Prologue

From the region called Northeast Asia or East Asia, to the east of the Eurasian continent,surrounded by the Pacific Ocean, the Sea of Okhotsk, the Sea of Japan, and the East China Sea, there's an island country called "the land of the rising sun."

This is where I live for almost 13 years.

From Southeast Asia, on the eastern rim of the Asiatic Mediterranean, bounded in the west by the South China Sea; in the east by the Pacific Ocean; in the south by the Sulu and Celebes Seas; and in the north by the Bashi Channel, there's an archipelago called "the pearl of orient seas".

This is where I came from.

According to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations, population here in Japan is expected to reach 124.90 Million by the end of 2022, and I am one of those millions who are expecting to see one person from the current population of the Philippines which is 115,579,547.

Who the hell is that one person from 115,579,547?

That's the woman who gave birth to me.

I was only eight when we left the Philippines and settled here in Japan for good. They told me I had a photographic memory. I can remember things exactly what it is.

That was a lie!

Because If that's true, why couldn't I remember the face of the woman who carried me in her womb for nine months?

If that's true, why can't I remember the childhood life I had before I stepped on the land of the rising sun?

Why do I feel like there's a space inside of me that needs to be filled?

Whenever I have deep thoughts, I feel like I'm in the middle of the pacific ocean, drowning and slowly dying.

Do I really have a photographic memory or I already lost a memory?

"You're too early,Azi." A baritone voice coming from the living room echoed and that made me stop walking towards the kitchen.

That's my dad. He was lying on the couch and sleeping with his medical gown when I took the way from the second floor down to where I am standing.

Usually, it's almost lunch when he wakes up and I didn't bother to disturb him because I know how tired he is from work.

I looked at his way. He is now sitting on the couch, currently massaging his temporals while his eyes were shut.

The wall clock says it's 8:10 in the morning and I wonder why he woke up early too.

"Good morning,dad." I greeted myself in the sweetest way and continued walking.

"Tell me what's good in the morning,Azi?" He asked in a serious tone. "Is it because of this?"

The danger in his voice managed to stop me from walking for the second time.

With a proud beautiful face, I glanced at him. Only to know that his eyes were looking at my direction already.Tiredness was evident in his lazy posture, he must continue taking his rest.

"Care to explain this,Azora?"He was holding the piece of paper I intentionally left on the center table yesterday.

It's a waiver. Maybe that's the reason why he woke up this early in the morning.

I sighed.

Kyoto University will deploy fresh graduate medicine students to the Philippines for a post-graduate internship that will last for almost four months. That is equivalent to one sem in the Philippines.

It was quite long and exciting.

Well, I am excited to witness the beauty of the pearl of orient seas. It's almost 14 years and I couldn't remember the last scene I had before I went here.

The young version of me is dominating, too active for curiosity. Inquiries were popping out of nowhere, testing the knowledge I have and I think I have to be in there because somehow, I knew the Philippines was the answer to all the questions circling in my head.

"You planned to take a post-graduate internship without asking permission? Is that how a doctor should be? Taking action without consent?" He threw the waiver and it slowly landed on the floor.

I blinked my eyes. I sneaked in in the library yesterday and I stamped the waiver with his signature.

Okay,I was about to ask him regarding the internship but I know him very well. I am free to go wherever the country I want except the Philippines. He won't let me step my feet in there.

I heaved a sigh and led the way towards the couch across from him. Dad is frowning. I am afraid his eyebrows might turn into a universal one.

"Dad it's just a training,an internship." I said,trying to convince him that it's totally alright.

"Yeah!Post-graduate training in the Philippines! Are you kidding me,Azora Keon?"

He called me Azora a few minutes ago and now, he just called me Azora Keon. It's a sign of danger and I can see the imaginary fire with electric current coming out from his fierce eyes.

"Dad, I want to experience various kinds of environments. I believe it can help me to upgrade the quality of education I had experience with."

"Azora Keon! Did you hear yourself?" Dad gave me death glare and I can't help but to gulp not just once. " We have the best hospitals and doctors here and you don't have to go abroad to get the quality education because you had it already! All you have to do now is to prove that you are qualified and you deserve to be called a Doctor!"

Dad is always like this whenever I mention our home country. I have watched many vlogs on YouTube wherein the content is about the Philippines. I can say it's really a beautiful country.

A lot of tourist spots with wonderful and hospitable local citizens are already given. The Philippines may be a small country but the beautiful and historical scenery there screams paradise.

Dad didn't care about the tourist spots though. The story behind his separation with mom is unclear but I think that's the reason why he despises the 7,641 islands of the Philippines so much and if only eyes could kill then I am dead by now. It's funny to think that the cause of death is just a death glare.

He's really a badass Doctor.

"That's why I am going abroad to get out from safety nets and prove to you that I am a qualified Doctor not only here in Japan but also to other countries."

"You can get out of the safety nets but don't try to go overboard. No one will save you there,Azora."

"There are dolphins in the ocean,Dad. They can save me from sharks."

Daddy breaks the intensity of his gaze. I can hear his heavy breath from here. He didn't speak and he just stared the waiver he threw.

Did I hit a nerve?

I smile a bit. I'll use the chance to win his favor.

I badly wanted to meet the woman whom I shared with umbilical cords.She's the main reason why I grabbed the rare opportunity of being an intern in another country.Meeting her would be the happiest time in my life for sure and I hope that will happen.

I hope dad will let me.

"Dad, I will never fail you.I promise. Babalik ako.(1)"

I know he understands the last two words I've said.I saw him close his eyes and sigh heavily. He knew I was so eager to meet my mom and he's afraid I might escape from him. He's been thinking that if I found her,I wouldn't be coming back.

"Dad--."

"Fine." He cut me off before he stands up.

I shook my head nonchalantly. He's still wearing his medical gown. Due to exhaustion, he wasn't able to go upstairs and sleep in his kingsize bed. He just slept on the couch without even taking up his dinner for sure.

I feel guilty for some reason. Daddy is always on duty and coming home only happens once in a blue moon. Instead of giving him a headache, I must take care of him,right?

"Where are you going dad?" I asked when I noticed he was already walking towards the kitchen.

"Kitchen?" He said, confused. " I will cook for breakfast."

"May I cook instead? Pagod ka. Puyat pa. Baka masunog ang bahay.(2)"

"Don't speak in Filipino, Azora. It's annoying."

"Then why are you speaking the language sometimes?"

Dad is a pure japanese but he understands tagalog and he learned how to speak the language. He also knows how to speak English that's why we're talking in English.

But of course, he won't admit that he's also a filipino by heart. He was cooking filipino dishes and that's solid evidence that he also misses the culture.

"Rest and sleep, Dad. You look like a zombie."I shoo him away.

He didn't protest so I did the cooking and I immediately went upstairs after I cooked. Dad declined his breakfast but I insisted.He needs it. I am glad he ate before he hit the hay.

Father is a well-known Doctor here in Japan and he never commits into a relationship since then. He took the role of being a mother and a father at the same time. He's strict and overprotective especially when it comes to my suitors, you know.

Maybe the saddest feeling of having an overprotective father is the feeling of a prisoner. I know he's protecting me from all possible dangers but I wanted to find my mom.

I will only rest my case if I find her.

Translation:

"Babalik ako" : I'll come back.

"Pagod ka. Puyat pa. Baka masunog ang bahay.": You're tired and sleepless. You might burn our house.

Translation may vary but it's still accurate.😁

Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed it!

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Note: This is a mangatoon version, unedited and raw. It might be different to the Wattpad version but still, it's my original work.

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