The Sun Rays

TSR XXIII: Square

Joshua caressing her back to stop the lady from bawling but didn't let her go yet. She was still hugging him because she misses the guy too. "I didn't break my promise you know. I settled my past because we promised each other we will settle our past so we can move forward. I did it," Vane proudly told him. "I wanted to give him a good vacation before he goes back home so I decided to tour him. I didn't do it because I still love him. I did it because we were now friends."

They were now sitting in the sand while facing the ocean. "Why did you pretend to not know me in front of April then?" Vane was expecting the question but doesn't know if she's ready to answer it.

"W-when..." she began but mumbled. "W-when I saw you in the café with her, I remembered what April unnie told me," Vane honestly told Joshua was assiduously listening to her.

Joshua glanced at her. "What did she told you?"

Vane pouted at the guy. "I remember that she has a friend and you have the same name,"

"And what about it?"

"I'm not in the place to tell you about it especially when she hasn't told you but he's her ultimate crush. I saw her talking to you so it means that you were that one friend she has a long-time crush with," she stopped. "I-I..."

"You what?" Joshua couldn't stop asking about it.

"I-I don't her to mistaken anything about us," Vane said.

"Why would she? We are just friends, right?" now, it's Vane who felt a thud of pain on her chest.

Damn it! Why did I even assume? she thought. I just want to keep our distance so these feelings that I had wouldn't get any deeper, she added and now staring blankly at the ocean.

Vane chuckled awkwardly. "Y-yes. We are just friends."

"Right. The ocean reminds me of her," Joshua told Vane and she gets who was he talking all about.

"Was it your best friend's wife?" she asked him and he nodded and smiled. "She always tells me before that if I'm stress or not feeling well. I should go to play with nature because it slowly heals you without you knowing," Vane heard her say and it reminded her of her Yanika unnie.

"I have the same friend who told the same thing to me. She's a dendrophile and a nature lover. She thought me to do this and she's right. It heals you," Vane shared it with him. "You know what you aren't over her. The sea is a constant reminder of her for you," there was an obvious annoyance in Vane's voice.

"Pabo!" Joshua pinched her nose. "Silly. Did you know that..." when we did not have communication, I never stop thinking of you? That's when I realized that I no longer have feelings for Neda.

I couldn't utter the words to you since we are just friends, right?

Joshua was being his jerky self.

"Hey!" Joshua went back to reality when Vane slapped his right arm. "Did I know what?" she asked him.

"I let her go already even before she was gone in my best friend's side. It's just me who couldn't forget my feelings for her. Wishing I could still be with her even when I don't really have the chance. I no longer feel anything for her. I think I like someone now," Vane doesn't know why the more painful it was to hear that from him. she smiled the brightest but she was breaking inside.

I wish I could tell you, she thought.

"Really? Who? We're friends. You should share to me that's if you want to," she cheerfully said with a little sulking voice.