by L. Marcelo
“She lied. You know how much I despise liars. You were one of the very few people who knew the reason behind it.”
“She’s not your dad, Vhynce... She lied, yes. I won’t deny that. She lied to everyone else too but you were way out of line. You’re not the only one who felt betrayed. All of us felt the same but we didn’t forget how Meahri treated us. All of us remembered all the times we spent with her and it was more than enough for us to forgive her because we knew that besides lying about being your fan, everything else was real." He stopped.
He contemplated whether he should say his next words or not but in the end he decided to say it. Vhynce needed to hear it.
"I was expecting you to understand it better than anyone else but no. I guess you’ll never understand it until you let go of your past.” Part of him was apologetic.
He knew it would hurt Vhynce. His past had always been a sensitive topic but right now, he needed to stand his ground. He needed to let him know that he needed to learn to let go of the past and that everyone wasn’t like his father… that everyone who lied to him once didn’t make him or her worse than a criminal.
Unless he does that, he would always live in the past. With the hatred in his heart, he would never be truly happy.
“I feel so bad for her. She doesn’t deserve this. She deserves better, someone better.” He continued.
He knew Meahri was still in love with Vhynce but he didn’t have to know that. He needed to learn his lesson and reflect on his own actions.
Vhynce remained silent on the other end of the line. Therry had known him since they were kids. He knew him so well that he also knew Vhynce was feeling frustrated and crazy because he didn’t know what to do. But he also goddamn knew that it was incomparable to what Vhynce made Meahri felt when he left her.
“Just some things to think about. I may be the one who introduced her to you but it was your decision to choose her. You were the one who approached her first. Also, you were the one who kept on insisting whenever she declines your offer.”
“Do you really think she would decline all your offers if she wasn’t avoiding all of these to happen?" He paused wanting the man at the other end of the line to digest his every word.
"The first time she talked to you as an artist, she knew that this would happen once you found out the truth. She was avoiding it before it even started but there you were insisting. Now that it comes to this, she’s the one suffering when the truth is you were the one who dragged her into this.”
“Didn’t it every crossed your mind that maybe she was just too calculating?” Vhynce sounded defensive but there was pain in his voice that you just couldn't miss.
“What the fuck! Do you really think that’s even possible? And did I tell you I was done?” Oh he was furious.
“I never talked or even asked about her since the incident because she told us not to. She didn’t want people to misunderstand you. She was the one who was hurt but she was still worried about you. If she was too fucking calculating, do you think she would let herself go through so much pain just for the sake of playing with you? I can’t believe you can think of her that way.” He was lost for words. He couldn’t believe Vhynce would think of Meahri that way. It was beyond him.
He was a total mess.
Those final words hit Vhynce hard.
How can he think of Meahri that way when the only thing she ever did was love him unconditionally? How stupid was he to not know that, to not see that?
He was too blinded by the past. He was blinded by the fact that she lied to him and the fact that she was his fan that he disregarded everything else. He threw away the girl who loved him the most, the girl who made him the happiest, the same girl who taught him what love was.
Slowly, he came to realize how stupid he had been, that everyone was right. If there was someone to blame for all of this, it was none other than him.
“You know bro? Honestly, I was glad that you met her. You changed for the better without you knowing it. She brings out the best in you but if I knew this would happen, I shouldn’t have introduced her to you. I’m still up for any work but that’s all I can offer for now. I’m doing this for you…”
“…She’s only 25 and you’re 31 but she’s facing this with more maturity than you do. I want you to be happy bro. You know I do.”
“Trust me, I know you do.” Vhynce really does. Therry may hate him for what he did to Meahri but he was still his brother, the brother who always had his back, who always wished him the best.
“Speaking of Meahri, did you read the letter? The one I gave you the last time we met.” It took Vhynce a few seconds before he replied. He almost forgot about it if it weren’t for Therry mentioning it.
“No.”
“As expected.”
“What did you just say?” This time, it was Vhynce’s turn to use the line.
“Never mind. There’s another copy of the letter on the first drawer of your table. It’s underneath all your stuff. Meahri knew you’d most likely throw it away so she wrote two copies of the letter. At least read the second one. Give her a chance to explain herself. You won’t truly understand why she did it until you let her explain, right?”
He was left speechless.
Meahri knew him too well. She knew how stubborn he was. She knew him well enough that she expected that he wouldn’t read the first letter so she wrote a second one.
She knew her more than he knew himself.
He was mistaken. She wasn’t too calculating. She simply knew him, his flaws, and everything else and yet she still loved him unconditionally.
Meahri Lyfheld was the kind of girl who only comes once in a lifetime and in this lifetime, she belonged to him but he was too stupid to know her worth. She was his girl but not anymore. At least for now. But he would make damn sure that she would be his again.
Whatever it takes.
“One last thing. I hope you can answer this honestly. Knowing Meahri’s secret, did it ever change how you feel for her?”
