Summer of 2023.

When they announced that the summer season is about to come, our team ensure we are prepared for what is coming. For the past months, starting March to May were all booked for any activities on the beach. We were expecting this kind of schedule since it was summer and people are flocking to beaches and islands when it was the best time to do so during the hot weather.

For the past three days, Cory's not responding to any of my call or messages and I was wondering why. I tried reaching out to Danny and it was the same thing I get from him. Hindi niya rin ako sinasagot so that bothered me.

Cory and I have been talking ever since I left Manila and get back in Manila. Sometimes she would just send me one message and that was enough for me, but these past few days, nothing, nada, it was kind of terrifying.

"Oy, Doggy! Ayos ka lang?" tanong ni Ankol at tapik pa sa balikat ko.

Tumango naman ako. "Ayos lang. Bakit?"

"Kanina ka pa kasi tulala riyan. Hindi ka naman tatanggalin ni boss. Ang dami-dami mo namang naiisip."

Napangisi ako sa sinabi niya. "Hindi naman iyon ang nasa isip ko. Basta. Hayaan mo na. Parating na ba mga guest natin?"

"Siguro?" Tiningnan niya iyong relos niya. "In thirty minutes siguro. Darating na 'yong mga 'yon."

"Grupo ulit, 'no?"

Tumango si Ankol sa akin. "Yup. Sampu ata sila ngayon. Sana pinoy lahat para hindi na pahirapan mag-english."

"Hindi mo sure 'yan," aniko. "Laging may dawit na foreigner iyong iba kaya 'wag kang umasa."

Bumalik naman ako sa loob ng cabin at sinimulang ayusin ang mga gear at equipment na gagamitin ng mga guest. Panay rin ang tingin ko sa phone ko at nag-aabang sa reply ni Cory sa akin. 

Saglit lang ay pumasok si boss sa cabin at tinapik nito ang balikat ko.

"Kumusta, Douglas?" tanong nito sa akin.

Nagtaka naman ako. "Okay naman ako, boss? Ba't napatanong ka, boss? Papalitan mo na ba ako?"

Natawa naman ito at saka ito umiling. "Ba't naman kita papalitan? Hindi nga kitang magawang tanggalin, e. Ikaw pa nga 'tong nagtuturo sa mga baguhang divers natin kaya bilib na bilib ako sa 'yo, e. E, ang inakala ko talaga'y iiwan mo na kami rito at mananatili ka na ro'n sa Manila. Saan ba mas gusto mong manirahan, dito o sa Manila?"

Napangisi ako sa tanong niya dahil mahal ko ang Palawan at nasa Manila ang mahal ko.

"I would always choose Palawan, boss. Alam mo 'yan."

"Tama, tama," pagsang-ayon pa sa akin nito. "Masaya kami na nandito ka pa rin sa amin kahit na nasa Maynila iyong girlfriend."

"Hindi ko pa naman girlfriend si Cory, boss." Tawa ko pa.

"Sus! Hindi pa ba? Ikaw pa ba, Doug? 'Di ako naniniwala."

"Hindi talaga, boss, pero ewan ko kay Cory..." Kibit balikat ko pang tugon.

Ilang saglit lang din ay tumunog ang phone ko at nakita kong may tumatawag do'n. Nakita pa ni boss na pangalan ni Cory ang nasa screen kaya sinabi nitong sagutin ko na rin ang tawag at baka hindi pa ako tuluyang sagutin ni Cory. Natawa na lamang ako sa pahayag niya.

Madali kong kinuha ang phone ko at saka ko sinagot ang tawag.

"Cory? Finally, you ans—"

"Douglas," she cuts me off. "I'm at the Busuanga Airport now... can you pick me up?"

"Cory? Wait."

And then she hung up the call and I was so confused. Sinubukan ko pa itong tawagan pero hindi na niya sinasagot ang tawag ko. Tiningnan ko si boss dahil puno ang pagtataka ang mukha ko. Nagtaka rin naman siya bigla sa reaksyon ko.

"O, anong nangyari? Anong sabi niya sa 'yo?"

Napalunok ako. "Ang banggit ay nasa Busuanga Airport siya ngayon saka niya binaba ang tawag niya."

"O, talaga?! E 'di, puntahan mo na ngayon! Umalis ka at puntahan mo 'yong girlfriend mo ro'n."

"Boss, may mga guest tayong paparating."

"Hayaan mo muna 'yon, kaya nila Ankol 'yan. Gusto mo bang magtampo 'yang girlfriend mo sa 'yo? Sige na, sunduin mo na."

"Sige, boss... salamat!" Tinapik ko ang balikat nito at saka ako kumaripas ng takbo palabas.

