See You Again, Winter | On-going

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Adventure to the world of fantasy

When the sunrise came, we fixed our things because we're going to our next destination. Hindi ko alam kung saan namang lugar kami ngayon pupunta kaya nakikisabay na lang din ako sa plano ni Neo.

"Saan naman tayo ngayon pupunta?" tanong ko kay Neo habang inilalagay ang mga gamit namin sa loob ng sasakyan.

"Secret." tanging sagot niya. Alam ko na rin namang iyon ang isasagot niya, nagsayang lang tuloy ako ng laway.

Napahinto naman ako sa pagaayos ng gamit nang mapansing na-out of balance si Neo.

"Okay ka lang ba?" nag-aalalang tanong ko.

Tumango lang siya saka nagmamadaling kinuha ang kan'yang bag. Kinuha niya roon ang gamot saka ininom. Napasandal muna siya sa kotse habang mariing nakapikit ang mata.

"Sigurado ka ba? Huwag na lang kaya tayong tumuloy, umuwi na lang tayo para makapagpahinga ka."

"No, last na ito kaya ituloy na natin." He said. "Saka okay na ako." He added as he tried to smile in front of me eventhough I knew that he's not really okay.

Pumasok na si Neo sa loob ng sasakyan kaya sumunod na rin ako. He started the engine and drvoe carefully. Habang daan ay hindi ko maiwasang hindi mag-alala sa kan'ya. His lips are getting pale and his eyes are getting tired but he still chose to continue this trip.

After three hours, we arrived in Lemery, Batangas. Ipinarada ni Neo ang sasakyan sa may labas at sa labas pa lamang ng gate ay makikita na malalaking castle na sa disneyland ko lang nakikita.

"Welcome to the fantasy world!" sabi ni Neo ng makababa kami ng sasakyan.

We both paid one hundred pesos for the entrance fee. And I was in awe when I saw the four giant castles like structures in a quadrangle.

"This is also the Disneyland of the Philippines but sadly the construction had long stopped due to financial problema and since then it was never opened to the public." kwento ni Neo na parang isang tour guide.

The place gives me an eerie feeling since it was an abandoned castle but it can't hide the fact that this place is so magical. It feels like it was stuck in it's own fairytale cliffhanger and sadly this place didn't have it's own happy ending. Nakakapanghinayang lang na hindi natapos ang pagpapagawa rito pero kahit papaano ay naging tourist attraction na rin ang lugar na ito. May ilang mga turista pa kaming nakasabay kanina sa pagpasok.

"Halika," aya ni Neo sabay higit sa kamay ko.

Pumasok kami sa loob ng isa sa mga castle. Sinalubong kami ng isang staff at sinabi ni Neo kung pwedeng mag-renta ng mga custome.

"Ayoko ngang isuot 'yan," tutol ko habang pinipilit ni Neo na isuot ko ang custome na pang-prinsesa.

"Ang KJ naman nito. Para nga mas feel natin ang lugar na ito 'e." pagpupumilit niya. Nakasuot na siya ng custome na pang-prinsipe

"Ayoko nga 'e!" muli kong pagtutol.

He became silent and gave me a puppy-dog look. Jusko, mukhang naging babysitter pa ako ng isang twenty-years old.

"Sige na nga."

His face ligthed up when I said those words. "Yehey! Isuot mo na doon!" turo niya sa dressing room.

After I put the costume, he held my wrist again and pulled me to sit in one of the chair that looks like a throne. He sat in the tallest one and I sat beside him. We looks like we're the prince and princess in our own kingdom.

The photographer walked in front while holding his camera. He told to smile widely as he clicked the shutter. I turned my gaze to Neo who's now smiling from ear to ear. He was really happy.

Pagkatapos ng ilang shots ay umalis na ako sa pagkakaupo sa trono. Kinuha naman ni Neo ang pictures namin at siya na rin ang nagbayad.

"Ang ganda oh," He said as he was smiling widely while looking at our pictures.

Kinuha ko sa kan'ya ang mga pictures para tingnan. Ang ganda nga ng pagkakakuha kaya itinago ko ang isa para pang-remembrance.

Pagkatapos naming magpalit ng costume ay lumabas na kaming dalawa para libutin ang buong lugar. Aside from the four main castles, there's so much more that this place can offer. There's a mini-rides but it's not working now so it's serve as big installation arts were you can take photos. There's also a mini-roller coaster that looks like a dragon; a mini-ferris wheel with eight colorful cabins, and a swing ride that looks like the Flying Fiesta in Enchanted Kingdom that alos comes in dffirent colors. Aside from the rides, there's also a maze garden.

"Akyat tayo roon!" aya ni Neo sabay turo sa treehouse.

Nauna na siyang naglakad papunta roon kaya sumunod na lang din ako. There's a rotating staircase going up to the treehouse. When we went upstairs, we walked in the hanging bridge that is also connected to the other treehouse.

Neo stopped in the middle of the bridge so I just stand beside him like looking around. From here you can see the whole place and it can also gives you a panoramic-view of Taal Volcano.

"I'm the king of this place!" Neo shouted as he spread his arms widely. Sa sobrang lakas ng sigaw niya ay napatingin pa ang ibang mga tao sa ibaba kaya lumayo na ako sa kan'ya.

"Hoy, hintayin mo ako!" sigaw niya kaya nagmamadali na akong bumaba ng hagdan.

After we went to the treehouse, we walked around the place again, I can't help but to smile because I felt like I was inside a magical kingdom. When I was a kid, I dreamed to be a princess and my prince charming will come riding in his white horse to save me. And I think that childhood happened, I may not be a real princess now but the prince I was dreaming of, comes into reality. When a guy wearing his yellow hoodie jacket came to me at the moment when I was about to jump and end my own life. He's not riding in a white horse but he became my knight in shining armor.