CHAPTER TWO

FREYA'S POV

Hindi ko talaga inaasahang uuwi siya ngayon, at dumiretso pa talaga siya rito just to see me.

Si Dylan.

My fiancé.

Yes, fiancé ko siya. Kaya wala na akong dahilan para patuloy na isipin si Shun. Pareho na kaming may kanya-kanyang buhay. He's free to be with someone else, and I'm about to marry another man.

Pero hindi ko alam kung bakit, sa kabila ng lahat ng nangyari, iba pa rin ang nararamdaman ko kapag naiisip ko si Shun. Isang bagay na pilit kong itinatago, kahit sa sarili ko.

I shook my head slightly, trying to get rid of those thoughts.

*Not now, Freya.*

Hindi ko dapat hinahayaang guluhin ako ng nakaraan, lalo na ngayong kaharap ko ang lalaking pinili kong makasama sa hinaharap.

"Hey, sweetheart."

Naputol ang pag-iisip ko nang marinig ang boses ni Dylan. Nakangiti siyang nakatayo sa harap ng desk ko habang may hawak na paper bag at bouquet of flowers.

Napakurap ako bago bahagyang ngumiti.

"Hi. What are you doing here? I thought you were busy today?"

He chuckled as he placed the flowers on my desk.

"Can't I visit my future wife? Besides, I miss you."

Napailing ako at bahagyang natawa sa sinabi niya.

"You're unbelievable."

"Well, that's what happens when you're in love."

Umupo siya sa harap ko at inilabas ang laman ng paper bag. Pagkain iyon mula sa paborito kong restaurant.

"I figured you might skip lunch again, so I brought you something."

Napatingin ako sa kanya. He really knew how to take care of me, even in the smallest ways.

"Thank you, Dylan."

"Anything for you, sweetheart."

Ngumiti siya at marahang hinawakan ang kamay ko sa ibabaw ng desk.

For a moment, I felt guilty.

Dylan didn't deserve a woman whose thoughts were still being disturbed by someone from her past. He had always been good to me, and I knew how much he loved me.

"So..." he began, his smile growing wider.

"Have you decided about the wedding preparations? My mother keeps asking me when we're going to finalize everything."

Napabuntong-hininga ako at napangiti.

"Not yet. I've been really busy at the hospital lately."

"Then maybe I should take you out tonight. No hospital, no work. Just the two of us."

"That sounds nice."

"Good. I'll pick you up after your shift."

Tumango ako bago muling ibinalik ang atensyon sa mga dokumentong nasa desk ko.

But just as I reached for my pen, Dylan suddenly spoke again.

"By the way, sweetheart, may I ask you something?"

Napatingin ako sa kanya.

"Sure. What is it?" nakangiting tanong ko.

Bahagya siyang nag-alinlangan bago nagsalita.

"Earlier, I saw someone familiar in the hospital hallway."

Kumunot ang noo ko.

"Who?"

He looked straight into my eyes.

"Shun."

Biglang nanlamig ang mga kamay ko, at nawala ang ngiti sa labi ko.

Hindi ko alam kung bakit, pero tila biglang bumilis ang tibok ng puso ko sa simpleng pagbanggit niya sa pangalan ng lalaking pilit kong iniiwasang isipin.

And judging by Dylan's expression, he was waiting for my answer.

“Nagkita na kayo?” untag niya nang hindi ako nakakibo.

I swallowed hard.

“Hmmm... No. Pero gutom na ako,” pag-iiba ko ng topic.

"Oh, come on. Let's eat," nakangiti niyang sabi.

Nakahinga ako nang maluwag nang hindi na siya nangulit pa.

SHUN'S POV

"Damn it!"

Napapikit ako at mariing napahawak sa batok habang nakaupo sa sofa sa loob ng private room kung saan naka-confine si Tricia.

Hindi ko alam kung bakit hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa rin ako mapakali. Kanina pa paulit-ulit na bumabalik sa isip ko ang naging pagkikita namin ni Freya.

I never expected to see her again, especially in a place like this.

At higit sa lahat, hindi ko inakala na ganoon pa rin ang magiging reaksyon niya sa akin.

Gusto ko sanang ipaliwanag na hindi ko girlfriend si Tricia. She's actually my boss's girlfriend, and I was only here to look after her while she's confined in the hospital.

Pero wala na akong pagkakataong magpaliwanag.

I don't know. Maybe she wouldn't even care about my explanation.

Napabuntong-hininga ako at napasandal sa sofa. Ilang beses kong pinisil ang sentido ko, hoping na kahit paano ay mawala ang bigat na nararamdaman ko.

I could still remember the way Freya looked at me earlier. The surprise in her eyes, followed by that unmistakable coldness.

Well, I couldn't blame her.

I badly hurt her before. I made decisions that left wounds that wouldn't easily heal. And even if I wanted to explain everything that happened in the past, I wasn't sure if I still had the right to do so.

Perhaps, in her eyes, I was still the same man who broke her heart.

Napalingon ako kay Tricia na mahimbing pa ring natutulog sa hospital bed. Maingat kong inayos ang kumot na bahagyang dumulas sa katawan niya bago muling umupo.

I was supposed to be focused on my responsibility here, not thinking about someone I had no right to disturb anymore.

Pero sadyang mapaglaro ang tadhana.

Of all the people I could encounter today, why did it have to be her?

Why Freya?

Napayuko ako at pinagmasdan ang mga kamay ko.

I thought seeing her again wouldn't affect me this much. I thought enough na ang isang taon na lumipas para tuluyan ko nang matanggap na wala na kami.

But apparently, I was wrong.

And the worst part?

I wasn't even sure if I wanted to forget her completely.

Pinikit ko ang mga mata ko to dismiss the thought, pero hindi ko namalayang tuluyan na pala akong hinila ng antok.

“Sir? Kayo po ba ang relative ng patient?”

Bahagya akong napapitlag nang may marahang tumapik sa balikat ko. Agad akong napadilat at inayos ang gusot kong buhok bago tumingala sa nurse na nakatayo sa harapan ko.

“Ah, hindi po. I'm just a friend,” sagot ko, saka napatingin sa papel na hawak niya.

“Is that the patient's laboratory result?”

Tumango ang nurse at iniabot sa akin ang dokumento. Ngunit bago ko pa iyon tuluyang matanggap, bahagya akong napakunot-noo.

“Wait. Bakit kayo ang nagdala nito? Isn't the doctor supposed to explain the results?”

Bahagyang ngumiti ang nurse, tila walang nakikitang problema sa sitwasyon.

“Bigla pong sumama ang pakiramdam ni Doc Freya, Sir. Kaya ako na lang po muna ang naatasang magbigay ng results. Besides, I know how to explain these to you.”

Napataas ang isa kong kilay.

Biglang sumama ang pakiramdam niya?

Or is she deliberately avoiding me?

**TO BE CONTINUED…**