dedicated to: CHINGU~ ♥ sacheeko

- ∞ - ∞ - ∞ - ∞ -

 

Napatingin ako sa pintuan ng may biglang kumatok dito. Inayos ko muna ang mask na suot ko bago ako tumayo sa pagkaka-upo ko at tsaka binuksan ang pintuan.

 

"Hello sir, kelangan ko lang pong icheck ulit vital signs n'ya." Masiglang sabi ng nurse at pinakita sa akin ang clipboard na hawak n'ya.

 

Napatango na lang ako dito, bago binuksan ng maayos ang pintuan at pinatuloy s'ya. At katulad nga ng sinabi n'ya ay ganun nga ang ginawa n'ya ng makalapit ito sa kama kung saan s'ya nakahiga.

 

Sinimulan n'ya sa pagtingin sa monitor na katabi nito, sunod naman ay chineck n'ya sa IV na nakatusok sa kanang kamay n'ya. Ginawa naman n'ya ang iba pang dapat gawin ng isang nurse sa isang pasyente.

 

Ng matapos s'ya sa ginagawa n'ya ay inayos lamang n'ya ang kumot nito at tsaka naglakad papunta sa pintuan.

 

Pinigilan ko naman s'ya para magtanong, "When will she wake up?"

 

"Mukha naman pong nagiging as stable na yung lagay n'ya, kung magtutuloy tuloy po ito, siguro anytime soon, magigising din po s'ya." Sabi nito habang tinitingnan ang records na hawak n'ya, "So if meron pong pagbabago sa kondisyon n'ya, or if ever po magising s'ya pakitawag na lang po ng doctor."

 

Tumango na lamang ako at tuluyan na itong lumabas ng kwarto. Isinarado ko naman ang pintuan bago napabuntong hininga at tinanggal ang mask ko bago lumapit sa kanya, at naupo sa upuan na katabi ng kama n'ya.

 

Kinuha ko ang planner n'ya na nakapatong sa table at tiningnan ang pangalan na nakasulat dito.

 

'Sacheeko Yuki'

 

That was the name that was scribbled on the first page of the notebook. That was the only thing that gave me a clue on who she was. The only identity she left after her accident.

 

It must've have been half a year already, and for the past days, weeks, months, I've been there for her, watching her as she quietly sleeps on her bed, only the sound of machines echoing inside her room.

 

She was a victim of a hit and run incident. Nagkaton naman na daan iyon papunta sa dorm na tinutuluyan ko nangyari ang aksidente n'ya kaya naman agad akong sumaklolo sa kanya ng wala ni isang tao ang nag-abala na tumulong sa kanya.

 

Ibinaba ko ang notebook na hawak ko at kinuha ang bag na nakatago sa loob ng drawer. Binuksan ko iyon at nakita ko ang cellphone n'ya na nasira dahil sa aksidente, dinala ko iyon sa pagawaan pero wala na daw chance na magawa iyon, I even asked them to try retrieving the information, pero mahihirapan daw sila.

 

Sinubukan kong hanapin yung wallet n'ya noon sa bag, pero mukha wala ito doon, hindi ko alam kung dahil hindi s'ya yung tipo ng tao na nagwawallet o naiwan lamang n'ya ito kung saan.

 

Tanging ang maliit na planner, cellphone at ballpen lamang ang laman ng bag n'ya, may konting pera sa loob na sa tingin ko ay emergency money or mga sukli lamang na nakuha n'ya ng may bilhin s'ya, at wala ng iba pang pwedeng maging pagkakilanlan n'ya.

 

Muli kong kinuha ang planner n'ya at binuksan ito, nakita ko ang mga plano na sinulat n'ya para sa buwan na ito, pero hindi n'ya nagagawa ngayon dahil nandito s'ya sa ospital. Halos lahat ng plano n'ya ay may koneksyon sa nursing na sa tingin ko ay s'yang kurso kinukuha ngayon.

 

Isinara ko ang planner n'ya at ibinalik sa bag n'ya bago ko ito ibinalik sa drawer kung saan ko ito kinuha. Ibinaling ko ang atensyon ko sa kanya, at katulad ng mga nakaraang araw, linggo, buwan, ganun pa din angbitsura n'ya, tahimik na natutulog na akala mo ay walang nangyaring masama sa kanya.

