When In Baguio (JenLisa)

PART 63: END IS THE NEW BEGINNING

THREE MONTHS LATER

I'm all healed.

I can walk without needing those crutches anymore.

Few scars were evident. But it was just very minimal.

However, my heart isn't...

I'm still longing for her...

I missed her at nakakabaliw na...

I went to Alabang to find her.
Unfortunately, she wasn't there.

I went to Bohemian Café...

But I was shocked that it wasn't Bohemian anymore...
The new owner said that Jia had sold the place to them.

It is now a milk tea shop.

Bullshit... I hate milk tea.

They're both gone.

At huli kong pinuntahan...
Yung condo niya...

Heartbreakingly, may bago na ring nakatira.

I'm already losing my hope...

Fate isn't with me anymore.

And I still couldn't move on...

But I have to move forward.

"Lyka... I'm not yet ready to let you go. And I can't! Ang hirap makaalis sa pagmamahal na 'to, lalo na kung bigla ka na lang iiwan sa ere... You left me hanging, Hun..." I murmured to myself as I finished packing my things.

Why did you do this to me?
Am I not worth fighting for?

I placed most of my things in the trunk.
Apparently, I'm moving to a new place now.

I heard from Diana that Mang Ding passed away... Cardiac Arrest.

It was devastating. I mourned the whole day, yesterday. I couldn't go there to his final day. Hindi ko kaya.
He was like a father to me...
I love him dearly...

So now, I decided to leave my cabin now and move to La Union for a while. I wanted to be with my second family.

"This is it, River..." I mumbled breathlessly to myself, while my tears slowly falling on my cheeks.

A new beginning...

¤¤¤¤

"It happened while he was with his friends... Habang nangingisda sila nang madaling-araw." Diana told me as she served the breakfast on the table, Pinakbet and fried galunggong.

I'm now staying in her house right now. But she told me that I can occupy Mang Ding's house. They have renovated it from wooden material to concrete. They're concerned daw kasi sa Papa nila nung unang atake sa puso a few months ago.

The have him cremated. That's what he wanted us to spread his ashes in the sea. Dahil sa dagat ang naging buhay niya...

My heart feels so heavy right now...

I missed his jokes...
His voice...
And the way he speaks English.
Everything about him.

"Si... Bam? Nasaan siya ngayon?" I asked her as I served an amount of rice on my plate.

Umupo na rin si Diana sa tabi ko.

"Andun sa mga tropa niya. He was drinking since last night. Hindi ko na siya mapigilan, so I asked his friends to look after h-him..." the last word of Diana was inaudible until she let out some low sobs.