THE resort is bustling with life and energy as they get ready for the Fuentes-Zacarias wedding.

Addie's hair and makeup team, as well as the videographers and photographers, are already here. The room is bustling with life and energy around the bride-to-be while she gets into her wedding dress for the photos.

Pogi: have lunch with me.

Jiya grits her teeth and ignores that. She also ignored the past few messages earlier this morning.

Pogi: have breakfast with me.
Pogi: i made you coffee.
Pogi: may plus one ka ba?
Pogi: nasan ka.
Pogi: i want to apologize for last night.
i didn't mean it.

Jiya goes back to finishing her makeup when she hears one of Addie's work friends, Polly, say, "Should I ask Ads for his number later? Or mamaya na lang sa reception? Shit, pedia pa!"

The one she's talking to, si Cris, gushes and slaps her arm. "Sa reception—"

Jiya turns around with a smile. "Are you guys talking about Migo?" Parehas kasi silang pediatrician ni Inggo.

They turn to her, wide-eyed.

"The other one kasi, taken na," she continues, grinning. "If si Migo, he's single. Actually, he's going to lunch, baka gusto mo samahan."

Polly gasps, a wide smile on her mouth. "Oh my God, Jiya, really?"

"Text ko lang, kaibigan ko 'yon," she says, winking. "Pero mag-ready ka na."

She hears her squeal. Jiya turns around and rolls her eyes, picking up her phone.

nasan ka

Migo doesn't even take a second to reply.

Pogi: cafe sol, may table na

Jiya snorts. Ulol niya if he thinks she's going to continue being his fucking slave. She's had enough of his shit.

Besides, parang wala pa namang nasabihan si Migo. Inggo hasn't hunted her down, Van hasn't bombed her with questions, Isco hasn't shouted in glee.

Jiya tells him to wait there, and then turns to Polly again. "He's at Café Sol lang, waiting for you."

Another squeal. She retouches her makeup and thanks her profusely before running off.

Inggo messages her as well.

Inggo Best Bro: BRO RINN IS
HERE!!!! BABA KA SA LOBBY

Jiya grins and goes to greet her.

"Ate Jiya!" Maureen screeches, looking absolutely stunning in her dress and makeup as she runs up to hug her. "Grabe, I missed you!"

They walk along the shoreline with Inggo trailing behind them as Mau slings her arm around hers, chatting away.

When Polly comes back up, she still has a glowing smile on her face. She rushes immediately to her friends to gossip about her seemingly amazing lunch date with the Doc Salas.

Whatever. Jiya takes her rightful place with the rest of the bridesmaids for their picture once she's in her dress. Ang maid of honor ni Addie is her older sister.

Pogi: what the fuck valle. tangina mo.

Jiya smiles.

i didn't say i was going to
come down to eat lunch with
you. bakit ko gugustuhing
gawin yon?

Migo reads that and takes a while to reply.

Pogi: okay. sige.

She rolls her eyes and tries to simmer down her anger, knowing that this day is for one of her closest friends.

When Jiya sees him just as the ceremony draws near, she's momentarily stunned that her step falters.

Migo looks...he looks every bit of the Migo she imagined in her head at their wedding.

The thought chokes her up so badly that she physically has to gather her breath, to look away para hindi masira ang putanginang makeup niya.

He doesn't acknowledge her or say anything as Jiya steps beside him for the walk down the aisle. She does the same.

The ceremony is quick but beautiful. Jiya watches two of her dearest friends promise themselves to each other for the rest of their lives. Her chest feels tight as she listens to Cas and Addie say their vows.

In a moment of weakness, her eyes go to where he's seated, only to see that he's already staring at her.

Jiya looks away immediately. If she keeps watching him while their friends say their 'I do's, she might not be able to breathe.

Does he...does he still remember her vows to him? Does he still keep the crumpled yellow piece of paper, does he still read it every night?

Or did he throw it away and burn it?

Addie is a Fuentes now. They bring the party to the reception down sa lower beach club, where there's a platform with a single, white couch and curtain drapes and the beautiful four-tier cake. The guests take their seats sa tables and chairs on the sand, the hanging lanterns shining above them.

Jiya manages to have her fun with Van and her friends while the program goes on.

After the bride and groom dance, Isco asks for Van's hand. Inggo takes Mau's, and Anton asks for Jiya's.

She smiles up at him as they sway together. "You clean up nice."

He grins and wags his eyebrows. "It only took you how many years to give me a compliment."

It makes her laugh out loud. Then, with the smile still on her face, she tells him quietly, "Thank you, Anton. For being such a great friend."

