24 Hours

5:00 a.m.

When I was younger, I used to think about how someone would be capable of loving me — the type of love I’ve watched in movies, or read about in books, or even in the songs I’ve heard on the radio.

I wanted a cliche and I didn’t have any idea how I would make that happen.

Little did I know, you were the answer to those thoughts I’ve had that seemed light years ago.

6:30 a.m.

You always arrive at work earlier than I do. It is usually around 6:30 a.m. when I arrive in Makati, and you were waiting for me at the street where my mom always drops me off.

I’ve been walking in this street alone every morning before this, and I didn’t have a problem with it. But today, I realized, that I’m so glad I’m walking with you.

I remember that TVC, “Para kanino ka bumabangon?”

I think I finally found my answer.

7:00 a.m.

Breakfast, they say, is the best and most important meal of the day.

And that never occurred to me until I shared every breakfast of every day with you.

12:00 p.m.

I always look forward to spending lunch with you.

Usually, we were just watching that game in the office that I’m not even interested in, but I get to spend it with you and that’s all that matters.

1:30 p.m.

It was around this time when I realized I’m falling in love with you.

I was on my station, doing the things I need to accomplish for that day and it struck me how much I wanted to spend all my days with you.

And then that song suddenly played:

♪ ♫

Do you ever think when you’re all alone
All that we can be, where this thing can go?
Am I crazy or falling in love?

♪ ♫

2:15 p.m.

It was all surreal. I can’t remember how it all started.

It was 2:15 in the afternoon, and I was thinking about how you’ve held my hand that morning while you were teaching me how to figure out solving that stupid cube.

It was all too complicated, but I just found myself falling deeper in love with you.

4:20 p.m.

We just got off from work, and we were waiting for my mom to pick me up at one of Makati’s streets.

We were talking and laughing and I thought: Nothing would ever be as simple and as beautiful as this.

And then you kissed my cheek. I’ve never been happy to be wrong.

8:30 p.m.

Supposedly, I’m already asleep by this time. But I’ve been thinking of you and how the universe could possibly give me a star brighter than the sun.

I haven’t been sleeping enough lately, because I want to spend every minute of every hour of every day talking and listening to you.

We talk about so many things, most of the time, just random stuff that we see online. Or plans about the future. Where we will get married, how many kids we want.

But things change. One day, we might want to change the church, or the number of kids. But one thing won’t change — Us.

9:15 p.m.

I was so frustrated with everyone, and instead of running away from all of it, I run to you.

Sometimes, I think you’re getting sick of all my rants, but you’re still trying your best to make me feel better.

Whoever said that eating an apple a day would keep the doctor away definitely doesn’t know you exist.

Good thing, because I want you all to myself.

10:35 p.m.

Every relationship has its downs, and this was one of those times.

We were arguing about something that our hearts doesn’t agree with — because I never tell you what’s bothering me, and one day, it all just exploded like wildfire.

You don’t want to talk about it, but I insisted and we ended up fighting.

Because I love you… so much, and we need to talk about it.

3:00 a.m.

People say that nothing good ever happens after 2 a.m.

But it was around 3 a.m. and I realized that it was almost six months since we were together.

And not even the stars could compare to the beauty of that thought.

4:45 a.m.

I wake up to the thought of you.

You always say that I’m not as clingy, but you don’t really know what’s going through my mind — you.

I would like to spend every waking hour with you, and I don’t think I’ll ever get used to that.

No, wait, I would like to spend 24/7 with you.

I love you.