HER : Unraveled // FayeYoko

Chapter Eight

FAYE

The streets were alive and bustling with people going about their day. Shops lined the sidewalks, offering everything from trendy clothing to fragrant coffees. I strolled through the area, savoring the fresh air after my visit to one of my salon’s branches. Bumisita lang ako rito dahil wala rin naman akong ginagawa.

As I walked, my attention was caught by a familiar figure in a new coffee shop just a short distance away. The cozy café, with its warm wooden accents and soft lighting, seemed like the perfect place to unwind. I stepped inside para makita nang mabuti kung s'ya ba talaga ang nakita ko.

My heart skipped a beat when I confirmed it was Yoko. Nakaupo lang s'ya malapit sa bintana at nagbabasa ng magazine, habang may kape sa tapat n'ya. I approached her table, my footsteps soft on the polished floor.

"Hi, Yoko," I said as I approached her table, my heart racing slightly.

Yoko looked up, her eyes widening slightly in surprise. "Faye? What are you doing here?"

"I was just taking a walk, galing ako sa isang branch ng salon ko," I replied, smiling warmly. "I didn’t expect to run into you here," I said, settling into the chair across from her. "Mind if I join you?"

"Not at all, I could use some company."

As I took a seat, my eyes couldn’t help but drift to Yoko’s left hand. The engagement ring that once adorned her finger was absent. Naalala ko kasi noong nakakagulat na pagkikita naming tatlo, pinagyabang ni Lux sa'kin 'yong engagement ring nila.

"Yoko, I couldn’t help but notice," I began, my voice gentle, "but where’s your engagement ring?" Nawala ang ngiti sa mga labi ni Yoko at napatingin sa daliri n'ya. “My father called off the engagement." she said quietly.

I stared at her, trying to process the news. Napatingin ako ulit sa daliri n'ya, hindi ko alam kung ano ba ang mararamdaman ko. Nalulungkot ako kay Lux dahil kita ko sa mga mata n'ya na mahal n'ya si Yoko, pero hindi ko mapigilan na matuwa dahil there's now a slight chance for me and Yoko.

Pero.. pinsan ko si Lux.

"What happened?" I asked.

Yoko took a sip of her coffee, avoiding my gaze. Parang nagdadalawang isip s'ya kung sasabihin n'ya ba sa akin ang dahilan. "I’d rather not talk about it," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Kaya ba badtrip si Lux last week? Ito ba ang dahilan?

"Kailan pa?" Alam kong ayaw n'yang pag-usapan, pero hindi ko mapigilang magtanong. "Three days ago," sagot n'ya.

Three days ago? So.. hindi ito ang dahilan kung bakit nagkakaganon si Lux last week. Kung ganon.. what's the reason?What really happened between them?

Hayst! I’m beginning to question whether it was a good idea for us to be together like this. Unang-una, something happened between Yoko and me. On top of that, Yoko and Lux were once engaged, and to complicate matters further, Lux is my cousin. This entire situation is becoming increasingly tangled and difficult to navigate.

Napansin ko naman na napatahimik nalang s'ya at nakatulala sa kape n'yang ubos na.

"If you’re up for it, would you like to go for a walk?" I offered, hoping to provide a distraction and some comfort. Halata kasi sa kanya na stressed s'ya. "We can talk if you want, or just enjoy the fresh air," dagdag ko pa.

Yoko hesitated for a moment, then nodded slowly. "Okay. A walk sounds good," saad n'ya at nginitian ako. Napangiti naman ako dahil don.

Sobrang ganda n'ya, lalo na kapag nakangiti.

We left the café and wandered through the lively streets, the city’s energy providing a backdrop to our quiet conversation. The more we walked, the more I wanted to reach out to her, to offer comfort. The feelings I had for Yoko, which I had kept buried for so long, seemed to resurface with every step we took together.

As we strolled down the park, I glanced at her. "You don’t have to tell me everything if you’re not ready. I just want you to know that I care about you. A lot."

She offered a small appreciative smile. "I'm okay, Faye. The engagement being called off doesn't even hurt me. It's just.. everything happened so suddenly."

"Hindi ko nga rin inaasahan na sa ganoong paraan s'ya matatapos," she said softly. "I've wanted to break off the engagement with Lux for a long time now. It’s just that I kept thinking about Dad and his company." She paused, her gaze distant, huminto kami rito sa tapat ng malaking fountain. "I guess I was trying to protect what mattered to him, even if it meant sacrificing my own happiness."

I noticed the subtle signs of distress in Yoko’s demeanor—the way her shoulders slumped slightly, the occasional glance toward the ground. It was clear that she was carrying a heavy burden.

"I wished I could hug you," I said suddenly. She looked at me, and I quickly looked away, feeling a bit embarrassed. "Bakit hindi mo gawin?" she asked, her gaze steady. "Can I?" I replied hesitantly.

"Of course, Faye," she said with a warm smile. Without hesitation, I pulled her into a tight embrace. "I missed you," I murmured, feeling her chuckle softly against me.

"I missed you too, Faye," she replied, her voice tender. We stayed like that for a few more minutes, savoring the moment. Eventually, she gently pulled away from the hug.

"Now I can see happiness in your eyes," I said with a smile, watching her face light up with a gentle laugh.

We continued our walk through the park, the conversation shifted to lighter topics. I was glad to see her smile a bit more as the day went on.

As we neared the end of our walk, I could sense that Yoko was feeling more at ease. "If you need anything, don’t hesitate to call me," I said, giving her a warm smile.

"I will," she replied softly. "Thank you for spending time with me, Faye." To my surprise, she leaned in and kissed me on the cheek. I felt my cheeks flush with warmth.

"Are you blushing?" Natatawang tanong ni Yoko. I quickly looked away, trying to mask my flustered reaction. "H–ha? Hindi ah, guni-guni mo lang 'yan," I said, though I couldn’t hide my smile. Natawa naman s'ya sa inasta ko, and I couldn’t help but smile as well. The joy of being with her again was overwhelming, and I savored every second of our time together.

As we prepared to part ways, I noticed the genuine happiness in her eyes, a stark contrast to the sadness that had clouded them before.

Nagpaalam na kami sa isa't-isa, and Yoko walked off in one direction, her figure gradually fading from view. I headed towards the parking lot, my heart still buoyant from our time together. The memory of her kiss lingered on my cheek, natagpuan ko nalang ang sarili ko na nakangiti sa kabila ng ingay sa paligid.

As I reached my car, I paused for a moment, looking back towards where Yoko had disappeared. The feeling of seeing her was like a dream I didn’t want to wake up from.

"Faye." Napalingon ako sa pamilyar na boses na tumawag sa'kin.

"Lux.."