till i see you again

What a busy day… lotta work from here to there… everyone crams just to finish task per task… scheduled seminars, unfinished business meetings, emergency meeting with the executives and even the simplest call from the cellphones doesn’t end… what a heck! Everyone needs a break…

“Good morning Sir…” everyone greeted as I entered as if the world stops just to greet me good morning… then the work continue…

“Sir, you have an appointment with Mr. Tan of the Conseco Industries, you also have a lunch meeting with the executives and the share holders at 1:00pm… And…”

“Please… kindly put all the scheduled meetings on my table…” I said…

“Yes Sir… Do you need anything else Sir? The secretary asked with her head bowed.

“Just Milo… my energy drink…” I said with a smirk and she went away…

“I need a break…” I said as I went inside my office.

I headed directly on my table… sit… and looked at the windows where you would have the whole glimpse of Makati…

“So how’s life being the C.E.O of Go Bao Long Industries?” a voice from my back was heard… it’s my best friend… James Chua, C.E.O of Islands and Roses Corporation.

“How’s Clifford Justin Go, or should I say how’s the only boy of the Go family?” he asked sarcastically.

“Damn! Will you shout up James? Haven’t you observed? I’m too busy with these piles of work? And you kept on asking how’s me? Well, to tell you honestly, I NEED A BREAK!!!” I answered.

“Hehehe… I guess you need too… you sounded like a mad dragon GO BAO LONG…”

“Stop calling me in that name Chu Han Tae…”

“’Ok… you said it…” he said with a smirk.

I, Go Bao long… or mostly known as Clifford Justin Go, one of the busiest bachelors in the whole world…

Yes, I’m already 29 years old, still single due to work, work and work… The eldest of the Go clan and their only son…

Since I was a child I don’t even understand the word “vacation”… I was trained every Saturday and Sunday at the temple for martial arts and from Monday to Friday I studied Arithmetic, different languages, ethics and even economics…

James and I were trained to be leaders of our clan… because in our culture men dominate women…

I was focused on family business… all the things I would do are already planned and written on the planner of my secretary…

Would I still change? Can I do things without being planned?

Can I?

Everything’s changed when James suddenly came to my office with a very big smile on his face and holding something…

“Hi Bro!” he said. “Sorry for disturbing you but I need to tell you something…”

“Ok go on…”

“Bro, I have tickets for 2 weeks vacation in Puerto Galera… would you like to join?”

“No Thanks…”

“Bro, white sand, clear waters, and hot babes in bikinis…”

“No thanks…”

“Bro… please… this is your time to have a break… Don’t worry me would take care of your business…”

I looked at him and continued my work…

“Will you listen to me Mr. Perfectionist!” he shouted.

“Looked Bro, this is your only chance… you would be having a break for 2 weeks and that wasn’t bad at all… besides you’ll get some rest…”

“So, where’s the point?”

“The point here is… the break you wanted will be granted! Besides Bro, this is the first time you’ll be having a break… you need this I tell you…”

He then put the tickets on my table and left my office…

I looked at it…

Would I come?

Wouldn’t I?

Oh… Come on…

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“Bye Cliff! Hope you’ll be having a great time there… don’t forget to tell me ‘bout babes in bikinis!” James shouted.

I boarded the plane and off I go to Puerto Galera… where in white sand, clear water and bikini bodies are waiting… Hehehe…

After 45 minutes ride, we’re already there… I can feel the cold breeze coming from the bay… People waving as if they knew me…

“Welcome to Puerto Galera Mr. Go!” the owner of the hotel greeted me… “Rm. 506 will be your room. Hope you’ll love staying here…” then handed me the keys.

I was assisted by the Bell boy and keyed my room… I went in… directly went to the veranda and looked at the beach…

“This is life…” I said.

I didn’t even realize my life will change because of a single vacation…

First day isn’t bad I guess… as James said white sand… clear waters… and babes in bikinis are all here…

I walked and walked until I get tired… I sat at the nearby old log and watch the whole place as the sunset…

It is really good… this is the only time I appreciate things… then I record everything with my handy cam…

Then I saw this girl walking along the shore… alone… also appreciating things as I do… I continue looking at her using my camera…

She is beautiful… definitely, simple beauty I ever wanted… I’m longing to have…

Then she lost her consciousness and falls on to the white sand of Puerto…

I ran towards her and directly went to the island clinic…

“Due to drunkenness…” the doctor stated… “Thank you for bringing her here…” he said.

“That’s ok… I’d be going now…” I replied.

Morning came, and as expected I again had my stroll… having pictured all the scenery but yet something’s missing…

I went inside the souvenir shop to look for “pasalubongs” when I accidentally bumped to someone at my back…

“I’m so sorry… I didn’t even realize that…” I paused and looked back… this can’t be… It was the girl yesterday…

“That’s ok… you’re new here I guess…” she said.

“Yup… first time…” I replied.

“I see… any ways, I am Kim… you are?” She asked with a smile.

“Cliff… I am Cliff…”

“You are new here… you don’t even have any companion? You might get loss...” she said.

