Hearts Unmasked And Unbound

Chapter 34

Tahimik kaming nakaupo sa loob ng kotse, parked somewhere away from the city lights.

It felt like the world had quieted down to make space for the storm brewing inside him, but that silence-it was heavy, oppressively so...

Since the senator shits happened, Kyan had changed. Parang nawala 'yung angas niya, 'yung laging sigurado niyang ngiti. Ngayon, he just gripped the steering wheel, his knuckles almost colorless, like he was hanging on to it for dear life.

He hadn't said anything, but the weight in the air around him was crushing, suffocating even.

"Hey," I murmured, reaching out to touch his shoulder. "Are you okay po?" Alam ko namang hindi, pero gusto ko siyang marinig.

He nodded, pero halata sa mukha niya na hindi niya kayang itago ang pagod. I watched as he turned his gaze toward the window, his jaw clenched so tightly na para bang pipigil lang siya sa paghinga, para hindi tuluyang... masira.

"Art, ang hirap... Sobrang bigat ng lahat," he whispered, so softly, like his voice was breaking under the weight. "Kanina nung nakita ko siya... parang bigla akong natunaw. Hindi ko na alam kung paano pa magpakatatag..."

I squeezed his shoulder, feeling the tension radiating from him. "Shh... I'm here. Okay? You don't have to pretend with me..."

He looked at me then, and the pain in his eyes-it was shattering. He wasn't just tired; he was broken. And the painful part was that.. there was nothing I could do to fix it...

He took a shaky breath, but it wasn't enough to keep him together, not this time. His shoulders began to tremble, his facade crumbling as he leaned into me, pressing his forehead against my shoulder.

And then, he just broke.

His arms wrapped around me tightly, desperately, like he was scared I'd disappear if he let go.

I felt his breath on my neck, ragged and uneven, the sobs he tried to swallow tearing through him as if they were clawing their way out.

"Art..." His voice cracked, barely a whisper. "Pagod na pagod na ako..."

My heart twisted painfully as I held him, feeling each shudder that wracked his body. It felt like he was bleeding out, each tremble cutting deeper, not just into him-but into me.

Seeing him like this... it was like watching something fragile shatter, each crack ripping through me as well.

"It's okay, love..." I whispered, my voice barely holding steady. I traced soothing circles on his back, fighting the ache building in my own chest. "I'm here, I'm not going anywhere, okay?"

His grip on me tightened, like I was his only anchor in this storm. I could feel every tear, every silent scream he couldn't let out. I wanted so badly to take his pain... to bear it for him... But all I could do was hold him, feeling as helpless as he was broken.

We stayed like that, just the two of us, tangled in the weight of his pain. And as each second passed, I could feel him slowly letting go, letting himself unravel, trusting me to catch him even as he fell apart.

Hinayaan ko siya. Hinayaan kong masaktan din ako para kahit papaano, mabawasan 'ang bigat na dinadala niya.

When he finally looked up, his eyes were red, filled with a mix of emotions I could barely understand.

He looked at me like he was searching for something-comfort, maybe, or even forgiveness. And before I knew it, he leaned in, his face inches from mine, his breath warm against my skin.

My heart pounded as our eyes met, and in that moment- parang kami lang ang tao sa mundo.

I didn't pull away. Slowly, I closed the distance, our lips meeting in a soft, tentative kiss.