Fragments - KathNiel One Shots

Miss Universe

02-17-2017

Under the beautiful charming smile she had shared to the world, was a past filled of fear, doubts and most of all, regret.

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"Wala talagang matinong palabas ng ganitong oras." Daniel complained, and as he flipped to a familiar tv station, his heart had stopped beating all of a sudden.

"Yes, of course, I'm very proud to be chosen to represent the Philippines in such a prestigious pageant such as Miss Universe."  He had almost dropped the remote as her face flashed on his 42 inch TV. Looking glamorous and more importantly, happy.

"The preliminaries start tomorrow, correct?"

"Yes, and I am quite nervous, but I'll have to push through. Knowing that our current title holder is from our country, I will have to ensure my place in the finals and if fortunate enough, not let the Philippines lose the crown just yet. I know people are expecting and I just hope that I won't disappoint them. And it's such an honor to be able to serve as the tour guide for the ladies!" She smiled brightly, lightening up the pitch black room.

And his empty heart.

His head bows down in mild disappointment. God, Kathryn looked like an angel in that white gown.

Like how she did, years ago, when she left him standing on the altar.

It felt fresh. The scars felt as though they were cut not long ago.

He had seen her as the woman he'd marry. The woman who'd grant him the joy for the rest of his life.

Daniel assumed that it was the same for her. But it was where he assumed faultily.

When she ran and said nothing but senseless apologies, he was determined to turn his back and brandish his heart as stone.

He succeeded. But after seeing her wondrous smile once more, he could not help but try and push down the enormous lump on his throat.

The bed creeks as he kept tossing and turning - until he settled on his back. But then, streams of memories with Kathryn laying next to him with her head on his chest came all at once.

That was when his tears sprang free. They came, crashing his senses, emptying his soul, and his heart.

After years of healing, Kathryn still held his heart with no doubt. He had offered his heart with no reservations, no conditions, nothing at all. And that was what he was now, nothing.

Because when she turned and left, she left with his everything.

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"Oo, ikaw na munang bahala diyan sa meetings ko. Please explain the situation to our clients. Makikinig naman ang mga iyon, kailangan kasi talagang personal akong pumunta sa Tagaytay." It was 4 AM and he was already on his way to his destination.

"Call me if you need anything." He drops the call and focuses on the road. The hotel was only a few kilometers away.

Last night, he hadn't gotten much sleep, at all. He knew his mother would've scolded him for driving, without even a wink of sleep.