"Of course." He winks at her and twirls her around. "While I do regret letting you slip away when I had a chance no'ng college, I'm also pretty sure things wouldn't have worked out. I'm happy to have you as a treasured friend, Ji. Sobra."

She hugs him tight. Anton kisses her head.

After siyang isayaw nina Isco at Inggo, Jiya takes her seat again, grabbing a wine glass. Saka niya lang nakita si Migo with his hands on Polly's waist, body pressed to hers, lips to her ear.

But eyes to Jiya's.

She holds his stare, feeling her chest burn when she sees his fingers tighten on Polly's hips, and her skin betrays her and fucking—fucking prickles because his fingers should be on hers, and putangina niya—

Jiya drinks her wine and almost jolts out of her seat when her phone vibrates on the table.

She raises her head. Migo's features draw together and his jaw ticks. He looks at her darkly, as if saying, don't you fucking dare answer that.

Well, fuck him.

Jiya presses answer and puts it to her ear, keeping his eyes on him. "Hello?"

"Hey!" Gelo sounds delighted. "I'm glad I caught you, I kept missing you since yesterday."

Jiya allows herself to smile. She sees Migo's fingers dig into Polly's bare back.

Asshole. "Yeah, sorry, super busy. Ceremony just finished. Reception na."

"Okay." He sounds genuinely happy to hear her voice. "Did you dance?"

Her smile slips when Migo pulls his head back and cups Polly's cheek, his hand fitting on her skin, eyes leaving hers to look at his dancing partner's.

"Jiya?" Gelo prods when she doesn't answer.

Jiya looks away when she sees Migo leaning closer. Pati si Polly. She scrapes her chair back and stands up. "I'll call you later," she mutters into the phone, dumping it in her bag before she turns and walks away.

Jiya doesn't know where she's going, but anywhere's good if it's far away from this fucking beach. She finds herself running up the steps towards the main club as fast as her heels can take her, wanting to punch herself for feeling her eyes tear up once again.

Nakailang iyak na siya sa gago. She can't waste any more to someone who doesn't care.

Well, kasalanan niya rin naman. She's the one who pushed Polly to him.

Jiya stops when she blinks and feels her face crumple.

Tangina.

"Stupid," she mutters to herself, angry. She balls her hands into fists by her sides and takes a deep breath, inhaling and exhaling shakily. "Ang tanga-tanga mo, Jiya Valle, hindi ka na natuto," she whispers, refusing to open her eyes as she tilts her head back to the sky.

Natatakot siyang umiyak if she opens them.

Tangina, nakakaputa. Ang hirap tanggapin na her heart will still beat a thousand times a day, but not a single one will be for Migo anymore.

"Valle."

Jiya's eyes open.

Tangina. Wala na. Game over. Her face is fucking wet.

Migo's jaw is tight. He steps closer to her. "Bakit ka umiiyak?"

"Ano bang pake mo," she snaps, and then she winces. Her voice is shaking.

Jiya turns her head away to brush past him, but Migo catches her forearm with tight fingers and snaps, "You were the one who pushed her to me when I wanted to see you, tapos ngayon, gaganyan ka?"

"Alam ko, kaya let me go," Jiya hisses, yanking her arm back.

"Ayoko na, Valle," he says to her loudly. Angrily. "Ayoko na makipaglaruan with you, ayusin na natin 'to ngayon. I refuse to keep being hurt by you."

"Akala mo ba ako hindi paulit-ulit na nasasaktan sa 'yo?!" Jiya nearly shouts, shoving him back, as furious as he is. Her vision is blurry. Galit na galit at pagod na pagod na siya. "Bakit ba feeling mo ikaw lang ang victim dito? Nasaktan mo rin ako, Migo!"

"I was so fucking sure of you," he growls in a low tone, towering over her. "I was so fucking sure of us. And then you left me—"

"You took advantage of my love for you to make me choose between you and my career—myself," Jiya whispers, trying to catch her breath. "Are you seriously pissed off because what I needed wasn't you?"

"What I needed was you!" Migo shouts, his voice raw and desperate and hurt, eyes blazing, gripping her arms in his hands as he pushes her back against the wall.

Jiya stares at him, stunned into silence.

He bows his head, his breaths coming up short as his fingernails pierce her skin.

"I crawled through hell and back while you weren't here," he whispers, and when he raises his head, his eyes are red. "I fucking crawled, Valle—"

"I went through hell and back, too," Jiya whispers abruptly, looking at her shoes. God. God, fuck! "I was beyond miserable. I was devastated, I was barely eating, I was crying every day, I felt fucking empty. I kept hearing your laugh in the house, kept waiting for you in the shower to...to step inside and hug me, kept seeing you through my tears beside me in bed. Couldn't even say your name out loud." She's pathetic. She's so fucking pathetic. "I was also hallucinating that Gelo was you when he said he was proud of me, I told him I was sorry and I was begging for his forgiveness."

