One day in Seoul 🇰🇷

🇰🇷: 13

Hindi ko na 'to kaya.

Early in the morning, lying on my bed, I felt restless. The sunlight barely seeped through the curtains, casting a faint glow on the room. Pero bakit ganito? Bakit hindi ko matanggal sa isip ko si Katarina?

I stared up at the ceiling, half-awake, half-naked, my mind a mess of thoughts. I glanced to the side, where the large mirror reflected my bare back. The familiar sight of my dragon tattoo stared back at me-a massive creature, intricately detailed, symbolizing destruction and death. Around the dragon, several snakes coiled and twisted-representing the protection of everything I'd built over the years. Puro kadiliman ang laman ng buhay ko, yet here I was, getting tangled up in thoughts of a woman I shouldn't even think about.

It made me furious. Paano ako-isang notorious businessman-natatakot dahil sa isang babae? Of all things, bakit si Katarina pa ang nagbibigay sa akin ng takot? I wasn't scared of death, not the endless illegal operations or the constant threat of being caught. But this? This was different.

I clenched my fists and sat up, feeling the frustration bubbling under my skin. I needed to shake this off. Hindi puwedeng ganito.

I dragged myself out of bed and walked into the bathroom. The cool water from the shower hit me like a reset button. Kailangan kong kalmahin ang sarili ko.

After a quick shower, I headed downstairs. Nathan was the only one around. I figured Daniel was busy somewhere. Nathan looked up from his phone when I entered the living room, his usual smirk already in place.

"Maaga pa, bro. Hindi ka ba makatulog ng maayos?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

I ignored his question, my mind still racing from the thoughts that had plagued me all night. Kailangan ko ng distractions. Kailangan ko ng plano.

Nathan noticed something was off but didn't press further. I grabbed my phone, scrolling mindlessly through messages and business updates. Focus, Francis. You need to focus.

But no matter what I did, I couldn't get her out of my head.

I made my way to the kitchen, grabbing my usual light breakfast-just toast and black coffee. I wasn't in the mood for anything more, and it didn't help that my mind was elsewhere. After fixing my plate, I walked over to the living room and sat beside Nathan. He barely glanced up from his phone, the silence between us thick and heavy.

I took a bite of the toast, but it tasted like nothing. My thoughts were too tangled. Before I knew it, I let out a small shout, a frustrated groan breaking the stillness of the house.

"DAMN!" I slammed my hand down on the table, not hard enough to break anything but enough to vent some of the frustration boiling inside me. Hindi ko na talaga alam ang gagawin ko.

Nathan finally looked up, eyes narrowing in curiosity. He didn't ask what was wrong because he already knew. He always did. Laging tungkol kay Katarina, especially after everything that happened in Seoul. He leaned back on the couch, studying me for a second before speaking.

"If you're thinking about her again, then you need to figure this out, bro," Nathan said casually, but there was an edge of seriousness in his tone. "Kung kailangan mong kausapin si Katarina, gawin mo na. Bago pa lumala ang sitwasyon."

I didn't respond at first. I was still thinking-thinking about the mess we left behind, the unresolved tension, the looks we exchanged without saying a word. Minsan naiisip ko, may chance pa ba? Or was this just me holding on to something that was long gone?

"Pero kung closure lang ang hanap mo," Nathan continued, breaking my thoughts, "then do it and walk away. Hindi puwedeng ganito ka palagi, Francis. You're not the type to hesitate."