Summoned by Love [Agartha Series #1]

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

“Hmmm?” Ngumiti ako nang tipid.

“Let’s eat.”

Masaya ang tono ng kaniyang boses. Nang lumapit siya sa akin ay agad niyang linahad ang kamay at inabot ko ito. Mahigpit ang pagkakahawak niya ng kamay ko at hindi niya na ito binitiwan pa hanggang sa maupo kami sa harap ng mesa.

“Bitiw, Luke,” mahinahon kong sita ngunit hinigpitan niya pa ang pagkakahawak dito.

“I don’t want to,” seryosong saad niya, sa mga mata ko nakatingin.

Napabuntong-hininga ako at pinabayaan na lang siyang hawakan ito. Nakakakain naman akong isang kamay lang ang gamit at ganoon din siya. This will be my last day here, so I’ll just let him. Siguro’y sinusulit niya ang araw na ’to dahil alam niya na ang desisyon ko.

I am left handed that’s why it was easy to hold the spoon on my left. As I was about to eat, Luke suddenly spoke.

“I knew from the start, I wouldn’t be able to convince you to stay here, Yannarayyih.” I looked at him and stayed silent. His voice was melancholic. He couldn’t hide it anymore. “Just... just today, let me hold you and don’t ask me to let go of your hand. Bibitiwan din naman kita nang kusa kapag handa na ako... kapag oras na.”

Hurt. It was also visible in his eyes. Now, his beam had disappeared.

Nakagat ko ang ibabang labi nang sumikip ang dibdib at saka dahan-dahang tumango. I then diverted my gaze on the food and started to eat.

I could not bare looking at him in that state.

Alam ko sa sarili kong buo na ang desisyon ko. Hindi na magbabago ’yon kahit nakararamdam ako ng lungkot nang masalubong ang mga mata niya kanina.

This feeling will not last. I am sure of it. This was just an attachment and this will be gone once I got back in my world.

I knew it would be unfair for Luke ’cause he would remember this, but he chose this. He chose to love me and summoned me here in his world when I never wanted it.

Well... I partly wanted it because I got curious of this world and performed that spell. But I never wanted to stay. And he knew that.

I knew he loves me and he never failed to tell and show it to me. Pero hindi ko masusuklian ang pagmamahal na ’yon. Kaya niyang gawin lahat para sa akin, samantalang ako... wala akong kayang gawin para sa kaniya. Hindi ko rin siya mahal. I did not deserve his love. I did not deserve him. He deserved someone who was willing to stay by his side, someone who will never leave him, someone who will love him unconditionally, someone who will never hurt him... and that someone is not me.

I just hoped that he would find that someone.

All I could do right now was spend my remaining time with him so I wouldn’t feel that guilty once I leave.

I gazed at him and found he’s staring at me. He hadn’t started eating. I sighed and forced a beam. “Ipasyal mo ako mamaya pagkatapos natin kumain.”

His face somehow lit up and he beamed back. “Where do you wanna go?”

“Sa hindi pa natin napupuntahan?”