Chapter 45
Omniscient point of view
It's been three days. Tatlong araw na hindi lumalabas si Arushi sa kwarto.
Her room has been silent, no sounds of movement, no voice, not even the usual clutter of her things.
Auburn and Primo are sitting in the living room, visibly tense.
Si Citrine naman ay paikot-ikot sa hallway, worried din kahit hindi niya sinasabi.
Primo looked at her, eyes narrowing in concern. “She probably just wants to be alone,” sagot niya, kahit siya mismo hindi kumbinsido. “I mean, she went through a lot—”
Citrine immediately followed. “Mommy, gusto ko rin sumama.”
Dahan-dahan silang lumapit sa pinto ni Arushi. Citrine knocked multiple times. “Troney?” she called out, using her usual teasing nickname. “Open the door, dali. nag Joke lang kami last time, don’t get mad.” Still, no answer.
Knock. Knock. “Tron, I’m serious. You’re scaring us. Please, open the door.” Her voice cracked slightly, and Primo, who had silently followed them, placed a hand on her shoulder.
Walang tanong-tanong, Primo rushed down the hallway to their master bedroom. Sa drawer nila, hidden under some files, was the spare key to Arushi and Citrine’s rooms—just in case. Pagbalik niya, walang salita, binigay niya ito kay Auburn.
With a click, the door opened.
A gust of cold air greeted them—parang may nakabukas na aircon, pero wala naman. The curtains were slightly swaying, kahit sarado naman ang windows. The room smelled like wood sage and sea salt, a scent na pamilyar na sa kanila, pero hindi nila ma-place kung saan nanggagaling.
Arushi was lying on her back, blanket tucked around her waist. Her skin was pale, lips slightly parted as if in deep sleep. Auburn rushed to the bedside and grabbed her hand.
Cold. As in malamig na parang galing sa labas ng freezer.
Primo, who was now visibly pale, shakily took out her phone and dialed a number. “Dr. Han… yes. We need you here. Emergency. Arushi. She’s… she’s not waking up.”
Citrine was now crying silently, holding her twin’s other hand, staring at Arushi’s calm, but deathlike expression. “Ano to… ano ‘to, Mommy…”
Meanwhile, deep inside Arushi’s mind—
She was still there. In the cabin.
Warm, cozy. A fireplace crackled beside them. The wooden walls were lit with soft golden light. Arushi was lying on a fur blanket, naked, her body curled into the faceless girl’s embrace.
Arushi smiled softly, her cheek pressing against the girl’s chest. “Gusto ko dito,” she whispered. “Ayoko nang bumalik…”
The faceless girl hummed again, that familiar tune. It soothed her. Her fingers trailed down Arushi’s back gently, almost reverently. Arushi's heart swelled. Her body, once bruised and in pain, was now whole. Her scars, gone. Her soul, calm.
They kissed again, slow and sensual—like time didn’t matter here.
The faceless girl gently cupped her cheek. “More than the world.”
Outside, back in reality—
Auburn was pacing now while waiting for the doctor. Citrine was sobbing against Primo’s chest. “Baka… baka coma?” she said through tears.
True. Auburn had checked it herself. Mabagal, pero steady. Like she was… dreaming. Just dreaming.
After ten minutes, a knock came from the door. Dr. Han arrived, wearing his usual calm but stern expression. He carried a medical bag and followed them quickly to Arushi’s room.
He checked her vitals. Temperature, heart rate, oxygen levels. Everything looked fine—except for her lack of response.
They all stared at Arushi.
Back in the dream—
The faceless girl was now lying beside her, humming softly as she gently massaged Arushi’s shoulders.
The faceless girl leaned in. “You will… if you want.”
And with that, she kissed Arushi again, deeper this time.
But somewhere in her chest, a small ache formed—like a whisper trying to remind her of something left behind.
