FORGET ME NOT

The moon had already completely hidden behind the dark clouds of the night. The rain also started pouring hard as Hope remained staring outside the windows of Kaden's car.

"There's no way we can go home tonight," sabi ng binata na ikinapalingon niya rito. Sinisipat nito ng tingin ang bahang unti-unti nang tumataas sa magkabilang gilid ng kalsada. "I mean, the water would subside a little later but you wouldn't want to get stuck in the traffic, would you?"

"It's past eleven," sabi niyang sa relo niya nakatingin.

Ang magaling kasing si Kassey ay hindi siya binalikan. She reasoned na tuluyan na itong na-stuck sa trapiko kung saan mang parte ng Maynila ito naroon.

Kanina pa kasi nag-umpisa ang ulan. She saw the first droplets of rain that fell over the forget-me-nots she hadn't realized she'd been staring for a long time until the raindrops drenched its flowers.

Kaden planted the seeds and took good care of the plant. Ang masakit, kahit malaman pa ng binata ang ibig niyang iparating sa pamamagitan ng halaman, it wouldn't matter anymore. But after seeing the plant and even with the knowledge that their love couldn't be right, Hope was sure she still loves Kaden so much.

At nahihirapan siya dahil nga hindi pwede iyon. The feeling was like having an incest relationship with her cousin although they were not having that.

"I have a condo unit in the area. I think it's best if we just spend the night there, Isabella," he said.

Hope guessed that he called her Isabella on purpose. To remind her na wala siyang dapat ikabahala dahil magpinsan sila.

"Hindi ka ba hinihintay ni lolo?" She asked.

"Trust me, he's not," may gumuhit na pait sa mga mata nito pero napakabilis lang noon.

"Okay."

Silence.

"So, did Kassey meet Kevin?" Tanong nito habang bumubwelta.

"No. Hindi kami natuloy," she answered, a bit uncomfortable at the topic that he opened. "He's busy."

"That means you aren't his priority," kaswal lang na sabi nito na para bang ito si Rain at nagsasabi lang ito ng obserbasyon nito kay Kevin.

"That's not true. He cleared his schedules for me. But something came up and he couldn't refuse," she defended Kevin.

"That's what he said."

"Kaden, I know your first meeting wasn't very good, but Kevin is a good man."

"His mother is my patient. Did he tell you that we already met at the hospital before you introduced him to me?"

"No," mabilis niyang sagot, trying to sound na wala siyang pakialam. But at the back of her mind, may pakialam siya. Bakit hindi sinabi ni Kevin na nakita nito si Rain? "Maybe because it's not important."

"He approached me and called me Rain Sanchez. The rest, you wouldn't want to know," saad nito as they were entering a highrise condominium.

"Because he knew Rain."

"He didn't tell you but he acted so surprised to see me right? Like it's your mistake na hindi mo sinabi ang tungkol sa akin."

"He must have his reasons," sagot pa rin niya, also keeping in mind that Kaden himself acted the way Kevin did. He didn't also tell her na nagkita na sila nito.

"Enough to keep the truth from you?"

Okay, so maybe his point was that Kevin was already her boyfriend and yet 'yong mga ganung kaliit na bagay ay inililihim pa nito sa kanya. "Kaden... Are we really having this argument about Kevin?"

"I'm trying to tell you that Mr. Tiu isn't the prince charming that you think he is." He parked in the lower basement of his condominium building.

"I'm not looking for a prince charming. I'm after a real person who can love me back and who won't leave me like I don't deserve a good bye," sagot niyang hindi maiwasang bahagyang magpasaring kahit na hindi naman mapapansin ni Kaden iyon.

He didn't answer and turned off his car's engine. Tapos ay sumandal ito at tumingin lang sa harapan nito while not looking at anything in particular.

"Im sure Rain would've had bid you good bye properly if only he had the chance," he said few minutes later sabay labas.

Hope didn't expect him to say that. Kaya hindi siya nakakilos agad para sumunod sa binata.

"Are you coming or not?" Huminto ito at kunot noo siyang nilingon.

She scrambled to get off his car and followed him.

*****

"LOLO, we're staying in my condo."

She overheard Kaden talking to Agusto through the telephone.

"I know, that's already in the past. ---You do not have to worry, alright? We'll talk tomorrow. Hope and I will leave here early. Goodnight." Ibinaba nito ang telepono bago siya binalingan. "Y-you're done?" He stuttered a bit nang makita siya. He let her use the shower first at pinahiram na rin siya ng tshirt at jogging pants. He was a tall person so obviously, sa tshirt pa lang nito lunod na siya.

"You're a short woman, Hopie" ngumiti ito nang makabawi, he was amused at how she appeared like something wrapped messily in a lumpia wrapper. But Hope could swear she saw something in his eyes when he first looked at her after putting down the phone.

"Geez, I know." She sat on the sofa and grabbed a throw pillow.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm so sleepy Kaden..."

"You can have the bed," sabi nito. "I'm staying up anyway. I need to study something."

"Okay," groogy na siya nang lumipat siya sa kama. Mas matindi ang hatak ng antok sa kanya kaysa magprotesta pa.

Kaden's unit ws just a studio type. Sabi nito, he bought it using his own money kaya hindi ganun ka-luxurious than what would be assumed a Kaden Aragon could afford.

