A Sunset Story

     It was a Thursday, but seeing the throngs of people strolling along the restaurant row, you’d think it was another holiday weekend.  Among the crowd, a guy and girl were walking hand in hand.  They were seemingly wrapped up in their own world; whispering softly while people were chattering gaily, walking unhurriedly while others were bustling about.  I wondered what it was that’s so special about this particular couple that caught my eye; maybe it was the way they looked at each other, as if they were the only two people in the world… or maybe it was the way they kept their hands joined while waltzing about to avoid crashing into people, as if letting go was the last thing on their minds… or maybe it was the impression they gave off, as if there were no two people happier and more at peace than they were.

     They made their way to the Seaside Boulevard where they hoped to be able to talk while watching the famed Manila Bay sunset.  But like the restaurant row, the boulevard was crowded with families, groups of friends, and other couples.  They walked for a couple of minutes until they spotted an unoccupied bench near the end of the sea wall.  There they sat back to back and they were silent for a few minutes.  I watched the wind blow through her hair, and I watched him catch a strand of it in his fingers.  And then they looked and each other and smiled… It made my heart twinge as they exchanged that tender look, as I’ve thought about how wonderful it must be to be so in love.  And then he started singing for her, in a language that was not theirs.  A phrase was carried over by the wind to where I was standing, watching them unobserved. 

Yo te voy amar…

     I go to you for love…  After the song, she laid her head on his shoulder and they interlaced their fingers.  How perfect they looked, sitting there that way.  Like two pieces of a puzzle fused together to paint a beautiful picture.  And then they started talking and laughing.  Her laughter resounded like tinkling bells, and I caught my breath as I saw the way he fixed his eyes on her face, in a way that seemed to constantly affirm… I love you… I love you…

     I was surprised when the girl abruptly stood up after a few minutes and then headed for the sea wall, while the guy remained seated with his head in his hands.  The girl sat up on the sea wall and took pictures of the sky that was then breaking into a whirl of brilliant colors.  After a while, the guy walked up to where the girl was and he sat beside her.  It was getting dark, making it hard for me to see them clearly.  But then I was surprised when I saw, silhouetted against the colors of the sky, tears staining both their cheeks.  I frowned and thought that they were having a fight, and then I saw him pulling her close when she shivered, and then she settled in his arms and snuggled in his embrace.  It made me realize that they were simply crying tears of sheer elation, similar to the way perfection brings moistness to anyone’s eyes.

     So there they were, two people in each other’s arms, silhouetted against the embers of the sky.  Yes, it was just another sunset by the bay, as it was just another page in the love story that they were living.  Moments that are just mere fractions in the time continuum, but nevertheless crystallized in a cherished book of memories.  I felt lucky to have borne witness to such a perfect moment, and I started to turn and walk away as I felt tears blurring my vision.  After a few steps, I turned to have one last glimpse of them, and I saw them facing each other, hands raised, fingers linked, and eyes teeming with endless promises…