Five weeks later…
“Ashin!”
I looked at the direction where the voice came from. I am on my way to the entrance of the office when someone called me.
I smiled at Harold Lee who was waving enthusiastically at me. I walked to him and greeted him. “Hey! What are you doing here?” I asked him.
He shrugged. “Kieran is going for a job interview here.” He told me.
I raised my brow. “Here?” I asked in disbelief.
He nodded. “Yes.” He removed his sunglasses. “His mother asked me to come and check up on him.” He replied making me chuckle. Check up on him? What does his mother think Kieran is? A kindergarten?
Harold narrowed his eyes on me. “Don’t laugh. He’s still under my therapy so I still need to check up on him from time to time.” He explained and I raised my both hands in surrender.
“Fine! Fine. You win, Dr. Lee.”
“Here’s the manuscript, Mr. Kim.” I told my boss as I placed the newly pressed manuscript on the table. It was the manuscript of my upcoming book.Mr. Kim looked at me and smiled brightly. “It’s nice to see you doing well, Ashin.” He told me.I smiled back and nodded. Mr. Kim isn’t the kind of boss that’s terror and bossy. He blends in with the employees. When I was on the stage of giving up, he was blessing me with those friendly advices. He’s a good man. I’m even a godmother of one of his kids.“You look so good today, as well, Mr. Kim.” I beamed.He chuckled. “I just interviewed an intelligent cartoonist.” He replied. “I’m really impressed.” He’s nodding.I gulped and figured out that he was talking about Kieran. Of course Kieran is a good cartoonist. He was one of the heads of their department before his incident. He has the experience an
From: Kieran WuI don’t see you in the office. Is this your day off?I don’t know what to really feel when I read the text message. Kieran is looking for me in the office. Oh yeah. I forgot that it’s his first day at work.To: Kieran WuI don’t go to the office every day. I got up from bed and took a bath. Today is going to be a long day. I’m going to shop for Gina’s birthday gift. She’s celebrating it tonight at a bar. I bet she rented the whole VIP room for this.“Okay, Ashin Kim. Try to not think about him today.” I muttered to myself repeatedly as I walked out of the bathroom and changed.I saw my phone on the bedside table and sighed. I guess I needed to change digits. I should’ve done it a long time ago, anyway.From: Kieran WuThat’s sad. I thought I’
Harold Lee looked at Kieran after uttering those words. "Hi, Kieran! I didn't know you were here, too." He beamed with a smile.My back's turned at Kieran so I couldn't see what his reaction was. I didn't want to know, though. Anyways, I know that she's holding onto Bianca's waist, pulling her close to him.Damn."Joshua invited me." Kieran replied curtly. I can hear frustration in his voice. What could be frustrating him? I don't know. Is it because I didn't text him back?What did he even text me anyway?Gina looked at me with narrowed and questioning eyes. I shook my head and she smiled at Kieran, fake in nature, of course. "Nice to meet you and your Bianca, Kieran." I know that sarcastic tone.I heard Bianca enthusiastically greet her happy birthday and hug her. I can only imagine Gina's explosion inside. She must be dying to pull each of her hair out.Bianca looked at me and smiled. "You're Ashin, right?" She asked and I nodded.
Friends.I have always wanted to have a lot of friends. I have never been hurt gaining friends in my life. I have never been this bitter over a friend before. I used to be so happy to have many friends and I am even happier to gain more.But hell, I hated how he easily asked me to become his friend as if it was the most normal thing to happen when he knew the truth about us. We were once lovers. We didn't have the closure we needed for us to end our relationship properly.Or maybe, perhaps, he did have the closure. I didn't.Perhaps, I am a fool for still wishing for him to remember me even though everything is telling that he is not going to. Not in a million years. Not when he’s always with his girlfriend. How can I even expect him to think of him when his hot model girlfriend is right in front of his eyes?I must be crazy!It’s been a week since I last spoke with Kieran and now, I’m going to the office. I didn’t wa
“What do you want, honey?” Bianca was all over Kieran in front of me. She was a slave for him. Damn, she does everything he wants.I looked down and just focused on my food. I need to eat to be strong. It doesn’t matter if I live with Kieran or not, I just needed to be strong. I needed to be strong for myself. I can’t be so dependent on one person when I’ve lived my life perfectly before he came.How come it happens like that? We are too broken, sometimes, that we tend to forget that once, we have lived perfectly without that person who left us. We were fine with ourselves alone. We were fine with our own group of friends. Until he comes and everything just changes. Then he leaves and everything just comes crashing down. No self-worth. No dignity.“Are you not hungry?” Harold’s voice brought me back to reality.I was thinking too much. I was thinking too deep that I know is not healthy anymore.I look
Kieran and I stayed inside the restaurant for a few moments more. He waited until my tears all ran dry. To be honest, I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know what to feel. All I know is that I needed to cry my heart out. Even for one last time.“Are you alright now?” Kieran asked me so softly that I think he’s trying to be careful of what he’ll tell me. I believe he’s scared of making me hurt more.I don’t know if that’s a good or a bad thing, though.I nodded and took a deep breath. “You should forget about this.” I told him.He narrowed his eyes on me. I know he’s very curious but I don’t think it’s the right time to tell him yet. He’s still hasn’t been fully recovered from his amnesia. He may seem to think that he is, but he’s not. He’s still uncertain. I can see it in his eyes.“Ashin,” he held my cheek to make me face him but
Kieran was not beside me when the morning came. I woke up alone and…wrapped around blankets.I knew I was making a mistake last night. I also know that there’s no one to blame other than myself. I gave in. Just like that I shouldn’t be acting like it is been robbed from me. I was not a virgin anymore before it happened last night but why do I feel like I have just been devirginized then left behind. Hit and run. Why do I feel like I am a victim of hit and run? I don’t even get it.I shut my eyes and remembered everything that happened last night. He came to my unit yearning for me. I know. I can feel it from his kisses, from his touches. I cannot stop myself from asking questions in my mind – questions that I didn’t even verbalize.Does he remember me?Does he remember us?Does he want me back?Does he want us back?I sighed and went straight to the bathroom and tried to live normally. Nor
My phone is ringing incessantly because Gina is asking me to come with them to the beach. It’s actually the beach resort that Louie is managing. He offered the whole circle that he would pay for our stay in his resort.“No. I don’t want to go.” My words are marked with finality. I don’t want to go. Going there would just mean ninety percent of seeing Kieran and Bianca. I won’t risk for that ten percent of enjoying the resort.“But—”“No.” I couldn’t make her reason out. She’s a daughter of a lawyer. Hell knows no decline when she begins to reason out. “I am going to prepare for my book signing tomorrow.” I replied. “I don’t want to be tired today.”I heard her huff from the other line. I can only imagine her pouting face. “Okay. Okay. I won’t push you to come. But please, don’t be alone inside your apartment. At least