I Would Hate To Be You

Epilogue (Part 1)

Author's Note:

You guys, thank you so much for joining Japheth and Atom on their journey. It took me five years to finish this one (because I was on hiatus for 3-4 years haha). I can't believe it's now time to say goodbye to them. Sad, I know. Huhu. But I'll see you in the next story, Lovely Little Lonely. Let's witness how Guian's story will unfold. Char. Haha. Japh, Atom and the others will still have their cameos there, don't worry. ;)

Okay. Tapos na ako maglitanya. HAHAHA. Here's the epilogue. It's a 24k word vomit. So, I divided it into two. Here's the first part. I'll post the second part soon.

It has been one heaven of a ride with all of you.

Thank you. I love you. 

PS: NO BOOK 2.

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Epilogue

"Did you sleep well last night, sweetheart?" I asked while gently caressing his soft hair.

He looked at me and smiled widely. "Yes, babe," he answered cutely.

My fingers stopped touching his head and my eyes widened. "What?" gulat at natatawang tanong ko. Hindi prepared ang ganda ko sa narinig ko mula sa kaniya.

Still chuckling, I faced my brother. He's just as shocked as I am. Muntik pa niyang mabitawan ang kutsara na hawak niya dahil sa sobrang pagkabigla.

When I looked at my four-year-old nephew, Dean Eliakim, who is sitting beside me at the dining table, he didn't seem bothered at all. Like what he said was the most natural thing on earth.

I lowered my head and smiled at him. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. Why did you call Tita Andrei babe?" I inquired, curious.

Nag-angat siya ng ulo para mahanap ang mga mata ko. Gosh, he really is the spitting image of my brother. It feels like looking at a Beau Azriel when he was the same age as him.

"Because Tito Japheth is calling you babe. Can I call you like that, too, Tita Andrei?" he innocently asked.

I let out a hearty laugh because of it.

"You can ask Tito Japheth if it's okay with him," I humored my nephew while pointing at Japh who's also sitting beside me. Tahimik siyang napalingon sa'kin at tikom lang ang bibig habang tinititigan ang pamangkin ko. He also probably doesn't know what to tell my nephew. But at least, the burden is no longer on me.

Before he could even say anything, Ate Asia stretched out her arm to hold my nephew. "Dean, you can't call Tita Andrei babe," malambing na sabi niya habang iniiling ang ulo.

"But why, Mom?" Dean quickly asked, all sulky and pouty. Aww, my heart. Ganitong-ganito rin ang itsura ko dati kapag nagpapaawa ako sa mga magulang ko, eh. Namana yata sa'kin ng pamangkin ko ang mga moves ko. Turuan ko pa kaya siya ng iba? Kaso baka matinding awards night ang mangyari kapag nagkataon. At baka hindi na ako pabalikin dito ng kapatid ko.

Kitang-kita ko kung paano napalunok si Ate Asia sa tanong na 'yun. Paano nga naman niya ie-explain sa level ng isang four-year-old ang ganito?

"Tita Andrei and Tito Japheth are a couple that's why they're calling each other like that. You can't call Tita Andrei babe because you are not her boyfriend. Only Tito Japheth can do that, okay?"

Nakasimangot niyang hinawakan ang kutsara niya—masama yata ang loob. "How about sweetheart?" he beamed after sulking for a few seconds. There's even a glimmer of hope in his eyes. Oh, the innocence of a child. "She calls me sweetheart, right? Can I call her like that, too, Mom? Not babe. I won't call her babe any more!"