"Sa tingin mo ba maghihiwalay pa ba tayo?" I whisper while we are both seating on this lovely table set in this center beach gazebo.
The ambiance around this place is very mesmerizing, the red candles make a wonderful reflection against the water below. The cold breeze of winds from the ocean gives shivers to my arms and hands. But his stares and touches make the warmest comfort in my whole world.
"That won't happen, I mean sobrang tagal na natin magkakilala at alam ko na sa simula pa lang na ikaw lang ang babaeng mamahalin ko sa panghabang buhay Beb." he said while caress my right hand while smiling at me.
"Paano kung maghi----," he cut me off and speak, "That will never happen, hindi ko hahayaang magkahiwalay tayo at saka sa tingin mo ba makakaya ko pang mabuhay ng wala ka, halos simula nagkaisip ako ikaw na ang babaeng tinitignan ko at dahilan kung bakit ako patuloy na gumising sa araw-araw," he said and smirk at me with his playful smile.
Hindi ko maiwasang tumawa at hampasin ang kamay niya dahil sa kakornihan niya. "OA naman na yung dahilan mo," I said and drink this simple wine beside me.
I look at him when he holds my hand a bit tight and looks me in the eye. "But I'm serious Beb, I don't know if I can face another day without you, I will never let us fall apart and separate. I promise that." He lifts my right hand and kisses it gently.
I smiled at him, that was the safest assurance that I have in my life.dahil hindi ko rin alam ang gagawin ko kung mawala siya sa tabi ko, he was the strength, he was the motivation, he was the inspiration and he was the dream I feature with.
"I love you and we will never fall apart, Sienna," he said, leaning close to my face and kissing me with the gentlest lips in the world.
"I love you too Gun."
"Sienna? Are you ok?" I go back to my senses when I heard Luan call my name, while we were in the middle of the road right now.
Agad akong napaupo ng maayos at inayos ang seatbelt sa aking katawan, hinarap ko siya at ngumiti.. "Yeah, I'm totally fine why?" I ask.
"You seem like facing out again just like last night" nakangiti nitong sambit habang sumusulyap sa akin habang nagdadrive. Mabilis akong umiling at tumawa, "Hindi nakatingin lang ako sa daan ang ganda kasi" pagpapalusot ko at nagpatuloy sa pagtawa ng mahina.
He nodded like he was still not convinced by my excuse, but he nodded and focused on driving.
Why do I always think of him this very often? I feel so anxious these past few days because many memories keep popping up in my mind and it makes me space out most of the time.
And this is the second time Luan caught me spacing out because of him. He, the man I used to be within this driveway.
"By the way, I wanna have a weekly check-up with all your students to maintain their health since we have this unstable weather, kids need a weekly checkup," he said and glance at me with his bright smile.
I instantly smile and laugh a little, "Don't trick me with those checkups, checkup Doctor Luan Dreason, if you're going to use the kids as an excuse for you to be able to annoy me every week that won't happen, and unstable weather? Doctor, that's normal here in the Philippines and your tricks. Keep it, I won't buy it" I confidently said and laughed at him.
"Hey, it's free," he said. "What? the check up?" tumatawa kong sambit at tinitignan siya.
He chuckled before he spoke, "No, the trick it's always free," those playful smiles, are always so charming, I can't help smiling at them.
"And also, for your information I'm not always here to annoy you, I'm here to court you, Miss Minami. Always remember that ok," he said and suddenly grabbed a piece of red rose from the back seat and handed it to me.
I smile and sniff the beautiful red rose he gave me; he never fails to surprise me every day. "I know that and I will never forget that Mr. Dreason," sagot ko humarap na sa bintana, malapit na kami sa bahay nila Aberry.
After a few minutes we've already reached Beltran's humble house, at agad kaming sinalubong ni Aberry pagbaba ko ng sasakyan. "Hey, bakit nasa labas ka?" tanong ko sa kanya habang sinusulyapan si Luan na kinukuha ang regalo namin kay Olivia.
"Hinihintay ko din kasi yung delivery ng cake kanina pa dapat iyon eh," Aberry said while looking at her phone, she looks so stress tho.
"Here," Luan whispers at my side after he locks the car and grabs the gifts out of the trunk. I also felt his arms around my waist, that's why I glanced at him.
I saw Aberry smile at me when she saw Luan's hands on my waist but I just stick my tongue out in her and pulled Luan inside the house.
"Chantel's here?" I ask Aberry while walking inside and glancing back at her. "Yup, already there," she said and we left her outside the gate, still waiting for delivery.
