The 99th Paper Crane
99 Paper Cranes (Completed)--
Chapter 47 – the 99th Paper Crane
And the heartache begins...
--
The 95th paper crane: I would give up everything for one moment with you... for one moment is better than a lifetime of not knowing you...
--
Calvin stared at the paper crane by his locker. “Not again...” he thought. He sighed as he took the paper and put it inside his bag. It's been a long time since he last received the paper crane, and he's starting to receive it again. “What's wrong with this girl?” he thought. If that mystery girl is appearing again to get his attention, then she is wrong. For him, it's a big nuisance. He didn't have the energy and the time to think who this mystery girl is, and if he would search for her again, he knows someone would tend to lie to him.
“Cal...” he heard someone call. He looked back, and saw Kit walking towards him. She could clearly see the annoyance in his face. “Look at this...” Calvin said as he held the paper crane up for her. “From the paper crane girl?” she asked. Calvin nodded his head. “She won't stop, really. It irritates me.” he said. Kit fell silent upon hearing what he said. “Why are you annoyed by her? She just wants to give you those paper cranes...” she said. “It irritates me because it seems to me that she's forcing her love to me.”
“Maybe she just want you to know how much she loves you...”
“I think she should keep her feelings to herself than annoy me.”
“Maybe it's the only way she could let you know how much she loves you...”
“I don't find this thing funny.”
“Maybe....she's not forcing her love for you, and would rather keep her distance and love you secretly...”
Calvin sighed again, and turn his back on her. “I'm getting tired of her mind games, that's all...” he said to her. Kit sighed as she watched her best friend. “Maybe for you it's mind games... but maybe for her, it's not...” she said to him.
--
Danson slowly opened the door of the music room, and as expected, he saw Kit sitting by the piano. “Kit...” he called. Kit looked at him and gave him a faint smile. She turned her eyes to the piano keys, and he walked towards her, occupying the empty space beside her. “A few months ago... Hannah was sitting on that very same spot that you are sitting. We usually go here, when we wanted silence, when we wanted to talk about Calvin...” she said. She lifted her hand as she pressed the piano key. “Then, let me be her substitute for a while, Kit. I may not be a girl or share the same feelings that you feel for Calvin, but I am your friend... and I am willing to listen to you.” he said. “What is there to talk about? Calvin again? My love for him? How he have unintentionally hurt his best friend several times?” she asked. Danson turned his attention to the piano keys, and began to play some notes. He could feel something have happened to them, but Kit has been keeping things to herself. “How could your best friend unintentionally hurt you, Kit?” he asked.
Kit paused. She closed her eyes as she remembered that night when Calvin was drunk. “He kissed me...” she said in a low voice. “He said he love me, and then he kissed me... I thought it was for real... until... until he called Joy's name...” Danson looked at Kit, and saw her wipe the tears on her eyes. “I know I shouldn't feel hurt, because I know for a fact that he is in love with Joy... but that moment... that moment he kissed me, it gave me that little hope that maybe he also feels the same. But I was wrong. No one can replace her in his heart, not even me. It hurts because I thought it was all for real, but it was just a dream... and I was forced to wake up from that dream...” she continued. He sighed as Kit looked at him. He could understand the pain she is feeling right now He held her hand, and then squeezed it. “I wish there is something I could do for you... I wish there is something I could do to take all of your pain away...” he said in a low voice. “Danson... do you know that every night, I pray to God to take all of my love for him away. I pray to him that when I wake up the next day, I am only loving Calvin as a friend. But He doesn't hear my prayers... each day that I wake up, I love him even more. The more that this love grows, the more that it's tearing me apart. I want to give all of my love to Jiro... but I can't... because of him... it has always been him...” Danson put his arm around her, and let Kit rest her head on her shoulder as she cries. “I want to pretend that it doesn't hurt, Danson... but each time that I look into his eyes, I could feel my heart breaking...” she continued. Danson looked at Kit. “It only hurts when you start pretending that it doesn't, Kit... You are a strong girl, I know that. And I know you are strong enough to go through this. One day, I know, you will learn to let him go. Just keep on trying, because if you don't you'll end up hurting the people you care about most. You have hurt yourself now, and it should stop at that. It pains me now that I'm seeing you like this...” he said. Kit let out a sad smile and nodded her head. “I just wish... I just wish all of these would end. I don't want to hurt anymore because of him...” she said in a low voice. Danson pulled her closer to him, and listened to her soft sobs. “It will end soon, Kit... it will... “ he said. “You just need to be brave enough to let go of your love for Calvin...”
--
The 96th paper crane: I love you more than beyond a reason why
--
“Tin...” Kit looked back, and saw Jiro walking towards her. Kit gave him a faint smile. “Jay...” she said in a low voice. She was glad to see him again. Of all the things that's happening to her right now, it's only Jiro that's keeping her sane. He gave her a loving smile as he comes near him. Kit noticed that he was hiding something at the back of his hand. “What's behind you?” she asked. “Nothing...” he said. He looked up, trying his best not to smile. “Aiyo... tell me now, will you, Jay?” she said. Jiro looked at her, and then laughed at her. “You're a very impatient girl...” he said. Then, from his back, he took out a bouquet of peach roses. Kit was surprised at what she saw. She was so surprised that all she could do was gape. “It's our second month anniversary...” he said. Kit looked up at him, and she saw him smiling at her. “Two months ago, on this very day... we met each other at the beach, after years of waiting. You came right before I decided to let you go. You came to save me from the loneliness I'm feeling, just like the time that you saved me from drowning. Before I saw you again, I thought I could forget all my love for you, but I am wrong. When you walked to me, and when I realized that you are Tin, all of that love that I'm trying to forget suddenly covered up the hole in my heart. From that day on, I promised that I will love you with all my heart, and that I will never ever let you go.” he said. He paused from his speech, and moved closer to her. He reached for her face and softly caressed it. “I love you so much, Kit... the mere thought of losing you makes me unable to breath. You are my everything – my life, my world. I want to be with you for the rest of my life...”
Kit could feel her tears falling from her eyes as Jiro speaks. She was crying because she found Jiro, the man who love her with all his heart. He is willing to give everything for her happiness. She's happy that she is with him now, after all the thing that have happened. In his arms, she felt what its like to be really loved. She knows in her heart that she love him, but then she felt guilty because she was loving Calvin as well. Calvin will always be the shadow that stands in between them, and she could not give her heart totally to Jiro because of him. But she have decided, after the heartache she experienced from Calvin, she have decided to give all her love to Jiro, for he deserves it after all. She watched Jiro as he took something from one of the roses in the bouquet. She was surprised to see him holding a diamond ring. “I know this is soon, and I know we are still young...” he said nervously. “But, this can't wait for another two years or so... Katherine Jin, will you marry me?”
Kit was speechless at his question. She looked at the diamond ring, and then looked at Jiro again. “Jay...” she said in a low voice. “We... we don't have to get married right away. Maybe right after graduation, we could.” he said. “But... but are you sure? Are you sure you want to be married to me in the future?” she asked. Jiro and smiled and nodded his head. “I have never been this sure all my life, Tin. I love you, and I want to grow old with you.” he said. Kit's lips turn into a smile. “Yes, I will marry you...” she said. Jiro took her hand, and put the ring on her finger. He looked up at her, and she saw him smiling lovingly at him. She could see the happiness in his eyes, and somehow she felt guilty. While Jiro is happy with her, her heart is breaking because of Calvin. She reached up to him, and hugged him tight, letting her tears fall from her eyes. “Why are you crying, my princess? Are you crying because you are happy with me?” he asked. “More than happy, Jay... more than happy...” she said as she looked up at him. She smiled at him, and caressed his face. “I'm so sorry, Jay... I'm sorry that I love Calvin... I promise I will love you... I promise to forget my feelings for him so that you will be happy... I'm so sorry...” she thought. Jiro smiled at her. There were tears in his eyes as well. He reached for her face, and wiped the tear from her eyes. “I cannot guarantee that there won't be a rough road ahead of us, but I promise to you that I will hold on... I want you beside me as we face each problem, because I couldn't make it through without you...Its not gonna be easy. Its not gonna be hard. And were going to have
to work at this everyday, but i want to do that because i want you... I want all of you, forever, everyday.” he said.