[Living Room – Reality]
Mapapansin ang tahimik na hapon sa bahay nina Auburn at primo. Lahat sila—Raegan, Forest, Min-Jae, Citrine, pati na rin si Auburn at Primo—nasa living room. Lahat nakatingin sa hagdanan na para bang may hinihintay bumaba, pero alam naman nilang hindi mangyayari ‘yon.
Umiling si Citrine. “Wala. As in tulog pa rin siya hanggang ngayon. Parang… parang wala na siyang balak gumising,” mahina niyang sabi habang pinipigilan ang luhang muling bumabalik sa kanyang mga mata.
Nakangiti lang si Auburn pero ramdam mo ang lungkot sa likod ng kanyang mga mata. She's tired, pero she won’t give up. Hindi siya umaalis sa tabi ni Arushi. Kahit konting galaw lang ng anak niya, nananalig siyang magigising ito.
Tahimik ang lahat.
Tahimik ulit. Lahat nagkatinginan. Ang bigat ng atmosphere.
Tumayo si Auburn. “Puntahan ko muna siya.”
__
Arushi’s Room – Reality
Tahimik sa kwarto ni Arushi, bukod sa marahang tunog ng Aircon at hina ng hininga niya. Si Auburn ay nakaupo sa tabi ng kama, hawak-hawak ang kamay ng anak niya. Pinapanood niya ang mukha ni Arushi—maputla pero kalmado. Parang may ini-enjoy na panaginip.
Pumipikit na lang si Auburn, pinipilit wag umiyak. Kahit kailan, hindi niya naisip na makikita ang anak niya sa ganitong sitwasyon—deep in sleep, unaware sa mundo.
___
Inside the Dream(Arushi's dream)– Cabin with the Faceless Girl
Gumising ako sa liwanag ng araw na tumatama sa bintana ng cabin. Ang sarap ng simoy ng hangin. May amoy siyang wood sage, and sea salt. Familiar scent. Sobrang nakaka-calm sa puso ko.
Nakita ko siyang nakaupo sa gilid ng kama, nakatalikod sa akin. The faceless girl. Nandito siya. Dito lang kami sa panaginip na ‘to… sa mundo naming dalawa.
Tumayo ako ng dahan dahan, lumapit sa kanya. Hinawakan ko ang kanyang likod. Mainit. Buhay. Totoo.
Tumango siya.
Tahimik lang siya. Hindi siya nagsalita. Pero naramdaman kong umikot siya, hinarap ako. Parang gusto niya akong i-comfort, pero may hesitation sa kilos niya.
Tumigil siya. Tumingin sa akin.
Unti-unti, she raised her hand toward her face. Like a veil was about to be removed. Nakatingin lang ako. Kinakabahan. But excited.
Then slowly… the blur faded.
Her face started to form.
Una, ang shape ng jawline… pamilyar.
Sumunod ang nose. And lips. Pati yung mata na malamig pero may lalim. Malamlam pero intense.
Pumikit ako sandali. Hindi ako makapaniwala.
No way…
Dahan-dahang tumango ang faceless girl—now, with a face. Her face.
Siya nga.
Professor Haneul.
I stepped back a little, nanginginig. Parang gumuguho yung paligid. I don’t know how to react. I don’t know what to say.
Napaupo ako sa kama. Tumulo yung luha ko habang tinitignan siya.
Hindi siya sumagot.
Lumapit siya. She knelt in front of me and kissed my forehead. “Then stay a little longer.”
And I did.
Hinayaan kong yakapin niya ako. I laid on the bed, and she lay beside me, her hand caressing my hair. I closed my eyes again, wrapped in her warmth, in this strange, safe, surreal place.
My world.
___
Reality – Arushi’s Room
Auburn looked at Arushi and saw tears falling from her closed eyes.
Primo and Citrine rushed in.
Pero hindi pa rin nagigising si Arushi. She was still asleep, but something was changing.
Auburn held her daughter’s hand tightly. “Come back to us, baby…”
And somewhere deep in that dream… the faceless girl whispered one last thing in Arushi’s ear—