Prologue | Flashback

Katrina's POV

Naputol ang crayons ko nang bigla nalang akong makarinig ng pagkabasag ng kung ano sa labas. Kinabahan ako kaya agad kong iniwan ang ginagawa kong drawing at dali-daling tumakbo palabas ng kuwarto ko.

Nang makababa ako, nakita ko si daddy sa sala, but why is he crying?! I don't understand, this is the first time I saw tears on his face. I slowly took a step forward and there I saw mommy, she's also crying but her brows are furrowed. Is she mad?

I'm about to step when I notice the broken vase scattered on the floor. Iniwasan ko ito sa paghakbang ko patungo sa mismong sala kung nasaan sila.

"Mom? What's happenning here po?" I felt worried when I saw clearly my mom's face. It's full of nothing but tears.

"K-Kath? K-kanina ka pa ba d'yan?" She also stutter while wiping her tears away. 

"Uhm, no po! I-I just hear you shouting so I go down here po." I said nervously because I know it's bad when I'm interrupting someone's conversation.

"Uh, w-wala, princess! W-we're just talking about business. You can go to your room na princess," sabi naman ni daddy tsaka lumapit sakin at akmang aakayin na sana ako nito papunta sa room ko when I heard mom.

"Such a great liar," she mumbled but I still heard it. So I stop and look at her, but she's just staring at nowhere, so nilapitan ko na siya and I grab her hands. 

"Mom? Are you two really okay?" I asked innocently but also nervously. Nagulat siya sa paglapit ko, but she still smiled at me, but I know it's a fake one because I know her true smile. She's hurt, and I don't know why?!

Inakay niya ako papunta sa sofa. "Baby? Ganito kasi yun, your Dad and I are talking about you're early vacation." Mom said with no emotions, she even look at daddy so I also look at him. He's now sitting on his feet near us. Marahas niya ring ginugulo ang buhok niya maybe because of frustration.

"M-my vacation? But why? It's not even time for vacation, may pasok pa po ako! And if you're really talking about me, then why are you two crying and shouting?"

"Baby, no more questions, okay?! Just go to your room and fix your things---"

"No Catherine! You're not leaving, ako ang aalis!" He shouted that made my mom stop before he stood up and go to his room. Kahit ako ay nagulat sa inaktong yun ni daddy. He never scolded us. It is the first time.

"Mom, why are you both fighting?"

Instead of answering my question, she hugged me tight and I let her cry on my shoulders.

"B-baby? S-sorry kung pati ikaw nadadamay pa dito." Mom said softly while sobbing. "I just want him to---" 

Nangunot ang noo ko nang natigilan siya pero ako naman ang natigilan nang lumingon ako sa tinitingnan niya.

"I'm so sorry my princess, but can you hug daddy before he leave?" Dad asked with his arms widely open.

Agad akong tumakbo papalapit sakanya at niyakap siya nang napakahigpit dahil ayoko siyang umalis!

"Dad, please! Don't leave us! P-please!" I cried. 

"Hush. I promise, I'll be back." 

He forced me to let him go but I can't! I really can't! But, because he's stronger than me, he easily pushed me away and my mom grabbed that chance to hug me tight while I'm begging and shouting for my father to come back pero nang marinig ko ang tunog ng kotse ni Dad ay bigla ko nalang naramdaman na hinahabol ko na pala siya, still crying and shouting. Trying to make him stop but he didn't.

"Daddy!!! Please don't leave us!!! Don't leave me! Come back here, please!!!" sigaw ko pero ni hindi man lang siya tumitigil! 

I'm still running though I can't already see his car!!! Hanggang sa makaramdam na ako ng pagod kaya napaupo na ako sa tabing-kalsada.

Hindi ko parin mapigilan ang pagbuhos ng mga luha ko 'cuz I can't believe that he can leave me as easy as that!!! I love Papa very much, more than I love anyone, even myself! He's my life. He's the one I trust so much...but he just...leave me. 

"Please, come back!" I shouted as if he's still here.

"I love you so much, Dad."

