Before I know it, the kindergarten class finally ended. Because of that, our teacher allowed us to play at the playground. Some kids played at the slides, some played at the seesaws, some played at the sand box and some played at the small steel bars. This image…is too boring to watch.

Because I often reject the invitations of my classmates to play with them, I didn’t acquire a friend to play with. Well, I just don’t want to play so what is wrong about rejecting their invitation? We went to school to study and not to play, you know.

While watching my classmates play around, I noticed a girl watching them too. She is alone in the swing. Out of curiosity, I decided to talk to her.

“Don’t you want to join them?” I asked after sitting in the swing next to her.

Her face’s color suddenly turned into red and averted her gaze from me.

“…”

What is with this girl?

“I...can’t,” she whispered.

“Huh?” I reacted, slightly urprised from that kind of reply.

“I can’t because…I don’t know how,” she continued shyly.

“…”

She then looked at me and asked, “How about you?”

“I am not interested, that’s all,” I replied seriously.

“?”

“Is something wrong about that?” I asked.

“What do you mean? Isn’t it fun to play with everyone?” she asked innocently.

“Well…” I muttered, having trouble how to explain my reasons to her.

“Well?”

“Jeez. I don’t know why. Is that fine?” I replied with a pout.

“…”

“Why?” I asked because of her sudden silence.

She gave me a smile and said, “How about we play together, Orel?”

“Well…it is fine to me but…what are we supposed to play? The swings are the only available and this is far too boring.”

“Hide-and-seek.How about it?” she suggested with an excited smile.

“Then…let’s play.”

This girl became my first playmate. Every after class, we played hide and seek without the teacher’s permission. Every day became lively for me because of her but one day…

“Where is she?” I muttered as I look around the playground.

She became a veteran before I know it. Now, I can’t even find her.

The playtime then ended and the parents started to go home with their child. Because it is now time for my Mom to arrive, I decided to go back to the classroom.

“Well…she is probably now at the room. It is time to go home after all,” that is what I thought.

“Ma’am, where is my daughter? I can’t find her in the playground,” a young mother asked with a very worried expression.

“Maybe she is still playing somewhere. I’m going to find her so don’t worry,” our teacher replied nervously.

I just heard their conversations while hiding in the tree nearby. That is her mom. That means…

I immediately ran around and called her name.

“Where are you? Show yourself! I lose so come out already!” I shouted, starting to get nervous too.

This is my fault. If she didn’t play with me, this will never happen.

I ran around the school desperately while calling her name.

“Hey! Your mom is here! Come out already!”

If I’m going to hide, where will it be? Something that I will overlook….

“Cabinet!”

I immediately ran towards the storage room and opened the door. Inside, I found a big cabinet.

“Orel?” a voice inside the cabinet reacted after hearing me open the door.

There she is!

I immediately took the chair and stepped on it. Because this can only be locked outside, being trapped inside is not that surprising especially with our game in mind.

I opened it and before I know it, she immediately hugged me.

“Orel…Orel…” she said while crying.

“Sorry…because it took quite a while before I found you,” I said with a relieved smile while petting her head.

“…*sob*…I thought that…I am stuck here…forever…*sob*…”

“Jeez. That is impossible you know.”

“…*sob*…”

“Remember this. Whenever and wherever you are, I will always find you. That is why don’t cry anymore.”

“Really?” she asked with upturned eyes, looking at me.

“It’s true. I promise,” I followed with a smile.

Soon, the graduation came. After the program, I went to the room because she said to me yesterday that she has something to say to me. Then, I found her sitting on one of the chair. We are the only ones inside. I went before her and saw that she has a sad face.

“Where are your parents?” she asked.

“I told them that I will just go to the comfort room by myself so they let me go.”

“…”

“Then, what do you want to say?” I asked.

“I…we will go to the Capital. We will live there…” she said sadly.

“Capital? Why? That place is far from here, right?” I asked with a surprised face.

“My father decided to live there.”

“…”

“…”

“I promise…” I whispered.

“Orel?”

“Whenever and wherever you are, I will find you, remember?” I said with a smile.

Her tears suddenly ran down on her face.

“Hey, why are you crying again? Crying is only for kids, you know,” I said, trying to stop her from crying.

“But…” she muttered, tears running down on her face.

