After what happened, the Lady felt vulnerable—the jolly spark she had was gone. She dropped the mic and quietly returned to their corner table. Markl followed, wanting to comfort her but afraid to say the wrong thing. He simply pulled out a chair and let her sit in silence.
After a few minutes, he looked at her and finally said, “Are you okay?” Immediately, he cringed—she’d warned him not to ask boring questions.
The Lady glanced up, her eyes regaining their shine. “Boring question,” she teased with a faint smile.
Markl exhaled in relief. “My bad,” he smirked.
“Anyway, thanks for the ice cream—and the boring question. It’s getting late.”
They stood and walked outside. Markl wanted to offer his hand but hesitated, respecting her space. She noticed—and liked that. For once, it felt like the most genuine gesture she’d ever had.
"So this is it?" Markl said, worried, flickering in his eyes.
The lady replied without hesitation, a smile glowing on her face. "Yes, this is my way. I'm heading to my hotel. How about you?"
"I just ate ice cream, so I think I'll walk a couple more minutes," Markl said, trying to sound casual.
"Goodbye, Mark L," the lady said. She tilted slightly to the side, hands behind her back, her smile almost reaching her eyes.
"Please don't say goodbye," Markl replied. The eerie tremble in his voice gave him away.
"Do you have separation anxiety, Mark L?" she teased with a playful tone, though there was warmth beneath her words.
"Not really. I just don't like that word. Let's just say 'see you around' even if we're never going to see each other again," he answered.
“Never gonna see each other again? That’s so pessimistic of you,” the lady said, squinting her eyes, half amused.
“I’m just expecting the worst outcome possible. Unlike the people who built the Chernobyl power plant,” Markl shrugged.
She chuckled softly. “Always expect the unexpected. Maybe all the stars will collide tonight and the universe will let us meet again.”
“If all the stars collided right now and that’s the end of humanity, I wouldn’t like that,” he said, forcing a small laugh.
“Come on, Mark L,” she nudged him lightly. “Stop being nerdy. Just accept my figure of speech.”
He thought for a second, hand brushing his chin. “Hmm Okay, just for today I’ll let the stars collide. But I still hate the idea that the universe controls our fate.”
“You need faith Mark L, Just like you said, faith— is the strongest of them all. Have some faith in the universe.”
Markl smiled faintly. “Okay, I won’t argue anymore.”
"Okay. See you around, Mark L."
She waved and walked away.
As he continued down the street, headphones on, Markl couldn't help but think about the lady he had just met. Their conversation replayed in his mind like a favorite scene from a movie. It was the only time he truly felt like himself. The only time he felt someone actually understood him.
Then he remembered something she said.
"Damn. Why didn't I flip the words she said about separation anxiety, maybe it’s too late already?" he whispered to himself, smirking.
“I’m so dumb. I should’ve at least asked for her number or social media but that would reveal her identity. I guess that won’t work either” he muttered, stomping his foot in frustration.
He kept walking, a smile stuck to his face, his mind replaying every laugh, every line they exchanged. He was thinking too deep, drifting into another world—his daydream world—where he and her were walking down the streets together with no destination, no plans, just enjoying each other’s company. Then Markl’s foot hit a fire hydrant and reality snapped back.48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbCWX8oB9LR
“Fuck!!! That hurt,” Markl said, grabbing his shin, pain sharp in his voice. “God damn woman, it felt like she enchanted me. I guess you’re the little magic girl, not me.”
An old man along the street looked up from his small stool. “Be careful, young man,” the old man said.
“Hey, Grandpa Phon!” Markl said, limping a bit as he approached, suddenly joyful to see him.
“This is the first time seeing you smile after all the years you’ve been walking here on this street,” Grandpa Phon said, squinting at him with a grin.
“Hmm, you could say that, Grandpa Phon.”
“You must be in love. Who is this woman?”
“No—”
The old man cut him off with a wave of his hand.48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFKaB1sgIlV
“So it must be a guy.”
Both of them burst into laughter, Grandpa Phon slapping his knee, Markl shaking his head.
“You must’ve been a comedian back in the day, Grandpa Phon.”
“I’m indeed,” he said, straightening proudly, “but I’m happy for you, kid. Seeing you smile and laugh.”
“Thank you, Grandpa Phon.”
“How long has it been, kid, since we became friends?”
“It’s been 3 years, Grandpa Phon.”
