I have finally come to a new discovery . . . Lal's eyes are apparently pink! Not brown, not red . . . but pink!
*is ignored*
Yes, for those who wonder about the title, it is entitled "Sa Kanya" or in English . . . it's either "To him" or "To her" (depends on who you're referring to. You'll realize that in the latter part of the fic). It's a song I've been singing too much lately, and I have no idea why . . . *sighs* There's really so much not right about me, isn't there? But, let us not go deeper into that.
Instead, let us just enjoy Maggie's new fic, "Sa Kanya"!
Song: Sa Kanya
Artist: Ogie Alcasid (best Filipino composer. Ever.)
"And only to your arms will I stay, forever and always . . . I love you, Lal, for all eternity and beyond, and if ever there comes a time that eternity is to broaden itself even more, then I will fight all odds to love you more . . ." –Colonello
"You look beautiful . . ."
"He's a lucky man, isn't he?"
The woman in white smiled at her reflection in the mirror. She couldn't help but agree with them, not only because she really does think she was pretty, but it was because that's what she felt. He made her feel this way ever since she met him. To think that finally . . . finally she can be with him forever.
"Thank you Luce . . . Oregano . . ." she muttered, staring at their reflections as well. Perhaps they spent one, maybe two, or maybe three hours to make her look that way, but, although she appreciates their efforts, she knew it was never necessary. He found her beautiful as she was no matter in what state she may be in.
"Days pass by so fast, does it not, Lal-san?" the older woman commented with a rueful beam. Lal could see the tears brimming from her azure eyes. "It seems like only yesterday, you two just met."
"Oh, Luce . . ." she cooed, standing up to wrap her arms around the raven-haired woman. She promised she wouldn't be too emotional with this, but, perhaps, she could not help it. She and Lal have treated each other like sisters, looking out for one another, and it must be that she found this wedding all too soon.
"I'm sorry," Luce choked, gently breaking from her "sister's" embrace, wiping away the tears. "It's just that . . . Oh dear, I'm so happy for you . . . The two of you . . ." She gave her another hug before she excused herself for a minute of composure.
"Don't I get a hug too?" the blonde asked as she raised her hands slightly. Lal had to laugh at the pink-eyed lovely as she wrapped her arms around her too. If ever Luce was her older sister, then Oregano would be her younger one. Sensuous, affectionate, and dependable, Lal and Oregano had been together in the same line of work for as long as she could remember—or at least to the extent of what she can remember.
Lately, she's been forgetting about a lot of things, but it never affected her as much. Having forgotten a few things from her past only connotes that she was given a new beginning—a beginning that she can spend in the arms of someone she loves.
"I think I better check on Luce-san," Oregano suggested when she broke free from Lal's hold. The latter gave a nod as she watched Oregano run towards the door, and close it gently behind her.
She was alone again.
Namulat ako at ngayo'y nag-iisa
[I opened my eyes and found I was alone]
Pagkatapos ng ulan . . .
[Right after the rain . . .]
Carefully, she lowered herself back to the chair and stared at her reflection. She had read somewhere that this exact moment that she was currently in is one of the most important part of a bride's life. This is where she reflects whether the path that she chose to tread is the right one.
Is this really the right time to do this? She silently questioned. Of course, her answer would be yes, but, it never hurts to be sure.
She slowly closed her eyes, and then opened them again. Behind her, she saw a man in white looking at her ever so fondly; his eyes presage his undying joy for her, but, at the same time, such impeccable sadness and yearning she never knew she could see. She forced a smile at him, and he returned with such a joyous one that it somehow resonated within her heart, making her feel somewhat relieved.
"And only to your arms will I stay, forever and always . . . I love you, Lal, for all eternity and beyond, and if ever there comes a time that eternity is to broaden itself even more, then I will fight all odds to love you more . . ."
"Who are you smiling at?" someone behind her asked.
"Who else?" she replied as she stood up and turned around to meet her groom. "Can you see anybody else here who I am willing to smile to?"
"Perhaps your imaginary friend?" he teased as he fingered through the flowers that were delivered to her as their form of congratulations.
"Funny," she muttered as she approached him. "By the way, what are you doing here?"
"I'm hiding from Tsuna's father. He can be a bit chatty about marriages, and half the stories he tell me I've heard for at least ten times, and the other half I am so not interested in."
