To Run Away

"You done?"

I almost jumped in shock when he appeared behind me. I immediately turned to him then nodded softly.

"Sorry for the inconvenience. I'll just wait for the rain to subside so you won't take me,” I said to him while looking at him staring at me from head to toe.

I saw him simply bite his lower lip and then run his hand through his hair. He stopped looking at me and quickly turned his back on me.

“Stay here while waiting. I will take you,” he said simply then left.

I just followed him while still wondering why he reacted like that.

I caught up with him on the terrace of the hut sitting. He is smoking. I also noticed a bottle of beer by his side. Staring at nowhere while his jaw is clenching. He was still smoking a cigarette.

"Why do you smoke?" I could no longer restrain my curiosity about him.

"Every time I'm tired," he answered me sparingly.

“So, you’re tired? From what?” my continuation.

I heard his grin. I just watch him every time he does it. It still doesn't look up to me.

“Do you know why I stay here? Originally, I'm staying at our house in Manila,” he began.

I sat down next to the chair where he was. “Why? To rest? E, you still look so tired,” I said to him simply.

From the moment I saw those eyes of his I first noticed the tiredness forming here. The eagerness to have a rest just for a short period of time is strong enough for me to see how vulnerable he is right now. What is he going through?

"You're good at reading expressions, huh," he said with a smile and gulped that wine next to him.

I kept looking at him. Is he okay?

“I'm a writer, that's why... So we are here and our boss gave us a chance to find new inspiration for the new book. You, why are you here, you are from Manila?”

“To run away. You know... from the reality.”

"Ijo!"

Before I could answer, an old man introduced himself to us. He was carrying a sack and based on his clothes there was something he did to the ground because he was too muddy.

“Dad! Are you done? I told you, I'll just do it, e. Come in,” I heard him say to the old man so I stared at him.

I noticed the brightness of its eyes. I also noticed the old man's stare at me that he probably also saw.

"My friend," he said then looked at me, "Dad Henry, one of our farmers," he introduced me so I automatically smiled.

"Hello," I greeted the old man. His smile widened then he reached for the hand I held out to him. “Is this really just your friend? What a beautiful girl,” he said so I was ashamed to smile at him.

“You really are, oh. Where is Nay Mel? Just eat there inside, there is a lot of food there,” I heard him say as he led the old man inside the hut.

“You're smoking again. Stop that and it's bad for you. You are really young,” I even heard the old man say so I smiled even more.

I waited for him to return. I still can't get rid of my smiles because apart from saying that I'm so beautiful, it's obvious how much they take care of each other.

“Your place is nice. Is it yours, too?” I greeted him when he sat down next to me again.

He threw away his cigarette, but opened another bottle.

“Just staying here for a while. This is for Dad Henry, I have kept them here since they lost their house due to the storm then. I am here more often than in my town house near the hotel,” he said while massaging his head.

"Are you okay?" I couldn't help but question him.

He tilted his head to look at me with his still wide eyes. “Can you stay here for a while?” he said in his husky voice.

I felt even more how tired he is. It was obvious in his eyes how much he wanted to rest but something was holding him back.

“It's still raining. I'll go ahead when the rain stops.”

“You sounds so good. It's like we know each other very well,” he told me with a laugh so I laughed too.

I also don't know why I'm safe even though we haven't met that well. It feels like we knew each other for a long time. Like this is not a new feeling. I also don’t know why I let him obey me with every word he says. I should have left earlier to go back to the hotel. I should have rejected him when he told me to change my clothes, but I feel that the longer we have been like this to each other, the deeper I have to go down just to get to know him better.

After a while of talking, sharing each other's shallow stories, I decided to go back to the hotel because those two might be worried about me. He insisted to drive me back to the hotel so I did nothing. When we got there my world almost collapsed when I found out they were both gone. I received a text from Yerim right after we arrived at the hotel saying;

Yerim

Rae, I'm sorry. I really don't want to leave but there is an emergency at home. I have to go home. I'll tell you everything later. Take care, please.

I would have looked for Rafa when I received a text from her and Sebastian.

Rafaela

I told you Vincent. They will take care of you. You should be careful. I just have something important to fix in Manila. I'm sorry, Rae.

Sebastian

I'll borrow your friend first. Take care.

I got a smirk on my face when I read their texts. What the hell was happening? Why did they leave me?!

“What’s wrong? Where are they?” I heard him ask so I scratched my head.

“They left me. They have returned to Manila.” I said to him and stormed out of that room.

In my stories I’ve written so far, only the rich character I’ve played for my main leads have rich lives. Unable to do housework and afraid to get dirty. I've never seen anyone before who has a wealthy life who can go down in the mud just to plow just because he wants to.

I just followed my gaze on him as he took off his clothes. Only his jeans were left on his body and even his shoes were removed with him. His large body was exposed to me. I can say that he has a big body built because his height is also not random I think he is at 6ft. When I’m in front of him, I look short.

I bit my lower lip when I saw how he was moving in that body. His rocky chest and those abs didn’t escape my eyes. The sunshine was also high because I could clearly see the dazzling on his body when he started sweating. It's like I want to approach him just to touch it because I feel like that's not a real body. I can't take it. He is so beautiful.

"Enjoying the view?"

I was shocked when he suddenly spoke. I quickly averted my eyes from him and pretended not to know what he was saying.

"H-ha? What are you saying?" I shyly asked him.

