Waking up to the gentle sound of waves crashing against the shore felt oddly serene, yet strangely out of place. It was a peaceful symphony that seemed foreign to me, as if I had been transported to a different world overnight. The softness of the bed beneath me was comforting, but as I opened my eyes, I frowned at the unfamiliar ceiling above. Pale and bare, it was devoid of the familiar marks and shadows of my own room.

Nasan ako?

Kinapa ko ang kaba sa aking dibdib ganoon rin ang takot na dapat ay naroon ngunit wala ang mga iyon. I slowly sat up, feeling the cool sheets slip away from my skin. The simplicity and strangeness of the room around me began to sink in. The walls were a muted shade of blue, reminiscent of the ocean, and there was minimal furniture: just a bed, a nightstand with a simple lamp, and a small dresser. It felt almost spartan, kundi lang sobrang presko ng paligid ay iisipin kong nakakulong ako.

May dalawang naglalakihang bintana sa kabilang bahagi ng silid at pareho iyong nakabukas kaya malaya itong pinapasok ng malamig na simoy ng hangin. Ang amoy ng dagat ang namamayani sa kabuoan ng paligid. I could see the beach from where I sat, the golden sand stretching out towards the endless blue horizon. The sight was breathtaking, a stunning contrast to the confusion swirling in my mind.

Barefoot, I walked toward the windows, feeling the cool wooden floor beneath my feet. I leaned against the frame, letting the wind tousle my hair as I gazed out at the waves. Payapa ang karagatan bukod sa nag-uunahang mga alon ay walang ibang maririnig sa paligid.

How did I get here? Where was this place?

I tried to piece together my memories, searching for any clue that could explain this sudden shift. The last thing I remembered was having breakfast with Kourtney. We had talked about her wedding plans, a conversation that had left me feeling a mix of happiness and bitterness. But after that... my mind was a blank. It was as though I had time traveled, skipping over hours, perhaps even days, to wake up in this unknown haven.

The frustration of not knowing gnawed at me. Mariin kong ipinikit ang aking mga mata, pilit na naghahanap ng kasagutan sa lahat ng gumugulo sa aking isipan. Nothing came. It was an unsettling feeling, this gap in my consciousness, like a puzzle with missing pieces.

I turned away from the window and glanced around the room again, hoping to find something familiar, something that could anchor me. On the dresser, there was a single seashell, its spiraled shape delicate and beautiful. It seemed like a small token of this place, yet it offered no answers.

Mas naging mapaghanap pa ako, may isang maliit na pinto sa dulo ng silid kaya tinungo ko iyon at marahang binuksan, cr. Pumasok ako sa loob, simple at malinis iyon. The bathroom was modest yet elegant, with white tiles and simple fixtures. It felt untouched, like a blank canvas.

As I turned to leave, I noticed a medium-sized cabinet tucked into a corner. My curiosity piqued, I approached it and hesitated for a moment before opening the doors. Agad akong napasinghap kasabay ng bahagyang pag-atras nang makitang puno iyon ng sarili kong mga gamit. There, inside the cabinet, were my own clothes, neatly folded and stacked.

A silent curse escaped my lips. Have I moved into this place and not remembered? No, that couldn't be right. Lalo akong nalito at naguluhan. Ano ba itong lugar na 'to?

How could my clothes be here if I had no memory of coming to this place? I reached out and touched the familiar fabrics, feeling a chill run down my spine. This wasn't just a dream. It was real, and my presence here was no accident.

Doon ko na naramdaman ang kaba at pag-aalalang sumalakay sa aking dibdib. I tried to think logically. Had someone brought me here? But why? And how? I couldn't shake the feeling of unease. Every detail felt off. Was I kidnapped? Sino naman ang kukuha sa akin kung ganoon nga?

I closed the cabinet doors, trying to steady my breathing. My mind raced, searching for any plausible explanation. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't piece it together. The gaps in my memory were like black holes, swallowing any attempt at clarity.

Mabilis akong bumalik sa silid na pinanggalingan ko, hoping I could find answers there kung lalandasin kong muli. I needed answers. I glanced around the room again, searching for anything else that might offer a clue. There was nothing but the same bare walls and minimal furniture.

Niyuko ko ang suot ko. Kapareho lang ng natatandaan kong suot ko rin nang pumunta ako sa De Salvo Tower matapos ipatawag ni Tita Chi. My shirt, my jeans, pareho lang ang lahat. Tila gusto kong panlamigan ng kalamnan sa labis na pagtataka. Lumabas ako ng silid para mas humanap pa ng kasagutan.