"Heh, welcome to my world," she teased. "That's the pain of having a boss who is very much into his relationship with his wife . . ."
"If it's your pain, then I'm ready to endure it."
The glow in her eyes wavered a bit as something unexpected and unknown came to constrict her with a sudden flow of images.
"I will endure the curse for you, Lal, if it means I could be with you forevermore . . ."
She shook the thought off and watched her Groom pluck a small rose from a beautiful bundle sent by the Cavallone family and placed it gently into her gorgeous blue hair. "I can't remember a time when I never saw you lovelier, Lal."
"Oh, stop," she chuckled. "You're teasing me again . . ."
He smiled and so did she.
"I can't wait to see you there," he whispered.
"Neither can I, Reborn . . ."
Bagamat nakalipas na ang mga sandali
[Even though the moments have already passed]
Ay nagmumuni kung ako'y nagwagi
[I'm still reflecting whether I did win]
"Dearly beloved, we are now all gathered here today to witness the union of the hearts of these two who stand before us in holy matrimony. Before we begin, I ask that if there is anyone here who believes that these two should not be wed, speak now or forever hold your peace . . ."
From beyond the vast garden where many have attended to witness the two's happiest moment, someone stood haplessly on cold soil, and watched the scene with an undecipherable expression in his weary face. He tried to step forward, but a memory—a moment from not so long ago—flashed in his mind, and glued him in his place with no chance of a fight.
"That may be from the past, that beautiful moment wherein we have loved each other more than anything which you are trying to remind me of. However, this is a different time frame, and in this time frame, I am in love with someone else, so I'm sorry . . ."
His lips quavered as tears rolled down his cheeks.
"If there is none, then let us continue . . ."
If you walk away, I know I will fade . . . I know I will disappear into this world without a trace, as if I lived not at all, but, I vowed for your happiness, Lal, and if this is the happiness that you have always sought for, then who am I to intervene?
Pinipilit mang sabihin na ito'y wala sa akin
[I'm forcing myself to believe that this is nothing]
He began to walk away, forcing himself never to look back. His new life that he never really wanted waited for him at the end of the venue, and he plans to leave everything behind, and grasp life's gift for him. Behind him, thousands of cherry blossoms started to cascade down, as if to mock him; as if to infuse the horrendous fact that he had so much despised into his lifeless being.
"Goodbye, kora . . ."
Ngunit bakit hanggang ngayon nagdurugo pa rin?
[But why is it that up until now I'm still bleeding?]
The priest faced the raven-haired man and smiled.
"Do you, Reborn, take this woman as your loving wife, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, in happiness and in sorrow, as long as you both shall live?"
"Lal, can you not remember me at all? I'm the one you truly love . . . I'm the one who vowed that I'd be with you for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, in happiness and in sorrow, even if death does us part! Please remember, Lal! I'm there in your heart . . . I can feel it! Lal . . . Please, Lal . . ."
From underneath her veil, tears had begun to form in her eyes. That scene was supposed to be burned inside her head a long time ago. Why is it coming back, as if to haunt her again?
No . . .
"I love you, Lal, and I'll do anything for you . . ."
"I do." Reborn's deep voice woke her from her trance, and she was retrieved from being sucked into another oblivion that will cause hurt and sadness for all. She looked up at him, and he smiled back. He mouthed words of comfort for her, and the tears had begun to stop immediately.
But the feeling . . . it was still there . . .
"And you, Lal Mirch, do you take this man as your loving husband, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, in happiness and in sorrow, as long as you both shall live?"
She opened her mouth to speak, but the same constriction from before had stopped her. Her initial reaction was to look up at Reborn again, but, this time; even Reborn's face was not of help. She could not see anymore his dark eyes and ebony-black hair for they were replaced by flaxen locks and eyes as blue as the morning sky. She tried to look around, and found that all the faces present were all blurred. All she could see was his face, and no, it never disappeared.
If the time comes that you are splashed once more of the times we had; if ever you remember who I am and what I am to you . . .
When you find the real you . . .
"Lal Mirch?"
. . . Come back to me . . .
"I . . . I . . ."
Kung sakali mang isipin na ito'y wala sa akin
[If ever you think that this is really nothing to me]
"I can't . . ."
Sana'y dinggin ang tinig kong nag-iisa pa rin
[Then I hope you heed my voice that is still lonesome up until now]
Murmurs of shock and scorn came from the audience. Lal stared back at her groom, and she found that he was Reborn again; looking at her in the most astonished expression she could never think possible. She couldn't do anything but shake her head in pain and confusion.