Tinawag pa ako ni Ankol nang makita niya akong nagmamadali na pumunta sa motor ko. Hindi ko na nabanggit sa kanya kung anong meron at sinabi ko na lang na alam ni boss iyon. Pagkaalis ko lulan ng motor ay sinubukan kong tawagan si tito kung pwedeng magamit ang van niya. Pumayag naman ito dahil sinabi niyang mamayang gabi pa naman ang biyahe niya.

Pagkarating ko sa bahay nila, binigay agad ni tito sa akin ang susi ng van niya. Tinanong pa nito sa akin kung anong gagawin ko sa airport at binanggit ko na lamang na susunduin ko si Cory. Nagulat din naman ito sa sinabi ko.

I didn't wait for too long and I drove it fast as I can all the way to the airport. It almost took me thirty minutes to get there. I didn't park the van when I know she could be already waiting for me. I was right when I saw her sitting on one of the benches there.

I stopped the van in front of her and hopped out to see her.

"Cory!" pagtawag ko sa kanya.

Tumaas ang tingin nito sa akin at namuo ang ngiti sa labi niya. Tumayo siya mula sa kinauupuan niya. Ngiti lamang ang bati niya sa akin, pero dali-dali na akong tumungo sa kanya at niyakap siya nang mahigpit.

She was giggling when I embraced her. When I lose myself from her and hold her on my shoulders, I looked her straight in the eyes.

"What are you doing here? You didn't say anything about going here? Wait, Cory!"

She laughed at me. "Kalma ka lang, okay? I'm here na, so stop flooding me messages all day."

"Well, I could do that all day since you're not responding to me, and now... you're here? Are you here for a project again?"

She shook her head. "Nope."

"Oh... okay... is this what I was thinking? Are you ready to meet them?"

She smiled. "Well, yeah, sort of... but there was another reason why I am here today... and maybe for the rest of my life."

My forehead creased when she stated those words. "What? I don't get it."

"You obviously get it, Doug. Don't be stupid!"

I chuckled. "But really, tell me what's going on?"

"I'm here."

"Okay? Yes, I can see you here clearly. I hugged you. I could also kiss you right now... but yeah... if you're not here for another project, what would it be?"

"What it would be?" balik na tanong nito sa akin.

"Uhhh... vacation?"

She giggled and patted my shoulder. "Come on, grabbed my stuff and put it on the van. I'll fill you in while on our way to your... house."

"What?!" I blurted while putting her heavy luggage on the back. "What do you mean?"

I met her again as she sit next to me in the driver's seat.

"So, tell me. Don't you book yourself a hotel?"

"I could," she said. "But that would be so expensive for me if I would pay for it every single day, right?"

"I know... so why my house?"

"Douglas, I'm finally living in Coron!"

"What? For real?" Tinigil ko ang pagmamaneho at huminto muna sa isang tabi. "Are you lying to me right now? That would be one of the greatest pieces of lies you would tell to me right now."

She smirked shaking her head. "No, I am not lying to you. It's the truth. I left my life back in the city and decided to leave on the island with you."

"But... you love your city life?"

"Yeah, I know... but there's more love on this island as well," she stated. "There is so much I could tell you and I couldn't wait for you to know them all. The only thing I could assure you right now is that I'm not going to run away anymore, I won't leave... I'm here to seek more wonders with you."

I hold her hand. "This would be the greatest thing that ever happened to me, Cory... and I can't wait to seek more wonders with you..."

I drive back to the town proper and I called the boss' on the way that I wouldn't be able to come back sooner as I'm with Cory. Pinayagan niya ako na bumalik mamayang hapon o kahit 'wag na raw.

I'm not sure what is happening right, but my heart is full I couldn't explain my feelings. 

The next day, Cory explained to me every day. She left her fun and life in the city to live on the island with me. She didn't leave her work as she said her boss' gave her the opportunity to work remotely which was the reason she didn't resign after all. Her Dimaranan family supported her decision in moving to Palawan with me which I don't have an idea she has been planning for months.

She didn't respond to any of my calls and messages as she doesn't want to ruin the surprise for me. I was shocked and surprised by all the news she was sharing with me. I feel like I was still floating in excitement.

When I told her that she might regret this decision of leaving her city life to live the island life, she said she won't. She made up her mind.

She said she remembered the time I asked her if she would come with me to Palawan, she would do it if she has no ties in Manila and she settled it all, and now she fulfilling it.

I'm still how she planned it all and how she ended up surprising me. What I really look forward to is how we both get to live the island life together... especially, meeting her biological family once again.

There are a lot of things I'm excited to do with her and what could it be? We're both here to find it out.

-THE END-

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