Chapter 43
Arushi POV
---
It’s been two days. Two long, freaking painful days.
I'm lying here in my bed, naka-blanket pa rin kahit tanghaling tapat. My whole body still hurts. My arms, legs, ribs—lahat. Para akong binugbog ng tadhana. But I guess I deserve it, right? Maybe this is karma for being reckless. For letting my body take over my brain. For losing control.
I sighed, staring blankly at the ceiling of my cosmic-themed room. I should feel safe here. Pero bakit parang may kulang? Bakit parang… hindi ako buo?
I nodded weakly. “Thanks, Mom…”
She stepped in, bringing the tray to my side table. Sunod si Mama Primo behind her, carrying a small box of meds and ointments.
I just nodded again. Di ko pa kaya makipag-joke sa kanila. My throat felt dry, my head is spinning, and my heart... God, my heart hurts the most.
Tumango lang ako.
They stayed for a bit, feeding me some soup while making sure I took my meds. I appreciated it, pero gusto ko rin mapag-isa.
After a while, they left me to rest again.
Nakahiga na naman ako. Same position. Same empty ceiling. Pero this time, I grabbed my phone beside me. 39 unread messages. 12 missed calls. All from one person.
Margarette.
I didn’t open her messages. Not yet. Hindi ko kaya. I’m not mad, but I’m not okay either. She kept apologizing the other day, telling Citrine that she didn’t know her ex would go that far. Sinasabi niyang gusto lang daw niya ako, pero... bakit parang bigat sa dibdib ko?
She’s not the one hurting. Ako ‘to.
Pinikit ko ang mga mata ko, trying to block everything out. But my mind didn’t rest.
Instead, naalala ko ‘yung message ni Professor Haneul two days ago. After everything happened, she only sent one message:
> "Don’t attend class. Focus on healing. I’m handling it."
After that, radio silence. Di ko siya makontak. Di ko rin siya hinanap.
Pero bakit ko siya naaalala ngayon?
And more than that… bakit ko naaalala ‘yung babae sa panaginip ko?
The faceless girl.
I haven’t seen her since the night before the assault. Hindi siya dumadalaw sa panaginip ko, which is weird. Sobrang weird. For months, she was always there—touching me, teasing me, loving me.
Pero ngayon? Wala.
But sometimes... I swear, I still feel her.
Like now.
Napapikit ako ulit, my eyes scanning the corners of my room even if I knew no one was there. The windows are shut. The doors are locked. But my body knows better.
I felt it. The cold breeze brushing against my skin, even without the aircon turned on.
I sat up slowly, clutching my stomach where the bruises still throbbed. My eyes darted around the dim room.
No answer.
But the smell. That familiar scent—wood sage and sea salt—lingered faintly in the air. I closed my eyes and breathed in, my lips parting slightly as it danced around my senses.
But then I felt it again.
A light touch on my ankle. A soft press on my wrist. Goosebumps rose instantly on my arms. It’s her. I swear it’s her.
No one answered.
I collapsed back onto my bed, hugging my pillow tight. Para akong batang nawalan ng laruan. But this wasn’t about sex or comfort. This was deeper. She gave me warmth in my sleep. Understanding. Yung feeling na may koneksyon kami—soul to soul.
And now she’s gone.
Damn it. I hate this. I feel so lost.
I wanted to cry, but I didn’t. My body’s too tired. My heart’s too confused.
I reached for my phone again. This time, I finally opened one message from Margarette:
> "Arushi, please… I’m sorry. I miss you already. I know you're hurt. Let me make it up to you. Kahit talk lang. I swear I didn’t know he’d hurt you like that."
I stared at her message for a full minute. Then I locked my phone again.
I can’t deal with that now.
Instead, I turned to my telescope. My sweet escape. I sat on the little cushion by the window, adjusting the lens.
The stars were already faintly visible. My eyes scanned the constellations, hoping to find comfort.
And in the quiet of my cosmic room, I sat there, broken but breathing.
Still waiting.
Still wondering.
And still hoping the faceless girl… or whoever the hell she is… will come back to me.
Even just in a dream.
---
I closed my eyes again. The soft whir of my fan filled the silence of my room. My body still felt heavy, my chest even heavier. I didn’t realize how tired I was until I blinked once… twice… then darkness pulled me in.
And then… I was somewhere else.
It’s cold.
I blinked and suddenly I’m standing inside that familiar cabin again. The wooden walls, the faint crackling of fire from the corner, the thick scent of pine and smoke. It’s always this place whenever she appears.
The faceless girl.
And there she is.
Standing by the window, her silhouette against the dim evening light outside. Her body’s slim, graceful, but her face—still blurred. No matter how much I try to focus, I can’t see her features. Parang may fog sa mukha niya. But I know it’s her. The scent alone gives her away.
Wood sage and Sea Salt.
But something’s different tonight. Her aura feels colder. Dati parang laging comforting, soft, sensual… but now, para siyang… distant.
I take a deep breath and speak.
She didn’t answer.
I stood just a few steps away, watching her carefully. Her arms are crossed. Her head slightly tilted to the side. Parang she’s observing me rin. Studying me.
Still no response.
But then, she moves.
She walks towards me, slowly, each step echoing softly on the wooden floor. When she finally stops, she’s right in front of me. Her presence so close, I can feel the warmth radiating from her chest. I tilted my head up slightly, trying to meet eyes I can’t even see.
Then she leans in.
Her hand touches my cheek, warm and familiar, and then…
She kissed me.
Softly. Gently. Like it’s her way of saying sorry or I miss you too or… maybe everything I need to hear without words.
I melt into the kiss. My hands instinctively rest on her waist. Her lips are warm. Telling. My entire body reacts like it always does when she’s near—heat rises in my chest, and a soft ache spreads through me. But this kiss isn’t about lust. It’s about reassurance.
She pulls away just enough to lean into my ear.
And she whispers, “Don’t worry, Arushi. I will handle this. Just stay here for now. You’re safe here… no one will hurt you.”
Her voice… God, her voice. It’s low, velvety, familiar in a haunting way. It’s like hearing someone I’ve known forever. Familiar but impossible to place.
I swallow hard, my hand clutching her arm. “You promise?”
She nods slowly. Then she hums.
A melody so soft, so gentle, it feels like it wraps around me like a blanket. Parang lullaby. One I didn’t know I needed. Her hand begins stroking my hair, her fingers threading gently through the strands like I’m something precious. Like I’m breakable.
And maybe I am.
I closed my eyes, letting the rhythm of her hum and the warmth of her body lull me further. Para akong batang pinapatulog ng nanay niya after a nightmare.
Only this one… is the nightmare.
And she’s the escape.
In that moment, I feel like I’m in heaven.
No pain. No bruises. No Margarette. No guilt. No fear.
Just her.
And I sleep peacefully within my dream, with her heartbeat echoing against my cheek like a lullaby.
Then everything fades into black.
---