The next day, after the fundraising event, the Aerospace guys, the Johnson sisters and Deliah's friends set out to explore the resort that was launched earlier that year. They came across a small village nearby that catered to tourists and decided to take a look around.
There were numerous visitors present at the resort during the break. Their enthusiasm for exploring the resort was matched by other tourists, particularly Philip, who carried a camera everywhere and took pictures of everything.
"Wow, look at that!" Philip pointed excitedly at a cute fish sculpture.
"Henry, help me take a picture!" he handed his DSLR camera to the unlucky Henry and rushed over to pose cutely beside the sculpture.
Henry grumbled and took a quick photo without bothering about lighting or angles or anything.
"Bro! You haven't even adjusted the lenses!" Philip complained.
Henry scowled. "Do I look like your personal photographer?" he snapped. "Ask someone else." He pushed the camera back towards him.
"Meanie." Philip muttered under his breath and pouted.
They eventually reached a charming section of the village with a signboard that read "ROMANTIC LOVE VILLAGE."
"What's this place?" Iris asked curiously. Alex looked up from the map he had received from his uncle. "My uncle said this village is for couples," he replied.
"They have games for couples and cute shops around, and it's supposedly catered for couples only." Alex looked up. "So I'm assuming we're not going in?"
"Are you kidding me?" Brad rolled his eyes. He pulled Nancy along into that part of the village. "We're going."
Alex blinked in surprise and looked at the rest of the Aerospace boys. "Yes, we're going." Steve nodded with a grin. "Who cares if we're single?"
"But-" Alex scratched his head.
Deliah laughed and hooked her hands through Alex's arm. "Oh come on, Alex honey!" she giggled. "It must be fun!" she pulled him along with the rest.
Alex hesitated and looked back at Sarah, who just laughed. She smiled softly and looked at the signboard again. It read "Romantic Love Village."
"I wonder if there will be a day when I come to somewhere like this with a boyfriend," she murmured thoughtfully.
"SARAH, HURRY UP!" Philip called from the front. "I don't care about my other bros, but I don't want to appear single! Pretend to be my girlfriend, Sissy!" He mimicked Deliah with puppy eyes. Sarah shook her head in amusement and let him pull her in.
As she mingled with her group of friends, she couldn't help but wonder if she'd ever find a partner to share her life with. But despite her uncertainty about the future, she was content in the moment, surrounded by people who brought her joy.
Suddenly, a beaming man appeared before them, exclaiming, "Welcome, all lovebirds! You've arrived at the place of passion and loyalty!" His enthusiasm was contagious as he continued, "Do you cherish each other? Are you ready to put your love to the ultimate test?" His grin widened mischievously. "But beware, only the brave can handle what lies ahead!"
The gang exchanged hushed whispers, unsure of what to expect next.
In the heart of the village stood a stage, and it was the buzzing hub of activity. Why? Because a live game show was in full swing, and everyone was hooked. Couples were up for the challenge, and if they emerged victorious among the three competing pairs, they'd win a coveted pair of shopping vouchers.
But it wasn't just the prizes that drew people in - oh no. It was the ultimate test of love for all the couples daring enough to take the stage. Did they truly know each other inside out? Were they truly meant to be together? These were the questions on everyone's mind.
The questions may not have been the most profound or significant, but there was a sense of satisfaction in seeing if you knew your partner better than others. It was almost like a badge of honor for couples.
The ladies usually loved it because they were all about finding their soulmates and romance, but some of the fellas would shy away from it. However, Brad was not one of those guys.
"Princess, let's go for the test!"
With a wide smile, Brad pulled Nancy up onto the stage, excited to participate in the game. Before she could even respond, the MC announced their arrival.
"Welcome! to the new couple! Two more couples for the next game to start? Anymore people?" the MC called out.
Deliah's interest was piqued, but when she looked over at Alex, he seemed disinterested. She tugged on his arm and said, "Come on, Alex! It'll be fun."
Alex raised his eyebrows, surprised. "Wait...don't tell me you want to-"
"Yes, honey!" Deliah giggled. "We don't have to win, it's just a chance to get to know each other better. Everyone knows that Brad and Nancy will win the game. Come on." she pleaded."
As Alex's gaze landed on the stage, his complexion turned ashen. "Seriously?" he muttered to himself. *I'd rather sing and dance up there than play this game.*
His biggest fear was that he would answer every question wrong. Even though he and Deliah had been dating for almost two months, they still felt like strangers to each other. Taking a test right now would be a nightmare. "Deliah..." Alex gulped. "I don't think this is a good idea."
"Come on, babe," Deliah pleaded. "It'll be fun!" Alex hesitated, and for some reason, his eyes wandered over to Sarah. She looked up at that moment, shaking her head as Philip urged her to join in the game for the prizes.
Sarah looked equally distressed about the situation, and Alex could totally relate to her. "Alex honey..." Deliah continued to plead.
Alex let out a sigh and ran his fingers through his hair. "Alright, fine," he relented. "Just make sure your sister plays too," he added as an afterthought.
