love to hate

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OLEYA.

"eya.. are you okay?" i nodded kay ate via na umupo sa tabi ko.

"miss mo na si hee?" umiling ako sa kanya, telling the opposite. "no, i am okay lang ate.. i am kinda hungry lang" i half lied.

"i'll buy lang ng food there" she nodded, nagpaalam din ako kay mommy at daddy saka ako nagpunta sa may ice cream stall dito sa may terminal.

"one cook-"

"cookies n cream, two.. for us" nagulat ako at lumingon sa likuran ko para makita ang may-ari ng pamilyar na boses.

"BRYCE!" he smiled at me and i immediately gave him a quick hug. "anong ginagawa mo dito?" i asked him after the hug.

"heeseung told me to come, i don't know na ngayon ka aalis, hindi din ako papayag na umalis ka na hindi ako nakakapagpaalam sayo" nginitian ko sya. sabay naming kinuha ang ice cream at sya pa ang nagbayad.

naupo kami sa malapit na upuan habang kumakain ng ice cream. "i kinda thought na ayaw mo na ako makita kaya hindi na kita hinanap"

"who told you that? you know that i can't be mad at you... you are my bestfriend"

"hindi ka nagpakita sa trial.."

"i don't want to make it hard for you, at syempre ayoko si dad na makita na nandoon" he laughed a bit and i almost hear the pain.

"i am sorry" yun na lang ang gusto kong sabihin sa kanya. "and thank you" dahil he never leave me alone.

"always, dana"

"are you sure na ba na aalis ka?" i never lied at bryce, so i shook my head as an answer.

"then stay" saad nya. "tita and tito, and ate via will understand"

"arizona and heeseung is my home, and not london.. if i want myself to heal and start over.. dito yun, pero..."

"pero?"

"my family needs me" umiling si bryce. "you did your part oleya, dahil sayo naayos mo yung pamilya nyo dahil niconfront mo sila, ate via.. will never live in lies and anxiety dahil tinulungan mo syang harapin ang tama at dapat... for me, ikaw naman ngayon.. choose yourself this time. kung saan ka masaya" he advised. i smiled at him.

"i don't want to make it hard for tita as well, feeling ko 'yung paglayo namin ang tutulong para maipagpatuloy din nya ang buhay nya. naiintindihan ko naman kasi sya dahil nawalan sya ng anak"

i really love hee, but i want to respect tita. it is his mother after all.

i heard he sighed. "if that is what you want.. iintayin kita makauwi, two" i smiled at him. "thank you"

nagkwentuhan kami ni bryce doon ng kung ano-ano, he told me na nagpapahinga ang dad nya muna saglit kaya natutuwa din naman daw sya. the hospital is running well though hindi na muna sila tumatanggap ng patients. he feels sorry sa mga pasyente na hindi daw nila matulungan sa ngayon pero he always find ways. maayos naman daw ang hospital kahit hindi na katulad dati.