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KABANATA 66
Huling Na-update:
2024-11-27 12:36:35
Kaugnay na kabanata
The Rebirth of Love KABANATA 67
THEA'S P. O. VThe late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the manicured lawn, painting the scene in warm, golden hues. I watched them. Si Ruan. Sobrang aliwalas ng mukha n'ya. He's smiling from ear to ear. That genuine smile. Sa buong panahon na nakilala ko s'ya, ngayon ko lang s'ya nakitang ngumiti ng gano'n. At for the first time mula nang dumating ako sa bahay nina Tito Roldan, ngayon ko lang din naramdaman na parang buhay na buhay 'tong bahay. Dati kasi, parang laging tahimik at para nang abandonado ang pakiramdam sa bahay na 'to. Parang laging ang lamig. Pero hindi na ngayon.His parents, their faces etched with a mixture of relief and profound happiness, were laughing with him. It was a scene of simple domestic bliss, a tableau of a family reuniting, healing. And the quiet joy swelling in my chest threatened to overflow.Tears welled in my eyes, hot and insistent, blurring the edges of the perfect picture before me. I quickly brushed them away, afraid that if I allowed myse
Huling Na-update : 2024-11-27The Rebirth of Love KABANATA 68
RUAN'S P. O. V"Sir? A-Ano hong ginagawa n'yo rito? Thea?” Halatang litung-lito si Julia sa biglaan naming pagsulpot ni Thea sa mismong bahay nila.The crisp, new bills felt strangely heavy in my hands, a tangible representation of a million pesos. It felt wrong, somehow, to be handing this over to Julia, a sum so significant it could change the trajectory of her life. But she had earned it, every single peso. Her bravery, her quick thinking, her unwavering loyalty—it had all been instrumental in bringing Thea back together. She deserved this reward, and more.Julia stood before us, her hands clasped tightly in front of her, her eyes wide with a mixture of disbelief and apprehension. The hesitant smile playing on her lips couldn’t quite mask the underlying nervousness. It was obvious she was a woman of quiet dignity, a woman who valued her independence, and this large sum of money clearly made her uncomfortable.“Julia,” I began, my voice a little rough, “take this. Consider it a toke
Huling Na-update : 2024-11-27The Rebirth of Love KABANATA 69
RUAN'S P. O. VThe quiet of my room pressed in on me, the darkness amplifying the lingering echoes of the evening's joy. Kauuwi ko lang galing sa paghatid ko kay Hope sa bahay n'ya.The dinner date with my family had been perfect, and the intimate moment I had with Hope was also perfect.Dahil na rin sa pagod ay mabilis akong inantok. Sleep evaded me almost immediately.Then, it began. The descent into darkness. The familiar chill that preceded a nightmare. I found myself standing in a place both familiar and alien, a landscape of shifting sands and ancient ruins bathed in the eerie glow of a blood-red moon. The air hung heavy with the scent of dust and decay, a suffocating stillness broken only by the mournful whisper of the wind.And then I saw her.Ariadne.She stood before me, her ethereal form shimmering in the moonlight, her golden hair cascading down her shoulders like liquid gold. But this wasn't the Ariadne of my memories, the vibrant, passionate woman I had once loved. This
Huling Na-update : 2024-11-27The Rebirth of Love KABANATA 70
THEA'S P. O. VEven after the call ended, a nagging unease lingered. Ruan’s voice, though laced with his usual warmth, had carried an undercurrent of something else—a tremor of fear, a subtle tremor of distress that he’d tried to mask with a flimsy excuse. Oo, kinikilig ako sa sinabi n'ya na nami-miss n'ya ako sa kalagitnaan ng gabi. Pero kilalanko s'ya. At ramdam na ramdam ko sa boses n'ya pa lang na may gusto pa s'yang sabihin sa akin na for whatever reason ay hindi n'ya masabi. I know him well enough to recognize the subtle shift in his tone, the slight hesitation in his words. He was hiding something.Pagkatapos tuloy ng tawag n'ya, hindi na ulit ako dinalaw dalaw ng antok. I tossed and turned in bed, the darkness amplifying the unease that gnawed at me. His words replayed in my mind, each syllable dissected, each inflection analyzed. The flimsy excuse, the unconvincing explanation, only served to deepen my suspicion. He hadn't sounded like a man simply missing his girlfriend; he
Huling Na-update : 2024-11-27The Rebirth of Love KABANATA 71
