Half an hour passed, Barbara was panting. Her face was red, covered in beads of sweat. "Are you tired?" Philip rubbed her forehead again. "No." "Why don't we rest for a while? With those red cheeks and that sigh, you look like you've had a night's exercise. I don't want any other men to see you like this." Barbara laughed faintly. "But we can't rest in the middle of the stairs like this. We could disturb other climbers." Philip pointed at a point, not far above them. "There's a place to rest." "Okay, let’s have a seat there for a moment." Barbara quickened her pace even though her knees were shaking. She couldn't wait to rest her feet. As soon as she sat on a large rock, Barbara closed her eyes and let out a long sigh. Her hands were clenched into fists, hitting her thighs which felt sore and itchy. "Please don't do that if there are other people around," Philip said, handing her a bottle of water. "Why?" Barbara opened her eyes again. "Those sounds and expressions you usua
"Philip, are my knees bleeding?" Barbara looked at her husband with trembling eyes, just like her voice. Both of her hands gripped Philip's hand tightly. "I don't think so. It's just a few scratches or bruises at most." "Is it true?" Barbara dared to look down. However, before she could see the wound, Philip had carried her and sat her on a large rock. "You don't need to panic. I'll treat your wounds, hmm?" "My knees are bleeding, right?" Barbara's tears began to clot. Before it dripped, Philip quickly wiped it away. "Just a little. There was more blood at our first night." "That's not funny, Philip." "But I said it as it is. Now be patient. After I treat it, the blood will stop coming out. You remember when I treated your finger that was cut by a knife, right? Something like that." After kissing Barbara's forehead, Philip knelt down, opening the backpack. With a pale face, Barbara watched as Philip rolled up her trousers and treated her knees. At that moment, Shania came wi
"Philip ...." Philip turned his head. Barbara apparently still closed her eyes in the next seat. Her brows furrowed, her head moved vaguely. "Yes, Babe?" Philip leaned closer. "Please don't go too fast. We'll roll forward," Barbara cooed, making Philip's eyes widen. "We've stopped, Babe. Our campervan is in the parking area." Barbara shook her head faintly. Her eyes twitched faster. "Philip, slow down. I'll trip again. Philip ...." Realizing that Barbara was delirious, Philip snorted a laugh. Gently, he stroked her shoulder. "Baby, you're dreaming. Wake up." "Philip ... Philip!" Barbara gasped. Her eyes looked red as she lifted her lids. "Philip?" She looked around. Her shoulders were still rising and falling to compensate for the short breaths. "We're not rolling down the mountain?" Philip chuckled. "No, we're in a campervan. What you experienced just now was just a dream." Blinking, Barbara gathered her senses. "I dreamed? Thank goodness." She leaned her head back again
"Philip, slow down! You're going too fast!" Barbara screamed between breaths. While chuckling, Philip maintained his speed down the rocky path. His hands were stretched behind him, forming a fence so that his wife wouldn't get out of the way or fall. "Are you afraid of your dreams coming true?" "Yes!" Barbara said at the top of her voice. "It wouldn't be funny if we rolled over here." "But you have to hold on, Babe. This trains your leg muscles!" "This isn't muscle training. This is courage testing!" Philip's laughter returned to the air. "Then, hold on tighter! Let's increase our speed!" "Philip!" Barbara didn't have time to look anywhere else. She only focused on her feet movements. Her lungs worked even irregularly. Once the terrain was no longer steep, Philip finally slowed down. After stopping, he immediately turned around and hugged Barbara. "Congratulations, Babe. You managed to conquer another mountain. You're really great." He kissed her forehead. However, Barbara
"Here ...." Barbara handed the pot and two packets of instant noodles to Poppy. "Please tell your friend not to bother us anymore." "I'm not bothering—" "Shania," Poppy stopped her friend, "we already got dinner from them. No need to make a fuss." While Shania snorted and looked away, Poppy nodded to Barbara. "Thank you. Tomorrow we will return the pot clean and also two packets of noodles." After nodding lazily, Barbara took her bowl and sat down beside Philip. "Do you want more?" Philip asked while Barbara was blowing on her noodles. "You won't get enough if I eat more." Barbara blinked innocently. Philip shook his head with a sweet smile. "This is too much for me. Besides, we still have other food if we're not full." Barbara brought her bowl closer. "Okay then. Just a little, Philip." While her husband added noodles to her bowl, Barbara's eyes moved to the side again. "Why are you still here? Do you want to eavesdrop on our conversation?" Poppy and Shania blinked. "Who's
Sensing someone's presence, Philip looked back. At that moment, Shania dropped her knees and spread her arms. Before she could hug him, Philip quickly pushed her shoulders with the outside of his forearm. "What are you doing? Are you crazy?" Philip looked straight into Shania's eyes, expressing his displeasure. "Give me one chance, Philip. Let me hug you once. You will know that your wife is nothing compared to me." Philip grimaced. The corners of his lips twitched in disgust. "You're out of your mind!" "I'll really go crazy if I fail to get you!" Shania pressed her body towards Philip. Her hands reached out, touching anything she could reach. Poppy could only be astonished at her friend's recklessness, while Barbara gaped and shook her head in disbelief. "Please, Philip, stop rejecting me! I can make you so much happier!" Philip turned his crumpled face away and let out a tired sigh. His other hand was busy pushing Shania's touch away so it wouldn't spread downwards. However,
"Shania!" Poppy's voice suddenly broke Shania's thoughts. When she turned around, her best friend was holding out her clothes. "Wear this first. I think Philip is right. Soon, there could be visitors coming to watch the midnight sun. Don't let them see you like this." Shania's eyes filled with tears, looking straight at her best friend's face. Her lips were pressed tightly, waiting for words from her brain which was still busy digesting the situation. "I don't think our conditions are much different, Shania." Barbara broke the silence. "I don't have a best friend, but I have a good husband. As for you, you don't have a husband yet, but you have a best friend. If you think deeper, I think you win a little over me." Shania's eyes narrowed. "Why so?" Barbara pursed her mouth and looked up at the sky. "You can fall in love, date and get married in just an instant. But to find a true friend, everyone needs years. So ...." Barbara looked back at Shania with a hint of envy. "You still h
"Hi Philip and Barbara, I'm sorry we left without saying goodbye. I feel like I won't be able to convey these words directly. Sorry if I've disturbed your honeymoon all this time. I did all this because I was jealous of Barbara. She found love which I thought I had never felt before. Thank you for making me realize that apparently, I also have received that kind of love—sincere love. Not from my husband or lover, but from my own best friend. Together with Poppy, I will continue my journey and have fun with our own way. You guys have fun too. I hope you don't meet a crazy girl like me yesterday. Love, Shania." ....After reading Shania's letter, Barbara's eyes filled with tears. Philip bent over, thinking he had seen wrong. "Babe, are you crying?" He examined Barbara's eyes more closely. Barbara blinked. Rubbing her eyes, she shook her head. "No. Who's crying? I'm just a little moved." Smiling, Philip put one arm around her shoulder. "You don't need to be sad, Babe. Even tho