HER : Unraveled // FayeYoko

Chapter Three

FAYE

It was one of those rare afternoons kung saan mayroon akong kaunting oras para sa sarili ko. I decided to take a stroll at the mall para mag-unwind. The bustling crowd and the noise around me provided a much-needed distraction from my usual hectic schedule.

Hay, sobrang suffocated ako sa paperworks.

I was lost in thought, browsing through the shops, when a familiar figure caught my eye. I froze for a moment, biglang bumilis ang tibok ng puso ko. It was Yoko. My mind raced with a thousand questions, but before I could take a step towards her, she disappeared into the crowd.

"Yoko!" I called out, but the crowd swallowed her up. I pushed through the crowd, my pulse quickening. I searched every corner of the mall, hoping to catch another glimpse of her, but she was nowhere to be found.

Frustrated, umupo ako sa malapit na bench. How could she just vanish like that? I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself. The thoughts of Yoko kept swirling in my mind, mixing with the memories of our time together. I wanted answers, but I didn't even know where to start.

Namalikmata lang ba ako?

But I was so sure that was Yoko. I really saw her, I'm sure it was her. Hindi ako pwedeng magkamali. Bigla nalang sumakit ang ulo ko dahil sa nangyari.

I miss her. I really miss her.

Bumuntong-hininga ako at ikinalma ang sarili ko. Pinalipas ko muna ang oras na nakaupo at nakatulala sa bench. I don't know what to do, and I don't know if tama ba ang nakita ko.

As the day wore on, I decided to take a break at the rooftop park of the mall. It was a quiet place, away from the hustle and bustle below. I needed to clear my head, and maybe, just maybe, I'd see Yoko again.

I really want to see her again.

I wandered through the park, admiring the view of the city skyline. The gentle breeze was soothing, but my heart was still racing from the earlier encounter. Just as I was about to sit on a bench, I spotted a familiar figure by the edge of the park.

My heart skipped a beat. She was standing alone. I hesitated for a moment, then gathered my courage and walked over to her.

"Yoko?" I called softly. She turned around, her eyes widening in surprise. For a moment, we just stood there, staring at each other.

"Faye.." she finally answered. Hindi ko na napigilan ang sarili ko at niyakap s'ya nang mahigpit.

"Oh God, I missed you so much," I whispered to her. Naramdaman ko naman s'ya na niyakap ako pabalik.

We stayed like that for a couple of minutes. Nauna s'yang bumitaw at hindi makatingin sa akin.

"Where have you been?" I asked. Nanatili lang s'yang tahimik at nakatingin sa baba. I held her chin and made her look at me.

"Do you want me to kiss you before you answer?" I said, teasing her. I saw her smile a little. "I missed you too," she said and hugged me again.

"I'm sorry," saad niya, bumitaw s'ya sa yakap at tumingin nang diretso sa mga mata ko. "I've been waiting and looking for you," I said and cupped her cheeks.

"Can you now tell me why you can't stay with me that night?" I asked, nawala ang ngiti sa kanyang mukha. Yoko looked away, her expression distant. "I... I'm not sure if I'm ready."

"Yoko, please, I need answers," I begged her. She looked at me with tears in her eyes. "Sinabi ko naman, it's too complicated, Faye." Her voice cracked. I hugged her tightly, comforting her.

"There are things that are just... not easy to explain," she said while crying. Bumitaw ako sa yakap and gently wiped her tears.

"I know, pero iintindihin ko naman. It just hurts na iniwan mo akong na clueless." She sighed deeply, she looked at me with her eyes filled with sadness.

"I'm engaged, Faye," saad n'ya na nakapagpatigil ng mundo ko.

"W-what?"

When I returned to the office, the day felt unusually heavy. The pain of our conversation and my longing for Yoko was a constant weight. I sat at my desk, trying to focus on my work, but thoughts of our conversation at the park kept invading my mind.

"I'm engaged, Faye."

Napapikit ako nang madiin at napahawak sa buhok ko. I let out a deep sigh bago bumalik sa pagtapos ng mga paperwork.

As I typed up a report, I couldn't help but think about Yoko. I was unable to shake off the sadness of what I learned earlier. Ang sagot na matagal kong inantay, ikakadurog ko rin pala.

"Faye, are you okay?" Wanwan's voice pulled me out of my thoughts. I looked up to see her standing in front of me, concern is visible in her eyes. Napansin ko na may luha palang tumutulo sa mga mata ko. Agad ko itong pinunasan.

"Yeah, just thinking," I replied, forcing a smile. "Sometimes it's really hard to move on," dagdag ko pa.

She gave me a reassuring smile and sat down beside me. "If you need to talk, I'm here for you."

"Thanks, Wan. I think I just need some time," I said, appreciating her support.

When I got home that evening, the apartment felt unusually quiet. I sat on the edge of my bed, replaying the events of the day. The memory of our conversation at the park was still vivid in my mind. Yoko's revelation that she was engaged, the pain in her eyes, and her departure-they all replayed like a never-ending loop.

Damang-dama ko parin ang sakit sa mga bagay na narinig ko, the way she looked at me with a mix of sadness and regret.

"W-what?" I stammered, unable to process what I had just heard.

Yoko's face was a mixture of regret and sorrow. "I didn't want to hurt you. What I felt that night was real, everything's real. Wala akong pineke sa naramdaman ko noong gabi na 'yon. It would be better if you knew the truth, you now got the answer you've been waiting for."

We stood there in silence, the weight of her revelation sinking in. "I don't know what to say," I managed to utter. Yoko's eyes were filled with tears as she looked at me one last time before walking away.

It seemed like those words had pierced through me. Humiga ako sa kama at napatulala nalang sa kisame. Damang-dama ko ang katahimikan sa aking kwarto. I wished I could have held on to our moments together, the ones that had felt so special. But now, all I had were the memories and the ache of her absence.

As I closed my eyes, I tried to push away the thoughts, but they lingered. Yoko's distance and the truth about her engagement were a harsh reality I had to accept.

Sa dinami-rami kasi ng tao sa mundo, bakit ikaw pa? Although, hindi ko pinagsisisihan na nakilala ko s'ya, but the truth made the pain seem unbearable.

Why did I fall for her so fast?

Huminga ako ng malalim at pumikit, hoping na makatulog na ako. I needed to move on, pero sa ngayon, why does it seem impossible?