Incheon || Thursday

I woke up late on a weekday morning, a usual thing since I got fired from my previous workplace. This situation wouldn’t be much of a big deal if I didn’t have to be at the airport before lunch, 11 am to be exact, and I was only left with thirty minutes to hold my e together and get going.

I didn’t even remember how I got up from my bed and prepared in less than an hour, but I miraculously did, sporting an over-sized sweater, a pair of ripped skinny jeans, and my favorite beat up white sneakers.

With a record of twenty minutes, I managed to arrive at the airport, unscathed albeit panting. After bothering the old cab driver to speed, I got off and ran like I would if I’d join a marathon, which wouldn’t happen in this lifetime. It was a hilarious sight, someone so small running with an annoying pink suitcase in tow.

Somehow everything worked out just fine. I checked in on the dot and spared the rest of my time lounging in a cafe, sipping some strawberry flavored drink I randomly picked out off of their menu. I was half alive to even get a proper lunch; the plane would provide food anyway.

As I line to pass the boarding gate, a sudden wave of anxiety washed over me, palms sweaty and stomach churning. The idea of a new environment for a couple of days didn’t sound as inviting as how my older sister had portrayed when the realization of experiencing everything alone hit me like a tidal wave.

“Miss,” a distant voice snapped me out of my last minute internal panicking. A soft squeal left my mouth from the sudden shock I received. When I showed my documents, I quickly apologized to the staff with a bashful smile and went on my way as if nothing happened.

Soon enough, I was half dragging myself on the plane. The extreme workout from earlier just to make it on time for my flight exhausted me, but I was lucky enough that a flight attendant eagerly helped me to haul my backpack into the overhead compartment. The male attendant might have seen me struggling to get my things settled due to my height, so he stepped in and gave me a hand.

Even though I basically looked lifeless, I mustered a small smile and a sincere thank you to repay the attendant’s assistance. After that, I immediately plopped on my seat; my sister definitely got me a good one, a window seat. However, my luck ran out when an old woman occupied the seat beside me.

Throughout the painstaking long ride, the old woman had been nothing but rude and annoying. I didn’t even get to sleep well because of her. She was awake to complain about trivial matters for almost thirteen hours, the whole freaking flight. I had to plug my ears at some point to block her unnecessary rumblings. Her seemingly endless nagging only stopped when we landed.

LAX || Wednesday

The layover allowed me to stop at certain shops in the airport until my feet brought me to a nice but packed cafe. I did get a spot on my own, a small table for two, but seeing that the place had no vacant seat left, my serenity would not last long. Because of my terrible communicating skill, I was afraid that a foreigner would approach me and occupy the forsaken seat. Fortunately, it was not the case. A man around my age approached the empty chair in front of me. He was like a familiar face amidst the crowd of strangers.

“Miss, can I sit here?” The stranger placed a hand on the back of the unoccupied chair, a polite smile plastered on his face. Eyeing him subtly, a hint of relief mixed with bewilderment was evident on his face, must be from seeing someone from the same race. On the other hand, my head bobbed up and down as a response to his question. It would be awkward to say more although I was tempted for the sake of killing time. He took the gesture as a cue to take the said seat.

Trying to be discreet not to be labeled as a creep, I secretly glanced at the stranger. He was wearing a black beanie, effectively hiding his hair, with a matching black mask that was lowered over his chin. His jacket was also black. I quickly averted my eyes when he moved a bit, afraid that I might get caught ogling like some strange girl.

After a few minutes, my eyes were once again on his slouched figure. The guy was staring hard at his phone, thick eyebrows slightly furrowed. His equally thick lips were set in a straight line and his nose crinkling. Seeing the beginnings of a furious expression on his face, I looked away and fumbled with my own phone.

I lost track of time, and I was so close to dozing off when the stranger opposite to me cleared his throat. “First time?” he croaked out; his deep voice startled me a little that I only managed to blurt a soft, “Huh?” For a moment, I thought a different person talked to me.

“I asked if it’s your first time here.” He repeated, clarifying his question for me to understand. The previous look on his face was replaced by a smile that made his mouth look like a rectangular box.

“Hmmmm… yeah” Shying away, I focused on stirring my almost empty cup of strawberry induced drink just to keep myself busy and occupy my racing mind.