 

"Sacheeko, ang tagal mo ng tulog, kelan ka ba magigising?" Pagkausap ko dito, kahit na alam kong hindi ito sasagot.

 

Sabi kasi nila ay kahit hindi gising ang isang comatose na pasyente, maari pa din itong kausapin at maririnig ka raw nito.

 

Hinawakan ko ang kamay nito at marahan na tinapik, "Pasensya ka na kung ako pa din ang nagbabantay sa'yo..." Sabi ko rito at inayos ng bahagya ang buhok n'ya, "Nahihirapan kasi akong hanapin ang pamilya mo." Rason ko dito.

 

Bawat police station sa area kung saan ko s'ya nakita ay pinuntahan ko na para malaman kung may nareport ba na babaeng nawawala, pero ni isa ay wala akong nakita, nag-aabang din ako kung minsan sa balita, pero wala din akong nakikita doon. Nagtataka na din ang mga kagrupo ko kung saan ako nagpupunta sa tuwing nawawala ako sa dorm or kapag break namin sa practice, pero di nila ako tinatanong o kaya ay kinukulit.

 

Tiningnan ko s'ya at tumayo ako para i-adjust ang unan na hinihigaan n'ya.

 

Habang tumatagal kasi ay unti-unti akong nasasanay na alagaan s'ya. Noong unang beses na dinala ko s'ya dito, hindi ko alam kung anong gagawin ko, I know that she was a stranger, but I can't possibly leave her alone. At first, everything was awkward, mabuti na lamang at nandyan ang mga nurse para alalayan din ako sa pag-aalaga sa kanya, lalo na't wala naman ako dito palagi.

 

At first, I thought, why am I even putting a lot of effort taking care of this stranger, why am I even doing such thing? I'm not even obliged to.

 

But I saw myself in her...

 

How you may ask? I mentioned she had a planner, that's how I got to know her without talking to her.

 

She had a lot of dreams, a lot of aspirations to achieve, but because of this accident, it put an end to that. At wala pang kasiguraduhan kung maitutuloy ba n'ya ito dahil nakasalalay ito sa pag-gising n'ya.

 

Parang ako lang, I wanted to give my everything to my passion, to my dreams, but because I had an injury, nahihirapan akong gawin ang best ko. I endure the pain, only to make it worse, kaya naman ngayon ay kailangan kong maghinay-hinay.

 

As time passed by, she became my daily routine. I'll come by the hospital once I'm free, and I found it a habit reading her planner. How she wrote her plans for the day with cheers and encouragement at the end.

 

'RN FTW!'
'Sacheeko Yuki, RN'
'Keep calm and be a nurse'
'Fighting! Keep striving to be a nurse!'

 

These are some of her words of encouragement for herself, I would often find myself smiling as I read all this scribbles on her planner. It just goes to show that she's one hell of an active girl.

 

The longer I'm with her, the more this strange feeling within me starts to annoy me.

 

It annoys the hell out of me to the point that I had to ask myself, am I really insane?

 

Yes, she was a stranger, a beautiful stranger if I must say. I tried knowing her by reading her planner and other than that, there was no other way to get to know her. She was asleep, even in the first day that I saw her.

 

That's why right now, I'm asking myself... How can I possibly be in love with her?

 

I know, this sound so crazy, even I find it crazy myself. But seriously, there will be times when I just found myself staring at her, like she'd disappear from my sight. I found myself smiling, even just by remembering that I'll be seeing her again once I'm free.

 

I don't even know when it started or how did it happen, all I know is that, one day, I woke with this annoying feeling, and then sooner or later it finally hit me like a train, as the realization of me loving this mere stranger crashed at me.

 

Maybe that's another reason why I'm desperate to help and find her family, before everything is too late. Maybe even through her family, I can get to know her, not jut with all the stuffs that she had written herself.

 

I wanted to know, who she is and how the other people see her.

 

"I hope you get well soon enough." I whispered looking at her sleeping figure.

 

I frowned when I saw within my peripheral vision that her finger moved, I turned my whole attention to her hand that was lying on top of her stomach but it didn't move an inch.

 

Was I only seeing things?

 

I shook my head and prepared myself from leaving, it was already quarter past 5 and I have to return to the dorm or else, everyone would be curious enough to be nosy.