I decided to explore the rest of the house. Maybe there was something outside this room that could shed light on my situation. With a deep breath, I opened the door and stepped into the hallway.

The house was quiet, almost eerily so. Umaga na, siguro ay nasa alas osto o alas nueve na rin base sa sikat ng araw na natatanaw ko mula sa naglalakihang bintana kanina sa loob ng silid. And yet, the only sound was the distant murmur of the sea. As I walked down the hallway, I noticed that the decor was consistent with the bedroom—simple, clean, and minimalistic. It felt almost too perfect, like a carefully curated space.

I reached the end of the hallway and found myself in a small living area. It was cozy, with a couple of chairs, a coffee table, and a bookshelf filled with books. There was a large window that offered a stunning view of the beach, katulad ng sa silid na pinanggalingan ko.

Tumayo ako roon at pinanuod ang paligid. Sobrang ganda, sobrang payapa. The waves crashing gently against the shore.

As I stood there, taking in the scene, I tried to calm my racing thoughts. Maybe there was a rational explanation for all of this. Maybe someone would appear and tell me everything I needed to know.

Sukat doon ay may naaninag ako sa sulok ng aking mga mata. Sa hindi kalayuan ay may dumadaong na maliit na bangka, kumunot ang aking noo nang makitang isang lalaki ang tumalon pababa mula roon.

The glare from the sunlight made it difficult to see him clearly, but my heart did a familiar flip that chilled every fiber of my being. I needed to know who he was, why he was here. With a sense of urgency, I walked outside, my bare feet sinking into the warm sand.

"Hey! Who are you?" I called out, my voice carrying over the sound of the waves.

Bigla akong natigilan sa akma kong paglapit nang mas makita ang anyo ng lalaki. Tumindi lalo ang kabog ng aking dibdib nang mapagsino ito.

Hans. Naked from the waist up, he was only wearing a pair of jeans, barefooted as he tried to keep the boat on the shore all by himself. The edges of his jeans were wet from the sea, and he was all sweaty, his muscles rippling with every movement as he strained against the boat.

Sweat glistened on his bronzed skin, dripping down his chest and back, highlighting the hard lines of his muscles. His hair was tousled, sticking to his forehead and temples, and he had an intense look of concentration on his face. Kagaya ng kung paano ko siya nakilala sa rancho.

Agad kong ipinilig ang aking ulo bago pa may ala-alang mamayani sa aking kaisipan. No. There was no room for that now.

"Ikaw?" Pilit kong ikinalma ang aking sarili at ipinagpatuloy ang paglalakad. Hindi ako binalingan ni Hans at pinanatili lamang sa bangka ang atensyon. "Anong ginagawa mo rito? No, anong ginagawa ko rito? Paanong nandito ako? Ano ang lugar na ito?"

Hans looked up, walang mababakas na kahit anong emosyon sa anyo nito ngunit naroon sa kaniyang mga mata ang lambing at pagsusumamong madalas kong maaninag sa kaniya noon. Kung para saan iyon ay hindi ko alam?

Didn't I tell him to never show his face again?

"Gising ka na pala," kalmadong sabi niya bago higpitan ang pagkakabuhol ng lubid sa dulo ng bangka. "Nagugutom ka ba?"

Gusto kong mainis sa kaswal niyang pagkakatanong. Ano't parang ako lang ang naaalarma sa sitwasyon naming dalawa ngayon? Tumayo ng tuwid si Hans at may kung anong inabot mula sa loob ng bangka, nang iangat muli ang kamay ay buhat niya na ang isang timba na nasisiguro kong naglalaman ng isda o kung ano pang lamang dagat na puwedeng hulihin at kainin. Nilagpasan niya lang ako, ang mga mata ngayon ay tutok na sa daan pabalik sa bahay kung saan ako galing.

I stood there, rooted to the spot, my mind racing. "Answer me, Hans. Why are you here? How did I get here?"

He sighed and turned to me, wiping the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand. "Hindi ko alam kung paano sasagutin ang tanong mong iyan, Caice. Pero naririto ka sa bahay ko, bukod sa impormasyong iyon ay wala na akong maibibigay pa sa'yo."

I shook my head, trying to process what he just said. Bahay niya? Iyong ginisingan ko kanina ay bahay niya? Then how come my things are in there? Hell, I was in there too! Pagalit ko siyang nilapitan, mas naging agresibo ako.