When I thought the conversation ended with my awkward answer, he spoke again, “It’s also my first time…” he stopped for a while to cough and continued “waiting here and seeing someone I can talk to. I am no good when it comes to foreign languages, but I’m trying.”

I could totally understand him. The anxiety brought by talking to a foreigner would probably kill me. “Me too! Nice meeting you-” “V, call me V!” he interrupted, offering his hand for me to shake.

Although hesitant, I accepted and shook his outstretched hand. To be polite, I also gave my name, my nickname, “Seul.”***

Upon hearing the name I gave him, he playfully raised his free hand near his mouth as if taking shots, even clicking his tongue to make a sound.

“Cute.” His comment made me hang my head low to hide the blooming reds on my cheeks. I was never used to hearing such things. It was absurd that a careless compliment like what he uttered would fluster me.

Anyway, it wouldn’t take a rocket scientist to know that he gave out his nickname or some sort of alias. That made me more hesitant, but he seemed harmless with his bright smile matched with his somewhat bright personality. Besides, it was unlikely that we would meet again - or so I thought.

We didn’t talk much after, and we decided to part ways near the boarding gate with him wishing me luck and a happy trip. I didn't ask him where he was headed; it wasn't necessary either way.

However, as I settled into my seat next to the window, fumbling with the straps of my seat-belt, someone made himself comfortable beside me. To my surprise, V was smiling brightly at me, mouth forming that same boxy smile.

“What a coincidence!” He didn’t even hide his amusement; the tone of his voice was a dead giveaway. “So… you’re also bound to Peru? Want to see Machu Picchu?” he beamed excitedly.

“Peru it is.” I tried to match his excitement, but I miserably failed. In the end, I told him how my sister booked me a flight to Peru, omitting the part why she did it.

“I don’t even know what to do once we land,” I admitted while munching on our complementary ‘breakfast’ or rather afternoon snack. *** The food arrived in the middle of my narration regarding the situation I’d been thrown into.

“What do you want to do?” The tone of his voice changed; he became serious that had me gawking at him. For the past few hours of knowing V, he seemed like the carefree type who would go with the flow. A humorless version of him was unexpected.

“Like what do you want to do once you’re alone and away from your everyday life?” he asked once again.

I pondered over his questions, but I didn’t really answer any of them because I couldn’t.

“Well, while thinking of that, why not come with me?” he offered nonchalantly like he was talking to his best friend.

Realizing what he said a few minutes later, his hand flailed in front of me, forming 'Xs’ a couple of times. The look on his face was composed of alarm and embarrassment, obviously due to his careless offer. “I mean… not being creepy or anything… but I think it would be fun. We can be comfortable with each other instead of mingling with foreigners… like that… yeah,” he stumbled over his own words out of panic that I could have misinterpreted his good intention.

“Maybe it’ll be nice. Let’s see,” I smiled to ease the worry he perhaps felt over his carelessness.

Peru || Thursday

At exactly 12noon*** in Peru, we landed. Everyone was scurrying out of the plane while V just woke up with his seat-belt still securing him. Earlier, I didn’t know how to wake him up or if I should even touch him to do so.

“Good morning!” I teased while he stretched his arms to wake his sleeping muscles.

“Morning~” he greeted back with a smile already curving his lips, but a yawn interrupted the sunshine he was about to full-on display for everyone to see.

“I think we should move now since we’re already here.” He curiously looked around to check if I was telling the truth. Once he was sure of it, he started to gather his things, and we eventually evacuated the plane, following the other passengers ahead of us.

While waiting for my suitcase in front of the conveyor belt, a horrible thought struck me. I was finally in a different country, alone and anxious. I almost missed the bright annoying bag if V didn’t point it out. He remembered how I described the bag that my sister brought me for this trip even though I mentioned it in passing.

Pushing aside my worries, I immediately approached the bag, but V had beaten me. He hauled the luggage out of the moving machine and placed it on the ground. “Let’s go?” he raised an eyebrow while lifting the handle of my suitcase.

“Aren’t you getting yours?” A frown settled on my face while looking at his sides, from left to right, but I didn’t see his suitcase. Curiosity started to grow in my mind.

“I have it all on my back!” All of a sudden, he turned to show me his backpack. It was not impressively big, but it was reasonable for a three-day trip.

