One More Yesterday (Minor Changes)

Chapter 31

A/N: Not revising, just minor changes. Can't salvage the story anymore. Read at your own risk. Author apologizes for bad taste, gender-insensitivity and misrepresentation

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"Do you really need to go?" Malungkot na tanong ni Kathryn kinaumagahan. They just woke up from their sleep and are currently cuddling each other on top of the bed.

"I really need to go home. I still have work to do." Malambing na saad ni Daniel sa dalaga. Hinila niya ito sa bewang para ihiga sa kanyang braso.

Napabuntong hininga na lamang si Kathryn habang pinaglalaruan ang laylayan ng t-shirt ni Daniel na siyang suot niya ngayon. She can't help but grow worried. Uuwi na si Daniel and tomorrow, siya naman ang uuwi. They'll go home to reality and stop this forbidden fairytale.

"Hey." He tipped her chin to look in her eyes. "What's wrong?"

"Everything." Yumuko ulit siya para umunan sa walang saplot na dibdib ni Daniel. "Everything about going home is wrong."

Pinaupo niya ng maayos si Kathryn. He rested his back on the headboard before lifting Kathryn on her waist. Settling her to sit astride him. Nagtagis naman ang bagang niya noong maramdaman ang init ni Kathryn sa kanyang gitna. He felt it beyond his boxers shorts na siyang tanging bumabalot sa kanyang kahubdan. While Kathryn looks glorious in his oversized shirt and boxers. She was being a little naughty last night, kaya pala siya nagtataka kung bakit kulang ang boxers niya sa maleta. Nasalisihan pala siya ng bubwit.

"I like it here more, Daniel." She leaned to hug him, oblivious of his fiery ache. "I love it here when everything just falls in the right track because nothing comes in between. No antagonists, only us. The protagonists."

Daniel rubbed her back, a gentle and subtle way to soothe her fears, and cool down his own furnace. "You must know that there exist no great stories without the villains. They will always be there to create conflict." He kissed her hair. "But you shall remember that they make us strong. They test our love and make it stronger than their evil intentions."

Umalis sa yakap si Kathryn at tinignan ang mata ni Daniel. Pain showing in every strand of her perfect chocolate irises. "But in this story, I am the antagonist. I am the one taking away a husband from his wife. I am the one about to make a wretched home for an innocent boy." Her eyes started showing tears.

Tila naalarma si Daniel sa mga luha ni Kathryn kaya hinila niya ito pabalik sa isang yakap. He soothed her once more before speaking. "There was once a prince who lived to be a king. He was prophesized to be the greatest ruler if and only if he won't love, because the prophecy says that loving would be his greatest downfall in ruling the kingdom - hey you stop pouting like a kid I might be called out as your father." He patted the right cheek of her butt. Kathryn chuckled and discontinued her pout. "But then one day, the prince met a thief. And to his surprise, the thief was a girl. They fell in love. The got married and they were hailed as the king and queen."

"What happened? And why are you telling me this story?" Kathryn scratched her head.

Daniel put his finger on her lips to stop her from speaking. "And as the prophecy says, love would be his greatest downfall. And it was. I'm gonna spare the details of his tragedy but then I'm going to tell you the ending." His lips landed on her forehead. "The king and the queen thief didn't part ways. They still lived with love in a humble barn. They had two kids, a boy and a small girl who deserved to be the prince and princess of the kingdom. But they're not and not going to be one forever."

Tila naguluhan si Kathryn. "Ako ba talaga yung nag-aaral sa UP? Why am I not getting any of your morals in that story? Is that a happy ending?"

Daniel chuckled. "It is a happy ending, honey." Daniel smiled at her. "What I'm saying is that it doesn't matter if you are the antagonist or the protagonist in a story. They win, you lose or the other way around, it's still the same." Piningot niya ang ilong ng dalaga. "You choose your path. Even when you win, you lose."