Until the Sunset

CHAPTER 53

Habang nasa daan, hindi ko mapigilan ma-excite lalo pa't I'll consider this say as my memorable day. I'll answer him while the sun is setting down, and I guess that's more sweet than anything.

I hope that this day, our journey will start with full of love and with full of passion that we will going to share with each other. I hope that through ups and downs, he will be by my side as well as me to him. I hope that no matter what happens to us, we will face it with open arms and fix it as much as we can. I just love him so much, that I'm willing to do anything for him, even if I'm hurting.

"We're here." He smiled at me.

I smiled back. Hindi ko na hinintay pa na pagbuksan niya ako ng pinto at ako na ang nagkusa. Kinuha ko ang blanket at ang mga pagkain sa backseat para ilatag kung saan namin masasaksihan ang paglubog ng araw.

Mangilan-ngilang stall na rin ang nag-aayos ng kanilang tinda para maging okay na mamaya, at inaayos na rin ng mga banda ang kanilang instruments para mag-umpisa na rin mamaya. Sa tagal ko ng dumadayo sa park na 'to, palaging ala-sais ng hapon nag-s-start tumugtog ang banda.

I checked the time and it was already 5:35 PM. I sat down and faced where the sun will set. Binuksan ko ang chips at binigyan siya. He sat down beside me, and patted my hair.

"I love you," he mouthed.

I just crinkle my nose and waiting the sun to go down. I'm so happy that finally, si Khirro na 'yong kasama ko habang sinasalubong ko ang papalubog na araw na ito. He wasn't even with me at first, but I'll make sure he will be the last.

Pumunta siya sa likurang bahagi ko at niyakap ako roon. He even encircled his hands on my waist and laid down his cheeks on my shoulder.

The sun is now slowly setting peacefully. And all I can feel right now is contentment that I'm with Khirro and he's hugging me from behind.

Narinig kong nag-umpisa ng mag strum ng gitara ang mga banda nasa stage.

Hindi ko mapaglagyan ang nararamdaman ko ngayon, naghahalo ang sobrang saya at kaba na mas lalo pang dinadagdagan ng kanta na siyang nagpapapuno ng mga emosyong nararamdaman ko. Naririnig ko na bahagyang sinasabayan ni Khirro ang pagkanta ng mga banda habang nakatingin sa araw na unti-unti nang lumulubog. Nararamdaman kong humihigpit ang yakap niya sa akin na para bang ayaw niya akong pakawalan.

I heard him chuckled. "Why do you love so much the sunset?

I smiled. "Because it reminds me of someone, and it give peace in my entire system whenever I saw it."

"Someone, huh?"

I just smiled and caressed his hands that are encircled on my waist.

"I love you..." I heard him whisper, and he sang the chorus of the song.

Humiwalay siya sa pagkakayap sa akin, at akma na sana akong haharap sa kaniya pero pinigilan niya ako.

"Wait, don't look at me. I'll just get something."

Minutes after, I felt something cold put on my neck. My lips parted as I held it. I caressed and looked at it only to realize that it is a necklace and has the pendant with my initials. It was a colored gold necklace with the pendant of 'KM' basically the initial of my name. Klaire Marriane.

I was about to hug him, but he preceded me, so he hugged me from behind.

And by that time, I have the courage to utter the three words that he's waiting for.

I beamed. "I love you... so much," I whispered.

Naramdaman kong bahagyang siyang natigilan, kaya tumingin ako sa kaniya. His lips was parted and he slowly turned his gaze at me.

I smiled. "I love you." And then I gave him a sudden peck on his cheeks.

I was about to stand up, when he held my face gently and acknowledged me with his soft kiss. I close my eyes and I can feel that his thumb is gently caressing my cheeks as our lips are colliding.

It lasted for about five minutes, and he carefully let go of my lips. Pinagdikit niya ang mga noo namin, and I heard him soft chuckle. I opened my eyes, and he was just looking at me with a wide smile on his face. The light coming from the sun hit his face, and that made him more attractive.

I smiled. How lucky I am that I have this guy?

"I love you..." he mouthed.

I fondled the pendant of the necklace and giggled at him. "Thank you," I mouthed back.

I saw him frowned which makes me laughed softly. I just smiled and hugged him.

As the sun sets, my love for him will continue to grow as long as there were a sunset to looked at.

Naputol ang pagyakap naming iyon, nang nag-ring ang cellphone niya.

He quickly get it from his pocket and answered it.

Inumpisahan ko na lang ayusin ang gamit namin habang may kausap siya sa telepono.

"Hey....What?... D*mn! Did you get the details?... Okay I'll be there in five miniutes." Then he hang up the phone.

I looked at him bewildered, but he just hugged me tight. "I love you. I have an emergency I won't be able to send you home. I'm sorry. I'll call you later." Humiwalay siya sa pagkakayakap sa akin at dali-dali sumakay sa kotse at mabilis na umalis.

Emergency?

I didn't even react immediately to his sudden action, because he walked away immediately. I decided to text him, instead. "Hey, dahan-dahan lang sa pag-drive. I'll wait for your call later, I love you. Stay safe!"

Hindi ko na siya hinintay pang mag-reply at nag-umpisa nang maglakad papunta sa dorm. Malapit lang naman ito kaya nilakad ko na lang din.

Pagkapasok ko sa loob, wala akong naabutan na kahit sino. Nag-text sa akin si Roxanne na late siyang makakauwi, kaya wala pa siya ngayon. Pero si Iyah na sinabihan kong umuwi nang maaga ay hanggang ngayon wala pa rin sa dorm.

