[@apeiron @oreoo25]
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“Love, kailan nanaman ba balik mo?” tanong ko sa nobyo kong si Christian habang mahigpit ang pagkakayakap ko sa kanya.
“Hindi ako sigurado love eh. Siguro after 3 weeks? Pero don’t worry, sigurado namang makakabalik ako at saka pagbalik ko diretso na tayo agad sa simbahan kasi magpapakasal na tayo. Hindi ba?” seryusong saad niya habang tinititigan ako at sabay hawak sa magkabila kong pisngi gamit ang malambot niyang mga kamay.
I kissed him on the lips as I gave him my warm hug as if it the last time. I wave my goodbye for him as he drove the car away.
My boyfriend is an army and he was always deployed miles far away from me. Sometimes he can only come home twice or thrice a year. It’s hard to have a boyfriend who has a big duty to country but what I can do? I love him. I really do.
Even if we barely spend alone time with each other. We never forget to keep a good communication towards one another. We do chat and we always check each other every inch of time.
Seconds, Minutes, Hours, Days and Weeks has passed.
I’m here sitting next to the window as my eyes travelled out of nowhere while waiting for my man to comeback home.
It’s already 3rd week of the month yet, he’s still not here. I stood up as I was about to go to my room when my phone suddenly rang. I roamed my eyes searching for my phone, I hurriedly grabbed it on the sofa as I excitedly answer the call.
It’s Christian!
“Hi Love?! Kailan ka ba uuwi?” I excitedly asked him as a smile formed on my face.
“Next year love… Kidding. I’ll be coming home right away after our corp allow us to do so.. Basta hintayin mo ako ha? Magpapakasal pa ta—” Pabirong saad niya nang bigla nalang may sumabog na kung ano dahilan upang maputol siya sa pagsasalita.
“Love? Is everything okay there? Love?! HELLO?! CHRISTIAN!” I said in a worried tone with a trace of nervous on my voice. I heaved a sigh when I found out that the line was dropped.
I think they were on a drill or what so the signal was interruped.
• • •
The light of the morning sun hit my face that caused me to woke up. I get my ass off my bed as I fixed my bed and get out of my room. I went to the bathroom streching out my both arms.
I’m almost inch far from our bathroom when someone knock the door. A wide smile stuck on my face as I hurriedly run into the door.
“Welcome back love! Akala ko matatagalan ka pa sa camp–” My words cut-off when I found out that it’s not the person I’m expecting to knock the door.
“Hi Grech?” Luther greeted me. Luther is my boyfriend’s besfriend and a friend really close to me. He is also an army.
“H-hello Luther. What happened to you? Bakit naka semento ‘yang kamay mo? Is Christian with you?” sunod-sunod kong tanong nang bigla nalang napayuko si Luther at nagulat ako nang nagsimula na siyang umiyak.
“I’m s-sorry Grech…” panimula niya dahilan upang bumilis nang bumilis ang...

tibok ng puso ko.
“Luther! Where is Christian?! Ah siguro prank nanaman ‘to nuh? Aish! Sabihin mo nga d’yan sa kaibigan mo na alam ko na mga galawan niya! Nasaan ba ang hidden cam—” I tend not to overthink and act like something crazy is going on but Luther suddenly stopped me.
“Isa si Christian na kasama sa mga nasawi sa pagsabog kagabi sa campo. I’m one of the five survivors out of 100 troops in the camp. Nasa St. Benidict Hospital Morgue na siya kasama ang iba pa sa mga nasawi sa pagsabog kahapon. Pwede na kitang samahan na dalawin siya doon. I’m sorry Grech.” Luther directly said to me as he bid his condolences.
My lips quivered after hearing the bad news. The moment he told me the truth, my world suddenly stop and it felts like a sudden lost my strenght. My knees became weak making me fell on the ground after hearing those words.
My body starts to tremble because of what I found out, tanks of tears escaped my eyes together with tons of pain invading and continuously emaciating my whole system.
Seconds turned into hours. Hours turned into days. Days turned into weeks. And weeks turned into months. Now that I lost my man? I don’t know if I can still continue living life.
• • •
I faced the mirror as tears kept flowing on my eyes. A wide smile formed on my sanguine face as I stare myself on the mirror while wearing a white gown.
“Grechen masisira ‘yang make-up mo!” saad ng make-up artist dahilan upang mabilis kong pahiran ang mga luha ko.
“I’m sorry hindi lang talaga ako makapaniwala na mangyayari pa din ito.” I mumbled as I forced a smile.
“Grech, ready na ‘yung car sa labas. Pwede na tayong umalis pagkatapos mo d’yan. Naghihintay na si Christian sa simbahan. ” Luther said as I respond him with a nod.
Makalipas ang ilang oras na biyahe ay nakarating na kami sa simbahan. Excitement rushed on my system together with a little bit of nervous.
I let a sigh lighten the weight on my chest. I get off the car as I put myself on the door entrance of the church.
The both door opened as the musicians starts to play our wedding song which is “Thousand Years” by Christina Perri. I started walking on the aisle as I stare my man waiting on the end of it.
Finally I reached the end of the aisle. I laid my both eyes to my man as I can’t help my tears not to burst out.
“Hi love. Finally we’re already getting married!” I said with a smile traced on my face as I stare his picture on the frame.
Maybe my man is now gone but it doesn’t mean that our forever has already ended. Even if he’s not in my arms anymore, I’ll still be grateful for he came and brought joy to my life.
He is my man and he will always be. I’m not a puzzle with a missing piece, nor a book with lost pages, because I know that he will stay forever in my heart— and even death can’t stop the love story that we both started.
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👨‍🚀THANK YOU FOR READING!