 

A few more days passed before a miracle happened before my very eyes.

 

I just came from our practice and was saying my usual greeting to her when her hand started to move.

 

I stood there, frozen in place when it moved yet again.

 

"Sacheeko?" I called out to her, "Can you hear me?" I asked, leaning down a bit.

 

Her forehead started to frown and her hand moved even more and then slowly, her eyes started to open.

 

I didn't even know what I should do when she woke up, I frantically pushed the button on top of her bed to call the doctor before returning my attention at her.

 

"Sacheeko? Can you see me?" I asked her and her eyes landed on me.

 

She stared at me for a moment before frowning even more, and then she started to look around.

 

Soon, the doctor came rushing inside the room. Together with a few nurses, they surrounded her, checking her vital signs and everything that was needed in order to make sure she was alright.

 

It was evident in her face that she was confused in what was happening around, she might even be thinking why she was here in the first place.

 

The doctor let out a sigh of relief after he finished examining her, he turned his attention to me and gave me a reassuring smile before speaking, "She seems okay now, but we'll be performing some test to be sure. Also, she has to rest well, before she can be discharged."

 

I can't help but sigh in relief as well, before I nodded and thank the doctor. After that, they left the room to prepare for the test that she had to take.

 

Nilingon ko s'ya at kita ko ang takot at pagkalito sa mga mata n'ya,nagpumilit itong umupo kaya naman lalapitan ko sana s'ya para tulungan pero tiningnan n'ya ako ng masama, "Don't come near me." Sabi nito at sinubukan umupo ng mag-isa.

 

Ng maayos na n'ya ang sarili ay muli n'ya akong hinarap. "Who are you? Where am I? Why am I here?" She asked me

 

"Before I answer that, I need you to calm down." Sabi ko sa kanya with both of my hands raised up, "I promise you, I won't hurt you." Halatang halata mo kasi na takot na takot ito sa akin.

 

Unti unti ay nakalapit ako sa kanya, nakatingin lang s'ya sa akin at parang naka-defense position in case may gawin ako sa kanya.

 

"I'm Jongin. Kim Jongin, pwede mo akong tawagin na Kai." I introduced myself ng makaupo ako sa kama n'ya, "As you can see, you're in a hospital right now, and I'm the one taking care of you."

 

"Taking care of me?" Lalong naguluhan s'ya.

 

"Your name is Sacheeko Yuki, right?" And I saw her eyes widened.

 

"How did you know my name?" She asked.

 

Tumayo ako sa pagkaka-upo ko at nilapitan ang drawer sa tabi ng kama n'ya, kinuha ko sa loob ang bag n'ya at muling bumalik sa harapan n'ya, binuksan ko iyon at kinuha ang planner n'ya.

 

"I hope you wouldn't mind, but I saw your name here." Sabi ko at iniabot ang planner n'ya sa kanya.

 

She blinked a few times before she took it and opened it, tiningnan n'ya ulit ako at tsaka muling nagtanong.

 

"What happened to me?" She asked.

 

"You were a victim of a hit-and-run." I answered.

 

"How long have I been here?" She asked.

 

"Half a year or so." I answered again.

 

"What?!" She asked in disbelief, before blinking a few times at me, "You took care of me for half a year?" She asked which I responded with a nod. "Why?" She asked.

 

I shrugged, "I actually tried looking for your family, but I can't find them anywhere. I've searched every police station near the incident for a missing person with your name, but there was none, so I had no other choice."

 

"You actually took care of a mere stranger?" She asked in disbelief.

 

"We're not strangers anymore, are we?" I told her and gave her a smile.

 

Bigla naman s'yang napahawak sa ulo n'ya at napadaing sa sakit, "You should probably rest." I suggested her, "It might be bad if you overwork yourself." Dahilan ko sa kanya at inalalayan s'ya sa paghiga.

 

Nagkatinginan kaming dalawa at kita ko ang panlalaki ng mga mata n'ya, siguro ay nagulat ito sa sobrang lapit ko sa kanya. Napansin ko din naman na namumula ang mga pisngi n'ya kaya agad kong hinawakan ang noo n'ya para i-check ang temperature n'ya, "Are you okay?" I asked her as I try to feel her temperature.

