M,

Hello, kamusta na? It was a surprise to see you sa celebration ni Jansen. I never would have expected for us to see each other again, from the first and last time we
met in early 2017, to all the times Jansen has tried to make our paths cross, but to no avail. I am glad to see that you’re doing well.

I know, and for a long time I have come to accept, that I only belong to a fragment of your past. That my name is something that should never be spoken of, and all
things related to me should be kept hidden, or at best… erased. I have always respected that fact, and will continue to do so as I never once held a grudge. But
when I learned that there is an intention to give me ‘kahit konting happiness lang’, after everything that has happened, it honestly broke my heart. It broke my heart
because I was reminded of how cruel timing was to me. That I will forever carry this hole in my heart because even in its greatest form of love, it was not enough.

But I do not need to be consoled through these small gestures. As much as I know that your intentions are good, and gusto mo lang mag give back after all the shit
that has happened, I know that you are not doing these for me, but you are doing these for yourself. Dinudutdot mo lang yung sugat kong matagal ko nang pilit
hinihilom. My heart simply cannot take it. It is enough for me to know that you are happy and content with all the decisions you have made, and with all the people
you continue to surround yourself with. Yun na lang, bukod doon, tama na.

And with that, there is only one thing that I ask: I hope that from now on you forgive yourself. Oo, nasaktan ako before, but I have long forgiven you, and you no
longer owe me anything. I hope someday you will find peace within that fact…

For now, let me remain a stranger, and maybe someday, be it another time or in a parallel universe, I’ll meet you again.

And when I see you, I will greet you with a smile.

Sincerely,
Z