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The Overwhelming Pain

The last time Ruru was pacing back and forth outside of the emergency room was weeks ago, when Kylie had to be rushed after having been under some serious stress brought about by the "Aljur incident" at the Encantadia set. 

Ruru could still remember everything that he felt on that day. The anger, the frustration, the worry. It was all eating him up inside, but he still did everything that he could in order to remain calm and strong not just for himself, but for Kylie and her baby.

The former couldn't imagine that after just a couple of weeks, he was back in the exact same spot, doing the exact same thing, not because something bad had happened to Kylie, but because she was going to deliver the baby in just a few minutes. 

As Ruru drove to the hospital, with Kylie taking counted breaths on the passenger seat, holding tightly unto the car handle for support, all he could think about in this moment was to call his mom and tell her that the baby was coming. 

His mind was everywhere. He didn't know what to say, what to feel or what to do. He was shocked, scared and excited. He had so many feelings and so little time. 

At 19 years old, Ruru felt like he was going to be a father. A father of a child that he couldn't even call his own. 

He had mixed feelings about the situation, yes, but regardless, he was happy to finally see Kylie's baby. 

"Asan na siya? Asan na si Kylie?"

Ruru's train of thought had suddenly been cut short when he had heard a familiar male voice come into ear-shot. 

Aljur.

Almost immediately, Ruru felt his blood boil even if he knew that the latter had every right to be here. 

"Nasa loob na siya ng delivery room." He answered, fighting back the urge to punch the douchebag. 

"Bakit walang tumawag sa 'kin? Bakit sa kaibigan ko pang nurse ko nalaman na manganganak na si Kylie? Talaga bang inaangkin mo na yung pagiging tatay mo sa anak ko?" Aljur said, the brewing anger evident in his voice. 

He hated how he had been clearly pushed aside in this crucial situation. 

"Sandali lang ha," Ruru said. "Nagkakagulo na nga ang lahat dahil manganganak na si Kylie tapos nagagawa mo pang magsimula ng away sa pagitan natin? Ano ba." He added. 

"Bakit? Totoo naman ang sinasabi ko di ba? Simula nang maghiwalay kami ni Kylie, umaasta ka na na parang sino sa buhay niya." Aljur said. "Just to remind you, Ruru, kahit pagbaliktarin mo pa ang mundo, ako pa rin ang ama ng dinadala niya. That child will forever be a reminder of what we had. That child will keep us together kahit ano pang mangyari. Kaya back off. You're just one of her flings, one of her temporary boyfriends."

"Sumosobra ka na ha!" Ruru said, grabbing Aljur by his collar. 

"Ano? Susuntukin mo ko? Eh di gawin mo." The latter smirked. "I'm still the father of her baby. Malay mo, yung anak pa namin ang magiging daan para magkabalikan kami." He added. 

Just as Ruru was about to throw a punch that would surely land on Aljur's jaw, the former's family had arrived in the scene. 

Almost immediately, Mr. Madrid had come between the two and separated them. 

"Ano ba kayo? Tama na!" He said. "Hindi ito ang tamang oras para mag-away kayo! Please lang. Hindi niyo man lang ba naisip na andaming taong nakatingin sa inyo? Baka nakakalimutan niyo, mga artista kayo."

Ruru and Aljur continued to glare at each other. 

"Hindi man namin nakita ang buong pangyayari, sana ipagpaliban niyo nalang ang alitan ninyo. Isipin niyo na isisilang na ni Kylie yung anak niya. Kung talagang mahal niyo siya, bigyan niyo siya ng respeto. Kahit konti man lang." Mrs. Madrid added. 

"Sorry po." Ruru apologized. 

On the other hand, Aljur simply ignored what his parents had said and focused on the obgyne that was rushing out of the emergency room. 

"Nasaan na ang ama ng bata? We need you... now!"

"Ako po!" The both of them answered. 

The obgyne looked at the both of them, with a puzzled expression on her face.

"Alam ko na mga artista kayo, but now is not the right time to act out a scene from a teleserye." She said, more pissed than amused at what was happening right now. "Kylie is about to give birth and I need the biological father of her baby to be by her side. Kung hindi pa klaro ang biological sa inyo, I mean, yung lalaking nagpabuntis sa kanya."

"Ako 'yun, doc." Aljur said, feeling a sense of pride that this time, Ruru had nothing to say, because that was the truth.

"Okay. Let's go! Dadalhin na si Kylie sa delivery room." The obgyne said and almost immediately, she ran, with Aljur trailing behind her. 

As soon as they had entered the delivery room, the Madrids stood by Ruru and comforted him. 

"Kuya, wag ka ng malungkot. Ikaw naman ang mahal ni ate Ky eh." Rere said, her voice soft and gentle as she held unto her older brother's arm. 

"Oo, ako nga ang mahal niya, pero tama si Aljur." Ruru said as a stray tear rolled down his face. "May anak sila ni Kylie at alam ko na hindi imposible na magkabalikan sila dahil dun."

"Anak, wag kang panghinaan ng loob." Mr. Madrid said. "Ngayon ka lang talo, pero sa paglabas ng baby, I'm sure ikaw pa rin ang gusto ni Kylie na maging tatay ng anak niya. Dugo't laman lang naman ni Aljur ang nanalaytay sa kanya eh, pero ikaw, palalakihin mo siya ng tama at bibigyan ng pagmamahal na mula dito." He added, gently placing his hand on Ruru's heart. 

"Salamat po," The latter said, feeling more than thankful to have such a loving and reassuring family in his presence. 

As if on cue, the doors of the emergency room busted open and out came Kylie in a bed that was rolled by a bunch of nurses, as well as her obgyne. 

Ruru wanted to run to her, to tell her that everything was going to be okay, but he was saddened and hurt by the very fact that it was Aljur's hand that Kylie was holding and not his. 

The tightness of her grasp and the way she let out the words, "Aljur, wag mo kong iwan..." was enough to crush his very soul. 

As they passed him and his family, it was only then that Kylie had realized that Ruru was there. That despite the intolerable pain she was feeling right now, she longed for him and she wanted to hold his hand, but it was too late for now. 

Just as she was about to utter his name, Ruru turned his back on her, the pain being too overwhelming and heavy to bear.

"Ruru..." Kylie called out to him, but she was already too far for him to hear.

"Ma, Pa, saan pa ba ako lulugar ngayon?" Ruru said, tears flowing out of his eyes. 

"Saan pa?"