Chapter 2

Jace’s heart kept on beating fast as he looked at the person from the last row who stood up. Kung kanina ay nagtataka lang s’ya kung bakit pamilyar ang babae, ngayon ay napagtanto na n’ya kung sino ito.

“No. How… Why is she here?” he asked himself. He kept on looking at her and noticed the scar on her right arm. Papalapit ng papalapit ang dalaga sa kanya and his heart kept on pounding. He tried to calm himself, but how? ‘Why do I even feel this way?’

‘Hi, this is my sister’s diary. She has a message, and she wants you to sign on this page, please. Thank you.’ 

He looked at her for a second. He wanted to see her reaction if she would recognize him, but to his dismay, it seemed like she didn’t recognize him at all. Ngunit ang pagkadismaya na naramdaman n’ya ay napalitan ng masayang reaksyon dahil sa prutas na ibinigay nito sa kanya. Agad nitong ibinaling ang tingin sa diary, he knows he’s been signing this notebook every event, but it’s his first time to see the lady in front of her. 

‘Ah, it was her younger sister,’ he concluded. He read the diary and was shocked by what was written in it. Hindi n’ya alam kung pipirmahan ba n’ya ito o hindi, but looking at the lady smiling at her, she signed it. Napangiti ito ng makitang nakangiti din ang dalaga at nagpasalamat. He even waved back at her as she said goodbye.

“Hey, why are you smiling?” asked their leader, Ram, who was next to him. Agad namang nagseryoso ang binata at napatingin sa paalis na dalaga. His gaze shifted to the main door and noticed that it was raining hard.

He stood up and looked for his coat. Nang matsambahan n’yang nakatalikod ang dalaga ay dali-dali nito ipinatong ang damit sa kanyang balikat at naglalakad palayo na parang walang nangyari. He laughed at himself. ‘Why do I even have to hide that way?’

After the event, he called his dad and told him he’ll be visiting. He’s excited to see him since he hasn’t been here for a quite a while. Total may fan sign naman sila sa Busan ay nilubos na nitong madalaw ang magulang. It surprised him to see a familiar figure of a woman standing and talking to his father.

“Hello Sir, sorry to disturb you. It’s still raining hard. Would you mind if we stay here for a little longer? Our hotel is just on the next street. We will leave as soon as the rain stops.” 

“It’s okay. You and your friend can stay here,” answered the old man. Batid ng may-ari ang gustong ipahiwatig ng kaharap. Tutal dalawa lang naman ang taong makakakita sa kanyang anak ay pinayagan nya ang mga ito na magpalipas oras. Maya-maya pa ay nakita n’yang pumasok ang binata sa pintuan kaya agad n’ya itong sinalubong.

“Girl! Hindi ba s’ya yung isa sa mga lalaking nasa fansign event kanina?” Tanong ni Jazy na hindi mapigilang tapik-tapikin ang kaibigan hanggang sa lingunin s’ya nito. Agad na tinignan ni Regina ito at ibinaling ang tingin sa binata na naglalakad.

She didn’t notice it at first, but his ashy-blonde hair was really nicely styled in a side sweep and it stayed in place all day. The good-looking man was about 5’9 tall and the way he walks makes him hotter. He has a charming quality and is a smiley person. He has a sharp jawline and his eyes are wider compared to his photos. Ngunit nawawala ang mga mata nito sa t’wing ngingiti.

“Ay s***a”! Iwinaglit ni Regina ang kanyang nasa-isipan, ibinaling nito ang tingin sa cellphone, and saw her friend evilly looking at her and smirked.

“Wow shota!” Kinindatan ni Jazy ang kaibigan sabay kurot sa tagiliran. “Kala mo hindi ko nakita ‘yun a.” Kantyaw ng dalaga.

He saw the guy hugged the old man, so she asked her friend if they could leave now. Nakaramdam ito ng hiya dahil hindi nila alam kung saan sila pu-pwesto. Napakalawak ng cafe, but it seems like the space is too small for them. Pakiramdam n’ya kasi ay parang lagi n’yang nakikita ito. Biglang nanlaki ang kanyang mga mata. 

