Chapter 23

One year quickly passed leaving tons of questions and dramas, the TV adaptation of the first book of the three-part series is finally shown and it's immediately trended on social media. Time will tell if the other two books will also do well on television.

"Congratulations, Ms. Cela! You are now a certified blockbuster writer," Hyun said.

"Thank you but I'm hardly a blockbuster writer so please stop saying that. Also, I don't want to hear those phrases that may lead to more work," Cela joked.

"Got that," Hyun said. "But now you have no reason to decline blind dates and speed dating."

Cela sighed. "Dear, you know how I feel about being pressured," she reminded him.

"Oh no, no, Ms. Cela. That's not my intention. All I wish is for you to never totally close your doors to these things. But please take your time," Hyun said. He almost stumbled while explaining.

"It's okay, Hyun. I understand you. But yeah, I will take my sweet time. I don't feel there's a reason to rush. Besides, I am so freaking tired. Don't worry, I'll get there naturally if that's meant to happen," Cela explained.

"It just crossed my mind what you said before that you would consider going on a blind date once Nanny Rita becomes pregnant and now she is!" Hyun said.

"You forgot the other condition," Cela said.

Hyun thought for a second then frowned.

"That shouldn't be a condition. It's too impossible," he said.

Cela winked.

"Excuse me, Sir/Ma'am. We have delivery for Ms. Ivy," the guard said while holding one big bouquet of flowers in his hands.

Everyone in the room is excited to know who sent the flowers.

"What is it? Why are you all gathered?" Ivy asked as she comes out of the conference room.

Hyun walked to Cela after Ivy got the flowers.

"Looks like the second condition has been met already, Ms. Cela," he said referring to Rolan and Ivy officially dating.

Cela's brother finally made his decision to choose Ivy over Joyce.

"Everyone, I have an announcement to make." Ivy suddenly called all her employees.

"I am announcing a shut-down period of two weeks beginning next week. This means there will be completely no work during this period plus you'll be given special allowances. It's a bonus for a job well done," Ivy announced.

Hyun and Cela look at each other. They both know it's not because of a job well done.

"Hyun, you don't look happy? Don't you want this vacation so badly?" Ivy asked.

Hyun's face is serious.

"Ms. Ivy, I just let go of a plane seat to Bali this morning and that's the last international flight available this month. I thought it was very impossible to get a break for the rest of this year," he said.

Cela felt bad for her strongest ally in the office.

"How about the whole team travelling locally?" she asked.

"Oh, sorry. I have plans already," Ivy said.

"No worries, Ivy. It's just us," Cela said.

"Did we hear that right? We're travelling and you're coming with us?" Hyun clarified.

"Yeah. At least this one I can do. We can do overnight but please only overnight. No extension," Cela said.

"But where do we go?" Hyun asked.

"That one I will leave up to you. Choose our destination," Cela said.

"My friend's aunt who cooks for nuns and priests said there's a newly built monastery right at the foot of Pines City's mountain. She said it's beautiful and not many know it yet," one of the younger members of the team suggested.

"Oh, Pines City. Alright, we can go there and revisit those famous places within it," Hyun said.

"And of course, the monastery. It will be wonderful to see new places," Cela said.

"But isn't it weird to go there? I mean, I would like to take my pictures in new places but monastery?" Hyun said.

"Why not? We can just drop by, saying some prayers," Cela said.

"Yes, Sir Hyun. The inauguration will be next month so they are not very strict yet," the other member said. She seems excited.

"Alright. Since it's your first giving recommendation, then off we go. But let's just be mindful that it's not like other tourist destinations. We can have fun in other parts of the city," Hyun said.

"Okay, we are all settled then. It will be my treat to the team," Cela announced.

Everyone gets even more excited.

"Don't forget the chips and drinks. We'll need them for our long drive," Cela added.

Preparing in such a short time is nothing to the team. Everyone is all pumped up for a long drive going to the Pines City.

"I don't want to see laptops or anything work related. Let's forget about those things even for this weekend," Cela said. She's enjoying the less restricted life she's discovered lately for herself.

Sleeping almost the entire trip, the team is fully recharged when they reached Pines City. Their first stop is the newly built monastery which is actually not easy to locate but its beautiful garden that welcomes them made the search worthwhile.

Ironically, Hyun is the most excited of all. He's been taking pictures non-stop as soon as they reached the place.

The monastery itself looks very simple but one could tell that it's built with good architectural design. It's a monastery anyway, it is never expected to be fancy or majestic.

"I think we're good now. You've all taken enough pictures," Cela reminded the team. She's taken the role of their leader being the oldest among them.

"Just a minute, Ms. Cela. I really need to use the men's room," Hyun said.

The staff of the monastery is kind enough to walk Hyun through the path going to the men's room while giving him some facts about the place. As they move along, something caught Hyun's eyes but he continued walking as he really has to pee.

