The Art of Detachment (Book 1)

7:45 AM, Friday, Maine's Apartment, Int.

Good morning.

Uy.

Gulat na gulat ka, ah.

Ah. Sorry. Oo eh. Sorry, lutang. Pasok ka.

Okay. Ayusin mo muna buhok mo bago ka humarap sa tao. Maine, you're twenty-nine.

Sorry. Haha. I was working on a book, kagigising ko lang din. Coffee? Juice? Water?

Wala naman. Ayos lang ako, hindi rin ako magtatagal. I've heard about your trilogy release. Legendary daw, ah.

Hindi naman.

Legendary ka raw manakit, sabi ng workmate ko. One of the members of the production house I usually work with is a fan. Dala nya 'yung books mo sa set.

Talaga? Tell him or her I said hi and thank you for reading my works.

Oh.

Ano 'to? Hard drive?

Hindi kasya 'yung films ko sa flash drive, eh. 

Wow. Films. Ang dami.

Books. Ang dami. 

Baliw.

Andyan lahat. Including the one you didn't.. watch.

Sorry. Pupunta sana ako.

Kaso ayaw mo na.

Yeah.

I got the message, anyway.

Well.

We're chasing our dreams now separately.

Oo. Kaya naman pala natin.

Each for our own reason.

Funny enough.

Bakit?

You're that reason.

Ako?

Yeah. Wait here.

Sure.

Here. Sorry, 'di ko na nabalot. Wala akong plastik, naka-box naman 'yung trilogy ko. I don't know if you've read my works. Sabi mo hindi pa nu'n, sa Laguna. So 'yan. Gift from the author herself.

Thank you. I hope you're not giving me this just because I gave you copies of my films. Don't distribute it illegally ha, Maine.

Not promising anything, Alden. 

Loka. Alis na rin ako, Maine. Thank you.

Alden, question?

Yeah?

Can I find myself in these films?

Of course.

Thanks.

You're the reason why I wrote and filmed them.

Salamat talaga. Those books din naman, eh.

Oh?

The trilogy screamed your name out loud.

Thanks. Alis na 'ko. Breakfast ka na.

Sure. I would. 

Bye. Pasok ka na! Do the world a favor and fix your face.

Bully!

Favor for me?

What?

Let me kiss your forehead.

Okay. Sure.

There. You felt it?

Yeah. That.. feeling.

Ingat ka.

Ikaw din. We were great, you know.

But we could have been greater if we tried.

Keyword?

If.

Ingat.

Ingat.

So long, my favorite ex.

So long, my favorite almost.

So long.

So long.

//

[ something like, around eight years ago, author not sure, author not good with dates ]

"I'm gonna write you, you know."

"But happy ka sa'kin. You can't write me."

"'Di ba, you're gonna be a director. I'm gonna be a writer. And I'm gonna work alongside you. Always."

"Talaga?"

"Yeah."

"What if..."

"Hindi na tayo?"

"Yeah."

"You're entertaining the idea?"

"Hindi naman."

"Still sure of what I wanted to do. I'd still write you. 'Yung pagsusulat, paggawa ng pelikula, 'yun 'yung dreams natin separately. Naging isa lang, kasi we're together. But if we're not together anymore... promise me you'd still dream. 'Wag mong bibitawan 'yun kasi wala na tayo."

"Hindi talaga. Promise. I'd make films about you."

"And I'd write books about you."

"And we'd forever stay by each other's side, in that way, 'no."

"Yeah. Together. Through our artistic sides."

"We'd never leave this world alone."

"Yeah. We won't."

//

will not be continued anymore