Lisianthus Hibius Crimson, a S-gene, wishes to abolish the treaty that prevents them from communicating with other creatures living in the same country. It's on the day of his coronation that he almost achieve the first step of his dream, but it com...
Oops! Ang larawang ito ay hindi sumusunod sa aming mga alituntunin sa nilalaman. Upang magpatuloy sa pag-publish, subukan itong alisin o mag-upload ng bago.
THE DISSOLVING FLOWER
"PLEASE, don't close your eyes," the man pleaded between his sobs. Hands turning white, he tried to reach the woman's face laying on his lap and trying hard to gasp some more air as if to have an extension of her life.
He wanted to remove all the stains of blood on her face and caress her cheeks in the most careful way he could, but his hand couldn't stop trembling. The more he watched her painful expression, the more his heart wanted to burst.
Nanghihina ang kaniyang mga brasong niyakap ang babae. Pabilis nang pabilis ang tibok ng puso niya. Para siyang binuhusan ng isang baldeng tubig dulot ng walang tigil na pag-agos ng kaniyang luha at ang malalaking butil ng pawis sa kaniyang mukha.
"Stay with me, please. Please. You'll be okay. Y-You'll be fine," he said, tasting some liquid on his lips without knowing if it was his sweat or tears. He couldn't care less. He just wished his words were powerful enough to make her okay. Or rather, to convince himself that everything would be fine.
Hindi dapat ito nangyari. Hindi dapat nakahilata sa harapan niya ang pinakamahalagang babae sa buhay niya. Hindi dapat nangyari ang giyera. Hindi dapat ganito. Hindi ito ang gusto niya.
"Kahit n-na umiiyak ka, ang guwapo mo pa r-rin," matamlay nitong saad ngunit pilit pa rin nitong pinapatunog na masigla. Seeing her trying to put a smile on her face shattered him. Para siyang sinaksak ng isang libong patalim sa buong katawan. Hindi niya ito kayang tingnan na nahihirapan.
"Stop saying that. It's not the time to—" Natigilan siya. Tuluyan siyang nanghina nang dumampi ang malambot nitong kamay sa kaniyang pisngi.
"Y-You're like a flower. The most beautiful flower."
Napakagat na lang siya sa pang-ibabang labi at niyakap nang mahigpit ang babae. Hindi niya pinansin ang malalakas na pagsabog sa labas, mga sigawan, hagulhol, at kaguluhan. At piniling damhin ang init nitong unti-unti nang napapalitan ng lamig.
If only Yeyi was here, or his mom, or Aster, or his Dragon Stone. He could heal her. He could save her.
Pero wala nang natira sa kaniya. Pamilya, kaibigan, tahanan, karangalan . . . pangarap. At sa pagkakataong ito, ang pinakamahalagang tao sa buhay niya.
Kung hindi lang siguro siya naging makasarili. If only he didn't push himself too far. If only he didn't look up way beyond the clouds, all of these wouldn't have happened.
"I'm sorry. I'm s-sorry. This . . . wasn't what I wanted." Walang tigil ang paghingi niya ng tawad habang damang-dama pa rin sa mga braso ang rumaragasang dugo mula sa likuran ng babae. Hindi na niya alam kung ang pag-iyak ba o paghinga ang uunahin niya.
Natigil lang siya nang maramdaman niya ang paghaplos ng mga kamay nito sa kaniyang buhok. A kind of touch that she used to do. A touch that he had always love and wanted.
"It wasn't your fault," namamaos nitong sabi. Pero imbes na gumaan ang pakiramdam niya ay lalo lang siyang nasaktan. Dumoble pa ang paninikip sa puso niya nang marinig ang sunod nitong sinabi. "It was mine."
Sobs filled his ears as he felt her arms wrapping around his neck. She was stroking his hair as she continued to speak. "I'm sorry. If only you hadn't met me, things may not have ended this way."
"No." Mabilis siyang umiling. "No. No. That's not true. You are part of my dream. You didn't ruin anything. I didn't regret meeting you. Not even once. Not even once, my quintessence." Kumalas siya sa yakap. Looking desperate, he placed his hand on her shoulders. "If you are going to die, then let me be with you. Take me with you."
The woman tried to curl her lips up, but she coughed blood instead. Her time was almost up. Despite her pain, she still tried to fight the urge to fall into slumber. The never-ending slumber.
"Y-You can't be with me."
"But—"
"You have a plan."
He looked at her with confusion.
Reaching for his hand, she pressed it. Gently. "You've figured something out, haven't you?"
Muli siyang umiling. "Huli na ang lahat. I'm losing everything. And if I can't make you stay, it's better for me to—"
"It's not too late." She held both of his cheeks. Ramdam niya ang malagkit na dugo nito sa mga palad habang pinupunasan nito ang kaniyang mga luha. "Shio's alive."
"What if he's alive? Nothing will change anyway!" Nanginig ang kaniyang labi. Tuyong-tuyo na ang lalamunan niya. He couldn't contain the bursting emotions anymore. It was suffocating, tormenting him in ways he couldn't die.
But instead of being shocked, the woman smiled and buried a kiss on his cheek.
"Do what you must. But this time, don't be with me. Do not choose me."