THEA'S P. O. V"What?! Sa Egypt talaga? Ang weird ng trip ni Kuya, ha?” Buntung-hininga lang ang sinagot ko sa reaksyon ni Zara pagkatapos kong i-kwento sa kanya ang kakaibang trip ng kuya n'ya."I know right. Ewan ko sa kanya kung bakit sa dinami-dami ng mga bansa na kilala for symbolizing romance, talagang do'n pa sa historical place ginusto n'yang pumunta. I love history, pero hindi ko lang talaga in-expect na do'n n'ya ako dadalhin for a 'romantic' getaway,” sabi ko pa."Pero sasama ka?”"Syempre. Tsaka excited din naman ako kahit papaano. First out of the country namin 'to ni Ruan. Kaya importante na rin 'to for me,” sagot ko.Tumangu-tango si Zara."Sabagay. You know what? Hayaan mo na lang muna si Kuya sa trip n'ya. Who knows? Baka may binabalak s'yang pakulo or something para i-surprise ka. Hindi imposibleng mangyari 'yon, ha? 'Wag ka!”Napangiti na lang ako at aaminin ko, may parte sa akin na umasang sana nga."Anyway, let's go change the topic. Saan mo gustong mag-malling to
Huling Na-update : 2024-11-27The Rebirth of Love KABANATA 72
THEA'S P. O. VAfter a few days, once everything is setup for our trip, lumipad na rin kami agad pa-Egypt. And now, we are here!The Egyptian sun beat down on us, the heat shimmering off the ancient stones. Ruan, ever the attentive tour guide, pointed out historical landmarks, his voice a low hum against the backdrop of the bustling tourist crowds. He spoke with an authority that bordered on obsession, his knowledge of Egyptian history encyclopedic, his descriptions vivid and engaging. At first, I was captivated, amazed by his depth of knowledge, his passion for the subject. He painted a picture of the past with such skill, such detail, that I felt transported back in time, standing alongside the pharaohs and their queens. Gustung-gusto ko ring itanong kung paano n'ya nalaman lahat ng 'yon, pero ayoko namang i-spoil ang pagiging 'tour guide' n'ya sa akin.He spoke of the gods and goddesses, the rituals and ceremonies, the triumphs and tragedies of ancient Egypt. He described the const
Huling Na-update : 2024-11-27The Rebirth of Love KABANATA 73
THEA'S P. O. VHindi na namin natapos 'yung two-week long sana na bakasyon namin sa Egypt. The flight home was a torturous exercise in avoidance. The silence between Ruan and me was thick, suffocating, a stark contrast to the lively conversations that had once filled our days. He tried, several times, to apologize, to explain, but his attempts felt hollow, his words lacking the sincerity needed to bridge the chasm that had opened up between us. His apologies were mere whispers. Hindi ko halos maramdaman.I refused to engage, my silence a deliberate wall against his attempts at reconciliation. Mas pinili kong 'wag s'yang pansinin. His words, once so captivating, now sounded hollow, meaningless. The romantic getaway had turned into a chilling revelation, a journey not into the past, but into the heart of Ruan’s unresolved grief, a grief that threatened to consume us both.Pagkahatid n'ya sa akin sa apartment ko, ni hindi ko s'ya nilingon ulit. I didn't bid any goodbyes nor I gave him a
Huling Na-update : 2024-11-27The Rebirth of Love KABANATA 74
RUAN'S P. O. V"Ariadne… I-It's true that I used to love her. But I'm not obsessed. A-At ikaw… O-Oo, totoong napansin ko agad 'yung pagkakahawig n'yo the moment we met each other. Pero… That doesn't mean that I love you because I think she's you. Hindi gano'n 'yon, Hope. Hindi gano'n.” Tumingin s'ya sa akin nang diretso sa mga mata. It was as if she's testing kung nagsasabi ba ako ng totoo o hindi. Pero hindi na ako natatakot. Because I am now determined to tell the whole truth.I described the day Ariadne’s ghost had appeared, seemingly out of nowhere, the unexpectedness of it all, the surreal nature of our burgeoning relationship. I painted a picture of a love born in the ethereal realm, a connection that transcended the boundaries of life and death, a relationship that had defied all logic and reason. Sinabi ko rin kung paano kami nagkamabutihan. Kung paano n'ya ako binago. At kung paano naging kami."I know it sounded unbelievable, insane even. Absurd. But that's the truth. Alam k
Huling Na-update : 2024-11-27
Pinakabagong kabanata
The Rebirth of Love SPECIAL CHAPTER 4
