***

"CAREFUL, love," paalala ni KD habang bumababa kami ng hagdan. Nakapiring ang mga mata ko at inaalalayan niya ako.

"Love, I can hear the sea naman. Bakit kailangan pa na nakapiring ako?" naiinip kong usal. Basta niya 'kong ginising sa aking siesta kahit ang sarap nang tulog ko. Walang babala niya 'kong pinagbihis kahit na wala pa 'ko sa ulirat. He just suddenly wanted us to go somewhere.

"It's part of the surprise, love."

"Ayan ka na naman sa pa-surprise-surprise mo! Hindi ko pa nga alam 'yong wish mo from last week."

I might sound childish, but I couldn't help it. He woke me on the wrong side of the bed after reveiwing financial reports for the past years. May ibang reports pa 'kong kailangan basahin kapag nakauwi kami dahil magiging abala na rin ako sa kompanya.

"Wait, love, tatanggalin ko lang ang sneakers mo. Hawak ka lang dito." Pinatong niya ang kamay ko at napahawak ako sa riles.

Hindi ko alam ang pakulo niya at hindi ko alam kung paano at kailan niya naisisingit ang mga kalokohan na 'to. He had been slowly picking up his untouched work. Dahil sa mga nangyayari, hindi ko man lang alam na nag-leave pala siya sa trabaho niya para sa 'kin.

Napabuntonghinga ako dahil wala rin naman akong ibang gagawin. He just told me that he was going to tell me his wish. May pa-suspense at isa pang surprise siyang nalalaman.

Maingat niyang tinanggal ang suot kong sneakers. Kung alam ko sana na sa beach kami pupunta, nag-sandals or slippers na lang ako. Ginaya ko lang naman siya na naka-rubber shoes kanina. Mai-stress ako sa asawa ko.

Sa sandaling tanggalin niya ang aking sapatos, nakatapak agad ako sa buhanginan. It was cold and grainy.

"Alright. We can walk na," aniya at hinawakan na muli ang kamay ko.

"Malayo pa ba tayo, love? Subukan mo lang na lunurin ako sa dagat!" pagbibiro ko.

"Kung malulunod ka man, sa pagmamahal ko lang."

"Bolero!" biro ko.

Randam ko ang pamumula ng aking mga pisngi kasabay ang pagpisil ni KD sa kamay ko. Laking pasasalamat ko na lang din na nakapiring ako nang mga sandaling 'yon. Hindi niya ako maaasar.

Hahakbang pa sana ako nang huminto si KD sa paglalakad. "Ikaw talaga. Anyway, we're here, love."

"Can I—?"

"Don't remove them yet, love. Wait." There was a hint of panic in his voice. Nakatutuwa siyang pakinggan kapag nagpa-panic dahil sa pagbibiro ko. I could feel that he had prepared something special for me.

Binitiwan ni KD ang kamay ko at pakinig ko ang yabag niya sa buhangin na palayo nang palayo sa aking kinatatayuan.

"Love?" I raised my arms and started waving around, trying to feel if he was closeby. Dahil sa takip sa mga mata ko, I could only see darkness, but I heard the soft waves from the sea. Sobrang lapit lang at mukhang kami lang ang naroroon sa dalampasigan.

"You can take them off now, love."

Finally!

Huminga ako nang malalim at sabik na tinanggal ang piring sa aking mga mata. Nang imulat ko ang mga ito, medyo nasilaw ako sa kulay kahel na kalangitan at ganda ng karagatan.

The sun was setting, but I was enthralled with the view. Parang binalot ng diyamante ang karagatan at nagniningning sa bawat hampas ng alon.

I had no words to describe it apart from . . . it was beautiful.

Ang payapa ng karagatan. This was paradise.

"Ang ganda!" I exclaimed. As I turned around, I was taken aback.

How could I not? I suddenly saw my husband on his knee under the orange skies. I was speechless!

Malawak ang ngiti sa labi niya at nakabukas ang munting asul na kahon na naglalaman ng isang singsing na may malaki at bilog na diyamante. It was sparkling so bright and was reflecting the beautiful sunset.

"KD . . . " Napatakip ako ng bibig. I was sure shock and surprise were evident not just in my eyes but in my whole face.

Napansin ko rin ang malaking sign sa likuran niya na nakasulat ang malaking 'WILL YOU MARRY ME?' na may bumbilya at mga bulaklak sa bawat letra.

