Daddy, Chasing Mommy Back is On Us!

Jason recalled how Mayaboy would refer to all of them as townspeople when she was their tour guide in the past. She had been too lazy to remember all of their names back then, and she still referred to Jason as 'the townsman' even when he was the only one who had stayed behind in the mountains. Back then, he teased her by saying that he was thankful that she only referred to him as a townsman and not a foreigner.

Right then, Mayaboy lowered her firewood to speak to him. "Are you here on a trip? Our tourism business has been growing in the past few years, but I'm surprised to see you traveling here again. The scenery here isn't as gorgeous as it used to be in the past." She was chit-chatting with him as if she had just met an old friend, but Jason couldn't bring himself to utter a single word in front of her.

He had considered all sorts of possibilities while he was on the way to the mountains. He had expected her to change since they had been apart for so many years, but he hadn't expected her change to be so drastic. Now, her skin was rough, and her hands covered with cuts, scars, and calluses. Also, her hair was a total mess, and her clothes were ragged and torn. She's still such a young girl. How did things turn out this way for her?

"What's going on? Say something!" She beamed as she looked at Jason. The only thing that remained the same was her broad, bright smile.

"What are you doing? Why aren't you doing your work? What's taking you so long?!" Another voice could be heard shouting from inside the house.

Mayaboy's expression stiffened right then. "I'm so sorry. I have to go now. Where do you stay? Should I go look for you some other day?"

"I'm staying at the guesthouse," Jason replied.

"Okay." Mayaboy rushed into the house with the firewood after that. She remained silent even as the woman in the house continued to curse and shout at her. When he saw how the firewood was weighing down on the girl's skinny and frail body, Jason felt a sharp ache in his chest. He was close to tears when he finally turned away and returned to the guesthouse. He couldn't bear to watch her any longer. All he could do then was to wait for her to visit him.

until ten that night. He thought that she would no longer visit him that day, but he immediately jumped to his feet when he heard

Jason uttered as he shuffled aside

to be done at home. That's why I'm only here at this hour." She wore a rather embarrassed expression as she spoke. Initially, she hadn't planned on visiting a man in the middle of the night, but she

fell silent for a while then. Neither one of them knew what to say to the other. As usual, it was Mayaboy who broke the awkward silence first. "Have you

didn't you come with your

this time?

really fresh. I heard

in

the countryside. You should bring your family over for some fresh air,"

a faint

surprise and embarrassment. "I thought you were supposed to get engaged to someone after you headed home the

didn't bother to

listener back then, and