Chapter 46: The Dress
I stood at the edge of the railing of this rooftop, drinking wine while taking in the view of the busy street. Everyone was rushing as if they were running out of time. All of them would disappear one day, but I would still be here.
Death. It was the fate of everyone. I couldn't say that we were excluded from that conclusion, but if we were more cautious, we could last forever. We would last until the end of time if there even were.
Living an eternal life was not as simple as it seemed from a narrow perspective. We suffer more than we conquer. Maybe that was why we were bestowed with anomalistic strength and obsidian skin. So we could overcome.
It would have been so much easier to progress if they could have also taken our ability to feel something. It's difficult to remember and even more difficult to forget.
I remember everything.
I know there's a way to reset my memory, but it also requires a piece, if not all, of myself. But now that I think about it, everything seemed so pointless. These memories seemed pointless.
I sipped my wine, but it became frozen due to the cold weather. Mukhang napatagal ang pagmumuni-muni ko. Padilim na rin ang kalangitan.
It's almost time.
"Kristan already left." Hestia stood beside me. "He will be fine."
I nodded. "Good. Everything is settled now."
A cold gust of wind pushed my hair back. The sky had become darker than usual. The storm was howling from afar, ready to sweep away the moonlight or set fire to the sky.
Naramdaman kong hinawakan ni Hestia ang braso ko. Sinandal niya ang ulo rito. Pareho kaming nakatulala sa kawalan.
"Let's put an end to this, Nathalia," she said quietly. Her voice sounded exhausted but hopeful. "Gusto ko nang magpahinga."
I swallowed the lump in my throat.
Be composed.
Kristan was already gone when I returned to the apartment, just as Hestia had said. Hindi ko na uli siya kinausap maghapon. I barely spoke with Hestia. Maghapon akong nagkulong sa kwarto bago nagpasya na umakyat sa rooftop.
I just couldn't wrap my head around everything I had just thought about.
The time was ticking, and my time here was nearly up.
When I entered the shower room, I was taken aback by the red rose petals scattered on the floor. Scented candles were also lit up. Everything was perfectly aligned and prepared.
Alam kong wala ng panahon si Kristan para sa ganito. Malamang na si Hestia mismo ang naghanda nito para sa akin.
I stripped down and walked slowly to the bathtub, not stepping on any rose petals. My favorite scent was also the aroma of the water.
Everything was red, just like how it started.
Hindi ako nagtagal doon dahil gahol na rin kami sa oras. Nag-ayos na ako na tumagal din ng halos isang oras. That's something I would never rush.
I stood in front of the mirror. It reflected a woman with straight brunette hair and a fierce expression. She was wearing a green gradient v-neck long dress, standing tall on her 6-inch high heels. The dress looked so simple yet so sophisticated.
Bumuntonghininga ako. Kinuha ko ang lipstick saka lumabas ng kwarto ko. Sinadya ko si Hestia sa kanyang silid.
I knocked on the door, clutching the lipstick in my hand. Ilang segundo bago niya 'yon binuksan. Nanlalaki ang kanyang mga mata sa gulat.
