On a scorching Sunday afternoon, Yohan politely excused himself after the lunch gathering he had been invited to. His uncle Marcelo had invited him over after their church service, marking Yohan's first visit to his uncle's house in years. The last time he had been there was when he and his mother had sought financial help for his plan to go abroad. It was a heartwarming memory of gratitude that he would always hold dear. His cousins, who were still in college and high school, were not around, so he was greeted only by his youngest cousin, who was in his senior year of high school. Yohan missed the cozy and familiar atmosphere of his uncle's home, where clothes were casually strewn about. After their satisfying meal, a sense of loneliness washed over him, perhaps because he missed his family or because he was still healing from past hurts.
Yohan's uncle had been incredibly supportive, and he was aware that his mother had been in touch with his uncle as well. However, it seemed that his mother's calls had become less frequent, possibly due to something his uncle Marcelo had mentioned. As he stepped out of the house, he was taken aback by the intense heat, considering it had rained earlier in the morning. He shed the thick jacket that had shielded him from the cold, marveling at how rapidly the weather had changed. It made him ponder the reality of climate change.Climate change is real. His decision to walk instead of using his motorcycle, which he had left behind when he went to church earlier, meant a lengthy journey home. The walk to the church earlier had been easy and quite amusing, as it had been his first time entering a church in a long while.
Having spent at least 10 years in Japan, he had only attended church when invited. It was a promise he had made to his mother before leaving the country, but the areas he was assigned to in Japan often lacked a nearby church, often requiring a three-hour ride to attend one. So he chose not to but to rather spend it for resting. Another promise he faithfully kept though was to pray, starting and ending his day with prayers and occasionally squeezing in some Bible reading if he wasn't too tired. Sometimes, he would resort to attending online services to lessen any guilt.
Yohan had shouldered the responsibility of supporting his family since the age of 19, following his father's passing.
Yohan's prolonged walk led him to the lone road that led to the *sitio* where he resided. His sweaty and tiring walk was accompanied by a flurry of thoughts. He dwelled on how he would assimilate into his new environment in this municipality. He often wondered if it would be awkward for him to initiate conversations, as he was accustomed to being a listener, possibly due to the nature of his work, where he was accustomed to taking orders.
Yohan welcomed the gentle breeze that ruffled his shirt as he walked, grateful for the chance to cool off a bit. He felt at ease knowing there were no houses around and unlikely to encounter anyone on such a hot day. As he strolled, he spotted someone waving with an umbrella on the other side of the farm. Recognizing the colorful fabric, he realized it was Yva, but he couldn't understand the meaning of her wave. Picking up his pace, he eventually caught up with Yva under a guava tree, where they exchanged smiles. Yva inquired about his church attendance, gesturing at his formal shoes with her umbrella.
After a brief conversation, Yohan continued walking, following the lead of Yva then would momentarily be distracted by Yva's vibrant dress. Yva paused to answer a phone call and then asked Yohan if he wanted coffee.
Puzzled, he hesitated, considering the sweltering weather.
Meanwhile, Gamaliel had already ordered cold drinks for all of them, hoping to get to know more about Yohan. They arrived at the meeting place early, glistening with sweat, and were greeted with their refreshments;while Gamaliel finished his second drink. Gamaliel shared that the tree planting event had been rescheduled for the following day.
As they sipped their drinks and conversed, Yva and Gamaliel talked more than Yohan, discussing his family ties, work in Japan, and religious beliefs, to which he wasn't sure how to respond. They would continually badger him to open up but he feels sorry because he can't provide them with other exciting happening in his life. He just probably lived and worked.
Despite his uncertainty, he found their conversation about fantasy and the underworld quite engaging.
After bidding Yva good night at the pathway leading to Yohan's house, their enjoyable evening came to an end.
Yohan had only seen them again when he spotted their jeep pulled up outside the municipal hall, where their group had assembled for a tree planting activity. Despite the presence of several officials, a team of police officers, and their own small departmental staff, Yohan wondered who they could be waiting for and concluded that it might be them. Sir Marcelo approached Yva and Gamaliel for a private conversation before commencing with the instructions.
Yohan stole a glance at Yva and Gamaliel at the back, both of whom were still in damp clothes. It was only after the prayer and instruction dissemination that Yva and Gamaliel were able to change their clothes. Sir Marcelo then approached Yohan and the other assigned drivers, instructing them to follow Yohan's lead. Despite his hesitance, Yohan was reassured by Sir Marcelo that Yva would navigate.
This marked the first time Yva sat in the passenger seat while Yohan drove. Nervous about driving this type of vehicle and to the tree planting site for the first time, Yohan was thankful for Yva's directions and updates about the road conditions.
"The sun shining now is a welcome change, adding some light to this road. It looked very different when we passed by this area earlier," Yva remarked before signaling him to continue driving.