Trigger Warning: Domestic Violence, Death

***

Narration

Minami opens the door after hearing the doorbell ring. What she saw was Harold, who had obviously just returned from the airport as he was still holding his suitcase.

"What are you doing h-here?" Minami asked, her voice cracking and tears welling up in her eyes.

Harold dropped his suitcase and pulled her into a tight hug. When he finally saw her, he felt all of his fatigue vanished.

"L-let go," Minami punched his chest. But he didn't budge, instead he tightened his embrace.

Minami stops struggling and hugs him back when she realizes he's only fooling herself and she doesn't want to leave his embrace. She let go of the tears she was holding. She was aware of how much she longed to have him around. And everything she had said before was merely an empty threat. Yes, she is capable of living without him. However, without him, she'd be leading a meaningless life.

Harold broke the hug and held her face as tears streamed down his cheeks. He didn't say anything and simply kissed her more passionately than ever. He let Minami know how he felt with his kisses.

MINAMI led Harold inside her house and gave him a cup of freshly brewed coffee.

"I'm sorry." Harold apologizes for the umpteenth time. Minami resists the urge to sigh. This, however, will disrupt the atmosphere between them, which is why she holds herself back.

"I already know why you talk to that woman, so you don't have to apologize again," she said.

"Pero-"

"It was also my fault for reacting in that manner." Minami notices the creases in Harold's clothes as well as the tired expression on his face. "You should rest first. Let's talk when you've had enough rest."

"No. Mag-usap muna tayo." Harold insisted, probably because he didn't want to miss out on this opportunity and didn't want to sleep with an unresolved issue.

Harold caught an insomnia for the two days they weren't talking. He didn't have time to sleep, and he couldn't sleep when he did have the chance. He was rushing around, trying to figure out how to end their fight. The only rest he had was the four hours he spent in the plane, but this cannot be considered rest because his sleep was not continuous. After his flight, he went straight to Minami's house to see her.

Minami refused to accept his refusal. "No, you must sleep," she says, dragging him into the bedroom and pushing his tired body.

"Sleep," Minami said authoritatively. "I'll sleep next to you so you don't have to worry about anything."

Harold was finally able to fall asleep after hearing her words.

As soon as Harold opened his eyes, he noticed Minami caressing his hair.

"It would be great to wake up like this," Harold thought.

"Good morning, Mahal," Harold said.

"Anong good morning? It's evening na kaya. You slept like a log all day! I've been waking you up, but all you said was that you needed 5 more minutes!" Minami complained But Harold just laughed at her and kissed her to stop her from complaining.

"Hmp! Tumayo ka na nga, wash your face, and we'll talk after you eat."

During dinner, they both remained silent. Minami began speaking after they had finished eating.

"You probably heard some details from Okaasan, and you've got a lot of questions, don't you?" Harold responded with a nod.

Harold said, "Hindi mo kailangang sabihin sa akin kung hindi ka pa handa," but Minami insisted on telling him about her childhood.

"Minami wasn't really part of my original name, Cerestial Hashina Takahashi, which was derived from my parents' names Cresia and Hashiro. I only changed my name after Okaasan adopted me because I don't want my name to be associated with her." Minami began.

"Cresia, my biological mother, was an unpopular actress. She married papa when she accidentally got pregnant. No one really cared about a small time actress so her agency let her get married. It's also their way of avoiding a scandal. At the time, they were both very young and they loved each other. We live each day happily." Minami's eyes twinkle as she recalls the happy family they once had. "You don't have to continue," Harold whispers, tucking her hair behind her ears.

But Minami didn't stop talking about her past. She can't keep everything inside her forever, and if telling her significant other about her past means it's time to move on, then so be it. She told Harold everything, even her deepest and darkest secrets.

Cresia's career skyrocketed when Minami was eight. She succeeds in catching the eyes of a renowned director. She was chosen to play the female lead in his next psychological film franchise. She portrayed a woman with intermittent explosive disorder in that film. Since everyone was aware of her soft voice and kindness, her role didn't initially fit her. She didn't know what to do at the time. Not until she made the decision to act out her part with Minami. She started abusing her at that point. She became so immersed in her role that she didn't let go of her persona even after the movie ended. She eventually lost sight of who she really was.

Cresia was a ticking time bomb whose unpredictability made it impossible to predict when she would erupt in rage. The only person she could vent her rage on was the young Minami. Minami had no choice but to hide her pet cat and herself inside the cabinet and hope that her father would arrive home early.

Hashiro went to chat to Minami to find out what was wrong when he saw a peculiar atmosphere between his wife and their daughter. And the poor child was unable to speak honestly since she is aware of the repercussions if she decides to tell the truth to her father. Cresia might make her pet the next target if she starts talking.

Hashiro installed a hidden camera in their home after being dissatisfied with her response. Not because he didn't trust his wife, but because he felt something was wrong whenever he was gone. And he needed to figure out what it was.

Hashiro was taken aback by his wife's actions toward their child. She appears to be doing it so frequently that their child would flinch at even the slightest action she took. He felt rage coursing through his veins and decided to threaten her in order to stop the violence. And if she didn't, he'd report her to the authorities. She was not, however, threatened. She had no remorse and continued to harm their child. Hashiro filed for divorce and multiple lawsuits against her right away. He obtained custody of Minami and prevailed in the lawsuit case against her. Nonetheless, the court found her not guilty by reason of insanity. She was then sent to a mental asylum for mandatory treatment.

Hashiro and Minami decide to start a new life and forget about her. Hashiro would occasionally teach her how to cook. Minami has regained her energy and has been smiling more frequently since then. She finally behaves like a child her age. Everything appeared to be going smoothly until Hashiro became ill. He eventually passed away before he had a chance to fight his illness.

Minami was lost once more. She has stopped smiling since then. She became a doll who was incapable of displaying emotions. Fortunately, Hashiro's cousin, Mayumi, adopted her. Mayumi felt sorry for her niece, who had lost both of her parents at a young age.

Mayumi tried everything to make Minami feel better, but it was futile because Minami suppressed her emotions. As a result, Minami grew estranged from her newfound family.

"And when I felt like I could trust them, I started interacting with them. I'm grateful to them because they were patient enough with me, but I had a hard time expressing my feelings towards them," Minami sighs as she concludes her story.

Harold's heart ached as he listened intently. He didn't utter a single word the whole time. All he could do was to rub her back to comfort her, wipe her tears, and help her sneeze.

He could imagine her pain and suffering as a child. He hated himself for allowing Minami to remember a past she didn't want to remember. He wished he could have been there to support her with everything he had. But what can he do? It was all in the past. He can only focus on the present and do everything he can to help her from now on.

When Minami has finished speaking, she hugs Harold tightly, letting herself become vulnerable in front of him. She cried like a child, and Harold consoled her in the same way that mothers and fathers do for their crying children.

Her inner child could now breathe at last.

***

Extra:

After their emotional session, Minami gave Harold a taste of the "dried squid tentacles dressed in peanut butter."

When Harold saw the grotesque image of the dish, he gulped hard. He even questioned whether or not the dish was edible. But Minami just smiled at him, her eyes puffy.

He braces himself and eats the "delicious food" Minami gave him because he can't say no to her.

He ate everything in an instant.

"How was it?"

"Ampan-- este masarap." Harold retracted his answer when he received a glare from her.

"Really?" she asked, her puffy eyes twinkling. "Then eat all of this. I prepared a lot of it for you."

Harold can only cry inside his head.

Later that night, he was seen going in and out of the bathroom with a bad expression on his face.