Chapter 45

Mikha POV

It’s been five straight days. Sabihin niyo nang makapal ang mukha ko, but I literally go to Aiah’s house every single day.

I cook food, bring it over, stay in her house, talk about random things, and just laugh. At kapag nandoon ako sinasadya ko, naghahanap talaga ako ng bagay na pwedeng gawin o ayusin. Whether it’s her old door that needs replacing, a small leak on the veranda, or just helping her move some heavy stuff around. I like being useful, but what I love the most is that she just lets me. I can see it in her eyes; she’s enjoying my company just as much as I am secretly craving hers.

Sometimes, my only alibi is that I just want someone to taste my cooking.

“Mas gusto ko kasi magluto kapag nakikita ko yung reaction ng kakain,” palusot ko sa kaniya habang binababa ang mga pinamalengke ko. Simple lang, pero my delivery is always smooth.

About Jhoanna? Bumalik na siya sa Manila dahil sa emergency sa company nila, so ako na lang talaga ang naiwan dito sa rest house.

Pero ang totoong dahilan? I am just completely addicted to seeing Aiah.

Why is she so pretty?

Hindi siya yung gandang nakakasawa, her beauty is loud but elegant. There is something in her aura that is so soft, so comforting, and so effortlessly feminine.

Sa pagtulog ko, Aiah.

Sa paggising ko, Aiah.

Habang nagluluto ako sa umaga, Aiah.

Habang nagto-toothbrush, Aiah pa rin.

Ghad, Mikha Lim, ano bang ginagawa ng babaeng ‘to sa akin? I can’t stop thinking about her.

Sa totoo lang, halos nakalimutan ko na nga kung anong nangyari sa akin-yung tungkol sa amnesia ko. Base on my own computations, I lost at least years of my life, and it was honestly so depressing at first. But the doctor strictly said I shouldn’t force myself to think about it because it’s still too risky for my brain.

And then, there’s Aiah. She helps me so much without even knowing it. Being with her distracts me from digging for answers, because when I’m with her, everything just feels so good. Everything feels perfect.

Bago ako umalis sa bahay niya kahapon, she asked me if I wanted to join her today. Pupunta daw kami sa isang sikat na falls dito sa sitio. Of course, I said yes right away.

Pero kagabi pa ako pinapawisan sa mga imagination ko. Hindi ko yata kakayanin seeing Aiah wearing a swimsuit.

Gzusjsbdhekks Great Neptune!! Parang dudugo ang ilong ko sa isip ko pa lang, kaya halos uminit ang buong mukha ko nung nag-aya siya.

Dug. Dug. Dug.

Nakahalata siya kaya she literally asked me,

“Mikha, why is your face so red?”

“A-ah… ano, ang init kasi! Ang init bigla dito sa loob, haha,” tuliro kong dahilan, halos mautal-utal at mataranta sa hiya habang pinapaypayan ang sarili gamit ang unan.

Then, she suddenly reached out and held my face with both of her hands. Shit. Para akong napaso sa init ng balat niya. Ang lambot ng kamay niya sa pisngi ko, and my heart beat so fast I thought it would explode.

Kaya hanggang sa pag-uwi ko sa rest house, para akong mababaliw. Aiah has this insane power over me. A very strong, dangerous power.

….

Aiah’s POV

Okay na ‘to kesa sa wala. At least, I can feel it-na kahit hindi niya ako naalala, nararamdaman ko na bumabalik pa rin yung dati. I know she still likes me. Kahit hindi niya maalala ang nakaraan namin, ibabalik ko kung ano ang meron kami. I will make her fall in love with me all over again.

Pero ang hirap. Every night na hindi ko siya kasama, I can’t help but to cry, umiiyak ako hanggang makatulog. I miss her so much. I miss her hugs, her touch, her lips… everything she used to do to me. Gabi-gabi akong pinapanalangin na mag-umaga na agad, dahil yun lang ang oras na makakasama si Mikha.

