You

Pure Bliss

In a very private and secluded paradise away from the city. That was where Ruru had decided to take Kylie.

After all the pain and stress that she had to bear for the past, few days, Ruru knew that she deserved a breather from everything.

And so they were here, in a beach property that the Madrid family had recently bought, hoping that this day would be a good and a happy one for the both of them.

"So... may naisip ka na bang pangalan para sa baby mo?" Ruru asked as he and Kylie walked along the seashore, their feet slowly embraced by the waters.

"Wala pa eh." Kylie answered. "Kahit na malapit ko na siyang makita, I can't seem to think about a name that'll suit him." She added.

"Well, gusto sana ni Aljur na "Amir" yung magiging pangalan niya. It means "Prince" in Arabic. After all, this little boy is our little prince." Kylie explained. "But... after all the pain and suffering I had to go through because of him, because of Aljur, parang... ayokong ibigay sa kanya yung benefit na siya yung nagbigay ng pangalan sa anak ko. I know I'm being selfish, but... I don't want to have anything to do with him anymore."

Ruru glanced at Kylie and said in reply, "Ky, baka naman ngayon, masagot mo na ang tanong ko. Ano ba talaga ang nangyari?"

The latter stopped dead in her tracks, looked at Ruru and sighed heavily. She trusted him and that was all that mattered right now.

"He got abusive. Physically and emotionally." Kylie admitted. "There were times when our fights would start from really petty things. Halimbawa, yung pagiging tamad niya. I'd call his attention for it of course, and then he'd start ranting about how I was living in his house, how he was paying for all the check ups I had to go to, even the pre-natal yoga classes that I had signed up for." She added.

"But things got worst when he laid a hand on me dahil lang sa isang interview kung saan sinabi ko na gusto kong bumalik sa Encantadia. He told me that I was choosing work over him, na kung yun lang naman pala ang gusto kong gawin, edi sana ipinaglaglag ko nalang ang anak namin para makabalik ako sa pagiging Amihan. And it was too much. It was too much, Ruru. So I slapped him and I felt sorry at first. But then... he slapped me back." Kylie said, instantly feeling the pain on her left cheek as if what had transpired between her and Aljur had only happened the night before.

"Sa buong buhay ko, Ruru, a man has never laid a hand on me. Not even my own dad. Tapos siya, siya na ama lang ng anak ko, decides to do that to me as if he has every right to?" She added, with tears slowly filling her eyes.

"In that moment, I knew that I had made the wrong choice in falling for him, in putting my whole trust to him na hindi siya magiging gago tulad ng dati, na magiging mabuting boyfriend at ama siya, sa magiging anak namin, but no. Love can do so much, but it can't change a person's ways." Kylie said. "Kung gago at makasarili ang isang tao, mamamatay siyang ganun."

As Kylie revealed all that she had gone through in Aljur's arms, Ruru couldn't help but feel upset that he hadn't known all this up until this very day.

Kylie did not deserve to be hurt like that. For a woman who wanted nothing but unadulterated happiness, she deserved to be loved by someone who was not selfish, who would not hurt her at all costs and who would be willing to sacrifice anything and everything for her and her baby.

At 19, Ruru knew that he still had so much to learn and so much to go through before he could be that man for her, but he was ready to be that man now, in this very instant, if it was what Kylie wanted.

He loved her that much.

"Wag ka ng bumalik sa kanya, Ky." Ruru said. "Kung sasaktan ka lang pala niya ng ganun ganun na lang, mas mabuti pang manatili ka nalang sa akin... I mean, sa condo ko. At least dun, alam kong safe ka, alam kong walang mananakit sa'yo." He added.

"Ky, seryoso ako. Please," Ruru said, his eyes pleading. "Wag ka ng bumalik kay Aljur. Dahil... hindi ko mapapatawad ang sarili ko kung may mangyaring masama sa'yo."

"Bakit?" Kylie asked, despite knowing the question to her answer.

It was because he loved her. He loved her so much, that it had already killed him to see her with another man, but it killed him even more to see that she was experiencing what hell felt like because she had chosen the wrong man to love and commit herself to.

"Dahil... ma-"

What perfect timing. Ruru's phone suddenly rang, and it was none other than... Sanya.

"Hello, Ru?" The latter said as soon as he picked up. "Asan ka?"

"Nandito ako sa bahay namin sa Batangas." Ruru said. "Bakit?"

"Nandito kasi kami sa labas ng condo mo. Nagbabakasakali na baka nandito si Kylie."

As soon as he heard her name, Ruru felt alarmed.

"Ano? Bakit?" He asked.

"Hindi mo pa siguro alam." Sanya said. "Nag-away sila ni Aljur at umalis daw siya sa bahay nila ng nakayapak lang. Alalang ala na kami sa kanya."

"Eh sinabi ni Gabbi na baka nandito daw siya. Hindi nga namin alam kung bakit iisipin niyang dito unang pupunta si Kylie eh. Wala namang namamagitan sa inyo." Sanya said. "Pero ayun... nandito kami. Ilang beses ng kumatok sa pintuan, pero ayun. Wala ka pala dito."

"Hindi ako pinuntahan ni Kylie." Ruru answered as if he was telling the truth.

Kylie instantly looked at him with worried eyes. What was going on? She had to know.

"Kung nasaan man siya ngayon, San, pabayaan nalang muna natin siya. Baka kasi imbis na makatulong, makadagdag pa tayo sa problema niya." He added. "O sige na, mauuna na ko. Dumating kasi sa bahay ang mga pinsan ko eh. Babatiin ko muna."

And then Ruru ended the call.

"Ano bang nangyayari?" Kylie asked.

"Alam na nila Sanya ang nangyari sa inyo ni Aljur." Ruru explained. "Pumunta siya sa condo ko dahil sinabi ni Gabbi na baka nandun ka." He added. "Kahit kailan, di niya talaga ako tatantanan."

"Ano na ang gagawin natin? Hindi nila pwedeng malaman na dun ako umuuwi." Kylie said, feeling her heartbeat race.

"Wag kang mag-alala, Ky. Gagawa ako ng paraan." Ruru replied, his tone confident and assuring. "Pinapangako ko sa'yo 'yan." He added, gently pulling her into an embrace.

As Kylie's head rested on Ruru's chest, she felt that all her worries had been taken away by the waves. She knew that he was going to protect her from her fears, from all evil, and even the unknown.

"Salamat, Ruru." She said as she slowly wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Walang anuman, Kylie." Ruru replied. "Basta nandito lang ako lagi para sa'yo."

"Ako rin. At hindi ko rin hahayaan na may mangyaring masama sa'yo dahil..." Kylie trailed off as she broke off their embrace. "Mahal kita."

Ruru's eyes widened, as if in a state of shock. He was, definitely. But it was a good kind of shock.

"Alam ko na hindi 'to dapat, na hindi-"

In the middle of her explanation, Ruru just kissed her. He met her lips with a mix of hesitation that turned into courage, pent up feelings of love that he could now show and profess because the woman that he loved, loved him back.

And Kylie kissed him back, completely cleared of that feeling of guilt, because she was happy. She was genuinely happy and there was no place that she wanted to be, except right here, in Ruru's arms, with his lips pressed against hers.

This was bliss. Pure bliss.

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Author's Note: You're welcome, YAs/KRs! NYAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA