DON'T TOUCH THAT, THAT'S FOR HANA
Jacob was thrown in a predicament. He finally fell in love but the woman he chose to love was on guard and didn't want to love again. 'Why didn't I meet you few years back? Why did you have to fall in love with that bastard and give me up without putting a fight? Why didn't we cross our fate few years ago?'
"Boss?" Hana called Jacob who was staring into space with him. He stopped coating the chicken wings as well and he seemed to be lost in his thought. "Boss?" She peered at him and waved her hand in front of his face which startled him and brought him back to Earth. "Are you alright?"
Her face was closer and she looked so lovely while looking at him. "I'm fine. I just thought about something." He reasoned and continued his work. "You said that you no longer want to fall in love, what if a man really loves you. Won't you give him a chance?"
"I don't think that person would still come in to my life. I'd rather not meet him in this life time. He would be in pain if that person comes."
"Why?"
"Because…because I won't love him back. Isn't that painful? One-sided love is very painful. It would be better if that person won't come and tell me his feelings."
Jacob nodded his head as if he agreed with her but deep inside he was consoling himself. It was painful indeed. 'Then, I will just like you secretly.' He thought to himself, still working but his eyes would always stray back to the woman on his side. 'Spending time like this is better than us hurting ourselves.'
By the time everyone felt tired from swimming, they went back to their camp and found the newly cooked food. There was another dish on the side which was different from what was being served. "Who owned this?" Liam asked when he saw the Piña Colada Chicken Salad.
"Don't touch that. That's for Hana." Jacob responded while he squeezed a fresh orange juice for her as well.
Everyone wanted to smile and teased them but knowing their boss, they just kept silent and smiled like they discovered something. Hana came out from her tent after taking the medicine and wiping the blood that dripped earlier. She excused herself in a hurry a while ago when she felt something was about to drop and she was just in time when she reached the time, two rivers of blood streamed down her nose. After cleaning herself, she went out and found everyone was happily eating.
"This is yours." Jacob handed the 'special' dish that he created for her. In truth, he was supposed to only cook for her that time but he knew it would be awkward for other workers so he made another dish for them. "Thank you for helping me with the food. It was a lot easier and quicker with your help."
With his last statement, everyone changed their mind. He didn't cook for her without any reason, it was because Hana helped him which was why he cooked something for her as a reward.
'But we don't get any reward when we helped you cook before!' Alex and Marvy, their chefs, wanted to shout these words at him. They could still see the difference no matter what reason their boss was up to. Only the girls believed that it was just a token of gratitude.
After they ate, Liam and Lily were tasked to clean the items and it was Jacob and Hana's time to explore the place. Hana gave him a little tour since she knew the place a little better than him. "Do you like this place so much?" Jacob asked when they were at the back hill, looking at the wide expanse of orange orchard which the locals planted.
"Not really but I like places like this. Mountain area, overlooking the city lights or having a cruise, watching the sunset and sunrise, playing in an amusement park or ocean park; anywhere. A place that I could enjoy."
"My parents gave me two tickets to Ocean World. It was supposedly a trip for my sister and her child but she already got theirs. So, they gave it to me. Would you like to come with me?"
"Boss?" Hana was stunned and couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Are you making me your practice partner? If you want to ask the girl you like on a date, you just have to do it in the same way. But we won't be dating, right?"
"Of course, we are not. What were you thinking?"
"Nothing. I don't want any misunderstanding between us." Hana smiled and continued to walk. "Boss, if you ran out of oranges, we can buy from here." She immediately changed their topic as she walked ahead of them.
Jacob on the other hand, he was silently following behind her and was contemplating about his situation. They were just about to go back when they met Rio and a woman on their way back.
"Hey Rio! Do you still-" The woman sealed her mouth when she saw Hana and Jacob coming down from the orchard, the same path they were taking. She had been pestering Rio since earlier but he won't answer her. How stupid can she be? You all can imagine it.
Hana just smiled faintly at them but the woman snorted. Jacob knew that there was some bad blood in the past and he didn't want Hana to be part of it anymore. He reached out his hand and held Hana's small hand in his, a perfect show of his gentlemanly side. "Where do you want to go next?" Jacob asked in his soft voice, so soft that Hana wanted to hear it for the rest of her life.
"Anywhere, as long as they are out of my sight." Hana responded with a smile. After a few steps, the woman chuckled making Hana flinched.
"Hana. Hana. Hana. Our dear Hana. Don't you remember me?"
"I don't remember the insignificant people in my life." Hana retorted and left, not giving her a chance to spout nonsense, least Jacob would find out about her illness.