“Just that?” I pushed further. “Are you going on a really short trip?” I continued. The tone of my voice reeked doubt. I was starting to doubt his so-called knowledge about travelling.

“It’s inconvenient to bring a lot of things. Plus, I tend to forget them, so this will do!” He showed off his bag once more as if proving a point.

"Let's just go on our way!" I urged, trying to stop him from parading his bag in front of my face.

We were almost out of the airport when V abruptly stopped. “Anyway, did your sister book you a place to stay?” he asked while digging into the pocket of his belt bag which I didn’t notice he was carrying all along.

“She did,” I confirmed. As if his question lit up a part of my brain and had it functioning again, I fished my phone out to look for the address my sister had sent me and the itinerary she made for my trip.

I felt V’s presence closer. I could see him peering over my shoulder through the corner of my eye, perhaps to see the information on my phone. The close proximity turned my body rigid, but I feigned nonchalance. “That’s a nice place,” he commented, puffs of breath touching my skin. I steeled myself, trying to appear unaffected.

“You know it?” I asked, hoping that I didn't sound weird and that he could help me find my hostel.

He backed away and moved to my side. “Sure, it’s quite popular on search engines when I was looking for a room,” he said with a chuckle. I turned to my side, but not completely facing him.

“But do you want to ditch it?” His eyes were twinkling with excitement and a sprinkle of mischief. “That is if you want to tour Peru with me,” he added, probably trying to be careful with his words.

During the plane ride, I had been thinking of V’s proposition. It was not bad at all. However, going with a stranger around a foreign country could be risky. He only told me his nickname, his hometown, and a bit about his work as a company employee. In return, I told him the same details, but I skipped the part that I recently got fired from my work.

Lost in thought, I was unaware of everything. While thinking of possible scenarios that could lead to my death by going with a stranger, someone grabbed my shoulders. Alarm bells rang in my ears, and the first thing I did was to elbow the person who grabbed me. Unfortunately, it was V. He groaned in pain as my elbow hit his stomach.

“Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry!” I clamped a hand over my mouth and looked at him in concern.

“I-I was trying to save you from bumping into someone!” he exclaimed, one of his hands soothing circles on the part where my elbow landed. The pain was evident on his face, but he gave me a reassuring smile.

“I’m really sorry. I was so out of it,” I apologized again. I could only stare at him as he fended for himself.

“For someone so small, you can really hit hard,” his snide remark would have earned him another hit from me, but I held back because I already caused him inconvenience.

After he recovered, we headed to the bus stop with him still reassuring me that it was not a big thing to be hit by a girl. I was adamant to let it go, so he told me, although joking, that going with him would be the best form of apology.

Perhaps it was his bright personality that persuaded me or just my paranoia that was intent on finding familiarity because, in my dictionary, being alone was unnerving. With that, I found myself boarding a local bus with V to Miraflores. I never heard of the place because I was supposed to stay somewhere near the airport. Apparently, my dear sister considered my lack of enthusiasm for outdoor activities. Therefore, the itinerary she made was fit for someone like me.

Throughout the ride, V kept on pointing outside the window. He was easily fascinated by small things, be it a cute little tree or a landscape, fond of Peru’s beauty. It was like I was in a field-trip accompanying a little boy. Nonetheless, it was fun.

An hour and a half later, we reached our destination. V literally dragged me out of the bus, one of his hands tight around my wrist. He also took care of my suitcase to make our exit easier. Some people didn’t like his actions, but V shrugged their pointed looks and foreign insults. I willed myself to do the same and follow him with the same eagerness.

“Why the hurry? Where are we going anyway?” The questions hardly passed through my ragged breathing, but the same questions caught V’s attention, making him stop all of a sudden. I almost bumped into him if not for my reflexes.

“I just feel like running,” he said with a small chuckle, his boxy smile appearing once again. As if he just realized that he was holding me the entire time, he quickly retracted his hand. “C'mon, I didn’t book a room, so we have to look for a place to stay for the day.” He continued walking with my bright pink suitcase in tow. The image made me laugh out loud that reached his ears. He looked back at me with raised brows. “What?”

I walked to him and said, “My bag suits you,” patting him on the back.

“You think?” wriggling his eyebrows, he strutted ahead.

