It was a sudden decision. In fact, everything was sudden. I decided that night and my flight was immediately scheduled the day after. It's a good thing that I still hasn't used my leave for the year kung kaya't hindi ako napagalitan. My manager was so curious about it pero hindi na rin siya nagpumilit na alamin kung bakit ko biglaang gustong umalis para pumunta ng Spain. Pero sa tingin ko naman ay may kutob na sila kung bakit.

Yuri, Maya, and Jae - were the only people who knew about my reason. Sila rin ang tumulong sa akin para mapabilis ang alis ko.

"Are you sure you don't need another help?" Yuri raised a brow.

She's been pestering me about asking for another help pero medyo nakakahiya na dahil ang dami na niyang naitulong sa akin mula noon pa.

"Oo nga, sure ka ba talagang susuyurin mo ang buong Barcelona para hanapin siya?"

Nagkibit-balikat ako. "Mahahanap ko naman siguro."

"Okay, bahala ka! Basta kapag kailangan mo ng tulong, chat ka lang, ha? Susugod ako kahit na 'di ko pa nararanasang mang-ibang bansa." Maya added and gave me a pat on the shoulder. "Ingat ha!"

Tumango ako at niyakap silang dalawa bago ko niyakap si Jae na dala-dala pa ang maleta ko.

"Galingan mo, para hindi sayang ang leave." He chuckled before pinching my cheeks. "Ingat ka, paki-suntok nalang siya para sa'kin."

Natawa ako bago tumango at tuluyan nang nagpaalam sa kanila.

I was already about to board the plane when I received a message from Yuri.

It was the address of their company that comes with a funny message.

Better hurry up, baka may iba na.

I sighed. She really wanted to help me and I appreciate it so much. And for what she said...I already know what to do with that.

Kung may mahal na nga siya at huli na ako, then I'll let him go merrily. Because he also deserves to be happy after everything that happened to him.

The busy streets of Barcelona greeted me after almost 16 hours of flight. It wasn't new to me anymore dahil nakapunta na ako ng Spain noon. Pero mas lalo akong kinakabahan ngayon, the thought of seeing him again makes me feel so excited and at the same time nervous dahil baka nga...huli na ako.

I booked a hotel near their company and after freshening up ay agad na akong sumakay ng cab patungo sa company nila.

It wasn't as big as their building in the Philippines but it looked so fancy, kaya hangang-hanga pa rin ako.

Lumapit ako sa information at nagtanong, but they declined to say about the whereabouts of their CEO. Basta ang sabi lang ay wala siya ngayon at may mahalagang pinuntahan.

Actually, kaya ko namang malaman kong nasaan siya. One call for Yuri and I know she would tell me where he is, afterall, she has her ways. But I want to do it myself now.

Gusto kong ako naman ang maghintay sa kanya ngayon. Because he already waited for me so long to go back at kung ikukumpara doon ay alam kong walang-wala lang 'tong ginagawa ko ngayon.

I waited for hours at habang nakaupo ako sa lobby ay hindi ko maiwasang isipin ang iilang mga posibilidad. I said I'd let go of him if he already loves someone else, but I'm still hoping na wala pa. I want us back together and I felt bad that it got me a year before finally deciding about it. Now, I feel scared and some what ifs were running inside my mind again.

I sighed and tried to massage my temple para mabawasan ang tensyon. I also listened to music while waiting para makalma ako. When I felt hungry ay nagdesisyon naman akong lumabas muna ng saglit para kumain.

My plan was just to eat but after minutes of walking, I found myself in front of the La Sagrada Familia. Maybe it was curiousity that brought me here dahil naalala ko noon na isa 'to sa mga gusto kong mapuntahan, but I failed to do it when we went there years ago dahil sa masyadong hectic na schedule. And now that I'm seeing it in person ay saglit na nawala ang mga agam-agam ko. It made me happy and somehow calmer.

"Ang ganda!" Manghang-mangha kong sabi habang nakaupo sa bench at tinatanaw ang basilica.

Bigla kong naalala ang movie ng Kathniel which made me smile a bit before taking out my phone to take a photo of the place. Nag-selfie rin ako as a remembrance.

