About You | H. Ran

Special Chapter II

Flashbacks

"Mom, are we going to Papa's work?" Skye asked. He's already 5 years old. Ang bilis lumaki.

Today is our anniversary and isu-surprise namin siya sa airport. Being the wife of a pilot is hard lalo na kapag ang kaagaw mo ay oras at ilang kilometrong layo just to hug him kapag pagod ka.

You can't help but to miss him. Jusko. I wore a white dress and let my hair fall. Kitang kita ang baby bump ko. 

Tama ang nababasa niyo. Buntis ako. Sa second namin. Nagulantang ako nung biglang bumagsak ang portrait ni Ran. “Mommy, i’m sorry!” Skye said. “Natamaan po.” 

I just smiled at him. “It’s okay. Alis ka jan, mabubog ka.” I said and gently picked the glasses kahit na kinakabahan ako. 

I silently pray for his safety. God, ang dami pa namang nababalitang mga flight accidents these past few days. “Ma’am, ako na po jan.” Aling Nene said.

“Thank you po.” I replied and stood up. I immediately called the girls. 

“Hey, what’s wrong?” Ashlyn asked. 

I sighed heavily and bit my finger nail. “Nag aalala lang ako kay Ran. Wala bang flight ngayon sila Rindou?” 

“Si Rindou, mamaya pa ata.” She said. “Si Ran lang ang alam kong may flight ngayon. Ongoing, why?”

“Wala, nag aalala lang ako.” Sagot ko.

“Kalma lang, makakasama yan sa baby niyo. Don’t overthink. He’ll be safe naman. Kilala mo yang asawa mo.” 

Huminga na lang ako. “Sige, salamat. Naistorbo ata kita, pasensya na po.”

“Ay, hindi naman. Ano ka ba! Sige, mag ingat kayo ni Skye and little Lia.” 

“I love you, ate.” I said.

“I love you, sis.” She answered.

Umupo na lang ako sa sofa at inayos ang damit ni Skye. “Mommy, i want to watch TV.” He said. 

“Go on. Open it. May kukuhain lang si mommy sa taas.” 

Hindi pa rin matanggal ang kaba na nararamdaman ko. I went upstairs and went to our room. “Please, Ran.” I whispered. “Alam kong ang dami mong near death situations pero please. Please, come home.”

Mariin akong pumikit at nagdasal but i am interrupted by Skye’s scream. “MOMMY!”

Agad akong lumabas at bumaba papuntang sala. My eyes are fixed sa television kung saan fresh ang balita.

I opened my phone at pilit na tinatawagan si Ran. That’s not true. Hindi totoo yung nasa TV. He will survive that thing. 

“Please, pick up. Come on. Ran naman.” Sambit ko. 

I heard someone’s car kaya agad akong tumakbo palabas and i saw the boys and girls. “W-where’s Ran?” Kabadong tanong ko.

Rindou went towards me and pulled me in a hug. He sobbed in my arms. “A-ate.” He whispered.

trigger warning: mention of death and accident

“Ate, he didn’t survive.” Sambit niya. “He failed… this time.”

Para akong nabuhusan ng isang drum na malamig na tubig. Umiiyak silang lahat. “W-where is he?” 

I cried harder. “Putangina. I can’t live without Ran. Please.” I begged. “Please, tell me na nagbibiro lang kayo.”

Pero mas lalo lang umiyak ang lahat when Izana came wearing his uniform holding his phone while crying.

“H-his last words.” He said while sobbing. 

He played it. “This is Captain Haitani speaking, i will always be thankful to Him because He allowed me to bring all of you back on the land safely in exchange of my life and safety to be back at my home, my wife, son, daughter, family, and section uno.” He said. 

He chuckled. “I-i’m sorry. T-the whole aircraft’s burning and about to explode. I am using my streng- ah! fuck.” 

“I am using my strength to voice this out.” He said and chuckled. “Oh, by the way. Hahaha, it was nice being a pilot. I saw a lot of places with my wife but not with my son.”

“T-today’s our wedding anniversary..” He whispered. “I love you, tangi. I love you, Section Uno. I love you, Skye and Lia.”

“This is your captain, husband.. friend, and dad.. speaking. Goodb-” The whole explosion was recorded.

I slowly sat on the ground at tinakip ang mga kamay ko sa mata ko. I can’t believe this. I don’t want to believe everything that happened today.

Hindi ko kaya. Hindi ko kaya gumising sa umaga na walang Ran Haitani sa tabi ko. How can i live in this cruel world kung wala ang kakampi ko? How can i live in this world kung wala na si Ran?

Paano na lang ako kung wala yung buhay ko?

“Sana nagce celebrate na kami ngayon.” I whispered and wiped my tears. “Sana… we're on our way to Baguio na.”

“Pero, mas nauna pa siya sa Sagada.” Sambit ko. “Mas nauna pa niyang isigaw lahat doon.”

“Napakaduga naman niyang kaibigan niyo.” I said. “Ang duga. Napaka duga.”

End of Flashbacks

I put the flowers sa puntod niya. It’s been months since the accident happened. “Hi tangi, i’m here again.”

“I hope you’re here with us.” Sambit ko ulit habang inaayos ang cake. “I miss you.”

“I baked your favorite cake. Skye with his Tita and Tito. They took a break para aliwin nila ang anak mo.” Pagkekwento ko. “Lia’s still inside my tummy. Hindi pa siya ready lumabas. Baka kasi umaasa pa siya na buhay ka pa.”

“Pati ako, umaasa na… you survived.”

I wiped my tears and ate the cake that i baked. “Feeling ko nga, if you really survived baka tumatawa ka while listening to your friends' eulogies.”

“May biruan pa nga kami na baka umattend ka sa sarili mong burol tapos naki kape ka pa.” Pagkekwento ko. “Pero wala, walang Ran.”

I put down my plate and stared at his name. “Just one. Kahit isa lang, Ran. Please.” 

“Please, find me again. In every lifetime or any universe pa. Or, kahit sa favorite spots natin.”

“Baka sabihin mo favorite spot ko na ‘tong puntod mo, oo.” Sambit ko. “Kung sino mang galit sayo at sumabotahe jan sa pinalapad mong eroplano. Sana di masarap ulam niya palagi.”

I looked at my watch and packed my things up. “Babalik ako, ulit.” I smiled. “Mahal na mahal kita, tangi.” 

“I will continue loving you from afar. And, i am still wishing na nandito ka pa rin kahit wala na talaga.”

I stood up and went to my car. Biglang humangin at napangiti na lang ako. “Silly, i love you.”

I looked at my back when i felt someone was watching over me. Or, baka praning na ako. “Walang tao. Wag mo ako tinatakot, Haitani. Baka sampalin kita kahit multo ka.”