𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞: 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐁𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐦

Chapter 36

“Sore mo shitsumondesu ka..?”

Is that even a question..?

I stared at his lovely face with love and adoration. He already knew my answer to that question.

“Mochiron, soreha'hai'desu.”

Of course, it's a yes.

I did not waste time, I bent my body so I could hug him tightly. Puno na nang luha ang mga mata ko dahil sa sobra sobra ang nararamdaman ko rito sa puso ko.

Isa sa iniiyakan ko ay ‘yong maalala niya ito, kasi hindi pa klaro talaga kung ano ang relasyon namin. Naghiwalay kami matagal na panahon na… Nagkita at nag-usap, pero hindi talaga sigurado na kami na ulit. Because of this proposal he made, it made my heart happy. Also, my mind is already at peace—no more piled up thoughts of what really are we.

“Dōmo arigatō, Zinny… Mōichido kokoronouchi ni watashi o ukeirete kurete arigatō.”

Thank you so much, Zinny… Thank you for accepting me in your heart again.

We are looking at each other's eyes now. Kagaya ko ay may mga luha rin sa kaniyang mga mata.

“Watashi wa anata to issho ni sakimasu,” he said on behalf of his heart.

I bloom with you.

Because of what he said, I suddenly remembered the past letter he had given to me. May nakasulat doon na gaanong kataga roon. It's his another phrase of ‘I love you’ to me.

“I bloom with you…” I said back, with love. “I bloom with you forever.”

Niyakap ko ulit siya. Hindi yata akong magsasawang yakapin siya, pati na rin i-kiss at sabihing ‘mahal ko siya’. Ang sarap sa pakiramdam magmahal, lalo na't mahal ka rin ng mahal mo. I said that already to Yamara, and those words I said to her meant a lot to me.

Nang nakaharap na kami ulit sa isa't isa ay mabagal namin nilapit ang mukha. He was still kneeling on the ground, and I'm still sitting on this wooden bench. Kaya naman he doesn't need to bend or I don't need to level myself to him, because our faces were already equal to each other.

When he started kissing me, I felt like there were blossoms of flowers in the sky that showed up. Hindi ko napigilan imulat ang mapupungay kong mga mata para matignan ang mukha niya habang hinahalikan ako. Just like earlier… the best expression like earlier.

Unti unti ay naramdaman kong gumalaw siya mula sa pagkaluhod. He slowly sat down on the bench beside me, never breaking the kiss. My arms still draped around his shoulders.

For a second, he stopped kissing me just to say: “I love you.” And kissed my lips again.

Hindi ako nakasagot doon verbally, kaya dinaan ko na lamang sa diin ng paglaban ko ng halik sa kaniya. Sa sobrang diin ay hindi ko namalayan na grabe pala ang pagkakagat ko ng ibabang labi niya. Kaya naman napahinto kami pareho… because we already tasted his blood.

“Hala! Sorry!” I apologized immediately.

Nakita kong hinawakan niya ang ibabang labi kung saan ko kinagat at nagdugo. I felt the pain in his eyes, but he never reacted through groans. Para bang ininda niya ang sakit kaysa ipakita sa akin dahil sa takot na baka malungkot ako.

“Sorry…” Kinuha ko ang panyo sa loob ng bulsa ng trench coat ko, ginamit iyon para mapigil pa ang patuloy na paglabas ng dugo. Kaunti lamang ang marka ng sugat ng kagat ko, pero marami-rami rin ang dugo na lumabas. I felt bad all of a sudden… Ang sarap kasi ng labi niya, eh. Parang candy.

I saw how his eyes went small, like he's smiling through that. Hindi niya pa halos magalaw ang mga labi dahil tinatakpan ko pa rin ang ibabang parte ng panyo. Pinapahinto ko lang ang pagdurugo.