"Pilipino ka?"

Muntik na akong mapatalon no'ng may nagsalitang babae sa likod ko. Nagulat pa ako pagkalingon dahil ang ganda-ganda niya.

"Uh...oo. Ikaw ba?" I asked back.

Ngumiti naman siya at tumango. "Half-Filipina, Half-Spanish pero dito na ako lumaki." Bahagya niya akong pinagmasdan. "Turista?"

I smiled. "Ah, oo."

Masaya naman siyang tumango at mas lalong lumapad ang ngisi niya. "Ako nga pala si Naomi." Nakangiti niyang sabi at inilahad ang kanyang kamay.

Ang friendly naman niya.

Ngumiti rin ako at tinanggap iyon. "Lia...Lia ang pangalan ko."

Suddenly, her eyes widened.

"Omg! Parang may kamukha kang model! Same kayo ng vibes!"

Uh? I suddenly don't know what to say kaya ngumiti nalang ako. Nakasuot kasi ako ng beret hat at sunglasses kaya hindi ko naman siya masisising hindi niya ako nakilala.

"Kilala mo 'yun? Si Grazella Villegas! Grabe, ang adik sa kanya ng kaibigan ko!"

It was an awkward moment at natawa nalang ako. Mabuti nalang ay napunta rin sa iba ang topic namin.

She was so nice and she even offered to tour me around the basilica. Pumayag naman ako dahil gusto ko rin naman.

She was so carefree at habang naglilibot kami ay mas lalo ko siyang nakilala. She's also an architecture graduate here in Spain at nagtatrabaho rin daw siya sa isang company dito. I also learned that she's a year ahead of me.

"Omg, you like K-pop too? Ako rin!" She happily asked at tumango naman ako. Tumagal ang usapan namin dahil doon at hindi ko na namalayan na hapon na pala.

It was a happy afternoon and I was so glad that I met a kind Filipina girl like her. Nagkaroon pa ako ng free tour at instant friend sa Barcelona.

"Tawagan mo ako kung wala kang kasamang maglibot dito ha? Sasamahan kita kapag free time ko."

I smiled at her. "Sure. Salamat ulit, Naomi."

We parted ways and after that ay muli na akong bumalik sa building ng mga Flores. I went inside and asked the information desk again pero katulad nang naunang sagot ay gano'n pa rin ang ibinigay nila. Kaya nanlulumo akong lumabas. Muntik ko nang kunin ang phone ko at tawagan si Yuri para magpatulong, but patience is a virtue. Alam kong makikita ko rin siya.

And I'm right. Because I did see him the next day.

Dahil may kalapitan ang La Sagrada Familia mula sa hotel na tinutuluyan ko ay nagpasya akong dumaan doon para magdasal.

Taimtim akong nanalangin na sana ay makita ko na siya and I also wished that may we still be given a chance to be with each other. Dahil gusto ko siyang makasama...because he's the only man I love.

At siguro nga ay siya lang ang natatanging lalaking kaya kong mahalin.

When I opened my eyes after praying, God seemed to have granted my wish because I saw him.

I saw him standing meters away from me.

My eyes widened and my heartbeat started booming again. It was an enchanting moment...I even thought it was a perfect moment for us to see each other again.

I was about to stand and approach him, but nothing's perfect, ika nga nila. Because seconds after I saw him, someone went to him and hugged him. He looked surprised pero agad din siyang nakabawi at ngumisi bago hinalikan sa pisngi ang babae.

They looked so sweet...they looked so good with each other.

Tears started falling from my eyes while I watched them from a distance.

My mouth parted. I wanted to say something at least to console myself but I couldn't, especially now that I realized that he deserves to be with someone precious like her.

Naomi.

What a small world indeed.

I never thought I would see the kind girl who helped me yesterday...with him.

I wiped my tears and smiled.

Huli na nga siguro ang lahat para sa amin.

Pero baka hindi naman sila...baka kaibigan lang naman. Because I also remembered Jae and Trev giving me a kiss on the cheek.

Kaya kahit masakit man at natatakot ay humakbang ako palapit. But I just got shattered more because of what I heard.

