Renzo and the children walked quietly along the busy street. The surroundings were noisy—the honking of jeepneys, the laughter of people, the shouting of vendors—but the only thing Renzo could hear was the beating of his own heart.
He kept looking at the posters stuck on the electric posts—the smiling face of Jasper, the gentle face of Marlon.
Renzo felt happy for the children with him because he knew there were still people searching for them. There were families who never gave up looking.
"Kuya, what are we going to do now?" Jasper asked softly.
Renzo stopped and looked at them. He could see the fear in the children's eyes—the same fear he once carried himself.
"Let's go to the terminal first," he answered. "We'll think there."
They walked until they reached their favorite spot—behind the terminal, near the parked jeepneys. The smell of oil and fried food from the nearby eateries filled the air.
Renzo sat down and took out the small piece of bread they had saved from last night. He gave each of the children a piece.
While eating, Jasper spoke again.
"Kuya Renzo… if our families find us, will we still see each other?" Jasper asked sadly.
Renzo smiled and let out a deep sigh. "Of course," he said, even though he knew he would soon be alone again on the streets. He gently stroked their hair.
"We're family, right? But if you find your real families, don't let that chance go. That's what you've always dreamed of," said Renzo cheerfully, as if he were already an adult despite his young age.
Marlon bowed his head. "But what about you, Kuya?" His eyes showed worry about Renzo.
Renzo didn't answer right away. He looked up at the sky—bright and blinding.
"Maybe… someday, someone will look for me too," he said softly.
"And even if no one does, it's okay. What's important is that you get to go home to your families and study in school," said Renzo, taking a bite of the bread he was holding.
A few moments later, while they were sorting bottles and newspapers beside the trash bin, a woman suddenly called out from across the street.
"Jasper!?" the woman shouted.
The children froze. Slowly, they turned around.
Just a few meters away, the woman stood trembling, holding a poster in her hands, tears streaming down her face.
"Mama?" Jasper said softly.
The woman ran toward him, almost getting hit by vehicles in her rush to cross the street, desperate to embrace her son again. Tears poured down her face as she saw him up close, covering her mouth with both hands.
She quickly pulled Jasper into a tight hug. "My child! Oh God, Jasper! It's really you!" she cried.
"Mama, I've been looking for you for so long…" Jasper sobbed, his voice breaking.
Tears streamed down his cheeks as his mother kissed his forehead. "Thank you, my child… you're alive. I've waited for this moment for so long.
I always prayed that one day, we would find you," his mother said between sobs, her voice trembling.
Marlon stood frozen as a couple approached, holding a poster of their missing child that they had been putting up on walls and electric posts.
"Marlon!" his mother cried as she hugged him. "We've been looking for you for so long, my child. Finally, we're together again," she said emotionally.
Marlon couldn't hold back his tears and cried loudly as his parents held him tight.
"Mama, Papa, thank you for coming… I missed you so much," Marlon sobbed continuously.
Renzo stood silently, unable to believe what he was witnessing, as he watched the two children being embraced by their families once again. Slowly, tears began to fall from his eyes too.
"At last, they can go home and be with their families again," he whispered to himself, wiping his tears with his hand.
Jasper turned to him, smiling through his tears. "Kuya… they finally found me!" Jasper said as his nose ran from crying.
Renzo smiled, feeling a mix of emotions—happy because Jasper and Marlon were now safe, just like Julia, but sad because he would once again be left alone on the streets, still dreaming that maybe, someday, his parents would find him too.
"I told you, right? Someone's been waiting for you," Renzo said, trying hard not to cry.
The woman looked at him. "Were you the one who took care of them?" she asked kindly.
Renzo nodded. "Yes, ma'am, we took care of each other," he replied calmly.
The woman wiped her tears. "Thank you. Thank you for everything."
Renzo just nodded and stepped back a little. He didn't want the children to see him crying.
While the parents of Jasper and Marlon were busy talking to the police who had helped them, the two boys walked toward Renzo.
Both of them had tears in their eyes, but their faces showed happiness and hope.
"Kuya…" Jasper called softly, holding onto the hem of Renzo's old t-shirt. "We'll come back, okay? We won't forget you."
Renzo smiled, though he felt the weight in his chest.
"You don't need to come back to the streets anymore, Jasper," he said, patting the boy's head. "What's important is that you be good to your mom and study well, okay?"
Jasper nodded, still crying. "I promise, Kuya. I'll always pray for you."
Marlon came closer and hugged Renzo tightly. "Kuya Renzo… thank you for everything. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have experienced this again," Marlon said, sobbing.
Renzo hugged him back, holding back his own tears. "It's nothing, Marlon. We're family, right? No matter where you go, remember that you still have Kuya Renzo here."
They let go of the hug and looked at each other for a moment. It felt like they both knew this would be the last time they'd see each other like this.
"Kuya, here," Jasper said, handing over a small toy—a broken car they used to play with under the bridge. "This is for you, so you won't forget us."
Renzo looked at it, his tears almost falling. "Thank you, Jasper. I'll never lose this."
Jasper's mother called from across the street. "Son! Let's go!"
Jasper looked at Renzo and waved. "Kuya, I hope we see each other again! When we have a house, we'll visit you!" he shouted as he ran toward his mother.
Marlon turned back before getting into the car with his parents. "Kuya Renzo! Take care always! We love you!" he shouted.
Renzo smiled and waved back. "I love you too! Take care of yourselves!"
And when the car finally drove away, Renzo was left standing by the roadside, holding the broken toy in his hand.
He quietly sat on the sidewalk, watching the car disappear from view. He took a deep breath and looked up at the sky.
"Thank you, Lord," he whispered softly. "Thank you that their dream came true."
He squeezed the toy in his hand, then touched the pendant he was wearing—Julia's pendant. He smiled faintly.
"Julia… Jasper and Marlon found their families. Maybe I'm next."
He stood up, wiped his tears, and started walking again along the street.
He no longer knew where to go, but in his heart, a small light began to shine once more—the light of hope that someday, he too would find his way home.
Is there still hope that Renzo will be found and return to his family?