“You’re embarrassing me!” I tugged on his sleeve to make him stop acting like a goof.

We walked the streets of Miraflores side by side. Occasional jokes were thrown in between conversations until we reached a hostel three blocks away.

Although V told me that he was no good at conversing with foreigners, he tried his best to reserve two rooms on the same floor. From what I heard, the receptionist initially thought we were a couple on vacation which V denied right off the bat.

“I can’t believe she thought that I was your girlfriend,” I said while we were heading up to our rooms.

“Maybe you look like a girlfriend material,” he joked with mischief in his eyes while helping me carry my pink suitcase up the stairs.

I only muttered a soft “whatever” because I could not think of a good comeback. Instead of retorting again, I looked at the keys in my hand, eyeing the numbers engraved on the plates hanging together with the keys.

“Either our rooms are beside or across each other,” I said, diverting to a new conversation. When we reached the third floor of the hostel, I immediately looked at the numbers on each door.

“Mine is 307, right?” V walked near a door at the end of the hallway.

“Yea,” I replied as I walk to him.

“Then this is mine!”

I looked at the numbers on the door he was pointing at.

“And the one across is yours. 308, right?” I turned back only to see V pointing at the numbers on the door like he was presenting the grand prize of some competition.

I snorted and handed him his key. “You look stupid! Just go in your room!” I shoved him to the side so I can open the door to my room.

“What are you waiting for?” I asked when the door to my room clicked open.

“Won’t we eat something first, or do you want to rest now?”

He was still standing beside me as if waiting for my plans today.

“I want to eat, but I think I’ll pass. If you want to eat, go ahead!” I waved at him to go then entered my room. “I’ll see you at dinner?” I said as I closed the door. Before, heading deeper into the room, I heard his “okay” through the door.

The room was well kept. It was cheap and small but in good condition. I liked how the bed was beside the big window covered with lacy curtains.

After glancing around the room and checking every corner of it, I approached the bed and plopped on it, closing my eyes as soon as my body hit its softness.

I didn’t know how long I stayed in bed, but when I opened my eyes, darkness welcomed me. I fell asleep, longer than I intended to. The long travel exhausted me.

I looked around and spotted a clock hanging on the wall across the bed. It read eight. Crap. I promised V that I’d meet him for dinner, and as if he was summoned by the panic rising inside me, I heard series of knocks on my door.

“Seul! It’s V!” he bellowed.

Half conscious, I immediately sat up, causing my head to hurt and my vision to turn blurry.

“Just a minute!” I croaked out.

“Did I wake you up?” He asked upon hearing my voice.

“Not really,” I reassured him. “I’ll be out in a few. Can we just meet at the lobby?” I suggested after recovering from the dizzy spell brought by my carelessness.

“Sure!”

When he left, I prepared as fast as I could, and in five minutes, I was rushing down the stairs.

I easily spotted V in the lobby. Still wearing his black jacket from earlier paired with baggy jeans, he was leaning on the wall near the reception area, fiddling his phone.

It was like he felt my eyes on him because not long enough his eyes found mine. He pushed himself off of the wall, pocketed his smartphone, and met me halfway.

“I found a nice restaurant earlier,” he boasted with a eating grin on full display.

“Really?” raising an eyebrow at him, I stretched my arms in front, palms up, as a sign for him to lead the way.

He gladly took my invitation and walked ahead. I quietly followed him until we reached a dingy establishment.

Perhaps he felt my doubt and hesitation, so he comforted me with the saying “don’t judge a book by its cover."

True to his words, V brought me to a good restaurant. Although the building looked run-down, it housed nice stores. I even saw a cute gift shop along the way to the restaurant.

That night, I had a hearty meal in a foreign place with a not-so-stranger companion. Even so, I had a lot of fun. All night, V animatedly talked about a friend of his and his misadventures while traveling. We even planned to tour Miraflores a bit and head to Cuzco by afternoon.

Peru || Friday

Although I forgot to set my alarm, I was woken by the banging on my door and V’s loud but scratchy morning voice calling out to me.

I got up in haste, ignoring the dizzy spell that followed after. Scurrying to the door, I opened it enough for me to take a peek outside. "What?” I groaned out, rubbing my eyes.