“Time passed quickly,” he said, leaning back in his chair. “I remember when you first bought my paintings. You didn’t just buy from me—you also wanted to learn. But unlucky for you, I don’t accept students.”
“Yes, I remember it vividly.”48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJDRHjL3Kpl
Markl sat beside him, resting his elbows on his knees. “Grandpa Phon, can I ask you a favor?”
“What is it, kid?”
“I would like you to draw her.”
“No problem, kid. Just describe her to me.”
Markl took a breath and looked down at his hands, as if her image was printed on them. Then he spoke with passion. “Hmm… where do I start? Her face is sweet and angelic, her cheeks are smooth and soft—you can feel it without touching it. Her lips are red as roses, and when she smiles it’s so comforting. Her teeth are perfect. Her nose is pointed, but not too small or big. Her eyes—oh my god, her eyes are the most beautiful thing in this world. When I look at her eyes, it seems like there’s a sparkle inside. Her hair is long and a little curly, with plenty of color—a combination of blue and purple.”
Grandpa Phon paused his sketching hand, nodding slowly. “I can fully say you are in love, boy.”
“I don’t know, Grandpa Phon,” Markl muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. “I don’t want some false hope.”
“I don’t see any false hope, kid,” he said, tapping Markl’s chest lightly. “All I can see in you right now is hope.”
“Thank you, Grandpa Phon. I’ll think about it.”
“When I’m done with the photo, I want you to follow her. Just wait for a couple of minutes. Maybe, as usual, you can listen to your headphones while waiting.”
“You already knew what I’m about to do, Grandpa Phon.”
The old man didn’t reply. Instead, he simply smiled knowingly.
Markl put on his headphones. Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” blasted into his ears.
"Look, if you had one shot or one opportunity48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMcQsCuNtqA
To seize everything you ever wanted48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfrLTDppojT
In one moment48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBAQwIW0NE7
Would you capture it or just let it slip?"
The lyrics struck him like a lightning bolt.
He argued with himself in his head, pacing a little. “Just let it go, man. She’s a tourist—who knows, she might be going home tomorrow.”
Grandpa Phon pointed at him with his pencil.48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhDfrTF7F4c
“Go now, kid!”
Markl turned around and sprinted back. He ran faster than he ever had before, weaving through the crowd, his heart pounding. He kept running, hoping he could still catch up to her, his eyes wide open, searching desperately for any sign of her.
“She’s not hard to find—her outfit stands out among the rest. Thanks to her fashion sense,” he said to himself, clinging to that small spark of hope.
He kept running until he passed the ice cream shop they’d been to.
His mind was now completely blank—like he was on autopilot—with only one mission: to find the lady.
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Thirty minutes passed. Still no sign of her.
His legs finally gave up. He stopped, gasping for air, and sank down to the pavement.
He looked up at the sky, memories flooding back. “When was the last time I smiled genuinely?” he wondered. “Did I really smile that day—or was it just a moment before everything fell apart?”
He didn’t know the answer. Maybe those smiles had turned into the same emptiness he felt now.
He closed his eyes, trying to remember—a time when happiness was simple, back when he was just a teenager living in the moment. He dug deeper and deeper into his memories. The crowded city around him began to grow quieter; the foreign language he’d been hearing slowly shifted into something familiar. The night sky and stars he was gazing at turned into a ceiling. The strangers around him transformed into teenagers in school uniforms. He looked around, realizing—this was his old school back in the Philippines.
"Mr. Markl! Mr. Markl!" a loud voice echoed from the other side of the room. He could barely hear it at first—until he realized it was Mrs. Cruz, his chemistry teacher. A terror in class, but a genius in her field. Markl actually liked her; she was one of the smartest and most dedicated teachers he’d ever had.
He shot up from his seat, still half-asleep. “Yes, Ma’am!”
The whole class burst into laughter.
“Were you sleeping in my class, Mr. Markl?”
“No, Ma’am! I was just taking a necessary power nap while thinking of the answer to your question, Madam.”
Laughter erupted again, even louder this time.
Mrs. Cruz squinted at him. “Don’t you dare talk to me like that. Now—tell me the answer.”
Markl straightened up, pretending to think deeply. “An element has only one type of atom, while a compound is made of two or more different elements chemically combined.”
Her expression softened. “That’s correct. Sit down, Mr. Markl.”
The class applauded him like he’d just saved them from a pop quiz.
He wiped the sweat from his forehead and muttered under his breath, “Oh, fuck… that was close.”
