Chapter 22: I always live in the present and look forward to my future. With you.

I’ve read from somewhere that your greatest rival in love is not one of those girls who throw themselves at him but the person he loved so much before you. (From No Perfect Prince by jonaxx)

Perhaps it’s true.

The girls around him now are there now and you can shoo them away from him. You can still do something to stop the progress. You can still step up and control the situation.

But the person he loved so much in the past?

How could you shoo her away? She is in the past. She will always be a part of what he is now. She was there first before you did. How can you even compete with that?

You can’t change the past. You can’t change the moments they shared together. You can’t erase that. It will always be there. Like I said, it will always be a part of him. It will always be there.

You can’t control anything in the past. It happened. It might hurt but it happened. And you can do nothing about it but to accept.

Kris stood up and walked to us and he was shocked when he saw that certain photo on that page. He immediately took the photo album and closed it before looking at me.

I stared at him and smiled. So she was the past. And I am his present. We’re not official but I am his present. She was THEN. I am NOW.

Kris’ mom looked at me apologetically. “I’m really sorry, Ashin. I shouldn’t have stopped on that page-“

“No. It’s okay.” I told her. “There’s nothing in there but memories, right?” I smiled. For a certain reason, I don’t Kris’ mom to be apologetic to me.

Perhaps, being apologetic to me for that one photo is insulting. It’s like telling me that there’s still something about him and that girl. Whoever she is.

She smiled at me and hugged me. I hugged her back.

That’s right. There’s nothing to be sorry about regarding that photo.

Kris was staring at me as I was hugging his mom. His eyes are questioning. I know. And his expression is worried.

But what’s there to be worried about?

Why is he worrying? Why is he acting like it’s not yet over between them?

Why is he worrying like it still hurts him?

Or was he worried about what I’m feeling?

What exactly am I feeling now?

I feel a certain pain in my chest but that’s it. I can get this by. Maybe I was just shocked to see that there was someone in his life before me.

And I can’t imagine him telling all the words he told me to another girl.

I sighed and smiled. I shouldn’t feel bothered.

Past is past.

Kris’ mom then volunteered to make some evening snacks and left me and Kris alone together in the living room. He sat beside me, filling the place of his mother.

“Are you okay?” He asked me softly.

I looked at him and nodded. “Yes. Why wouldn’t I be?” I asked him back. “You? Are you okay?”

He sighed and wrapped his arm around my shoulders. “I’m not fine because I know you’re not fine.” He replied as he caressed his hand up and down my shoulder.

 “I’m fine.” I replied firmly. “It was nothing, right?” I asked him.

He stopped and looked at me. “Of course it’s