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Bound to Sight

February 16, 2018
3:30 pm
(Maine)

"Hi...Love."

...

"Richard? Iho sinong kausap mo?" Tatay asked as he wiped the tears off of Nanay's face with his towel.

Richard looked at him with eyes widened and mouth agape.

"S-si Maine! Nakita ko si Maine Tito!"He inexplicably shouted as if it was a news that was relevant to the whole world.

Tatay and Nanay looked at each other curiously, and glanced back at Richard who was trying to convince al of them with his truthful eyes.

"Iho? Okay ka lang ba?" Nanay finalky asked.

"Hindi kayo naniniwala? Tignan niyo pa po! Andito siya!"

Richard pointed to my direction of my reflection on the glass and gave my family a proud and assuring smile that made him looked like he won something.

My family looked, every one of them did. Ate Niki and kuya John, even Matti, Coleen, Nico, Sheena and my parents did.

And I stared back at them, preparing a smile on my face once they see my reflection.

But after about a minute, they sighed harmoniously. All looked at Richard who was patiently waiting for their response, which didn't come out as he expected.

"Bro, alam namin anjan si Maine, yes, she's inside that room." Nico comforted him.

"Jay, you're hungry and greatly deprived of sleep for the past two days. You need to take care of yourself, Maine would say so, you know that." Coleen said.

Richard suddenly slumped and cried like a baby. Noisily and mopingly, he kneeled on the floor and bawled.

"T-tama P-po siguro kayong lahat. Di lang ako nakakakain, di pa ko nakakatulog, baka nababaliw na ko dito sa kinauupuan ko. Pero, alam niyo kasi, ang hirap, sobrang hirap. Don't get me wrong, anak at kapatid niyo si Meng, it's also hard for you. Pero... damn, ako kasi yung nandito eh, ako yung nasa tabi niya, ako dapat yung makakasama niya lagi, pero pakiramdam ko, hindi ko nagawa yun, hindi ko natupad lahat ng mga yun na ipinangako ko sa inyo. Iniisip ko na kung hindi dahil sakin, malamang nakadilat pa yang mga mata niya and maybe, she won't be inside that damn room, fighting for her own life with the help of a hell lot of machineries, and here I am, looking at her for two straight days, endlessly praying and wishing that I could atleast do something to ease her pain, to save her from all that she's going through, or better yet, be the one in her place. I just... I want her to wake up already, I want all of us to have dinner together again... I want her to come home."

All of them cried again with Richard's spiel. All of them suddenly sat on the metal benches and borrowed a minute to compose themselves.

"RJ..." I whispered.

I weakly walked and slowly kneeled in front of him, mirroring his position. He was looking down, wiping his tears and sniffed to get air.

I raised my hands, quite hesitant to touch him, scared of what could happen, but my decision got the best of me.

I raised my two arms and held his head on both sides of his jaw. I brushed the sides of his hair with my thumb, trying my best to comfort him.

"Love, look up ka na please? Don't cry na." I pleaded, as I tried to raise his head up.

I looked closely at him and noticed that his pendant is flashing a white color once again.

He slowly looked up, as if he was following my will. Shakingly, Richard stared towards my direction and scanned his surroundings.

I could fathom no more words, so I did what my heart told me to. I leaned closer, still holding him and I softly touched my lips to his.

I suddenly felt alive again, like I was my own normal self once more. Our contact made me feel like dwelling back again.

His eyes were closed when I parted from him. It seemed like he felt it somehow, like he savored it too.

"I love you." I whispered to him.

He slowly opened his eyes, and looked at me. His mouth went agape and his eyes widened.

"Maine?!" He unintentionally called out.

My family who were chatting softly suddenly looked at Richard with curious and worried eyes.

Can he see me?

Does he see me?

Again?

I looked at him, my body not moving from the shock and panic. I opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out.

I held my hand up in a stop sign as if to tell him to calm down.

"Is it really you?" He asked.

I nodded and hopefully looked at him.

He smiled, the smile that I really love, the one that only I could give him, and he suddenly fell on his back, going into an unconscious state.