And even though I know she likes me now, I can’t take advantage of her situation. Natatakot ako na baka kapag binigla ko siya, bigla siyang mailang at layuan niya ako. I desperately want to tell her that I am her partner-na kahit hindi pa kami kasal, asawa na ako nag sama kami may anak kami.

But I cannot. It’s for her own good and her safety. Her second life is already a blessing for me, kaya kahit umaga ko lang siya nakakasama for now, titiisin ko.

“I love you, Mikha Lim. No mountain can stop me from loving you. I will do anything. “

Kaya naman ngayong araw, I was so excited. Kung sa past relationship namin ay hindi ko naman ginagawa ang mga ganitong bagay, today, for the sake of love, I will do it.

I packed my most non conservative swimsuit-a black two-piece bikini. Sinuot ko na siya internally, covering it up with my denim shorts and an oversized t-shirt.

I told her we would leave by 10:00 AM, pero 8:00 AM pa lang, nandun na siya. Malakas talaga ang dating niya habang nakasandal sa pickup truck habang naghihintay, bitbit ang mga gamit. She looked incredibly handsome in her casual gear. Napangiti ako habang naglakad palabas.

The weather is absolutely perfect. We were using the red Jeep Gladiator pickup truck-the luxury car na hindi niya maalala na sa kaniya naman talaga.

Siya ang nag-drive nang napaka-smooth habang ako ang taga-turo ng daan.

Malapit lang naman yung falls, kaya around 10:30 AM, nandito na kami sa bungad ng lugar. It was a weekday, at pinili ko talaga yung hindi mataong spot para solong-solo ko si Mikha.

She was walking right behind me, holding all of our things. Na kahit pilitin kopa na tulungan siya ay di siya pumayag.

Kahit marami siyang dala, she moved with this quiet confidence. Hindi pa rin siya nagbabago, napaka-gentleman pa rin.

Sobrang attentive ni Mikha habang naglalakad kami sa medyo madulas na trail. At one point, muntik na nga akong mawalan ng balanse dahil sa basang bato. Pero kahit marami siyang hinahawakan, she still managed to drop a bag instantly and catch me by my waist.

Napasandal ang likod ko sa dibdib niya, and her arms wrapped securely around me. Konti na lang talaga, hindi ko na mapipigilan ang sarili kong lingunin at halikan siya.

Bakit naman kasi sobrang sweet pa rin ng asawa ko? Malas ko lang ngayon dahil hindi niya ako maalala, kaya wala akong magawa kung hindi ang magtimpi. Kahit na gustong-gusto ko siyang i-kiss at pang-gigilan ngayon.

My adorable babi, mapapasakin ka din ulit, sabi ko sa sarili ko habang dahan-dahang tumatayo nang maayos.

Nakarating din kami sa wakas sa 4th falls-the last and most secluded waterfall in the area.

Inayos muna namin yung mga gamit namin sa isang tabi, tapos we talked and laughed about a lot of things. Nakikipag-biruan siya sa index ko, and seeing her smile like that warmed my entire soul.

Maya-maya, naalala ko yung phone ko. Nasa loob pala ng bag ko na naiwan sa loob ng maliit na tent na itinayo namin. I went inside the tent to look for my phone, pero kung minamalas ka nga naman… pagdungaw ko, may isang grupo ng mga tao na biglang dumating din dito sa 4th falls.

At ang si Mikha, kasalukuyang kinakausap ng isang babae mula sa grupong yun.

Ghad. Hindi naman ako mapanglait na tao, pero hindi ko mapigilan yung sarili ko, well yung girl hindi namana talaga kagandahan. But honestly, not today or tomorrow! Kahit sinong poncho pilato pa yan, no one can touch my Mikha. She is mine. My possessive side was instantly on fire.

Natawa na lang ako nang pait sa sarili ko habang nakatanaw sa kanila mula sa tent. Napakatagal na simula nung huli akong makaramdam ng selos na ganito, because Mikha had been so faithful and full of assurance all these years simula nung nagsama kami. She never gave me a reason to doubt. But now na wala siyang maalala? Ipaaalala ko sa kaniya na dapat ako lang. Ako pa rin!

