Chapter 2

Ynnah

“Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. Philippine Airlines Flight 143 will be landing in Manila in five minutes. Please fasten your seatbelts as soon as the signal illuminates. We hope you enjoyed your flight, and we wish you a wonderful day ahead. Thank you.”

I jumped slightly at the sudden announcement and immediately sat up straight, looking around. Everyone around me was already fastening their seatbelts, so I quickly did the same.

Once I was secured, I turned my gaze toward the window. In just a few minutes, the plane would touch down on the runway of NAIA Airport.

Unconsciously, I placed a hand over my chest, feeling the steady rhythm of my heartbeat. All the pain, the misery, and the fear I used to feel about returning to the Philippines were completely gone.

I was finally ready. Ready to live peacefully here, free from the pain and bitterness of the past. And honestly? I couldn’t be happier about it.

It had been two years. Two long years since I left my hometown following that terrible incident.

I wondered how everyone was doing. Had things changed much since I left? It felt like I had missed out on so much here during those two years—though certainly not the foolish things I did before my relationship ended. I admit that mending a broken heart and rebuilding trust took time, and I faced a lot of pressure while trying to move forward. But looking back, it was all worth it, because I managed to change myself for the better.

When I reached the arrival area, I began searching for my older brother, who had promised to pick me up. The moment I spotted him smiling as I approached, I noticed he wasn’t alone—someone was standing right beside him.

“Ynnah! Welcome home!” she shrieked excitedly.

My brother just shook his head and chuckled, clearly amused by his girlfriend’s enthusiastic reaction after two years apart.

Those two… they really were the definition of lovebirds. And God, how I had missed them both. I walked faster toward them, pushing my luggage along. They greeted me with wide, beaming smiles.

“Gosh! I missed you so much! How have you been? It’s been forever!” she rambled, her voice filled with excitement, before pulling me into a tight hug. “You didn’t even tell me you were leaving the country to go to Korea! If your brother hadn’t told me, I’d still be in the dark!” she complained, pouting playfully. She really was adorable.

“I missed you too, Mandy,” I replied, hugging her back. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you right away. I was just so overwhelmed and depressed back then that I couldn’t bring myself to say anything. Besides, my brother told you eventually, right? So, does it really matter? The important thing is, I’m back for good now.”

I pulled away from her and immediately wrapped my arms around my brother in a warm embrace.

I truly missed them. They were the only close people in my life. I never really had friends growing up, and to this day, I still don’t understand why. People always seemed to avoid me, as if I carried some kind of contagious disease. But I didn’t mind it anymore. Honestly, I was happy enough with my life without friends. It wasn’t as if I really needed them anyway. As long as I had my brother and Mandy, that was more than enough for me.

“How’s my princess doing?” my brother asked, breaking through my thoughts.

I gave him my sweetest smile before answering. “I’m doing great, Bro. No need to worry about me.”

“Are you sure about that?” he pressed, and I nodded firmly.

“Of course, dear brother. Don’t worry about a thing,” I assured him.

“I’m getting jealous here,” Mandy chimed in, puffing out her lips in a pout that caught both our attention, making us laugh.

“What the hell, babe?” my brother said, staring at her with amused disbelief, his forehead creasing in confusion.

“Silly!” I giggled, gently pushing my brother away.

Mandy just shrugged it off. A moment later, she burst into hearty laughter and dragged me away from him. “Just kidding!” she said, slipping her arm comfortably around my shoulders.

She was three inches taller than me, which explained why she could lean on me like that.

“You really are unbelievable,” I told her, shaking my head.

“I know, right?” she grinned. Then her tone shifted, turning a bit more serious. “But seriously… if you ever plan to get revenge on that jerk, promise you’ll tell me first, alright?”

I froze for a second. Revenge? I had never planned anything like that against him. It hadn’t even crossed my mind.

“Why would I do that?” I asked after a moment.

“I just can’t let it go!” she argued. “Ever since I found out what happened to you, I’ve been dying to give him a kick right where it hurts! How dare he hurt you like that? That asshole! Did he really think he could just cheat on you and get away with it?” Mandy ranted, gritting her teeth in frustration, which only made me chuckle. “Ugh, the nerve of him!” she added, looking ready to pick a fight with someone right then and there.

“Alright, alright! Calm down, don’t get yourself all worked up,” my brother interrupted, gently pulling Mandy away from me. “I know you feel that way, babe, but for now, we really need to get going. Mom is waiting for us at home, and Ynnah must be exhausted from the trip.”

His words calmed her down instantly. She walked back over to me, linked her arm through mine, and started pulling me toward the exit, leaving my brother behind to handle my luggage all by himself.

I glanced back and saw him looking at his girlfriend with a look of utter disbelief. He scratched the back of his neck, sighed, and simply grabbed my bags.

My poor brother… always the one carrying the load.

As soon as we stepped out of the airport, we climbed straight into the car that was already waiting for us. My brother loaded my luggage into the trunk before sliding into the passenger seat next to the driver.

During the ride, Mandy filled me in on everything that had happened while I was gone. She had so many stories to tell, and listening to her made me realize just how much I truly had missed. So many things had happened and changed since I left to rebuild my life abroad.

“So, Ynnah… tell me,” she asked suddenly, “how was life in Korea?”

“Well, at first, I barely went out,” I admitted, turning to look out the car window. “I stayed locked up in my room, constantly thinking about everything that had happened. It wasn’t easy to heal from all the pain and misery I felt back then… but in the end, I think it was all worth it.”

I turned back to face her and smiled softly. “I met someone who really helped me move forward—her name is Liza Jeung. She was there whenever I needed someone the most. She taught me how to be strong and helped me rebuild myself into a better person. She became such a good friend to me.”

I smiled wider as I remembered all the moments we shared. She was incredibly kind and talented, and taught me so many valuable lessons. She was wise beyond her years, and her sense of humor was absolutely infectious. Honestly, I already considered her my best friend—after all, she was the only real friend I had ever had.

We arrived home late in the evening. The moment I stepped inside, my mom greeted me with the warmest, tightest hug. God, how I had missed her.

“How are you, sweetie?” she asked softly.

“I’m perfectly fine, Mom,” I assured her.

“Come on then,” she said, leading the way. “I’ve prepared something special for you.”

She guided us toward the dining area, ready to welcome me back home properly.