So this is LOVE! (ONGOING)

STIL21: A Love that was more than Love

"Vida."

Tinitigan lang siya ng babaeng nakatayo ilang dipa lang ang layo sa kanya.

They were walking hand in hand just a few moments ago but her grip loosened and she suddenly halted to a stop. Unaware, Chronos had gone two steps ahead of her before he noticed that something was wrong.

It was then that Chronos knew she was slipping away again.

Chronos tried to straighten out his furrowed brows and with a heavy heart he lifted his arms towards her. 

Nagdadasal na sana anumang sandali aabutin na iyon muli ni Vida.

But there she stood, his beautiful wind-up doll, with her glass like eyes staring right through him... amidst the bustling crowd that passed between them. Just like any wind-ups powered by a limited clockwork motor, any moment here after Vida's winding key might stop.

How can she stop something that is not her fault?

Napatingin si Chronos sa medical bracelet na nasa kamay ni Vida na gusto niyang abutin ng mga oras na iyon. Along with her medical bracelet was the amusement park's tag. Sa kanilang tatlo si Vida ang pinaka-excited sa araw na ito. He'd never seen her happy like this since her last reset.  

"Vida..." Chronos called out again patiently because he knows that she'll come back to her senses on her own.

About to drop his hands and go to her, Vida broke herself in her trance like state on her own.

Walking towards him now as if nothing happened, Chronos knew that Vida was not aware that she was in a trance.  Vida smiled with all her heart out at him as she reached her hand and wrap them around his.

"Asan na si Elle?"

Smiling back and setting aside his fears, he gestured with his head Elle's direction.

Nakapameywang ang anak nila na muhkang naiinip kaka-antay sa kanila.

"The elephant is hungry." Chronos said.

Pinalo siya ni Vida sa braso.

"Ang tanda mo na pero nag ne-name call ka pa. Sa anak ko pa!"

Tumatawang hinarang ni Chronos ang kurot ni Vida bilang pagganti sa pang-aapi daw niya kuno sa anak nila. "Ikaw etong makulit na pangalanan ng Elephant ang anak natin e. You were dead serious back then. Knowing you, if I wasn't there during that time, God knows that you would have written Elephant instead of Elle. Pinigilan lang kita noon na isulat sa birth certificate niya ang Elephant kaya dapat magpasalamat ka sakin. "

"Are you guys in any way flirting like teenagers in front of me?" malditang sabi ni Elle ng makalapit  sa kanila. "Can we get some food please?"

Para namang nahuli ng principal na tumigil ang dalawa at sabay silang tatlo na naglakad papunta sa food court.

"Elephant!"

"What?!" naiinis na lingon ni Elle sa kanya.

"Tignan mo alam niya pangalan niya. Genius!" tawang-tawa si Chronos habang inaasar ang mag-ina niya na muhka ng kambal sa itsura nila ngayon na nakapameywang sa kanya. "Ikaw na lang sumama sa mama mo prinsesa kong elepante na kumuha ng makakain. I'll reserve seats."

---------

"I'm sorry about the whole elephant thing."

Takang nilingon ni Elle ang mama niya.

She was smiling so awkwardly while apologizing that Elle had to return her smile genuinely.

"It's okay ma..." hindi pa talaga siya sanay tawagin siyang Mama. "You named me Elephant because you didn't want to forget me. Right?"