Jay and Kian decided that after their last escapade, taking the mountain path might not be the best idea. Instead, they opted for the road this time. The road was ancient, with cracks and potholes that told stories of a time long past, but it was still a much better option than the treacherous mountain path they had previously tackled.
As they started walking, Jay couldn't help but comment, "You know, this road has seen better days, but at least it's not trying to kill us every step of the way."
Kian laughed, kicking a small rock down the path. "Yeah, I'd say our odds of survival are slightly better this time."
Jay looked at the potholes, some of which were large enough to swallow a small animal, and grinned. "You think the priest deliberately didn't tell us about this road? He probably wanted to toughen us up with that death trap of a path."
"Maybe he just wanted to see if we'd figure it out on our own," Kian replied, dodging a particularly deep hole. "Or maybe he enjoys the idea of us almost killing ourselves for his amusement."
"Probably both," Jay chuckled. He then pointed at a section of the road that had been reclaimed by nature, with tree roots weaving in and out of the asphalt like some kind of demented obstacle course. "I mean, look at this. It's like the mountain is trying to take the road back. I'm just waiting for a tree to fall on us or something."
"Or for the road to just give up and collapse into the valley," Kian added with a grin.
As they continued their trek, Jay tried to entertain himself by jumping over the cracks in the road. He almost tripped several times, much to Kian's amusement.
"You're going to break your ankle before we even get back," Kian teased.
"Nah, I'm just getting some practice who knows what we might need in these mountains ," Jay replied, doing a little hop over another crack. "You know, maybe we should bring a skateboard next time. I bet we could hit some sick jumps off these potholes."
Kian laughed. "Sure, and then we'll end up at the bottom of the mountain again, probably in a full-body cast."
The two continued to joke and banter, making the long walk back to the shrine far more entertaining than it had any right to be. Despite the bumpy road, they arrived back at the shrine in relatively good spirits, though both were exhausted and looking forward to a good meal.
As evening fell, the priest prepared dinner for them. The smell of cooking filled the shrine, but as the food was brought out, Kian and Jay exchanged dubious glances. The meal consisted of steamed vegetables and sweet potatoes. It wasn't that the food looked bad, but it was certainly lacking something… significant.
Jay poked at his plate with his chopsticks. "Uh, is this it? Where's the meat? We just walked like… forever. Don't we get some protein?"
Kian nodded in agreement. "Yeah, we need something that'll put the meat back on our bones, not turn us into rabbits."
The priest smiled serenely as he sat down with them. "Meat is a luxury out here. Vegetables and sweet potatoes are what we have, and they're very nutritious. You'll feel stronger in no time."
Jay sighed dramatically, taking a bite of his sweet potato. "I guess we'll just have to get used to living the vegan life, huh?"
Kian tried to stifle a laugh. "Don't worry, Jay. If we get desperate, there's always fishing."
"Fishing?" Jay perked up, then immediately deflated. "Wait, don't tell me there's no river around here either."
"There is," the priest interjected calmly, "but the fish are very… elusive."
Jay groaned. "Great. We're going to starve out here."
After finishing their meal, Jay decided it was time to hit the restroom. He trudged off in the direction the priest had pointed out earlier, muttering about the lack of meat in his diet. Kian remained at the table, still snickering at Jay's misery.
It wasn't long before a scream echoed through the shrine, a sound so shrill and terrified that Kian almost knocked over his cup in surprise. He leaped to his feet, heart racing, and sprinted toward the source of the noise. Behind him, the priest followed at a leisurely pace, as if he knew exactly what was going on.
Kian skidded to a halt outside the small building Jay had gone into, expecting the worst. He was half ready to face some monstrous creature from the mountains, but instead, he found Jay pressed up against the wall, his eyes wide as saucers.
"Jay! What the hell happened?" Kian shouted, trying to make sense of the situation.
Jay pointed a trembling finger toward the far corner of the room. "Th-th-there's a bear in there!"
Kian blinked, unsure if he had heard correctly. "A bear?"
"Yes, a freaking bear! It's just sitting there like it owns the place!" Jay stammered, his voice cracking with panic.
The priest finally arrived, a small smile playing on his lips. He calmly stepped into the room, where the aforementioned bear was indeed lounging, looking quite content. The massive brown bear lifted its head lazily to regard the newcomers, its expression as placid as if it had just woken up from a nap.
"This is Bobo," the priest said, as if introducing a pet cat. "I found him as a cub years ago and raised him here. He's very gentle, I assure you."
Kian couldn't help but laugh, partly in relief and partly at the absurdity of the situation. Jay, however, was less amused.
"You could have warned us!" Jay exclaimed, still backing away from the bear as if it might suddenly pounce. "I nearly pissed myself!"
Kian doubled over with laughter, tears streaming down his face. "You… you should have seen your face! Priceless!"
Jay shot him a glare, though the corners of his mouth twitched, betraying a hint of amusement. "Oh, sure, laugh it up. Let's see how brave you are when you find a bear in your bathroom."
The priest chuckled softly, reaching out to pat Bobo on the head. The bear nuzzled against his hand like a giant, furry dog. "Bobo is very well-behaved. He's like family to me."
Kian managed to catch his breath, still grinning. "This place just keeps getting better and better. First, we get to climb this dangerous mountain, then we nearly die in a stunt, and now we're living with a bear. What's next? you sure we are here Disciplinary Action ?"
Jay crossed his arms, trying to look stern despite his lingering nerves. "Next, we find some way to keep this bear from sneaking up on people. My heart can't take it."
Just then, as if sensing the tension, Bobo stood up and ambled over to Jay. The massive creature towered over him, yet there was something undeniably endearing about the way the bear gently nudged Jay with its nose.
"Uh, what's he doing?" Jay asked, frozen in place.
The priest smiled knowingly. "I think Bobo wants to cheer you up."
Before Jay could protest, Bobo reached down, carefully lifting Jay by the back of his shirt as if he weighed nothing. In a surprisingly graceful move, Bobo swung Jay onto his back, where the boy landed with a soft thud.
Jay's initial panic quickly gave way to disbelief as he realized what had happened. He was riding a bear.
"Well, this is… different," Jay muttered, trying not to slide off as Bobo began to amble back toward where they had been eating.
Kian burst out laughing again, following them with the priest. "Looks like you've made a new friend, Jay!"
Jay huffed, though he couldn't help but crack a smile. "Yeah, yeah. Just wait until it's your turn."
Bobo carried Jay back to the eating area with all the care of a mother carrying her cub. Once they reached the table, the bear gently lowered Jay to the ground before sitting down beside him, looking up expectantly.
The priest chuckled as he sat down as well. "Bobo likes you, Jay. Consider yourself honored."
Jay shook his head in disbelief, but there was a warmth in his smile now. "Well, I guess I can't complain. But next time, maybe we skip the bear hugs?"
Kian plopped down beside him, still grinning like a fool. "Nah, you loved it. Admit it."
Jay rolled his eyes, though his smile never faded. "Alright, alright. Maybe I did. But don't get any ideas about me being the bear's new best friend. One bear hug a day is enough."
For the first time since they had arrived, the shrine felt like a home, a place where they could be themselves, no matter how strange or unexpected the circumstances.