You're The One

Prologue

MJ Gonzales

Someone once said, "Fate decides who comes into your life. Your heart decides who stays".

But in my case, fate has told me that our encounter was a big mistake, and my heart has told me that I should leave him and never come back.

No matter how close, how strong, how long, and how pure your intention is, it doesn't matter as long as fate says so. If you're not meant to be, you literally aren't meant for each other. And there's nothing you can do about it.

But no matter how painful it can be, no matter what obstacles and hindrances dragged you down rock bottom, it still beautifies our experiences and existence. There really is beauty despite the pain. Like roses with its stem full of thorns.

Life has been so bitter to me in terms of love life and relationships. It was happy, but it didn't last long. It even came to the point where we both have to sacrifice big things, including our lives just to prove that we got each other's backs and how we love each other so much.

Yeah, yeah, I know. It's pretty common. But, would you even sacrifice your own life that'll lead you to your own death just to prove your love to someone? Well, that's hard, isn't it.

Anyways, I was madly in love... But being in love, was a big mistake that dragged me... That dragged us into this mess.

It was a decade ago, but the scar that it left me in my heart is still fresh like it was a new cut.

I should just escape and let myself heal, and I did, I went to another country and stayed there for as long as I can remember...

But after years of not going anywhere outside the country, I came back to the Philippines, my home. My feet had its own mind and dragged me to where I am now, in the place where exactly it all happened, about fifteen years ago.

I don't know why I'm here in the first place, but I know deep inside, I have a reason to come here.

Memories came back like the seawater meeting with the shore and it became clearer as I stared at the structure of where it all started.

It has been years since I last went in this place and I really miss it here.

Then, I heard a bell ring from the distance, causing the place to be a lot noisier than a few seconds ago. I looked around the place and saw children getting out of their rooms with their rolling schoolbags as they happily chit-chat with their friends before going to their parents so they can go home.

Now I remembered why I'm here in the first place. I'm here to fetch someone. It's a perfect timing that I got here, which is also the time they just got out.

Then, I received a text from someone. It made me get my phone out from my pocket to check what it is.

Thanks for getting Misun for me. I really appreciate it.

I replied the text afterwards.

It's not a big deal. It's my way of spending time with her.

And send.

As I waited for Misun to come out from her classroom, I decided to tour myself in the building and its halls. The structure and the design is very beautiful and very different from the school I used to attend when I was young.

I saw children passing me and greeted me with their warmest smiles. They would wave at me and praise for my beauty. I greeted them back, waved and gave my sweetest smiles to them. I felt so happy receiving compliments from children because I know that children are very honest.

Oh, I really wish for my kid to compliment me like that too.

The thing is, I never even have a kid yet. What's worst, I'm not yet married.

I sighed.

As I continued walking to wherever my feet take me, I saw a cute little girl with her pink rolling schoolbag. She's wearing a school uniform and has the cutest ponytails I've ever seen. As she saw me from the distance, she gave me the brightest smile and ran towards me. I opened my arms to her and gave her a hug.

"Misun." I called her and kissed her on the forehead.

"Ajumeoni." She called me and hugged me back.

"How's school?" I asked her while standing up properly, carrying her schoolbag and held her hand as we walked towards the main exit gate.

"It was so fun. I had a good time, ajumeoni." She replied. "We drew, wrote, sang and danced. I also make a lot of friends, ajumeoni. I got a perfect score in Math and have this Very Good mark from teacher." She added and showed the mark on her hand.

I smiled at her. "That's good to hear, Misun. Tell you what, since you did a great job today at school, let's eat at your favorite restaurant as my reward." I said, causing her smile to widen even more.

"YEY!" She shouted in joy.

She continued singing and excitedly walked towards the exit gate. At the end of the hallway, a little boy passed from behind us. He ran swiftly, seemingly excited.

Then, I heard noises from parents seemingly complimenting someone, but I didn't mind.

"Daddy." He called a man, wearing a white t-shirt, black pants and a pair of rubber shoes.

As the man lean to where the sound came from, I froze as I was shocked to see him here.

He smiled to the child and carried the little boy and hugged him tightly. "Ced." He called to the kid named Ced.

"How's school, my boy?" He asked the little boy he's carrying.

"It's great, Daddy. I had so much fun." He answered and the man smiled as his response.

As he leaned to our way, we both froze as we met once again after a decade of not seeing each other.

What a coincidence to see him like this after years of not seeing each other, with the exact same clothes he wore, only bigger and in the exact same place of where we met for the first time.

He was stunned to see me with Misun and I felt the same as I saw him with Ced.

What stunned me is the unique wedding ring on his finger.

I couldn't help but feel happy and heartbreak at the same time.

I sacrificed a lot, but why did I ended up seeing this? After all I did, I ended up knowing he's married to someone else.

I wanted to cry, and seeing the cold expression plastered on his face made it even worse. The only thing that stopped me is Ced and Misun. I don't want them to see me crying right here, right now.

After a few seconds of staring at each other, Ced broke the silence.

"Daddy, do you know her?" Ced asked and looked at us, confused.

It took a while before the man could answer, and in the end, he answered Ced with the answer I couldn't imagine he'd answer.

"No, I don't." He answered and both of them left without another word.

Leo.