Kit smiled at him, and reached for him again. She kissed him on the lips, and then she hugged him again. “Jay... thank you for everything... thank you for your love. I... I couldn't ask for anything from you. You have given me everything I have ever wanted, and needed.” she said to him. She looked at him again, and stared into his eyes. In his eyes, she could see how much he loves her, and this made her feel more guilty. “I... Can you give me time to compose myself?” she asked as she smiled at him. “I... I still could not believe what happened. An engaged girl have the right to cry, right?” she joked. Jiro laughed as he nodded his head. “Go and compose yourself first. I'll wait for you, future Mrs. Wang.” he said. Kit smiled and nodded her head. She turned her back on him, and walked as fast as she could until she reached the music room.
As she closed the door behind her, she cried. She does not deserve Jiro's love. How could she deserve him, if all this time, there is someone else in her heart. “I'm so sorry, Jay...” she whispered. “I'm sorry if I fell in love with my best friend. God knows I love you too... I love you since we were young... but he... he was always there for me. He was there to wipe my tears away, to make me smile... and slowly I have fallen for him. I don't want you to think that I'm just using you so that I could forget Calvin...” she said silently. “I'm going to love you, Jiro... I will love you in the same way I loved Calvin... I promise you that...”
--
The 97th paper crane: Have you ever noticed that the worst way to miss someone is when they are right beside you and you can never have them?
--
Kit and Danson were at the cafeteria the next day, having their lunch. They were happily chatting as they were having their lunch. As Kit leaned over Danson's side to get the bottle of ketchup, Danson noticed something or her hand. He led her hand, and took a closer look at it. “Nice ring you got there, Kit.” Danson said to her. He looked at her and smiled. “Did your mom gave it to you?” he asked. Kit just smiled at him and shook her head. Danson had a hunch of what that ring is, but he doesn't want to think about it. “Don't tell me it's...” he paused then shook his head. “No, that can't be. It's too soon. Is this a promise ring from Jay?” he asked again. Kit could only smile at him, not saying a word. Danson just nodded his head. “Yes, it can't be, because you're still in love with someone, right?” he said, giving out a nervous laugh. Kit cleared , and then looked into Danson's eyes. She have to tell him the truth. “Danson... I'm engaged to Jiro.” she said.
She didn't know that Joy was standing behind them, and was able to hear the last thing that she said. She was shocked at what she learned, too shocked that the tray of food she was holding in her hands fell. “You... you're engaged?” Kit looked back and saw Joy standing behind her. She was just as surprised as she is. “Oh, you're there...' she said in a low voice. Then, she nodded her head. “Yes, Joy. I'm engaged to Jiro.” she said. She looked at Danson, who seemed to be confused with what's going on. Just then, Calvin came inside the cafeteria, and saw the shocked look on Joy and Danson. “What's wrong?” Calvin asked Joy as he walked towards her. Kit looked up at Calvin, be he didn't seem to notice her presence. She turned her gaze away from him, and then looked at Danson and smiled. “I'll go ahead. I still need to do some stuff.” she said. Danson was still in shock as he nodded his head. He stood up from his seat as he watched her leave the cafeteria. “You... you can't possibly marry Jiro, Kit! You can't! Is this a joke? You are hurting yourself, and you're hurting a lot of people, Kit...” he thought.
Calvin looked at Kit as she leaves. He then turned his attention to his girlfriend, who seems to be still in a state of shock. “What happened, Joy?” he asked in a worried tone. Joy wanted to cry at what she heard. Jiro have finally decided to marry Kit, and that thought is just breaking her heart. She looked at Calvin and smiled, trying her best not to break down in front if him. “I... I just tripped.” she said in a low voice. Calvin sighed with relief as he led her arms. “You should be careful next time, OK?” he said. Joy just nodded her head. Chun came inside the cafeteria and saw the very shocked Danson staring outside the cafeteria. “”What's wrong? Did I miss something? Why do you have that shocked look on your face, as if you've seen a ghost?” he asked. Danson remained unmoved, and did not answer his question. “Dannie boy, what's wrong with you?” he asked again. Then, Chun looked at Calvin, giving him a questioning look. Calvin could only shrug his shoulder as he didn't know what happened before he came in. “Engaged...” they heard Danson said. Chun gave Danson a confused look. “What did you say? Sorry, I didn't catch that... are you speaking some sort of alien language?” he asked. But Danson remained unmoved. He was a little frustrated with the way his friend is acting. He couldn't even get Danson to speak up. He grabbed Danson by his shoulder, and began to share him. All Danson did was look at Chun again. “Engaged...” he said in a low voice.
