Tiffany got into her car as fast as she could. She slammed the door locked and cried all her might.

Few days ago she was asking herself the genuineness of their love. Was their whirlwind, too-good-to-be-true romance had already become real? And was she ready to give her heart again? Now, she got her answer without any doubt.

Wiping her tears only hurt her eyes and her cheeks. Her eyes won’t stop. Kim Min Ji kept on calling her mobile phone but she ignored it. Tiffany does not want to talk to anyone right now. She started her car and drove home.

With puffy red-shot eyes, the listless Tiffany got her luggage bag and started packing clothes. She looked at her watch: one fifteen am. There’s a flight to Manila that leaves early in the morning. Los Angeles is too far and if she goes there unplanned, something must have happened and her dad will worry.

Manila is a perfect place to escape to. Not so near, not so far, the 4-hour flight is just right.  She’ll just tell her brother, Leo, she just wants to surprise him and his wife, Rachel. And besides, they haven’t seen each other for awhile.

Making sure she has her passport, she quickly opened her laptop to purchase her ticket online.

“Crazy!” she told herself, “What if the flight is full?!”

Luckily she was still able to buy her ticket. She bought two.

One Seoul – Manila – Seoul and the other Seoul – Los Angeles – Seoul.  The latter one, she decided, she will have rebook, so she just randomly selected a date.

On her way out, she stopped and stared at the keypad of the door lock. Moments ago, she was excited rushing to give the passcode to Seunghyun and now, she was rushing to change it. She keyed in the new numbers for the lock and left.

She hailed a taxi going to the airport. Tiffany told herself she can’t cry anymore. Tears and heartbreak are things she’s leaving in Seoul. She has to move on as fast as she as fell in love.

Manila is warm city, and she’d always love the place. Her brother lives there. It will not make her forget of course, but she faintly hopes her visit will distract her somehow.

Make me forget, Manila. Even for a while. Take a little bit of that pain, even just a little bit.

As soon as Seunghyun closes the door Erika embraces him tight and tried to kiss him passionately. He gently pulls away and refuses.

“Erika-chan...” Seunghyun was apologetic when he walked almost ten steps away from Erika. 

“What’s wrong Tabi-chan?”  Erika was confused. She got it wrongly. She thought he shared the same feelings.

“We can’t do this anymore.” He said, his deep voice echoing inside the cold hotel room. “I have someone else now."

“Tabi...” Tears are now forming in her eyes, “Is it still her?"

“No.” Seunghyun replied.

Erika sat at edge of the bed. She trying to fight her tears but to no avail. She was almost choking when she asked Seunghyun.

“This new girl... you love her?”

Seunghyun nodded.

“If she comes back, you wouldn’t leave this new girl like what you did to me Seunghyun?”

He did not respond.

Erika went on, “If she returns for you again, will you not break her heart like what you did to mine and to the rest of your other girlfriends, Seunghyun?”

No response again from Seunghyun.

“Answer me..." she cried.

“I will not leave Miyoung... her name’s Miyoung.” Seunghyun answered Erika looking straight into her eyes. “I’m sorry I have been cruel to you and to those others in the past. I don’t know why I am telling you this but...”

“What does she have that I don’t have Seunghyun?” Erika asked, referring to Tiffany, “Obviously, she had surpassed your one greatest love. That ‘one love’ you left everyone else for... Exactly how perfect is your new girlfriend Miyoung?”

Seunghyun loosened up a little bit. He went to sit next to Erika at the edge of the bed. He faced and he smiled.

“How perfect?” He smiled. Seunghyun is in for some enumeration:

“She is too loud and noisy;

She acts childish and bratty.

When she’s mad, she becomes crazy person, buying whatever she sees... more like a shopping maniac

She’s clumsy and hurts herself a lot.

She can be demanding at times.

She’s a bit immature.

She’s a cry baby.

She can be even boyish.

There...”

“You’re not really Seunghyun, are you?” asked Erika, “Or maybe she got you under her spell.”

Seunghyun laughed, “Everyone says that... But right now I’m still figuring it out why her, there are a lot of women out there, lots and lots of them like you... and there’s you... why is it her?... why it’s her that's the first person I think about when I wake up? And I think about the whole day and why is she the last person I think about when I go to sleep... ” He covered his face, like a high school kid whose crush just said hi to him.

“Seunghyun...”

Seunghyun got up and kissed Erika on the cheek, “I’m sorry. I know it’s wrong to compare. By all means, they’d think I’m an idiot for not choosing you over her. Truth is, by all standards you are way better than her. My mind thinks so too, Erika-chan. But my heart says otherwise.”

“We made plans Seunghyun... we had a beautiful past...” She held on to his hand.

“I won’t deny that...” He sadly admitted. “But don’t you want to look forward? What about the future?”

“My future still belongs to you...” she sobbed again.

Seunghyun placed his hands on her shoulders. “No. Go find someone else. Someone better, Erika-chan. Go find your future, I’ve already found mine. ”

Manila, Philippines

Ninoy Aquino International Terminal 1

Arrival Area Gate 2

7.30 am

Rachel gave Tiffany big sisterly hug that her sunglasses almost fell from her face.

“Ooops, Tiffany!” Rachel exclaimed, “Sorry, I missed you so much. I was too excited.”

“No worries.” Tiffany fixed her sunglasses. “I missed you too, Rach.”

“Wait! Those are ‘I-cried-my-heart-out’ eyes, Tiff” Rachel said, “What’s wrong? C’mon, tell me... before your brother arrives.”

Leo got the car from the parking and Rachel went ahead to fetch Tiffany. Airports in Manila are usually that crowded and cars waiting in the arrival area are not advisable.

The weather was not too hot as Tiffany expected, and it was actually a bit humid. She pushed her luggage, walking towards Gate 3, ignoring her sister-in-law’s question. Realizing the weather could very well add up to her melancholy state.

“It’s Seunghyun, isn’t it?” She asked, following after.

“Don’t tell Oppa.” Tiffany told Rachel. “Please...”

“What happened...” Rachel asked Tiffany but then Leo already arrived, “Your brother’s here... Smile.”

Tiffany peeked by the passenger car seat window and greeted her brother. No trace of sadness whatsoever.

“Hey yo, brother bear!” Tiffany happily said, “Whatssup?!?”

“Hey, baby sister.” Leo grinned. He was still very much surprised at the sudden decision of her sister to visit him and his wife. “Get in, you slow poke.”

Rachel got in the passenger seat and Tiffany settled at the back.

They went directly to Leo and Rachel’s house in Serendra which is a po