"I missed you, love." Naomi smiled at him and he also smiled back bago ginulo ang buhok nito at hinawakan ang kamay para sabay na silang umalis.

Pakiramdam ko ay napako ako sa kinatatayuan ko. I already anticipated something like this to happen pero masakit pa rin pala kapag nangyari na.

Ang bigat-bigat. Pakiramdam ko ay may nakadagan sa dibdib ko at hindi na 'yun matanggal-tanggal kahit gaano pa kalakas na iyak ang gawin ko.

Kinagat ko ang aking pang-ibabang labi at hinikayat ang sarili ko na umalis na.

Gusto kong pilitin ang sarili ko na tanggapin nang...heto na nga ang huli. Na heto na talaga siguro ang ending na mayroon kaming dalawa.

Hindi ko naman siya masisisi e, dahil sa aming dalawa ay ako ng nagdesisyong sayangin ang mga pagkakataon. I was the one who pushed him away, and now that I've finally decided to pursue him, siya naman ang hindi na pwede.

Maybe we're not really meant for each other. Maybe we're just meant to be with each other for a point in time but not for a lifetime.

Habang iniisip ko iyon ay mas lalo naman akong naiiyak. I was still crying when I went back to the hotel. I decided to go back to the Philippines dahil pakiramdam ko ay hindi ko na kayang manatili sa isang lugar na wala akong masasandalan. It was so heavy and painful that my tears just won't stop falling no matter how hard I tried to stop them.

I packed my clothes and checked-out. At habang naghihintay ng cab ay nagdesisyon akong tawagan si Maya para ipaalam sa kanya ng desisyon ko.

She immediately picked up after the first ring. "Hey! Musta ang Espanya?"

I sighed and tried my best to stop my shaking voice.

"Uuwi na ako."

There was a long pause in the line and she was about to say something when I ended the call. Dahil hindi ko na maitatago ang panginginig ng boses ko and I don't want them to worry too much.

I turned off my phone before I took a cab and while on my way ay hindi ko mapigilan ang sarili kong isipin ang lahat-lahat ng mga nangyari sa aming dalawa.

Simula noong college hanggang ngayon.

It was such a bittersweet feeling and just like what happened back then, a thought suddenly struck my mind.

Tuluyan na akong aalis sa buhay niya ngayon. But before I do that, I want to see him again...for one last time. Because I would probably never show myself to him again after this. Hinding-hindi ko na siya guguluhin pa at hahayaan nalang na maging masaya kasama ang taong mahal niya.

He deserves happiness and I don't want to hinder that. I want to be mature and accept everything...and move forward.

Kahit na alam ko sa sarili ko...na siya lang ang taong kaya kong mahalin nang ganito.

It was such a random idea that struck my mind but I found myself telling the driver to drive back to their building.

When we arrived ay agad akong bumaba dala ang mga gamit ko.

I know that there's no guarantee that I would see him today pero maghihintay ako. If it's what it takes to see him before I go, then I will do that.

But he doesn't have to see me dahil ayoko na siyang guluhin pa. Ang makita siya mula sa malayo ay sapat na para sa akin.

Magiging masaya na ako doon and I would treasure that moment until the day I die.

Mukha namang pinapaburan ako ni tadhana because after hours of waiting, I was able to see him again.

He was smiling while walking, kasama ang iilang mukhang empleyado ng kompanya nila.

It was such a perfect scene to picture and I made sure to remember all the details about him.

His eyes.

His nose.

His brows.

His eyelashes.

His lips.

His smile.

I was in the middle of staring at him from a distance when his gaze suddenly fell in my direction. He looked surprised and he even blinked his eyes. Agad ko namang naramdaman ang pagtambol ng dibdib ko no'ng magtama ang paningin namin and suddenly, I felt like everything around us disappeared.

For a while, it was just him that I'm seeing...and I smiled at him slowly.

But when reality hit me hard ay agad akong nag-iwas ng tingin at nagmamadaling pinulot ang mga gamit ko.

Kailangan ko nang umalis.

Because my wish was already granted. I already saw the love of my life.