"Summer is here!"
A loud exclamation thundered out from the television on the daily news network, drawing Althea and my attention away from our lunch. The famous news anchor that we'd always watched raised her arms in joy as summer infographics filled the forefront of the screen.
She was wearing a vibrant floral dress with a golden sun necklace, clearly marking the coming of summer. Furthermore, her red lipstick topped with her heavy make-up really encapsulated the feeling of a grown woman, a far cry from what she used to look like.
Throughout the past year, the young woman has been growing in popularity fast. It couldn't be helped; she was the supporting anchor on one of the biggest news shows covering the pandemic. Every day, there would be millions of people tuning in just to catch up on the latest news.
Viewers appreciated how calm and collected she always was, never failing to deliver the news in a confident yet appeasing tone. It made watching the news, even the bad ones, much more enjoyable whenever she was at the helm.
Eventually, with all the added eyes, her popularity skyrocketed, and she'd become as famous as the country's top celebrities. Whenever she was in a good mood, the country was in a good mood. Whenever she was sombre, the country became solemn.
That was the power of a top news anchor.
Fortunately, for today… Her tone was more happy than grave.
"As many of you know, the number of infected has dropped significantly! Our country's top experts believe that it's the combination of the well-timed lockdowns plus the changing of the seasons. Warmer weathers make it difficult for the virus to spread, and therefore, the transmission rate has dropped significantly!"
The newscaster beamed. Many of her die-hard fans would have fainted just from that smile alone, but the matured woman wasn't done.
"Due to the rapid developments, the government has decided to gradually reopen all industries. Restaurants and other dining establishments are allowed to resume their business as long as they follow social distancing protocols. Movie theatres and other recreational activities can resume also. And when it comes to summer… What better recreational activity is better than going to a beach?!"
The new anchor shrieked excitedly. It didn't take a genius to guess what was her favourite season.
"Ah, but that doesn't mean that everyone should rush to the beaches to enjoy the warm summer waters! While the virus might be weak against the sun, overcrowding at the beaches won't help curb the transmission rate."
Do you think that your regretful tone would help convince people otherwise?! I wanted to retort, but even if I did, the woman would never hear me.
"Social distancing and mask-wearing practices still apply, even in the hot summer. As for the details, we have invited our health minister to help shed light on our country's measures. Minister, please..."
Brrtttt… Brrtttt… Brrtttt...
Before I could listen to our health minister's lecture, my phone began to ring. I glanced down and saw a familiar name on the touch screen. What the hell does he want this early in the afternoon? I pondered, but ultimately, the best way to find out was to answer the phone.
"Hello?"
"Yo, want to go on a road trip?"
Deja vu? I feel like I've lived through this scenario before…
Either way, I shook my head and sternly said: "I've said this before, Len… Give me some context before coming up with these crazy ideas."
"Haha! My bad, my bad!" My best friend apologised without a sliver of remorse. I swear he loves to just mess around…
"I'm sure you've heard the news by now."
"What? The one about the country reopening?"
"Yeap, that's the one!" Len's voice became much chirpier. "Since the country was reopening, Sienna and I got to thinking. It has been a while since our last vacation. As much as we love our little apartment, there was only so much we could do here. I'm sure you guys feel the same way! So, we decided on taking a road trip, and we're inviting you and Althea!"
"..."
Dropping my mouth and closing it back up, I remain in my stunned silence. I had a thousand questions. How on earth did he find out about the country reopening? Wasn't it just announced? Also, the speed at which he came up with a vacation plan was ludicrous.
However, the man had a point.
Staying cooped up at home for twenty-four hours a day did bore me significantly. Of course, I had Althea for company, so it wasn't that bad. But, I did feel the urge to stretch my muscles and breathe some fresh air again.
"Still… A road trip?"
"Yeah! We can go visit some beaches!"
"Beaches? Didn't you watch the news? We shouldn't overcrowd at beaches..."
"What's going on?"
Althea, who was seated right opposite me, caught wind of some key terms that interested her. Curious, she leaned in and whispered, 'What is he talking about?' in the cutest manner possible. I was unable to deny her interest and placed Len on speakerphone.
"Len, you're on speaker. Althea wants to listen in."
