HATING SOMEONE REQUIRES TIME AND EFFORT

The two of them walked back to the camp as if nothing happened, hand in hand, smiling about silly things that only the two of them knew.

"You told us that you were not in a relationship but now, you are holding each other's hands again." Liam commented with a cheeky smile plastered on his face.

Hana was nonchalant about it as she looked around the place. Seeing that Rio and that woman was out of sight, she released Jacob's hand instantly. "Oh my gosh! Pretending is really difficult." She commented and fanned herself like she was feeling really hot. In truth, she was really feeling hot, holding his hand with hers, walking side by side, and whispering about silly things; all of it made her feel hot.

Liam wanted to tease them a little more but not just him, everyone else realized that the two were just pretending. They looked over to the other side and found Rio and a woman arrived. They didn't need to know who was connected to those two since only Hana experienced a relationship.

Hana went inside her tent and seeing that Rio was watching over them, with heavy steps, he followed Hana to his tent. Hana was startled to see him following behind her but when she found that Rio was watching, she didn't argue with it. As a perfect gentleman, Jacob didn't get inside the tent. He only stayed at the entrance and watched her rummaged through her things.

"What are you looking for?" Jacob asked.

"Nothing. I was just keeping my things neat and orderly. I told you I am a messy person, right?" Hana chuckled while she made sure that Jacob won't see the blood-stained handkerchief on the side. She couldn't put the cloth on her bag to avoid dirtying her other things. She couldn't wash it yet since everyone was still around plus Rio and Joselyn was watching over her.

"Who was that woman? It seemed to me that she hates you." Jacob mumbled while sitting on the ground at the entrance of the tent.

"She does. She hates me because I was doing well in class. She hates me because I got the man she loves. Thus, she resorted to manipulation."

"You don't hate her?"

"Hating someone requires time and effort. Why should I waste it on her? It's not that I don't hate her but rather, I just don't care about her."

"You are a strong woman." Jacob reached out his hand and gently pat her head.

'Of course, I am. I wouldn't be facing you, smiling like stupid even though I am breaking my own heart if I am not strong.' Hana thought but she was just smiling at him. "Boss, ah..never mind."

"What is it? Just tell me?" Jacob urged her.

"I was just wondering, why didn't I meet this group of people years ago? Why didn't I meet you or Lily? Why didn't I experience this kind of fun? I am starting to regret that it took me years before I found all of you."

Jacob just thought of this matter earlier and now that she was asking the same thing to him, he was speechless. He didn't have answer to his own questions so, how will he answer her? "Perhaps, we were not destined to meet years ago. Maybe, you were bound to experience what you had experience in order to make you strong." He didn't know what he was saying but the words seemed to come out naturally from his mouth.

"Maybe you are right." Hana smiled happily at him, a genuine smile that he never showed her before. "Thanks boss."

"Thanks for what? I didn't do anything to warrant your gratitude."

"Thank you for going along with me and for protecting me from Rio and Joselyn. Perhaps, it was nothing to you but it meant a lot to me."

"Why are you being dramatic?" Jacob chuckled and flicked her forehead once again. This time, it wasn't just Hana or him, but Liama and everyone else who heard him chuckle were stunned. It was the first time they heard him do something like laughing with his employee. It was another first time brought to them by Hana. "I didn't do it, did I?"

"Yes, you did. Don't even deny it boss." Hana laughed faintly, the sound plucked the string on his heart and produced a low and soft melody. He wanted to hear her laughter again.

Time quickly passed and the red-orange glow of the sunset on the west horizon caught everyone's attention. It was just so beautiful and amazing to see. The clouds were basking in these red-orange rays and they looked more like a colorful cotton candy. Jacob was no different than them, he loves to see beautiful things as well and the sunset made him feel warm, just like the woman who was standing right next to him. "Beautiful indeed." He stated while watching Hana instead of the sunset.

Hana turned her head to face him and caught him red-handed. "Why are you staring at me boss?" he whispered in order to avoid embarrassing him in front of everyone.

Jacob didn't avert his eyes or made an excuse, he chose to be straight forward this time. "I was just wondering why he chose to hurt you when you are kind and beautiful."

"Hahahaha. Stop joking boss." Hana laughed and it made him laugh too.

"I wasn't joking alright? But anyway, stop looking back to your past. Just keep moving forward." 'Move forward to me.' But he couldn't say those words so he just chose to smile and ruffled her hair.

They say that 'love is blind and lovers can't see" but in Hana and Jacob's case, their love was exploding into sparks and fireflies in the air but the two of them chose to ignore and turned a blind eye at these obvious things.