"What are we going to talk about Mom?"

I asked her. We're now sitting on the couch. When I looked at my mom, she seems kinda nervous. She was fidgeting her fingers, we actually both have that habit.

"Um.. Anak.. I know you'll get upset kapag sinabi ko 'to," She said as she placed her hand on my cheek.

I'm getting nervous about what she's going to say, especially that she mentioned that I'll possibly going to get upset. I touched my mom's hand and gave her a small smile to make her less nervous.

"Why? Is there something wrong?"

"Your dad told me that, after you graduate.. We're going to live in Japan for a while. You're going to school there."

What.

"What do you mean by that? And.. Why?"

That was unexpected. Bakit kami lilipat ng Japan? Paano si Caleb? I wanted to spend my summer on the hospital with him. I wanted to look after him. I wanted to spend my time with him. I wanted to stay and cherish my moments with him.

"We have our own reasons anak. You're still too young to understand." My mom held and squeezed both of my hands.

I gave her a nod. That time I was already tearing up, I didn't want to go but we need to. I don't want to leave Caleb. He's just.. Too important for me. I looked at my mom and tears are starting to form on the corner of my eyes. I sobbed and hugged her tight.

"Mom," I sniffled.

"Yes love?" She answered while rubbing my back.

"Can we visit Caleb before we leave?"

"Of course."

After that night, I started visiting Caleb everyday. Sinulit ko ang pagpunta doon, there was no day that I didn't go there. Even I'm exhausted from school, even I was busy with the projects our teacher gives us. I still visit him.

Several months had passed, our graduation came. I wanted to graduate with Caleb, but he still hasn't woke up. There were so many 'I wants' that kept popping out of my mind.

"Maxene La Nueva. Valedictorian. Best in music, best in arts, best in english, and extra curricular for the volleyball girls." The host announced.

While I was walking up to the stage, I can't stop thinking about Caleb. It was so sad that he's not here. Kung nandito lang siya, kanina pa siya sigaw ng sigaw sa crowd na parang walang hiya. He was such a supportive bestfriend.

We left when the moment our graduation ended. I already bid goodbye to my teachers, friends, classmates and to my coach. Nalungkot ako ng sobra dahil aalis na kami. Hindi lang sa school, but also the country.

I sat beside Caleb's bed. We're now on the hospital. My last visit.

"Caleb congrats to us! We're now going to be highschoolers." I smiled. "Sayang dahil wala ka kanina. The happiness that I felt a while ago was different, because you were not there." My voice broke, then I held his hand.

A while ago, I promised myself that I'm not going to cry when I'm going to talk to Caleb, but look at me now. Crying.

"Well.. I need to say goodbye tonight. Because this is going to be my last visit and my last time seeing you. I hope the moment I get back here, you're already awake and healthy." I sobbed. "And i hope.. You still remember me."

The moment I entered our car, I cried all my heart out. It was so hard for me to be separated from him. He was literally the nicest bestfriend that I ever met. I'm going to miss him so much.

A day had passed nakasakay na kami sa eroplano tsaka lumipad na papuntang Japan. The country was beautiful, there were so many cherry blossoms! And the surroundings were so similar to the animes I watch.

Life in Japan was fun, though it took me a lot of time to adjust. I didn't know how to talk and understand japanese, that's why my dad taught me before I started going to school. On my first year my parents transferred me to an International School, then on my second year I asked them if they can transfer me to a public school, because I really wanted to experience the life there. In the end, they both agreed. I was already fluent on speaking Japanese that time so it's not going to be hard for me.

I continued my volleyball career here, my height was my biggest problem when I started training, because most of my teammates were tall! Even they're all girls.

"Good morning Suzuki," I greeted my friend who was putting on her indoor shoes.

"Morning!" She bubbly greeted back.

I was relieved that there were still students here who can speak English fluently, and students who aren't pure Japanese.

"La Nueva-san! Saito-senpai's looking for you!" Our Nigerian classmate shouted from the door.

Everyone's attention went to the door. The student council president? Anong gusto niya? When I stood up everybody suddenly started shouting and screaming! What the heck is happening.

"Oh my god La Nueva! You're so Lucky!" Suzuki started shaking me.

"Huh? Why?" I asked her. Completely clueless.

She stared at me for a moment and started laughing. "Don't you remember? It's Valentines! And it's the first time Saito-senpai excused someone out!"

Oh. That's why everyone started getting wild.

"I like you.. A lot. La Nueva-chan."

Hold up, what did he just said?

"I—"

"I really like how beautiful you play volleyball, and the way you tuck your hair behind your ear," he explained.

"Uhh senpai.. Really? Tucking the strand of my hair behind my ear?"

He gave a nod. I was too stunned to speak.

"Oh! And I actually don't need you to answer my confession. I just want to let you know that I like you and all," He gave a soft laugh as he scratched the back of his neck. "Accept these instead." He then gave me chocolates that were beautifully wrapped.

"Thank you senpai." I accepted them. "There's actually—"

"No, no." He shushed me. "It's alright, you don't need to explain. I understand." He gave me an assuring smile.

Napangiti nalang ako tsaka nag pasalamat sa kaniya. We separated our ways when we were already inside the building. When I opened our door everyone screamed again! They were so loud! The teachers might scold us for this.

"So? How did it go?" Suzuki wiggled her eyebrows, then her attention went to the chocolates that I was holding. She gasped. "Holy shit! Saito-senpai gave you chocolates?!"

Everyone screamed again! Oh my goodness, when did I ended up on this position. As the screaming and shouting went louder, our history teacher went inside our room and scolded us. But I still ended up getting teased by her and my classmates!

My highschool life was fun, not until something happened. When we were playing a volleyball match with Kaisei Academy, one of the schools here, I got injured. It happened when I did a long toss,  making me crash on the benches out of the court. We were so close on winning, that's why I got desperate, I still continued playing even I was badly hurt. Though in the end we lost.

Simula noong nabali tuhod tsaka siko ko, hindi na 'ko pinayagan maglaro ng volleyball ulit. I didn't want to abandon what I love, that's why I asked my parents and my coach if I can be a volleyball manager. We were still finding a manager that time, so it was a perfect timing for me to be one.

Being a manager was kinda pressuring because of loads of work. You're going to analyze the game of your team, write their scores, observe them, think strategies that can help them, and more. It may be like that, but it was still fun. From my second year to my fourth year, I was the manager of both volleyball girls and boys.

"La Nueva-san!!" I was welcomed by the shout of our players the moment I opened the door of the gym. Sato-kun and Ito-kun.

When they were about to jump on me I panicked. I sat down dodging them so they wouldn't crash on me. That's why they both crashed outside, our captain saw them and he started scolding them.

Takeuchi-kun and the others were laughing so hard when they saw Watanabe scolding the two. Until I started laughing also.

One of the best moments of my highschool life on the volleyball club is when we went to training camp. There were atleast four schools who attended there. We met so many talented and nice players! Japan really tried to heal the wound inside my heart.