“Chun, I think you should let Danson sit for a while before asking him again.” Calvin said to him. Chun lead Danson to his seat, and Calvin did the same to Joy. “I don't know why... these two have this shocked look on their face when I got here.” Calvin said as he sat beside Joy. He put his arm around her protectively, wondering why Joy suddenly became quiet. Chun looked at Danson, still wondering what happened to him. “What happened to you? Did Hannah rejected you?” he asked. Just the mere thought of it made Chun laugh. Danson looked at Chun and glared at him. “No! Kit...” he said. Then, he shook his head. Chun eyes Calvin, and saw that he was confused as well. As he looked at Danson, he let out an evil smile. “What? Kit rejected you again? You asked her again?” Chun asked. “Kit...” Danson said as he shook his head. Calvin is getting irritated with the way Danson is acting. “Wei, Danson Tang. Can you stop repeating Kit's name? It's irritating, so stop saying her name!” Calvin said in an angry tone. Then, Danson eyed at Calvin. He also got annoyed with the way Calvin reacted. “Kit is engaged! Engaged! Got it?” he shouted at him. Danson stood up from his seat, and walked out of the cafeteria.
It was Calvin's turn to be shocked. He slumped onto his chair, unable to believe what he have heard. “Oh...” he heard Chun said. He smirked as he scratched his chin. “Very funny!” Calvin said to him. “She can't be engaged! What a gossip... silly girl...” he said as he shook his head. Then, he looked at Chun. “Go and find Danson. Comfort him, tell him it's just a silly rumor.” he said. Chun smirked at him as he shook his head. “No, Calvin... I don't think it's just a rumor.” he said. “Who can she be engaged with then?” he asked as he shook his head. “Jiro...” he heard Joy said. Calvin looked at Joy, and saw the tear falling from her eyes. “Kit is engaged to Jiro...”
--
“Kit!”
Kit paused as soon as she heard Calvin's voice calling her. She looked back just in time to see Calvin standing before him. “What is it that you want?' she asked monotonously. Calvin held her on her shoulders. “Tell me it's not true...” he pleaded her. “Tell me what I heard is not true.” he said. Kit shook her head in confusion. “What do you mean?” she asked. “You're engage to Jiro Wang, right? He asked you to marry him?” he shouted at her. Kit fell silent as she slowly nodded her head. That moment, he wished that Kit was lying instead of telling the truth in his face. He looked down, and saw the solitary diamond ring on her hand. He took it and looked closer at her hand. “He proposed to me a few days ago, on our second month anniversary.” he heard Kit say. Calvin looked at her, and saw her smiling. “I said yes, Calvin... I agreed to marry him.” He lowered his head and let go of her hand. “I have lost you to him, totally...” he said sadly.. “He took you away from me... he... he didn't even gave me the chance to ready myself...” He felt Kit's hand on his shoulder. As he looked up, he saw her smiling at me. “Calvin, I will still be here for you. I am still your best friend, and there's no way I'm going to abandon you. It's not like we'll get married tomorrow or something... we have to wait until we graduate.” she said.
Calvin looked up at her again, the he pulled her close to him, and hugged her tight. “Why are you letting him take you away from me, Kit?” he asked in a low voice. As he hugged her, she felt a tear from her eyes. “Calvin...” she called in a low voice. “Give me more time to be with you, please... I... I can't let you go that instant. It's hard for me to give you to Jiro just like you that. Please, Kit... please...” he said. Kit bring up her hands, and hugged Calvin. “Calvin, you're not losing me... it's just that I am in love with Jiro, and I decided to spend forever with him....”
“No, Kit... it's not that. He took you away from me I know I shouldn't be like this, because I promised myself I will not pry into your life anymore, but I'm missing you... I'm losing you, and I'm not ready for any of these...”
