Username: Sweetcorn77

XXIV. Relieved

"Lime, please lie and tell me you are Sweetcorn77"

Those words struck her hard. For a moment she wished she's really the girl behind the username just so Justin won't be hurt like this.

"N-no, I'm not. Si Destiny-"

"I know, pero sana ikaw na lang yung nakakausap ko every night at bumabati sa kin every morning. Sana ikaw na lang sya."

Lime could feel the hurt in every word he said.
"Jah I'm sorry" yumuko siya, still holding Justin's hand.

"Bakit kelangan nyong gawin yun ni Destiny?" He removed his hand from her grasp. " Ano to laro? a social experiment?"

"Hindi Jah, Destiny didn't have the confidence to meet you, to face you, she has cancer"

"So ano, valid excuse na yun para lokohin ako?"

"Hindi Jah...I'm sorry"

"I think we're done here."

Jah pulled some bills on his pocket at iniwan sa lamesa. Lime just let him walk away and grab a taxi. She was left with nothing but tears and regrets.

"Sejun."

Paulo stopped strumming his guitar when he heard Justin called him.

"Jah bakit? May problema ba?"

"Asan sila?"

"Si Josh at Stell umuwi, si Ken nasa kuarto"

Umupo si Justin sa tabi nya, his hands on his face and feels like crying. Hinagod nya ang likod nito trying to make him feel better.

"Si Lime kasi.." Jah took a deep breath. "All this time hindi pala sya si Sweetcorn77"

"Jah ano ibig mong sabihin?"

"She's just pretending to be her, pero pinsan nya yung totoong ka DM ko, shit!"

"What? Bakit nila ginawa yun?"

"I don't know, I don't wanna talk about this anymore"

"Pero ok ka lang ba?"

"I'll try, pasok na ko sa kuarto"

Paulo is suddenly deep in his thoughts. Buong araw ding nagpapagulo sa isip nya si Lime, the way she held his hands, the way she smiled and looked at him. Kahapon nung magkasama sila, he had to remind himself every second that Lime was there for Justin, not for him, kasi kung hindi he could've taken her in his arms and never let her go. And tonight, kahit alam nyang nasasaktan si Justin, he felt relieved.