Prologue

I never once thought about love. "Love" never came across into my mind as i constantly witnessed the kind of love both of my parents are. They are perfect in the outside, but we're always breaking apart in the inside.

I could see my mother crying alone as she witnessed my father cheating on her. She even attempted to kill herself, and i was there watching as they kill themselves by the word "love". I never understood it in my own way — in my own definition. But i was curious. I never thought about wanting real love, but i was curious of how it will turn out.

I had many exes and every relationship i had with them didn't turn up pretty well. We would always have fight and our toxic traits would always clasps until we're going to break up. It wasn't that really serious but i guess it did disappoint me to the point where I don't even really think about it.

Curiosity? What's that use for when you know you're just going to be stuck in a toxic relationship?

But that kind of thought changed when i suddenly met you. An unexpected meeting under the cozy rain at the first day of school — something churry scurring in my stomach like butterflies as our gazes would always meet. Your intimidating eyes that what attracts me the most, my thirst in curiosity for you.

I realized that i fell in love with you at the first time. But you're already in love with someone else. I can just easily snatch you away from her but i couldn't. I couldn't because if i do that, i know you will be unhappy without her while you're in my side. It's pathetic and painful.

And so i stopped searching for you.

But fate is so cruel as our eyes would always naturally meet. And the way you stare makes my knees feel weak. I didn't know what happened but suddenly, on the same weather we got closer. We talked about a lot of things and i never let you see my bad side. I kept all my secrets away from you — things i have never do in my past relationships. I would constantly think of treasuring you, of not wanting you to know more about me. Because i believed that if you do, you will hate me.

As i sat down in the window sill, you were there as your face slowly turns red and you on your one knee as you confess your feelings for me. Dumbfounded, i blushed. And i said yes.

I couldn't deny it anymore. I am in love with you. But fate is so cruel to me that we must let go each other.

Everything was great back then, we were still laughing and love each other. We keep comforting ourselves as we watch the starry night sky together sipping a hot cocoa chocolate and a blanket to cover us from the cold wind of late night.

Everything felt so surreal, and so magical. That i started to think, "i am so lucky to have you in my arms."

But I left you.

I broke our promise.

And i watched you cry as i went away from you.

I wanted to hold you, even just a brief moment. But how could I be that shameful when i left you and broke our promise?

I'm sorry, i am a failure.

I could never be a woman of my word.

I keep failing and hurting you.

So maybe this time, it is indeed a right choice to leave you. But i hope someday, you will be happy without me.

********************

[Matthew's POV]

It has been years since then. Since we both parted ways. The cold wind and rustling sound of fallen leaves as the rain drops in the ground. The weather would always remind me of the days we're always together.

Her lovely smile, her beautiful captivating eyes. She was everything i could ever ask. Yet something happened, that we ended up together like this again.

I have loved her for years. I love her more than she could imagine. But she suddenly left me, like a piece of crumpled paper she threw me in the corner where she would never glimpse. I couldn't understand why must she leave me. Everything was fine until then.

What happened?

She said she won't leave me and yet here she is. After the graduation, the last news i've heard about her is coming to Japan to achieve her dream. Suddenly, one day she break all her connections to us. Especially us. Even her friends doesn't know where she went.

She just disappeared.

She was a liar, a two-faced lady. She would always mask her true emotions and has the audacity to lie right to your face. But i can understand why she did that. She's been through so much, but i still don't get why she also must do this to me.

I flinched as i smelled the scented roses she would always wear, i quickly turn around but my heart ache to realize it was not her. It was my fiancé, my wife to be waving her hands towards me.

"Babe!" She kissed my cheeks and instantly hugged me. I know i'm such a big jerk but whenever i looked at her, i am always reminded of her.

"Matty..." My fiancé called me. I thought i heard it wrong when i also heard her voice when my fiancé called me.

"Matty, babe are you okay? You look a little pale." She said with her worried eyes and i just kissed her forehead. The wedding is coming sooner than I expected.

My fiancé is the daughter of CEO where i am cooperating with the project i am working on. Years has already passed and i became a successful business man. Basically, her father is my business partner. Since then, her bright expressions and gestures would always remind me of "her" my ex girlfriend and is also my best friend that took our relationship for 3 years long.

I know I should've forget her, but how can i when my heart aches for her? She hurt me, i should be mad at her. But why do i find myself coming back towards her?