Kasunod ng mga katagang yun ay bumuhos ang napakalakas na ulan pero hindi ko yun inalintana. Andito parin ako, nakaupo sa malamig na semento. Still crying and hoping that my father will come back and hug me tight to tell me that he can't leave me, pero ilang minuto na akong nandito, hindi man lang nangyari ang hinihiling ko.

Tuloy lang ako sa pag-iyak, kasabay ng pagbuhos ng ulan. Reminiscing those moments when my dad and I are playing under the rain. I even remember how he told me that my name comes from the rain, dahil ganun raw nila kagusto ni mom ang ulan, but here I am. Under the rain. Crying alone.

"Ang lakas-lakas ng ulan dito ka pa talaga nag-emote?" Napatingala ako sa nagsalita pero dahil sa panlalabo ng aking mga mata hindi ko maaninag kung sino ito. Tila anino lang ng batang lalaking may dalang payong ang nakikita ko.

"W-Who are you?" 

He didn't answer me, instead he laid his hand in front of me in which I just stared at, not planning to take it.

"Tayo na jan. Di mo ba alam na magkakasakit ka kapag nagbabad ka sa ulan?" 

"I don't care! Just leave me alone!" I shouted.

"Tingin mo ba babalik ang daddy mo kung patuloy kang iiyak d'yan?" Nangunot ang noo ko at muling tumingala sa estrangherong ito.

He chuckled. "Kanina pa kita pinapanood. Narinig ko lahat ng sinisigaw mo." Sinamaan ko siya ng tingin pero tinawanan niya pa ako. Is he making fun of me?!

"Let's go. Lumalakas na ang ulan, nangangalay narin ako." 

"I don't know you so just leave me alone! I don't need you! Kung mamamatay man ako--I don't care! He already leave me so just leave me alone, too!" 

"Okay." I thought he's going to leave pero nabigla ako nang itapon niya nalang basta ang payong na hawak niya. Umupo siya sa sarili niyang mga paa para magkapantay kami. Now I can see his handsome face--wait did I just call him handsome?!

"Kung ayaw mo talagang umalis dito, hindi na kita pipilitin, pero wag mo rin akong pilitin na umalis dahil hindi kita iiwan dito." Umayos siya ng upo, ginaya niya ako na yakap-yakap ang mga tuhod. 

"You know what, ang problema parang ulan lang yan. It's just temporary. Tinatry lang ni God kung magrereklamo nalang ba tayo o mananatiling matatag," sabi niya nang nasa kalsada ang tingin. Hindi alintana ang malakas na ulan na bumubuhos sa katawan niya. Ilang minuto pa kaming nagtagal sa ganung posisyon. Ilang minuto narin akong umiiyak pero mas kalmado na kesa kanina. Sumasabay nalang ang luha ko sa pagpatak ng ulan sa mukha ko. 

Mayamaya pa humina na ang ulan. "O, ayan o! Tumigil na!" He exclaimed as he stood up. He looked like a kid who win a game as he look at me. Well, we're both still kids but he's acting like a 3-year-old baby. 

He offered his hand once again.

"Tumigil na ang ulan, it means, sooner or later rainbow will appear in the sky. At ibig sabihin nun, may pag-asa pa," aniya nang may ngiti sa labi. I forced a smile as he helped me to stand up. "May pag-asa pang babalikan ka ng daddy mo." Ngumiti ako ng may pait sa pagkakasambit niya kay daddy.

Pinulot niya na ang payong niyang iniwan niya lang na nakabukas sa tabi. "Basta wag ka lang susuko! Always look up at the rainbow, 'cuz no matter how strong the rain is, it will stop and that's the right time to stand up again and be strong enough to face your problems." Ngumiti siya nang abot-tenga saka ito tumakbo paalis.

Dahil sa pagkatulala sa mga sinabi niya, hindi agad ako nakakilos at nakapagsalita. Pero bago pa man siya tuluyang makalayo, huminto siya at humarap sakin. He smiled at me cheerfully and mouthed the word 'fighting!'. He even punch in the air before he winked at me and run away until I couldn't see him anymore.

I smiled out of nowhere. He made me smile just like that.

To be continued...