Migo is staring at her, speechless.

"I'm sorry," Jiya chokes out in the silence. Alam ni Jiya na they're the words he's been waiting to hear. "I'm sorry I left you. I'm sorry I gave your heart back when you told me not to. Ever. I'm sorry I—" Her throat closes up. "Hindi naman ako napagod e." Not like her dad. "Napagod lang ako saglit pero hindi ako napagod na mahalin ka. Masakit lang. Ang sakit mong mahalin noon, Migo."

The words hang in the air, and even without saying it, Jiya knows Migo feels the same way.

Masakit rin siyang mahalin noon.

Migo keeps his hands on her arms, his eyes on her face. Slowly, she sees his face fall, sees his shoulders slump in defeat and exhaustion and the burden of this—this haunted dream that has followed them since the night Jiya walked away from him.

"Tell me why you kissed me that night," he demands quietly. "No fucking lies. Tama na."

She holds his stare and gathers all of her courage and stupidity to answer, "Because I still love you. I never stopped."

Migo doesn't move. He's frozen.

When he speaks again, it's barely above a whisper.

"Balikan mo 'ko, Valle." One of his hands cup her cheek, and oh, oh God, his fingers are shaking, but his voice does not, his voice does not waver when he says, "Balikan mo na ako. There's so much I haven't done for you yet. So much I still want to do with you. And I...mamahalin kita hangga't kaya mo 'kong saktan."

It takes a while—his words to register.

When it does, her lips part, and a quivering breath escapes her mouth.

He's risking himself again loving her—no matter if it means crawling through hell and back once more, twice. Thrice. He's holding himself at gunpoint, handing her the gun. As long as she can hurt him, as long as she has the power to hurt him...Migo will love her.

Migo steps forward, slides his hands to her face, and kisses her. Jiya's heart finally rests.

*

Jiya kicks him under the table and types a message.

stop staring

Migo smiles down at his phone.

Pogi: i will. but don't make it hard.

It's the Sunday brunch after the wedding and everyone looks tired but happy—especially the newly-wedded couple.

Wala pang balak si Jiya na sabihin sa mga kaibigan nila what happened between her and Migo last night. Let them enjoy and respect Addie and Cas muna.

They only kissed and held each other last night until they had to go back to the party before anyone else noticed they were missing. Migo didn't come near Polly again and Jiya ignored Gelo's calls.

"Nothing happened?" he murmured in her temple last night. "At all? Not even a kiss?"

"No," Jiya answered. "Wala. I was lying sa pool. Friendly hugs lang. I was too..." She took a deep breath. "I couldn't. With any other person that wasn't you."

"So...in the three years na you were there with him, without me," Migo muttered, "if walang nangyari..."

"Walang mangyayari ever."

Migo squeezed her tight. "Wala ring nangyari sa 'kin and Nat. Or any other girl, for that matter. 'Di ko rin kaya, Valle. And..." He takes a deep breath. "I'm sorry for everything I said since you got here. I'm really sorry. Don't forgive me easily for the shit I said, I disrespected you and I made you feel like shit. Please...I hurt you a lot."

She cupped his face and murmured, "You were hurt."

"You were, too. Even though it was my fault you left."

Jiya pressed her ear to his heart and listened to the beats. "Let's agree not to hurt each other anymore with our love," she whispered. "I don't ever want to feel like I died again when we were apart."

Migo agreed and kissed her temple. 

On the way back to the elevator, Migo subtly puts a hand on her waist through her shorts and squeezes it before brushing past her. He doesn't look at her in the elevator, and Jiya does the same.

They spend their last day exchanging fleeting and burning looks. Jiya's cheeks are red when she comes down to the beach in the metal strap bikini with Van, at hinila siya ng mga kaibigan nila to jet ski and sa banana boat.

Ang hirap i-ignore si Migo. Gustong-gusto niya na siyang yakapin and halikan sa harap nila, Addie and Cas be damned.

But she makes it through the day even when her tongue swipes at her bottom lip when she catches him step out of the pool, water sliding down his muscles and abs.

Fucking hell.

Their last night, everyone gives the married couple their cheers as they gather around the fire in the sand.

Jiya only put on another polo over her bikini from the chill of the night, but it's open. Migo has been trailing his eyes over her face and body from the second he sat down across where she's seated to get a good look.