“No.”
“That’s all I needed to hear from you. Bye.”
Before Vhynce can say another word, Therry ended the call.
Chapter Nine
Meahri and Therry’s stay in Seoul was about to end but there was something Meahri needed to do. It was something that she had been looking forward to ever since she arrived in Seoul.
She had been too busy with HKE that she almost forgot about it. Now that she had some time to herself, it was time.
She can finally visit her parents.
She was meant to go with Therry but he told her that Hugo agreed to let him use one of his studios for the work he needed to do. She didn’t want to be a bother so she decided to go alone but he didn’t let her. After all, she was in a country she wasn’t familiar with. There was no way he’d let her go alone.
Before she can argue with him, next thing she knew, Jin was going with her.
Little did she know, Therry wasn’t the one who planned it. It was Jin.
He remembered Meahri mentioned visiting her parents and he knew she didn’t get the chance to especially with how busy she was. He knew she wasn’t familiar with the place nor Therry was so he decided to ask the older man if he could take her instead.
At first, Therry didn’t agree. He didn’t want to force anything between the two if there was nothing between them. He knew Jin had feelings for Meahri but he also knew, she didn’t see him more than a friend and a colleague.
He forced things between Meahri and Vhynce and up until now, he still blamed himself for it. There was no way he’d make the same mistake. He declined but he took it back after he heard Jin’s words.
“Hyung, I don’t know what happened that day. All I know is, I might’ve caused it... That day, I wanted to ask her what’s wrong but after having some time to think, I decided to leave it alone. I still want to know. I really do… but that is only if Meahri wants to.”
The look on Jin’s face was so hard to explain. It w
as mixed emotions. Therry didn’t speak. He knew he didn’t need to.
“That was the first time I saw those eyes. I may not be as experienced as you are when it comes to this but I know what I saw. She was in a lot of pain. I know I won’t be able to help her get over that pain and the person who caused it…” He stopped.
He was contemplating whether he should continue or not but he decided that he should. He knew it was best to come clean and be honest especially when it was something about Meahri.
“I know what I’m about to ask is selfish but let me spend one last day with her, hyung. Just the two of us.” He sounded desperate.
That day, when he saw that look on Meahri’s face, he knew she was still in love with the man whoever he was. He hated to admit it. He goddamn hated to admit defeat but he also knew he didn’t have the chance. He finally understood why she never responded to him.
Her heart belonged to someone else. It had always been and it still was.
Therry didn’t expect those words to come from the kid. He was younger than Vhynce and even younger than Meahri but he acted too mature for his age. He wished Vhynce could learn from the kid but there was no way it was going to happen.
Vhynce needed to realize what he had done. He needed to learn on his own.
Therry didn’t say anything. He simply looked at the kid as if he was making sure he was telling the truth. And he was.
Before Therry could speak again, Jin beat him to it.
“I promise, I won’t ask her anything. I already accepted that we’re just friends. I don’t know if I’ll ever get the chance to see her again… I just really want to spend some time with her.” Jin confessed.
He understood the look on Therry’s face. He knew Therry wanted him to make sure that nothing was going to happen, that Meahri wouldn’t come back to him crying. Again.
He liked her. Therry thought.
He was thankful that the kid didn’t push himself to Meahri. He felt relieved that the kid didn’t ask and most of all, he was happy that the kid understood. Without any words, he only nodded.
That night, Jin couldn’t stop thanking him.
********
Meahri was checking her email while waiting at the hotel lobby. Suddenly, her phone started to ring and it was Jin calling.
“Hello.” She was the first one to talk.
“Hey Meahri. I’m in front of your hotel.” Jin said.
“Okay. I’ll be there in a minute.”
She hastily took her bag and headed towards the hotel’s entrance not wanting Jin to wait. After all, he was the one doing her a favor.
When she was standing outside the door, she was about to ask him where he was but she didn’t have to. Not when his car was parked right in front of the hotel’s entrace.
She didn’t even recognize him, not with his hair. She had never seen his hair not styled. It looked like he only washed it and let it dry then done. It was too simple but he pulled it off as if it cost a couple of grand to get it done. And those dark glasses that were big enough to cover his eyes and eyebrows. He looked like someone who just came out of a magazine. Not to mention, riding his 2-door convertible black BMW, which she didn’t have any idea what series it was. One thing she was sure of, the car looked damn sexy.
For a second, she forgot to breathe. If he planned to impress her, surely he succeeded.
It took them roughly 50 minutes to arrive at the sanctuary.
Since it was Meahri’s first time to visit her parent’s grave alone, she didn’t know where to find it. But thanks to the map that her uncle Felix gave her, it wasn’t that hard to find. Not to mention, the sanctuary was pretty organized too.
When they were in the room where the ashes of her parents were placed, her tears started to fall and showed no sign of stopping. The fact that she was just a few steps away from where her parent’s ashes was, she started to miss them so much.
