'90s Clichés

Epilogo

What's the best way to end a romance book?

Kissing scene? Engagement or wedding? Pwede ring open-ending. O 'di kaya, a hint to a new beginning. But as most people know, fairy tales and any other fiction love stories end with the same overused set of words.

And they live happily ever after.

Cliché nga.

"Ah, no. Mali ako," pagbawi ko saka natawa sa pagkakamali.

"It's far from being a cliché love story in the '90s."

Sa dami ba naman ng twists ng kwentong pag-ibig ko, paano ko pa nagawang tawaging cliché ito?

"Gaya rin ba sa mga ilang nobela mo ang ending niyo, Miss Tina?" tanong ng host.

Napaisip ako. "Hmm..."

Oo naman.

"Yes."

Sa sinabi ko ay maririnig ang mga samu't saring reaksyon sa buong arena. May mga napadaing sa sakit, napasigaw sa panghihinayang, napahawak sa dibdib at mayroon pang naiiyak.

Kahit ang host ay halos malukot na ang mukha sa lungkot. Hindi ko tuloy naiwasang matawa. Saglit ko pang binaba ang mikropono habang nakatakip sa tumatawang bibig.

They look so immersed with my love life as if they've been with me all throughout the journey.

"That's really sad to hear, but we are sure you are at your happiest naman, Miss Tina, are we right?"

Mataman akong tumango. "Oo naman! Isa pa, we're on good terms. He's still one of my biggest supporters."

Sa sinabi ko ay muli na namang umugong ang sari-saring reaksyon. May ibang mas nanlumo pero mas marami ang natuwa at kinilig.

"Wow! So, in good terms naman pala! We want to know, Miss Tina, is he here today with us?"

Not a second was wasted. As soon as the question was thrown, my eyes wandered around to spot the man I've been openly talking about.

There, I found him standing on the far left side of the arena, standing tall with arms-crossed like some kind of security personnel.

I pointed my index finger at him.

"There he is."

Parang mga kalapating nagliparan ang mga ulo ng mga manonood sa direksyon ni Rio. Napangisi ako nang agad nilang makilala ang lalaki base sa hindi magkamayaw nilang mga pagtili.

Of course, they know him.

"Oh, my... God!"

Kahit ang host ay hindi makapaniwala sa nakita. Nakaawang ang bibig niya nang bumaling sa akin.

"That's... that's Mr. Rio Agustin!"

I smiled proudly.

"The CEO of Castle, Inc.," I confirmed.

The same tall, rich and handsome man who went viral on Twitter and Facebook for looking like a hot CEO only found in romance pocketbooks.

"Gusto niyo ng konting plot twist?"

I smirked as I revealed the most jaw-dropping plot twist my readers would've ever heard.

"He's my husband."

Sometime in 2007, I could remember that one particular nostalgic Sunday afternoon when I chose the same guy I loved in the '90s to spend the rest of my decades with.

"Happy endings are sometimes a little too cliché, don't you think?"

Hindi ko alam kung paanong nagawa ko pang magpakawala ng ngiti sa kabila ng biglang pagbigat ng nararamdaman.