Chapter 6: Chapter 6

It was their first day in Baguio but Mars' naked body immediately startled her when she woke up.  He’s new bath and wipes his body.  She immediately closed her eyes and turned around. But she was even more surprised that two arms had already locked her.

"Good morning, my sunshine."

Why does he tend to surprise her?  Doesn't he know that too much sweetness kills the heart?

"Where's that sunshine coming from? Obviously, I'm not alone."  she then frowned.  Well, she also spent a lot of time even though that only happened once in her life.

"Hey," he pinched her cheek. "I promise that you're the only sunshine of my life." He raised her right hand and secretly kissed her nape.

"Come on, let's go out together." He rubbed their hands tightly.

There the couple prepares that morning, porridge and jerked fish. She stared at the young man sharply; she sat him down next to her. She took a fish and porridge soup and mixed it on the plate. The young man frowned.  From what he saw, pork was served in front of him.  Lavender was amazed to see that he had scraped what she had placed on the plate.

"Sir, Ma'am will definitely like it. The flowers on that plantation are beautiful." Manang Tess said.

"Yes, sir. It's worth it if you buy the plantation apart from the beautiful flower garden, your wife will also have a good visit."

Lavender coughed at what she heard. Is Manong Ben referring to her as his wife?

"Mr. Ben, I'm not his wife." Lavender replied shyly. Maybe last night the couple misinterpreted them.

"I'm sorry, Ma'am. You're just so beautiful; I thought you were Sir's wife."

"Don't be sorry, sir." It was Mars who glared at her. Without a word, he touched her hand. "Because she will be my wife soon." Lavender didn't know what to do. She was surprised by what the young man said.  This man is killing her softly.  She's blushing.

It was past nine o'clock when they decided to go to the plantation. Lavender felt excited for those. After parking, she immediately ran to the plantation and what spilled through her eyes amazed her.  Different colors of flowers greeted them both. Lavender felt she was in the middle of a fairytale.

She was surprised when the young man approached her. He picked up a tulip and pinned it between her ears.

"Thank you." she softly said while arranging the flower in her ear.

"Don't forget that you're pretty." She blushed again. Mars isn't giving her a break in any of his sweetness works.

After a few minutes of negotiations with the self-proclaimed, Mr.  Imperial decides to return to the hut. It was a long and happy day for the two of them especially Lavender who couldn't control herself by picking a variety of flowers.

The young man took a bath before arriving. Lavender helped Manang Tess serve dinner. After cooking, he immediately called the young man who was also about to leave the room.

"Mars, let's eat." she seldom calls it that. He just smiled at her and held her hand. He bent down and kissed her lips. Then Lavender was glued on the spot.  She felt that brush of a sweet and smooth skin on her bare lips. It tasted as sweet as she has remembered. Its lips are very soft and very sweet. It is also his breath that gives him so much glory. It was a simple and stealthy kiss but why does its sweetness seem real?

Inevitably her heart ached how another huge nonsense could be happening to her. She was fooling herself and that stupid kiss was all to blame. If it weren't for the young man's kiss, she wouldn't be like this.

That night Lavender can't sleep well. She was just rolling on both sides of the small hut. Even Mars felt it so he woke up and hugged her.

"Mars, how can you say that someone is true to you?"  the young man let go of the hug and stared at her without blinking.

"Why did you ask that?"

"Huh? Uh, nothing. It just came out from my mind."

"Well, I'll know if a person is true if my heart feels and my eyes see that the feelings and the actions she shows me are true." Lavender swallowed her own saliva.  She avoided the young man's eyes.

"But what if what you see in a person isn't true? What if it is a lie, will you still accept her?"

"That's why we have a heart to forgive."

"Mars, what if that person is m-me? What if I'm lying to you? What if all of this is just a lie, will you still accept me?"

"Where did those questions come from, sunshine?" She just shook her head and waited for what the young man would say next. "It's impossible that all of this is just a lie, Lav. Impossible! In a short time I felt it was all true. In a short time that I was with you I was happy. I became completely myself and that was not a lie. You can't deceive your heart, Lavender." he pointed to his own chest.

"Mars." The only thing Lavender uttered.

"Now if you ask if all this is a lie, my answer is no. Because I felt this is all true. And for the first time I was true to how I felt. Lav, I love-" Lavender sealed his mouth with her lips. Tears welled up in her eyes.

She hopes everything the young man says is true, she hopes it's not just the effect of the potion so Mars can say that to her.

"Why are you crying?" Mars wiped away her tears carefully. Following a sincere kiss on her lips. Lavender savored it and it was full of love. It covered the entirety of her breath. The kiss felt true and gentle which made her tears flow even more. The kiss will be her greatest memory.

What the young man was doing was interrupted when he saw her crying. He grabbed her and bound her in his arms.

"What's happening? Why are you crying?" he asked as if she was lying down with deep thoughts.

"I love you so much, Mars. All my life I have been dreaming for this day to come and finally it's here. I will never forget this night. I've been very happy all my life. I have many wishes that I've finally fulfilled with you. I never thought this would happen in my whole life. I just wish that you will never forget this when we return to Manila." Lavender continuously sobs on Mars chest. She was just reminding herself that it was all a big dream.

"Sunshine, don't say things like that. I'll never forget this. You and me sharing our breaths together is absolutely a dream, because I love---" Lavender cut the sentence once again. Maybe not now. She still had to accumulate enough strength and thickness of face when that day came. She was sure he would reject her.

She was closing her eyes when Mars softly whispered something to her.