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Chapter 9: Upstairs
publish date:
2026-07-03 03:06:00
Latest chapter
Before You Let Go Chapter 10 : Seven Minutes
“Aray— damn it, Lyra!”Napatigil ako, hawak pa rin ang kettle.Caelan was standing beside the sink, hawak ang kamay niya habang tumatalsik ang hot water sa counter.“Oh my God.” I dropped the kettle so fast muntik na rin akong masunog. “Sorry! Sorry, sorry, sorry—”“Sinabi ko bang buhusan mo kamay ko?”“Hindi ko sinasadya!”“You were supposed to refill the kettle. Refill. Hindi gumawa ng mini disaster.”“I told you hindi ako dapat pinagkakatiwalaan sa hot water!”Caelan gave me a look while turning on the faucet. “That’s not something people usually brag about.”I stood there behind the counter of Kape Amparo, feeling like the worst employee in café history.First day ko pa lang.First official day, actually.And I had already injured the only person I was trying to keep alive.Very on-brand.Caelan held his hand under the running water, jaw tight. Hindi naman mukhang serious burn, pero red ang skin niya. Still, my stomach was folding in on itself like guilt-flavored origami.“I’m rea
Before You Let Go Chapter 9: Upstairs
Hindi ko alam kung ano ang in-expect ko sa apartment sa taas ng Kape Amparo.Maybe something quiet. Something neat. Something na parang extension lang ng café sa baba.Wrong.Pag-akyat namin sa narrow stairs sa likod ng kitchen, sinalubong agad ako ng tunog ng TV, boses ni Miro na nagrereklamo, at amoy ng bagong saing na kanin. The wooden steps creaked under us, and for some reason, mas kinakabahan ako rito kaysa noong first time kong pumasok sa café.Maybe because this wasn’t just Caelan’s workplace anymore.This was his home.“Careful,” Marisol said, unlocking the faded green door at the top of the stairs. “Medyo masikip.”The second the lights opened, I froze.The apartment was small.Like, really small.Pero hindi siya sad-small. More like lived-in-small. May old sofa sa living room, covered with a floral blanket. May low table na puno ng crayons, school papers, and one half-eaten biscuit. Sa wall, may family photos, faded certificates, and a small wooden cross beside a calendar f
Before You Let Go Chapter 8: Friend Of The Family
Saturday afternoon, nasa tapat ako ng Kape Amparo, suot ang jacket ko kahit hindi naman sobrang lamig.Honestly, hindi ko alam kung bakit kailangan ko pang mag-act na casual. Wala namang casual sa pagpunta sa café ng lalaking galit sa’yo dahil nakita niya ang countdown sa wrist mo.Very normal weekend activity.I pulled my sleeves down, making sure that the number was covered.23.Still there.Still waiting.Hindi ko pa nakikita si Caelan since kahapon, after niya akong iwan sa likod ng old science building. After he told me to try somewhere else.And because apparently wala akong self-preservation, nandito ako ngayon.Death said I should earn his trust.So… step one: show up?Okay, maybe hindi perfect ang plan.Pero at least may plan.Huminga ako nang malalim bago ko binuksan ang pinto ng café. The little bell above it rang, and agad akong sinalubong ng amoy ng kape, toasted bread, and something sweet na parang cinnamon.“Lyra?”Napatingin ako sa counter.Si Marisol, mom ni Caelan, a
Before You Let Go Chapter 7: Not A Project
By the time the number on my wrist changed to 23, two things were painfully clear.One, ang bilis ng oras kapag desperado kang pabagalin siya.And two, Caelan Vasquez was really good at acting like nothing could touch him.For the past two days, I tried to be normal around him.Keyword: tried.I sat near him during lunch. I returned the blue pen kahit hindi naman niya hinihingi. I asked safe questions, like kung anong subject niya next or kung kumain na ba siya. Normal questions. Harmless questions. Questions na hindi halatang may kasamang silent panic na, Hi, I’m trying to stop your future death and I have no idea what I’m doing.And still, parang wala akong progress.Caelan answered when he wanted to. Ignored me when he didn’t. Looked at me like I was a problem he never agreed to deal with.Which was fair.I was kind of a problem.“Hindi ka na naman sasabay sa lunch, no?”I looked up from my locker.Mika was beside me, arms crossed, lunch bag hanging from one wrist. Hindi siya mukha
Before You Let Go Chapter 6: Kape Amparo
By dismissal, I had one goal.Simple lang.Huwag hanapin si Caelan Vasquez.After everything that happened yesterday, I told myself na kailangan ko namang kumalma. Hindi pwedeng lagi na lang akong nakabuntot sa kanya. Baka bago ko pa siya mailigtas, isipin na niyang baliw ako.So, naturally, less than five minutes after the final bell, nakita ko siya.Of course.Caelan was walking ahead of me near the side gate, black hoodie pulled over his uniform kahit ang init, sketchbook tucked under one arm, earphones in. He moved through the crowd like sanay na siyang umiwas sa lahat. Then something slipped from between the pages of his sketchbook.A folded piece of paper landed near the stairs.He didn’t notice.I stopped.For one second, I stared at it like it was some kind of trap.Because with my luck? Baka mamaya cursed paper pala ito. Or Death’s version of a sticky note.But Caelan kept walking.“Caelan!” I called.He didn’t hear me.Or maybe he did and chose peace.I picked up the paper
Before You Let Go Chapter 5 : Twenty-Six
Nagising ako bago pa tumunog ang alarm ko.Not because I was responsible now. Hindi dahil bigla akong naging morning person after makipag-deal kay Death.Nagising ako kasi nasusunog ang wrist ko.I sat up with a sharp gasp, clutching my left arm against my chest. For a second, akala ko may sugat talaga. Like actual blood, actual burn na kailangan kong ipaliwanag kay Mama without sounding insane.Pero wala.Just the mark.Only now, it wasn’t 27 anymore.It was 26.Napatitig ako sa wrist ko habang unti-unting lumalamig ang kwarto.Twenty-six.Isang araw na ang nawala.“Okay,” I whispered. “Hindi nakakapanic. Totally normal. Very fun.”My voice cracked on the last word.I pressed my thumb over the number, but the pale mark stayed there, clean and quiet and impossible. Parang reminder na kahit magising ako sa sarili kong kwarto, kahit marinig ko ang kapitbahay naming nagbubukas ng gripo, kahit naamoy ko ang sinangag mula sa kitchen, nothing about my life was normal anymore.I had twenty-s
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