The Passion Of Devotion

Prologue

Naramdaman ko ang patong ng kaniyang ulo sa mga balikat ko at agad kong dinampian ng halik ang kaniyang noo. I hold her hand while looking at the sea in front of us. Nakaupo kami sa isang upuan na malapit sa dagat na kami din ang may gawa.

"The sunset is so beautiful, right, love? "She asked weekly.

"Yes, love. But you're more beautiful," I uttered while trying my best not to cry.

"So cringe, love," she chuckled. Na kinatawa ko din

"love? "I feel like my heart shattered when she called me with our callsign using her soft but weak voice.

"hmm? "I hummed. Mula sa pagtingin sa karagatan ay tumingin ako sakaniya hinihintay kung ano ang sasabihin.
 

"Kung mawala na ako, can you promise me na babalik ka dito para titigan ang sunset kahit hindi mo na ako kasama?"Dahil sa sinabi niya ay hindi ko na mapigilan ang aking luha na pumatak. Hindi ko siya nasagot.

"Can you do it for me, love? "She eagerly asked.

"O-of course, love." Nahihirapan kong sagot.

"Thank you, love." Nahihirapan nitong sambit sabay halik sa pisngi ko at bumalik sa pagkaka patong kaniyang ulo sa kaliwang braso ko. Na kinatulo ng luha ko ulit.

"Love, what time is it?"

Dahil sa tanong niya ay bigla akong napatigil at nahihirapan na tinignan ang orasan saaking kanang braso, when I saw the time, naramdaman ko ang pag sakit ng puso ko.

"It's 5:45 P.M." Naiiyak kong saad, causing my voice to crack.

"It's almost time na pala," she weekly mumbled, sabay alis ng kaniyang ulo saaking balikat at kasabay din ng pagtingin niya saakin, kaya agad akong iwas ng tingin.

"Look at me, love." She cupped my face using her palms. "Ang ganda mo parin kahit umiiyak, pero hindi bagay sayo," she said, but instead, na sumimangot ay lalo akong naiyak.

"P-pwede bang hindi ka nalang u-umalis? hindi ko kaya eh" Umiiyak kong pakiusap dito.

"I wish I could do that, but I'm just too tired, I really need to rest, love," I whispered through my sobs.

"Is that really what you want?" 

"Yes, love." 

"If that's what you want, I'll let you go. I don't want to see you suffer anymore. But love, can you do me one last favor?" I pleaded as tears continued to fall, and she wiped them away. 

"Hmm? What is it, love?" She asked, still wiping my tears.

"Promise me you'll come visit me, please, love. I can't bear not seeing you anymore

"My love, uuwi na ako kong saan talaga ako nararapat." Because of what she said, I burst into tears and hugged her, burying my face in her neck. "I'm sorry, because I can no longer fulfill all my promises to you, but I did manage to do some, right?" I immediately nodded in agreement with what she said

"Thank you very much for bringing happiness into my life. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me, and I am forever thankful to have met you in this brief life that I have. I never thought I would leave you again, but this time I can no longer come back to you." She paused and took a deep breath

"If the next life is real, I hope you will find me again, my love. Because I will only love you again in the next life. And I will make sure we will never be separated again"

"I will never leave your side, my love. I will always be there even if you can't see me anymore." This statement brought a lot of tears to my eyes as I held her close.

"As I take my final breath, I want you to know that I love you so much, my love. I love you more than anything. Always remember that I am always with you, even though I am not physically here, but I know I am always in your heart. Know that you are the reason why I chose to stay, but I can no longer bear it, my love."

"You are the missing piece of me that I never knew was missing until we found each other. Thank you for showing me what true love feels like."

"Goodbye, my love. Till we meet again"

As she tightly embraced me, she shut her eyes completely. Overwhelmed with sorrow, I burst into tears and wept uncontrollably, hugging her lifeless form. I used to believe that gazing at the sunset would always bring joy, even as it faded into darkness. But now, as the sunset vanished along with the closing of her eyes, I realized how painful it truly was to watch the sunset. Especially when you hold the person you love in your arms beneath its fading light, knowing they are no longer alive.