Love From The Other World

Prologue

The sun hung low, casting golden hues upon the bustling street, where the flow of humanity was a constant rhythm. Despite the noise coming out from vehicles passing by, people going here and there, the click of my designer heels echoed against the pavements, a symphony of authority in the midst of the bustling crowd.

"Ate! Ate!"

Kaagad na humarang sa harap ko ang dalawang bodyguard ko, blocking the way of a little girl. Inosente ang matang tiningnan ako ng batang babae. Gusot ang damit, buhaghag ang buhok, maamos ang mukha.

Sa kabila ng maliit na espasyo sa pagitan ng dalawang bodyguard ko na nakaharang sa aming dalawa, at gamit ang maliit niyang kamay, inabot niya sa akin ang ilang tali ng sampaguita na ibinebenta niya. "Ate, bili ka na po. Para po makauwi na po ako."

I tapped my bodyguards' shoulder, and they responded immediately. Umalis silang dalawa sa harap ng batang babae at bahagyang gumilid, giving us enough space. I leaned towards the little girl.

I couldn't help but to smile with the small, innocent, yet beaming smile she holds. She's looking up at me, like what everybody does. But the way she looks at me, is far way different than the way others look at me. Walang galit at inggit, she's purely innocent.

It's cruel to realize how cruel the world is sa mga taong lumalaban nang patas.

Using her melody of innocence and curiosity, she asked again, "Ate, bibili ka po ba?"

"Magkano?" I asked, using a calm voice.

"Bente po isa," she answered.

"Ilan pa 'yan? Kukunin ko na lahat."

Kaagad na nagningning ang mata niya. "Talaga po?!"

I nodded and that made her rejoice. She then immediately counts the left of what she's selling. Hindi ko mapigilan ang panonood sa kaniya. Puno ng saya ang mukha niya, knowing na ilang minuto na lang ay makakauwi na siya at makakapagpahinga.

"Pito na lang po, Ate!" she exclaimed.

I opened my pouch and looked for a small bill, but I only found a thousand peso bill, together with my cards. Kinuha ko ang pera at inabot sa batang babae. "Sa ' yo na ang sukli, ibili mo ng makakain."

Her eyes shine, as if masasagot ng isang libong iyon ang lahat ng problema sa mundo. Sabagay, money fuels this world.

"Salamat po, Ate. Salamat po talaga!" she giggled before she ran away.

I watched her back as she ran away, full of hope and happiness, with the fact na naubos niya ang mga ibinebenta niya at may iuuwi siyang sobrang pera sa pamilya niya, which they can use to stuff themselves. I smiled bitterly with the thought na may pamilya siyang uuwian, at ako ay wala.

People were right... that no matter where you are in life, no matter where you stand, you still long for something. And there's a question that doesn't have the right answer.

'Would you be happy and poor, or sad but rich?'

Some might answer, 'sad but rich'. Because, yes, with money you can buy almost everything. You can buy everything – designer bags, designer clothes, houses, properties, company shares, and so much more. But with money, you can't buy someone to make you feel less lonely.

What can money do if you're all alone?

Money can give temporary happiness, not the happiness with comfort you will enjoy on a rainy day, or when everything and everyone seems to turn their back against you.

I'd rather be poor, if that means I will still have someone to stay with me kahit talikuran na ako ng buong mundo.

Naalimpungatan ako dahil sa bahagyang pagyugyog sa akin, kasabay ng paulit-ulit na pagtawag sa pangalan ko. Someone kept trying to wake me up from this bittersweet dream.

Bahagya akong umungot nang tuluyan na akong magising at kaagad na nakita ang manager namin dito sa cafe. "Gising na, tapos na ang break mo. Ayusin mo muna ang sarili mo bago bumalik sa trabaho."

I immediately nodded. "Opo."

Ang totoong ako ay malayong malayo sa napaginipan kong 'ako', at pati ang buhay namin ay sobrang layo. I just took a nap during my fifteen-minute break at the cafe, that's why I dreamt of that version of me – in a different situation, in a different world.

Kung ang hawak ko sa panaginip ko is a designer bag, sa totoong buhay, I'm holding a huge trash bag na puno ng waste ng mga customer.

But one thing is the same, money fuels the world.

Ang pera ang nagpapatakbo sa mundo, at sa mga tao, even happiness... and love. In this world, love doesn't win, especially the Love From The Other World.