chapter 52
“I Told You, I’d Come Back”
Arushi's POV
I was sitting here sa office ko, nakatapat sa malaking glass window.
‘Yung view ng city lights nasa harapan ko, pero hindi ko naman talaga iniintindi.
I was holding a stack of documents, mga project files na kailangan i-review, pero wala ako sa mood to focus.
My mind is drifting somewhere far… or should I say, someone far.
Grabe, it's been two or three years? Honestly, I lost count.
Parang blur lang lahat after she disappeared.
Celest. My Celest. Hindi ko nga alam kung totoo pa bang nangyari lahat ‘yon or isang panaginip lang.
Pero every night, kahit anong gawin kong pagod sa trabaho, I still wait.
I still sleep hoping… na baka dumating siya ulit sa panaginip ko.
Pero wala. She never came back—not even once.
My phone suddenly rang. Napabalik ako sa realidad. I grabbed it immediately and said, “Yes, what is it?”
My secretary’s voice came in, calm and professional, “Ms. Costa, you have a flight at 3 PM today to Japan. May scheduled meeting po kayo with Ms. Tanaka.”
My eyes widened, I checked the wall clock. “Shit, 2:30 na!” I quickly stood up, grabbed my coat and bag. “I’m on my way to the lobby. Is everything settled?” tanong ko habang naglalakad na palabas.
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After one hour of flight, we finally landed sa Japan. Pagkarating ko sa hotel, I went straight to my room. I threw my coat sa couch and walked towards the window. The city lights in Tokyo were bright and alive, pero I couldn’t deny the stillness I felt inside me.
I was staring down at the street below when my phone rang again. I picked it up, “Yeah?”
I grabbed my blazer and walked fast to the elevator. After the dinner meeting, thankfully everything went smooth, I got the deal. I was smiling while walking back to the elevator area sa hallway ng hotel, and then suddenly…
A little girl came running from the hallway corner and—boom—bumangga siya sa legs ko. Napatigil ako. She fell, but before I could react, she sat up and smiled at me.
My heart dropped.
I turned my head forward. May footsteps akong naririnig. And there she was.
A woman—no, the woman—stood there at the end of the hallway. She was wearing a long black coat, hair flowing, her presence calm and… ethereal.
I blinked twice.
I froze.
I couldn’t speak.
The little girl behind me shouted, “Mommy! I don’t want to go home yet! I want to play okay!”
The woman in front replied, “You, little devil… it’s getting late. I swear, Celestial…”
Celestial.
No.
It can’t be…
She looked at me—eyes locking with mine.
That face.
That voice.
That smirk.
I felt my knees weaken. My chest tightened. I took one slow breath, my lips parted but no words came out. My heart? Tumitibok ng mabilis. Para akong kinuryente. All the emotions—shock, longing, love, pain—nagsama-sama lahat.
Tears welled in my eyes.
She walked closer, step by step, like a dream slowly becoming reality. When she stood right in front of me, she reached out her hand and gently wiped the tears streaming down my cheeks.
I stared at her.
I stared hard.
Then without warning, I lunged forward, wrapping my arms around her tightly, crying into her neck.
She held me tight. Her arms felt like home again.
I looked down and saw Celestial watching us, smiling innocently. “Mommy, you’re crying too?”
Celest chuckled softly. “No baby, mommy’s just… happy.”
Celest looked at me, eyes twinkling with that same mischievous smirk I fell in love with. “Yes, baby. She’s mommy’s one and only.”
My tears kept falling but I was smiling now.
I nodded, still holding her hand tightly. Sa dami ng gusto kong itanong, gusto kong malaman, gusto kong i-share… I didn’t know where to begin. But what mattered was that she’s here.
She came back.
After all the waiting.
After all the nights I cried.
After the years I pretended to be okay.
She’s here—my faceless dream, my professor, my Celest.
---
I’m sitting now sa couch dito sa condo ni Celest. She’s beside me, naka-relax lang habang nakatingin sa little girl na nasa sahig.
Si Celestial. She’s playing with her toys habang kumakanta softly.
Yung giggles niya parang music na sa tenga ko, and I can't help but smile kahit deep inside me, ang dami kong gustong itanong.
I glance at Celest—Celest na ngayon ay hindi na Prof Haneul, hindi na succubus. She’s... just her. But still the same eyes, same aura, same energy na kinahiligan ko, kinabaliwan ko.
I turned to her, waiting.
My fingers tightened sa mug of tea na hawak ko. “Hindi mo ba ako pwedeng i-message man lang noon?” tanong ko, trying to keep my voice steady, pero ramdam kong nanginginig siya sa dami ng emosyon.
She sighed, “There was a force... parang shadow na humaharang. Every time na i-attempt kong kontakin ka, may humihila pabalik. And it wasn’t just magic… it was punishment.”
She looked at me and smiled softly. “Yes. That’s also part of the consequence. Maging mortal. Mabuhay with pain, happiness, limitations. But Arushi…” she looked at Celestial, then back at me. “I’m happy. Kasi kahit nawala ako sa’yo noon, I have her.”
Napatingin ako kay Celestial. The little girl na parang miniature version ni Celest. Pero meron siyang features ko… lalo na yung mata. Bigla kong naisip. Wait…
She looked at me, amused.
She rolled her eyes playfully. “Stupid ka talaga minsan. Of course we made love diba? Nonstop pa nga, kahit may condom ka pa minsan, nabuntis mo pa rin ako.”
She just shook her head, laughing pa rin.
“That night, when I disappeared, I was already pregnant. Alam ko na agad, ramdam ko. Pero hindi ko masabi sa’yo kasi may dark force na nakapalibot sa'yo. Every time na i-attempt kong magpakita, parang sinasakal ako. Kaya wala akong nagawa kundi maghintay.”
I swallowed hard. “So all this time... she’s mine?”
Parang huminto yung mundo ko. Yung buong katawan ko nanginginig pero hindi sa takot kundi sa sobrang emosyon na hindi ko ma-process. Ako? Tatay? I mean… biologically?
Naputol yung moment namin nang biglang nagsalita si Celestial.
I stood din and walked closer kay Celestial. I knelt in front of her and smiled. “Hey, Celestial…”
She tilted her head. “Yes, tita?”
I felt a sting in my chest pero I composed myself. I glanced at Celest who was setting up sa dining. She smiled, and I knew she heard that.
Celestial blinked at me. “What’s anak po?”
I laughed softly, tears forming in my eyes. “It means… baby. Like mommy’s baby.”
She nodded. “Okay po. I like that.”
Tears finally fell. She hugged me, and I hugged her back, holding her tight like I never wanted to let go again.
Lumapit si Celest with plates and food sa table. “Let’s eat,” she said. “Bago pa lumamig ‘tong pasta.”
We ate together. The three of us. Parang isang normal na family. Pero hindi to ordinary sa akin. Kasi this was the dream I never thought I'd have… never thought possible.
After dinner, si Celestial tumakbo sa room niya after mag-bath. I helped Celest with the dishes habang nagsasalita pa rin kami about the past years.
Tumigil siya for a second. Tumingin siya sa akin, eyes serious but gentle.
Hinawakan ko yung kamay niya, basang basa pa sa dish soap pero I didn’t care.
She smiled. “Then let’s make it happen.”
That night, we sat in the living room. Celestial was already asleep. I rested my head on Celest’s lap habang nilalaro niya yung buhok ko.