, it's us that controls it!"

Ginulo ko ang buhok ko. Naiinis na ako.

"It is not the thread that change the future, it was you! Kung hindi ka duwag edi sana naayos mo na ang pamilya natin noon pa! Buo sana tayo noon! May kinalakihang tatay sana ako ngayon! And you could've marry Misa before and be a good father to me."