"Oh, all the better!" Len exclaimed. "Hey, Althea. Your summer break is coming up, right? Want to spend it with us?"
"A-Ah, sure..."
"Great! Sienna and I were planning a road trip! We could go to mountains, beaches..."
"Hold on, Len, you haven't answered my question." I stopped the man before he went too deep into the rabbit hole. "We're not supposed to overcrowd the beaches. If we're going to the summer locations, I'm afraid..."
It was a genuine concern. All of the famous beaches near us would undoubtedly be crowded. School students would begin their summer breaks, families separated due to the pandemic would want to reunite and spend time together, and even just friends getting together for meals.
It was going to be a bad time to go out during summer.
"That's why I've come up with an ingenious solution!" Len replied with a smug tone. He purposely waited to keep us in suspense before finally saying:
"... Desir, we're going back."
"Going back? Hmmm, ah… So that's what you meant by road trip."
"What does he mean?"
While I flashed a look of understanding, Althea glanced over with question marks all over her head. I smiled back before gently stroking her head.
"Len is saying that we should spend the summer vacation in my hometown."
"Hehe, that's right!" Len's voice once more broke free from my phone. "Our hometown is quite remote and unknown, so there are not many people who know about it. If we visit the beaches there, we won't meet that many people!"
Len was right. I'd grown up in a place near the ocean, so there were no shortages of beaches. Although many of them aren't renowned, there were one or two decent ones. Not to mention, even if we didn't visit the beaches, there were quite a few summer activities we could do. For example, we could go hiking in the mountains or rent a boat for fishing. Camping was also a viable option for a remote place like my hometown.
If I think about it… My hometown really was a summer paradise. If it wasn't so remote, perhaps it may have become a popular tourist destination.
But a trip back there, huh…
I can't say that I was looking forward to it.
"A trip to Desir's hometown?!"
Contrary to my gloom, Althea's eyes shone brightly. She leaned her body over the table as her face came ever closer to mine.
"Let's go!" She cried happily.
"Hehe, you've heard her, Desir. Guess you have no choice." On the other side of the phone, Len replied with a cheeky tone. "If you're worried about your accommodations, I could arrange for you to stay at my parent's house."
"No thanks," I snorted. "Visiting them is fine, but I wouldn't want to disrupt Sienna meeting her in-laws."
"T-They're not in-laws yet!" Len yelled at my teasing. After a brief moment of silence, though, the man coughed twice to regain his composure. "A-Anyway, if you want to, I can arrange a place..."
"No, don't worry about us. I'll find an inn or something."
"Well, if you say so..." Len paused before continuing: "I'll message you some dates, and you can discuss with Althea which ones are best for you. Okay, I'm going to plan our itinerary. Talk to you later." Saying all that he wanted to say, the man cut the call abruptly.
Jesus, he really was a carefree soul.
Sighing, I returned back to my meal, only to notice a gawking gaze piercing through my hard skin.
"... What is it?"
"No, why would we need to book an inn when we're returning to your hometown?"
Ah, so that's what confusing her. Since we were returning to the place I lived, it made sense to stay at my childhood home rather than book a temporary lodging. Alas, that wasn't really an option in my case.
"Well, ever since my mother passed away, I had no reason to return back there. Also, the apartment we used to live in was old and dilapidated. It was better for me to sell it while it still had value."
"A-Ah, I see..."
Althea faltered, not knowing how to deal with me casually bringing up my mother's passing. Haha, in times like this, I get reminded of her pure innocence and lack of worldly experience.
However, rather than changing the topic, Althea's expression firmed up as she said: "B-But, I want to see it..."
"See it?"
"The place where you grew up in."
"..."
I gulped silently as I watched my girlfriend's firm resolve.
"How you were when you were young. The places you visited. The people you've met. What kind of places you grew up in… I want to see. The place that made Desir Snow, Desir Snow."
"Althea..."
… Good grief, how much does she like me? If you're going to say something with earnest eyes, even I can't help but blush, you know?
Unaware, or rather, ignoring my mental conundrum, Althea stepped forward and slipped her fingers through mine. Smiling, she said: "So, be my guide, alright?"
Hah…
Fine, I'll give in.
Let's return home.