She wasn't even paying attention sa truth or dare game, just downing her bottle, kaya nagulat siya when another pair of eyes find hers before quickly looking away and focusing back on Maureen. "So the prettiest dito?"

Jiya frowns. Kaibigan 'ata ni Cas sa work 'yon.

"Yes!" Mau shouts from her place on Inggo's lap. "Basta single."

Everyone gives him encouraging hollers when he takes a swig of his alcohol and stands up. Ah, dare niya ba ang i-kiss ang tingin niyang pinakamaganda rito?

Jiya lazily watches him, slumped down on the chair, when he takes a step forward.

Pero she's confused when he keeps walking towards her.

"Hoy, shit, si Grinch!" Isco howls in laughter. "Yie!"

"Oh my God," Jiya whispers, unable to move as he comes closer with a hesitant smile.

She can't even see Migo because the guy is blocking her line of vision.

"Hi," he says, rubbing the back of his neck. "Um, I wasn't able to ask you for a dance kagabi because I was too nervous."

Jiya can only blink at him, heart stuttering as she pulls back a bit to put distance between them. Tangina, ano ba 'to, pinapanood sila ng lahat! "Uh, actually—"

Her eyes widen when he leans close, and her hand instinctively reaches out to stop him, pero hindi na kailangan.

Migo grabs her face and kisses her.

Jiya barely hears everyone's howls and gasps of surprise and just registers his grin on her lips as she kisses him back as deeply, hands resting on his bare shoulders and his on her bare skin around her waist.

He pulls back, then kisses her again, and then her friends' reactions go like this:

"Putangina!" Inggo shouts, laughing. "Putangina! Putangina! Fucking finally, gago!"

"Finally!" Maureen shouts, sounding like she's close to tears. "Thank fuck!"

"Holy shit," Cas's voice says.

"Oh my God!" Addie yells. "Oh my God!"

Isco and Anton are laughing.

"Get it, Migs!" Van yells.

"Tangina, sila na ulet! Tayo na next, Van!" Isco shouts.

Jiya cups his face, and she's breathing heavily when she meets Migo's eyes shining with happiness.

"Way to tell them," Jiya whispers.

Migo grins and kisses her again—and again, and again.

Halos mangiyak-iyak na si Inggo and Mau kaka-hug sa kanilang dalawa.

Jiya and Migo owe them so much for putting up with them both for three years.

"Paunahin n'yo na kami ni Rinn sa kasal and I'll consider the debt paid," Inggo says.

Migo rolls his eyes, but he's smiling.

*

Van evacuates to the boys' room so they can sleep together.

When she wakes up, she's almost afraid to open her eyes. Afraid na baka dream lang ang nangyari.

But it's not, because Migo's already awake, he's staring at her, smiling, caressing her cheek with his fingers.

"Good morning," he whispers.

"Migo," she whimpers. Buong pangalan na niya.

When she cries, Migo just hugs her tight. Doesn't say a word.

Understands that it was three years without this, without each other, and they don't ever want to be apart again.

So while they're packing, he texts her.

Pogi: so ure back...to me. but for how
long ka nandito

one more week. mau and inggo 
offered their guest room.

Migo types. And then stops.

Jiya's smile widens, watching him in amusement try to find a way to ask her.

He types again and stops.

Taking pity on her boyfriend (holy fucking shit, that feels so right), she says:

can i stay with you instead?

Pogi: yes. holy shit, yes. please.

She grins and goes back to packing.

Doon niya lang naalala na she brought the necklace with his name on it. Slowly, Jiya takes it out of the pocket she shoved it in and turns it over in her fingers, feeling the cold metal on her skin.

She knows—they know they have a lot to do to rebuild this relationship. They hurt each other a lot, loved each other wrong. They have to talk about their living spaces, their careers, New York, and their issues before so they can avoid it. And Jiya wants to take the time to know this Migo, to love him right—the way he deserves.

And Migo will take the time to know her and to love her right. Not just for himself—for the both of them and for the family they will build.

Still, she puts on the necklace under her shirt, and she's finally able to breathe.

It doesn't feel like a chain anymore.

*

Group: casaddie cake

Inggo de Paz: tangina ang tatanda na natin

Inggo de Paz: CONGRATS CASADDIE!!!

