THE WARLORDS ushered Sapphire to the village’s covered court, where Hapi was waiting for her with his guitar. He was only looking at her with a smile that could almost reach the sky. It made him even more charming in her eyes. And just like before, all her negative feelings suddenly left her, replacing them with positive ones. He makes her happy. He makes her sad. But then, she thought that is how one should keep the balance.
“He looks prepared,” Sapphire said, suppressing her laugh.
“Hapi was so certain that you’ll choose him. he prepared ahead of time,” Piewie whispered.
“But how did Piattos know that I’ll go to Hapi’s house?”
Piewie shrugged. “Instinct, perhaps.”
Sapphire looked at Hapi again. The smile never left his face. Then, she sauntered towards him but kept a few feet distance between them.
He started strumming his guitar.
“You got the smile, you got it all. I know I’m right you think I’m dead wrong. You’ve got the face. You’ve got the laugh. I know you’re shy and girl I like that… Can’t find a mirror to see what I see in you? But I will follow you until you see it too. I know I can’t help but love everything do. But you can’t see that and girl I like that…”
The lyrics of the song that he just sang fit the moment perfectly. It looked like he already confessed his feelings for her. And she liked that.
Hapi turned around to make the scene look a little extra. But it was an epic failure because his feet tangled to one another. He almost stumbled on the ground. Good thing Hapi contained his balance. He made everyone laugh at that.
He handed his guitar to his friend Clover afterwards, who continued playing the song for them.
Sapphire’s heart wanted to jump out of her chest when Hapi finally crossed their distance and reached her.
“Sapphire, listen to me very well…” Darn, he sounded so serious.
She patted her chest to calm herself.
“I liked you the first time I saw you at the campus’ parking lot snarling back at Mobi.” He grinned. I like the way you, the way you talk, and the way you look at me. I love seeing you smile because it always amazes me how it never fails to make my heart flutter. I wanted to be with you always, so I did my best to get you on my side every time I have the chance. And as time goes by, I realized it wasn’t just a mere fascination, Sapphire. I realized that I love you, and I can’t let you go…”
“Why are you so good with words, Hapi?” Her eyes started to wet with tears.
“I know I may sound boastful in front of you and my friends, but I know that the feeling is mutual.”
“He’s so full of himself,” Mobi remarked.
Everyone agreed to that.
Hapi held her hands and pressed them gently.
“Come on, Sapphire… tell these kids that I’m right.”
“I don’t like you, Hapi…” she said as she stared back at him.
His mouth dropped open. “W-what?”
“You heard it right. I don’t like you, Hapi…” She cupped his cheek. “Because I love you.”
His friends cheered in the background.
“Oh, God, Sapphire… You almost gave me a heart attack.” He pulled her for a hug.
Sapphire buried her face on his broad chest and hugged him back.
Hapi distanced himself from her afterwards and kissed her. She instantly felt her cheeks burning, knowing that his friends were watching them.
“Let’s give them some privacy.”
“Let’s go.”
“Ah, this is unfair. I’m feeling envious.”
His friends left the court one by one, and soon they were alone. It was the perfect time to deepen the kiss, but to her dismay, Hapi ended it. She wanted to complain, but she realized that there is no need for that because she has him now. She could get a lot of kisses whenever she wants.
Hapi cupped her cheeks and stared at her with so much love in his eyes.
“This counts as our second kiss. Can we add one more to make it three?”
Hapi smiled mischievously. “This is the third one.”
“What? Her brows furrowed. I may not be good at Math, but I don’t have amnesia. You didn’t kiss me for real during that fake marriage ceremony.” She snorted.
“Our first kiss was when I caught you sleeping at my favorite hangout place,” he confessed.
Sapphire’s eyes grew wider in shock.
“A-are you serious? You kissed me while I’m asleep? You kissed me without my consent?” She gripped the collar.
Hapi cocked his head to the side. “But you kissed me back.”
Her mouth dropped open. Then, she suddenly remembered that she had a dream. In her dream, she was lying on a bed full of roses when Hapi appeared and kissed her. She indeed kissed him back—in her dream!
“T-the kissed did happen for real? Is that why it was vivid in memory?”
HAPI walked her home. It was almost sunset, and Sapphire was sure that her mother would scold her because she did not go home for lunch as promised.
“It’s fine with mt if you don’t tell your family about us… for now.” She glanced at Hapi. “I know that your focus now is your studies and your grand—”
Sapphire halted from walking, and he did the same. She turned to face him and cupped his cheek.
“I don’t want to deny you, Hapi. I can pursue my goals without setting you aside. You’re the source of my inspiration. You’re the source of my strength too from now on…”
She was surprised to see his eyes glistened with tears. Ah, he must have that soft spot too.
Sapphire brushed away his tears with her thumbs. “Why are you crying?”
“I’m just glad that you choose not to hide our relationship,” he said somberly.
But Sapphire has a feeling that there was a deeper reason behind that. Hapi was not the type of person to cry just because he was feeling ecstatic.
“Why don’t you come with me inside and greet my mother?” she told him afterwards.
“I’ll see her some other time. I need to head home to clean up the mess.”
“Ah, right… I saw your house earlier.” She heaved a sigh. “Do they really have to do that for their acts?”
“Oh…” Hapi caressed the side of his neck. “They’re not the one who did that.”
“E-eh?” Her eyes widened. “W-were you really robbed?”
“No, no, no.” He wagged his hands. “It’s not like that. I’ll… tell you when I’m ready.”
“Oh, okay…” She could not help but feel worried about him.
“Go. Your mother must be waiting for you.” Hapi planted a kiss on her forehead.
Sapphire watched him leave before going inside the house.
“`Ma, I’m—” Her sentence was cut mid-way upon seeing her mother with her grandfather in the living room. She took a deep breath and walked slowly towards them.
“Where have you been, Sapphire? You left before lunchtime and you just came home at this hour,” her mother said sternly.
“I’m sorry, `Ma. I—”
“And why did you hide that drowning incident? When did you learn to hide things from me?” her mother started crying.
“This is why I hid it from you because I don’t want to see you cry…” Sapphire turned to her grandfather. Of course, he was the one who told her about that incident she tried hard to hide. “Don’t cry, Mama… It’s over now.”
“Promise me that you won’t hide anything from me ever again…”
She sauntered towards her mother and crouched in front of her.
Sapphire cupped her mother’s hand. “Promise…”
Her mother patted her head.
Sapphire stood up and turned to her grandfather. She knew he would not come over if he does not have an agenda. But still… it would be a little off not to invite him.
“Would you like to join us for dinner?” she asked anxiously.
“I came here to invite you and your mother to join me for dinner… at my place,” said Don Ignacio as he rose from his seat.
Sapphire could not believe what she just heard from him. “Are we…”
“It’s just us, and your grandma, of course.”