“We should head out in fifteen minutes if we want to see the sunrise,” he said with a bounce in his tone. “That is…” he looked at me through the small gap, perhaps evaluating the mess in front of him. “If you want to go,” he continued, assessing me and my willingness.

“What time is it?” I continued rubbing my eyes as an attempt to stay awake and wipe the sleep from them, probably the grime as well.

“Five” to which I responded with a “what the hell” and a look of disbelief. He answered my question like he didn’t find it unusual to be up so early.

It hit me then when I looked at him from head to toe how he was already dressed up for the day, sweatpants and white long sleeves. Unlike my disheveled self, he was already good to go. He was also too bright for someone who traveled so far.

Another “what the hell” escaped my mouth. “You… you’re even…” but V didn’t let me finish. “If you want to go, don’t waste time and start preparing! We should explore the city before we head to Cuzco!” he cut in, pushing me a little to close the door himself. “I’ll knock in another 10 minutes!”

Like what he said, V yelled “ready?” from the other side of my door after ten minutes, but I was still pulling my pants up. “I’ll meet you in the lobby in 5!” However, it didn’t happen because I forgot to pack my stuff for our morning tour.

I ended up running my way down the stairs, almost tripping in the process. It was embarrassing to keep V waiting, so I should be prepared next time if he’d still want me to tag along.

V found me first and approached me with a bright smile. Maybe I should take it as a good sign that I didn’t make him mad for letting him wait for a long time, but I couldn’t assume such thing.

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t expect that we’ll head out so early I didn’t pack my things,” I reasoned out once we’re standing in front of each other.

“I’ll let it slide today. Anyway, I asked the receptionist to recommend a place nearby where we can see the sunrise. I already googled it, but walking will consume too much time,” he said. “Good thing the receptionist is kind enough to offer their bike rental. I didn’t know this place has that service! It’s so cool!” V was so elated to share the knowledge he acquired while waiting for me.

“I can’t ride a bike,” I didn’t want to ruin his excitement, but I had to say it.

The smile on V’s lips fell, and his expression stiffened. Soon, a frown sewed his eyebrows together. “You don’t know how to ride a bike?” He asked to clarify my statement.

“Haven’t learned even though my cousin tried to teach me,” I answered his question even though it was embarrassing.

I had my head hung low after the confession I made, but V cleared his throat, catching my attention. I looked up seeing a smile tugging on his lips once again. “It doesn’t matter! You can ride it with me!” and with that, V dragged me, smiling at the receptionist on our way out.

It was still dark outside, but a tinge of orange and red were already showing in the sky. V let go of my hand to retrieve something inside his pocket, the key to unlock one of the bikes parked in front of the hostel.

"If we have time, I’ll teach you how to ride. It’s not that hard,” he said while unlocking the bike with the number 7 written on it.

“It’s okay, but seriously, are you okay with this? Won’t this be inconvenient for you?” I asked.Honestly, I wasn’t really worried about that. Well, not as much as I was worried about riding with him. It would be so awkward to sit behind him. Where should I place my hands not to fall? We’re not close enough for me to wrap my arms around his waist. It would not be so safe to hold onto the seat that I’d be taking. This predicament was making me crazy so early in the morning.

I didn’t realize that he was already riding the bike complete with a helmet over his head until he nudged me out of my reverie. “Hey! Why are you spacing out? I said it’s okay. I think you won’t make it hard for me to ride this,” he gently tapped the handle of the bike and gestured me to hop on. “What are you waiting for? We won’t make it if you keep on zoning out!” and then he handed me the extra helmet.

Hesitantly, I walked closer and went behind him. I slowly wore the helmet to buy time. I swallowed my worries, and one of my hands automatically went to his shoulder, putting some of my weight on it to lift myself so that I could mount myself on the bike behind him. I was sitting sideways without holding onto something.

“Hey! Hold onto me or you’ll fall!” He reprimanded. He might have noticed that I didn’t plan on holding him, so he looked back and took my arm, wrapping it on his waist. “Put your other arm over!” He commanded which I followed although still a bit hesitant. I locked my hands together around his waist which V took as a cue to start pedaling.

During the ride, the wind caught my hair which I forgot to tie because I was in a hurry. For my hair not to block my entire vision, I pushed it back using my hand out of reflex. Therefore, when V suddenly stopped, I had to hold extra tight onto his middle using one hand, my palm against his stomach.

