Warming the Ice Queen's Tears

Chapter 33.1

Chapter 33.1

It’s unbelievable how a small thing can affect someone. It may be good, it may be bad. Like when someone answered no but you’re hoping for the opposite or being a second place in a competition you practiced so hard that you thought you could achieve the first.

Nakakasama ng loob. Nakakalungkot at ang gusto mo nalang ay tumalon sa oras na mawala ang pakiramdam na’yon o kaya ibaling sa iba para mawala o mabawasan man lang.

People want to do everything to keep the pain away.

That’s what I did.

There was also this time when a child received a gift o pinayagang kumain ng cake bago maghapunan. Or knowing you passed an exam you haven’t reviewed the night before. Lahat yon magpapasaya sa isang tao.

People do whatever they can to keep the happiness still.

Just like me right now.

But those were only simple things and mine wasn’t. It was the only thing I’d been wishing to have since the moment I met her. Her love. Love that I got since the very start of this day. Love that she already gave me and now, I couldn’t stop myself from looking like a lunatic dahil sa malapad na ngiti na hindi ko matanggal tanggal simula nang magising ako sa tabi niya.

I was putting on my clothes inside my walk-in closet while she’s waiting outside. This temporary separation made me feel cold and miss her touch that’s there’s nothing I wanted to do but to run close to her and hug her forever if that’s possible. Para kong tangang nagmamadaling binubotones ung shirt ko habang palingon lingon. Bakit mainip kasi siya. I wore a pair of white and blue striped shirt and khaki shorts. I slipped on my sandals and walked out. Her back was facing me while holding a picture frame.

Tinitignan niya ung picture naming apat nung minsang lumabas kami para manood ng sine. It was the first time the four of us went out together. Kuha lang yan sa phone ko pero mahalaga para sa’kin ang larawang yon dahil kumpleto kami and I considered that as our first family photo.

I smiled to see her seriously looking at that photo that she didn’t even realize that I was done changing. I walked quietly, sneaking behind her and gave her a hug. Akala ko magugulat siya pero wala man lang siyang reaksyon.

“Ang ganda ng kuha ko diba?” Pagmamalaki ko at hinalikan siya sa pisngi. She placed her hand over mine while still looking at it.

“Hmm.” She nodded. “You guys look happy.”

“We are happy. Happiness doesn’t end up on smiling. Hindi ka nakangiti but your eyes sparkle. Mukha ngang ikaw ang pinakamasaya sa lahat eh, tignan mo.”

Tinuro ko siya sa litrato kung saan lahat kami ay may hawak na ice cream. We were all looking up directly at the camera. Hawak hawak ko ung ice cream sa kaliwa ko habang nakaakbay sa kanya. Siya naman nasa kanan ung ice cream at hawak niya ang kamay ni Seven sa kaliwa. Dinidilaan ni Seven ung ice cream niya habang si Nine ay labas na labas ang mga ngipin dahil sa malawak niyang ngiti at nakatayo sa harap ni Rainne.

Ibinaba niya ang larawan bago humarap sakin at mahinang tumawa. Mas lalo akong nakaramdam ng saya dahil sa tawa niyang yun. Ilang beses na rin siyang tumawa at ngumiti kanina simula nung sumang-ayon siya saking lumabas kami ng mga bata. Mabibilang mo lang ung mga ngiti niya noon pero ngayon, it’s like she’s not stopping herself to show her emotions. Her eyes were not also dull and cold when I looked into them anymore. It’s like she not the Rainne I knew but I knew in my heart that she’s the woman I fell in love and I her changes would be for the better.