Her Eyes #Wattys2018 Winner

Epilogue

[Reed]

Yokohama, Japan

Opening the letter from him makes me ecstatic but at the same time breaks my heart.

My hands shaking, my eyes welling up with tears. Standing in front of him makes me want to cry out with all the agony I felt.

"You can do it, Reed. For him, you've gone here just for him," Amari said holding my shaking hands. I nodded and gather all the courage in me.

Slowly unraveling the letter he gave Amari before we found out who really did all those things. It's too unexpected that they were the one who did it.

Dear Reed

If you're reading this letter things might have gone well. We discovered who they are. We done it. Despite of you knowing how dangerous I am you stayed there.

'You're the one who asked me to stay, yet you're the one who left.' That must be my line but I bet it's yours now. Sorry I can't stay anymore.

Tears then stream down my face. Inks on the letter smudged. My heart squeezing. It's hard to read it but I must. This is his.

You're crying. You're such a cry baby. I'm a dangerous man and you're my angel of death.
We should be apart but we aren't. Not until now.

Patuloy ang pagbagsak ng mga luha ko. Hindi ko na rin mapigilan pa ang pagkawala ng mumunting hikbi sa aking labi. Paano niya nalaman lahat ng ito?

I know everything will happen like what I saw. I saw you gone blind. You're dying not until help comes. I saw everything but not who your abductor are. I saw you asking for help.

Unti-unti ay nanlambot ako sa kinatatayuan ko at napaluhod sa harap ng puntod niya. "You know everything, bakit di mo ko binalaan?" My tears stream down rapidly. "Bakit sinikreto mo lahat?"

Hindi ko mapigilan ang sarili ko na hampasin ang lapida sa kanyang puntod. "Why didn't you tell me? Bakit ngayon pa na wala ka na? Bakit?" Patuloy ang naging hagulgol ko. "Bakit di mo sinabi lahat ng ito?"

"Reed, kumalma ka. Basahin mo lang lahat ng nasa sulat niya," Amari said after he grab my arms to stop me. Nalalaglag ang mga luha ko sa lapida niya. "He should have said this to us," wika ko. "It's inevitable."

You must be in pain right now. I've been in pain when I learn they will take you away. I tried to avoid it but I can't, it's already fated.

Reed, I'm sorry I'm not there to hug you anymore, to wipe those tears on your face, to comfort you and to be by your side. Wala na ako riyan para sabihin lahat ng bagay na dapat kong sabihin.

When I looked at you everything seemed to be in place. Sa tuwing nakikita ko ang mga ngiti mo para bang lahat ng problema ay nawawala. Lahat ng ito ay nabibigyan lunas.

I can't hold your hands anymore, I can't have a ride with you anymore, I didn't even had the chance to kiss your lips. But I didn't regret it. My last will is for me to be a part of you.

"You're always a part of me, dumbass," I cried. The letter is filled with tears I can't contain.

I'm a part of you now, my eyes are yours. I'm all yours to use. Use me as you please. Because I want to be of a help to you. Your eyes are one of the most beautiful thing I ever set eyes on.

How they twinkle, how those eyes are so alive and it even reflects everything you want to say. Those eyes are not of death because it's alive. Your eyes are alive.

I even remember the first time I saw you crying at the hallway. Those eyes didn't deserve to cry. But look at you now, I know you're crying your eyes out. Please let yourself be happy without me.

Please be happy without me. Please live your life to it's fullest. Live for me, for all of us. Live because you're so tired of death. You've seen enough.

Remember to live, because I gave you everything even my life just to show you how much I feel for you.

Hindi ko na kaya pa basahin ang natitira sa sulat. Hindi ko na kaya pang magpatuloy. These eyes I have are his. Those eyes I used to have are gone. Pero kasabay ng pagkawala nito ay ang pagkawala rin niya.

"Damn it, Ichi!" I cried more kasabay ng paghampas sa kanyang lapida. "Damn it!" Sobrang sakit. The pain makes me want to feel so numb.

Hindi ko na kaya pa basahin ang natitira ngunit pinilit ko pa rin. His words are painful. So painful that I don't even know how to continue my life.

"Reed!" Napadako ang tingin ko sa kay Ryosuke. "I need to show you something," wika niya ngunit natigilan naman siya nang makita ang hawak ko na sulat mula sa kanyang kapatid at ang pagkakalugmok ko sa harap nito.

"You're a disaster," natatawang wika niya. "Halika, Ichi loves this event," nagtaka ako sa sinabi niya ngunit nagpatangay ako nang hitakin niya ako papunta sa sasakyan niya.

"He really knows how to put his thoughts in words," wika niya nang makapasok na kami sa sasakyan. Nanatili ang tingin ko sa ladybug charm na bigay ni Dieve. "Ichi once said to me na pag dumating ang panahon na nakita na niya ang taong espesyal sa kanya, he would bring her to the Flying Letters," nakangising sabi niya. "Ah, too bad he's not here. But don't worry, I'll make his dreams into reality." Nakangiting nagmamaneho sa Ryosuke ngunit makikita pa rin ang lungkot sa kanyang mga mata.

Nang makarating kami sa parang isang over the deck na lugar kung saan nakikita ang buong siyudad ng hometown ni Ichi ay talaga namang napamangha ako. "This is his favorite spot," he said as the wind playfully sways his bleached hair. "He wants you to witness this. In his behalf I want to fulfill it, with his eyes on yours you both can spectate this with awe." Tumingala siya sa kalangitan at bumuntong hininga. His eyes wandering the sky.

"We're here just in time," he says then letters rains the sky. Iba't ibang kulay na para bang mga petal ng bulaklak.

The letters slowly glides through the sky and people tried to grab one. I tried to grab one too. One in a turquoise blue paper but I failed to read it. It's written in Japanese letters. 愛してる。

"Ano basa rito?" Tanong ko kay Ryosuke at napangiti naman siya nang makita ang nakasulat doon. "Aishiteru," nakangiting wika niya.

Naaalala ko nanaman ang sulat niya lalo pa ang huling banda noon. Tears stream down my face as I remember those words.

Remember how I feel towards you. You're beyond special for me. I want to keep you. But now I'm yours to keep.
Aishiteru.
Literally translate to ...

"Mahal kita."

~WAKAS~