“Ouch!” I didn’t realize I was grabbing him too much until he let out a yelp.

“Oh my gosh, I didn’t… I’m so so sorry! Are you okay? It surprised me that you stopped all of a sudden.” I reasoned out.

“Why aren’t you holding properly?” he asked.

“My hair is all over the place, so I pushed it back with my hand."

"Safety first, so tie it then we’ll move.” To not cause another delay, I immediately gathered my hair into a bun using the tie that was conveniently around my wrist.

Fortunately, we arrived at Parque del Amor (Love Park) before the sun appeared. Instantly, fresh air that carried the salty smell of the nearby sea hit our senses.

I alighted from the bike followed by V. We were lucky enough that we could park the bike somewhere safe. I didn’t notice that V brought the chain lock and placed it inside the basket in front of the bike until he was getting it.

After securing the lock, V pointed to a spot where we could see the sunrise better and went there. Following his lead like a lost puppy, I looked at the sky and marveled at how a scenic view was right in front of my eyes. A burst of orange could be seen on the horizon where the sun was starting to appear.

“It’s nice to be near the sea!” V exclaimed while getting his phone. “Look! The sun is already there!” I could hear the excitement in his voice. I looked briefly at him only to see that he was already holding his phone, set to take pictures of the view in front of us. I, on the other hand, occupied myself by watching people around.

Although it was still very early and also a weekday, families, groups of tourists as well as locals, children, and couples were already in the park, having a lot of fun which had me smiling.

Lost in the moment, I almost tripped over my own feet when V nudged my shoulder. “What are you doing smiling like an idiot?” V questioned.

I would have retorted to give him a piece of my mind for calling me stupid if a kid didn’t bump into me.

The boy, not more than 7 years old, looked at me quizzically before apologizing. Without another glance, he ran away like nothing happened.

“You okay?” V asked, looking at me from head to toe like he was checking if I got hurt from the collision.

“It’s nothing.” I stretched my arms upward to ease the tension on my muscles. “What time is it?” I forgot to wear my watch, so I asked V.

“Six-eleven. Should we eat breakfast first?” I nodded and said. “I think we should go around a bit after, have lunch, and then go to Cuzco. What do you think?"

"Sounds perfect! Let’s go then!” V wrapped his hand around my wrist just like how he did on the bus the day before. It didn’t faze me anymore. In the short time of knowing him, I figured out how clingy he could get. His touches never bothered me; they were too pure and innocent to be labeled as anything but friendly.

Sadly, we didn’t get to tour Miraflores much. We ended up buying lunch from a convenience store so that we would have enough time to pack our things before leaving the city. We also bought snacks for our trip.

By noon, we were on a bus headed to Cuzco. The bus picked us up in front of the hostel; it was a part of their service. With a fair game of rock-paper-scissors, I took the window seat. V tried to cheat, but it didn’t work out. In the end, he got sulky that I won. I offered him my sandwich to console him and stop his childish episode.

V took it upon himself to book our tickets last night, with my permission of course. I was basically a newbie, so I let him do his thing. According to the details he saw while looking up online, the bus ride without any stops would last for about 23 hours or more. Therefore, he reserved tickets for a deluxe bus, with toilet, comfortable seats, and entertainment equipment.

During the long ride, we talked about random things. V did most of the talking. Our conversation went from his friends’ funny stories to the most trivial things in life. Along the way, he even told me that he planned his trip because he wanted to see Machu Picchu badly. Growing up, he heard lots of adventures about the place. Its rich history and how it was preserved also drew him into discovering the place further until he got the chance to see it himself. He then described some places near Machu Picchu as if he already visited each of them.

We just had our dinner, and in the middle of his story about a friend that traveled somewhere in Australia, sleep took over me. However, it didn’t last long because the journey became too bumpy and rough. No matter how I tried to go back to sleep, it wouldn’t come. Meanwhile, V was fast asleep. He was even snoring.

I tapped his shoulder lightly to wake him up. “Hey, you’re snoring,” I murmured.

“Yeah, five more minutes,” was the only reply I got then he turned the other way, facing the aisle. Gone was the bouncing V that morning, a sleepy version replaced him.