Agad akong lumabas ng tent at naglakad palapit sa kanila, cold and calculated.

“Actually, this is my first time here, but I’m not a traveler,” narinig kong sabi ni Mikha sa babae. At kahit simple lang ang sinasabi niya, her deep voice and calm posture had so much charm. Si Mikha yung tipo ng tao na isang kibot lang, kahit hindi kilala, kakausapin na parang matagal nang magkakilala. Sobrang friendly, na minsan maiinis ka.

“I see… Well, the view is really nice,” sabi nung babae. Pero the way she said it? May laman. She was checking out my Mikha from head to toe that bitch!

Maya-maya pa, mukhang magsho-show off na yung. She started to slowly take off her outer clothes in front of Mikha, pretending na lalangoy na siya sa falls.

But I know her motive. Kitang-kita ko ang galaw ng malilikot niyang mga mata.

Bago pa man makalingon si Mikha para tumingin sa katawan nung babae, tinawag ko na siya mula sa likod gamit ang seryoso kong boses.

“Mikha!”

Agad kong hinawakan nang napakahigpit ang kamay niya, locking my fingers firmly with hers, at hinila siya palayo bago pa siya makasulyap ulit doon sa babae.

Dali-dali ko siyang inilayo sa pwesto na yun at ibinalik sa tapat ng tent namin.

“Aiah? Bakit? What’s wrong? are you okay?” takang-taka niyang tanong habang nakatingin sa magkahawak naming kamay.

Humarap ako sa kaniya, seryoso ang mukha ko habang pinapanindigan ang white lie na naisip ko para hindi niya mapansin na gusto ko nang manapak sa selos.

“Huwag kang basta-basta nakikipag-usap sa mga strangers, Mikha. Lalo na dito sa area na ‘to… baka mausog ka.”

“M-mausog?!”

Biglang nagbago ang mukha ni Mikha. Ang kaninang cool at matikas niyang aura, biglang nag-evaporate. Nanlaki ang mga mata niya at napalunok siya nang malalim. Right, I almost forgot! My bold and handsome Mikha is actually a giant baby when it comes to ghosts, myths, and creepy paranormal things. Takot na takot siya sa mga ganito.

“Oo. Just look at me, okay? Don’t look at locals or strangers… because I heard some weird things about this place,”

seryosong dagdag ko, keeping a straight face kahit gustong-gusto ko na siyang tawanan at kurutin sa kacute-an.

“Look at me only, Mikha. Malinaw ba?”

“S-seryoso ba?” halos pabulong na tanong niya, lumalapit pa nga sa akin at pasimpleng lumingon sa paligid na parang may biglang susulpot na engkanto sa likod ng mga puno.

She swallowed hard, completely taking my words as absolute truth. Ang lakas ng dating niya kanina habang naglalakad, pero ngayon, halos magtago na siya sa likod ko habang hawak pa rin ang kamay ko.

“Oo nga. Kaya huwag ka nang titingin doon sa babae o kung kanino pa. Baka mamaya kung ano pang sumunod sayo pauwi,”

pananakot ko pa lalo, giving her my ultimate possessive look covered as protective concern. Ako lang dapat ang tinitignan mo, Lim.

“Okay, okay! Sayo lang ako titingin. Dito lang ako,” mabilis niyang sagot, her hand gripping mine so tight like her life depended on it.

She looked so flustered, mixed with genuine fear and that heavy, magnetic tension passing between our connected fingers.

Nakita ko kung paano mag-panic ang mga mata niya, pero laking gulat ko nang bigla siyang humakbang paderetso sa akin.

Seeing her look at me with those wide, submissive yet intense eyes made my heart do a violent flip.

I softened my grip, stepping closer until our boundaries blurred completely. I reached up and gently touched her arm.

“Don’t worry,” I whispered softly, staring straight into her gorgeous eyes to assure her. “Don’t be scared… I’m here. I will protect you.”

