Like sunflowers, you look at them and you see their adoration and loyalty to each other. In the little moments, the longing stares, and the hidden gestures, just stare a bit longer, dig a little deeper, and you'll see:
Risa's unwavering faith in Leni and Leni's unconditional love for Risa.
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"What if they hate us? What if they hate you?"
"They will. But it won't matter. As long as you're with me, it won't matter."
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To my dearest Ana Theresia,
I've been inaugurated twice – once for VP and once for President. Yet those won't ever compare to the excitement I'm feeling as I'm writing this a day before I'll finally be able to call you my wife.
Ang dami kong emosyon, sa totoo lang. Of course, I'm happy, parang hindi nga enough 'yung salitang 'yun para i-describe kung gaano ako kasaya ngayon. But I'm also nervous. Hindi dahil may second thoughts ako about our wedding pero dahil baka sa sobrang ganda mo bukas wala na akong masabi.
You never fail to render me speechless, did you know that?
Marami akong gustong isulat sa letter na 'to but you know it would take me forever to write. And I'd much rather be spending forever with you. So instead, let me tell you how much you mean to me.
You're my cheerleader. The person who's consistent in cheering for me since the very first day that you met me. Always clapping your hands with your arms raised, a big smile on your face tuwing magsasalita na ako. And not once did you stop doing it. Even during the days that you can't cheer for me, you silently did by wearing that pink leatherband on your wrist that I gave you, then the sunflower bracelet, and I know that starting tomorrow, it'll be our wedding ring.
You rooted for me, most especially on the days I wasn't rooting for myself. You stood both behind and beside me all the time, letting me know constantly na andyan ka para sa'kin at wala kang balak umalis. I remember you saying, "Go, Leni. I'm rooting for you." so many times but the ones that stuck with me were during my first campaign rally when I was running for VP, and the other one was 6 years later when I was still undecided about filing for candidacy as President. Since 2016, sobrang consistent mo sa pag-cheer sa akin. Siguro in another life, cheerleading talaga ang career mo haha!
Jokes aside, thank you for your unwavering faith in me.
You're my confidant. Hindi ako madaldal na tao. I prefer keeping things to myself rather than sharing them with others. Pero pagdating sa'yo, hinding-hindi ako nahihiyang magsabi. Nawawala 'yung instinct ko na sarilihin 'yung mga problema ko kasi nandyan ka.
Alam ko na pakikinggan mo ako, yayakapin, at sasabihan na kaya kong lagpasan 'yung problema ko. You'd try to help me the way that you know how. But during the days na hindi mo din alam kung ano'ng dapat gawin, you'd hold my hand, soothe my hair, and tell me na hindi ako mag-isa.
And those sweet little gestures of yours are more than enough for me.
You're my bliss. Ikaw ang kaligayahan at ang pahinga ko. Sa magulong mundo na kinabibilangan natin, masaya akong kasama kita. Masaya akong umuuwi sa'yo. And I hope that the day I'll go home to an empty house — a house without you, would never come.
You're many things at once, Risa. My anchor, my hope, my comfort, my north star, at maraming marami pang iba. Pero para sa'kin ang pinakamahalaga sa lahat ng 'yun ay ang akin ka. At sa akin lang.
It took me years and a pack of Chocnuts to realize that I had feelings for you. It took me the assurance that you'll still be wearing the pink leatherband I gave you to realize na mahal na kita. It took me the image of you walking out the door to make me realize that I would do anything in the world to keep you in my life.
And it took me one "yes" from you to have the courage to face the world, unfazed by the consequences, and declare my love for you.
You asked me pa'no kung magalit sila sa atin, sa akin mas lalo na. Sinabi ko sa'yo na alam ko namang may magagalit. But it didn't matter kasi you're with me. Then your lips curled upwards and your eyes glimmered with affection.
How did I know I was absolutely ready to tell the world about us? You smiled. You just smiled.
Hindi na kita pasasalamatan, hindi na ako hihingi ng tawad, at hindi na ako mangangako nang pagkadami-daming bagay sa'yo bukas. Not because I don't want to. But because I know that I have a lifetime with you to do that.
And there's nothing more I'd want than to spend Chapter 1 Article 13 of the Civil Code of the Philippines with you.
I love you in silent moments, where we need not to say a word because we already know what the other wants to say. I love you in burning moments, where I long for nothing but to touch you and to be in your arms after such an exhausting day. And I love you simply. Where I can wake up and be with you and not worry about what the rest of the day will bring.
We can be spontaneous or we can be bored. We can go on an adventure or we can stay home. Whatever else we think of doing, we do it together because finally, we'll get to enjoy what we've both always wanted — the daily peace of loving plainly.
Mahal kita, Ana Theresia. And I can't wait to see you tomorrow and be with you for the rest of our lives.
Yours until the very end,
Leni