Being awake in the middle of the night had me thinking about the decisions I made so far, especially during this trip. I would never regret going with V. If I turned his offer down, I would have been stuck in my hotel room.

I looked at V’s sleeping form and softly whispered my gratitude, “thank you so much."
After trying and failing again, I decided to rely on my sleeping pills to get the sleep I deserved.

Cuzco || Saturday

Cuzco*** exceeded my expectation. I didn’t know it even existed until V painted the picture of it through his vivid descriptions. However, what he told me was nothing compared to the real thing. It was like we jumped into a history book. Most of the houses and establishments were made of dry stones. The walls and roofs were brown, giving the place a desert-like and ancient vibe.

Excitement bubbled inside me while looking out the window as we neared the city. I only snapped out of my trance when V asked me to keep an eye on his things before going to the restroom. Soon, the bus finally came to a stop, and V returned just in time.

The sun was already high up in the sky when we alighted the vehicle. V helped me with my luggage as usual. He even insisted on holding it while we were walking, and he didn’t give me a chance to say no.

“Let’s eat first before looking for a place to stay. I’m starving!” V said, rubbing his stomach to show how hungry he was. He walked ahead of me like the streets were familiar to him.

While V showed no signs of anxiety throughout the trip, I probably looked awkward and scared most of the time. The never ending positivity in him was something I would want to have.

It was a good thing that the weather didn’t go against us. Even though we were walking at noon, the supposed hottest time of the day, the clouds covered the sun and gave us enough time to search for a restaurant.

We spent half an hour to find a not-so-crowded place. The restaurant was nothing extravagant, but it was pleasing to the eyes with few Aztec decorations scattered around the dining area, on the walls, tables, and even on the ceiling. The atmosphere was also good and inviting due to the soft music coming from the radio.

V and I occupied the table near the entrance. Because we were tired and very hungry, we opted to order the fastest food that they could serve, a burger. It was not an ordinary burger because the meat came from an alpaca.

At first, I was actually hesitating to choose the burger knowing it was made of alpaca meat, an unusual kind of protein for me, but V coaxed and bribed me into trying it, saying, “It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to try a burger like that! I’ll pay for it just so you can have a taste!”

Not long after we ordered, the food arrived. “Thank you,” I smiled at the waiter to show my gratitude. Meanwhile, V was already taking photos of the food on our table. When he noticed me boring holes in his head, he looked up with a bashful grin. “Alpaca looks like a Llama right?” he asked all of a sudden.

“Huh?” he caught me off guard with that question.

“One of my older friends looks like a Llama, so I’m sending photos on our chat to ,” he explained afterward, pocketing his phone.

“Let’s dig in!” he exclaimed loudly with a clap of his big hands, earning a few curious glance on our way.

In the end, I liked the burger. It wasn’t any different from the usual burger sold in Lotteria***, except the meat.

After our late lunch, we explored the city in search for a place to stay. We found a good deal, but there was a misunderstanding that led V and me in one room.

The mishap didn’t faze V as much as it did to me. He was fine with the arrangement like he was rooming with a long lost best friend as long as he could see Machu Picchu.

Apparently, the hostel offered us a tour to “the lost city of Incas” that delighted V. I saw how his eyes sparkled the moment he heard it from the receptionist.

“At least we can share the pay. Think about the money we can save because of this,” he even joked as we climbed the stairs.

The moment we entered the unit I felt more uncomfortable than ever. Although I agreed and gave my full consent because I want to repay V for the kindness he showed me since the day we met, I couldn’t stop my mind from worrying about absurd things.

“This is fine,” I heard V as he walked all over the place, checking each room.

When he went back to the living room, I was still standing rooted near the front door which forced him to say, “What are you doing there? Come in!”

I awkwardly took kitten steps further inside the living room. “Just taking in that we are rooming,” I confessed with all honesty.

“Are you not okay with it? We can ca-” “Look! I’m just… isn’t it a little awkward?” I cut him off. “But I’m fine… really. This is just new to me… I guess,” I tried to look at anything but him while talking.

When my eyes landed on V again, he asked, “Are you sure?” He was closely looking at me, perhaps checking if I was fine with the arrangement.

“Absolutely!” I told him even though I was still doubtful about my decision.

