"Morning Uncle, Auntie and Karine! Breakfast is ready!" Aika smiled as Kevin, Alice and Karine came down from their rooms.
"Morning da sao! You made all these alone?" Karine gasped as she saw the spread on the table.
"Excuse me, I had a role in it!" Nat came out of the kitchen with coffee and juice.
"Yeah, like 5%." Karine stuck her tongue out.
"Gosh, Aika...you didn't have to! What time did you wake up to prepare all these?" Alice felt bad.
"It's okay, Auntie! I'm a morning person so I usually wake up at around 6, get in a workout before making breakfast. Nat helped out so it was quick." Aika smiled.
"Wow, da sao I thought Nat was the only old soul who would wake up at 6am to exercise...who knew you were such an inspiration! You're my fitspo from now!" Karine gave Aika a thumbs up.
"Wait, why am I the old soul and Aika your fitspo?" Nat felt attacked.
"Hmm, this is so good!" Karine ignored her brother and took a bite of the food.
"I'm going to get Jamie from her room, she's the only one on my side." Nat got up from the table.
"I highly doubt so..." Alice chuckled.
"Princess, look! Daddy made breakfast for you!" Nat was holding Jamie's hand as they walked to the dining table.
"Ninang! Good morning!" Jamje let go of Nat's hand and ran straight to Aika.
"Morning sweetie, did you sleep well?" Aika asked as Jamie climbed onto her lap. The girl nodded.
"What is this feeling of betrayal..." Nat snorted.
"Stop being salty, son. So, where are you taking Aika today?" Alice questioned. Nat looked at Aika, who looked at Jamie.
"Jamie, where do you want to go today?" Aika asked.
"It's supposed to be Daddy and Ninang's date day, I promised to spend time with Grandma and Karine today!" Jamie shook at her and exchanged a smile with Alice.
"Jamie's right, Aika. This trip is for you. You get the right to choose! Leave Jamie to us!" Alice agreed with Jamie.
"Please take Daddy away from me, ninang!" Jamie put her hands together in a plea.
~
"So, anywhere you want to go?" Nat asked as they buckled their belts.
"Hmm, how about you give me a Singaporean's Guide to Singapore tour?" Aika suggested.
"Sounds like a great idea. Welcome to the Nat tour, Ms Robredo. I hope you enjoy our trip today." Nat grinned as they set off.
"Mind if we take a walk before lunch? There's this nature reserve trail I used to trek with Jamie...there's a pretty quarry too!" Aika nodded at Nat's suggestion.
"Woah, I didn't expect a forest like this in Singapore..." Aika was staring at the entrance of the reserve, surprised at the sight.
"This is just the beginning, the quarry is the real deal...But before that, mosquito repellent!" Nat winked as he whipped out Jamie's repellant patches from his bag. Aika laughed as she picked a butterfly shaped sticker and pasted it right smack in the centre of Nat's shirt.
"Just one more turn...Tadah!" Nat exclaimed as a wondrous sight revealed itself before Aika.
"Wow..." Aika's jaw dropped at the view. It was totally different from the lush green forest they had trekked through.
YOU ARE READING
Beneath The Surface
RomanceAika Robredo was a poster child: with a Masters from Harvard, a respectable career trajectory and dependable eldest daughter of the Robredo family. Everyone was telling Aika that all she had left to do was finding her 'dream guy' to settle down with...