"Anong hindi mo alam, Hans? Nasa loob ng sinasabi mong bahay mo ang mga gamit ko! One minute I'm with Kourtney, and the next—I'm here! Wherever 'here' is. Paano mong mapapaliwanag iyon sa akin?" Gulong-gulo kong tanong, lalo kong gustong panghinaan nang loob nang walang ibang maaninag sa paligid kundi ang walang katapusang dagat at buhangin. Wala na rin akong ibang bahay pang nakikita kaya malamang ay kami lang rin dalawa ang tao rito.

Wait? Nananaginip ba ako?

I stared at Hans, searching his face for answers. The more I looked at him, the more surreal everything seemed. His face was exactly how I remembered it—strong jawline, deep-set eyes that held so much emotion, and that slight scruff that added to his rugged charm. Yet, there was something different too. A weight in his eyes, perhaps, or the way his lips curved. The longing I had buried deep in my heart suddenly crept up, making its way into every fiber of my being. This had to be a dream. Right? This was just a dream.

I muttered softly, almost to myself, "This is just a dream."

Hans's lips curved into a soft smile at my words, a smile that held a bolt of sadness about all the could have beens. Sukat doon ay kumirot na namang muli ang aking dibdib.

His smile... His stupid, genuine smile took me back to a simpler time, to when we had run away together and hidden away in San Vicente. Ang sandaling panahon na iyon na nagbukas sa aking isipan sa kung paano kami ni Hans kung kaming dalawa nga hanggang sa huli. Those days felt like forever ago, yet somehow, also just like yesterday. It was odd, how time could play such tricks on the mind.

Those were some of the best days of my life. We had nothing, yet we had everything.

I closed my eyes, allowing myself to be transported back to those moments. The days spent on the beach, the nights under the stars, the laughter and the love. Lahat ng iyon ay sinubukan kong ibaon sa loob ng mahabang panahon, ngunit ngayon ay isa-isang kumakawala mula sa kailaliman ng aking isipan. It all felt so distant and yet so close. I opened my eyes to find Hans still looking at me, his gaze unwavering.

Panaginip nga talaga ito. Hans would never look at me this way ever again, kung ang pagbabasehan ay ang realidad ng estado nito. He was getting married. Sigurado akong ang mga ganyang klase ng tingin ay nakalaan lamang sa babaeng nagpapatibok muli ng kaniyang puso.

At hindi ako iyon.

Hindi na.

I wanted so desperately for this to be real, for us to escape from the suffocating chaos that seemed to follow us wherever we went. But I knew it wasn't possible. This was just a figment of my imagination, a cruel trick played by my subconscious. Kaya ganito na lang katindi ang nararamdaman ko dahil minsan ko na itong naranasan. Minsan na akong naging masaya.

Despite knowing this was just a dream, I couldn't resist the urge to reach out and touch his face, to feel the warmth of his skin beneath my fingertips. He felt so real, so solid, that for a moment, I allowed myself to give in.

Shaking my head at the absurdity of it all, I leaned in closer, my heart pounding in my chest. No, this couldn't be real. But for now, I would revel in the idea, in the fleeting moments of happiness that this dream had to offer.

Kasi mukhang dito na lang ako magiging masaya.

Hanggang dito na lang kami ni Hans, eh. Sa panaginip.

Tiptoeing closer, I closed the distance between us and pressed my lips against his, savoring the taste of him. The kiss was tender, almost ethereal, like a whisper against the wind. It held all the longing and desperation that had been building inside me, a silent plea for something that could never be.

Hindi siya gumalaw, hinayaan niya lamang ako sa aking ginagawa. I felt a surge of emotions wash over me—pain, longing, and a deep, unyielding love that refused to be extinguished. Lahat ng pagmamahal na meron ako para sa kaniya, lahat ng iyon ay nanumbalik na parang walang mga taon ang namagitan sa aming dalawa. Hans tasted like rainbows and sunshine, like all the beautiful things in the world that I could never have.

For a moment, I allowed myself to forget about reality, to lose myself in the sweetness of the kiss. But all too soon, the harsh reality of our situation came crashing back down on me, tearing me away from the fantasy I had created.

Hans's wet and cold hand gently touched my arm, pulling me down, away from him. I swallowed hard, meeting his gaze as he looked down at me, his expression serious and hard.

"This isn't a dream, Caice," basag niya sa payapang mundo na binuo ko sa aking isipan. "I'm real. This is real."