The Man of Hikari’s Dreams – Chapter 12 (FINAL CHAPTER)

Chapter 12

(Final Chapter)

Maagang gumising si Hikari nang araw na iyon. It was another ordinary morning for her. Para sa kanya, ngayon na ang unang araw kung kailan tatanggapin na niya ang lahat and live in her reality. She can’t stay forever thinking about a person na malayong malayo naman sa kanyang reality.

She must stick in her own world. And probably, see if she could meet someone not the same as Rohann. It’ll not be that easy, but she knows it will happen if she only believes it will.

Matapos makapag breakfast, makapagsipilyo, makapagbihis at makapagpaalam sa mga magulang ay umalis na si Hikari patungong University.

She attended her class, listened well to her professors, and finally didn’t think of Rohann often.

Matapos ang kanilang klase ay masaya silang nagkasama ng mga kaibigan niyang sina Julia at Steve.

“How are you, Hikari?,” pangungumusta sa kanya ni Steve.

“I’m doing great,” aniya na pinasisigla ang boses. She wants to start anew now, kaya she needs to be cheerful and gladly accept the day with a smile.

But then, kahit na ginagawa niya iyon ay hindi pa rin kumbinsido sina Steve at Julia.

Naroroon sila sa paborito nilang pizza house nang magkwentuhan. For Hikari, it was like years since they’ve done this. Masyado kasi niyang ginugugol ang oras sa pagmumukmok sa sariling silid, thinking nothing but him.

Ngayo’y naiisip pa rin niya ito at ang tungkol sa panaginip niya. Hindi nakalagpas sa paningin ng dalawa niyang kaibigan ang kalungkutan sa mga mata niya. But she chosed to erase that sadness away. Ito ang gusto niyang mangyari sa buhay niya. To finally stop longing for something that wouldn’t happen in reality.

“Hikari…,” sambit ni Julia na seryosong nakatingin sa mukha niya.

She could see the undying concern in her friends’ eyes. She was glad, after all these years to have been blessed by such kind-hearted friends like them. It was true that true firends are rare and should be treasured. Sa lahat na yata ng pinagdaanan niya ay naririto ang mga ito sa tabi niya, patuloy na sinusurportahan siya. Maging ang kahibangang nangyayari sa buhay niya lately ay pinatulan na rin ng mga ito.

“Hikari, why are you forcing yourself to forget him?,” naisatinig ni Julia sa kanya.

Doon siya natigilan. She admit to herself, maging siya’y naguguluhan din kung tama ba itong ginagawa niya.

“You are obviously developing avoidance, bruha ka,” naiiling na sang-ayon naman ni Steve.

Dahil doon ay hindi niya nagawang mag-komento sa mga sinasabi ng mga ito. Tama si Steve. May punto ito.

“And it won’t do good on you, Hikari,” Julia said. “It will only just even make it worse.”

“Teka, teka,” awat niya sa mga ito. “Bakit ba ako na lang palagi ang nakikita niyo?” She forced a smile.

“Dahil naaapektuhan kami sa iyo,” ani Steve. “Look, ano ba ang latest update? Wala bang mga senyales na malapit mo nang makita ang Rohann na sinasabi mo?”

Napahinga siya ng malalim. She decided to tell them everything. She told them about the scene nang muling mag-krus ang landas nila ng misteryosong manghuhulang iyon.

“You mean, she told you na hindi sa peryahang iyon una kayong nagkita ni Rohann?,” hindi makapaniwalang  tanong ni Julia.

“Yeah,” aniya na ngayo’y napapaisip na.

“Kung gano’n eh saan?,” ani Steve.

“Wala nga akong idea, eh,” she said honestly.

“Hmmm…” Julia thought hard. “And she did tell you na hindi mo siya makikita if you keep on thinking about where on earth did you exactly saw him?”

Tumango siya.

“And,” Steve added. “She even told you that you should find him in your heart in order to see him?”

“Exactly,” aniya.

“How are you going to do that? Diyos mio, naguguluhan ako,” litong nasabi ni Steve habang ngumunguya ng pizza.

“It even puzzles me,” Julia said na nag-iisip pa rin. “Talaga bang wala kang maisip na lugar kung saan mo nakilala o nakita si Rohann, Hikari?”

Umiling siya. How she wished she could actually remember or identify where.

“Look,” ani Julia na pilit siyang pinapa-concentrate. “I have an idea. Let’s give it a try.” May naisip na agad ito. “Find him in your heart. Iyon ang sinabi sa iyo ng matandang manghuhula, right?”

