Yna woke up feeling wonderful; she loved waking up like this. She moved slightly and slowly opened her eyes. To her surprise, she almost screamed but managed to cover her mouth just in time.
She couldn't believe that she and Alas were embracing each other. He was still sleeping, leaning his back against the wall. They looked like a couple lost in the forest, clinging to each other to keep warm.
She felt thankful to Alas, no matter what happened. Just like he said earlier, he didn't leave her side and even held her tightly when she was freezing. And she couldn't deny that she actually liked it. She freely admired his handsome face.
The rain hadn't stopped, but it wasn't pouring as hard anymore. The loud thunder and lightning were gone. However, the sky was getting dark, making it almost impossible for them to go home.
She scolded herself for the thoughts running through her mind. She didn't know why, but lately, she found herself fantasizing about Alas. She must be going crazy because she missed Janus so much. She looked around and saw that no one was outside; she wished she could borrow a blanket to shield herself from the cold.
Yna felt relieved when she heard someone calling them from outside the hut. She stood up and opened the door. This was exactly what she was hoping for—someone to lend them blankets or jackets.
Yna saw a teenage girl. She was holding a blanket and two pillows in her right hand, while her left hand held an umbrella.
"Good evening to you, Miss. I brought blankets and pillows. You won't be able to go home tonight. Apo Larry said the roads are dangerous now; there might be fallen trees or landslides," the girl said gently.
Yna smiled and let out a sigh of relief. "Okay, thank you very much. Can I ask? Is our car okay? It's parked not far from here," she asked out of concern.
"Nothing happened to it, Miss. Your vehicle is safe. Is the blanket and pillow okay? I need to go now," the girl asked innocently. She looked beautiful, and Yna estimated she was about fourteen years old.
"Yes, but wait, we haven't eaten yet. We are hungry and cold here. Can we ask for just a little bit of food or even just coffee?" she asked directly.
She had no choice but to ask; she was starving and needed to eat. She never expected to get stranded in the village. She thought they would go home right after meeting the village chief. The heavy rain was really troublesome.
"Of course, Miss."
Someone else arrived, and she recognized him—it was Apo Larry, the village chief.
"Good evening, Ma'am. I know you are hungry. Come with me, we have prepared dinner for you," he invited her warmly. "Where is your handsome companion?" he asked, looking for Alas.
She smiled in relief. "He is sleeping, Apo," she answered, glancing at Alas who was still asleep.
"Wake him up so you two can eat," he told her.
"Alright. Just a moment," she replied and went to wake Alas.
Apo Larry waited for them outside.
Alas opened his eyes quickly. "Why? Did the rain stop already? Do you want to go home now?" he asked her.
"No, we can't. According to Apo Larry, the road is too dangerous to cross. There might be landslides too. Get up, they are inviting us for dinner."
He yawned and stood up. "Okay, let's go." They both went outside. "Good evening, Apo Larry," Alas greeted.
"Good evening as well," Apo Larry handed them umbrellas. "Let's go," he said and walked ahead. They followed behind him.
"Be careful. Just hold me, okay? It's slippery," Alas said to Yna. He was genuinely worried that she might slip and get hurt. He knew he would never forgive himself if that happened.
"Okay, don't worry, I can walk."
"Even so. Hold my hand," he commanded. She just obeyed him. She didn't want to argue with him and ruin her plans.
They arrived at Apo Larry's house. It wasn't very big, but his entire family lived there. They truly valued the traditional Filipino trait of strong family bonds. This is a unique culture observed only in the Philippines. Filipinos are also well-known for being hospitable.
"Come inside. Please excuse our house, it is small but we are happy here," Apo Larry said.
The food was already served. The dishes and the pot were placed on mats directly on the floor. This was their daily custom—they didn't use tables. They just sat on the floor to eat. The floor was smooth and clean, so the food was safe.
"Alright. Let us pray," Apo Larry started the prayer. It was a native prayer that only they understood. "Amen!"
"Please eat, and excuse us if the food isn't to your liking."
Yna spoke with a smile. "Don't worry, we eat chicken and fish." She took some and tasted it. "Hmm, wow, this is delicious. I've never tasted chicken and fish cooked this way before."
"That's true, Apo Larry. It's really good," Alas agreed.
"Thank you, just eat as much as you can," Apo Larry said.
Yna and Alas ate heartily. The food was delicious—the kind of taste you couldn't find in the city. They didn't realize how much they had eaten until they were completely full.
They enjoyed the native chicken cooked in coconut milk, a whole roasted fish, fresh native crabs, and various deliciously cooked local vegetables.
Yna even burped loudly, making everyone laugh. She felt a little embarrassed. She was a lady, yet she burped as loudly as her father.
"I'm sorry, I'm just so full."
"That's natural. We actually do that here after eating. It's even a competition sometimes," Apo Larry commented. "It means you can breathe properly afterwards. It's just air in your stomach that needs to come out."
Yna laughed even harder when she heard everyone else burping too.
"Thank you so much, Apo Larry. You are so kind. Tomorrow, you will receive a reward from me," Yna promised.
"There is no need for that, Ma'am. There is only one thing I want for our place. I want progress, but I want it without anyone losing their homes or livelihood. I hope you can promise us that," Apo Larry said seriously.
Apo Larry's words were genuine. He wanted future generations to see and benefit from the land they had cultivated for years. Why develop the land if only others would benefit from it?
Both Alas and Yna nodded in agreement.
"Yes, we promise that. And all of you living here will be given free housing," Alas answered. He didn't just want to earn money from this project; he genuinely wanted to help. This was also something he wanted to write about in his thesis—about Malaya Village and the importance of his project.
"Thank you very much. Many of us can no longer afford to build strong houses. You know, that is one of our biggest problems during typhoons. Houses made of bamboo and nipa are easily destroyed."
"You're welcome. We should be the ones thanking you for being so kind to us," Yna replied. She felt overwhelmed by their good treatment. Only now did she feel truly important.
"Alright then. Go back to your hut. Just go home tomorrow. The roads are dangerous now because of the heavy rain. Don't worry, you will be safe there." Apo Larry handed them a colorful mat woven from pandan leaves. "Is it okay if we only provide mats for you to sleep on?"
Pandan is a locally grown plant used in weaving mats, bags, and baskets. It is abundant in the area, and weaving pandan mats is one of their sources of livelihood, along with fishing and farming.
"Yes, that's fine. Thank you," Alas answered promptly.
"Would you like me to walk you back to the hut?" Apo Larry asked.
"No need to trouble yourself. We can manage. Thank you again for the delicious dinner," Alas replied. He carried the umbrella, while Yna held the mat.
"Alright then. We'll go ahead of you," Alas said. Yna followed behind him. "Good night."