 

Lumayo naman s'ya sa akin at tsaka tumango, bago n'ya iniiwas ang tingin n'ya sa akin, turning her face away from me.

 

I wanted to stare at her face for a little bit, pero ayoko naman na matakot s'ya sa akin kaya naman tinulungan ko na lang s'yang mahiga ng maayos, pagkatapos ay inayos ko ang kumot n'ya. Ng tingnan n'ya akong muli ay binigyan ko lamang s'ya ng isang ngiti, na sinuklian n'ya din ng isang matamis na ngiti na lalong nagpabilis ng tibok ng puso ko.

 

"Thank you..." She whispered softly and I gave her another smile.

 

"You should rest." I told her and she did, she closed her eyes and fell asleep once again.

 

I left her like that, I left smiling because now she was awake...

 

But if I only knew, if only I felt it, if only I was able to read what was on her mind that time... I wouldn't have left her. I would've skipped our practice just to spend the whole day with her.

 

If only I knew, that would be the last time I'll see her...

 

When I returned the next day, her bed was already fixed and she was nowhere to be found. I immediately went to the nurse's desk to ask only to find out that yesterday, she used their phone to call her family. And that today, they came and processed her discharge papers to transfer her into another hospital which is near her hometown.

 

She wasn't from here, that's why it was hard to find her family. She was only here because she had to study.

 

How stupid can I be?

 

Nagpasalamat ako sa nurse na kausap ko at tsaka ako lumabas ng ospital at galit na sinipa ang trash can na nakita ko.

 

I felt frustrated and angry with myself. That even my first love, ended just like that...

 

Nagulat naman ako ng may lumapit sa akin na isang nurse, "Sir, pina-aabot po nung babaeng lagi n'yong binibisita." Sabi nito sa akin at nag-abot ng papel.

 

I frowned before I took it, iniwan naman ako nung nurse kaya binuksan ko na yung papel just to find a hand-written letter from her.

 

Kai,

I wanted to thank you for everything that you've done for me, for taking care of a mere stranger like me, . I will always be grateful for you because I owe you my second life. After I recover, I will be able to continue my dreams, and I hope you'll be there to witness it. Thank you, Kai. I know that saying thank you is never enough to express me and my family's gratitude towards you, but I'll always say it, and I'll always pray for you, that you'll always be showered with blessings because of how kind and selfless you are. Again, thank you. Also, I'm sorry for suddenly leaving like that, I wanted to thank you personally, but I had no time. So through this letter, I hope it reached you.

Until we see each other again,
Sacheeko.

 

And that was the last thing I had as a reminder of the stranger that I fell in love with.

 

- ∞ - ∞ - 8 Years Later - ∞ - ∞ -

 

"Sh*t!" I cursed as I held my waist, sumasakit na naman kasi ito dahil nainjured na naman ako habang nag-prapractice kami ng bago naming kanta at sayaw.

 

"Okay ka lang ba p're?" Tanong ni Lay ng mapansin n'ya ako, "Patingnan mo na yan sa ospital." Sabi nito sa akin pero umiling ako.

 

Kahit kailan ay ayoko ng bumalik ng ospital.

 

Pero hindi sila nakinig sa akin at hinatak na lang ako papunta sa ospital. Ng makarating kami doon ay kanya kanya silang disguise para hindi sila makilala, nag-suot na lamang ako ng mask at cap bago pumasok sa loob.

 

Pero kung hindi ba naman mga baliw 'tong mga kasama ko, mas lalo kaming nahalata dahil sa get up namin kaya naman tinaboy ko na sila at sinabi na ako na lang ang bahala sa sarili ko.

 

Pumunta ako sa isang orthopedic physician na nirecommend nung nurse na pinagtanungan ko at tiningnan nito ang likuran ko.

 

"Alam mo hijo, may mas magaling pa sa akin na Ortho dito." Sabi nito sa akin, "Bago lang s'ya pero mas expertise n'ya ang ganitong bagay."

 

"Saan ko po s'ya makikita?" Tanong ko.

 

"Sa ngayon ay may iba s'yang pasyente na inaasikaso, kaya i-reresched ko na lang yung check up mo sa kanya, siguro bukas?" Sabi nito sa akin.

 

"Sige po, marami pong salamat." Sabi ko rito at tsaka lumabas ng office n'ya.

