She thought she was ready.
A month of silence. A month of healing. A month of pretending she had finally moved forward.
She had learned how to breathe without him. To sleep without his name in her inbox. To scroll past old photos without shaking. She told herself she was fine. Told Riz. Told her classmates. Told her journal.
But the truth is…
No amount of pretending prepares you for the moment life decides to reopen the wound you swore had already scarred.
Kate didn't know what she expected when she brought Mercy to the visitor's room.
Maybe an ordinary relative. A man in his forties. A son, a cousin. An uncle.
Not him.
Not the one who left her with no closure.
Not the one who once said baby, stay with me only to vanish into silence.
Not the one who became a ghost in her life—only to appear now, in broad daylight, in front of her patient, with a stranger by his side.
She didn't know what she expected…
But it wasn't this.
And the moment their eyes met across the room—every defense she built over that month… began to crumble.
Everything hurt again.
Her hands. Her chest. Her throat. Her eyes.
And for a split second, the world stopped spinning.
They stared at each other.
Kate. Frooze.
Frozen. Breathless. Disarmed by the kind of coincidence that doesn't feel like fate—just cruelty.
But the moment shattered as Mercy walked past Kate and toward him with open arms.
"Ceath!" her voice filled the small room with warmth. "Anak ko, salamat at nakadalaw ka ngayon."
He stood and leaned down to hug her—his arms slow, unsure.
Kate looked away.
Her throat tightened.
And that's when she saw her.
A girl.
Sitting quietly beside the chair Frooze had just occupied. Dressed simply, neatly, hair tucked behind her ear, lips painted in a shade that somehow matched her stillness.
And she was looking directly at Kate.
Not with hostility. Not even curiosity.
Just… awareness.
Kate's heart hammered. Her skin went cold.
Napatanong siya sa sarili niya. Sino it? What was she doing here? With Frooze?
Hindi Maganda ang pakiramdam niy sa babaeng ito.
Hindi naman siya bobo para hindi maisip kung sino ito. Pero…sana…sana…mali siya ng naiisip.
She wanted to leave.
Run.
Walk out of the visitor's room and never look back.
But she couldn't.
She was a student nurse.
On duty.
With a patient.
She had no room for personal disasters.
So she closed her eyes for a breath, swallowed the storm, and stepped forward.
Mercy turned to her and smiled. "Nurse Kate, eto si Ceath. Pamangkin ko. Mabait 'yan."
Kate forced her lips to curve upward, carefully hiding everything behind a clinical calm.
"Hi sir, I'm Kate Valentine from VMUF. Ma'am Mercy's student nurse. Pleased to meet you po."
Her voice was clear, professional. Too polite for a girl who once whispered I miss you to the same man in the dead of night.
"I was asked to assist Ma'am Mercy here," she continued, "as per the nurse's instruction po. Wait nalang po natin sila at si Doc para madiscuss po ang discharge plan ni Ma'am Mercy."
Frooze just nodded.
He didn't say her name.
Didn't say anything.
Just nodded.
Like she was no one.
Kate helped Mercy into the seat across from him and quietly stepped back, needing the distance to breathe. And also to provide some space for them to chat as hey wait for the nurse and doctor.
She busied herself by pulling out Mercy's chart na buti nalang ay naisipan niyang kuhanin bago sila magpunta dito, flipping pages she had already read. Anything to avoid looking at him.
Pero kahit anong busy busy niya she could still hear bits of their conversation.
Mercy laughed. "Alam mo, Kate, noong bata pa 'yan si Ceath, iyakin 'yan!"
He chuckled. "Tita, wag mo akong ibuko sa nurse…"
Mercy giggled like a schoolgirl. "Aba eh totoo naman! Simula Grade 1, kapag nasugatan, umiiyak na parang pinagsakluban ng langit at lupa!"
Kate smiled politely without looking up.
Kate bit the inside of her cheek to keep herself still.
She had spent the last month keeping herself busy just to not miss this—him.
And now she was standing five feet away, holding a chart like a shield, shaking on the inside.
She missed him.
God, she missed him.
And right now, it hurt more than it ever had.
Suddenly, Mercy looked at the girl beside him.
"Anak, sino naman itong kasama mo ngayon?"
Kate paused.
Held her breath.
Even her hands stopped flipping.
Frooze didn't answer right away.
Silence settled for a few seconds too long.
Then—
The lady smiled, polite and clear. "Red po."
"Red… ang ganda naman ng pangalan mo. Kaibigan mo si Ceath?"
Kate closed the chart just slightly, pretending to flatten the pages.
Then came the words.
Words that she knew were coming. Words na ineexpect niya pero pinagdadasal na mali. But still—when they landed, they tore right through her chest.
"Ah, Tita… this is Red."
Pause.
Longer than necessary.
Then—
"Girlfriend ko po."
The world stopped moving.
Kate stopped breathing.
Her pulse throbbed in her ears.
Red chuckled shyly. "We just met last week, po. Pero we clicked agad."