Deliah nodded and dragged Sarah and Philip up to the stage. Sarah looked absolutely terrified as she sat in the chair, nervously scanning the audience. When she heard that it was Alex who convinced her to go up, she shot him a look of panic.
Alex simply shrugged with a grin. "We'll suffer together," he mouthed.
The game began. The couples were given pink and blue boards and markers, and soft music played in the background. Each couple faced away from each other, with the girls facing another guy who wasn't their boyfriend.
Sarah was facing Alex. "So, the first question for the boys," the MC announced. "What fragrant scent of soap does your girlfriend use?"
Brad didn't even need to think twice as he scribbled down an answer.
Philip was caught off guard when asked what scent of soap Sarah used. He wasn't even dating Sarah, so he took a guess and hoped for the best.
Alex scratched his head, unsure of what to write for his answer.
As it turned out, He didn't know Deliah's soap preference, but he did know Sarah's. She always used a peach-scented soap. It was almost like a natural instinct that he didn't even realize he had until he thought about it. He quickly jotted down his response, hoping both sisters used the same scented soap.
With bated breath, they revealed their answers.
Nancy: Rose - Brad: Rose
Deliah: Lavender - Alex: Peach
Sarah: Peach - Philip: Orange
"Bravo, Brad-Nancy duo! You've got the first point!" exclaimed the MC with excitement.
"Hey guys, don't make it too easy for them!" he joked. "And Alex, why did you spill the beans on Sarah's perfume? Tsk tsk! Alright ladies, onto the next question!"
Sarah rubbed her paper frantically, hoping to ace this one. "What is your partner's secret ambition?" asked the MC, "It could be anything, even an inside joke between the two of you. Ready, set, go!"
Nancy beamed as she scribbled down her answer in no time. Deliah quickly jotted down what she thought Alex had said before, while Sarah pondered over Philip's dream ambition. A dancer? A singer?
Suddenly, Sarah caught Alex's eye and felt her cheeks turn red. He smirked at her mischievously
Her hands moved involuntarily and the timer ran out before she could wipe it off. Sarah mentally scolded herself. "Oh god."
Nancy: Singer - Brad: Singer
Deliah: Journalist - Alex: Bodyguard
Sarah: Bodyguard - Philip: Dancer
Alex chuckled at Sarah and she made a face at him. "You distracted me!" she mouthed.
Sarah huffed as she erased her answer, remembering their little inside joke about Alex being her bodyguard against guys like Matthew McCall.
She never expected him to write that. And didn't even know why she ended up writing that too.
"Congratulations once again to Brad and Nancy!" the MC clapped. "Come on, other two couples! Step up your game! It's the final question! You don't want to lose without a point, do you? And what's up with Sarah and Alex getting all the answers right when they're not even a couple? tsk tsk tsk!"
Sarah blushed and Alex cleared his throat.
"Last question!" the MC grinned. "This one's for both of you. When did you two have your first kiss? Ten seconds, starting now!"
Brad smirked, unconsciously licking his lips, while Nancy blushed.
Deliah gazed at the board, looking blank, while Sarah was struggling to come up with an answer. After all, she and Philip weren't even a couple!
"Time's up! Let's see those answers!"
Nancy: Valentines Day in 2010 - Brad: February 14 2010 at the beach near her house at approximately 8:43pm, underneath the fourth street lamp from the traffic light. Lasted for around 3 minutes before she broke away and blushed and-
Deliah: NIL - Alex: -Blank-
Sarah: Haven't kissed - Philip: TODAY!
The MC turned to Philip with a quizzical expression. "Did you and Sarah lock lips today, or what?" Philip sneaked a glance at Sarah's response and pouted. "Oh, come on, sissy! Where's your sense of adventure?" she simply shrugged and grinned.
Alex and Deliah were in the same boat, having both written down that they hadn't kissed. However, the clear winners were Brad and Nancy. Brad would have penned an entire paragraph if given the chance, and Sarah knew it.
"Wow, congrats Brad and Nancy! Enjoy your shopping vouchers!" the MC exclaimed, passing them an envelope. The crowd erupted in cheers and applause, but Sarah and Alex quickly scurried off the stage, clearly not fans of the spotlight.
Soon after, Deliah and Philip joined them, and the group burst into laughter. "Philip, what were you and Sarah even doing up there?" Joe joked. "You two had no chemistry at all!"
David playfully nudged Alex. "Hey, so you and Deliah haven't shared a kiss yet?" he whispered.
Alex shrugged nonchalantly, not fazed by the question. However, Sarah noticed Deliah's reaction and scooted closer to her. "What's wrong, Liah?" she whispered.
Deliah tried to put on a brave face, but eventually admitted, "Nothing, it's just...I never realized until now how little chemistry Alex and I have. We haven't even kissed."
She let out a sigh. "I guess I'll just have to be patient."
Sarah bit her lip, torn between wanting to help and having no basis to help. How could she help on this? It was the couple's problem.
She was surprised Alex hadn't kissed Deliah yet, which was unexpected. She figured he should have made a move by now. However, this realization left her feeling somewhat uplifted and delighted, although she couldn't quite comprehend why.