"I-I'm sorry, Reborn," she whispered, but the microphone placed between them nonetheless amplified what she had to say, and was then delivered to the earshot of those present that day. Although, with that in her knowledge, Lal did not care.
"I'm sorry," she repeated. "I can't do this . . . Not when I'm very much uncertain of what I should really be feeling. I have loved you—it's true, but . . . But, although my mind can't seem to comprehend, my heart is in tact. It screams to me that I am in love with someone . . ." More tears formed in her cherry-hued orbs as she uttered the most painful thing to come out of her beautiful lips.
"And, forgive me Reborn, but it's not you . . ." She raised her left hand and pulled off the gorgeous ring that he had given to her to proclaim his undying love for her. Although it was real and worth very much in terms of materiality and sentimentality, it still looked as if it faded in Lal's eyes. She handed it to him.
"Thank you for the love that you have bestowed in me and apologies if I couldn't level mine to that. Hopefully, you will find that person who will love you the way you deserve to be loved . . ."
With that, she turned, and ran across the aisle as everyone watched her in utter disbelief.
"Sa kanya pa rin babalik," sigaw ng damdamin
["To him shall you come back," my feelings scream]
Love has been the most confusing thing of all mysteries. No matter how much you convince yourself that you can control your heart, in the end, it is your heart that controls you. Regardless of how strong you think your resolve is to have your mind dominate your feelings, it is your feelings you find that dominates all effortlessly.
Despite how much Life would try to divide two hearts that are madly in love, Fate will come to unite.
Sa kanya pa rin sasaya, bulong ng puso ko
["To her shall you be happy" is what my heart whispers]
Moving on is also quite a stereotype to everyone. It is believed by many that it can be executed by will, but that's not always the case. Moving on is a natural occurrence, and it is up to Destiny if it shall approve. At times, it does, and even leads the victim to a better chance, and then leaves it to him whether he takes it or not, but, as for others, the request is often times denied. They are left hurting if they force to go on, so, to prevent that type of pain, don't enforce what you know your heart can never endure.
Regardless of what you do or what you say, if your heart can't do it, then your efforts are nothing but futile.
Kung buhay pa ang alaala ng ating nakaraan
[If ever the memories of our past are still alive]
"Colonello!" she cried at the top of her lungs upon seeing the familiar back. She quickened her pace, and, when he was at arm's reach, she wasted no chance, and wrapped him in her yearning embrace. The man, in turn, was all the more shocked from the sudden gush of warmth thrown at him from out of the blue.
"Lal . . .?" he muttered in astonishment.
"Yes, it's me . . ." she sobbed, grasping him tighter. He bit his lips to contain the ecstasy for he knew that there was a catch to this. Timidly, he broke from her hold and turned to face her. She looked up at him, and started trembling upon seeing his succulent azure eyes staring down so tenderly yet doubtingly into her small, feverish being.
"Lal, you . . ." he started.
"I still don't remember who you are," she muttered, and his glowing eyes turned pale. "My mind cannot recognize who you are, and what are you to me, or why you instill yourself so forcefully into my being as if you were really part of my life."
"So why did you . . ."
"But, my heart screams for you. It disturbs me . . . mocks me . . . convinces me that I can't be happy with somebody else . . . Which is why I can't marry Reborn!" She bit her lips as she cuddled herself desperately to him, as if he were to be taken away brutally if she didn't. "I can't stand the idea that I'm going to offer only my body, and not my heart . . . I can't endure seeing my life wither away with no chance to be truly happy, but most of all, I can't have such a sweet and loving man like Reborn fall in love with a woman whose love is nothing but an imitation; a surreal illusion . . ."
She stopped sniveling long enough to make her next statement clear enough for him to hear.
"Are you willing to remind me of the past that has faded, so I can relieve them here in the present, Colonello?"
Ang pagmamahal at panahon alay pa rin . . .
[Then the love and the moments I still offer . . .]
He gradually smiled as he raised her head to face him. Like her, he felt guilty to have to come and ruin what was supposed to be a perfect dream, but just like any other dream, he believes that this will also fade into oblivion, and before it does and leave away a mark of frustration, it is best that he destroys it before it begins to feel like reality.
"The past had never faded, Lal . . ."
