TRY . jinlia

044

Timeline: 8 years later

[ CHOI LIA'S ]

Vet School was expectedly hard. Pero pagkatapos ng 7 years, I finally have the title 'DVM' at my last name. I've started to build my own clinic too back in my old hometown.

Si Papa, nandoon na pero ako, nandito pa rin sa syudad para ayusin ang lahat ng iiwan namin rito. Our apartment, my license, and the new friends I have made. Aecha and Sojin comes here when there's a special ocassion. Gano'n din ako sakanila.

Ryujin... I have no idea about her despite knowing she graduated four? Three years ago? I really don't know. Hindi na ako nag-abalang alamin pa dahil pinangako ko sa sarili kong ako muna.

But it's been years. Maybe it's fine to know more about what happened to her, right?

I chuckled mentally. Who am I kidding? Maybe... there are parts of me that haven't moved on yet. She was my first love. After that, after what happened, until now, no one dared to replace her—more like I did not let anyone.

"Li, do you really have to go?" Mei, a friend I made through Vet School pouted as she watched me pack my things.

"I have to. Besides, I'm still going to visit or you can! Ipapasyal kita doon sa'min," I smiled.

"What about Miles? Have you settled everything with him?"

I sighed. "Yes. I turned him down. And he agreed to being just friends although I doubt we can be friends again after what happened. Wala e, babae yata talaga gusto ko," tawa ko.

Iyong Miles kasi ay manliligaw ko, not until I turned him down yesterday. I was in the city, I met new faces, new souls—it wasn't impossible for me to find someone new. I did had a few flings here and there, mostly girls, but all did not work out. I did not want it to. I guess they were all just for feeling good.

She scoffed with a smile on her face, rolling her eyes. "More like, yung Ryujin pa rin talaga ang gusto mo," asar niya.

Mei is like Aecha and Sojin to me ever since we started being friends after I got here. At dahil ganoon nga ang turing ko sakaniya ay nasabi ko na lahat ng kagagahan ko sa buhay sakaniya. I'm glad I met her. She made my stay here bittersweet yet bearable.

"Call me when you get there, okay? Let me know your safe," nguso ni Mei habang nakatayo sa labas ng kotse ko.

I chuckled. "Stop pouting! Magkikita pa tayo, okay? Don't miss me too much," asar ko bago pinaandar ang kotse ko.

I waved one last time at a teary-eyed Mei before driving away from where she was standing.

Huminga ako ng malalim at pinigilan ang mga matang nagsisimula nang magtubig. This is the first time I'll be away from her for a long time. Hindi pa kasi sigurado kung kailan ang balik ko rito sa syudad dahil aasikasuhin ko pa ang pinapatayo kong veterinary clinic.

After finally getting myself together, I dialed Papa's number and called him.

"Yes, anak?"

"Hi! Just called to say I'm on my way na," sagot ko, medyo sumisinghot pa.

"Are you crying?" ang tanong naman ni Papa.