A Collision of Hearts and Heroes

Epilogue

Gasper's POV

Into the Next Battlefield

I grew up in an underprivileged family. 'Yong tipo ng pamumuhay na sapat lang para makakain ng tatlong beses sa isang araw. Lumaki kaming mahirap pero ni minsan ay hindi kami pinatikim ng gutom ng mga magulang namin. Ngunit ramdam ko. Hindi man nila pinakita, alam kong hirap na hirap na rin sila. So, even from a young age, I learned the importance of hardwork in order to support my parents with our household expenses.

Kahit ano-anong trabaho ang pinasukan ko para lang may maibigay ni konti sa kanila. I didn't start playing Mobile Legends for fun. I played it to earn money. I found out that you can actually sell accounts, pilot accounts, join tournaments, and earn from it. Kaya sa ilang taon ay iyan ang pinagtutuonan ko ng pansin, lalo pa't kasama ko ang pinsan kong si Gaviel sa paghahanap ng pera.

I made an extra effort when I started dating Yesha. Isa 'yan sa naging rason kung bakit mas lalo akong nagsusumikap. I was in such a rush to improve myself, just to feel even a bit worthy of her, and to give her a better life in the future. At times, I even pushed myself to my limits—only to be betrayed in the end. Nakakalungkot lang na sa kabila ng lahat ng iyon ay nabigo at nasaktan lang ako sa dulo.

That experience made me despise anything that reminded me of that painful past. I hate everything that brings back the memory of being deceived by the woman I loved with the very man I once considered my closest friend. Ipinangako ko sa sarili ko na magmula sa araw na 'yon ay sa pamilya ko na ibubuhos lahat ng pagsisikap ko. Kung kinailangan kong maging matigas para sa sariling kapakanan ay gagawin ko. I will do everything to protect my peace so I can focus on giving the best to my family.

No distractions.

No other commitments.

Not even love.

"Pasasakayin muna natin ng jeep si Atherelle bago tayo pupunta," Lyle spoke.

Katatapos lang ng panghapon naming klase at kagaya ng nakaraang araw ay tinutulungan namin si Atherelle makasakay ng jeep. We were heading toward the school exit with Lyle and her. Although she still seemed like a mystery to us, we had offered to help her adjust to the unfamiliar world she now found herself in. Based on how she struggled to adapt to the kind of life people like us are used to, it felt like she had gone through something terrible.

Mukhang parehas kaming kagagaling lang sa masalimoot na nakaraan.

"Is it always like this here? 'Yong mag-aagawan talaga ang mga tao sa pagsakay?" Atherelle asked as we were nearing the school gate.

"Oo, 5-6 rush hour," si Lyle ang sumagot.

Gusto ko siyang tanungin sa buhay niya noon para makakuha ng impormasyon at nang maibigay ito sa pinsan ko. He's been suspecting that she might be the girl he spoke to a year ago, so I've been thinking about asking her about her past. Pero alam kong hindi siya basta bastang nagsasabi ng tungkol sa buhay niya.

Kung sana kasi hindi nalang pinagtutuonan ng pansin ang pagmamahal ay hindi na sana ganito ka komplikado ang lahat. Ngunit 'yong pinsan kong si Gaviel ay sobrang baliw sa babaeng hindi niya pa naman nakikita sa personal. Nagiging lover boy bigla.

Mabuti nalang tapos na ako d'yan.

Nang nasa labas na kami ng gate, ay halos mapatigil ako sa nakita. I used to hate someone who drove a Porsche sports car, and seeing one now doesn't bring back good memories. I tried to soothe my nerves, but those damn memories kept flooding my mind. Naikuyom ko nang mariin ang kamao sa likuran nang maalala ang unang beses ko silang nahuling naghahalikan sa loob ng sasakyan. Pinatawad ko pa siya no'n dahil akala kong magbabago, pero ginagago ko lang pala ang sarili ko.