Frans glanced at Raphael, then back at Zinnia. "Zinnia, is this a vacation or a pandemic survival plan?"
Raphael, who had just unpacked one of the bigger bags, laughed. "At this rate, we could survive for months."
Zinnia shrugged nonchalantly. "It's not my idea. I just followed Kaivan's list."
She lifted a folded piece of paper, showing Kaivan's neat handwriting. Raphael scanned it and chuckled. "That's Kaivan for you. Even if a war broke out, we'd still be fine."
As dusk settled over the mountains, their laughter slowly faded, replaced by the quiet rhythm of unpacking and arranging.
But Raphael froze mid-step in the kitchen, his eyes sweeping the supplies. His brow furrowed. "Wait… why didn't we buy rice?"
Silence fell instantly. Zinnia blinked, then fumbled through her pocket, pulling out the shopping list. "That's strang
Raphael shot Kaivan a sharp look. "Don't tell me you did this on purpose?"
Kaivan only smiled, his hands tucked into his pockets. "Of course I did. Tonight, we're eating without rice. Let's pretend we're tourists for a change."
Everyone froze. For them, that was nothing short of cultural betrayal.
Radit sprang to his feet, half-protesting. "Wait, seriously? No rice at all?"
Frans, still sorting through the groceries, glanced over with a faint grin. "Didn't think you'd be this controversial, Kaivan."
Felicia, ever composed, exhaled softly. "I don't mind. But I do wonder how long Radit will last without rice," she said, her ruby eyes glinting as if testing him.
Radit frowned, folding his arms. "Fine, challenge accepted. Let's call it training, for when I have to survive in Europe someday."
Laughter burst out around the room. Kaivan's little surprise had worked, lightening the air and adding a new spark to their trip.
Outside the villa, Thivi and Felicia busied themselves at the barbecue pit. Thivi hummed as she checked the grill, her expression glowing with excitement. She turned to Felicia, who stood calm and graceful beside her.
"I really like it here. It's peaceful, and I bet the food's going to be amazing," Thivi said with a cheerful smile.
Felicia, a touch more relaxed than usual, gave her a gentle pat on the back. "It will be. Tonight's going to be fun."
Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Raphael, Zinnia, and Ethan double-checked the supplies one last time. Everything was neatly arranged and ready. Frans stepped out onto the balcony, craving a breath of cool air before night fully settled in.
From there, he could see the forest and mountains draped in mist. The sun was almost gone, painting the sky in gold and crimson. The chill of the mountain air brushed against his skin, carrying the scent of damp earth and dew.
Frans took a deep breath, letting the quiet seep into him. His eyes lingered on the horizon, and in a low murmur, he said,
"This... is even better than I imagined."
Evening slowly wrapped the villa in a gentle calm, blending with the soft breeze of dusk and the fresh scent of food from the kitchen.
Thivi stood by the counter, deftly slicing a pineapple. The light caught her blue eyes, contrasting with her short, messy black hair. But once she finished, her hands stilled. The knife remained in her grasp as her gaze turned blank, as if she had suddenly remembered something.
She glanced toward Felicia, who was carefully chopping vegetables. Felicia's movements were precise yet tense, as if she wasn't used to such simple work.
"Hey… there's a hot spring here, right?" Thivi asked softly, almost hesitantly. She set the knife down, exhaling. "But… I forgot to bring my swimsuit."
Felicia froze. The knife stopped midair, her crimson eyes widening. She looked at the vegetables, then at Thivi, her expression unreadable.
"You're right…" she whispered, then turned toward Zinnia, who was mixing spices. "Zinnia, what do we do? I didn't bring one either!" Her tone suddenly sharpened, as if it were a serious problem.
Zinnia spun around, looking startled. Her cheeks turned red. "Me neither!" she said, panicking a little. She clenched her fists, took a deep breath, then looked at them with sudden determination.
Hearing the commotion, Isabel rose from her seat. Her graceful steps carried her closer, voice soft and calm. "Usually… the resort office sells swimsuits, doesn't it?"