The next morning, Rai Tenzin woke up inside the guesthouse, buried under food boxes, random gifts, and a mountain of tropical fruits.
He slowly sat up, holding his head.
"Ugh… I think I just survived a romantic natural disaster…"
He grabbed a mango lying beside him. A small note was taped to it.
"To my lovely son — eat vitamins before chasing girls."
Rai Tenzin sighed deeply.
"They say every hero's journey starts with adventure… mine started with family trauma and free papayas…"
He looked toward the messy table where a map was spread out. A big red heart was drawn over Angkor Wat.
"Dad met one of his wives there…" he muttered. "Maybe I'll meet mine too."
He paused.
"Wait—no. This time it's my story. My wife. Not his leftovers!"
With sudden energy, he jumped up, threw on his jacket, grabbed his bag, and rushed out.
"CAMBODIA! GIVE ME TRUE LOVE!!"
The ancient temple stood tall under the golden morning sun. The air felt calm, almost sacred. Tourists walked around quietly, but Rai Tenzin suddenly stopped moving.
His eyes locked onto someone.
Near the lotus pond, a girl stood peacefully, sketching in a notebook. Her soft white dress flowed gently in the wind, and her long black hair shimmered under the sunlight.
Rai Tenzin's heart skipped.
"W-wait… why does everything look brighter…? Why do I hear background music…?"
Trying to act cool, he walked forward—
—and immediately tripped on a rock, splashing water onto himself.
The girl looked at him… and laughed softly.
"Are you okay, tourist-san?"
Rai Tenzin jumped up instantly.
"I'm fine! Totally planned! It's my 'water blessing' entrance!"
She giggled again.
"You're funny. My name is Arisa."
"Rai Tenzin," he said proudly. "Professional dream chaser… and future husband of—" he paused awkwardly, "—the future."
Arisa smiled.
"Future husband of the future? That's new."
They both sat near the lotus pond, the calm water reflecting the temple behind them. Arisa showed him her sketchbook, filled with detailed drawings of temples and people.
"I study art history," she said softly. "I want to paint places like this before they disappear."
Rai Tenzin stared at the drawings.
"Beautiful… smart… calm…" he thought. "Not chaotic like my moms… yeah… she's definitely wife material."
"So… you like ancient architecture?" he asked, trying to sound normal.
Arisa nodded.
"They say every stone here tells a love story."
She dipped her brush lightly in water and continued sketching.
Rai Tenzin looked at her quietly.
"Oh no… my heart just joined a new religion…"
Hours passed before they realized it. Soon, they were walking through the lively streets of Siem Reap, surrounded by colorful stalls and delicious smells.
Rai Tenzin held a coconut drink in one hand and pointed excitedly at food stalls.
"Arisa, look! Fried frog legs! They look like protein-powered popcorn!"
She laughed.
"You'll eat anything, won't you?"
"When you're chasing 100 wives, you need 100 flavors of destiny!"
She raised an eyebrow playfully.
"So I'm one of the 100?"
Rai Tenzin froze.
"N-no! I mean yes! I mean—wait—no, not like that—!"
Arisa burst into laughter.
"Relax. You're interesting… different from other tourists."
Rai Tenzin scratched his head, blushing.
"She laughed… didn't slap me… is this progress?" he thought.
As evening slowly arrived, they returned to the temple. The sky turned orange, and the reflection of the sunset danced across the lotus pond.
They sat quietly where they first met.
Rai Tenzin took a deep breath.
"Hey… Arisa. I came here chasing something kind of stupid. I thought if I found 100 wives… I wouldn't feel alone anymore."
She turned toward him, her eyes calm and warm.
"And now?"
He smiled slightly.
"Now I think… maybe just one is enough… if she's real."
The wind passed gently between them.
Arisa smiled softly and placed her hand over his.
"Then stop looking so far, silly boy."
Rai Tenzin froze.
"W-wait… does that mean…?"
She looked at him with a playful expression.
"It means… Cambodia is already cleared, right?"
She winked.
For a moment, his brain stopped working.
Then—
"THIS IS IT!! FIRST WIFE UNLOCKED!!"
He jumped up suddenly, doing a ridiculous victory pose as a few nearby tourists stared in confusion.
"Arisa! You're officially Wife Number One! Let's travel the world together!"
Arisa laughed, shaking her head.
"Okay… but I'm not cooking for your other ninety-nine."
Rai Tenzin grinned widely.
"That's fine… I'll learn cooking myself!"
The sun slowly disappeared behind the temple, leaving behind a warm golden glow.
For the first time, Rai Tenzin didn't feel alone.
And somewhere deep inside, his journey finally felt real.
The journey of one hundred loves… had truly begun.