"Aherm, Mr. Young. I didn't know you have a possessive side..." Kei teased as they swam to the sides.
Upon reaching the side, Jiro removed his helmet then he leaned his back and stretched his arms to relax.
He was wearing a gray dry-fit shirt and because it was soaked in the water, it complimented his toned body.
Kei can't help but check him out. It was her first time to see him in a shirt. Lo and behold, it was a sight to see - wet hair revealed his curly hair, toned-biceps...
"Keira, if your eyes are lasers, I could have melted on the spot."
"You're distracting me. I'm just checking out the falls behind you, not you, okay?" Kei denied. "Okay, going back with your reminders. What's your second reminder?" She changed the topic.
"Two, that will be a whole 2-day trip including travel time from the city."
Kei just said nodded in response.
"Three. I can't assure you that the signal will be good. So if you have an urgent call or work to attend to..."
"Understood, okay." She interrupted.
"We have to set up everything on ourselves..."
"I know, I'm not new in camping."
"Are you really sure you are okay spending the night there? With us?"
"Jiro." Kei heaved a sigh and started. "Are you really just reminding me or do you just want to hear a NO from me?" She reiterated.
"Again, I know what I'm saying yes to and what I'm committing myself into. You're worried about me again? I don't need it. I won't be a piece of excess baggage on that hike." Kei said seriously this time, with no hint of humour on it.
"Okay... So do you have questions? Concerns? Violent reactions?" He then plastered a smile on his face.
"Hmmm, my only question is... When? So I could check my schedule." She then bubbled up her cheeks to play with the water.
"Hmmm, our next schedule is on February 26. G?" He inquired while ruffling his hair but now looking at Kei.
"Why not on the 14th instead?" Kei responded with a hint of excitement in her voice. She won't mind spending Valentine's day with him.
"There are lots of couples going there for sure. You wouldn't want to experience "nature" on that day", Jiro squinted while looking at the sunset.
"You mean, some adventurers might be on exploratory mode?" Kei asked which made Jiro chuckle in return then nodded his head. Kei on the other hand got what he meant and her imagination ran wild.
"What if in the middle of the night, aside from crickets, they'll hear something else... yikes." She thought as her eyes widened with the dreadful thought.
"Okay, 26th then. It would be awkward to be surrounded by couples on that day too. And I just got lucky, I won't have to pay for a guide going to Osmeña Peak." Kei, as usual, spoke her mind.
"Sunset, moon and stars, sunrise... oh and the sky. Just thinking about it makes me feel excited already." She then submerged her head underwater and returned immediately.
"Then start praying for good weather on the 26th." Jiro commented as he also did the same then leaned his head sideways to remove the water from his ears.
Kei then decided to do some floating. She's wearing a life jacket, actually all of them as safety gear, so it's easier to float. She looked at the sky above them, in between the branches of trees.
"Haaay, this is the life. To be with nature... it's pretty." She said while still looking up.
"Yeah, Nature is always pretty," Jiro murmured.
Kei heard it. So she fired in a question immediately.
She put her two hands under her chin and asked, "Am I pretty?" then smiled sweetly on him.
Jiro can't help but cough. He got choked in his own saliva with the sudden question.