He took hold of both her hands, and knelt down on one knee.
". . . As a matter of fact, it is still here with us . . . in the form of our future . . ."
. . . Sa kanya
[ . . . to him]
Reborn aimlessly walked down the empty aisle. Most of the guests have already left, some even considerate enough to offer their condolences to him.
But, he needs not their commiseration.
While it is true that everyone had expected him that he was deeply hurt—or at least offended, he found himself not so. Some suggested that he was still in shock, and soon, the feeling will kick in.
But, the feeling never kicked in, and he didn't know why. It's like he was not affected at all by what has just happened.
He stepped forward and found the small flower that he placed on Lal's hair about a few minutes ago, and he couldn't help but smile contritely at the small blossom, now broken and powerless, far from its former glorious appearance. The flower was very much real—Dino will never send such worthless piece of plastics and let it pass of as a bunch of well-bred roses, but as he traced his finger to its rough edges, he couldn't help but see it as artificial.
A paper rose.
"Paper roses . . ." he muttered. "How real they all seem to me, but they're only imitations, just like your imitation love for me."
Without giving it much thought, he blew towards the small flower, and, predictably, it broke, and fell down.
Paper rose . . . How authentic you appear, but with a mere blow, you break so easily . . .
"E-excuse me . . ."
He turned around and found a raven-haired woman looking up at him shyly. She seemed to fidget with a bouquet of Primroses and could not step anywhere near than where she stood. He had to smile.
"You're Miss Luce, right?" he asked politely. "Lal's make-believe sister?"
She gave a timorous nod.
"How can I help you, Miss?"
To his surprise, she bowed so lowly and brusquely that he was afraid her head might touch the ground in a hard way.
"I apologize profusely for Lal's sudden shift of actions! I . . . It's my entire fault!"
"Please, dear Luce," Reborn replied, approaching her and making her unbend herself. "You don't need to harm yourself to apologize, and moreover, how could all this be of your liability?"
Luce seemed to have weakened as she looked down.
"Lal was really engaged to somebody else, but, she met an accident and lost her memories. I, thinking that this may be a chance to have her marry you, filled her mind with false reminiscences."
"Why so?"
Luce's grim sapphire orbs looked up again to his dark ones, and bit her lips.
"Is it not what you wish? You have been asking for her hand in marriage for a long time, and, I figured that perhaps a man with such persistence must really love her so much."
"True," Reborn agreed, and then eyed the whole broken scenery quickly. "But, I've realized that instilling yourself too hard at someone who cannot accept you was a bad idea. Look at what came out of that persistence that you find remarkable . . . I'm only left as I had started . . ."
He returned his gaze at her small figure.
"Alone."
"I'm sorry," Luce mumbled again. "I . . . I just wanted you to be happy . . ."
"It is fine, Miss, for I have never really known love when I was with Lal. While I always believed that she might be the one when I was still after her, everything changed when she really did become mine. Perhaps the old saying was right . . ." He clutched the small stem in his fist.
"Not all things that we want are what we love, and not all things that we love, we want . . ."
"Reborn-san . . ."
"Now, let's talk about you . . ." Reborn claimed. Luce found herself blushing as he gave her a light smile. "You say you want me to be happy . . .?"
"A-ah . . . W-what I meant by that is . . . er . . ."
Reborn blinked at her, and then smiled as he reached for something.
"You wouldn't mind doing a favor for me, would you Miss Luce?"
"A-anything . . ."
He went closer to her, and pressed something to her palm. When he lifted his hand, she found the engagement ring that he gave Lal, and which Lal had returned to him.
Ang pagmamahal at panahon alay pa rin . . .
[Then the love and the moments I still offer . . .]
"Please hold on to this for me . . ."
. . . Sa kanya
[ . . . to him]
-FIN-
Yay! Maggie with another happy ending! I hope this lasts even more . . . I'm being bombarded with weird ideas lately, and I have no idea how I'm going to squeeze it all in my schedule, or, better yet, how I'm going to keep up with the inspiration . . .
"Not all things that we want are what we love, and not all things that we love, we want . . ." – Reborn
*points up at the statement* Whoah, Reborn . . . You pertaining to me?
Thanks for reading!
LoveLots~
P.S.: Have you ever noticed that a number of my fics seems to always have bits of RebornxLuce? *gasps* Could this be the start of a new fandom? :D