Platonic Hearts (Compass Series #1)

Chapter Forty

Hiwaga

"Did you get that from my name?"

He shook his head. "It is your name. You'd still be a beautiful subject for any kind of art..." He smiled shyly then removed his hands from his pockets. Pinagsaklop niya ang mga kamay niya na parang nilalamig. "How are you by the way?"

My smile slowly faded. Napatikhim lang ako at tumango-tango lang sa kanya. "I'm... good. I guess I've reached the success I wanted. I can see the same with you... Masaya ako para sayo..."

He chuckled. "I'm happy for you too... I'm happy to see you here." Binulsa niya ulit ang mga kamay niya. We stood there silent for a while and just glancing at each other. But, I'm glad I didn't even felt a bit of awkwardness. Nang tumagal ay sabay nalang kaming napahalakhak sa mga sarili namin.

"So... Are you married now? You've been here longer than me... At mukhang wala ka pang balak bumalik man lang ng Pilipinas... Have you settled down here already?" I asked. We're completely at that age. Seeing him now, it's not impossible for him to have a wife. And even kids.

Inaasahan ko na ang pagtango niya pero kampante lang siyang umiling. "I'm not married, Aria. I don't plan to be anytime soon," he chuckled. "You?"

Umiling-iling din ako. "Not yet..."

My heart burst when he nodded and walked even closer. He had this beautiful smile on his as if he has never been this joyful. Napasinghap ako nang inabot niya ang kamay ko. "So, you're alone here? No boyfriend?"

Bahagyang nanlaki ang mga mata ko. "Yes, I'm alone. Pero ako dapat ang nagtatanong... This is Mexico with beautiful Mexican girls. Are you sure you don't have a girlfriend or--"

"I'm completely single for seven years, Aria Solace..." he cut me off. He looked at one side of the hall we are in. "Do you want to go for a walk? There's a river outside. But if you're busy, I understand." He offered his hand in a gentleman way.

I hesitated for a second and looked at his hand then at his face. Hindi siya mukhang namimilit. He looked very patient while extending his right hand to me. Suddenly, I was too astound by him. This man... This man didn't change a bit on the inside I suppose.

Tumingin ako sa mga bodyguards na nakamasid lang sa amin. Tinanguan ko lang sila. They immediately got up from where they are and followed me. I breathed in before accepting Ashen's hand.

"I hope you don't mind them. My manager doesn't allow me to roam around alone."

He shook his hand and nodded at the guards as well as a form of greeting. "It's fine. You deserve to be protected at all cost."

I just laughed. We made our way through the hallways. Every schedule I had in mind completely vanished when I saw him. Ang gusto ko nalang ngayon ay ang makapag-usap kami. I want to know what happened to him... How did he get here and how did he manage to. The last thing I remember of him was him roaming around anywhere just to have money... even just a small amount of it. After every that had happened to him and his family, wala na akong may narinig na pa sa kanya. They just suddenly disappeared.

Lumabas kami sa likurang parte ng museum. The sun behind the trees beamed at us the moment we came out. I sighed my guards to stay here and they obliged. Inalalayan ako pababa ni Ashen sa hagdan bago tuluyang nakita ang ilog na tinutukoy niya. I gasped at the beautiful, hidden place.

The river was surrounded with trees and bushes of flowers. There were dry leaves on the ground and some flying above us. There's a single bench near the river with vines entrapping it. If autumn is a place... This would be it.

"Woah... Do you have your camera? Naiwan ko 'yung phone ko kay Venus! I want to take pictures..." Nauna na ako sa kanya na tumakbo paibaba. I stepped on some of the falling leaves on the grass before sitting there. Nasapo ko ang bibig ko. Hindi ako makahinga sa sobrang ganda. How come he's not opening this part of the museum?