The next morning, Yssa knew she had to talk to Seth. She needed to clear the air, to confront the unspoken things between them—about Kristina, about their feelings for each other. And she had to tell him about Glenn's visit the day before. The sky was overcast, the cold and bitter wind hinting at rain, as if nature mirrored the loneliness weighing on her heart. Even the sun struggled to break through the heavy clouds, much like her own troubled thoughts.

When she arrived at the house in Gordon Heights, Elisha met her at the gate, her bright eyes searching Yssa's face for a smile that wouldn't come. Sensing her mood, the little girl asked innocently, "Are you okay, Teacher Yssa?"

Yssa forced a sad smile, squeezing the child's hand as they walked together down the driveway. Elisha's presence was comforting, but her next question hit Yssa harder than she expected.

"Teacher Yssa, did you and Tito Seth have a fight?"

"No," Yssa replied softly. "Why do you ask?"

Elisha tilted her head, her small face thoughtful. "I just heard him talking with Mom a lot about Kristina."

Yssa's heart clenched at the mention of her name. She tried to keep her voice steady. "Oh?"

Elisha frowned as they reached the front door. "You know, I don't like her."

Surprised, Yssa raised an eyebrow. "Who? Kristina?"

"Uh-huh," Elisha nodded seriously, opening the door.

"Well, how come?"

"Because she makes everyone feel sad."

The simplicity of the child's words lingered, echoing Yssa's own unspoken fears.

* * *

"I wish Kristina was here today, Ate. Every day."

Yssa caught Seth's voice as it drifted through the air, wrapping around her like a chill. She overheard him talking to Jeanne, their footsteps echoing softly toward the kitchen. Each word felt like a weight on her heart.

"Mommy! Look who's with me!" Elisha's excited shout filled the room just as they entered.

Jeanne turned, her smile strained. "Oh, hi, Yssa..." She paused, her gaze flickering to Seth as if searching for a lifeline. "We didn't expect you."

"I just wanted to see how Seth's been doing," Yssa said, deliberately speaking about him in the third person, the words heavy with unshed tears. "Besides, it's the weekend, and I missed you all." The pain she masked was like a shadow, lurking just beneath the surface.

"Oh... you're sweet," Jeanne replied, her voice a gentle attempt to lighten the mood. Yet, Yssa's expression betrayed her. Sensing the tension, Jeanne took Elisha's hand and smiled at Yssa. "C'mon, baby, let's get started on your homework," she said, offering a soft farewell.

Once alone with Seth, Yssa felt the air thicken between them. He turned, a smile breaking through his concern. "Hi, Yssa. I missed you. Come sit with me."

She offered a timid smile, sliding into the chair across from him. His warmth was comforting, yet it felt like a fragile truce. He noticed her silence and, wanting to bridge the distance, asked if she wanted coffee. She nodded, and he moved to the coffee maker, the soft bubbling breaking the tension.

"It's my fault," she said suddenly, her voice a whisper of regret. "This isn't fair to you."

Seth turned, surprise etching his features as he sat beside her. "What do you mean? Tell me. Maybe I can help."

"I took advantage of you, Seth. I took advantage of your loneliness, your solitude." Her voice flowed like a river of unfiltered emotion. "I got swept up in something wild, something I thought was a romantic story."

His silence hung heavy, and for a moment, he could only absorb the weight of her words.

"What I did must have hurt you," he replied gently, his eyes searching hers.

"No," she shook her head. "I just saw what you couldn't tell me—or maybe what I couldn't see."

He remained quiet, the air thick with unsaid things.

Yssa continued, her voice softening. "It's beautiful, the way you love her..."

"Yssa..."

"No, please, don't say anything," she interjected, her heart racing. "That's what drew me to you."

The room spun around him as he grasped the implications. "I don't like to give up," he said, his tone steady, but his heart ached with the truth of it.

"Please, Seth... you know this isn't easy for me." Her voice cracked as tears threatened to spill. "On the surface, everything looks fine. I have this great guy who loves me. He cares for me, and he really likes me." She wiped at the corner of her eye, battling the urge to let go.

"When you first told me about her, it was in your eyes... you still love her. And that night, after the fire, I saw that same look. You've never truly moved on. And when you started reading her poems again, at the hospital, despite everything..." She took a shaky breath. "She was all you needed. I can't live my life wondering if I measure up to her."

The silence stretched painfully as he absorbed her words, his heart constricting. Yssa's tears fell, and instinctively, he pulled her into his arms.

"Stay with me, Yssa. Stay here as long as you want," he pleaded, the desperation lacing his voice.

"I've been thinking about it, Seth. A lot of things. And I can't stay," she replied, her throat tight.

"Why?" he asked, panic creeping in.

"Glenn asked me to marry him. He knows me, knows what I need."

"You don't love him," he stated firmly, his heart racing.

"But he loves me," she replied coldly, the truth stinging. "I want someone who truly sees me when he talks to me, who feels me when he kisses me, who cares for me without pretending I'm someone else."

Seth's breath caught in his throat, her words slicing through him.

"I'm here to say goodbye. I don't want to see you again."

Her declaration struck him like a blow. Dizziness washed over him, and for a moment, he was frozen, unable to process the reality of her words.

Yssa stood, her resolve strengthening as she walked away. Thunder rumbled outside, and a gentle mist of rain began to fall. She hurried to the gate, and the world felt heavy around them.

Finally, in a daze, he rose from the table and followed her outside, the rain intensifying, drenching him as he sprinted toward her. He saw her slip into a jeepney that had just stopped. The driver of the vehicle hesitated for a moment, as if he sensed the gravity of the moment, but then went on his way quickly.

"Yssa!" He shouted, desperation clawing at his throat.

She could hear him shouting, but she kept her composure, not looking at Seth, knowing she would fall back in his arms again if she saw him. For just a moment she wanted to take everything back. She wanted to tell him that she didn't mean what she had said, and that she loved him, that it shouldn't end this way. It would be easy to do that. It would feel so right.

But no matter how much she wanted to look back at him, she couldn't push herself to change her decision.

The rain poured down, thick and relentless, as he ran after the jeepney, which had already been several meters away at this point. His heart raced with every step.

"Yssa!" he shouted again, the name echoing in the storm.

The jeepney picked up speed, and Seth felt as though he was watching her slip away forever. He kept running, each drop of rain blurring the world around him, until he finally slowed to a stop, breathless and defeated.

He stood there, in front of Kristina's burned home. Drenched and broken, wishing against hope that Yssa would return, that he would have another chance.

But as another car honked behind him, he surrendered to reality. He stepped aside, letting the world continue on as he stood in the rain, lost in his thoughts. He walked home slowly, the weight of unfulfilled love settling heavily on his heart. He thought all these were bound to happen. That he couldn't love somebody else. That nobody would work. Except Kristina, he thought, and at that moment he never felt so alone.

When he reached the gate, Jeanne appeared with an umbrella, concern etched across her face.

"What happened? Where's Yssa?" she asked, confusion mingling with worry.

He looked at her, grief-stricken and breathless, feeling the loss wash over him.

"She's gone."