A hand poked his shoulder from behind. “Bro, what’s up with you? You’ve been half-asleep for days. That’s not like you,” Howard whispered.
“I’m fine,” Markl said, forcing a smile. “Just been having trouble sleeping these past few nights.”
“Why? Something bothering you? Me and the troupe are getting worried, man. Straighten yourself up,” Howard said, his tone soft but concerned.
Markl sighed, eyes softening. “My mom’s coming home after years. I can’t wait to see her.”
Howard grinned. “That’s good, bro. We were worried for nothing. No wonder you’ve been smiling nonstop lately.”
“Yeah,” Markl chuckled. “That’s the main reason.”
Howard smirked. “We thought you and Kiana finally got together.”
“Not yet,” Markl said, laughing.
The two chuckled quietly until Mrs. Cruz snapped her head toward them. “Mr. Markl and Mr. Howard! Do you both want to stand outside until my class is over?”
“No, Ma’am!” they shouted in unison, sitting up straight immediately.
Markl leaned closer and whispered, “Let’s just focus on class, bro.”
Howard snorted, barely holding in his laugh.
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A 15-year-old Markl was thrilled to go home. Today was special—his mom was finally coming back from Japan after five long years of working overseas. He couldn’t stop staring at the clock.
It was only 4 o’clock. Time crawled when you waited for something, yet flew when you were running out of it. “Focus on class,” he muttered to himself.
When the bell rang, he shot up and rushed through the hallway, bumping into other students without apology. He jumped on his bike and pedaled as fast as he could.
When he arrived home, his heart stopped. His mom was standing there—elegant in high-end clothes, her face angelic but her eyes cold. Instead of warmth, he felt a chill.
“Hi, Mom. I’m glad you’re here,” he said, hugging her tightly.
She didn’t hug him back.
“Nice to see you again, son. You’ve grown a lot,” she said flatly.
Markl felt the coldness of her tone. The excitement, the happiness, the trembling heartbeat he had felt all day suddenly faded. The illusion of the loving mother he had imagined shattered instantly.
"What's wrong, Mom?" he asked.
“Nothing, son. I came here to fix the papers for our annulment,” she said coldly.
Markl was stunned. It felt like the universe was collapsing around him.
His mother noticed that the boy clearly knew nothing about this. "So your father didn't say anything?"
“You must be kidding, right? I just saw on the news—there’s no divorce here in the Philippines!” Markl’s voice cracked in disbelief.
“It’s not divorce, son. It’s annulment,” Andrea corrected calmly.
“That’s exactly my point!” he shot back. “I learned from the news that annulment means nullifying a marriage. How can you nullify something that’s already lasted for years? That’s impossible!”
Andrea sighed and looked away. “Everything is possible, son—when money talks.”
Markl’s eyes widened. “I can’t believe you just said that, Mom.”
“You’re too young to understand how the world really works,” she replied, her tone softening for a moment, though her eyes stayed distant.
A tall man entered wearing a suit and tie. Around his early fifties, his expression was so stoic that no one could tell what he was feeling. He always wore the same fake smile.
"Markl and Andrea, you finally see each other again after such a long time," the man said.
"Dad!How could you not tell me anything?!" Markl asked, anger and hurt mixing in his voice.
“I must’ve forgotten,” Marvin replied, still wearing that fake smile.
"Let's go inside and settle this together as a family," he suggested.
"There is no family anymore, Marvin," Andrea snapped.
"How can you be so cruel in front of your son?" Marvin asked.
"Let us finish this as soon as possible so I can leave this place immediately," Andrea said, emotionless.
Marvin did not reply and just walked toward the house. Markl followed him, eyes filling with tears as he tried not to cry at the truth and the scene unfolding before him.
After an hour, the three of them sat together, having their dinner for the last time.48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ321DwURI7
The room was quiet—only the sound of spoons clinking against plates. No one dared to speak first.
“How long are you gonna stay here, Andrea?” Marvin finally asked, his tone steady but tired.
“Until our annulment is done,” Andrea replied coldly, not looking at him.
“Aren’t you gonna stay for a while? At least... for your son?” he pressed, trying to meet her eyes.
“No. The longer I stay here, the longer I have to see your dead face. I can’t wait for the day I’ll never see it again,” she said sharply, her fork clattering against the plate.
“You really hate me that much?” Marvin asked, voice low, almost pleading.