Kit let go of Calvin and looked at him into his eyes. She cupped his cheeks and smiled at him. “Listen to me, Cal... This is for the best. We still have time to spend together before I get married... you don't have to worry about a thing. I am not getting married right away, we're just engaged.” she assured him. Calvin nodded his head. “Promise me, Kit... promise me you'll give me those two years before you get married. Promise me you'll spend as much time as you could with me. Promise me, you'll help me ready myself before I give you away to him... and promise me...” he said. He looked into her eyes, and then cupped her cheeks. “Promise me... when you get married to him, I will be the one who will walk you down the aisle and give your hand to him...” he asked. Kit just looked at him, as she was surprised at what he said. Then, he smiled at her. “I know you are happy with him, and I couldn't take that happiness from you.” he said as. Kit just smiled and nodded her head. As Calvin pulled her to hug her, she closed her eyes to stop the tears from falling.”I'm starting to miss you now, Kit... You are here with me, but I'm starting to miss you. I hate this feeling, you know? I hate the feeling of being helpless and of losing you... But I have to accept the fact that sooner or later you will be with him forever.” he said in a low voice. “Are you really giving me away, Cal? I was hoping you would stop me from marrying him... because I was hoping that somewhere in your heart, you love me as more than a friend.” she thought.
--
The 98th paper crane: Loving you is my favorite mistake
--
“Are you really sure of your decision? Are you really sure you wanted to be with Jiro for the rest of your life?” Danson asked the girl sitting beside him in front of the piano. “It's the right thing to do, Danson... after all, I am his girlfriend...” Kit said as she stared at the piano keys. “Kit, do you know what you're doing? Obviously, you are not yet over Calvin, and you are jumping into another mess! How can you marry Jiro if you can't even love him?” he asked. Kit gave him a glare. “I love him, Danson. I love Jiro!”
“You are in love with Calvin. You cannot deny that!”
“I have loved Jiro long before I have loved Calvin.”
“But you could not deny the fact that it's Calvin that's inside your heart. And Jiro... I don't want to say this to you, but I think you are just using him so that you could forget your feelings for Calvin...”
Kit looked away from him. She stared back down at the piano. “I am trying my best to forget him... I am trying for the sake of Jiro. I don't want him to feel the same pain that I felt when I loved Calvin. This is the only right thing to do after all...” she said in a low voice. “Don't you realize that you are hurting the people around you? You are hurting Jiro because of Calvin. You are hurting Joy because she is still in love with Jiro. You are hurting Calvin because he felt like he's taking you away from him. Most of all, you are hurting yourself with this decision that you made. You are choosing the man who loves you, and not the man you love... You cannot even love Jiro with all your heart...”
“How can I chose the man I love when he can only love me as a friend? Jiro is here... loving me with his everything. How can I not chose him?”
Danson looked at her, and held her hand. “I just don't want to see you broken hearted in the end. I don't want to see you hurting, because as your friend, it also breaks my heart to see you in pain. I've seen you cry before, and you don't know the heavy feeling it leaves in my heart every time you are heartbroken. I hope you understand why I'm being the devil's advocate here...” he said to her. Kit looked at him and smiled as she nodded her head. “I know Danson... I'm thankful that you are here with me to always guide me...” she said. Danson smiled and nodded his head. “Kit... are you really sure you want to marry Jiro?” he asked. Kit nodded her head. “Then, if you are decided... “ he said. “it's about time that you forget your love Calvin and start loving Jiro. Jiro deserves all of your love.”
--
The bell rang, and Jiro rushed out of the room and walked through the busy hallway. “Hey, Jiro! Congratulations!” he heard one of his classmates said. Jiro just smiled at him and nodded his head. The news about him and Kit getting engaged have spread around the university. Some of the people he meet along the way congratulated him, while the others for wanting to be tied down to one girl that soon. He doesn't care what the people say. All he cares about is that security he got when Kit agreed to marry him. Honestly, he was too scared to lose Kit, because he have this feeling that one day he will lose her again. Now that they are engaged, he is sure more than ever that Kit love him. “There's our groom-to-be!” he heard someone say. He looked beside him, and saw Chun smiling at him. He put his arm around him as they walked together. “So... are you nervous for the upcoming wedding, huh?” Chun asked. Jiro raised an eyebrow at him and shook his head. “Wei... we'll get married right after graduation, which is roughly two years from now... if and only if I would successfully pass all my major subjects.” he said. “But still! You should get nervous and excited about it. Are you looking forward for the honeymoon?” Chun said as he let out a vicious smile. Jiro paused, and glared at him. “Wei... I am not a ert like you.” he said. Jiro looked away from him and continued to walk.
