Kim waited for Gerald at the resto. When he arrived, he sat on the chair opposite to her.

Kim looked at him and he smiled. "Kamusta ka na?"

"I am leaving a few days from now!"

Gerald nodded. "Mag-iingat ka!"

Kim held his left hand on the table."Ge, just ask me not to go, i will stay!"

Gerald looked at her."Hindi, Kim you have to do this, an opportunity you shouldn't miss!"

"Ge, kung kapalit naman nito na tuluyang masira yung tayo, kahit hindi na matupad ang pangarap na ito."

"Kim, do this for me! Gawin mo ito para sa pamilya mo. Kailanman hindi kita pipigilan sa bagay na tulad nito. "

"Ge!"

"Kim, sige na! Wag mo akong alalahanin, kaya ko ang sarili ko."

"Pero Ge.."

"Wag na nating pahirapan ang isa' t isa. Magiging maayos din ang lahat."

Kim couldn't hide her tears anymore. When Gerald hugged her for the last time, she cried harder. "I will always love you Kim. Mag-ingat ka dun, I will always pray that you find happiness in whatever you do." then he left.



Kim left and did pursue her dream to become a pediatric Surgeon in America. She would send email to Gerald but he wouldn't reply to any. He changed his mobile number and moved to another condo. Kim hasn't heard from him since the last time they talked.

Kara would update her about Gerald most of the time. "Kamusta na siya?"

"After passing the Bar Exams, he's now working to build a law firm."

"Wow!"

"Masyadong workaholic! Dun siguro binubuhos lahat ng emosyon nya! Ikaw kamusta ka dyan?"

"I'm good! nakakausap ko naman sina Mommy at Daddy sa phone kaya okay naman."

"E bakit bigla kang nalungkot? May iba ka pa bang gusto makausap bukod sa amin?"

"Kara, alam mo kung sino!"

"Hay pag-ibig nga naman."

"May dinidate na bang iba?"

"Parang wala naman, busy talaga sa trabaho.Matakot ka na kapag nakita siyang may ibang kasamang babae."

"Alam kong wala na akong karapatan, pero alam mong hindi ko kakayanin."

"Kimmy, wag mo sana itong mamasamain, pero kung ayaw mo palang mawala siya sa'yo bakit ka umalis?"

"Kara, if only he asked me not to leave, hindi sana ako umalis."

"But you should have had your own decision, you based your decision to Gerald. Of course he won't ask you that! but did you ask yourself not to,for Gerald? Kim, mag-iisang taon ka na dyan and I am not imposing something.I just wanted you to realize something. Mahal ko kayong dalawa ni Gerald, gusto kong maging kayo pa rin sa huli. Pero gusto ko din ipakita sa'yo ang realidad ng naging desisyon mo."

Kim sighed and Kara's sure she's crying her lungs out.

"Kimmy, the possibility of Gerald, having his new girl will come soon, for sure! Gusto ko lang, you get yourself ready for it. Napakasakit, alam ko! Pero kasi Kim, pumili ka e! at ang pinili mo ay yung pansarili mong kaligayahan at dapat panindigan mo yan!"

After the call, Kim lazily laid down on her bed and thought of what Kara said. "What if she did stay?"

Despite the sadness she's feeling, she went on. She worked hard for whom? For herself! of course for her family as well, and she would want to dedicate this hard work to Gerald, but what now? she already lost him!



Few more days and Kim will be flying back to the Philippines. Kara has been her trusted friend since her college days, she's also been a witness to Kim and Gerald's love story. Kim would confide to her almost everything about her and Gerald. Since she left the Philippines, Kara has been the reporter--the one that would tell her updates on Gerald's career and love life. Kara has also been close to Gerald, she knew his new number and would sometimes chat with him, but never did he talked to Kara about Kim. Whatever she can share to Kim, she shares it to Kim on the phone.

"Sino ang gusto mong sumundo?"

Kim laughed. "Kara, stop it! alam mo kung sino. Tigilan mo nga ako, alam ko naman na imposble na yun."

"Kimmy! everything's possible, wag kang nega!" she laughed as well.

"E di ba nga may kadate na ata?"

"May kasama siyang girl during an event, we both attended. But it doesn't mean na sila na di ba?"

"O come on Kara, ikaw dati ang nega, why the sudden change?"

"Kim, yan kasi ang mali minsan sa tao. Laging assuming! of course it's not totally wrong to assume pero most of the time, it's proven wrong."

Kim laughed. "Sige na nga, pero masyado mo akong inihanda na kahit ano pang sabihin mo, hindi na ako aasa."

"Naku naku naku! Tignan lang natin kung hindi ka pa rin affected pag ikaw mismo ang nakakitang may kasamang iba ang dating lover boy mo."

"Let's not deal with that yet, ayoko munang isipin yan."

"But be ready Kimmy, it would be a lot harder than you think. Kilala kita, kilala ko kayo ni Gerald."

"Kara naman, wag mo munang pasikipin ang dibdib ko, uuwi na nga lang ako, masama pa ang loob."

"Hindi ko intensiyon yun, mas masasaktan ka kasi kapag hindi ka handa."

"Ewan ko ba, sa tingin mo ganun lang kadali yun? sa buong dalawang taon na nandito ako, hindi ako lumabas with other guys, hindi dahil sa ayaw ko lang, kundi dahil ayokong pag nalaman ni Gerald, masasaktan ko na naman siya. Sobra sobra na yung sakit na dinulot ng pag-alis ko, ayoko nang dagdagan pa."

Kara laughed. "Talagang iniisip mong masasaktan siya ha? Hind ka pa nga nakaka-move on and I'm afraid you'll never be."

"You have been a witness of my love to him, hindi basta basta na lang maitatapon yun, umalis lang naman ako to pursue a dream, hindi para iwanan o kalimutan siya."

"Hey! are you planning to go back again after your vacation here?"

"Kung may dahilan para magstay na ako dyan sa Pinas, bakit pa ako babalik?"

Kara knew what Kim is talking about. Kara learned from Gerald's ate Marie that he's about to propose to Kim before the times when they're in a state of chaos. Kara told this to Kim. Since then, Kim told Kara that the only reason that would make her stay is for Gerald to ask her to marry him. And Kim's afraid, that would be an impossible thing now, since Gerald's dating if not already in a relationship with someone...