7 Years Ago

"Please, Kuya, payagan mo na 'kong mag-drive. 'Pag nakalimutan ko kung pa'no mag-drive, kawawa naman 'yong Aventador ko." Selene needed to get to the recording studio but her parents confiscated her car keys after she got an overspeeding ticket last month. Buti na lang at malapit lang 'yong pupuntahan niya sa lakad ng kuya niya kaya makakasabay siya dito.

Bumuntong hininga si Kendrick. "Sige na nga. Basta 'wag ka mag-o-overspeed. 'Pag ako nawalan din ng kotse, pa'no na kami mag-de-date ni Lily?" he said as they got into the car.

"Aba, ngayon ko lang narinig na bumanat ang torpe kong kuya!" Selene started to drive.

"Hindi bagay 'no?" her brother replied, the boldness, gone from his voice. His fingers started to fidget.

"Ano ba 'yan, ba't mo naman binawi agad? 'Di man bagay sa 'yo 'yong masyadong confident, bagay naman kayo ni Lily," she replied, grinning. "I'm so proud of you sa gagawin mong pag-amin tonight!"

"Paano 'pag ayaw niya pala sa 'kin? If Lily rejects me, even our friendship would be over."

"'Sus, ikaw pa? Super sure ako na type ka rin no'n. Lagi niya kayang suot 'yong bracelet na binigay mo sa kanya kahit sa sidewalk mo lang binili 'yon." She laughed. "Minsan nga, pag gusto ko mang-asar, itatago ko 'yong bracelet tapos nag-pa-panic si Lily 'pag na-realize niya nang nawawala."

Kendrick clicked his tongue. "Alam mo, ikaw, napaka-bully mo kay Lily."

"So make her your girlfriend para maipagtanggol mo nang harapan. Kaysa ganitong sinesermunan mo lang ako 'pag wala siya," she replied as she stuck her tongue out.

* * *

Selene restarted the engine when her brother returned to the car after their brief stopover at a flower shop.

"Oh, para sa 'yo 'yan," sabi ng kapatid niya habang inaabot sa kanya ang isang bouquet ng yellow roses. "Congrats sa first record deal mo. You're a really good singer, I'm sure na bebenta ang album mo."

Akala niya, 'yong red tulips lang na bibigay nito kay Lily ang bibilhin ng kuya niya pero may budget din pala para sa kanya. "Aw, arigato gozaimasu, Aniki! May naka-reserve nang CD na may autograph ko para sa inyo ni Lily," she said, chuckling. "So anong nilagay mo sa card niyang flowers para kay Lily."

"Secret."

"Knowing you, siguradong sobrang corny ng sinulat mo diyan—"

Her body suddenly lurched forward after a strong impact from the car's rear. Bago pa tumama ang mukha niya sa steering wheel, nag-deploy ang airbag. The tires screeched as she jammed her foot into the brakes. Selene's heart was pounding as the car skidded into a halt.

Inangat niya ang kanyang ulo at tumingin sa katabi. Nanlaki ang mga mata niya nang makita niya si Kendrick. The airbag on his side did not deploy and his head was leaning on the cracked window, bleeding.

"Shit, shit, shit!" Her hands were shaking as she rushed to his side. Selene frantically searched for her phone so she could call emergency services.

Biglang umubo ang kuya niya at bumukas nang kaunti ang mga mata nito. "Selene... If I don't survive, don't tell Lily that I love her..." Kendrick slowly closed his eyes.

"No, w-wake up!" she screamed. Tears flowed down her cheeks as she switched to her native tongue in frustration. "Ma-matte, Ani! Shinanai de, A-ani-aniki!"

If only she didn't insist on driving, he would've been saved by an airbag.

* * *

"Lumayas ka! Wala akong anak na kasing walang kwenta mo!" Her mother was literally throwing out her clothes on the street while Selene sat on the sidewalk, watching. Her father didn't even bother to go out of the house. He simply ignored her existence after the accident.

The last thing her mother threw was her car keys. "'Yan na 'yong susi ng kotse mo! Mag-drive ka palayo at 'wag na 'wag ka nang babalik dito!"

Matagal na tulala si Selene at nakaupo sa kalsada. She always knew that her brother was the favorite child but she never really cared because she was his favorite. Pero na-coma ang tanging kakampi niya sa bahay. Selene wasn't really surprised that she got disowned.

Bukod sa siya ang dahilan kung bakit hindi nila alam kung magigising pa ang paborito nilang anak, sinira niya rin ang mga plano nila para sa kapatid niya. Her parents just found the perfect finacée for his brother without even consulting him. And knowing Kendrick, he would give up pursuing Lily if their parents asked him to do so.

But Selene hadn't lost all hope. Her beloved brother was still alive and now that she was out of her parents' control, sisiguraduhin niyang magiging maayos ang buhay ng kapatid niya pagkagising nito.

Nilabas niya 'yong gusot na card na kinuha niya mula sa kamay ng kuya niya no'ng nawalan ito ng malay pagkatapos ng aksidente at binasa ulit iyon.

Lily, we have known each other for more than 14 years and I have never made my feelings clear. I don't want to be just your friend because in my heart, you will always be more. I've finally built up the courage to let you know how I feel. I love you to the moon and back. -Ken

Pagkagising na pagkagising ni Kendrick, bibili siya ng red tulips, irere-create ang card na iyon at ipapadala ang pagmamahal ng kuya niya kay Lily.

And from now on, she will be called 'Ken'. She won't allow her brother to fade from the memory of the girl he loved.

* * *

4 Years Ago

Ken couldn't look at Sage because the way he looked at her, with all that pain in his eyes, felt like daggers piercing through her heart. She walked away from him and her feet had never felt so heavy. Nagawa niyang pigilan ang mga luha niya habang kausap si Sage pero tuloy-tuloy ang pagbagsak ng mga ito paglabas niya ng penthouse.

But she had to hurt him. Tatapusin niya na bago pa sila magsimula, wala naman din silang future. Napagdesisyunan niya na kasing maging replacement ng kuya niya.

Tatanggapin na ni Ken ang tinakbuhan niyang arranged marriage six years ago. It was actually her fault that his brother was gonna be forced to marry a daughter of the Takagi clan. Kendrick did not deserve to carry the burden she had unwittingly passed onto him.

Her brother deserved a happy ending with Lily... even if it meant she couldn't have her own. She owed it to him and to her best friend.

And as for Sage, it was for his own good to start moving on without ever knowing that she had fallen for him too.