THEA'S P. O. VAmoy na amoy sa kabuuan ng kusina ang nakakatakam na pagkaing ako lang din ang naghanda at nagluto.I did this for Ruan. Pambawi sa lahat ng pag aalaga na ginawa n'ya noong nasa ospital ako.From the coffee I am making, my attention was instantly drew to Ruan when he entered the kitchen, his gaze sweeping across the table, avoiding mine. The coldness in his eyes was a familiar ache, a constant reminder of the chasm that separated us. I tried to bridge the gap, to rekindle the warmth that once existed between us.“Good morning,” I said, my voice betraying a hint of forced cheerfulness. “Breakfast is ready.”He grunted in response, a noncommittal sound that did little to ease the tension in the air. He sat down, his back ramrod straight, his gaze fixed on his plate. The silence stretched, heavy and suffocating.Nagsisimula na akong magtaka kung bakit gan'to s'ya. Ano bang problema? O may naging problema ba?I tried again, attempting to break through the wall of his coldne
The Rebirth of Love SPECIAL CHAPTER 3
ARIADNE'S/THEA'S P. O. VHindi man n'ya ako sinamahan nang ma-discharge ako—o si Thea—sa ospital, sumunod na araw ay dinalaw naman ako ni Ruan.But his coldness was a constant, icy presence. Kitang-kita ko ang laki ng pagbabago sa kanya. Kitang-kita ko 'yung sakit sa mga mata n'ya, para s'yang laging may hinahanap. Ramdam na ramdam ko 'yon—mula sa pag iwas n'ya ng tingin, sa paraan n'ya ng pagsagot sa akin. He mourned Thea, the real Thea, the girl he loved—a girl whose life I now occupied.One night, I found him in the garden, huddled beneath the weeping willow, his shoulders shaking silently. Tahimik lang s'yang umiiyak pero kitang-kita ko sa pag alog ng mga balikat n'ya ang sobrang pagdadalamhati. That sight tore at something within me, a raw, aching empathy that transcended the boundaries of my spectral existence.I understood his pain. More than he could ever know. Minsan ko na ring naramdaman ang sakit na 'yon nang sapilitan akong napaalis at naiwan ko s'ya nang hindi man lang ak
The Rebirth of Love SPECIAL CHAPTER 2
ARIADNE'S/THEA'S P. O VThe hospital doors swung open, releasing me into the blinding sunlight. Or rather, it released me. It felt strange, even now, to think of myself as inhabiting Thea’s body. Technically, ako pa rin si Ariadne—ang multo ng kawawang Egyptian princess. But the world saw Thea. Dahil katawan n'ya ang gamit ko at nasa loob ako nito.Oo, nakalabas na rin ako ss modernong mundo. Kaya bga nakilala ko si Ruan, eh. Pero ibang-iba pa rin pala talaga ang pakiramdam kapag buhay at may pakiramdam ka. The world, right now, was a confusing blur of unfamiliar sensations and sights.The car ride home was a silent film of contrasts. The smooth, cool leather of the car seat felt alien against my skin—or rather, Thea's skin. The way the sunlight warmed my face, the way the wind ruffled my hair… it was all so intensely alive, a stark contrast to my previous existence as a disembodied spirit. Yet, it was also a constant reminder of what I had taken, what I had become.The house loomed
The Rebirth of Love SPECIAL CHAPTER 1
RUAN'S P. O. V“Thea… she didn’t simply die,” Thea—or Ariadne, rather, began. Her gaze distant, lost in the swirling embers. “Her death… it was… a shedding. A leaving.”I shifted uneasily. This wasn’t the straightforward explanation I’d expected. Thea’s death had been declared a tragic accident. At oo, masakit. Pero parang mas pipiliin ko pang maramdaman ang sakit ng pagkawala n'ya—sa kaluluwa at katawan—kaysa patuloy kong makasama ang katawan n'ya pero hindi na s'ya ang nandoon.“Her soul… it departed,” Ariadne continued, her voice barely a whisper. “It slipped away, leaving behind… an empty vessel. A shell. A-At naalala mo 'yung sinabi sa'yo sa rooftop noon? No'ng tinanong mo ako kung may chance ba na magsama tayo ng maayos at normal?” She paused, her eyes locking with mine, a flicker of something unreadable in their depths. “'Eto na 'yon, Ruan. Nakita ko na 'yung perfect vessel. Kaya finally, magkakasama na tayo ulit.”A chill snaked down my spine. The image of Thea, vibrant and ful
The Rebirth of Love EPILOGUE
RUAN'S P. O. VDays have passed and the constant words from others about how Thea won't be able to wake up still lingers on my mind. And sometimes, I almost listened. Sometimes, the weight of despair became too heavy to bear, the whispers of doubt too loud to ignore. The thought of waiting, of hoping for a miracle that might never come, felt like an impossible dream.But then I would look at her, at her peaceful face, at the faint rise and fall of her chest, and the doubt would recede. I would remember the warmth of her smile, the melody of her laughter, the depth of her love. And I would know that I couldn't give up.I was rotten from deep within, a man burdened by the sins of his past, haunted by the ghosts of his mistakes. But my love for Thea, a love that had blossomed in the darkest of times, was the only thing that kept me afloat, the only thing that gave me the strength to keep going.I was a broken man, clinging to a hope that felt like a fragile thread, a thread that could sn
