Ditto Dissonance (Yellow and Mishaps #1)

Chapter 50

Chapter 50: One as It Is

#DittoDissonanceWP

AUTHOR'S NOTE: tenchu again for waiting! grabe ch 50 na tayo :) don't forget to vote and enjoy this chapter! <3

.・゜゜・・゜゜・．.・゜゜・・゜゜・．

[REVISED VERSION: NOVEMBER 2025]

.・゜゜・・゜゜・．.・゜゜・・゜゜・．

Zern's Point of View (❁ᴗ͈ˬᴗ͈)

There was no suspicion or tension in my stomach as we drove on the highway. The air was calm and welcoming. 

Caiden didn't let me feel any emotion that could make me uncomfortable. I was more excited that we got to spend some time together. He wanted this, and I did too.

I gazed at him—there was a small smile on his lips. Caiden noticed that I was looking at him, so we smiled at each other.

"Bakit? I like the silence that we share, pero if gusto mong makipag-usap, ayos lang din naman," sabi ni Caiden at pasulyap-sulyap na sa akin.

Mahina akong tumawa. "Wala naman! Masaya lang din ako. Alam ko naman kasi na gusto mo akong makasama at maka-bonding din. Sadyang nirerespeto mo lang 'yong friendship namin nina Ashton kaya hindi ka nagme-meddle," maamo kong sabi.

"They are your friends. Nandiyan na sila, bago pa ako dumating. You're much fonder than them—you trust them a lot. Ang gusto ko naman kasi, maging panatag ka at hindi mo maramdaman na pinipilit ka o hindi ka comfortable sa isang sitwasyon. Ayaw ko na ulit makita 'yon sa mukha mo," sabi ni Caiden.

Napangiti ako nang malawak. Tangina. . . cute. 

"Saka, okay na rin si Ashton. Hindi na siya magre-react negatively. He was just having some sort of episode, I think. Naiintindihan ko naman siya. Mabuti na rin at mas naging maayos na," sabi ko at magaan na mahinang napatawa.

"That's good, then. Hindi naman ako nagwo-worry na ayaw niya ako. Ikaw ang iniisip ko," sabi ni Caiden at nilingon ako ulit. "Baka kasi pakiramdam mo naiipit ka. Ayaw kong maramdaman mo 'yon. Kaya ginagawa ko lahat ng kaya ko para maparamdam sa 'yo na wala kang dapat bitbitin gaano—I mean you don't have to carry it all dahil andito naman ako at nandiyan din 'yung mga kaibigan mo. We care about you." Banayad ang boses ni Caiden.

Tumango-tango akong magaan pa rin ang dibdib. "Aww... thank you, Caiden. That was nice to hear, like... from you. No'ng una kasi, nalilito ako kung paano ba kita pakikisamahan. Hanggang sa eventually nalalaman ko na rin naman, pero pakiramdam ko, palaging may sabit at may kailangan akong dalhin para mag-work 'yong pakikitungo ko sa 'yo," sabi ko at mahinang tumawa.

"Magaan lang sa... uhm... pakiramdam. Magaan kasi... ikaw mismo 'yong nagpapaliwanag sa akin ng mga bagay na kailangan kong maintindihan sa 'yo. I'm glad that we became closer, because I get to know you—the real you. Eventually, may mga malalaman pa naman ako sa 'yo at gano'n ka rin sa akin," sabi ko at mahina ulit na tumawa.

He chuckled before smiling widely. "I'm super glad to hear that, Zern. Like, really glad. Hindi ko kasi alam kung masaya ka rin ba sa mga ginagawa ko o sa pakikitungo ko sa 'yo. Hearing that makes me... happy."

Malawak din akong napangiti sa sinabi niya.

Somehow, it cleared something. Mas nade-develop 'yong trust ngayong pinag-usapan namin 'to. Kaya alam kong eventually mas magiging close kami. He was honest, which was not surprising for me. I liked that. Aside from that, he cared, and he listened