“Don’t worry, I have a map…”

“What is this map of Puerto? That was useless… you wouldn’t appreciate the whole place with this junked… Hehehe… I think everything you do was all planned huh?”

“Yah… I was used to it…”

“Hehehe… now let me show you, new strategy on how you’d be responding time without any scheduled task…”

She then grabbed my hand and accompanied me along…

Indeed she’s right… the place is more beautiful than expected… especially the setting sun…

It is more beautiful… and so was she…

“So you are a management graduate and one of the Go clans… that’s why you’re like that…” she said as we were eating dinner.

“Yah... everything in that building are stressors… everything were just papers… papers, papers… you? What do you do for living?”

“Me? I’m just a simple person… owns a restaurant in the heart of Makati… live a simple life without stressors… I am a HRM graduate…”

She’s too beautiful being a HRM graduate… everything went nice, smooth, and slow…

With her, there’s no dull moment… I even enjoyed my two weeks with her… we went to the mountains, enjoyed the banana boat, we even go snorkeling… everything was heaven…

Then I received an invitation… a party with the entire guest in the beach…

Does she have a date?

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As I was busy talking to other guest, an urge forced me to lock back…

I saw her going down from the stairs wearing blue singled strapped gown… damn, she was gorgeous… I was stunned for a moment…

She fixed my hair and said, “You looked handsome today…” I smiled at her and lead her the way…

We walked at the shore, hands together… silent… listening to one’s breathing…

“Tomorrow’s the last day Cliff… You’ll be back with the real world…”

“Yah… but before that… may I ask… do you believe in true love?”

“Hehehe… might be yes… might be no…”

“Me, I do…” I said sincerely and gently kissed her on her lips…

“I’m in love with you…” then she walked away…

After that incident I didn’t saw her… I didn’t even said goodbye… I didn’t have a chance to tell her what I really feel…

I went back in the real world… but I became quiet, sad, and even caught staring at nowhere… I just think of her all day long…

Maybe I was wrong… really wrong… we’d only met for 2 weeks and I’d already fall for her… seriously…

Days, weeks, months passed but I haven’t seen her… I even went to her restaurant but she’s not there…

5 months passed and as expected I went back to Puerto hoping I could see her again… I’m longing for her…

Then I went for a stroll… nothing has changed… even the arrangements…

I directly went to the souvenir shop and “ouch!” that voice…

I looked back and saw her… pale… sunken eyes as if she was totally ill…

“Kim? Is that you?” I asked.

“Hi Cliff!” she tends to give me a weak smile… I know there’s something wrong with her…

“What happened to you?” I asked.

She then holds my hand and we took some stroll… hand in hand… still quiet…

“I have leukemia Cliff… I had few more days to live…” she said seriously… looking directly unto my eyes as if she is leaving me…

All I can do is hug her… no words came out of me… I just hug her and cry…

“Cliff… that’s why I don’t want you to fall for me… but I guess I couldn’t stop it… and I too felt it… and now I’m afraid to die because of you… I love you Cliff…”

Upon hearing it, I smiled… I indeed was happy… I didn’t even realize she too felt it…

Due to her sickness, I make it to the point that she’ll live her life to the fullest…

I decided to conduct a proposal, a weeding proposal for her…

That night, she dressed up more beautiful than before… I approached her and lead the way…

We had a fine dining… nice music… and perfect place…

I held out my hand, “can I have this dance?” I asked.

“With pleasure…” she answered.

We then glide to the floor and dance… I give the queue to the orchestra and play one of the music we liked…

I looked at her intently, and then kneel in front of her…

“Will you marry me Kim?” I asked.

“Yes… I would...” she said…

I stood up and hugged her…

Everything went fast… the marriage was conducted at the beach…

I made her life a heaven… I make it to the fact that everything would be ok…

“Hon, I liked to go to the shore would you come with me?” she said.

“Why not…” and we went to the shore… exactly for the sunset…

Everything was perfect… silent and steady… but the heavens seem so cold… seems so sad…

“Everything has changed Cliff… Everything seems to be fine… perfectly arranged… my life changed because of you… you made my life complete… before, I was just a hopeless person, just waiting for my time… but that change, I learned to fight just for you…”

“You also did the same for me… I learned to live my life without being dictated by planner… you made me whole Kim…”

We watched the sun as it set… quietly snuggled together…

“Cliff… please takes good care of you… I love you…”

“Was that her last word?” I thought.

“I love you too Kim… till eternity…”

I hugged her tightly… winds blown softly… sunset… Kim slowly closed her eyes… uttered her last words, “I love you Cliff…”

Tears rolled down my eyes as she lies lifeless unto my arms…

Kim, my only one, my all… she’s gone now… leaving me behind… with her is my heart and my soul…

Kim, will always stay unto my heart… memories will fade I know, but I’ll never forget that somehow, someday we will see each other… and I’ll never forget that once I fall for a girl at first sight and fall harder than expected…

Kim, I will miss her… I’ll be longing for her… and continuously think of her… she will always stay…

And I will always fall in love for her this way…