“Right.” Kung ano man ang naiisip nito, she would risk everything she could, to do it.

“Close your eyes,” utos nito sa kanya, na agad naman niyang sinunod.

“Try to remember something. Something like love you’ve already felt before…”

She did what Julia exactly said.

“Remember the love you’ve experienced from someone in reality… Someone you knew by flesh… And remember the love you’ve felt for someone.”

Sumunod siya sa utos nito. She recalled everything in her past. The love she could ever remember was the love she felt from and for her parents. And then, there came a thought of another love she felt. She felt it from her friends, which is Julia, and Steve. At wala na siyang ibang maisip kundi…

Napadilat siya. Napakunot-noo naman sina Steve at Julia sa ginawa niya.

“All I could remember was my parents, you and Steve, and… Robert.”

“That’s exactly what that old fortune teller is saying!,” ani Julia na nakuha na ang ibig ipakahulugan ng matandang manghuhula. Napakunot-noo siya.

“Hindi mo siya mahahanap sa puso mo dahil naririyan pa ang alaala ng pag-ibig mo para kay Robert,” Julia continued.

It made a sudden impact on her. Na para bang ngayon pa lamang niya naliliwananagan ang lahat.

“My goodness, Julia,” ani Steve sa kaibigang nerd. “You are as brilliant as ever!”

“Now, listen,” muling utos nito sa kanya. “Nang ligawan ka ni Robert, you were undoubtedly happy. You thought you were so in love with her that’s why sinagot mo siya. That was months ago, right?”

“Yes,” aniya na nanatiling nakikinig dito.

“Now, do as I say…”

She prepared to obey her friend.

“Close your eyes…”

Sinunod niya iyon.

“Now, try to remember those days when you and Robert were together. Remember the happy times when you only set your eyes to only him and nothing else.”

She did what Julia exactly told her to do.

She remembered everything in the past when she and Robert are still together. There were flashes of memories left. Gaya nang pumunta sila sa isang restaurant. That was their first monthsary. She also remembered them being together in the beach, where they spent time walking in the sand and sharing stories about their lives. Now, there are many places kept appearing in her memory of being with Robert. During the Concerts, movies, parties, dinner dates, social places they were attending.

“And then,” ani Julia. “Try to ask yourself… When you and Robert were together, have you seen someone right behind the corner who momentarily captured your attention? Have you seen someone looking at you at you also looked at him back?”

Pilit niyang inaalala ang lahat-lahat.

“And where is that place exactly?,” patuloy ni Julia.

Matagal siyang nag-isip ng mga lugar kung saan pumunta sila ni Robert. She tried to remember someone stranger who exactly captured her attention. It wasn’t easy to recall those things in the past. And yet…

Napadilat siya. Her eyes become teary at the thought. She wasted too much time!

“I knew it.”

Ngayon na ang araw ng flight ni Rohann. Kahapon ay mabilis siyang nakakuha ng plane ticket. Hindi naman naging problema ang mga papeles niya dahil matagal na naman iyong nakahanda. Actually, ang pag-alis na lamang niya ang hinihintay.

Ngayo’y nakasakay siya sa kanyang kotse at binabagtas na ang daan patungong airport. Sinulyapan niya ang wrist watch. It was Two PM. Alas kuwatro pa naman ang flight niya pero kailangan niyang mag-double flight dahil ilang sandali pa ang gugugulin para marating ang airport.

Hindi pa rin niya lubos maisip na ganito kabilis ang ginawa niyang desisyon. Kung hindi pa nagpakita sa kanya ang matandang manghuhulang iyon noong isang gabi ay baka hindi ito nangyayari sa kanya. At baka…

He couldn’t even dare to think about that fate he was about to have.

Suddenly ay muli niyang naalala ang mga nangyari months ago when he met that old fortune teller, the same time he first and last saw that girl… That was in the Construction Firm he is working, exactly at the Museum on its grand opening…

Matapos ibigay sa matandang manghuhula ang singsing na iyon, he was about to stand up and leave her, nang pigilan siya nito.

“Bakit po?,” takang aniya rito.

“Nararamdaman ko’ng malapit mo na siyang makilala, Hijo…”

Napakunot-noo siya.

“Ano pong sinasabi n’yo?” This old woman is weirder than he thought.

“Ang babaeng babago sa buhay mo. Ang babaeng magpapasaya sa iyo. Ang babaeng nakatakda sa iyo. Sadyang napakalapit na.”

This is silly, naisip niya.