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"I haven't been here for a while kaya walang stock ng pagkain," sabi nito kanina. "We're just here to sleep, right?"

"Of course," wala rin naman na siyang lakas kumain. Tulog lang ang gusto niya.

"Malinis naman dito kasi may pinapapunta ako para maglinis twice a month."

As she looked around the masculine designed unit, she wondered if it's the same unit as the one Kassey said where Kaden caught Zoey with somebody else. "Oh... Why don't you live here? Mas malapit itong 'di hamak sa trabaho mo?" She asked and she remembered him answering -

"I just don't want to ---" pain flashed in his eyes for the briefest second she thought she imagined it

So maybe, that's the same unit as Kassey mentioned. Asking further might reopen a wound that's still struggling to heal. Hope chose to stop there.

*****

ANTOK na antok si Hope pero napakaaga pa rin niyang nagising. She found herself on an unfamiliar bed bago niya naalala kung nasaan siya. Kaden's condo.

Nakita niya ang doktor na for some reason ay gising na gising habang abala sa kung ano man ang ginagawa nito sa laptop nito. Nakafocus ito sa screen kaya hindi nito napansin na gising na siya kahit na sa direksyon niya ito nakaharap. Hope took the time to look at him.

The world is so unfair. Love is unfair. How could it allow her to have Rain and then lose him this way?

Mas okay pa na namatay na lang ang mahal niya kaysa tanggapin na magkamag-anak sila. It's not a funny joke to endure the unpleasant feeling of staying in love with someone despite the hard truth slapping her in the face everyday. She knew that she couldn't love him. Mali iyon.

Pero tao lang siya. Isang babae na nagmahal nang sobra sa isang lalaki without the slightest idea that he was her cousin. So anong gagawin niya when every attempt to forget him doesn't seem to work?

Kevin Tiu. She loves him, doesn't she?

Hindi niya kailangang makipag-debate sa sarili niya para patunayang oo, mahal niya ito. Because the truth was a two letter word in bold seventy-five sized font - NO.

She likes him. It was a feeling far different from being in love. But maybe she could start there...

"Hey... Why are you up?" Ibinaba ni Kaden ang screen ng laptop nito so he could look at her. Finally ay napansin siya nito.

"What time is it?" Kinusot niya ang mata, both to wake herself fully up and to wipe her tears.

"Halos dalawang oras ka pa lang natutulog, Hope." He frowned. "Can't sleep?"

"Really? I feel like I've been sleeping for hours." Bumangon siya para maupo na lang. "Has the rain stopped?"

"Yeah. Do you want to go home now?"

Planning your weekend reading? Ensure you're on 000005s.org for uninterrupted enjoyment. The next chapter is just a click away, exclusively available on our site. Happy reading! "You look sleepy, Doctor. I'd prefer if you would sleep a little before we go." She smiled. "You know, safety first."

Mabagal itong ngumiti habang ibinabalik sa laptop screen ang atensyon nito.

"Did Kassey already tell you?"

"About what?"

"The accident--"

"She did. Hey- can I borrow your laptop while you sleep?" Sagot niyang mabilis na pinalitan ang topic, bumaba siya sa kama at tinabihan ito. "I'll call Myca via skype. She's in California now." "Sure." He closed the tabs he was using before giving her his laptop.

"Get some rest, Kaden," sabi niya when he didn't move. He rested his arms on his thigh habang sapo ang ulo nito. He looked tired but still refusing to sleep. Hinayaan na lang niya ito habang naglolog in naman siya sa skype. "I lost my memory four years ago," sabi nito makalipas ang ilang minuto na tahimik lang ito.

"So as Kassey said," she answered, not really encouraging him to continue.

"I wanted so bad to know what happened to me during that time." Isinuklay nito ang daliri sa buhok.

"And if you will find out, what will you do?" Tanong niya, somehow she still wanted to know. Kahit pa alam niya na kapag nalaman nito ang naging ugnayan nila, he would probably feel disgusted that he dated his cousin.

"I don't know. But something inside me wants to remember."

"Don't you think mas okay kung hindi mo na maaalala? After all, you're getting married. It would be best if magfo-focus ka na lang sa present mo."

"Funny, right? A neurologist struggling to remember a part of his past and unable to understand why he couldn't." He said instead, ignoring her remarks. "Kaden--"

"I have a feeling that I need to remember that year, Hopie." He looked at her with those pair of tired eyes.

"Well, why don't you try to take a nap now, doctor?" She smiled faintly. "Come here," dagdag niyang nilagyan ng throw pillow ang kandungan niya. She remembered how Rain loved to sleep on her lap whenever they're not busy at Myca's. "Are you sure?" He hesitated.

"Come on. Let your cousin help you get some sleep you need."

Maybe the 'cousin' word convinced him because he moved to lie on his back with his head on her lap.

She smiled down at him as he slowly drifted to sleep.

'Let me do this for you, Rain... And please, I don't wish you to remember me. It's enough that you still care to know about me. But I don't want you to feel the agony I am feeling right now... At least one of us has to live without the guilt eating you up everyday. I love you still, Rain... If only this was all just a dream, I wish to wake up to that time of my life when you were my simple, loving Rain Sanchez...' Hope thought, closing Kaden's laptop and just stared at his handsome face.