“But we have another problem…” V started. “I don’t really mind if we look for another place. There’s probably another inn that offers the same tour,” he took a long time to continue his words, but when he did, I kind of figured out what made him do so.

I looked at him then asked, “Does it have something to do with the bedroom?” just to confirm my intuition.

He nodded, his eyes meeting mine. “Just one bed…” he sighed.

Momentary silence took over us until V spoke, “you can take it; the couch looks comfortable anyway.” As if to prove his point, he approached the unsuspecting piece of furniture and plopped on it with a bounce. However, due to his massive height, his legs were dangling when he tried to lay down on it. The sight was amusing, and I couldn’t keep myself from letting out a snort. It soon escalated to a laugh without a sound.

V noticed my crumbling stance and said, “Why are you laughing like that?”

When I recovered from laughing, I glared at V in a playful manner. “Do you have a problem with it?”

“It’s weird but cute,” he threw another compliment offhandedly. He then pulled his upper body up in order to sit. “But seriously, I’m okay here,” he insisted.

“And what? Get cramps? V, between the two of us, my height is suitable for the couch!” I reasoned out.

What I said made V stop and think about his own idea, a hand was even placed under his chin. “But it’s not right to make a girl sleep here!” he retorted once more.

It wasn’t easy to shake his manly and gentleman pride, but he gave in after a couple of tries.

We ended up doing our own agendas after we settled the sleeping arrangements. V was inside the bedroom resting while I was left in the living room. Somehow my sister caught me online and immediately contacted me.

“How’s Peru?” was the greeting I received, no hello or other pleasantries.

“Everything’s fine,” I replied, hoping she wouldn’t ask more. I couldn’t tell her that I ditched the hotel reservation and the things she planned for this trip.

“I’m sure you’re just lounging inside. Go out a little, will you?” she suggested with an audible grunt. I could also hear the shuffling of her sheets in the background.

“Yeah, sure.” Wanting to cut the conversation short, I said, “Look, I’m tired. I’ll call you back soon.”

“Did you go around? Rest then. I’m about to sleep too. Take care, baby sister!”

I was relieved that my sister hung up and gave up prodding on the things that I did and did not do. Also, I should really sleep, but something crossed my mind the moment I closed my eyes. I almost forgot the reservation my sister made. I should cancel it first before it reached her that I did not go there. I called the hotel as soon as I realized it and made sure that she would not know a thing about it. Although I got nervous during the call, anxious about using a foreign language in a conversation, I survived, and I got to rest for our dinner plans.

V and I were supposed to explore Cuzco more and dine out somewhere nice, but I woke up with a splitting headache, having to take a rain check on him. V was adamant to leave me by myself, so I pretended that the pain subsided a bit.

“You sure you don’t want anything?” he asked before stepping out of the door. To which I shook my head in response.

“I’ll be back soon! Rest well!” he said and waved goodbye, locking the door behind him.

That night, I felt extremely tired and nauseated to even eat, but I forced a sandwich down my throat because my stomach had been growling for hours. However, I ended up flushing it down the toilet.

Of course, something would go amiss during a trip. I got sick all of a sudden.

Just as I reached the living room, V approached me, coming out of the bedroom. I didn’t even hear the front door when he arrived much less the bedroom door.

“Are you okay now?” he asked, a worried look on his face.

“Not really. I was fine earlier,” what I said came out like a whine.

“I think it’s because of the altitude. You told me your head is aching, right? Feel like throwing up? Tired?” he fired question after question which added to the pain in my head.

“Wait. You’re making my head ache,” I didn’t mean to get too worked up because he was just being kind, but the pain was making me twice as y.

V didn’t react badly, but I was wrong to snap at him. “Look… sorry… it’s just that… my head is like being bashed open,” realizing my mistake, I immediately apologized.

“I’ve read a blog before. It says that people who visit here often get sick because of the altitude, so I bought you some coca leaves. The leaves will help you get better. We can brew some for tea or you can chew on some of it,” V said and walked toward the kitchenette. Without waiting for my response, he retrieved the bag of leaves on the breakfast bar. “Tea or raw?” he repeated the question he posed, humor evident as he called the leaves raw.

I glanced his way and said, “tea, please.” Later on, I added, “thank you, V,” in a whisper.

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