ANG BABAENG HINDI DAPAT BINITAWAN
Narinig niya ang mahinang yapak sa likod—si Billie, tahimik na lumapit, dala ang isang maliit na kahon.
“What’s that?” tanong niya.
“Something that doesn’t need a lawyer,” sagot niya, nakangiti.
Binuksan niya ang kahon—isang simpleng singsing na may ukit sa loob: No contracts. Just love.
Mariel couldn’t speak. Her throat tightened, her eyes shimmered.
“Billie…”
“I know we’ve already been through vows we didn’t mean,” sabi niya. “So maybe this time, we can start fresh—just us, under Kyoto’s sky.”