Pagpasok namin sa loob lahat sila ay nandito na, agad kong tinuro kay Luan ang table for gifts para doon niya ilagay ang regalo namin kay Olivia habang ako ay dumiretso sa table nila Chantel. "How's my baby Bunny?" I instantly get Bunny from Chantel and kiss every part of her face.
"Tita, I'm not a baby anymore," Ellouise said while pouting at me, she grew up too fast. She's already 10 years old now and all I can say is that she has a great combination of beauty and brains.
She got it from her parents. "But you're still my baby eh," I said while letting her sit on my lap, as I sat beside Chantel. "Why won't you make yours na kasi" Chantel said while eating a pesto.
"Yeah, Mama is right Tita makes yours na po, Anata no mono o tsukuru (make yours)" Chantel and Alliana laugh at what Bunny said, while I feel so shocked, where did she learn about these things? "Chantel, ano-ano ang tinuturo mo sa bata!!" I hissed and let Bunny sit on the other chair beside me.
"What? I didn't do anything, I just said that you should start your own family na kasi, you're not getting any younger now Sienna" Chantel said and looked at me, while Alliana agreed with her.
"Palibhasa may mga asawa na kayo kaya minamadali niyo na ako" I said start taking a bite on the pesto.
"Hindi naman sa ganon, totoo lang talaga ang sinasabi ni Chantel," Alliana said, "Anong sinabi ni Chantel, Ahmmm...Babe pakilagay sa table yung cake thank you," lahat kami napatingin kay Aberry ng bigla siyang sumulpot at umupo sa tabi ni Alliana.
"Ok Ma'am," Oliver said and wink at her. this couples!
"We we're talking about Sienna, sabi namin she should start her own family na," Aberry quickly nodded through what Chantel said and looked at me. "She's right Sienna, napag-iiwanan ka na, bahala ka mahirap mag buntis at manganak pag mid 30's na," the word napag iiwanan literally hits me.
"Yeah, back when were like dalaga pa, we thought that you're the first one to get married but it seems like the world is very round and playful, ikaw pa ang hindi kinakasal sa ating lahat ngayon" Chantel said, and every one of them agreed. Pinagtutulungan pa ako ng mga ito.
I just smile at them instead and didn't answer, "Bakit kasi hindi mo pa sagutin ang gwapong Doctor Luan na yan, tingnan mo oh, kung tatabi kila Oliver mas gwapo pa kay Oli ko, ay shet joke," Aberry said at lahat kami napatingin sa pwesto nila Luan habang kausap si Cad at Oliver pati na rin si Kace.
"Masaya ako sa pagtuturo at gusto ko pang magtagal sa profession ito at mag focus sa pagtuturo, kung makakapaghintay si Luan baka----," Lana cut me.
"Sienna ang yummy ni Doc, nako pag naging asawa mo yan, feeling ko sleepless night ka dahil knows mo na ang mag Doctor walang tulugan yan bira lang ng bira yan roar" agad nakatanggap ng hampas si Lana mula kay Alliana dahil sa sinabi niya at nagtawanan naman ang iba.
"Tumigil nga kayo, alam kong may priority pang kailangan gawin si Luan kaya hindi ko rin sure kung handa kami sa isa-isa, tyaka masaya naman akong nandyan lang siya palagi" I said and stare at him, I'm lucky to have him at my side.
"Ayieee...Ashiena Minami Dreason, huwawwww bagay gurl" Lana said and laugh with Aberry. Mga loko-loko talaga, umiling-iling na lang ako at hinayaan silang magtawanan.
"I'm just gonna grab some drink," I said and stood up----
"Gun you're here!" I was stiff when Chantel said that name and looked at the person behind me. "Fresh from America," Lana said and looked at me, while Aberry pointed at my back using her lips.
I suddenly feel nervous, and I clearly know who's this person behind me.
Dahan-dahan akong humarap sa aking likuran at nasilayan ang lalaking matagal ko ng hindi nakita...
He's here, he's finally back...
"G-Gun," I utter and stare at him as my heart beats so fast.
"Long time no see guys," he said and smiled at us. Those smiles...It's been so long since I witnessed that smile again.
My eyes stared at his face down to his hands where he holds a beautiful hand of a lady beside him, she's----
"Meet my girlfriend Ady," he said with the purest smile he always shows when he's really happy.
And I guess he's really happy now, happier than before...
Suddenly my chest feels so heavy and this question in my mind which stayed here for almost 8 years pops up once again...
I stare at those blue eyes and ask this question once again in my mind...
What happened to us Gun?
Why are we on a separate side?
Why do we fall apart?
We've lost our partnership... what happens?