kundiman.

end.

"Jason! What's wrong?" Clara yells out as Jason walks away from her. She rushes to him and grabs his arm to turn him back around.

Wiping away his tears, he says, "I'm glad you're happy now Clara. I really am. That's all I ever wanted for you. You deserve to live a life without pain. A life with me would bring you pain. I really hope he takes care of you."

"Jason what even are you talking about?" Clara giggles as she wipes her tears.

"That guy. You're with him now aren't you?"

"Jason you doofus," she replies hugging him tightly.

"Wh- wha?" Jason says dazed and lost.

Clara releases him and once again caresses his face.

"Jason. Remember, what you told me that night when you ended up going to UCLA and I was in New York?"

He nods, trying to control his tears.

"You said that I always was, and always will be, your one great love. Jason, you have always been, and always will be, my one great love. No one can fill the space in my heart like you can. My heart will always and forever belong to you, no matter what has and will happen. I love you so very much."

Jason can't control his emotions and buried his face in Clara's shoulder, embracing her.

Fighting back tears of her own, she jokes, "Awww my big baby."

"sHutUp" Jason says, his voice muffled with his face still sunk into Clara's shoulder.

She lifts his head up and looks into his eyes.

"I'm sorry for leaving love. I really truly am. I hope you understand why I did leave and that I needed to figure things out."

Pouting, Jason nods his head yes.

"I will never leave you again. I promise."

"Sabi mo yan ah."

Clara laughs.

"Then who was that guy back inside?"

Clara laughs again.

"Hey I'm serious," Jason says pouting even more.

"He's a suitor. But I was honest to him from the beginning that I'm still tripped up over you."

"Wehhhh."

"Yeahhhh I'm serious. No chance. You really think I'd go out with a doctor? Pffft. Boring."

Jason nudges Clara's chin.

"Ako lang?" he asks.

"Ikaw lang."

They embrace once again, kissing under the beautiful frigid New York sunset.

"Can we go now? It's freezing," Jason jokes.

//////////////

"Dude I'm so nervous," Jason tells Kyle.

"Oh shut up Jason. Four high school state championship games. Three college national championship games. One Super Bowl. And now you're nervous?" jokes Kyle as he fixes Jason's bow tie.

"You shut up Kyle. This is completely different and you should know that."

"Yeah yeah whatever. Just take a deep breath."

Kyle finishes fixing up Jason and they walk out into the lobby area. The wedding coordinator gives her final instructions to the whole entourage.

A crowd of 150 people sit and wait for the wedding to begin. They then hear Sergei Rachmaninoff's Symphony No. 2: III. Adagio start to play. They all turn around towards the entrance. Shortly after the music starts playing, Jason, accompanied by his dad and his best man Kyle, makes his way down the aisle. His knees feel like jelly. His hands tremble. They stand at the very front, his dad visibly emotional. Kyle hands Jason's dad a handkerchief. The entire entourage walks in as well. Tommy, Mike, and Ed are groomsmen. Jamie is the maid of honor and Mariella is a bridesmaid along with two of Clara's new friends from the Met, Lauren and Heather.

Two employees of the wedding coordinator shut the big wooden doors after the flower girls had finished and made their way to their seats.

Suddenly, the wedding emcee grabs the microphone from the mic stand.

"Ladies and gentlemen. Please rise for the bride."

They all stand as the music climaxes.

The doors open once again.

Clara, accompanied by her mother and her brother Brian, make her way through the doors.

Jason looks in awe and begins to cry. Kyle slaps his back in hopes it would help keep Jason under composure. It fails. He is full on bawling now.

Clara laughs and smiles as she walks down the aisle. Jason takes Clara's mother's hand and blesses (a respectful tradition in Filipino culture). Clara's mother and Brian sentimentally hand her off to Jason. He takes her by the hand and guides her to their position on the stage.

//////////////

"With the power vested unto me, I now pronounce you, man and wife. Jason, you may now kiss the bride."

The audience goes insane and urges Jason to kiss Clara. He reluctantly obliges and kisses her.

"I can't believe this is it. We're really here. Married," Jason whispers to Clara in disbelief.

"I know I know. I'm kinda at a loss for words to be honest," she replies.

"Well believe it Mrs. De Los Santos. You're mine for life now."

Clara giggles.

Jason leans in to kiss Clara and misses. He ends up kissing her nose. The crowd breaks into laughter. Clara jabs Jason's side and he realizes what he's doing wrong. He jokingly apologizes and kisses Clara for real this time.

"I love you," Jason whispers.

"I love you too," replies Clara.