After a few minutes, Hyun took the same path going back. He remembered to check the concrete signage with names of donors and important people who helped in the construction of the monastery. He keeps reading one particular name – Bro. Nathaniel "Nate" Romero as the main architect of the building.

"Excuse me, Sir. Is Bro. Nate still here or in the seminary? Is he still young?" Hyun asked the caretaker.

"His name is engraved there so I would say he's still in the seminary or has become part of it but with regards to his age, I don't know because I haven't met anyone here besides the abbess and a very few nuns I was just hired me just recently.

Hyun thinks this is just a coincidence but can't shake off the thought inside his head.

"Are you okay, Sir Hyun?" One of his teammates asked.

Cela got curious. "Did you see anything weird in the men's room?" she asked.

"You guys are so silly. I'm just hungry. Let's move on," Hyun said to cover up his wondering.

Cela looks so peaceful and happy watching the view outside the window. She's been nothing but happy these last few months.

Hyun shakes his head over and over. "I'm just trying to be awake," he told the team when they saw him did that.

One day earlier in the seminary next to the newly built monastery.

"So this is really farewell," the seminary's rector said.

"I've thought about it many times. I even prayed about it. In the end, I got the answer I was waiting for," Nate said.

"I really prayed that you would continue and become one of us eventually," the rector said.

"Well, it was a good run to think that I only came here to design the monastery. I never imagined myself staying here and considering spending the rest of my life here but I did and in the end, I figured I didn't belong here," Nate said.

"Do you have regrets staying here?" the rector asked.

"Definitely nothing. I learned a lot about myself here," Nate answered.

"I should have given you another project just so you would stay," the rector said.

"Why not? But next time, I'll be charging minimal fee," Nate joked.

"By the way, where are you staying after leaving us?" the rector asked.

"I'll stay in the city. Before I decided to come here, I made an arrangement with my father's cousin to reserve a room for me in one of his apartments," Nate said.

"Well then, you're all good to go tomorrow. Here's your cellphone, charger, and the note where you wrote your passcodes," the rector said. "Good luck to everything that you will start once you leave," he added.

Nate wears the same clothes he wore the day he came to the seminary three years ago but he knows many have changed in the world outside.

There's no grand welcome for his come back to the outside world. He went straight to his rented room as soon as he arrived from Pines City as if he just came from work.

As soon as he opened his phone, some messages started coming in. Most of these messages sounded concern over his unreachable status. He never meant it to look like he disappeared but it simply did not occur to him that anyone would look for him.

He thought of posting something on his social media account to notify his very few friends that he's back and he's alive.

He noticed that most of the messages came from Lora S. Townsend. The name sounds familiar but he can't remember if he has a foreigner friend on his social media account. He went through her first message sent last year. It was a lengthy one that started with an explanation on her change of name after getting married. He realized it was Lora from high school.

He couldn't believe what he read from Lora's messages. He may not have even a simple welcome party but he definitely received a surprise welcome gift.

"Cela," he said her name. He can't be more excited than hearing about her.

"Hyun, are you sure you're okay? You don't look well," Cela asked.

"Ah yes, yes, I am. My body surely thought I should still be sleeping around this time being a Saturday," Hyun said upon realizing that everyone's looking at him.

"Maybe you should rest in the hotel after lunch. You can catch us with us for dinner or even later this afternoon if you already feel better by then," Cela said.

Hyun agreed.

"I suggest we go back to the monastery when we exit Pines City tomorrow. You might have disturbed some spirits resting there," one of the team members said.

Hyun looked down for a moment just so he could roll his eyes freely.

"Guys, that's a place where religious people pray. Don't turn it into something else. I am good. I assure you all," he said.

"Oh my goodness. Lora called twice. Good thing I didn't hear my phone ring. Didn't she get the memo that we can't be disturbed in this vacation?" Cela joked.

She completely forgot about her cellphone while looking at those beautiful views they passed by earlier.

"Oh, she's calling me now," Hyun said.

"Go on. I know you can't and won't refuse her call," Cela said.

Hyun answered the call while everyone starts to eat their lunch. Cela smiled at him as if teasing him that they are already eating while he still has to deal with Lora.

He showed her a big grin on his face.

"What?" Cela asked.

"Ms. Cela, Ms. Lora's calling you shortly. I beg you to answer her call," Hyun said with even bigger grin assuring her that it's alright to take the call.

Cela's phone starts to ring even before she could ask what Lora's call is about.

Hyun went to the buffet table feeling better.

"Are you feeling okay now, Sir Hyun?" someone from the team asked.

"Never been better," he answered while looking at Cela who's now talking excitedly on the phone.

"What's happening? I think something unusual is going on," another member of the team said.

I guess we all know what it is about.

Fourth book?

The End.