“Hayun siya,” anito na tumingin sa direksyon kung saan may nakatayong isang babae habang naaaliw na pinagmamasdan ang mga antique figures na naka-display sa isang glassed box.

The first time he set his eyes on her face, naging magaan na ang loob niya dito. She was too innocent. She has a simple beauty, rare but elegant. And just by seeing her, it would look like she was never really faking what she truly feels right now. She was happy.

Naramdaman yata nito ang pag-ukol ng tingin niya rito, kung kaya parang magnet ay nahawi niya ang paningin nito patungo sa kanya.

There, they momentarily looked into each other’s eyes from a distance, and it felt like the world momentarily stopped for a while. Namamalayan na lamang niya ang sariling nginingitian ito. And presto, she smiled at him back.

Nais niyang lapitan ito at makipagkilala. Nais niyang malaman ang pangalan nito, ang lahat ng tungkol dito. She simply captured his sight. He was about to do that nang makita ang biglang paglapit dito ng isang lalaki. Nakita niya ang biglang pag-akbay nito sa dalaga at paghalik sa pisngi nito.

He didn’t even know he was about to make a wrong move kung hindi lang lumapit dito ang lalaking iyon sa dalaga. After that scene ay hindi na niya nakitang muling nag-ukol ng tingin sa kanya ang dalaga. Ang atensyon nito ay nakatuon na completely with that guy.

Napailing na lamang siya.

So, she was taken…

Nagtaka tuloy siya sa sarili. Because there was a part of him deep inside na lihim na nanghihinayang knowing that the girl he just saw few seconds ago ay may nobyo na pala.

“Siya ang babaeng nakatakda para sa iyo.”

Napatingin siya sa matanda. He was about to believe her, but now? It was already funny. Nais niya tuloy matawa.

“I wish that was true,” aniya sa matanda.

“Ngunit nakikita kong kahit na kayo ang nakatakda para sa isa’t isa, maaaring hindi kayo ang magkakatuluyan.”

Natigilan siya. What the heck is this old woman saying?

“And, why, may I know?” Pilit na lamang niyang sinasakyan ito.

Napakunot noo ang matandang manghuhula…

Ngayon ay muling bumalik sa kasalukuyan ang isipan ni Rohann. Gustuhin man niyang hindi paniwalaan ang matanda ngunit natatagpuan naman niya ang sariling pinakikinggan ito. And worse, even ended up believing her. Bigla tuloy niyang naalala ang sinabi ng matandang iyon noong huli silang magkausap sa may gilid ng coffee shop na iyon…

“Kailangan mo’ng makinig, Hijo…,” sabi nito.

Hayun at parang nahihipnotismo na naman siya rito, dahilan para makinig siya sa mga sasabihin nito.

“Ang babaeng nakita mo sa museum noon ang talagang nakatakda para sa iyo. Nakikita ko iyon sa pamamagitan ng pagbasa sa iyong mga mata. Ngunit…”

He remained listening to what she’s going to say.

“Sadyang hindi kayo magkakatuluyan…”

“Bakit?” Ngayon ay gusto na niyang paniwalaan ito. There was something in this woman na parang nagsasabi sa kanya na totoo ang mga sinasabi nito.

“Nakikita ko ang magaganap sa hinaharap,” anito. “At ayon sa nakikita ko, masasagasaan mo siya at…”

Kinakabahang hinihintay niya ang ano pang sasabihin nito. This woman is really telling him the truth. He’s been dreaming lately about that girl being hit by his own car.

“Mawawalan siya ng buhay sa iyong mga bisig…”

He was devastated hearing that.

“Naalala mo pa ang mismong lugar kung saan mo siya unang nakita?,” sabi ng matanda. “Doon at doon mo rin siya masasagasaan… sa mismong oras kung kailan mo siya unang nakita.”

Now, he couldn’t find any words to describe how really feel habang nagda-drive. That was the very reason why he has to leave this country. Ayaw niyang ilagay sa alanganin ang buhay ng dalaga. That was what he promised to himself, right? That he’s not going to harm her and he will do all he can kapag dumating ang araw na iyon.

But he’s not going to let that happen. Dahil kusa na siyang aalis. He even avoided that certain road kung saan ang sabi ng matandang manghuhula ay doon niya masasagasaan ang dalaga.

Muli ay napasulyap siya sa relo. It was already two thirty PM. He reached the Railbridge Highway… Pansamantala munang nagsipagtigil ang mga sasakyang nasundan niya dahil sa traffic.