There were beach spectators looking at our direction, but we didn't mind them. What I noticed more was that . . . this place was the same beach we hid from everyone. Dito kami pansamantala namalagi upang magtago sa pamilya namin na humahabol sa amin. Ito 'yong beach na nilusob kami ng mga tauhan nina daddy.

"Lex, my love . . . "

Bumalik ang tingin ko kay KD at napalunok. Naninikip ang dibdib ko. Ang hirap huminga.

Why would he go through all this trouble to propose when we're already married?

My heart was stuffy yet warm. I was in cloud nine. Nakakaloka. Pero wala na akong pakialam pa kung makita niya o nang sino man ang kilig ko. Mahirap ikubli ang kilig kung 'yon talaga ang nararamdaman.

"KD . . . "

"Love . . . alam kong hindi maganda ang huling alaala natin dito pero gusto kong mapalitan iyon. I want to replace the horrible memories we had with beautiful ones, love. Hindi man kumpleto ang pamilya natin o maging ang mga alaala mo, nasisiguro kong may basbas tayo mula kay Kuya Ales para maging masaya. Alam kong binubuo mo pa ang sarili mo pero gusto kong maging bahagi at maging permanente sa buhay mo—sa tabi mo. I want to grow old with you . . . even calling each other with all endearments and speak of all the love languages there are."

Napapahid ako ng aking luha. Tumatagos talaga ang mga salita niya. Parang ayaw kong patapusin siya sa sinasabi niya dahil gusto kong yakapin siya nang mahigpit. Gusto ko na agad sabihin na pumapayag ako.

"Love, sweetheart, babe . . . Whatever force lead you back to me—call it destiny or magic—my heart will always be with and for you, Lex. Kahit ano'ng mangyari, narito ako para mahalin ka nang buong-buo. Narito ako para makasama ka habambuhay. I don't want to keep 'us' a secret this time. This time, I want to tell the world about you and me. This time, I want to give you a proper wedding . . . an appropriate beginning of our happily ever after. So, Alexandra Imperial-Ratcliffe . . . will you marry me . . . again?" maluha-luha niyang sambit at pilit ngumiti.

The mafia boss had chosen to spend forever with someone like me. And who was I to turn down such an intimate and heart-felt proposal?

"S-sira . . . kasal na kaya tayo!" humihikbi kong saad. I just could not contain my emotions. He made me cry with tears of pure bliss and hapiness.

"And I'll gladly marry you every day . . . as long as you keep saying 'yes', love." I saw how his eyes sparkled genuinely, and it was not just coming from the sunset. It was from his heart. His eyes had always been one of his assets that I adored.

Hindi ko na napigilan ang lalong maluha. Wala na! Game over na! May nanalo na.

Lumapit ako sa kaniya at hinawakan ang kaniyang mukha. I wiped his watery eyes before they even cascaded doen his cheeks. Medyo binaba ko ang aking katawan dahil nakaluhod pa rin siya. My hands were shaking and cold as hell, yet my heart felt toasty warm in heaven.

"Of course, love. Yes! I want to marry you again! Yes! Yes! Yes!"

As if on cue, mabilis na tumayo si KD at niyakap ako. Walang babala siyang umikot habang nakasubsob ang mukha sa leeg ko. I could smell his musk under my nose—the one he loves wearing, too.

"KD!" I squealed.

Huminto siya sa pag-ikot at maingat akong binaba sa buhanginan. "Thank you, love! I love you!"

"I love you, too!" masiglang sagot ko.

Napasuklay siya sa kaniyang buhok at nakarinig kami ng mga hiyaw na pagbati, pagpalakpak, at pagsipol. Lumapit si KD sa akin at inabot ang kaliwang kamay ko. Our wedding ring was already sparkling in my finger. Now, there's an additional sparkle from the round diamond.

He knew my taste, and I was speechless! Ang ganda talaga!

Niyakap niya akong muli at damang-dama ko ang init ng mga bisig niya. Hindi ko alam kung ano'ng ginawa ko sa past life ko pero masaya ako na muling makasama si KD . . . and this time, I had no intention to forget about him or anything else.

Dumistansiya siya panandalian at nagkatitigan kami. I knew what would come next when our eyes met each other. My eyes slowly closed as his face came closer.

Our lips moved in sync—softly and smoothly. Possessive man na pakinggan, this man . . . is mine.

Once our lips distanced each other, napamura sa siya, "Damn! I'm so happy!"

Hindi na 'ko nalapagsalita pero mas hinigpitan ko ang yakap sa kaniya. Sobrang saya ko rin. Sobra.