“Yeah. I hate every moment with you. No question about that,” she said, her tone cutting like glass.
Markl looked between them, his hands trembling slightly under the table. “Did you guys ever love each other?” he asked, his voice small and shaking.
“I never loved your father, Markl,” Andrea said firmly, her eyes blank.
“You don’t have to say that to him,” Marvin replied, his calm voice cracking for the first time.
“He deserves the truth,” Andrea continued, staring straight at her son. “He’s old enough now. I never loved your father. Not once. I’m disgusted by his fake smile and his overly kind personality. I only married him because he helped me during college. He paid for everything and then asked me to marry him. I was young and foolish. I said yes just to finish my degree. I used him, thinking maybe I’d learn to love him eventually.” She paused, her eyes softening for a split second. “But love doesn’t work like that. It doesn’t just appear over time.”
“That’s enough,” Marvin said, his voice rising, trembling with pain.
Andrea slammed her hand on the table. “Did you ever tell your son why I hate you? You trapped me in this life, Marvin! I was young—so young—and I regret every moment. I wish I could turn back time and enjoy my youth. But you took it all away from me!”
Marvin clenched his fists. “That’s not true. You loved me—and I loved you more than you did.”
“Stop being delusional, Marvin! Stop lying to yourself!” Andrea’s voice broke. “You weren’t the perfect husband or the perfect father!”
Her breathing grew heavier, her hands trembling in anger. “You didn’t give me freedom. I was your trophy wife. Only a trophy wife. I had no voice, no opinion in this house. You never saw me for who I was, or who I could be. I was your slave.”
Marvin’s eyes widened. “How could you say that, Andrea? You were never—”
“Stop that tone, Marvin!” she shouted, tears welling in her eyes. “Stop being so passive-aggressive! Yes, I was your slave. Every decision was yours—what I wore, where we lived, even having a child! You never asked me if I wanted this life” she pointed at him angrily.
“Can you guys please stop this nonsense?” Markl shouted, slamming his hand on the table. His voice echoed through the house.
For the first time, he saw his father show real emotion. Marvin’s fake smile was gone—his eyes filled with pain and regret.
“Okay, Mom. I understand. Maybe you don’t love Dad.” Markl’s lips trembled. “But do you love me, Mother?”
Andrea looked at him. Her voice softened, trembling. “I love you, my son.”
“You love me?” Markl’s tears rolled down his cheeks. “I was so happy when I heard you were coming home. I couldn’t sleep for days. I was counting every hour just to see you again. I wanted to hug you... like this.” He wiped his eyes. “And now you’re leaving.”
“I’m sorry, son,” Andrea said gently, trying to keep her voice steady. “You’re too young to understand now. One day, when you grow older, you’ll understand what I’ve been through. I hope when that time comes, you’ll open your heart... and see me.”
“How can you say you love me when you’re leaving me like I’m nothing?” Markl said, his voice breaking. “I’m your son, Mother. If this is what love means, then screw it. I don’t want love. But please... don’t leave us.”
Andrea stood, her shoulders shaking. She leaned down, kissed his forehead, and whispered, “I’m so sorry, Markl. Goodbye... for now, my son.”
"Goodbye?" Markl repeated, stunned.
The word echoed in his head again and again.
"Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye, goodbye."
He covered his ears, shaking. "Stop! Make it stop!"
He ran upstairs to his room, still covering his ears, still hearing his mother's voice haunting him. He closed his eyes tight until exhaustion forced him into sleep.
A voice called out to him.
"Markl, Markl, wake up!"
"Is she still there?" he mumbled, his voice sleepy as he squinted through blurry vision.
"Markl, Markl, wake up!"
The deep voice slowly shifted into a softer one.
"Markl, Mark L, Mark L."
"Is she still there?" he asked again.
His eyes adjusted. It wasn't his father. It was a lady. Quirky hair. Quirky outfit. The lady.
"Are you okay, Mark L?" she asked.
He fully woke up, suddenly embarrassed. The girl he was desperately chasing was now standing right in front of him.
"What's wrong with you, man?" the lady asked. "A few minutes ago you were sprinting down the street like a robber, and now you're sleeping on the sidewalk like a homeless guy. Wait... are you homeless? Or a robber? I wouldn't be surprised if you were both."
Instead of defending himself against her teasing, Markl simply smirked. Just hearing her voice again made something in him feel alive.
"Maybe I am," he replied.
"I think you're going insane, man," the lady said.
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