Chasing the Sun

075

The trip to their house took longer than expected, so we arrived at a little later time. When the car stopped and I finally set foot on the ground, I was greeted by a house that I assumed was New's. Because all of their relatives had gone to live abroad, I expected that it would just be the three of us who will live inside the abode.

It was not as big as our house, but I could tell from a single glance that it housed a lot of memories, happy ones.

"I can't remember the last time I've been here.", New said as he looked at the house from the gate, his eyes brimming with awe.

"Me too, I think the last occasion we spent here was the Christmas of 2009. It's been more than a decade!", New's mom said as she fished the keys of the house in her pocket.

From outside, the house stood out as it was the only house standing on that part of the land. Both sides of the construction were filled with towering trees, and it gave off a feeling of being a vacation home rather than an actual place of residence.

A feeling of serenity crept in as the cold breeze swept into our clothes, and the trees danced gleefully to the whistling of the wind. From a distance, the faint chirping of mountain birds could be heard, and the sound of what seemed like water flowing also made its way into my ear. 

"I liked this place growing up.", New suddenly muttered in the middle of my observation.

"We would come here every time the Lantern Festival is held, and we would light lanterns and set them free in the night sky as our wishes traveled along with the makeshift stars. It was a sight that never failed to take my breath away.", He continued as he smiled, reminiscing his blissful moments with the place with each word that came out of his mouth.

Just then, New's mom unlocked the gate and pushed it wide open, revealing the entirety of the house.

"Let's come in."

From the gate, we had to walk a few meters before reaching the actual house. The pathway to the entrance was a wide open space layered with grass, and the soil was pretty soft and mushy that I could tell that it was loam from the way it felt in my sneakers.

The house, just like any vacation homes that are designed to emit the feeling of being home away from home, had an earthy vibe that went along with the external environment. It had a wood exterior design, and various tones of walnut wood were used to wall the construction. A two step stairs, also of mahogany wood, was also positioned at the house's front to give the feeling that it was elevated from the ground. The doors that lead to the inside of the house also had lanterns that were unlit, and on the far side of the patio was a wooden swing whose chains had oxidized from too much exposure to air.

I was holding New and assisting him towards the house, so it was his mom who had to open the door to the house. 

"Tawan, welcome to our house.", His mom said in a welcoming manner as she swung open the doors.

What greeted me was a very beautiful interior that really took my breath away. The first thing that I noticed was the incredibly spacious living area of the house. Just like the outside, the interior of the house was also lined with wooden walls, and the floor was teak wood, my steps faintly audible as I toured the house.

It was like one of those traditional scandinavian architecture that you see on international tv shows, only that it was located only on the far end of Chiang Mai and not somewhere abroad. The yellow lights added more coziness to the house as it seemed like they lit up candles to set the mood in the house rather than using white light. There were hardly any appliances on the house, no television, xbox, or any other sort of entertainment supplies that could snatch away the purpose of being in a vacation home.

From where I stood, at the far end of the house, I could see a glass door that lead to the back of the house. And just as what I had thought earlier, there was a river that was flowing visibly under the moonlight. It was a sight that was captivating at night, but I wondered how beautiful it can get during the sunset. I was actually out of breath standing at the entrance of the door I didn't notice New was pinching my hand for quite a while then. 

"You're overreacting, it's not even as big as your house.", New said as he smiled cheekily.

"yeah, but it felt warm, really."

It did, I wasn't lying. Maybe it was because I imagined in my head how things went down during the holidays for New's family whenever they go there, laughing at each other's stories while the fireplace kept them warm in the coldness of the night. I pictured him as a kid running along the wide space with his cousins, melted mallows in their hands as they played tag, their laughter echoing through all corners of the house.

It was a memory I never got to experience, no matter how big the house I lived in. Thinking about how New had a memorable life inside a home that didn't need to be as extravagant than ours, I felt a little jealous. 

My thoughts were interrupted when a hand made its way into mine. It was New's, and when I turned to look at him, he was wearing a homely smile like he knew exactly what was going on inside my head. 

"Everything will be alright, babe."