COME BACK TO ME, SLAVEN | #Wattys2019

Chapter 36 - The Finale Song

Everyone paid a closer look, especially those near her, and sighed in envy. She almost wished for the ground to open and eat her. But Slaven grabs her arm and pulls her up.

"I thought you promised to wait for me." He looks so cute acting like that. Damn.

"Please stop this. It's embarrassing." She hiss.

"Sorry. If you only showed up, this wouldn't happen. We could've talked things out properly, just the two of us. But again, you chose to run away." He sadly explains.

"I told you already. This won't work. You know how different we are. I live a simple life, you - you're Slaven!" Hindi mapigilang bulalas niya.

"You're thinking too much, we haven't even started dating yet. Why don't we give it a try?"

"I don't – I don't love...you." She's the worst liar ever! Hindi pa siya makatingin dito.

"Oh. You want me to read the letter you left me, to them? Do you want me to read it to you guys?" tanong nito sa mga audience. Mataginting na cheer ang inani nito. "Do you want me to read it?" Nakakalokong baling nito sa kanya.

"Okay! Okay! But you don't – you don't...love me. What about Hye-je?"

"That's what I've been trying to tell you. I don't love Hye-je anymore. The night you saw us, I was just closing the last chapter of our life. I told her I don't love her anymore, 'cause I'm in love with someone else. With you..." mataginting na 'uyyy' ang isinagot ng buong Araneta sa sinabi nito. Mukhang kahit sa sarili niyang bayan, wala siyang kakampi. Anak ni Janice!

"I ask you to believe only in me. And you promised you will. But you ran away, again. And I told you, I'll just come running after you. Even if you won't love me by that time. I'll do everything just to make you remember and love me again." He said that with so much emotion. "I've waited too long for this Ella. I could've come earlier right after you left Korea. I wanted so badly to come after you. But I told myself, if I kept chasing you I know you'll just have more alibis to push me farther away. To get rid of me. You'll be saying more craps like this, how different we are.
I've let you have your space to grow and do what you always wanted to do. Now that you've fulfilled your dreams, will you help me fulfill my dream to be with you and love you?" He asked holding both of her hands, so he's looking deep in her eyes. Wala na siyang kawala, sukol na siya nito. She tried looking away from him. She saw fans dreamily looking at them. She'd look up the ceiling, para naman siyang naghihintay na may mahulog na butiki. 

She glanced back at him and she's captured by those dreamy elven prince's eyes over again...Emotions and memories flow back to her like a collection of photographs. Of all wonderful memories they've shared together. If all else were a fantasy she couldn't figure out anymore. She was just lost in those eyes, like the very first time they met. Like all those moments she's blissfully singing his song with her. It all just felt so wonderful and enchanted.

"Ella, stop running away from me. Just give me this one chance to prove to you I'm serious about us, you, and how I feel about you. Those months we've been apart made my conviction even clearer. I could've changed my mind after months of not seeing you. I could've chosen to never come near you again but I can't. I came, and I'm glad I did." One side of his lip lifted in a boyish grin. "I'm happy to see you again en sarang." His face came near her and before everyone knows what he's gonna do, his lips touch hers like how his song touched her heart.

He pulled her closer and she was drowned by his kiss. Nothing matters, amidst the loud cheering and screaming of the Araneta Coliseum. Everything is much clearer to her now, the blur, confusion, and hesitations are all gone. She's been running away too long and was scared of her own insecurities and doubts, not of Slaven. She was running away for fear of getting herself hurt again. But being far away from him, did it made her happy? Absolutely not.