After his proposal and our little public display of affection, niyaya niya ako na kumain—of course, with all our favorites. He held my hand lovingly and we went closer to the sign. Halos aabot din pala hanggang balikat ko ang sign na narito.

Hindi ko na napansin pa ang mesa na katabi ng sign. It was a romantic table for two with a covered meal for us and a grand bouquet of various flowers.

We started feasting on our meal and wine, and KD would always end up dazed and staring at me. Ilang beses niya 'kong sinasabihan na ang ganda ko raw.

Pumapayag na lang ako kahit halos wala akong kaayos-ayos. Hindi man lang niya ako pinagbihis nang mas maganda kompara sa naka-kaswal lang.

Oh, well! It was the thought that counts. And at the end of the day, kasal naman na kami ni KD. Magiging pormal na lang ang relasyon namin sa mata ng lahat.

We had a nice dinner and he had a few more surprises under his sleeves. Nagharana pa siya at wala akong ibang ginawa kundi ang titigan siya.

At nang akala ko ay uuwi na kami dahil nagsisimula nang lumalim ang gabi at lumalamig na ang paligid, may nagbigay sa amin ng tuwalya upang mabawasan ang lamig. May huling sorpresa pa raw si KD ngayong gabi.

"Ano pa ba'ng hinanda mo?" tanong ko sa kaniya habang nakayakap siya mula sa likuran. Nakaharap kami sa karagatan at sumasayaw kahit wala na'ng musika.

"Two minutes, baby," bulong niya. Halos dumampi na ang kaniyang labi sa aking punong-tainga.

"Alright," tipid kong sagot. Ayokong ma-badtrip. I was already one earlier. Ayokong masira ang magandang sorpresa ng asawa ko. I could see the effort he did for every element of surprise today.

Kahit noon pa man, sa mata ng mga tao na hindi siya kilala, wala sa hitsura niya ang pagiging sweet dahil na rin sa pag-eensayo noon para makuha ang mafia group.

Walang babala na may naging makukulay na pagsabog sa madilim na kalangitan. One after another, fireworks decorated the sky.

Parang bata ako na namamangha sa fireworks. "Ang ganda!"

It felt like déjà vu . . . Actually, it did happen in the past. Hindi kami ganito ka-close noon pero napanood na rin namin ang kaparehong event noon dahil bagong taon.

"Thank you, love!" bulong ko at mabilis hinalikan ang pisngi niya.

"Anything for you, love," sagot niya at hinalikan muli ang ulo ko.

"So, love . . . "

"Hm?" Humigpit pa nang kaunti ang pagkayayakap niya sa aking baywang, sinisigurado na hindi ako lalamigin.

"May plano ka na ba na sagutin ang tanong ko? Ano nga ang wish mo?" tanong ko muli kay KD habang nakatingin kami sa kalangitan. "Ang hirap i-fulfill kung hindi ko naman alam kung ano'ng gusto mo."

Siniksik niya ang mukha niya sa aking leeg at niyakap pa ako nang mahigpit. We kept swaying as we watched the bursting fireworks decorating the sky.

"Well . . . my wish is that . . . you continue your studies."

Natigilan ako at napalingon sa kaniya. Nakangiti siya sa akin at sariling repleksiyon ko ang nakikita ko sa mga mata niya. He wasn't wishing something for himself but it was for me.

"W-what?" I asked, still wide-eyed.

Tuluyan akong pinaharap ni KD at hinaplos niya ang pisngi ko. "It's just been weeks, love, and you can still catch up with your studies. Alam kong pangarap mo na makapagtapos . . . and I wish for that to happen, too. Like you were on my graduation day, I want to be there when you reach your dreams."

"P-pero . . . kakayanin ko kaya na i-handle ang lahat habang pinag-aaralan ko ang kompanya?"

"Love . . . " Marahan na pinisil ng asawa ko ang pisngi ko. "Stop overthinking. I'm here. Sabay natin pag-aaralan ang kompanya. At kapag may pasok ka, kompanya ko naman ang aasikasuhin ko. You're not alone here, alright?"

KD was already busy yet he was willing to go an extra mile to help me. Alam kong hindi 'to magiging madali sa kaniya—sa amin. But the fact that he could say those words with full confidence made me think that nothing was impossible. Magagawa namain ang lahat at mapagtatagumpayan kahit ano'ng mangyari.

Tiwala akong magiging maayos ang lahat. This time, I was not alone.

I nodded and hugged him once more. "Thank you, love."

***

We're almost there! Keep tweeting with #KDLexMagicOnWattpad 🤍❤️

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