Looking at Yael's back, walking like this as the sun shone so brightly, made Solanne feel like she was drifting and being carried by the waves, taking her to where they wanted to be.
It's comfortable. There's a sense of blue as if the blue sky had come down to comfort you, yet just like this, laying on the ocean waves, she's unsure, afraid, and anxious, as she doesn't know when she'll get tired, and be swallowed by the big waves.
Solanne can feel her anxiousness eating her every second she takes every step. Yet, the scenery was enough to forget her destructive thoughts and dreams. For a moment, she wants to stop the time and stand where she is right now.
"Wow! Yael exclaimed like a child as he spread his arms up in the air. His hair swayed with the air's rhythm, and the sun's rays reflected his eyes. His smile can be compared to a child who had gotten their dream toy for their birthday.
"God! How liberating!" He shouted. Solanne laughed.
"Is this your first time?"
"Yep!" Yael runs back and forth like a child, enjoying the calm winds and the warm sun. He's like a child who escapes his afternoon nap to play with friends. "Never thought I would love the sun like this! I always wear sunscreen to protect me from it, but what is this?" Yael laughs so hard his cheeks turn pink.
"Hold your horses now, my dear child," Solanne answered.
Yael just laughed. A grin appeared on his lips.
"You know, this made me remember my childhood." Yael started the conversation.
"Playing under the sun? Or your childhood friends? Or the feeling of escaping behind your parents' back?" Solanne thought.
Yael shook his head. "I have a different childhood than the other kids my age."
He was two steps ahead of Solanne, and his phone was out., recording what he saw. "Throughout my life, this is the first time I've walked so peacefully like this."
Solanne didn't utter a word and just let him continue. "Back in my childhood, all I can remember was the instructions of those directors on how to look at the camera. Their words had become some sort of a ritual for me. I sometimes think about those words when I am in front of the camera to boost my confidence."
"Smile more. Be confident. You are the star. Everyone will look at you. It's a very nice choice of words to coax a child. I love how they praised me whenever I did everything I needed to do right. Thinking about it now, I must have been so naïve and gullible back then."
Yael looked at the scenery, and the same went for Solanne. Around them was a vast plain of rice fields. After the 30-minute' walk south through the forest, they're greeted by these fields. They're green and extend until Solanne and Yael can see the mountains.
There were some houses they could see, but they all looked small as they were a bit far away from where they were walking.
"…"
Yael shut his mouth. Solanne sighed. A small smile appeared on her lips. "You talk as if being naïve and gullible is a bad thing."
"Isn't it?" Yael tried to argue. They kept walking. "In our society today, that is. You'll get scams if you don't protect yourself."
Solanne raised her brow. Her eyes seemed to be in deep thought. "Then, if you saw a child being in the same situation where you were before, acting at an early age, eager to be praised, would you tell them that they are naïve and gullible."
Yael laughed. He turned around to face Solanne, his phone still recording. "What's that? Isn't that too cruel?"
Solanne has a smug on her face. She looks confident. "Right. Aren't you too cruel for your young self? You wanted to be praised. It's a normal thing for a child to want that. Don't blame your younger self for expressing the things he desires. Even in our age, we still want to be praised but hide these desires."
Solanne met his gaze. "I wonder why?"
Yael stops walking for a moment. Solanne chuckled as she walked past him. "We often blame the present for our future, and we regret our past. We overthink things. We complicate things. Back when we were children, none of those thoughts mattered. Innocence and ignorance. How blissful."
Yael sighed and started to walk again. This time, they are now walking together, passing the fields. "You know, has someone already told you that you talk like a poet? Or that you act so mature for someone who's 26."
"Eh?" Solanne muttered.
Yael smiled. "You talk as if you regret many things from the past."
"How through." Solanne jest. "Well, in fact, I do have many regrets. Besides that, I also read books and dig deeper into many different meanings one can portray. I really wanted to become a writer. A poet, perhaps. I want to explore my curiosity. I want to know more about things. But here I am in my degree."
"What's your degree?"
"Chemical Engineering."
"How smart."
"What a stereotype."
"Eh, aren't people who take that degree smart?"
Solanne sarcastically laughed. "More like poor."
"Why?"
"It's because they thought that they'll have a higher salary once they have that job. It's a misconception. While it's true that most people have higher salaries, what you really need is luck and connections."
"How complicated."
"Right!"
Yael pouted. Solanne raised her brow with his actions. He seemed to have lowered his guard when he was with her.
"I'm still in college, though."
"What year?" Solanne looked at him.
"2nd."
"You're doing great. What degree?"
"Business."
Solanne grinned. She shot him a knowing gaze. "Because you're the son of a CEO."
Yael laughed. "You guess that right."
"Typical. Are you in a drama?"
"Heh!" Yael raised his chin. "Of course!" He joked.
Their walk was filled with laughter. They were comfortable. They both have their phone out, wanting to preserve the scene they're seeing so that, in the future, they can look back.
To this place.
To this comfort.
--
Yael and Solanne continued to walk, passing every field. Still, they often stopped on their way to take pictures. As they walked, Solanne's eyes widened in disbelief and rushed through, excited to take photos of the few sunflowers planted along the road.
Solanne happily walked there. She had a smile on her face while Yael was following her through his gaze. "Take a picture of me here! I'll make it a DP!"
Yael smirked. His eyes teased. "What are you, a child?"
"Just shut up!" Solanne rolled her eyes and handed him her phone. "Take a pic while the sun is still sunny!"
"It's not going to rain," Yael dismissed. He looked at the sky.
"You never know. There's this phenomenon called Sunshower."
"Sunflower?" Yael teased.
"Sunshower! Eh! Just take the picture!"
"Fine! You pose there!"
Solanne smiled; she raised both hands, making a peace sign. "Eh," Yael groaned. He sounded so disappointed. "What are you, a child? Don't you have any ideas how to pose better?"
Solanne glared at him. "Okay, Mr. all-knowing guy! Teach me some!"
"Just hold some sunflower and smell it!"
"How cliché!"
"Just do it!"
Solanne sighed and made a pose. Despite her annoyance, her smile was wide and she was grinning ear to ear. Yael stared at her for a second before clicking the camera, and he said, "Now look at the sky; be as carefree as you are."
"How professional."
Yael rolled his eyes. "Just a hobby. Do it! We don't have all day!"
Solanne and Yael took a few pictures before continuing their walk.
"Just a random thought," Solanne muttered, looking at the picture of her that had been taken.
"Hmmm?"
"What if it rains?"
"It won't. Stop thinking about it." Yael dismissed and shifted the conversation. "How many minutes more till we arrive?"
Solanne looked at the time. "An hour and a half."
"What time is it?"
"Just almost 3."
Yael stopped walking for a bit, causing Solanne to stop, too, and looked at him with a questioning gaze. "Would we be able to go back later?"
Solanne paused. "That's a good question. Should we?"
"Walk at night?" Yael emphasized. He looked at Solanne as if she had grown two heads.
"Well, it's not like there's stalkers here or serial killers." Solanne looked around. She sounds so optimistic. "It's a place full of rice fields."
"…"
Solanne frowned. "Should we go back and waste our effort then? Kids these days!"
Yael bit his lips. "Fine. But in any case, if something happens, I will blame you."
Solanne glared at her and took her phone out. "Fine. I'm going to call the owner of the cabin."
"What will you say?"
Solanne shrugged. "Asking for options on what to do? Besides, they live here long enough."
"You should have done that earlier," Yael pressed.
Solanne rolled her eyes. "Whatever." As she dials the number.
--