‘Right! S’ya nga!’ That’s what she’s thinking about. Pinilit nitong alalahanin ang isang pangyayari na naganap ilang taon ang nakalipas.

She and her younger sister, who was about fifteen years old at that time, visited Coron, Palawan. Maaga man silang naulila ay ginawa lahat ni Regina ang lahat para makapag tapos at hindi nito pinabayaan ang kapatid. Adik sa kdrama si Marga at super supportive sa kanyang favorite kpop boy group. World tour, fansign events, albums… name it, meron s’ya. Gayun pa ma’y hindi pinabayaan ni Marga ang kanyang pag-aaral kaya okay lang para kay Regina ito. 

“Ate! Look, may shooting dun oh!” She pointed to a group of boys and staff who were taking photos of the scenery. Agad na tumakbo ang nakababatang kapatid papunta sa direksyon ng mga binata. Hindi na n’ya napigilan ito. Good thing, the staff and the guys look friendly and they allowed her sister to take photos with them. Sa hindi kalayuan ay nakita nito ang nakababatang kapatid na tinuro s’ya habang kausap ang isa sa mga binata. Pagkatapos ng ilang minuto ay bumalik ang kanyang kapatid na malawak ang pagkakangiti.

“Nako ate, dapat pumunta ka din doon kanina, may ipapakilala pamandin sana ako.” Ngiting sabi ni Marga.” Mag-asawa ka na ate. bente kwatro ka na pero wala ka pang boyfriend, ” her sister teased. 

“Ayun na nga e, wala pa akong boyfriend pero gusto mo na akong mag-asawa. Atsaka, sinong mag-aalaga sayo pag nag asawa na ako.” she answered, hugging her. 

“It’s okay, ate. Hindi mo na ako proproblemahin.” Those were the last words she heard from her.

IT was their second day at the hotel when she noticed her sister wasn’t beside her. Napatingin ito sa orasan. ‘Seven-thirty palang ng umaga, asan naman ‘yun?’ 

She immediately put on her robe and went outside. A group of people were at the shore who seem to look for someone too. Kung hindi s’ya nagkakamali ay ito ang mga grupo ng kalalakihan na pinuntahan ng kanyang kapatid noong isang araw. She thought her sister might be with them again, so she ran approaching them. Saktong paglapit n’ya ay ang pag-ahon ng isang lalaki na buhat- buhat ang isang babaeng walang malay.  

She couldn’t believe what she saw. It was her sister. Sabi ng mga tao ay nakita nila ito na naglalakad-lakad, pinayuhan daw nila ang dalaga na malakas ang alon sa umaga ngunit parang wala daw itong narinig at bigla nalang nagpakuha sa daloy ng alon. The guys saw what happened, so they ran and helped to find the girl, dahil sa lakas ng alon ay medyo nahihirapan ang mga ito sa paghahanap. Twenty minutes later, one guy found the girl, and they immediately went to the hospital. Unfortunately, Marga was announced dead on arrival. 

Hindi namalayan ni Regina ang pagtulo ng luha nito habang naalala ang mga pangyayari.  

“Girl, are you okay?” her friend asked. Mabilis n’yang pinunasan ang kanyang mga luha at inaya ang kaibigan na umuwi. Ayaw na din nilang maka distorbo sa mag-ama kaya agad naglakad palabas ng pintuan. Not knowing that from a distance, Jace was looking at them. His eyes were focused on the woman who had a bandana wrapped around her neck.

‘Those short wavy hair, those eyes… Where have I seen you exactly?’ Alam n’yang ito ang babae na nakabungguan n’ya sa isang underwater diving. Pero may nagsasabi sa kanya na hindi ‘yon ang unang beses na nagkita sila.

“Don’t you have a girlfriend?” Napatingin ang binata sa ama nang bigla itong magsalita. “Are you still thinking of her?” his father asked in their first language.

