"Kimmy!" her mom and dad hugged her.

"Sobra ka naming namiss anak." her mommy Elena was almost teary eyed.

"Mommy, nandito na ako. Don't cry please."

"Kara!" she hugged Kara so tight.

"O may hinahanap ka? parang di ka masayang kami ang sumundo sa'yo ah!" Kara .

""Ito naman! Wala po akong hinahanap!"

"Asus! if I know, may gusto kang makita kaya ka nakatingin sa malayo." Kara laughed.

"Hay naku, tigilan mo na ako. Tara na! umuwi na tayo."

"Anak, where will you stay? sa bahay or at your place?"

She hasn't decided where to stay, if only she's in good terms with Gerald, she'd rather stay with him at his place.

"Ma, sa inyo muna ako. Kapag naisipan kong bumalik sa condo ko, saka na po ako lilipat."

"Good decision anak."

They drove home.

A week after, Kara and Kim had a late drink at Kim and Gerald's favorite coffee shop.

"Kimmy, are you ready pag nagkasalubong na kayo ni Gerald?"

"Kara, heto na naman ba tayo? I survived a week na hindi siya nakakasalubong! Hayaan mo na ang pagkakataon dyan."

"Hey! Just be ready with the possible encounter, lalo na pag may kasama siyang iba."

"Hindi ko alam kung kakayanin ko."

"Kimmy, kaya mo yan!"

"Sana nga kayanin ko! Dahil iniisip ko pa lang, di ko na kinakaya!"

"Ipakita mo sa kanya na pinapanindigan mo ang naging desisyon mo, na tama ang ginawa mo."

"Tama nga ba?"

Kara didn't respond, she knew Kim considers that as a big mistake. The biggest mistake she'd ever done.

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"Ge, are you aware that Kimmy's back?"

"Ate, are we going to talk about Kim again?"

"Gerald, itatapon mo na lang ba nang basta basta ang pinagsamahan niyo ni Kim?"

"Ate, I'm trying to move on!"

"Paano kung nagkasalubong kayo? Iiwasan mo? Hindi mo papansinin?"

"Ate Marie, please!"

"Ge, alam ko mahal mo si Kim and I am sure she feels the same way about you. Bakit ba gustong gusto mong pinapahirapan ang sarili mo?"

"Dahil ayokong makagulo sa mga gusto niyang gawin sa buhay!"

" Did she tell you na nakakagulo ka? You are concluding!"

"Ate, nandyan na si Margaret, she's helping me to move on!"

"Hindi ka ba naaawa kay Margaret? Gaano katagal na kayong magkaibigan? Ni hindi mo nga siya maayang maging girlfriend, syempre babae yan! mag-eexpect yan! Pero ano? hanggang ngayon kaibigan pa rin lang naman ang kayang mong ibigay sa kanya di ba?"

"Ate, hindi kami nagmamadali. Pasasaan ba't matututunan ko rin siyang mahalin."

"Oh well, hindi mo yun magagawa kung hindi mo pa nakakalimutan si Kim! Gerald, mahal kita, mahal ko kayo ni Kim! Bakit hindi mo subukang ayusin ang kung anuman ang naging sa inyo dati? Mag-usap kayo! Kung maaayos, masaya ang lahat! Kung hindi, talagang hindi nga siguro kayo para sa isa't isa. Ang sinasabi ko lang naman, ipaglaban mo ang pagmamahal mo sa kanya. Hahayaan mo na naman siyang makaalis at ano? magmumukmok ka na naman kapag nakaalis siya!"

"Ate, I love her! and I will do everything just to make her happy! at kung ang ikasasaya niya ay ang kanyang career, hahayaan ko siya dun."

Ate Marie shrugged. "Hindi naman kita mapipilit kung yan ang gusto mo. Wag ka lang magsisisi sa bandang huli."

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On a Thursday afternoon, Kim's going to meet Kara at the mall. While Kara's not yet around, Kim decided to roam around and check on the new stores. When she exited at the shoe store, she saw the face she's been afraid to encounter since she arrived. She's very sure it's Gerald, she can see his shocked face and was sure he already saw her from a far, and as she steps forward,her anxiety escalates. They're almost face to face, she stopped walking when he heard him say "Kamusta?"

Kim looked down, she wanted to disappear right away. She heard him say the word again, so she looked at him courageously and answered. "I'm okay."

Gerald smiled. "Kelan ka pa dumating?" he seems unaffected, she hates herself for being so affected opposite to what she's seeing through him.

"Almost 2 weeks ago."

"Ah, see." he looked around. "Wala kang kasama?"

"I am about to meet Kara, pero late siya kaya I decided to go around. Ikaw? what are you doing here? Kelan ka pa natutong mag-malling?"

He laughed. "Dati pa naman di ba? But I am with someone, susunduin ko lang."

"Lord please let me vanish, bago pa dumating kung sinuman yung kasama niya." she silently prayed.

"O, eto na pala siya!"

Kim can't believe this is happening, she wanted to disappear and forget about this encounter, but she can't! She has to face the reality. She heard him again.

"Kim, this is Margaret, Margaret this is Kim."

Kim looked at the girl, Gerald is introducing. "Hi."

"Hello Kim, nice meeting you." Margaret offered a hand shake, Kim accepted and shook Margaret's hand.

"Oh, I have to go! Nice to see you both!" she hurriedly left.

Gerald looked at her as she walked away, Margaret's just looking at Gerald. She knew about Kim and Gerald. Gerald has been so transparent about his past with Kim and she's very sure that Gerald still loves Kim.

"You still love her don't you?"

Gerald looked at Margaret "I need to move on!"

"You didn't answer my question!"

"Margaret!"

"Ge, don't deny the obvious!"

He sighed. "I'm sorry!"

She held his arm "It's okay! We're friends right?"

He smiled. Margaret is really a nice person. And he didn't regret it when he met her! He found a good company in her. "Thank you Margaret!"

She smiled. "Oh well, I can't let you love me while in fact I know you love someone else!"

"You've been so patient and nice to me! I can't thank you enough."

"Gerald, I wanted you to be happy! "

"Thank you" he hugged her.

When Kim saw Kara approaching, she can't hide her tears. As Kara reached the table to where Kim was, she hugged her and sobbed. "Kimmy, what happened?"

"I already saw him!"

"Saw who?"

"Gerald"

She comforted Kim. "Ssshh, calm down." she rubbed her back.

"Kara, I saw him with someone!"

"Did they see you?"

"They did!"

"Oh my! I knew this is going to happen!"

A few minutes more and Kim stopped crying.

"I didn't know what to do, gusto ko na lang maglaho na parang bula kanina. But it didn't happen, maybe I really need to face reality!"

"Good thing it happened this soon! What are your plans?"

"Ayoko nang guluhin pa si Gerald, he seem to be happy!"

"With that someone he's with?"

"I guess" she nodded.

"Listen Kim, it's painful at the moment, I know! Pero malalagpasan mo yan! Soon when you remember this, mapapangiti ka na lang."

She nodded, trying to convince herself, she'll get over it!

When Gerald reached home, he kept thinking about Kim, their memories together. Happy thoughts flooded his mind and he can't help but smile. He wanted her back, but how?