Just then, they saw Joy walking towards his direction. “Jiro...” she called. Jiro paused and smiled at her. “Hey, Joy...” he said. “Can we talk alone?” she asked, eying on Chun. Chun got what Joy was trying to say. “I'll go ahead, Jiro. See you in our class.” he said, excusing himself from the two. “You got me alone now, Joy. What is it that you want to talk about?” he asked. Joy shook her head. “Not here, Jiro. Let's go somewhere where we could talk.” she said. Joy turned to walk, and Jiro followed her from behind.
--
Calvin walked towards his locker, and he saw another paper crane hanging by it. He sighed and shook his head before taking it. “Not again...” he thought. He opened his locker to get his books, he didn't notice that the yellow note fell on the floor. “Cal...” he heard someone call. He looked back, and saw Chun walking towards him. Chun looked down at the floor, and saw the yellow paper. He knelt down to pick it up, and read what's written on it. “Another one from Kit...” he thought. “Hey, Chun... what's up?” he asked as he took his books. Chun looked at him, and as Calvin turned to him, he showed her the yellow note. “This yours?” he asked. Calvin nodded his head. “From that mysterious paper crane girl. Anyway, I'm not interested in that one anymore.” he said. He closed his locker, and as he turned to Chun again, he was reading it's content. “Don't you care about here anymore? Look at what she have written you...” Chun said, handing him the note. Calvin sighed as he took the note from his hand. After reading its content, he sighed and shook his head. “She's getting weirder and weirder everyday. I'm starting to think she's a scary stalker or a psycho.” he said. Chun shook his head, and then read the note again. “I don't think so. Seems to me, it's like she's hurting and that she's trying to say goodbye to you.” Chun said. He was hinting about what was doing and feeling for her best friend. “Whatever it is, it's freaking me out.” Calvin said.
“Cal... maybe you're thinking too much. I don't think she is a psycho, because if she is, she could have shown herself to you and do something bad to you. Who knows... maybe in the coming days, you won't hear from her anymore...” Chun said. Calvin took a look at the paper crane on his hand. “This has got to stop...” he said in a low voice. Chun heard what he said, and he gave him a confused look. “W-what do you mean?” he asked. Calvin just looked at him. “I will find this girl, whoever she is. I have to tell her off.” Calvin said. Chun was surprised at what he said. “Tell her off? You can't do that! You're going to break her heart! And... and how will you know who she is? We can't even find who this girl is... she's so... so... mysterious...” Chun said. He was praying that Calvin would somehow changed his mind, but with the way he looked, he seemed to be determined. “I will find her, no matter what. I have to do this, Chun. It's better that I tell her to leave me alone, than hurt her in the end. This is for good.” he said. Chun could only sigh as he nodded in agreement. He just hope that this is Kit's last paper crane, so that Calvin would never find out that it was her all along.
--
Jiro found himself in an empty classroom with Joy. He was standing behind her, waiting for her to speak. A few minutes have passed since they have gone inside, but Joy remained silent. “Look, Joy...” he said impatiently. “I have other things to do than stand here and wait for you to speak up. If you'll excuse me...” he turned his back to leave. Joy looked back at him, glaring at him. “Why her?” she asked in a hurt tone. “Why Kit? I have been with you longer than you are with her... but why her? Why did you ask her to marry you?” she asked again. Jiro paused, and then faced the girl behind him. “Why her? Joy... Kit is my girlfriend. Obviously, it's her that I would ask to marry me... not someone else!” he said. Joy lowered her head as a tear fell from her eyes. “You've been with Celestine for more than a year... we've been together for a year, and you and Kit just got together just a few months ago. During those times that we were together, I was wishing that you would ask me the same question... I was willing to wait until the day that you are ready... but that never happened because you decided to break up with me...” Joy said in a low voice. Then, she looked up at Jiro. “But you asked her to marry you shortly after you found her. And now... you asked her to be your wife, to be with you for the rest of your life.”
Jiro closed his eyes as he sighed. He doesn't know why his ex-girlfriend is being too unreasonable. “Joy... I don't know why you are confronting me just because of my engagement.” he said as he opened his eyes. “I asked you to wait for me, until I let her go. It was you who left me, when you answered Calvin. If you felt envy with what I did, then go and ask your boyfriend to propose to you.” Jiro said. Joy shook her head. “That's not the case, Jiro. I never left you. You did!”