Mikha let out a shaky breath, nodding quickly as she stared down at me like I was her only safe haven in this world. Ghad, she’s so whipped and she doesn’t even know why.
…

Mikha POV

After that scary realization, we decided to eat first. Nag-ihaw ako ng liempo habang si Aiah was busy slicing the watermelon. After that, she started to peel the green mango, but it looked like she was struggling with the knife.

I paused grilling my inihaw na liempo, walked over, and gently took the mango from her hands.

“Let me peel it for you, Miss Aiah.”

I saw her cheeks instantly flush a deep crimson-well, that was exactly my goal.

The food was incredibly good, syempre ako ang nagluto! We ate a lot, and after that, we cleaned up and washed our hands. Nagbukas din ako ng beer, not to get drunk but just to chill. Inabot ko sa kanya yung isa tapos akin naman yung isa.

Maya-maya, hindi namin namalayan na kaming dalawa nalang pala ang natitira sa 4th falls dahil umalis na yung ibang mga grupo kanina. Geez, that was close. Buti nalang at nandito si Aiah to save my soul.

It was just me and Aiah. I felt completely safe around her, but at the same time, looking at her… I felt a sudden heat rushing through my veins.

Maya-maya pa, we walked near the falls. Medyo mabato ang daan kaya I instinctively held Aiah’s hand, drawing her close to keep her steady. Then, we stopped.

Somehow I don’t know what was wrong with me, but napatulala nalang ako bigla sa kawalan at napabuntong-hininga and make me silent for few minutes.

“Are you okay?” Aiah asked me, her eyes searching mine with genuine concern.

“Yeah, I’m okay, I guess.”

“Cheer up, Miks. Everything will be okay, just trust the process,” she said, giving my hand a gentle, reassuring squeeze.

“Thank you, Aiah.”

“Besides, as long as you’re happy and you’re okay, all is fine… your loved ones will not judge you for who you don’t remember.”

This girl seems like, she read my mind, I said to my self..

“Yeah, you’re right. Thank you again.”

Suddenly, she splashed me with water, her melodic laughter echoing against the rocks.

“Let’s enjoy the day, Mikha!”

I splashed her back, a genuine smile breaking across my face.

“Come with me, magpapakita ako,” she said excitedly, her fingers intertwining with mine as she pulled me along.

I don’t protest sumunod nalang ako.

We crossed over toward the roaring waterfall. I really didn’t have any plans to swim, but I couldn’t even care less because the freezing water was already splashing heavily against our skin. She was just so happy, laughing wildly, and right now, her happiness was my only priority.

She was saying something, but her voice was completely drowned out by the thunderous, roaring sound coming from the falls.

Again, she tried to speak, but hindi ko talaga marinig. She just gripped my hand tightly, giving me a look that made my heart leap, and I followed her blindly.

We dove under, swimming through the rushing current until we finally emerged behind the heavy curtain of water.

Pag-akyat namin sa mga basang bato, there was a hidden cave concealed behind the waterfall. It was absolutely breathtaking-the water inside was a glowing, crystal blue, illuminated by the filtered light piercing through the crashing water.

The atmosphere here was suddenly, intensely romantic. Napatulala nalang ako sa ganda ng paligid. It was magical, para kaming nasa ibang mundo, completely cut off from reality. It was freezing cold inside the cavern, but the way Aiah was looking at me made a dangerous warmth spread through my entire body.

“Beautiful, right?… I told you,” Aiah whispered.

Without the roar of the falls blocking her voice, the quiet inside the cave made her words sound incredibly intimate. The sudden closeness between us created an undeniable, heavy tension.

The air felt thick, electric, and heavily charged with unspoken desires.

“It is so beautiful,” I said, but my eyes weren’t on the crystal cave. They were fixed entirely on her ethereal glowing face.

“Mukha na tayong basang sisiw,”

Aiah laughed softly, a sudden shiver running through her body. “I forgot, dapat nagpalit muna pala tayo.”

“Yeah. Actually, I didn’t have a plan to swim, but I guess it’s worth it.”

