I Love You, Goodbye.

1.

The sun has just rise, and every morning as a routine, Erika prepares to do her chores.

Except something felt really different, maybe it's because of the cold breeze of December's roads filled with people walking from the mass or its because of the boy he seen: lying unconsciously with a big, unfamiliar clothing, and white porcelain skin.

A man who would open her mind to endless learning, and a man who would soonly who would take her heart.

–

“Ginoo, ginoo!” Erika said, walking up the unconscious boy who's still lying by the grass.

A soft moan, a sign that he's now conscious.

“Magandang umaga, Ginoo. Bakit ka po nakahiga sa may damuhan?” Erika curiously asked, she thinks that maybe he's another theif.

“Ginoo? Anong taon ba to?” The boy with white porcelain skin asked

“Taong ika isang libo't walong daan po” She answered

The boys eyes got big and he started yelling, “I did it” in repeat.

“Ano po ang ibig sabihin ng 'I did it', Ginoo?” She asked

“Ahh, Ingles yun. Ang ibig sabihin nun ay 'nagawa ko'. Ako nga pala si Pablo, Pablo Nase” He answered

“Maari ba kitang maimbitahan upang makapag usap po tayo?” Erika asked, inviting the boy because of her deep curiosity

“Sige” Pablo simply answered.

They went inside the house, and went to the Còcina. While Erika was brewing his coffee, she offered him with a Ensaymada while talking about why is he there.

“Ahh, ang ibig sabihin mo ay pag ginamit mo yun? Makakapunta ka sa ibang taon? Nakakaintriga naman!” She exclaimed happily, she never heard of something so interesting in her life up until now.

Pablo told her about all the cool inventions that the world has like digital time, phones, and other gadgets.

She felt so intrigued by what he told her, she's impressed by his knowledge and the future.

She's always the most intelligent person she knows and she always beat her boy classmates but this was no boy.

This was surely a man, a man of science and knowledge.

They spend the whole day having conversations about what the future looks like and planning on how will they fix the time machine.

–

“Masyado bang malamig?” She asked

“Medyo, pero hayaan mo na. Ilang oras inabot mo para lang initin to, di na ako mag iinarte” Pablo answered while she gently scrubs his back with a loofa.

“Sa tingin mo kaya sa hinaharap, pantay-pantay na kaya ang tingin ng mga lalake sa babae? Sa tingin mo kaya hinde nalang pang asawa ang tingin nila sa mga babae?” She asked, she always felt so discriminated for being a female despite of her intelect.

He sighed as he look her in the eyes and said, “Hinde. Karamihan pa rin sa panahong iyon ay tingin sa mga babae ay pang asawa o aanakan lang, medyo malala nga kasi laganap sa panahong yun ang pangagahasa pero maraming tutulong sa'yo. At medyo malaya na kayong makapag aral at trabaho, at pumili kung sino ang gusto nyong ma-kasama sa pang habang buhay”.

She sighed, if she can only go with him in the future but she knows that it'll affect time.

“Tama na yan, baka magkasakit ka pa. Halika, eto” Erika said, he then stood up for her to him.

“Pwede bang ako nalang mag tuyo sa sarili ko? Nahihiya kasi ako” he answered, admitting that he finds this weird and uncomfortable.

“Patawad, Pablo. Eto yung mga damit” She then go out, she wants some fresh air.

—

She felt her cheeks heat up, it was a sign of her blushing.

She grabbed a paper and wrote, “Ang mga mata mo
ay may taglay na mahika.

Ang bibig mo'y syang
nagbibikas ng marahuyo.

Dayang ko,
ikaw ang aking itinatangi.

Alam kong hinde magtatagal
ay ika'y mag papahimakas
sa aking piling.

Itong tula ay syang simbolo
ng aking pagsamo,
huwag ka na sanang lumisan, aking Dayang.”

She then folded the paper put it in pocket.

“Salamat nga pala sa damit, patawad kong nadistorbo kita ah?” Pablo apologized

Erika smiled and answered, “Nako, wala yun. Handa akong tumulong, kahit sino naman eh”

–

“Ahh, doon nalang ta'yo sa kwarto ko matulog. Meron akong kama doon” She offered

“Hinde na, sa baba nalang ako kung may banig ka” He insisted

“Ayun nga ang dahilan eh, wala akong banig at malamig ang sahig, Ginoong Pablo” she answered

He just sighed, “Ayaw ko lang na maging hinde ka kumportable, alam ko kasi sa panahong to pag hinawakan mo yung kamay ng isang binibi ay kailangan mong pakasalan”

“Hinde naman, may kapatid akong lalake. Magkatabi kami sa kama dati, kumportable naman akong kasama sya matulog” She answered

He just sighed and lie his body in bed.