Sakay ng taxi si Hikari at kanina pa siya hindi mapakali. Ngayon ay nararamdaman na niya ang kaba. She needs to reach that Construction firm before or exactly Three thirty PM. That was the exact time when she saw him at the museum months ago, she remembered now.

Ngayon niya lang na-realized ang lahat. She’d been so in love with Robert before, na agad-agad ay nakalimutan niya at hindi na napansin ang estrangherong lalaking iyon na minsan niyang nakatitigan that moment sa museum at naka-ngitian. Because of being hooked by Robert, and because of being happy with him, that man totally ay agad na nawala sa isipan niya. And that was the biggest mistake in her life.

She should have known…

Naalala pa niya ang pag-uusap nila nina Steve at Julia kanina before she decided to go.

“I’m scared,” naisatinig niya sa mga ito na puno ng anxiety.

“Why?,” si Steve.

“What if I’m going to fail again? What if I’m not going to see him there?”

“That is not impossible,” Julia said, being honest in her opinion. “But you must remember this, Hikari. Lahat ng bagay ay naayon sa tadhana. If you won’t see him now, then maybe he wasn’t really meant for you. Perhaps… you two are destined for each other but, not meant. Do you get it?”

“Yeah,” tugon niya na marahang tumango.

“It was all set, ika nga,” ani Steve. “If things will not work now as you expected, then, maybe there will come a perfect time that it would finally work. And that time, it would be forever…”

Naging baon niya ang mga payo ng mga kaibigan ngayo’ng papunta na siyang mag-isa sa lugar na iyon, kung saan sila unang pinagtagpo ni Rohann.

Naramdaman niyang tumigil sa pagtakbo ang taxi’ng sinasakyan niya. Naroroon sila sa Railbridge Highway, pansamantalang tumigil dahil sa traffic…

Habang hinihintay ang muling pag-usad ng trapiko ay hindi sinasadyang napatingin si Rohann sa kanyang left side. He saw bunches of cars and motorcycles na nakahilera sa opposite side ng daan katabi ng side na kinabibilangan ng kotse niya. Those cars and motorcycles temporarily stopped, too.

Sa hindi sinasadyang pagkakataon ay bigla niyang nakita ang isang pamilyar na mukha na nakasakay sa isang yellow taxi. Clear glassed kasi ang window ng taxi na iyon kaya kitang kita niya ang sakay.

It was her…

He couldn’t believe that right now, in this cruel situation, he would actually see her again. Seeing her face again made his heart skip a beat. Hindi siya nito nakita dahil nakasentro ang atensyon nito sa gitna ng daan. Tingin niya’y parang nagmamadali ito.

He wanted to make a way para makausap ito, but…

He saw the traffic lights turned to green.

It was Three Thirty in the afternoon. Naroroon na si Hikari museum, waiting for the perfect chance of seeing him again. Matagal siyang naghintay doon. Kanina pa naghahalo ang sari-saring emosyon na namamayani sa kanya. Pero sadyang mas nangingibabaw ang kaba sa puso niya.

Minutes passed, until minutes became hour. And few minutes again after an hour. Nais na niyang panghinaan ng loob. Is she going to fail again? Nanghihinang napaupo siya sa isang bench na naroroon. Tears began to form in her eyes.

Why is it that their fate was so cruel? Hanggang sa namalayan na lamang niya na kusa nang nalaglag ang preskong luha mula sa kanyang mga mata. Again, she calls it failure.

Marahan niyang pinahid ng panyo ang luha at tumayo.

This is it for now. This will never happen again.  She was tired of hoping against hope na muling makita si Rohann.

She suddenly remembered what Julia is telling her kanina before she came here.

“Lahat ng bagay ay naayon sa tadhana. If you won’t see him now, then maybe he wasn’t really meant for you. Perhaps… you two are destined for each other but, not meant,” Julia said.

Yeah, maybe Julia was right. She finally had to accept it. Iyon na lamang ang pilit niyang pinapayo sa sarili niya bago umalis sa lugar na iyon.

Mula sa di kalayuan ng museum na iyon ay nasundan na lamang ng tingin ng matandang manghuhula ang papalayong si Hikari.

Napapailing ang matanda.

Kung gayon, ay hindi talaga nagkakamali ang aking mga hula… Sila ang nakatadhana para sa isa’t isa ngunit hindi sila ang para sa isa’t isa…, naisip ng manghuhula.

Sabi ko na nga ba… Sadyang madilim ang kanilang kapalaran at wala akong makitang anumang senyales na magkakatuluyan sila…

Iyon ang huling naisip ng matanda bago tumalikod at agad na sanang aalis sa lugar na iyon, ngunit…

Biglang napalingon ang matanda at biglang natigilan.