"Can you hold this for a while?" he asked me in a teasing tone so I looked back at him.

She hands me his shirt and glasses. I hesitated if I would accept it but in the end I took it because there was nothing to put on it. Pure mud are there.

"Thank you. Do you want to try this?" he asked me again when I just nodded.

I immediately shuddered because of what he said. I like it. It's just that I don't have any clothes because I didn't bring them. When we finished that dinner last night, his parents didn't let me go back to the hotel because it was already night and the flight was still far away. The clothes I'm wearing now are those from Maxim who was forced to lend me because of what this man happened to answer to them.

"No, thanks. I don't have any clothes," I told him regretfully.

I just watched him as he arranged what he was going to do and a cow was already in front of him. I can see that he does it often because he seems to have memorized everything.

"Do you want to wear my clothes? I can also give it to you if you want. Remembrance for your return to Manila, so you will still remember me," he teasingly told me so I rolled my eyes.

I could feel the heat all over my face because of what he said. He even tilted his head just to see me then looked at me deeply from head to toe so I felt isolated.

"I feel like I'd rather see you wearing my clothes han your dress now," he said to me in his baritone voice and chuckled.

I almost threw stones at him because of what he said. If only that old man he called Dad Henry hadn't come to the hut then I would have left him there because of his silly jokes.

"Is it okay, ijo? You don't need help anymore?" he asked him before I turned my gaze.

"Oh, it's you, ija. It's good that you're here so that that man is with you. He doesn't let me accompany him here because it's too hot. It's too dangerous for me," he told me laughing so I just smiled and looked at him.

"I'm fine, Uncle. Go back there. I'm afraid there's something might happen to you here," I heard him say to the old man so I smiled even more.

It turned to me again and looked at me for a long time so my forehead furrowed.

"Why, Father Henry?"

He suddenly smiled at me and held my hand. He squeezed it a little more then smiled sadly.

"I know you’ve only just met but, don’t leave him alone. We raised that boy and I know he is having a hard time now," he said sadly to me and turned his gaze to him who was currently plowing.

I keep quiet because I didn’t know what I should say. I just nodded when he said goodbye and went back downstairs away from where we are now. I look back at him and he is still far from where I am.

I suddenly remembered what I saw of him when I first saw him in a cafe in Manila. His face was so wet from the rain but I know what there were tears flowing from his eyes. His eyes were also full of anger and pain the second time I saw him on the plane. Now I can hardly see what I saw in him before. I don't know if they really don't exist anymore or he's just hiding them. Whatever the reason, I'm sure that's what Dad Henry was referring to earlier.

"What are you thinking?"

I blinked twice when I heard his voice only to see him in front of me now. He was soothing and seemed very tired.

"Why do you want to know what I'm thinking?" I laughed asking him. I also heard his laugh for a while so I looked at him.

I sighed when I saw what I was looking for in his eyes now, but it also disappeared quickly so I was even more surprised. How can he do that?

"I just like it when you share your thoughts to me. Like when you were drunk. I think you told me almost everything on your mind," he said to me seriously, but I could still hear his teasing in his tone.

I bit my lower lip when I heard that. Is he really serious about what he is saying?

"What? You still don't believe me? Was it your first time getting drunk so you don't know yourself every time you drink? I can't believe you," he added, so I rolled my eyes.

"I don't really drink, they just forced me," I told him angrily and glared at him again.

He just laughed at me and raised his hand in front of me. "Can you help me? Because the mud is heavy, I can't take of my feet right away,' he uttered and waited for me to respond.

I hesitated if I would help him but eventually I reached out his hand. But that is not what happened.

"Wait! What!" I shout when he suddenly pulls me down to the mud with him.

Simultaneously with my shout, he was laughing out loud because we both sank into the mud when he caught me. I couldn't stop laughing when I saw his face with his body full of mud. Something more went on his face.

"I have no clothes! What are you doing? You're so annoying!" I told him disgusted when I saw how I looked. I was also full of mud because we were both really submerged.

"I told you, you can wear my clothes. I'm not kidding," he told me while still laughing so I quickly hit him.

"Sir, are you all right? What happened?"

We both looked at the speaker and my jaw dropped when I saw some of their farmers approached us, including Father Henry. I got up quickly, but because of the weight of the mud and I was full I went back to my seat.

"Come, hold me," he uttered then looked for my hands.

I could no longer refuse when he quickly grabbed my hand and held it tightly. I even heard him tell their farmers something, but that didn’t catch my attention because my chest was pounding too hard.

Later, he gently supported me as I climbed out of the mud. He was still holding my hand when he also climbed.

"Are you guys okay? What happened to you two? You two really are..." said Father Henry who seemed very troubled by what had happened.

I saw him scratch the back of his head and even put his arm around Dad Henry. We started walking away from that place while he was still holding my hand. Tightly.

"Are you alright? Wear this. It'll fit to you, don't worry," he said to me then handed me something when we arrived at their hut. It was different from the hut I went to when I got lost.

"What is this?" I asked him while still scanning the paper bag he handed to me.

My forehead furrowed when I saw what it was. One white long sleeve polo and underwear that I don’t know where he picked up. I could feel the heat all over my face so I looked at him.

"Whose is this?" I asked him shyly.

He looked away from me. I saw how he clenched his jaw and completely turned his back on me.

"Just wear it. The polo is mine while the underwear is from Maxim. I'll just take a bath here outside," he said to me in his cold baritone voice and went on his way.