It was a very wonderful yet painful journey of love.
Ngumiti ako sa kaniya. "Thank you," I said to Kael. Someone who can go back to time but can't see the future.
Isang araw ay bigla ko na lamang natagpuan si Kael. At sa unang araw pa lamang ng aming pagkikita ay sobrang kulit niya na. Ang daming tinatanong sa akin. At kinabukasan no'n ay sinabi niya sakin na isa siyang time traveler. No'ng una ay ayaw ko maniwala sa kaniya. Akala ko ay nababaliw na siya.
"I can bring you back to time!" saad ni Kael sa akin.
Napabuntong hininga ako, "Tigilan mo ako sa kahibangan mo, Kael."
"Totoo ang sinasabi ko! Try me!"
"Paano kung ayaw ko?" saad ko sa kaniya.
"Then I will forever mess with your life until you let me do my job!"
"Job? Trabaho mo 'yan? Ang mang-"
Pinutol niya ang aking sasabihin, "We time travelers are tasked to help at least two persons in our life! Kapag nagawa namin iyon ay magiging malaya na kami habang buhay."
"Kaya hayaan mo na ako na gawin ito." Dagdag niya pa.
Tiningnan ko siya. I could tell that he is not lying. I slowly nodded at tamalon talon siya dahil sa tuwa.
"Choose a memory."
"Memory?"
"Oo. Kung ano iyong nais balikan na nakaraan mo at doon kita dadalhin."
I told him what memory and I chose the memory of me and her. "After this. You won't be able to remember me."
He said some very unfamiliar words. Like he was casting a spell.
"Enjoy the travel, Cosmos."
"Thank you, Kael..."
"Because of you I was able to see her face again. I was able to hear her voice once more, I was able to see her laugh and smile for the last time. Even though it was just a memory of mine. A memory that I will forever treasure." Dagdag ko.
"You know after this I'll be leaving..." Tumango-tango lamang ako bilang sagot.
"Can I ask you one question before I leave?" tanong niya sa akin.
"Ano ba iyon?"
"Why did you choose that memory?" Kuryoso niyang tanong.
"Anong meron sa babaeng iyon, Cosmos?"
"I chose that memory because she is my favorite past. My favorite yesterday. Siya ang first love ko, Kael." Sagot ko sa kaniya at ngumiti.
Tumango-tango siya, "Mahal mo pa ba?"
"Sobra... at nagsisisi pa rin ako na umalis ako."
"Why are you regretting? Ang sabi mo ay para sa ikakabuti mo naman," saad niya.
"She liked me, Kael..." He looked at me with so much pain.
"Oh..."
"Kung siguro ay hindi lang sana ako naging duwag... Maybe it could have ended happily. Maybe it could have been a happily ever after for the both of us." I said.
"Where is she now?"
I smiled at Kael, "She's with someone else now... With Cendrick."
Litong lito akong tiningnan ni Kael. Natawa ako sa kaniyang reaksyon.
"She liked me that time. She was just pretending that he liked Cendrick. Umalis ako at huli na ang lahat. Siguro tulad ko ay pinili niya ring mag-move on na lang. And a few years, she fell inlove with Cendrick. He used to be my bestfriend." Saad ko sa kaniya.
"Siguro if one of us took a risk maybe things could have been different now." Dagdag ko.
"Have you moved on?" Tanong niya.
I weakly smiled at him, "Hindi... My heart still beats for her even though if I don't have a heart anymore," I joked.
"Is love always that painful?"
"Hindi, Kael. Hindi palaging ganito kasakit magmahal kung matuto kang mag-move on. Pero may mga sitwasyon din kung saan kahit mahal niyo ang isa't isa ay iyon pa ang ikakasakit niyong dalawa. I think it will depend on the situation. Nakadepende ang sagot mo sa experience taong tinatanungan mo." Tumango-tango siya sa aking sagot.
"Nakakatakot pala magmahal..."
Nagulat ako sa sunod niyang sinabi. "Ano ang nangyari sa inyo no'ng Cendrick?" Dagdag niyang tanong.
Pasensiya at hindi ko masasagot ang tanong mo na iyan, Kael.
Ginulo ko ang kaniyang buhok, "Ang dami mong tanong bata ka. Akala ko ba ay pagkatapos nito ay aalis ka na?"
"Yes... I am actually already slowly fading, Cosmos." Saad ni Kael at mapait ngumiti.
"I will really never remember you?" Tumango siya bilang sagot.
"As I am slowly fading right in front of you, lahat din ng panahon at oras na tayo ay magkasama ay unti-unti na ring naglalaho." Sagot niya.
"Ako? Makakalimutan mo ba ako?"
He smiled, "Hindi... You will forget me but I can not and will not forget you."
"Ang sakit naman niyan."
"Too cruel, right?" He said and smiled.
Yes, it's too cruel. He will be living remembering me while I don't know him. I won't remember any tiny thing about him while he will forever remember all tiny details about me.
Kael is already slowly fading and I could almost not see him.
"Can I ask you one question, Kael?"
He nodded. "Bakit no'ng bumalik ako sa nakaraan ay wala akong mabago?"
He painfuly smiled at me. "You can't change anything in your past now since you're... just a soul. If you were alive then you could have change something from your past, Cosmos."
Oh...
I smiled at him. "Gano'n pala... Sayang."
"Hindi kita makakalimutan, Cosmos. Lahat ng sinabi mo sa akin ay hindi ko makakalimutan. In your memory, in your past, I have also learned a lot of things thanks to you." Kahit papaano ay natuwa ako sa kaniyang sinabi. I am happy he learned something and I hope he will not be like me– who is afraid to take risks and will forever regret.
"I hope you will live longer. Sana ay maging masaya ka sa bagong buhay mo, Kael."
"Don't be like me. Don't be a coward like me." Dagdag ko.
"May your soul will rest in peace now, Cosmos."
BINABASA MO ANG
I Love Yesterday
RomanceIn a small town, two childhood best friends had shared a deep yet unspoken love, more than friends. Both thought it was an unrequited love and chose to keep it as a secret. They keep their feelings hidden and navigate the complexities of young love...
