Just Live

Chapter 24

"Love, okay ka lang dyan?" RJ asked while he bent down in front of the fireplace.

They've just gotten home from their evening sleigh ride and dinner in the cabin when he started the fire immediately after taking his winter jacket off.

RJ looked at Maine's direction when she didn't answer and the corner of his lips curved upward upon seeing her smile through her eyes.

"Yes, love," she finally said and he saw her tinkering with her phone while standing beside the couch.

He stood up and smiled even more as he walked towards her. She still had her winter coat on while doing something on her phone.

"Ano ba ginagawa mo?" He asked, chuckling while wrapping his arms around her from the back.

He looked over her shoulders and saw that Maine was posting their photo taken on the sleigh on her Instagram account, captioned 'A surprise I will keep in my heart for the rest of our lives.'

"Just sharing a special evening with our friends and family," she smiled as she turned her head to peek at him before looking down on her phone again.

"I love how you said 'for the rest of our lives.'"

"Syempre naman," Maine said, tapping on 'Post' before putting her phone down on the couch.

She took a deep breath and looked outside the floor to ceiling glass windows. Through those, they could still see some of the ski runs from higher up the mountain. It was later in the evening but the village was still very much alive with all the lights.

Without moving in his spot, RJ reached out to her front even more and carefully removed her winter jacket off, and Maine pulled her arms out as he did. He enveloped her with his arms again and placed his chin on her shoulder, giving her a hug from the back, which Maine responded to by leaning on his trunk. The two of them stood there, with nothing but the sound of crackling fire and their breathing, until he spoke again.

"Love?"

"Hm?"

"Happy ka?"

Even though he couldn't see it, she smiled and closed her eyes, leaning her head close to his neck. Their height difference was perfect for such gestures.

"Happy, love," she answered. "Very happy. Ikaw, masaya ka?"

Maine felt him nod before she heard his voice. "Sobra."

In their comfortable silence, both kept their hold on each other while looking out onto the heart of the village.

"I'm so happy, love. Pwede bang dito na lang tayo? Yung tayo lang dalawa?" He heard her ask with a giggle. She knew the answer to her question, hence the giggle, but she just had to say it out loud.

It broke his heart because as much as he wanted to say 'yes', he couldn't, and she knew exactly why.

"Kung pwede lang love," he replied, helplessness lingering in his tone of voice.

"I know, love. I know that you would make it happen if we could, so thank you," Maine said to him and RJ could hear her tone of voice perk up again.

"After all of this, love, we'll get away from everything, okay? Just the two of us."

"I'd like that very much," she whispered and smiled at him.

He brought his head right next to hers and gave her a sweet kiss on her lips. It was then when Maine felt his body move subtly. She closed her eyes and felt RJ's warmth envelop her body.