Hindi ko na alam kung anong pinag-aabahalan niya at masiyado na akong nag-aalala.

I texted her. But I was in the middle of composing a message when I felt my senses are slowly aching, and it is so much f*cking hurt. Para bang unti-unti nitong pinupokpok ang ulo ko. Sa sobrang sakit, napahawak na lang ako at umupo sa gilid ng kama.

And by that time, I remembered something.

I was sitting on the sand while I played the stick and created some names on the sand.

Malapit ng lumubog ang araw, at nandito ako ngayon habang hinahayaan na damhin ang alon ng dagat sa aking paanan.

Our family have a vacation in Bakhaw Beach, Camotes Island here in Cebu. Napagalitan kasi ako kaya hindi ako pumupunta sa cottage kaya rito ko muna pinapalipas ang oras ko.

Yumuko ako at pinikit ang aking mga mata. Naririnig ko na nagsasaya ang mga tao, pero mas lamang sa pandinig ko ang magandang tinig ng alon ng dagat. Mas na-re-relax nito ang damdamdamin ko, kasabay pa nang papalubog na araw.

Minutes after, I felt someone sitting beside me.

Hinayaan ko na lang ito, dahil wala rin naman akong sasabihin.

I heard him sighed. "Why are you alone?"

When I looked at him, he's now looking at me.

He is the guy that I always meet! As far as I remember, his name is Kiel. Base roon sa pagkakarinig ko sa yaya niya ng minsan siyang tawagin nito. And as far as I remember too, ang unang pagkikita namin ay 'yong minsang nadapa ako at tinulungan niya ako. Siya 'yong taong nagtanong sa akin, kung anong gagawin ko kung sakaling may maghintay sa akin, ngunit hanggang sa paglubog ng araw lang.

Hindi ko na mabilang kung ilang beses kaming nagkikita, pero marami na.

Since we were facing the sun setting, I decided to ask him. "Do you like sunsets?"

He smiled and close his eyes. "Love... I love it..."

I just shrugged and touch the sea water that hit my feets. "Bakit?"

His eyes are still closed. Inilagay niya ang kaniyang braso sa likod ng bahagi ng katawan at ginamit ito pang suporta sa kaniya sa pag-upo.

"It gave me peace, it's my relaxation place and it can make me feel better by watching it. I don't know, I just woke up one day I realized I love sunsets." Habang binibigkas niya ang bawat letra, malalaman mo talagang may emosyon siyang gustong iparating, na para bang sa pamamagitang ng panonood nito, nagiging totoo siya sa lahat ng bagay.

I just nodded. "E, bakit ka nagtanong sa akin noon?"

He opened his eyes, and looked at me. "Tanong?" Medyo natawa pa ako dahil hindi pa siya gaanong karunong mag-Tagalog. "Ah, I remember that." He snapped and faced me. "Nothing, I just thought about it. What do you think if someone waits for you, but only until the sunset?" he asked again.

I thought of a possible answer. "Hmm, for me parang ang hirap, kasi pinaghintay ka ng isang tao pero hanggang sa paglubog ng araw lang? Ano'ng reason 'di ba? Why is it until the sunset only?"

He just nodded interestingly. Namayani ang katahimikan sa aming dalawa, habang pinapanood namin ang unti-unting pagbaba ng araw. I looked at the sky, and I was amazed by sudden color of it. Pinaghalo itong kulay kahel na may pula, na makikitaan mo rin ng kaunting dilaw. Para bang nag-aagawan sila ng kulay kaya lahat sila'y nagkalat sa paligid. Tinignan ko naman ang dagat at makikita rito ang repleksiyon ng araw na unti-unti bumababa. Wala akong naramdaman ng mga oras na iyon kundi pagkamangha. Hindi ko akalain na ganito pala kaganda ang makasaksi ng takipsilim.

Gano'n na lang ang lungkot ko ng tuluyan nang lumubog ang araw, at nag-uumpisa na ring sumibol ang dilim. Tumingin muli ako sa kalangitan at namataan na unti-unti na ring nawawala ang mga magagandang kulay na nagkalat kanina.

Yumuko ako sa pandandaliang lungkot na aking nadama, pinaglaruan ko ang aking kamay na ngayon ay may mga kulubot na sa daliri marahil sa labis na pagbabad sa tubig.

"Hey, we've been seein' each other a couple of times yet I don't know your name." I heard Kiel talked beside me.

Nakalimutan kong kasama ko pala siya, at hindi ko namalayan na nakalimutan ko ito kaagad. I still answer his question. "Klaire."

Narinig ko siyang bahagyang tumawa, pero hindi 'yong tawang nakakaasar para bang tumawa siya nang nalaman niya ang aking pangalan ko. "Near in the future, if our paths cross again. I'll wait for you until the sunset." And then he smiled at me genuinely, before he stood up and walked away.

Hawak-hawak ko ang aking sentido ng magsimula muli itong sumakit. I didn't even notice that my tears is now slowly streaming down to my face.

Up until now, the face of the guy in my memories are still blured. Pero 'yong boses... 'yong boses niya masasabi ko na si Khirro talaga iyon. Pero wala akong kasiguraduhan dahil hindi ko nakikita ang kaniyang mukha! Hinampas ko nang bahagya ang aking sentido na mag-aakala na kahit papaano ay mamanhid ito, pero lalo lamang itong sumasakit.

I don't know what to do. How could I remember something from my past, when the memories that come to my mind are not enough to remember what really happened to me ten years ago?

Bago ako mawalan ng malay narinig ko ang pagbukas ng pinto, at ang pagtawag ni Iyah sa pangalan ko.