“Dad, I have moved on from what happened to Coleen. Besides, I don’t think of having a girlfriend right now, ” sagot niya. May punto naman ang ama, pero busy lang talaga sya, isa pa ay gusto n’yang makahanap ng isang taong makakaintindi sa kanya. Lalo na’t kasali ito sa isa sa pinaka kilalang grupo. 

“Ah, maybe you’re waiting for that girl. Am I right?” Sa pagkarinig nito ay biglang nagtama ang tingin ng mag-ama.

“You’ve moved on with your past girlfriend but you’re stuck with the girl who had the same experience as yours. Is that right?”

“N-No,” he uttered. But his own words bounced off the wall and came back as a flash of a memory and imagination.

IT was seven in the morning and they needed to wake up early for another shoot. He and his friends went outside to breathe fresh air when a young girl caught their attention. She was walking back and forth on the shore and noticed the girl chasing the waves. Akala nila ay naglalaro lang ito but to their surprise, nagpakuha sa alon ang dalaga. Agad nilang tinawag ang mga staff para sabihin ang nangyari. He then looked for the girl.

Malakas ang alon at maski s’ya ay muntik ng matangay pero hindi ito nawalan ng pag-asa, muli itong sumisid at nakita ang batang babae na walang-malay. He immediately grabbed and pulled her up. She saw the girl’s sister trying to calm herself and trying to wake her sister up as they went to the closest hospital. But sadly, the young girl didn’t make it. 

‘Wake up, Marga, wake up… Please.’ He heard these words. She was crying so hard that even he couldn’t believe it. If only he knew what would happen, then he should’ve prevented the girl from playing with the waves. If only he was a bit earlier to realize what the girl wanted to do, then this wouldn’t have happened. 

He went back to the hotel and looked at himself in the mirror. A sudden flashback appeared in his mind. It was the same scenario that happened when he and his high-school girlfriend went on a beach.

‘Jace, what would you do if you saw me playing with the waves?’ 

‘Of course, I won’t do anything.’ he laughed. Knowing Coleen, she’s fond of playing with the waves. He saw her run towards the waves and looked at him. ‘Tell my parents that I love them, and I love you more.’ He responded by saying ‘I love you too,‘ while looking at her in the distance. Tatayo na sana ito para sundan ang nobya nang marinig ang pagtunog ng cellphone nito. It was Coleen's mom. He picked up the phone and was about to wave at her, but to his surprise, she was nowhere to be found. 

He shouted for her name, akala n’ya ay nakikipag biruan ito pero ilang minuto pa ay wala pa rin s’yang nakikita. Mabilis itong sumisid sa dagat kahit malakas ang hampas ng mga alon, ngunit hindi n’ya ito nakita. His heart beat fast. Masama ang pakiramdam ni Jace. Muli itong sumisid ng sumisid, at sa ikaapat na pagkakataon ay nakita n’ya ang dalaga na walang malay. He brought her to the hospital, but sadly, Coleen didn’t make it. 

Nagbalik tanaw ang binata at nagpakawala ng isang malalim na hininga nang maalala ang mga pangyayari. Biglang napatigil ang binata sa kakaisip ng mapadako muli ang mga mata nito sa dalawang babaeng naglalakad paalis ng cafe. He focused on the woman, who wore a black coat and a bandana around her neck, who jogged her hands through her hair and quietly wiping her tears. At that moment, another memory flashed in his mind. 

‘Wake up… Wake up Marga, please.’ Were the words that echoed in his mind. Even if they appeared as a scatter of flashbacks, reflecting the confusion in his mind, now he knows who the girl is. Now he knows why the woman looked so familiar. Agad itong napatingin sa petsa sa kanyang cellphone. ‘May three, twenty twenty-one.’

Aside from the shark incident that happened six months ago, they first met exactly four years ago at an Island where they had shot their summer package in the Philippines. Naalala pa n’yang may concert sila sa Maynila kung saan napakaraming tao ang dumalo. 

“So, it was really you. I wonder how you’ve been these past years.”