I'll Find You In Milan

Chapter 22

Milan's POV

I know where I'll go, nilakad ko lang mula sa auction event ang dati naming bahay dito. While I walk, I felt some peace and a big weight off me. I stared at our old house at napakaraming memories noon, my mom is from Batangas at doon kami tumira dati before we moved here at naging kapitbahay namin sina Derick. I can't help na mapaluha because out of all the things I suffered sa kamay ni Ethan, this home is still here.

I came upon our old lot at sa isang olive tree. I really felt like it was still like yesterday na nagbaon kami dito ng mga pangako ni Derick kapag malalaki na kami.

There I saw na may hukay na ang spot na yun, meaning na may nagbasa na. Hinukay ko din yun and I only found a single letter. Kung binasa mo na yun Derick, when? Akala ko ba sabay natin tong babasahin.

But then I felt so excited dahil sa wakas mababasa ko na and I really miss him so how strong am I to resist this.

I opened the bottle at kinuha ang letter nya para sa 'kin, while it says...

Hello Milan,

Nakabalik ka naba galing Milan? Kasi binabasa mo na to.
Ayos kalang ba?
Sana wala kang nakilala sa ibang bansa ha, kasi naghihintay ako dito. I'm here, siguro iniwan mo ko to reach your dreams pero ako, matagal nang natupad yung pangarap ko, ikaw kasi yun eh.

Eto ka ngayon, nagsusulat ng letter para sa 'kin, hindi ka nakatingin pero ako, nakatingin sayo which you probably didn't know.

Ngayong natupad na lahat, I'm just waiting for the chance to tell you.
Ngayong malalaki na tayo, I'm just waiting for this day to tell you.
Na gusto kita.
Ever since nagkamalay ako na pwede nga pala kitang makasama habangbuhay.

And I want that, sana nga kaharap mo ko ngayon. Sana hindi nito masira ang pagkakaibigan natin. Dahil kahit ano pa, I'll always protect you, be there for you and I'll always love you.

At kahit anong mangyari, nasan man ako, there's a space in my heart na para lang sayo. Kaya wag kang paalis alis kasi hindi na mabubuo pag wala ka.

So stay, kapag tumungin ka sa kin ngayon, just say yes and I'm all yours.

That's what the letter says at napaiyak nalang ako, I'd been so obsessed with him ngayong mga malalaki na kami. Then now I found out matagal na pala nya kong gusto, earlier than I did. All the time that he says he loves me sa tuwing lasing sya, he actually mean it at sinabi nya yun sa 'kin na alam nya lahat.

I feel so thankful, all those times of hopelessness kung gusto nya rin ba 'ko was answered today. At dumating kalang ngayon Derick and I would scream yes to you a million times!

"Milan" I stopped when someone called out for me dahil paano nya nalaman na ako nga si Milan.

Then I turned around and I saw him, Derick, already smiling while tearing up just like I do.

He came up to me slowly na para bang nakilala na nga nya ko bilang si Milan.
"Why didn't you told me? Ba't di ka nagparamdam? I'm sorry." He was still looking at me at napaluhod nalang sya while saying that. At parehas lang kaming umiiyak ngayon.

"Shhhhh!" I kneld down at him at inilagay ang daliri ko sa bibig nya habang hawak ko padin ang letter na isinulat nya. "Yes" tumango ako habang sinasabi yun and I just smiled.

We hugged each other at para bang all those years na naging malayo kami sa isat-isa feels like its still the same, walang nabago, he is still Carl Derick Asuncion, my best friend, and the person I loved and will love the most.

"Lumayo ako sayo dahil ayokong masaktan ka!" He said, I understand that those where his depressed days.

"Nung lumayo ka, lalo mo lang akong sinaktan!" I said that, dahil kung akala nya mapapasuko nya ko, hindi!

"You don't have to let me go dahil kahit anong gawin mo no one can ever replace you." I said that and I know that he have to have that confidence and trust for himself na kaya nyang magbago para sa sarili nya at para sa 'kin.

"I'm so sorry!" He keeps on saying that but I just held him in my arms to tell him that we're all fine now.

Umalis na kami and he drove me back to his house para doon na muna ako magstay. For the second time actually.

"I guess you're still the first one to be with me in this car." Nalaman din nya and it feels so good na sinigurado yun ng tadhana.

"Nasa pulis na si Ethan ngayon, siguro Cheryl will tell you when to meet him at court para sa testimony, ayos kalang ba dun?" Yes, I'm not traumatised and all.

"But before you tell them, tell me first." Harap pa nya sa 'kin.

"They told me na kailangan muna kong gawan ng pre operation bago maibalik ang mukha ko dahil sa aksidente but turned out it was a different face na ipinalit nila sa 'kin." So I explained everything.

"I was fine at first before I discovered that, but Ethan had been more possessive kaya ako na'ng gumawa ng paraan para makalaya. This is better, kung ikaw ang unang nakaalam, lalo kalang magpapa dalos dalos."

"He told me pupunta ka na ng Milan with him kaya ako naglet go at ipinamukha ko yun sayo because I know you don't diserve me. I thought I'll just let you go and follow your dreams." It must have felt so hard for him na pinaikot ni Ethan kaming dalawa.

"We both misunderstood, nung araw na yun, hindi ako sumama kay Tita because you said magbabago kana. At ako, I took it when you kissed another woman and told me na ayaw mo na."

"I kissed that woman when I'm hallucinating and I saw you."

"Forget about it, payapa na 'ko ngayon." I looked at the road in front of me at nakasandal lang ako sa kotse nya, with him I give all my trust.

"Don't worry I'll be with you sa korte."

"Hindi, magagalit kalang." Sabi ko pa.

"Yes, I will." Alam ko baka magwala pa sya dun, I know he won't, pero pagkatapos.

"Gusto ko puntahan mo nalang ang Papa mo, and tell him that you've forgiven him." I said that and he paused for a moment, para bang pinag-iisipan pa ang sinabi ko.

"Derick, hindi mo mapapatawad ang sarili mo kung may galit pa dyan sa puso mo." I kept on convincing him at matagal na panahon narin yun.

"If you insist, oo gagawin ko para sayo." I smiled at him, this ride of ours hopefully leads to a better start sa buhay nya at sa buhay ko, with us being together.