“I will find you. I don’t know how long but…I won’t give up…I promise.”

She wiped her tears and with a sudden determined face, she said, “I promise. I will wait for you forever. I won’t cry anymore so…so…promise me that you will surely find me.”

“Not cry anymore, huh. Then, I promise, Laira.”

When I opened my eyes, I saw the usual white ceiling of my room.

“A…dream?” I whispered.

No…that is from my past, when I was still studying at my kindergarten school. That girl…is Laira?

Today is now Monday. For some reason, I woke up one minute earlier than planned. That is why my alarm didn’t ring.

She is my first childhood friend? Why did it take me this long to remember her? Jeez.

“Time to get up…”

But anyway, her mom looks familiar. Where did I saw her again?

Today is now my last day in this world. That means that if Laira didn't fall for me today, my mission here will fail. Because she didn't answer my phone calls and I don't know her address, the weekends passed just like that without me achieving anything.

"Today, I will surely complete my mission," I whispered to myself.

After I arrived at the school, Laira is nowhere to be found. Well, that is strange because she is always early to arrive here.

Just like that, the morning class ended and I am now heading towards the cafeteria...alone.

After I bought my usual chocolate roll bread, I immediately went to the rooftop.

"I wonder why Laira is absent," I muttered to myself.

Darn, what the heck should I do? Is it really the time to eat this bread? How can I find her? Should I skip the class?

After eating my chocolate roll bread, I decided to ask Meryl why Laira was absent. Well, they are getting really well these days after all.

"Huh?" she reacted with a surprised look after my question.

"What’s wrong?" I asked, confused of her reaction.

"Are you…serious?" she asked, still surprised.

"Huh? Of course I am. She didn’t tell me the reason why she is absent so…"

"Don’t tell me that…you and Laira didn’t reconcile yesterday?"

"Well…" I whispered with a troubled look.

"Just as I thought. So that is why you are not there at the farewell party."

"Farewell party?"

"Laira’s farewell party. She left yesterday, you know."

Left? Are you...kidding me?

"Where did she go?" I asked with a nervous face.

“To the Capital. What are you planning to do? You still know her cell phone number, right? Maybe you two can still--”

“Tell all of our teachers that I have a fever!" I said and ran away.

"OT?" Meryl reacted as I sprint.

What the heck is happening? Laira didn’t transfer in the two previous worlds.

All four worlds of the victims should all be the same because those four worlds are just the continuation of the real world if they didn’t receive a curse. The ending can only be changed base on my actions. I am an irregularity here after all. That means that Laira transferred because of a choice that I made. Does that mean that…I already failed on this mission? I won’t give up yet. I have to do something!

I immediately ran towards the street where Laira and I usually part ways. I am sure that she lived around here. I will ask some of their neighbors for information. Because I don’t know its exact location, I asked some people living around the area.

“Do you know where the Vargas resident is?” I asked.

“Vargas? Maria Vargas, right? They are gone now. All I know is that they’ve returned to the Capital but…I don’t know where there,” the old lady replied to me.

Maria? Don’t tell me….

The girl on the bridge…is her mother?

“It’s…over,” I whispered in despair.

If I didn’t talk to her, this will never happen. I picked the wrong choice right from the start. What the heck should I do? No one knows where their exact location is.

Out of ideas to do, I immediately ran towards the bridge and sat down at a bench near it.

What should I do? I don’t have any single information about…

“Michael….” I whispered to myself.

I immediately stood up and ran towards my house.

This is my last hope, my final card before absolute defeat. If this didn’t work out, it is really over. Please…

When I got home, I saw my father sitting on the sofa while reading a newspaper.

“Orel? What are you doing here?” my father asked with a surprised expression.

“Dad, how about work?” I asked.

“Today is the start of my 1 week leave, remember?”

“Anyway, can I borrow your high school and college year book. I really need it now so…please.”

“Well, it’s fine. Wait here. I’m going to get it,” he said and went upstairs. After awhile, he went back and showed it to me. After taking the two books, I immediately scanned the name of the students listed there.

“Michael…Vargas. Here he is!” I said with a big smile.

That’s right. This is my only hope, my father. Jeez…I’m so lucky! I don’t know about Maria’s maiden name after all.