Jin knew it was time for him to leave. He wouldn’t want her to hold back just because he was there.
“Take as much time as you need. I’ll be outside.”
Her pulled her into his arms for a short hug. He wanted to assure her that if she needed anything, he was there. He rubbed her back before he let go and left the room.
For a long moment, she just stood there staring at their photo. She didn’t even get to have a photo with her mom because she left right after she was born. Realizing that they didn’t even get the chance to have a family photo made her fall in her knees.
She was alone.
She was crying so much that she started to catch her breath. She sobbed for who knows how long. It took her a while to calm down but the tears never stopped. They just don’t want to.
“Mom… Dad… I wished you’re here. I wanted to share everything with the two of you… I know you never really left my side and had always been looking after me from up there… b-but… it would just really be so so so much better if you’re here.” She choked on her sob.
“I want to share my success, my happiness, everything with the both of you… You’re proud of me, right?” She laughed. She didn’t know why but it felt like she was talking to them. It was as if she could see them smiling.
“I’m sorry it took me so long before I got to visit you again… Ever since dad died, I never had the courage to come back and pay you guys a visit… I feel that if I do… I… I would feel that I’m on my own…”
“I’m sorry it took me more than a decade to visit again. Now that I’m here… I regret not visiting the both of you. Mom, dad, I’m truly sorry…” She sobbed.
“I’m sorry that you had a coward for a daughter… but you don’t hate me, right?” She laughed.
She had probably gone crazy. One second she was crying the next moment she was laughing. She may look crazy but it was just how much she missed them. She was laughing because she knew that no matter how crazy she was, they could never truly hate her.
They were the best parents someone could ever have. They were the most loving and most supportive mom and dad in the whole world. She knew that no matter what she wanted to do in her life, they would always give her their full support.
“Oh before I forget! I have something for the both of you.” She smiled. The tears finally stopped.
She took something from her bag and it was a picture frame. Inside it was a portrait of the three of them together. She drew it years ago and had been keeping it since then.
When she heard from Therry that they were going to Seoul, she remembered it.
She showed it to them and she couldn’t help but laugh as she stare at it. “Look mom, dad, I drew this years ago and my drawing skills was still such an amateur! Our faces looks so funny! Don’t you think so too?” She sounded so happy.
She waited for years to give it to them and now that she did, she realized how bad it looked compared to her skills now. She should’ve drawn a new one but she decided not to.
It was her first drawing of her family that was why it was very sentimenal for her.
She stayed there for hours. Few hours were never enough for their lost time. She took her time telling them everything that had been happening in her life in the past decade. By everything, she also told them about Vhynce. She told them how everything started and as she told them how their relationship changed, her feelings changed as well.
While she was talking to them about Vhynce, it was like she relived every moment she had with him.
“You know… I actually hoped that when I visit the both of you, it was going to be with him. I wanted to introduce him to my parents who made me who I am today. I also wanted you to meet the only man I loved. Of course, you’re an exception dad.” She laughed at her own silliness.
“But I guess that would never happen and it was my fault. I’m sorry that I wasn’t able to introduce him to you…”
She didn’t know why but she suddenly felt a rush of wind that passed through her. She should’ve gotten scared since she was inside and there was no way there would be a
wind like that in such a place but she wasn’t. She knew it was her mom and dad.
For her, it felt like they were hugging her assuring her that everything would be all right.
She stayed there for another half an hour before she left to meet Jin.
When she got out of the room, Jin was sitting on one of the chairs outside.
The very moment his eyes caught sight of her, a smile formed on his face. There was no mistaking that she cried so much but he knew it was what she needed. He didn’t care if he needed to wait for more hours.
If it could lessen her pain even just a little bit, he wouldn’t mind waiting no matter how long she would take.
“I’m sorry I took so long.” She sounded apologetic but he felt the change in her voice and it was a good change. She was happy. Really. Happy.
“Not at all. You should’ve stayed longer. You probably missed them a lot.” He smiled at her.
His words should’ve sounded sarcastic but it didn’t. He soudned so sincere that all she could afford to do was be thankful towards the man. She made him wait for five hours and here he was telling her that she should’ve stayed longer. She didn’t hear a single word of complaint from him.
“Thank you Jin. I appreciate this a lot.” She was smiling when she uttered those words and it was a smile that he haven’t seen before. He found himself smiling the moment he saw her sweet and bright smile.
I guess this is how beautiful her true smile is. He thought. It made him happy. He knew they only spent a short time together and today was probably the last time they’re going to see each other. He couldn’t ask for anything more.
“It was nothing.” He meant every word. Seeing her true smile was more than enough for him. He was grateful that he saw it even once.
What made him the happiest was knowing that he was also part of how she got her smile back. He may only did something small but as long as it helped her be happy again then he would love to do it for her. Whatever it was.
He would do anything just to make her even a little bit less sad.