"Take a seat first, babe." I said to my fiancé as we both took our orders here inside the café. We both chat and laugh for a long time until we decided to go for the Amusement Park when the rain stopped falling.

As we arrived at the Park we rode a lot of rides and the last one is the Ferris Wheel.

"I love you, Matthew." She whispered as she stare into my eyes with her blushing face, asking for a kiss. I smiles and kisses her plump lips, "I love you too," As our kiss deepens I remembered her again. I pulled back from the kiss and clench my jaw.

Why are you always appearing in my mind!

"Matty?" I looked at my fiancé once again and i saw her tears almost falling from her eyes.

"Are you thinking about her?" I quickly shook off my head to say no. "No, babe it's just—"

"You've been like this ever since you proposed to me." She said, almost a whisper.

"Matthew can't you please forget her and love me? I love you, she doesn't deserve you. She hurt you, that only means she doesn't love you truly." She hugged me. Right, she's right. If she really did love me, she won't ever leave me.

"I'm sorry, Matthew." Her cracking voice suddenly echoed in my head as if i'm forgetting something. "I... can't save us." She said as she smiled bitterly and left me as i saw in my memory. What?

"You're right, love." I said to Sabrina my Fiancé. That memory, I can't remember which memory is that. The only memory i remembered from her is her cold eyes staring back at me pissed. It's impossible that was her.

We got off the Ferris Wheel when our time is finished.

"Babe! I want to buy cotton candy, be right back." She said and kisses my cheeks as i patiently wait for her.

After minutes, I caught a glimpse of a woman that's been bugging my mind for years. With another man, smiling holding a little kid's hands. My eyes slowly went wide open and I could feel my heart breaking.

******

[Narrator POV]

"Come on, Brea! The show's gonna start!" said the little kid while he kept pulling Brea's shirt.

"Geez! Slow down kid! You're going to strip me off naked here." She said with her lazy voice. She doesn't really like to go in these kind of places. Parks always reminded her of "him".

She gazes up when she noticed the Ferris Wheel beside her. Oh how much she wanted to ride the Ferris Wheel with him in the past, but because of her strict mother and strict schedule, she couldn't get a official date with him in the past.

It's been years since then. She couldn't remember exactly the years after she went to Japan and quickly disconnected to the people she cherish the most that was staying in The Philippines. As if she just disappeared. It was amazing for her to endure that long painful journey alone without them, especially him.

She sigh. She's always secretly updated with what he's doing with his life. The last thing she heard is that he was getting married. She heard it when a friend of him told Breanna when he found her staying in Japan.

It's been years yet the pain is still there. She regretted it, but there was nothing she could ever do. If she's going to stay, both will only get hurt. She believed that it's always been better to let go of the person sooner than later, so the pain you'll inflict won't be too much painful. Bur she was wrong, whichever side it is, it's still painful.

She was barely living without him. But now that he has found the girl she would always pray for him to be happy without her, her heart aches.

She sigh.

"Come on! Breanna!!!" The kid shouted and it made Breanna feel irritated. 'Goodness! I should be watching One Piece right now but because of this I can't!'

"Mou kairo!" (I'm going home) Breanna said, grumply stomping her feet walking away from the kid.

"Ah! It's Uncle Ryouko!" Said the Kid pointing with the man wearing his white t-shirt and black coat and pants. Also wearing his eyeglasses.

"Hey there kiddo!" Said Ryouko while patting the little kid's head.

"Mr. Ryouko, what are you doing here in the Philippines?" Breanna asked with her eyes wide open.

"I heard you're going back home here so i followed." He said with his gorgeous smile.

"Are you a stalker?"

"Aw, we're good friends Breanna that hurt me." He said, teasing her. Breanna couldn't help but to sigh. Really, he's always there whenever Breanna feels sad.

"Anyway, you shouldn't leave the kid alone, Breanna." He said, almost sound like an old man to it's teenage daughter.

"Ah right." Breanna quickly nodded her head. Both of them talked for some more until she felt that someone were staring at her.

She glances towards the man that was staring at her and realized it was Matthew. The man that she let go in the past. Both couldn't utter a word and could only stare at each other. Feeling the longing pain of the past.

********

"The Midnight Rain"

A story written by: Siella Spring

original title: Right Love, Wrong Time