 

Inayos ko ang sumbrero ko at tumingin sa baba para walang makakilala sa akin pero napatigil ako ng marinig ko ang isang pamilyar na boses.

 

"Next time, you have to be careful."

 

Nilingon ko kung saan nanggaling ang boses at isang babaeng doktor na nakatalikod ang naglalakad palayo kasama ang isang pasyente.

 

Ako lang ba yun, o baka naman imahinasyon ko lang yun.

 

Napailing na lang ako at tuluyan ng umalis ng ospital at bumalik na lang sa dorm para magpahinga.

 

Kinabukasan naman ay nakatanggap ako ng tawag mula sa ospital na pinuntahan ko at sinabi ang schedule ko para ngayong araw, kaya naman naghanda na ako at nagpunta sa ospital.

 

"Dito na lang po kayo maghintay." Sabi ng isang nurse na itinuro ang upuan sa tapat ng isang pintuan, "Tatawagin na lang po kayo." Sabi nito at tumango na lang ako sa kanya.

 

"Your progress is very impressive." I heard the doctor say when the nurse opened the door, "Keep it up, okay?" She said cheerfully.

 

Maya-maya lamang ay may lumabas na matandang lalaki na nakangiti, kasama ang asawa nito na naka-alalay dito. "Thank you, doc." The old lady also said with a smile, siguro ay tuwang tuwa ito sa doctor na iyon.

 

"Wala po iyon, pagbutihin n'yo po ha." Pahabol nito at tumango naman yung matandang lalaki bilang tugon.

 

"Sir, kayo na po." Tawag sa akin nung nurse kaya naman tumayo na ako at pumasok sa loob.

 

Nakatungo ito at kinuha ang papel ko kung saan siguro nakalagay ang records ko na ginawa kahapon nung isang doctor. "So Mr. Ki--" Hindi ko alam kung bakit ito natigilan, nakatitig lamang ito sa pangalan ko at naipatak pa nito ang ballpen na hawak nito, napatikhim naman ito at tsaka yumuko para kuhanin ang nahulog n'yang ballpen. "Mr. Kim... what seems to be the problem?" Agad na tanong nito ng maka-ayos ito ng upo. "Your record says that you've been feeling a severe pain on your lower back?"

 

My eyes widened in shock, she looked at me seriously, waiting for my answer.

 

Pakiramdam ko ay naputulan ako ng dila dahil hindi ako naka-imik at tanging pag-tango lamang ang nagawa ko.

 

Tumayo s'ya mula sa upuan n'ya at lumapit sa akin, "Please stand up and turn around." Sabi nito sa akin.

 

Ginawa din n'ya yung ginawa ng doctor kahapon at ng mahawakan at pisilin n'ya ang parte kung saan masakit ay agad akong napadaing. Tinigil na n'ya ang ginagawa n'ya at muli itong bumalik sa upuan n'ya, "How long has this been?" Tanong nito sa akin.

 

"For a while?" Sabi ko, hindi ko sigurado.

 

"Bakit ngayon mo lang pinatingnan?" She asked me.

 

"Wala akong time." Sagot ko dahilan para tumango s'ya.

 

"Have you had an injury before?" Tanong n'yang muli kaya tumango ako.

 

Hindi mo na ba ako kilala?

 

"Kelan yun?" She asked again, as she wrote it down on the paper.

 

"Recently, and 9 years ago." Sabi ko.

 

A year before I met you...

 

"What happened recently?" She asked.

 

I explained to her what happened, and she said that it might have cause the old injury to return that's why the pain has been worse than before.

 

Is this all we have to talk about?

 

"Sacheeko..." I called her and she turned and looked at me.

 

"Yes?" She asked.

 

You've forgotten about me, about the man you said you'll forever be grateful to.

 

"For now, you'll have to rest, iwasan mo ang mabibigat na gawain, I know it's your passion to dance pero kung gusto mong gumaling ang injury mo, pahinga ang kailangan mo. I'll be giving you some medications na makakatulong sa'yo." Sabi nito sa akin as she started writing down again. "I can also suggest some therapies at rehab centers para mabilis gumaling injury mo, basta palagi mong attendan ang mga sessions mo." Pahabol nito at tsaka iniabot sa akin ang papel na sinulatan n'ya. "That would be all." Sabi nito kaya naman inabot ko na ang papel na hawak n'ya.