Tila nakikinita ko’ng may kaunting liwanag na namumuo sa kanilang kapalaran ngayon… Maaari kaya’ng…?

Three years after…

Mabilis ang naging pagtakbo ng panahon. Parang kailan lang nang nag-graduate sina Julia, Steve at Hikari sa collge. And now, after three years, the are now already an established local mass communicators. They already worked in a high-profile News Station kung saan nisa silang field reporters.

Everything changed to Hikari, as well. Isa na siyang independent career woman, at hindi na siya katulad noong college days na masyadong dependent sa mga magulang.

Ngayon ay papunta na siya sa isang sikat na Construction firm kung saan may iinterbyuhin siyang isang sikat na landscape engineer na galing sa Minnesota at last week lang nakarating dito sa Pinas. Hindi man lang siya nabigyan ng kahit na anong information tungkol sa taong iinterbyuhin dahil it was an abrupt task given to her. Nagsilbi kasi siyang replacement kay Kathy, ang kasamahan niyang isa ring field reporter            na nag emergency leave ngayon.

Hindi bale na, kakausapin din naman niya ang head ng Construction firm na pupuntahan niya. The funny thing is, sa Wincester Construction firm ang pupuntahan niya na ngayon ay mas lalo pang naging matayog after years of progress. She remembered the place oh so well. But then, things changed and so her sadness. Naaalala pa rin niya ang lalaking iniibig niya sa kanyang panaginip, pero kontento na siya ngayon. Matagal na niyang tanggap na hindi sila ang para sa isa’t isa.

Hininto siya ng sakay na taxi sa gilid ng isang building katapat ng matayog na establishment ng Wincester. Matapos makapagbayad sa mamang tsuper ay bumaba na siya. Napasulyap siya sa kanyang relo. It was Three thirty PM.

She was crossing the wide road nang biglang namalayan niyang may papadaang magarang kotse sa road na iyon. Labis siyang nahintakutan sa nakikita. Halos mabingi siya sa kabang nararamdaman.  The car is about to hit her!

She was extremely horrified, na ang tanging nagawa na lang niya ay ipikit ang sailing mga mata. She felt like she was now being hit dahil isang dipa na lang yata ang distansya ng magarang kotse sa katawan niya, dahilan para mawalan siya ng balanse. She instantly fell, beginning to feel unconscious.

Hindi na niya namalayan ang biglang pagbaba ng driver ng magarang kotse na iyon. He held her in his arms.

And when she opened her eyes to see who it was, she almost thought she was just hallucinating. Because even if her vision was quite blurred at this moment, she knew that the person holding her back right now is none other than the man of her dreams…

All of a sudden, she remembered him. She remembered what he said to her nang minsang muntik na siyang masagasaan nito sa mga panaginip niya…

“Hikari… I’m very thankful you’re alive… After that deathly incident, I felt relieved when I knew from the physician that you’re okay. I felt as though… A part of me didn’t die, too. Kung naging grabe ang kondisyon mo, hinding-hindi ko mapapatawad ang sarili ko.”

And now, he’s here… And it felt like she was hearing their conversations again… Everything they said to each other in her dreams…

“What is your greatest dream since you were a kid,?” she asked him.

“Simple lang naman. I just want to marry the one I love,” walang pagdadalawang-isip na sagot nito. “To build a happy family. To have many kids running in and out of my house. And to be happy with the woman I love for the rest of my life.”

Lihim siyang na-amazed sa isinagot nito.

“And how about you,?” balik tanong naman ng nobyo sa kanya.

“Since I was a kid, my greatest dream is to meet the man of my dreams, and be with him… Forever.”

“Hey, sweetie, are you okay?,” alalang tanong ni Rohann sa kanya, hawak-hawak pa rin siya sa mga bisig nito. He warmly cupped her face. Makikita sa mga mata nito ang labis na pag-aalala sa kanya. He was grateful nothing bad happened to her. Mabuti na lang at nagawa nitong tapakan ng mabilis ang break bago masagasaan ito. He learned from it. And he’s never going to break his promise to himself not to harm her.

I finally found you…, naisatinig ng isipan ng binata.

“Rohann…”

Bahagya pa itong nagtaka kung bakit alam niya ang pangalan nito.

“I-It isn’t just a dream, right?,” tanong niya sa binata.

I hope so…, asam ni Hikari bago naipikit ang sariling mga mata.