The one that got away

11. So close

Some years ago...

My nightmare has come true. As I stood there on the corner watching Caleb marry the woman – the only woman – I loved with all my heart, I could feel my heart slowly dying with so much pain. I wanted to get out of this place, run away, and jump off a cliff so that the pain will stop throbbing like crazy. I wanted to get up there, punch Caleb until he dies of pain, but I just can’t do that.

“You may now kiss your bride.” The priest announced and I just stood there as Caleb reach for Jin Hye’s veil lift it up, hold her shoulders, pull her closer and kiss her lips. A tear escaped from my eye. Hindi ko kaya, pero hindi ko naman inalis ang tingin ko sa kanila. I wanted to see what my brother had done to me; I wanted to see him hold the woman I thought I am going to marry ten years from now. Ganoon pala kasakit ang pakiramdam nang inagaw ng taong mahalaga sa’yo ang taong dahilan ng pagtibok ng puso mo. Ang sakit-sakit.

The people around us clapped and stood up when Caleb and Jin Hye faced the crowd. Unti-unti akong humakbang humakbang palayo, dala ko sa puso ko ang sakit na iyon. Sa tingin ko, hindi ako gagaling kahit na anong mangyari sa akin. Nang makalabas ako ng simbahan, I realized that I wasn’t the only person hurting at that moment. I was surprised to see her here, mukhang katatapos niya lang umiyak. She then looked at me as she wiped her tears away.

“Miss Japan…” I whispered. I saw Nathan running papunta sa kinatatayuan ni Miss Japan.

“Aiko, we have to get out of here. Saan ba ang hotel mo? Ihahatid na kita.”

“Why are you here?” I asked her.

“For a while there, I was wishing so hard that it was you up there…” sabi niya sa akin, tapos ay bumaling ito kay Nathan “But then the gray eyed brother is here standing in front of me so, I guess…”

“Aiko, umalis na tayo dito. Caleb can’t see you.”

“Why not?” I asked. This is the perfect time, Caleb will see Aiko, he will definitely leave Jin Hye and I will do everything to make her mine again.

“Aiko please!” Nathan took her hand. “Let’s just go.”

“He married someone…” Aiko said.

“She married him…” wika ko sa kanya.

“And I spent the last six months of my life regretting the day I left him, blaming myself, hating myself tapos, he married someone…”

“Aiko…” tawag ko sa kanya. She turned her back on me. Nathan came after her; he was calling out her name habang ako naman ay naiwang nakatayo roon. Naabutan pa nga ako ng paglabas ng bride and groom. Again, that agonizing pain in my chest throbbed like there’s no tomorrow. I walked away. Wala na. Walang-wala na talaga. Hindi ko na mababawi ang prinsesa ko. Hindi na…

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“Jin Hye, Leo said na darating daw ang stepmom mo kasama ang lawyer niya.”

Noon lamang tiningnan ni Jin Hye si Calen, they were on the dining table, facing each other pero hindi niya ito, tinitingnan, hanggang ngayon ay nahihiya pa rin siya dito dahil sa nangyari noong isang gabi. Hindi talaga niya alam kung anong pumasok sa utak niya at  bigla na lang niyang tinanong kay Calen ang bagay na iyon. Naiinggit kasi siya kay Danni – Calen calls her cupcake – tapos siya, simpleng Jin Hye lang ang tawag nito sa kanya.

“Kailan daw?” mahinang tanong niya. Calen looked at her. Gosh! How she missed him.

“Mamayang hapon.” Kaswal na kaswal na sabi nito.