“Michael? You know him?” my father asked after hearing me.

“Well, sort of. Do you know where he lives?” I asked.

“The Capital, right?”

“How about its exact address?”

“I know. We are still friends so--”

“The truth is I became an exorcist already and I have a victim to save so…can you bring me there?” I said with a serious face.

“Well, I know. My cross of salvation suddenly disappeared meaning I might have given it to you in the real world. Two copies of one cross of salvation can’t exist in the same time after all. Anyway, you probably became an exorcist because of this victim. That is why I can’t remember that I passed you that cross, right?”

“Yes.”

“Then, let’s work!” my father said with a smile.

“Thanks, Dad.”

We rode my father’s blue car and went to Manila. After hours of travelling, we finally reached our destination. We stopped in front of a two-storey house with red roofing and light yellow façade.

“We’re here,” my father said after we got out of the car.

The time is now 4:00 p.m. I still got exactly 6 minutes to make Laira fall for me…again. I can do this.

“I wonder if Laira is here,” I whispered to myself.

Before I even ring the doorbell, I suddenly felt a presence in my right side. When I looked at that direction, I saw a girl wearing a white blouse and gored skirt. It is…Laira.

“O…rel?” she muttered with a surprised expression.

“Lai--”

She then immediately ran away from me.

“!”

“Orel!” my father shouted.

“?”

“You can do it! Believe in yourself! Chase after her!” he shouted with a serious face.

“Right!” I shouted.

Finally, Laira is now before my eyes. I thought that it is already impossible but...it is still possible. I won’t let you escape this time!

We then ran around the streets of the subdivision. She is really faster than Sheena. As expected to my girlfriend but...unlike you, I have this cross from my father!

“Strength Booster – Cheetah!” I shouted and my cross burst out an orange light. After the light enveloped both of my legs, my speed increased exponentially and finally, I managed to grab her arm.

“!”

I immediately placed both of my hands on her shoulders and turned her around so I can see her face. Right now, she is in the verge of crying.

"Is it just me or girls really like to run away?" I asked with an exhausted look.

"..."

"I already said to you that I will prove that I really love you, right?" I continued with serious eyes.

"How did you…found me?"

The power of love perhaps.

"Whenever and wherever you are, I will surely find you, right?" I said with a smile.

"!"

"Sorry because I just remembered it this morning."

"I thought that…you will never remember it again," she whispered, surprised.

"That’s impossible. No matter what happens, I will remember it because…I am not the type who breaks his promise.”

"..."

"Now, do you believe that you’re the one I really love?"

"But…Sheena is the one who is always beside you…” she whispered with a sudden sad expression.

"But…you are the first one I met."

She then got surprised from my reply and averted her gaze from me. She then made a sad face once again.

“That is enough reason to choose you,” I continued, still serious.

"The truth is…I only pretended that I am angry in order for you to be happy…together with Sheena because I’m leaving…" Laira revealed sadly.

"I will never…be happy with that ending."

"..."

"Are you afraid to tell me that you are leaving once again?"

"Yes. I don’t know how you will react so...." Laira replied.

"..."

“One day, my mother suddenly told me that she and my father finally reconciled. The effect of that is…we are going back here. That is why I decided to confess my love to you…before I leave this city. It is enough for me that you know how I feel about you but…I didn’t expect that you will accept me as your girlfriend. That made me really happy. It is like a very happy dream. Yes, that is indeed a dream because…every dream has an ending. I tried to inform you about this but...I always got scared to tell you. That is why I took that opportunity. That way, I thought that all of us will be happy but…”

“No one will be happy that way, you know that right?” I said with a serious look.

“…”

“Laira…”

“…”

“One year…”

“?”

“I will study at a university here in the Capital after I’ve graduated high school. That way, we can enter the same school in college.”

Laira’s tears suddenly ran down on her face. Because of this, I hugged her and whispered, “That’s another promise.”

“Yup…*sob*…”

“Wait for me for a bit more and after that, we will never be separated again.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

Laira suddenly drew back and stared at my face with tears welling up in her eyes.

“Orel, I love you,” she said and kissed my lips.

After awhile, she drew back and gave me a very warm smile.

Mission complete, huh.

“Farewell, Laira,” I said and my vision blacked out.

Three down…and one to go.