Il Più Grande Amore (The Greatest Love)

Part III: 𝙻'𝚄𝚗𝚒𝚌𝚘 𝙲𝚑𝚎 𝚃𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚎 𝙸𝚕 𝙼𝚒𝚘 𝙲𝚞𝚘𝚛𝚎(𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘖𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘖𝘯𝘦 𝘞𝘩𝘰 𝘏𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘴 𝘔𝘺 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵)

The harsh reality of life did not just shake my faith but also challenged my soul in a level that made my knees tremble in anger, pure disgust and fear. I could've chosen the best route for my well-being or done the easiest way of following the path of happiness, but it was a lot more difficult than it sounds; it was all the more agonizing.

My choices in life took me to different places I never once dreamed of going to; places where I repeatedly commit sins and do actions that should never be celebrated in the first place. I could've maneuvered my life, but my thoughts were fixated on not changing my ways. It's just a waste of time because it's already too late.

Life has always been cruel to me and so is the world, that's why I have kept my heart cold for such a long time and disregard my emotions thinking it's an obstacle I have to surpass because it won't do me any good if I let it take over me. But no matter how cold it gets, I'm still a human capable of getting hurt and capable to feel things even love.

For more than 30 years, I have watched countless sunrises and sunsets; crossed paths with different people; encountered success and failures coming all at once and everything under the sun; I witnessed all of that alone and no matter how many times I did all of that by myself, deep inside I still don't get used to it. Out of many places I've been and traces I left; the hardest part was leaving my home; leaving my safest place; leaving the only certain in my life; leaving the only one who holds my heart.

I always shrug off the idea of seeing her again. She must have led a good life now; I should not bother and ruin her peace. To know that she's fine and happy is more than enough for me; she's better off without me but I won't deny the times I couldn't count anymore thinking about her, her beautiful face, her precious smile and the last time I saw her; consecutive wine nights to help me sleep but ended waking up as she invades my dreams.

This day was supposed to be a normal day for an old man like me. My daily activities have shifted 360 degrees from the things I used to do before. Maybe the once cruel world is making it up to me; just maybe, at the very least, the world is trying to give me a chance to be genuinely happy again.

Maybe I was just seeing things because of so much misery; people began to look like her in my eyes. Maybe I just miss so much and everything about her that's why my mind induces funny thoughts that later on makes me cry.

But I guess the longing should end sometime when fate works and play the game in its league. The resemblance of this young lady was uncanny not until I saw that person again after a very long time. I froze in my position; totally cannot believe the sight of her right in front of me.

When my feet began to move towards her, I could not see anyone around me anymore; only her.

"Buon Giorno, Mademoiselle."

Her eyes were covered in tears but managed to stare at me beautifully. As always, her smile melts my heart. She cupped my face with her both trembling and soft hands; traced every corner of me with tears flowing freely from her eyes.

"I knew it. I know I'll see you again." she said while rubbing her thumb against my cheeks.

I wiped her tears away; slowly and gently without realizing that I couldn't wipe my own at that moment. My mind suddenly recalled the last time I saw her; it's been really so long; how did I manage to wake up every day and get through with a heavy heart.

She didn't come alone here; the young lady I encountered earlier was Cha Young's precious one, her lovely daughter that looks exactly like her; her face more than 30 years ago before I left.
We catch up like there's no tomorrow, laugh at stories from ages ago. I'm thankful to her daughter for being so understanding as she literally gave us time alone together.