One day in Seoul 🇰🇷

🇰🇷: 41

As we pulled into the driveway, the house loomed ahead, quiet and still as always. Nathan, Daniel, and I stepped out of the car and walked up to the front door. The sun was shining, but there was an unmistakable sense of loneliness in the air. For a moment, I paused, glancing at the windows. The silence of this house was a stark contrast to the warmth and noise that had filled Katarina's home earlier.

"Sobrang tahimik dito," Nathan muttered, walking beside me as we entered. Daniel simply nodded, the same thought likely running through his head.

Inside, the air was cool and stagnant. No sound except the faint hum of the air conditioning greeted us. We headed to the living room, where the large sofa sprawled out in front of us. I sat down, leaning back with a sigh, my thoughts still lingering on the morning's events. Nathan and Daniel settled in next to me, the silence of the house wrapping around us once more.

"Iba talaga 'yung pakiramdam sa bahay ni Katarina," Daniel said, breaking the quiet as he leaned his head back against the sofa. "It feels like... a second family."

Nathan nodded, a soft smile tugging at his lips. "Oo nga eh. It's different there. Parang may buhay. You can feel the warmth, the love."

I smiled to myself, thinking about Sarang's laughter as she sat on my shoulders, the way Katarina's eyes sparkled when she teased her brother, the loud chatter and endless jokes during breakfast. It was chaotic, but it was comforting. There was something about their home that made you feel like you belonged.

"Pero," Daniel added, his tone shifting to something more serious, "we can't ignore what's coming next. Hindi natin alam kung ano ang mangyayari sa mga susunod na araw."

The words hung in the air like a heavy weight. We all knew it. The unpredictability of the days ahead loomed over us, the dangers we couldn't see yet, but could feel approaching. We were entering a storm, and there was no clear way out.

I turned to Nathan, my mind drifting back to his sudden headaches and the flashbacks he'd been having. "Nathan, sigurado ka bang okay ka na?" I asked, my voice low but filled with concern.

He glanced at me, his expression softening. "Mas mabuti na, Bro. The headaches aren't as bad anymore, and the memories... they're becoming clearer." He hesitated, then smiled a little. "Kaya ko na. Slowly, I'm remembering everything."

Hearing that brought a small sense of relief. I had been worried for days now, ever since the first time he had collapsed, clutching his head in agony. The doctors couldn't pinpoint the cause right away, but it seemed to be linked to something from his childhood-something dark and painful that had been locked away for years. Now, it was all starting to resurface.

I nodded. "Good to hear. Basta, huwag kang magmadali. Take it easy."

Nathan gave me a reassuring smile, but I could tell that even though the headaches were improving, the weight of those memories was still there. It was something that wouldn't disappear overnight.

Daniel shifted beside me, pulling out his tablet. "Francis, here's our itinerary for the next few days. We still have a lot to do." He handed me the tablet, and I quickly scanned the schedule.

There it was, laid out in front of me-the endless meetings, business deals, and commitments that were all part of the life I had built. A life I was slowly realizing I might want to walk away from. But not yet. I had to make sure everything was in order first. I couldn't leave it all behind, not when there were still loose ends to tie up.

My eyes caught on one particular lunch scheduled for later. Lunch with Francheska.

I frowned. I had promised Katarina and Sarang that we'd have lunch together later, and I didn't want to break that promise. "Daniel, cancel the lunch with Francheska," I said, handing the tablet back to him.