Then she casually reached for the hem of her shirt. With this innocent, effortless grace, hinubad niya yung soaked top niya over her head, exposing her damp skin for a second before casually tossing it aside. Sumunod agad yung shorts niya na kumakapit pa sa balat niya dahil basa,revealing the simple black swimwear.

Everything about the way she moved felt so natural and soft, but somehow it still made my chest tighten and my thoughts completely stop.

​No, no, no. This is not happening. This is not a drill!

​Gulat na gulat ako. As in, nataranta ang buong sistema ko sa bigla kong nakita. I was imagining this last night, pero ngayon na nasa harap ko na mismo? I don’t think I can handle this!

​Underneath, she was wearing a stunning, ultra-sexy swimwear. It hugged every single curve of her body flawlessly, accentuating her slender waist, her toned abs, and the soft swell of her hips.

Ghad. Napa tulala ako nang malala. Literal na napanganga ako at napatitig sa kanya, totally frozen by how jaw-droppingly beautiful and gorgeous she looked.

Droplets of water glistened on her spotless, glowing skin, and my brain completely short-circuited.

Oh Lord, tulong, ano ba itong nakikita ko?!

Suddenly, my inner panic kicked in. Realizing how intensely I was staring, bigla kong iniwas yung paningin ko, my cheeks burning like crazy. I looked down at the ground, my heart hammering violently against my ribs.

Aiah noticed my sudden panic and how I quickly looked away. Her breath hitched, her chest rising and falling heavily as a shy blush crawled up her neck.

“Amm… I’m-I’m sorry. Are you not comfortable?”

“No-no! It’s okay! Galawgaw lang talaga ako, I mean-”

I stammered, my voice cracking slightly as I fumbled over my words, desperately trying to hide how flustered I was. I took a deep breath to calm my racing heart and forced myself to look back at her.

“Just that-just, I admire you. You have a great figure, Aiah,” I admitted, my voice dropping to a low, husky tone.

“Thanks, Miks,” Aiah murmured, a beautiful, dark blush deepening on her face.

At that moment, my mind was in absolute chaos. I didn’t care anymore how much of a stranger Aiah supposedly was to my past. Stranger who? Sino ba may pake sa amnesia ngayon?! None of that mattered. I was completely magnetized, entirely intoxicated, drawn in by a magnetic pull I had no desire to fight.

“Can you hold this please? I just…” Aiah handed her damp clothes to me.

Her fingers brushed against mine, and the brief contact felt like a literal electric shock, making me gulp hard. Gasping for air mentally kasi baka himatayin ako dito.She seemed completely unaware of the absolute chaos she was causing in my chest.

She reached up, slowly gathering her long, wet hair to tie it into a high bun.

Aiah finished tying her hair into a high bun, her arms slowly dropping back to her sides. Looking at her like this, completely breathtaking and bare in front of me, my mind was in absolute chaos.

Aiah, kung ano man ang ginagawa mo sa akin, gumagana.I couldn’t think straight. Her skin was glistening under the dim blue light of the cave, and all I could focus on was how incredibly beautiful she was.

As she went to step closer to me on the damp, uneven ground, her foot suddenly slipped on the slick surface of the rock.

“Ah!” she gasped, losing her balance.

Bago pa siya matumba, my instincts completely took over. Aiah-! I lunged forward and caught her, my arms securely locking around her waist to pull her flat against my body.

The collision of our bodies was instant and electric. Dahil nga tinanggal niya yung damit niya at naka-swimwear nalang, there was nothing but thin, damp fabric separating us. Our bare skin brushed together, and a jolt of pure, unadulterated heat shot straight up my spine. Ang init. I hard-swallowed, gasping for air mentally.

The sensation of her soft curves pressing flush against my chest and hips made my head spin. I could feel the rapid, frantic pounding of her heart against my own, and the sudden, intimate friction of our bodies made the temperature in the cave skyrocket.

Anonggagawin ko?! Lalayo? No, I didn’t want to let go. Instead, my grip tightened on her waist, anchoring her tightly to me.

