A Fairytale's Mishap

CHAPTER 3: Bubble World

Note: This update has been published two years from the previous chapter. Changes in writing style are evident.

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Few months ago... I remember... It was just like this... Me, sitting near the lake, with my feet dangling on still waters, watching the moon bid its goodbye as the sun take its charge once more... I loved that moment... that moment where you just knew everything will change... where you just knew everything will be alright... Or maybe not... Maybe I'm wrong... Maybe we made a mistake... I don't know... I don't know...

"Babe... babe... Hey, wake up now," Unti-unti kong ibinukas ang mga mata ko sa narinig. Siya agad ang una kong nakita. Bahagya pa siyang nakangiti. Gusto kong suklian ang ngiti niya, but I was distracted. Inikot ko ang paningin sa paligid. "Anong oras na?" tanong ko.

"It's past midnight. What are you doing here, anyway? You said you're gonna call your mom and Nash. Kanina pa kita hinahanap. I got a bit worried there for a minute."

Binalik ko ulit ang paningin sa paligid. Nasa likuran ako ng mga villa sa islang inupahan ng kumpanya. It's a mangrove area kaya maraming kakahuyan na nasa mababaw na parte ng beach. Pilit kong inalala kung bakit nga ba ako napunta sa lugar na 'to. Napakunot ako nang hindi ko maalala, "I don't know. The last thing I remember was me being really tired."

Natawa siya, "So you decided to just lie down and sleep here?"

Nagkibit-balikat ako, "I guess so."

Bagama't nakangiti pa rin ay bahagya na siyang sumeryoso."Hey, are you okay? You're looking quite pale. It must have been the liquor, huh?"

Naramdaman ko nga na bahagyang mabigat ang ulo ko, "Yeah, I think I got a hangover."

He laughed, "Hangover? It's past midnight and you already have a hangover? Well, I don't want to think of how you'd feel tomorrow, babe. Sabi na kasing wag ng uminom kanina eh. You really don't look okay. Come now, let's better get inside."

Napabuntunghinininga ako, "I think I'm just really tired with all the games I joined in." Tinutukoy ko ang mga palarong binuo ng staffs ng kumpanya para higit na maging masaya ang all-expense paid trip sa islang ito. This happened because of a bet DJ made a few months ago during the launching of the foundation.

Inakbayan na niya ako at iginiya patungo sa private villa namin, "Well, I think you need to relax a bit with the games. We still have a few more days here. Please do reserve some energy with other stuffs as well... you know." Nag-iba ang himig ng boses niya sa huling sinabi.

Bahagya akong napangiti, "No, I don't know what you mean, actually."

"Huh, I'd like to show you what I mean but uh, like I said, you're tired. So... Maybe next time?"

I rolled my eyes, "You and your green jokes again, Jake," bigkas ko sa bago niyang pangalan. I'm still trying to get used to it.

"Hey, what do you mean green jokes? I don't know what you're trying to say, Kairi." Even him saying my new name... It still needs some getting used to.

Hindi ko na sinagot ang huli niyang sinabi at minabuti na lang na yumakap sa bewang niya habang nakapikit na naglalakad.

"I can't believe you got tired that easily by just doing all those games today. Wala pa 'yun sa mga ginagawa natin sa Zanarkand."

I still didn't respond. Kaya nagpatuloy lang siya sa pagsasalita. This time his voice is softer and quieter... "Kathryn..." He said my real name. I opened my eyes and waited of what he's going to say next.

I heard him clear his throat, "Are you... Are you pregnant?"

Sa sinabi niya ay tuluyan na akong nagising. I stopped walking. Maging siya ay huminto na rin sa paglalakad. I looked at him. Mula sa sinag ng buwan, nasisilayan ko ang nais niyang marinig na kasagutan. There's that serious and hopeful look in his eyes. But I have to immediately crush that hope...

"No... I'm not pregnant, DJ. We've talked about this, right? We're not yet ready. It's dangerous."

I can see the frustration in his eyes, "But... But... how can it be dangerous, Kath? We're living a different life now. We're starting over. Don't you think it's about time to start a family?"

Napabuntunghininga ako bago muling sumagot. "Can't we wait for at least a year bago natin isakatuparan ang planong yan? Don't you think you're rushing up a bit?"

He looked at me as if he didn't believe what I just said. "Rushing up?! Rushing up?! What are you saying?! I've been waiting for you my whole life! I've been waiting to have you my whole life... like really have you..." Lumapit siya sa akin at bahagyang hinawakan ang magkabilaan kong pisngi. His brown eyes staring at me. Then he looked down at my lips and back to my eyes. "I love you... I love you so damn much," he whispered.

The sincerity was just too much that I feel like crying, "I love you so much too, DJ... But not now... not yet."

A tear suddenly escaped from his eyes. I wiped it gently. "Why are you crying?"

"I don't wanna lose you..." He said.

Napakunot ako, "Why do you say that?"

"Because you said it's dangerous... What's dangerous, Kath? They can no longer find us. We're safe now."

I can see his uncertainty while saying that. Sa unang pagkakataon, nakita ko ang DJ na hindi sigurado sa kung anong mga dapat susunod na gagawing hakbang.

"I've done everything to protect you. I've done everything... just to give you that fairytale story. And for you to tell me that it's still dangerous, it f*cking kills me, Kath. It f*cking kills me."

Bahagya siyang lumayo sa akin at tumingala sa kadiliman ng kalangitan. "When can we ever have that happy ending?" he asked.

I stood there quietly, thinking of the journey that we had to go through just to get to where we are now. But where we are now is a bubble world. Any moment, it will burst and eventually will come crashing down. Deep inside, we know that. But we like to pretend that everything's going to be just fine...

"I don't know," I said.

He looked back at me with intensity in his eyes. "Nothing's changed. I've fought for you before and I will fight for you again. It's how it will always be... because you're the only reason I exist."

Muli siyang lumapit sa akin at muling hinawakan ang magkabilaan kong pisngi. "I always think of the family that we're going to have. I always think of our daughter who will have your eyes and smile. I think of us seeing our children grow. And I think of us dying together when we're really really old and ugly."

I smiled bitterly, "We'll get there... eventually."

He smiled too, but I can see the pain in his eyes. "You know, Kath. They can never destroy us. Because no matter what they do, my heart remembers... it will always remember you."

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This update is written more than two years from the previous chapter. Writing style changes are noticeable. I just feel more comfortable writing this way right now. To my readers, (if there's any left) I hope you'll get used to it. 

So...... hello there! To anyone who's reading this, what's up?! I know I might've only very few readers left because it's been so long, but that's fine. I'll just continue on posting updates. I don't know when the next update is, but I won't stop this story because writing is what I love to do in the first place. 

*To those who still keep on reading, thank you...