“I asked you to wait for me. I asked you to wait until I have forgotten all about her...”
“I know you will never come back for me, because that's what you did with Celestine...”
“I never promised Celestine anything. I promised you that, and you never trusted me.”
“What difference will it make if I waited for you? If I waited for you and you found out that Kit is Tin, you will never come back for me, right? You will still chose Tin!”
Jiro paused, and stared into her eyes. “Or maybe not...” he said in a low voice. “We can never change what have happened in the past. You were the first one who decided to move on... you never knew how it broke my heart, Joy. I loved you so much, and I only left you because I don't want to hurt you anymore. You are happy now with Calvin, I can see that. I am very much happy with Tin. Just accept the truth, and let's all live happily ever after...” he said. “I want to hate Kit... but I cant because she is my friend. She had everything that I ever wanted...” Joy said in a low voice. “My mind's made up, Joy. I will marry Kit as soon as we graduated...” Jiro said before turning his back to leave. He reached for the door, and then he paused. “Joy...” he called. “That night... on our anniversary... just to let you know.... I was supposed to ask you the very same thing... but all the things that happened that night have already happened...” he said. He opened the door and walked out of the room, leaving Joy inside the room. As Joy watched Jiro leave, the tears began to cascade from her eyes.
--
“So, how are you taking Kit's engagement to Jiro?” Chun asked as he followed Calvin to the library. Calvin paused, and glared at him. “Whoa! Don't look at me like that... I'm just asking...” Chun said. Calvin sighed, and then turned away from him. “You can't accept the fact that Jiro won over you?” Chun asked again. “Chun, I have no idea where you're getting at.” he said. Chun smirked, and then walked beside him. He put his arm around him, giving him that evil smirk. “One...” he said, sticking out his pointer finger. “I know this guy back in middle school, who would always ask me, or threaten me not to take Kit's chocolates every Valentine's day.” He stuck out another finger. “Two... I know a guy who have always been protective of his best friend, ever since. He was overprotective to the point of not wanting any guys around her.” Chun said. Then, he tuck out another finger. “Three... does it ever come to you that you are being too obvious... to the point of giving away your true feelings for Kit?”
Calvin paused, then he looked at Chun. “Kit is my best friend.” he sad. Chun smiled and shook his head. “I don't think that's the case, Calvin. If she is, then you would be happy about her and Jiro getting married, but obviously, you're not.” he said. “I never liked Jiro for her...”
“Then why do you like Danson for Kit?”
“Because he could take care of Kit.”
“Jiro has been doing a great job taking care of Kit. You may not now it, but even Danson... he's a victim of your jealousy.”
“Because he's already assuming my place!”
“No, he's not. He's only a substitute for you, for the time you have left her. Obviously, you are jealous of me as well.”
Annoyed, Calvin took his hand away from him. “I don't see where you're getting at, Chun.” he said. Chun let out another smirk. “I think you don't know where you're going at, Calvin...” he said. He put his hand on his waist as he looked at him again. “Tell me, Cal... what were you thinking when you kissed Kit on the lips, that night when we're heading home from the wedding?” he asked. Calvin was surprised at what Chun said. “You... you saw it?” he asked. Chun nodded his head. “I know what I saw, and you can never deny it, Cal...” he said. Then, he folded his arms. “Cal... obviously, you are in love with your best friend. Do I really have to spell it out for you?”
--
The 99th paper crane: I chose to love you in silence, for in silence, no one owns you but me...
--
She walked slowly through the empty hallway. As she reached his locker, she stopped. She turned to the locker, and took out the yellow paper from her pocket. She stared at it for a long before finally deciding to put it inside his locker. Then, she took the white paper crane from her pocket. She stared at it again for a long time. “This will be my second to the last...” she thought. “Tomorrow is the day I will let you go. Tomorrow, I don't love you anymore...” she said to herself. She then hang the paper crane by the locker, and before she could move, she felt someone walking behind her. “It's you?!” she heard a familiar voice say. She froze in shock upon hearing that voice. She could tell form his voice that he was angry and frustrated at her. She turned to face the man behind her, and saw Calvin glaring at him. “It was you all along?!” he shouted at her again. She have never seen Calvin this mad at her before. “Calvin, let me explain...” she pleaded. She reached for his hand, but before she could, Calvin took it away. “Kit, you are the paper crane girl? Are you playing games with me?” he shouted in anger. Kit could not help but cry helplessly. “No... it's not what you think...” she said in a low voice.
