OTSO

"tut... tut... tut..." The sound of the alarm clock filled the room. Leanne who was peacefully sleeping, slowly opened her eyes. After a few seconds of realization, she abruptly got up. "Sh*t!!! It was really a dream..."

Leanne massaged her temples to ease her nerves. She felt like her dream was really long. Her muscles were tense and she was tired.

Leanne then noticed the diary beside her. She was about to open it when someone suddenly knocked on her door.

"Miss Leanne, are you awake? Breakfast is ready." It was Auntie Lucy.

Leanne got out of the bed and opened the door, "Good morning po, Auntie Lucy."

Leanne spent the day following Mang Isko around and learning more about the plantation. She pushed the vivid dream she had to the back of her head.

After a tiring day, Leanne dragged her tired body to the bed. She felt uncomfortable like there was something hard in her back. Leanne pulled it out to see that it was the diary. She flipped it open and noticed that the first page changed.

"This... going to Emilio's house... the plantation... having a fight with the parents and confessing... this weren't this here before..." Leanne couldn't believe her eyes as she flipped to the next page, "What the heck!?! The confession was rejected... Don't tell me... that the dream was real? Did I really crossed over to the past???... but wait... Wont it affect this future as well."

Leanne was troubled and didn't know what to do. She slapped her cheeks a few times to make sure it was real, and to also get a hold of herself.

"Then... I must be more careful with my choices and actions. I shouldn't be too impulsive and cause a major change in history... I'll think about it tomorrow. I'm super tired!" Leanne yawned and stretched her arms. She placed the diary on her bedside table and went to sleep.

Surprisingly, she didn't cross back to the past and woke up fine the next day. "Hmm... there might be some conditions in crossing... should I hold the diary when sleeping?"

Leanne tried going back to sleep while holding the diary, but as expected it did not work. "Could it only happen at night??" Leanne was confused and tried to analyze the conditions on how she crossed the previous night.

Leanne waited for night to come, she even skipped dinner making Auntie Lucy and Mang Isko worried.

"So that day, I was reading the diary and fell asleep while holding it." Leanne reviewed the conditions to make sure and then began reading...

***May 6, 1896***

After I confessed to Emilio, his expression became a little weird. It was a mixture of surprise, horror and guilt. A while later, Emilio sighed and patted my head. "I'm sorry" He said. My tears were about to fall when he added something that broke my heart. Emilio told me that he likes Maria, but have been holding back because of their difference in social status. He also told me he was happy that I like him, but it was even more impossible between us...

******

Leanne had to stop reading as she suddenly felt pain in her heart. It seems that Josefa's feelings were being transmitted to her as well.

"That idiot Emilio..." Leanne murmured as she clutched her chest. She does not feel like reading the rest of the diary anymore and went to sleep.

The chirping of the birds and the warm rays of sunshine signalled the start of yet another day. Leanne opened her eyes. She looked shocked and annoyed, "Why didn't it work!?! I thought I satisfied all of the conditions..."

That is right. Leanne failed in crossing once again. She got up and paced around the room. "What is it... what am I missing?"

Leanne looked like she had a sudden epiphany, "The day!!! Yesterday was May 7, but the one I read was May 6... That's right... This means that the date on the diary must coincide with the date today."

"So... if today is May 8... then I must sleep after reading May 8, 1896... okay!" Leanne snapped her fingers. She looked happy and excited.

Leanne went about her day skipping happily. She also thought why was she so excited in returning to the past, but quickly dismissed it as Josefa's influence on her.

That night, Leanne remained energetic as she first read through May 7. Josefa's father, Rafael, was so angry and embarrassed that she disappeared. He looked around for her with an army of servants. When they found her, Rafael showered her with curses and locked her firmly in her room. There were also no chances of meeting with Great-grandpa as they returned to Manila that same day.

May 8 was also boring as she remained locked in her room. Leanne vowed to escape once again when she crosses over. With that in mind, she fell asleep.

Leanne felt the warmth of sunshine on her skin. Her lashes trembled as she struggled to open her eyes. Leanne rubbed her blurry eyes to make sure she was seeing clearly. She then got up and ran towards the mirror, "Finally!!!"

Leanne saw that she was wearing another white kimona in her reflection, confirming that she successfully went back to the past.

"Now what?" Leanne rubbed her chin as she planned her escape.

Passing by the window, she caught a glimpse of Isagani standing in front of their mansion. Leanne waved and called out to him, "Isagani! Gani! Gani boy!"

Isagani remained silent and ignored her. He actually looked pissed and distressed.

"What's wrong? Are you angry? What did I do again?" Leanne pouted and complained loudly.

Isagani snapped and looked at her, "Wasn't it your fault that Manong Emilio was being punished!?! Give him back! Licking the boots of Spaniards to live extravagantly... You Ilustrados are traitors bullying your own countrymen."

"What? Emilio..." Leanne was flabbergasted. The diary did not say anything about this... or it didn't because, she was supposed to be heavily guarded inside her room today. Leanne realized her carelessness and that her previous mindless actions caused such consequences.

Leanne ran towards the door and started banging, "Father! Mother! Maria! Anyone... let me out!"

When she received no response, Leanne shrieked, "Oh no! Help me! I injured myself... my stomach... my stomach hurts." She made her voice as aggrieved as possible.

As soon as she heard someone open the door, Leanne used her strength to push forward and she started running. "Emilio! Where are you?"