City of Light

Neuf.

Neuf.

[JULIET]

"Look, sunset." Tumigil ako sa paglalakad para tignan yung tinuturo ni Adrien. It's a view of the sunset over river Seine.

"Wow," I sighed and smiled.

"You know..." Sumandal sa railing si Adrien at tumingin sa'kin. "I think you should be a chef."

"Adrien, nasabi ko naman sa'yo kung bakit hindi pwede, di ba?"

"I think you should talk to your mom. Tell her how you feel. Tell her how miserable you are. I understand that you want to her happy but you owe it to yourself, to choose your own happiness too."

Yumuko ako and I smiled at the thought. What would it feel like to do what I really want? To decide for myself?

"Pero ayokong masaktan si mommy," I whispered.

"I think she would understand. All mothers want their children to be happy, right? Juliet, tumingin ka sa'kin." Tumingin ako kay Adrien. "It's not your fault. Hindi mo kasalanan na hindi nagkatuluyan yung parents mo o na hindi na ipinagpatuloy ng mommy mo yung career niya. It was her choice. She chose to keep you. She chose to raise you even if it means sacrificing her career. She chose you."

I took a deep breath and I nodded.

Ngumiti si Adrien . "Tapos pag chef ka na, ipagluto mo ko."

I looked at him and he started walking, dahil hawak hawak niya yung kamay ko, napasama na rin ako sa kanya.

Tinignan ko yung magkahawak naming mga kamay. It feels nice.

"I don't think that's possible," sabi ko.

Tumingin sa'kin si Adrien na mukhang nalilito. "Bakit naman? Ayaw mo kong ipagluto?"

"No." Tumawa ako. "Your theory remember?"

"Ah."

"After this, we'll forget each other. We'll forget this moment that we watched the sunset in Paris. I might even forget your advice to me. I'll forget you."

Umiwas ng tingin si Adrien. "Do we really have to forget each other?"

"I think that's the most probable future for us. When we wake up, mula sa kung ano mang alternate universe kung nasan tayo ngayon, we won't remember any of this. These aren't real memories... this is more of a dream than a memory."

Adrien sighed. "I don't want to think about that."

And somehow, I felt sad, knowing that we have a time limit. Knowing that what's happening with us right now wouldn't matter in the future. Knowing that all of these may not be real.