Chapter 8 The Confession

Miguel was full of hesitation but after a little while, he said, "How about me?"

Upon hearing his words, Leena was stunned for a little while. She did not expect that he would say such a thing. She gazed upon him to examine the expression on his face. She wanted to know if he was really serious and he really seemed like it. There was, after all, a warm glow in his eyes. She thought about how he had acted ridiculously. Did he really mean what he just said?

"Miguel, you only said that to make me happy, didn't you?" she asked while she slightly furrowed her eyebrows. "If so, I'll have you know I didn't find that funny, at all!" she continued.

"Don't you believe me, Leena?" he asked as he held onto her hand tightly.

Leena lowered her head and stared at her hand inside his. He held her hand so tightly that she couldn't say anything to refute him.

With a serious look on his face, Miguel continued, "We grew up together and we know each other like the back of our own hands. You have seen the man today. Men like him must have a lot of problems. Otherwise, they wouldn't have gone on those blind dates, considering their respective family backgrounds."

"I, myself, am facing a lot of problems. Alas, I have no choice but to go on these stupid blind dates," Leena answered.

"Have you really just been worrying about not having anyone wanting to marry you? You don't have to put too much pressure on yourself nor doubt your worth. You are a wonderful person and one would be crazy not to want you for a wife."

She looked up at him intently and responded, saying, "I am not doubting my worth. I'm just being realistic. Considering my poor family background and my current job at the hotel, I'm pretty sure no man in his right mind would like me!"

"Oh, well. Just so you know, I am available and I am perfectly fine with the fact that you aren't from a rich family!" Miguel said while smiling foolishly as he pointed at himself.

She gazed at his countenance and noticed how he looked really calm and gentle. He seemed neither frigid nor emotional. As she continued to stare him in the eye, Miguel gave her a sincere smile. She couldn't help but wonder, though. Why did he suddenly become so keen on letting her know how he felt? What could be the reason that made him that way, after all these years?

Although he seemed really sincere, Leena couldn't help but feel like something was amiss. It was probably because she had seen many two-faced men after staying in the hotel for a long time, making her pretty skeptical about men when they confessed their feelings.

"If I'm being honest, Miguel, I really don't understand why you like me. Do you really like me? What made you think that you want to date me?"

"Wasn't the kiss that we shared that day enough to express how I feel for you, Leena?" Miguel asked as he looked at her with a distressed look on his face.

Leena tried to look into his eyes again. She was so curious to find out what was going on inside his mind and if he was really serious about his feelings for her. She then asked, "But please tell me, when exactly did you realize that you were already in love with me? Well, that is if you really are." She didn't feel very secure about the idea that he really loved her, after knowing each other for a long time. Why had he been so silent about it if he really felt something special for her and just decided one day, after nine long years, to candidly confess his love for her? Besides, if he really liked her that much, why did he suddenly disappear for a few days after kissing her, making her feel so uneasy?

Miguel loosened his grip on her arm and gently held her hands. "Leena, it was not until you left that I started to understand my own feelings," he said in a soft, endearing tone as he looked her in the eyes. I have been so used to being around you, I didn't realize how much I really cared about you. When you left that day, I started feeling so scared that I wouldn't be able to see you anymore that I had to come look for you."

Her mind was filled with questions. They lived in the same city at the time. She just moved into a small alley. Was it really that hard to find her?

"Do you still doubt me, Leena?" Miguel asked.

She refused to answer him, so he started to feel frustrated. "Why

do you find it so hard to trust people? I'm being serious and you won't even believe me. I would lie to everyone else but I would never lie to you! Tell me, when did I ever lie to you?"

Leena looked down and shook her head slowly saying, "Miguel, you don't understand. You confessed so suddenly after all these years which makes it hard for me to take in right now. Did you know that I have liked you for many years?" Leena stuttered as she uttered those words. She felt so nervous and at a loss for words.

"Why don't we try it out then? Let's try dating," Miguel said as he held her shoulder.

After hesitating for a while, Leena asked tentatively, "Miguel, haven't you loved anyone else in the past nine..." Before she was even done speaking, he took out a yellow note from his wallet. "What's that?" she asked.

"Open it!" he said as he handed the note to her. She did open the piece of paper which turned out to be a colorful letter that had a love poem written with her name in the middle of it. It was a letter of confession signed by Miguel on Valentine's Day, nine years ago.

Leena was astounded and raised her head to look at Miguel. "Do you remember that day? When I took you to HD Hot Pot, I wanted to hold your hand so bad but I was so afraid to make things awkward between us. I gave you a box of chocolates instead. I was hoping to put this piece of paper in the box, but seeing as you had been nothing but such a lovely, straight A student, I didn't want to meddle with your studies. So I decided I would just give it to you after you took the senior high school entrance examination. That just means that this note has been late for nine years now. The question now is would you still willing to take it?"

Leena was stunned, eyes widened. She vividly remembered the way she searched inside the chocolate box for any note she could find, as soon as she got home, only to find nothing but treats inside. It made her believe that maybe he wasn't interested in her like that and wanted to just make a sweet gesture as a friend. Leena burst into tears, thinking of all those years of daydreaming and waiting. Constantly thinking about whether he liked her or not had been tormenting her for years. She had almost accepted the fact that she might never have the answer until today came. She couldn't help but feel emotional.

"Wait, Leena," Miguel asked as he drew closer to her and wiped her tears, "why are you crying?"

"I didn't expect that you liked me back. All this time... I thought it was just a one-sided love story between us!"

"Hush now, stop crying. Will you accept me now? Do you still have doubts about my sincerity? Or do I need to prove myself again?" said Miguel.

Leena couldn't speak because she was crying so hard. She just shook her head and leaned in to hug him, and continued to cry as she was enveloped in his arms.

"Stop crying, silly. As long as I'm here, I will make sure no one hurts you!" he said with confidence.

She felt so much happiness in her heart. She didn't expect that they had just been waiting on each other all those years. It felt like she just got her happy ending.

"Miguel, will you promise to always be good to me?" asked Leena jokingly.

"Yeah, I promise!" Miguel answered firmly.

Leena gave him a sweet smile.

Miguel gently pinched her chin and said, "Is that all you want?"

She suddenly acted like a spoiled little child and hit him gently, "Why didn't you tell me earlier? Did you know that if you did that, I wouldn't have been so miserable for such a long time?"

"You have been wondering whether I like you these years, haven't you?"

"Shut up!" Leena hit him again.

Miguel laughed loudly. Suddenly, he held her lovingly in his arms and lowered his head to kiss her passionately.

When they finished kissing, Leena said shyly, "We've been going too fast, don't you think?"

"Don't we know each other enough?" he asked, smiling at her adoringly.

Leena laughed at him. She thought they just had a beautiful moment. She just skipped through the confusing unrequited love to the passionate love period. As long as she was with him, nothing else mattered. She didn't care about whether they were progressing too fast, at all.

She loved Miguel so much that she would be willing to do anything for him!