She looked up at him, and saw him close his eyes for what seemed like forever. “Calvin...” she said in a low voice. Then, he opened his eyes, and looked at her. “Why?” he asked. She stared into his eyes as tears began to fall from her eyes. She have to let him know now, now that he found out the truth. “Because I love you...” she said in a low voice. “I have loved you ever since, Calvin. I couldn't even tell you how I feel because of that promise we made. I thought this is the best way for me to let you know how I feel without breaking our promise... you are very important to me, and I couldn't bear to lose you...” she continued. “I've been searching for you, when all this time, it was you. Are you playing with me? With my feelings? Do you think you could fool me with that?” he asked. Kit shook her head. “No... I am not playing with you, Calvin... all the things I've said in those notes... it was true. I love you, and the only thing I could do is to love you from afar...” she answered.
Calvin turned his back on her. He felt a mixed emotion inside him. He doesn't know if he would be mad at her for what she have done, or if he would forgive him. At that moment, he felt confused about what he feels as well. He is torn among the promise they made, the friendship they had for the past year, and the secret feeling he had for her ever since. “Calvin... please believe me when I say I'm choosing our friendship over my love for you. I have planned to stop this... because... because” he heard her say. Calvin looked back at her. “Because of Jiro?” he asked. He saw her nod his head. He felt his heart flinch as she answered him. She had her chance with him, but he chose to be with her first love. “Why? I could love you the way Jiro loves you, Kit...” he thought. He felt the anger raging inside him as he turned to face her again. “You are just playing with our feelings, Kit.” he said in a firm tone. “You played with me when you started leaving those paper cranes. You acted as if you don't know who it was. You helped me find who she is, when you know for a fact that it was you! You know what disgusted me most? You used everyone around you. You used Hannah to cover up for you.” Kit just shook her head as he speaks. “It's not that, Calvin...” she said. Calvin shook his head as he let out a bitter smile. “You ruined everything, Kit. You ruined relationships, you broke our hearts. You are with Jiro when you know inside your heart that you are loving me, your best friend. It seems to me that you manipulated us all. You're a very good actress, Kit. A very good actress, and an award-winning director... I won't believe you anymore, Kit. Not this time.”
Calvin turned his back to leave. But as he took a step, he felt Kit's hand on her, stopping him from leaving. “Calvin... please don't do this to me. Please give me a chance to rebuild what I have ruined... our friendship... please Calvin...” she cried. “You have no idea how hard this is for me... to admit that I love you... because I know for a fact that you will end our friendship. Calvin, if I have to lie to you, then I will. I don't love you anymore, you hear that? Let's go back to being friends again... please...” she pleaded him. Calvin remained unmoved by what she said. “You know the consequence, Kit... you know the consequence when one of us fell in love with another.” he said. “We have to end our friendship.” With that, Calvin pulled his hand away from him and started to leave.
Kit felt her heart breaking as Calvin walks out on her. He's not just walking out on her, he's walking out on their friendship. She slowly knelt down on the floor as tears began to flood her eyes. The last thing she would want to happen is to lose Calvin, and it's happening right before her eyes. “Calvin... don't leave me...” she whispered. “I'm choosing our friendship... please... don't go...” she said. Meanwhile, as Calvin walks away from her, he wanted to stop, and go back to Kit. He wanted to hold her in his arms, and tell her that he also feels the same, that he love her. He wanted to tell her that he wanted to take this chance with her, and forget that stupid promise they made not long ago. He's too late, he knows, but he's willing to make up for all the times he didn't admit his feelings for her. But it's clear to him that Kit have chosen Jiro over him. She chose to let him go for Jiro, and that he could not accept. It hurts him more than it hurts Kit now, for he have always been losing to Jiro. “I'm sorry, Kit...” he thought as he walked away. “I... I couldn't break my heart anymore...”
--
The 101st paper crane: Don't let yourself be so angry that you stop loving, because one day you'll wake up from that anger, and the person you love will be gone forever...
Comments