Aiah’s hands rested on my shoulders for support, her fingers digging slightly into my skin.

She looked up at me, her lips parting as she tried to say something, but her voice was nothing more than a breathless whisper, completely swallowed by the heavy air of the cave.

“What?” I asked, my voice dropping into a low, husky tone as I leaned down closer to hear her. Gulp.I felt so tense, my throat completely dry despite all the water around us.

To hear me better, she tilted her head up, closing the remaining distance between our faces. Now, we were closer than we had ever been. Our breath hitched at the same time. An absolute, heavy silence fell over the cavern, leaving only the sound of our ragged, synchronized breathing filling the space between our lips.

Neither of us moved. Neither of us could look away.

Looking down at her, seeing the way her wet skin glistened and feeling the perfect, agonizing curve of her body pressed so tightly against mine, a breaking point snapped inside my head. I didn’t care anymore about who I was, how we met, or how much of a stranger Aiah was supposed to be to my past. Sinong stranger? Stranger who?! None of that mattered anymore. I was completely magnetized, utterly intoxicated by her presence.

The urge to taste her became an absolute, roaring fire in my veins. The air between our faces felt thick and heavily charged with a mutual, burning lust. We were both drowning in it, our eyes darting down to each other’s lips, both of us thinking about the exact same thing-the desperate, undeniable need to kiss.

Suddenly, Aiah’s gaze darkened. The last drop of her innocence completely melted away, replaced by a raw, possessive hunger that mirrored exactly what I was feeling.

She looked up at me with a deep, pleading longingness, and she became incredibly bold.

Her fingers slid up from my shoulders, anchoring firmly behind my neck, pulling me down slightly.

“Mikha…” she breathed, her voice trembling with pure passion.

“Aiah?” I whispered back, my hands tracing the smooth skin of her lower back, pressing her body even closer until there wasn’t a single inch of space left between us.

“Can I kiss you?” she asked, her eyes locking onto my lips.

I didn’t say a word. I just gave her a slow, intense nod.

The moment I nodded, Aiah didn’t wait. She completely took over. She claimed my lips with a wild, possessive force that made my knees go weak.

It was a deep, consuming kiss that instantly exploded with fire. Aiah kissed me like she wanted to own me, her tongue sliding past my lips with an intense hunger that left me completely breathless. She was so aggressive, so hungry, but underneath all that lust, I could feel the overwhelming weight of her love pouring into me. It was there in the way she held me-her grip tightening on my hair, pulling me into her as if she was saving my soul all over again.

I felt something completely magical shifting inside me. The kiss was consuming me entirely, burning away every doubt, every fear, and every question about my lost memories.

I didn’t care about the past anymore. Right here, wrapped in her arms, feeling her hot skin and her possessive touch, I felt like I finally belonged somewhere.

My hands moved possessively over the curves of her waist and hips, lifting her up slightly against the wet rock wall.

Aiah let out a soft, needy moan into my mouth, deepening the kiss even more. Our bodies were pressed so tight together, feeling every curve, every heartbeat, and every inch of hot skin. We were completely tangled behind the roaring waterfall, entirely drunk and lost in the fire of each other’s touch.

Habol-habol namin ang hininga ng bawat isa nang dahan-dahang maghiwalay ang mga labi namin. The heavy roar of the waterfall outside slowly filled the silence of the cave again, pero pareho lang kaming nakatitig sa isa’t isa, utterly shocked at completely speechless.
Walang nagsalita. No one dared to break the spell of what just happened.

In silence, we carefully swam back under the roaring curtain of water and made our way back. Mabilis kaming nagpalit ng tuyong damit, packed up our things, and decided to go home. The entire ride back was quiet, but it wasn’t an uncomfortable silence-it was the kind of quiet where your mind is screaming because of too many thoughts.

Habang nakatingin ako sa labas ng bintana, I knew one thing for sure. That burning kiss behind the waterfall changed everything between us.

…….

🌈🌈🌈 Sigh… 🙃🙃 Hello guys hope you all fine, don’t give up in life okay?