The Rebirth of Love KABANATA 83
RUAN'S P. O. VThe hospital room was a sterile, white tomb, the air thick with the scent of antiseptic and unspoken sorrow. It had been three months since the accident, three months since Hope had slipped into that deep, silent sleep. Three months of agonizing hope and crushing despair.Matagal nang tumigil 'yung mga doktor na magbigay ng assurance sa akin na gagaling pa si Hope. Na magigising pa s'ya ulit. But no matter how kind their smiles are and no matter how gentle their words are, hindi ko pa rin magawang makumbinsi na isuko s'ya. They spoke of brain injuries, of the delicate balance of life and death, of miracles that were rare and unpredictable. They spoke of letting go, of accepting the inevitable.But I refused to listen. I refused to accept their pronouncements of defeat. I clung to the faintest flicker of hope, the whisper of a possibility that she might wake up, that she might smile at me again, that she might say my name. Babalik s'ya.Every day, I sat by her bedside, h
The Rebirth of Love KABANATA 82
THEA'S P. O. VThe air hung heavy with the scent of garlic and rosemary, a comforting aroma that usually signaled a pleasant evening. Parang atojo pa tuloy umalis. Lalo na nang pagtayo ko, parang bigla akong nakaramdam ng hindi maganda. Tonight, the smell seemed to cling to me like a shroud, a harbinger of the horror that was about to unfold.Kumaway pa ulit ako kay Ruan paglabas ko ng restaurant. Nakaupo pa rin s'ya sa loob pero kitang-kita ko naman s'ya sa salaming dingding. Alam ko na nakikita n'ya rin ako. As I walked to the sidewalk and before I cross the road, I took a quick glance at my watch confirmed my suspicions—it was getting late, and I needed to get home. Kaya tama lang din talaga na hindi na ako um-oo sa suggestion ni Ruan na isama pa ako. I excused myself from the table, a wave of relief washing over me as I escaped the awkward silence that had settled over the dinner.I breathe a sigh of relief—mostly like enjoying the cool night air. I took a deep breath, the crispne
The Rebirth of Love KABANATA 81
1 year later… THEA'S P. O. VThe soft glow of the setting sun painted the city in hues of orange and pink as I walked towards the restaurant, my heart pounding a frantic rhythm against my ribs.It was our anniversary, one year since the day Ruan had promised to never let go of me again. One year since we had decided to face our demons together, to heal the wounds of the past.Isang taon na rin silang ayos ng mga magulang n'ya. It happened since they all decided to call everything quits. Nagkaliwanagan sila, nagkapatawaran. And I was indeed right. Sobrang daming bagay at side ng istorya ang hindi alam ni Ruan. Pero naliwanagan na s'ya nang magkausap sila ng mga magulang n'ya. Turns out, Ruan is really not who he seems to be. Mukha lang s'yang matapang at manhid; pero sa loob n'ya, nando'n pa rin ang batang s'ya na naghahangad ng kalinga mula sa mga magulang n'ya. And I saw that child when he cried while hugging his parents again after a very long time.Isang taon na rin, pero ni isa sa
The Rebirth of Love KABANATA 80
RUAN'S P. O. V"Ready na ba kayo?” I smiled with Hope's energy. Sobrang taas ng energy n'ya at ramdam na ramdam 'yon pagpasok pa lang n'ya sa sasakyan."Good morning, Ruan. Hi, Shariya! Did you miss me?” sabi n'ya ulit."'Morning, my Hope,” I said.Shariya giggled and exclaimed, "Yes!"And just as that, the day unfolded like a dream, a series of joyful moments strung together like pearls on a silken thread. Hope's energy was infectious, her laughter echoing through the bustling streets, her enthusiasm contagious. Shariya, ever the lively child, bounced between us, her infectious energy a constant source of amusement. We were a family, a makeshift unit bound by affection and shared experiences.We started with a leisurely stroll through the park, the sunshine warming our faces, the fresh air filling our lungs. Shariya chased pigeons, her giggles echoing through the trees, her joy a balm to my soul. Hope watched her with a tenderness that tugged at my heartstrings, her eyes filled with