 

Tumayo ito kaya napatayo din ako, she held out her hand for a handshake and I took it, "Until we meet again." She then gave me a smile.

 

She was about to let go of my hand but I held it in place.

 

"Sacheeko..." She looked at me and tilted her head, "It's me..."

 

A smile crept up to her lips before she spoke, "I know..."

 

She knew?

 

She let go of my hand at lumapit s'ya sa akin, "The man I owe my second life with." Sabi nito pagkatapos ay tumungo s'ya, "Medyo natagalan, pero ito lang naisip ko to repay you." She tucked her hair behind her ear, she felt embarrassed, "To make the long story short, I decided to be a doctor because of you. Because I wanted to take care of strangers just like what you did to me." Sabi nito sa akin.

 

"I actually search about you, at nalaman ko na trainee ka pala ng isang sikat na entertainment company, then a lot of articles about your injury surfaced kaya naman eto ang ginawa kong major nung nagmedicine ako. It took me a year to recover, another year to return and finish my nursing course, 4 years in med school and 2 years for my majoring, kaya sobrang natagalan talaga ako." She looked at me, "That's why you were also a part of my dream. No. You became a part of my dream."

 

Hindi ako naka-imik dahil sa mga sinabi n'ya, hindi ko alam ang sasabihin ko.

 

"Nakakahiya na mga sinasab--" Hindi ko na s'ya pinatapos sa pagsasalita at agad ko s'yang hinila at niyakap.

 

"How could you leave me like that?!"

 

"I'm sorry."

 

"Don't you know how devastated I was, if only I knew, I would've spent the whole day with you."

 

"Huh? Why?" Naguguluhan n'yang tanong.

 

"Call me crazy or insane or whatever, but I love you, okay?" Sabi ko ng itulak ko s'ya palayo para tingnan sa mga mata n'ya, "I've been ing in love with you for 8 years!"

 

Gulat na gulat s'ya sa sinabi ko, napalingon pa ito sa gilid namin, doon ko lang narealize na nandun pala yung nurse na kasama n'ya sa office.

 

"Sa tingin ko, cue ko na para iwan kayong dalawa. Break muna po ako Ma'am." Paalam nito kay Sacheeko at tsaka lumabas ng kwarto para iwan kaming dalawa.

 

"How can you even love me?" Naguguluhang tanong nito.

 

"Do you even need a reason to love someone?" I asked her, "All I know was, the moment you left, I felt empty, I was like a living dead. I just thrived harder to reach my goal of becoming an artist. That maybe when I'm famous enough, you'll be able to see me reach my dreams as well. That you became my reason to reach my dreams." I let go of her, "You don't have to love me back, you don't have to force yourself, just let me love you."

 

But she held my hand, "Then you won't laugh at me when I say that I also fell in love with the guy who saved me, to the guy who inspired me to be what I am right now, that I fell in love with you not because I owe you my life, but because you've given me everything when I was just a mere stranger in your life." She looked at me as tears filled her eyes, "That I'm in love with you."

 

I was speechless, I cupped her cheeks and leaned my forehead against her.

 

"Then let's take this slowly... Slowly but surely... That people won't say that we fell in love with each other because we owe one another, but because we accepted each other." I whispered and she nodded in response.

 

I let go of her once again and stood up straight.

 

"It's nice meeting you, I'm Kim Jongin, but you can call me Kai." I said and offered my hand to her.

 

She then chuckled lightly before reaching out for my hand, "It's nice meeting you too, Kai. I'm Sacheeko Yuki, please do call me Sachee." She replied and we shook hands.

 

"I hope we get along with one another." I said.

 

"I hope so too..." She smiled, the sweetest smile I've ever seen.

 

As I stood there, in front of the smiling stranger that I fell in love with. I thought that people might think we must be crazy for loving someone we barely knew.

 

But once the heart beats... No once can ever stop it...

- ∞ - ∞ - ∞ - ∞ -

A/N: I hope you guys, enjoyed the edited version of Loving A Stranger, because when I read it, seriously I felt that the phase was too fast and there were a lot of errors in it, so I hope you liked it better than the first one.
Thank you for the continuous support, I love you all.
XOXO; _{miyu29 a.k.a. kaminari1007 ©}