"Aba!" Mercy gasped. "One week pa lang? Ganun kabilis? After two years nagkagirlfriend ka na rin."
"Ewan ko, Tita," Frooze muttered, laughing under his breath.
"Ganoon na ba kabilis ang panliligaw ngayon? Ano ba ang tawag doon? Talking stage? 1 week lang talaga? Noong ako ang niligawan ng asawa ko ay nagtagal iyon ng 6 months, iho."
"Sometimes, things just fall into place."
Kate blinked, vision blurring at the edges.
'Fall into place?'
'Did we ever?'
'Anong iyong nangyare satin? Wala lang ba lahat ng pinagsamahan natin?'
'Am I a joke to you?'
Suddenly, the chart was too heavy in her hands.
She held it tighter, grounding herself.
Mercy turned toward her again. "Nurse Kate, ang bait ng pamangkin ko 'no?"
She looked up, forcing a smile.
"Po?"
"Si Ceath. Hindi halata minsan, pero mabait 'yan."
Kate nodded numbly. "Opo, mukhang mabait po talaga."
Her voice was calm. Steady.
But inside?
She was screaming.
Because how cruel was it, to stand five feet away from the man you still loved, and hear him introduce someone else as his girlfriend?
And not just someone else.
Someone new.
One week new.
As if all those late-night calls, all her waiting, her overthinking, her effort—meant nothing.
As if she had been just a detour.
What's this? Hindi nito kaya magcommit sa kaniya pero dito sa bago nito ay ready na ready siya? 1-week palang ang mga ito na nagkakilala pero ngayon magkarelasyon na sila?
Pinaglaruan lang b anito ang feelings niya?
Kate looked down again, blinking fast to hold everything back.
She didn't cry.
Not yet.
She still had a job to do.
But she could feel her heart sinking further, heavier.
Like someone just pulled the rug from beneath her healing—and she was falling all over again.
She pressed her lips together, turned her back, and pretended to jot down something in the chart.
But her vision was blurry.
Red.
The name burned into her.
So simple.
So casual.
So final.
And here she was—just the girl who brought Mercy to her seat.
Just the girl who used to be called baby.
Now replaced. Erased. Reduced.
All Kate could do was nod slightly to herself and whisper silently in her mind:
"This is it. Tapos na talaga."
.
.
.
.
.
Kate kept her eyes on the chart.
It was her shield.
She stared at the illegible scrawl of doctor's notes, the medication lists, and nursing interventions like they were the most important things in the world.
Because if she looked up again, she'd break.
But she didn't have to.
Because minutes later, the door opened—and the staff nurse entered, followed by the doctor assigned to Mercy's case.
"Good afternoon," the doctor greeted. "I'm Dr. Ignacio, assigned kay Ma'am Mercy. We'll make this quick, para hindi kayo matagalan."
Kate stood up slightly and gave a small nod, acknowledging their presence.
Professional mode.
She had to flip the switch now.
The next thirty minutes were a blur of medical jargon, legal updates, treatment histories, and discharge protocols. The focus was on Mercy's mental stability, progress, and home care plans. Kate listened attentively, took mental notes, and nodded when needed.
For a while… she forgot.
Forgot that Frooze was in the same room.
Forgot that just minutes ago, she had heard him call another girl his girlfriend.
Forgot that the version of her who used to cling to his every word now stood here, as still and silent as a stranger.
She held herself together.
She was able to.
Luckily.
When the conversation ended, Dr. Ignacio stood up first.
"Alright, Ma'am Mercy. We'll prepare your discharge in a few days. Your nephew and his… companion may assist with any final paperwork. Good job po, student nurse," the doctor added briefly, nodding at Kate.
Kate bowed politely. "Thank you po, Doc."
The nurse followed after, pausing by the door. "Kate, kindly assist Ma'am Mercy pabalik sa pavilion. Once naibalik mo siya sa room niya, you may write your report sa module mo for today."
"Yes po," Kate answered, tone flat but clear.
She turned to Mercy, offering her arm gently.
"Tita," Frooze said, standing to hug his aunt. "Ingat ka palagi. Babalik kami next week for the final signing."
Mercy smiled, holding his hand. "Salamat, anak. At ikaw rin, Red. Thank you for visiting."
Red responded with a respectful nod. "Ingat po kayo, Tita Mercy."
Kate didn't say anything.
She didn't look at him.
Didn't look at her.
Didn't even offer a polite goodbye.
She knew it was rude.
Unprofessional.
But she also knew he'd understand.
More than anyone.
Because he knew what he did.
He knew what this was.
He knew how deep it cut.
So she turned her back—gracefully, silently—and led Mercy out the door.
And behind her, she didn't hear footsteps following.
Didn't hear her name being called.
Didn't hear anything but the echo of her own heartbeat ringing in her ears.
But she could feel his stares at her back.
Kate doesn't give a fuck anymore.
For the second time… he broke her.
And this time, she didn't beg him to stay.
This time, she just walked away.