CHAPTER TWO- THE DAY YOU SLIP AWAY

KANE POV

I am hyped to see Joanabe perform again when she told me she is participating in the talent search at La Romanina. I did not even get the chance to tell her my name or did get the chance to know the song she played in the store.

I didn't even get the chance to tell her that I also joined the show but backed out because it isn't the thing that I want to do. 

The time my eyes landed on her performance in the shop was mesmerizing to make me stop and stare at her the whole time. She is brighter than the spotlight. The moment she opened her eyes, it was teary. I can feel her sadness. I want to know who causes those tears. Somehow I want to make her happy. It lightens the sleeping candle in my heart.

The moment she walked out the door, it feels she blow the lit candle away. 

Now that I know where she will go. All I have to do is to go. 

I asked my mom to drop me off at La Romanina because I have to see her. 

"Honey, are you sure you did not regret backing out of the show?" My mom asked softly without even showing her emotions to me. 

"I did not regret a single thing about it, Mom," I said calmly to her while knowing she is hurt deep inside.

I know she wanted me to be like her, a performer, but it is not the thing that my hearts wish to do. I feel like I have to learn more about myself, about what my heart wants to do. 

I arrived at La Romanina. I saw Shally Mae's performance. It was either bad or good, in my opinion. It does not take my breath away.

The Host announces my excuse for backing out of the show, and I did not expect Joanabe will be the next one to perform. 

*WHAT A SMALL WORLD INDEED* 

When Joanabe walks in the center of the stage and prepares her keyboard, I feel excited. I know that she can do it. 

She started playing the song.

And I miss you  B

F#

          E   F#

And now I wonder... 

I noticed her voice quite hoarse, and her nervousness is showing off. I can tell she wanted to sop.

"DON'T STOP! KEEP GOING! YOU GOT THIS!" I shouted out of nowhere, and I don't care about the people's stare at least make that song just for me.

"Play it even nobody listens to you because I will listen to it just for you," I whisper in the air like not for myself but her while watching until the end of the song.

She walks away after the performance. I hurriedly run after her. She slips her toe and quickly grabs her waist to prevent her from falling hard. 

Moreover, her body wants to look at me. I pull her forcibly into a back hug.

*SOB**SOB*

She cries like a child. Yet, I don't want those tears. I do not want to hear her sobbing. It's breaking me to see her like this. 

What the hell is wrong with me?

"You did your best. You were wonderful," I give compliments while hugging. 

She moves and pulls away from my hug. She turns around to see me.

I smiled at her, she giggles.

"You know, you keep appearing out of nowhere, and thank you," Joanabe said while wiping her tears with her hands.

"Am I? Didn't you say you will perform here?" I grin at her, slightly teasing her. I hope I did not offend her.

"Yeah..you are right... You see me suck in my performance." She said while her tears keep on falling to her cheeks. 

I pull out my mint green handkerchief in my pocket and wipe her tears in her cheeks with it. She looks shocked, and so am I. My body is moving on its own, but I know it is the best thing to do right now.

"Th-Thank you." She shutters with her words while thanking me with my small gestures to her.

"Keep this," I handed her my handkerchief. 

"But it's yours. You can't just give it away directly. I will wash this and return this for you," She said while holding the handkerchief in my hand.

"Silly, you can keep that. I don't need it. I think you need it more than I do." I responded to her while holding the handkerchief tighter. I look into her eyes. It is a pair of beautiful big brown eyes that compliments with her chocolate hair. 

I do not know, but I am lost with those eyes. 

Her eyes were shining like the stars in the night that will make you wish that it will fall for you. 

We keep staring at each other's eyes in silence. I mean, it's not a bad thing. I get the chance to see her at this distance.

Then her eyes landed on our hands.

*WHEN DID WE JUST ENTANGLED OUR HANDS TOGETHER?*

I am speechless, her eyes widen, but her hands feels like it is made for me. It matches mine perfectly.

She quickly looks away from my face to block me from seeing her tomato cheeks, but I can see her blush from her burning red ears.

I chuckled as I blushed.

She looks at me and pouts.

"You are cute," I smirk at her while her eyes are throwing daggers at me. 

She suddenly pinches my nose. 

"Ouch! What was that for?" 

"When will you let go of my hand?" She asked me, but I turned the question around. 

"When will you let go of MY hand?" I said to her teasingly, and I hold her hand tighter.

She lets go of my hand with the handkerchief.

Joanabe looks at me again, "Someday, let me wipe your tears with this," she raises the handkerchief in her hand.

I smiled at her and nodded, "Someday."

We laugh together.

I enjoy my time with her. I hope this will last.

"I am glad to see you happy right now." I blurt out what I feel for her.

"That's because of you.....Ummm"

"Kane, My name is Kane Boucher," I said while completing her sentence since Joanabe doesn't know my name, and she is planning to say my name.

Finally, I got to say my name to her. I'm on cloud nine. Her eyes glitter as she hears my name I suppose.

"Thanks, Kane, because of you, my tears are wiped and all gone. How I wish I can return the favor." She said in puppy eyes that I find adorable.

"It is not a favor, Joanabe, and you are welcome. We should go to the waiting area and chat there." 

She nods at my idea, and we walk together side by side to the waiting area.

We sit in the chair near there.

"You know, my dad hates me for being passionate about music." 

I looked at her in a questionable look, raising my eyebrow and mouth open.

*WHAT IS SHE SAYING?*

"I feel like I can never prove to him myself that music is for me. I could not make him proud or call me his daughter." She continued.

I can hear her sniffing.

I close my mouth and look blankly.

"Do you know my mom wants me to be like her, to be a performer?"

I can feel her eyes on me. I inhale and refuse to stare back at those eyes.

"But it is not what I want. I know I hurt my mother for not choosing to take her path. I want to do what I truly want to do, so I backed out in the show with a lame excuse." I catch her eyes, staring at me sadly. I smile weakly.

"Maybe not today, but someday, we are free to do with our parents' support," I added, and I pat her head with my hand. Her eyes glare at me for no reason. 

She shoves my hand out of her head, "don't treat me like a puppy. Wait! Did you what?"

*Oh! So she thinks that patting her head makes her a puppy, funny.*

"You look like you were begging for it. I said I pull out of the show, which is why you got to perform next." I jokingly said to her that makes her burst into laughter.

"You are pretty silly," she gleams brightly like a sun in the sky.

I give her a warm smile.

"Only for you." 

She pinches my shoulder for teasing her.

Glad to know her better.

Her eyes suddenly look away from me and lock it to someone. 

Joanabe sprinted away from me.

She left me again.