Anton Buencamino: CONGRATS
CASADDIE 🥳 🎉

Van Andres: THE FIRST COUPLE SA GROUP NA TO 🥺

Isco Cuenca: ang nagdala sating mga bobo
together LOL CONGRATS CASADDIE CAKE

Cas Fuentes: TY GUYS ❤️

Van Andres: NAREALIZE KO SILA RIN
NAGDALA KAY MIGOJIYA BACK TOGETHER

Addie Fuentes: 🥺❤️ THANKS GUYS ILY
AND MISSED U ALL HUHU IM SO HAPPY
FOR MIGO AND JIYA BABES ALSO

Migo Salas: Ads, Castillo mahal ko kayo.
susunod na kami

Inggo de Paz: mauuna kami kingina

Isco Cuenca: guys para walang away kami
na lang ni @Van

Jiya Valle: Vannie pakibalik yan sa
pound

Isco Cuenca: OUCH GRINCH!!! miss mo
lang aq e

Inggo de Paz: ako pinakanamiss nyan

Anton Buencamino: baka ako

Migo Salas: ako, putangina nyo.

Migo Salas: which reminds me

Migo Salas: kuya 3 points kay @Addie
@Cas @Van @Isco kasi nakausap nila si
valle habang nasa ny sya at ako hindi

Addie Fuentes: HA HAHAHAHAHA

Van Andres: ANO SKDJSKHSFSSDK

Migo Salas: 5 points po kay @Inggo kasi
nakasama niya si valle sa ny at ako hindi

Inggo de Paz: putangina kasalanan ko
yon??? TANGA

Migo Salas: kuya 8 points po kay @Anton
kasi wala lang

Anton Buencamino: tangina na-eliminate
na ako nung college pa tayo

Isco Cuenca: WAIT so sino nanalo

Jiya Valle: ako, obviously

Migo Salas: ako, sakin na siya ulit e

Jiya Valle: pinagsasabi mo? I
was always yours

Inggo de Paz: PUTANGINA NAIIYAK AKO
SA INYO MGA GAGO

Migo Salas: tangina kinikilig ako LUMABAS
KA NA DYAN BWISIT

Addie Fuentes: SO CUTE HUHUHU

Isco Cuenca: SAAN di ba kayo magkasama
nakakainis naman punyemas

Jiya Valle: nagtatago ako sa kanya

Cas Fuentes: ...do we want to know why

Jiya Valle: no

Inggo de Paz: the things a three-year
celibacy can do...

Van Andres: YIE GET IT MIGS GET IT JI

Migo Salas: LABAS VALLE

Jiya Valle: SANDALE pukingina

Jiya Valle: from migo and i: sorry
guys for the past three years.
missed you all so much. thank you
for being the bestest friends ever.

Migo Salas: ^

Isco Cuenca: putangina thanos i love you
too nakakapaglakad ka pa ba

Van Andres: AW love u guys

Addie Fuentes: STOP IM GONNA CRY

Addie Fuentes: I missed this talaga huhu
love you all

Inggo de Paz: mga gago, ang tanda na
talaga natin.

Anton Buencamino: balik tayong ateneo
soon. love u ji!

Cas Fuentes: don tayo sa starbs hehehe
labyu ji

Isco Cuenca: buti pa school binabalikan. e
ikaw kalian ka babalik sakin @Van

Van Andres: isa na lang talaga FRANCISCO

Isco Cuenca: hekhek

Inggo de Paz: san na pumunta si salas nag-
eemote pa tayo dito @Migo

Migo Salas: shhh busy na ko bye

Inggo de Paz: tanginang yan sige na nga

Jiya Valle: GOODNIGHT GUYS

Isco Cuenca: mabuhay ang casaddie!!!

Isco Cuenca: at migojiya!!!

Isco Cuenca: at inggomau!!

Inggo de Paz: ok itigil mo na dyan cuencs

Isco Cuenca: at vanisco!!!

Isco Cuenca: anton ok lang yan bro

Van Andres removed Isco Cuenca from the group

Inggo de Paz: sabi na e

Anton Buencamino: tama yan

Addie Fuentes: just like old times 😌

*

hello! alam kong marami sa inyo ang galit pa kay Migo dahil sa actions/words niya dito sa may bandang dulo ng book. he has many flaws and a long way to go pa even after the book ends, he has a lot to work on hindi na lang para sa sarili niya pero para sa kanila ni Jiya and the family that they will build. he was betrayed twice by people he loved the most: by his dad and Jiya and mas masakit ang kay Jiya even though kasalanan nila both—he felt like he was going to die when they broke up. he also had growth habang hiwalay sila ni jiya (walang full POV si migo during those 3 years), but seeing jiya again made him feel like his wounds were being ripped open.

it's not an excuse for his actions but please try to understand where he's coming from and accept na may chance pa sya for growth and yung TAMANG pagmamahal even after this ends. thank you!