Love at First Sight (One Shot/Short Stories)

Love, Trust, and Unforeseen Scenario

As I make my journey back to the Philippines from Japan, my heart is filled with excitement and anticipation. The reason for my return is none other than my profession as an animator, which has kept me busy and fulfilled in the land of the rising sun, Japan.

However, during the hustle and bustle of work, one person has remained constant in my thoughts—Rochelle, my beloved girlfriend.

During my time away, it has been challenging to find moments for personal connection and quality time together. That’s why—I have carefully devised a plan to surprise her upon my arrival.

As I stepped off the airplane, the warm embrace of the Philippines greeted us passengers with open arms.

The man and woman from the cabin crew, adorned with their friendly smiles, extended a heartfelt welcome, exclaiming, “Welcome to the Philippines, mabuhay!”

Their genuine enthusiasm and hospitality instantly made us feel at home.

I miss this country—not the government though.

I made my way to the lobby to meet the one person who was aware of my arrival. As I entered the bustling area, my eyes quickly caught sight of him—Lance. Standing in the middle of the lobby, his attention fixed on his phone, he seemed deeply engrossed in something—since he was typing.

While approaching Lance, I couldn’t help but express my surprise. “Lance, I thought you were still not here in the lobby,” I exclaimed, eager to understand his timely presence.

A confident smile spread across his face as he swiftly pocketed his phone. “I’ve been here since earlier, even before dawn, just so you know, Nick,” he replied, his words carrying a hint of pride.

He still hasn’t changed.

To transport my belongings, we decided to utilize his car and head towards their house. Due to the frequent visits of Rochelle to my residence, it was impractical for me to bring my luggage there. Therefore, we opted for the alternative of taking them to his house instead.

After bringing my belongings to their place, Lance took me to a coffee shop to discuss how we could surprise Rochelle. We planned to give her a bouquet, her favorite snacks, chocolates, and a brief serenade later in the evening.

The following day, we would prepare for the celebration as it would be our 5th anniversary and I planned to propose to Rochelle, not even Lance knew about it.

Lance and I went to various places in search of the perfect flowers, as I preferred the more luxurious ones. After an hour, we finally found the desired bouquet—the true love bouquet, filled with 99 red roses, just as I had imagined.

It was indeed expensive.

“6000 pesos for a bouquet? That price is off the charts,” Lance exclaimed, his head shaking in disbelief at the exorbitant cost.

Next, we bought chocolates, similar to the flowers. I purchased a chocolate joy bouquet, which contained 50 Choco Ferrero Rocher inside.

“Rochelle’s lucky to have you.” Lance nodded approvingly as he watched the staff wrapping the chocolates.

It was already late afternoon when we finished our search, and our next stop was Rochelle’s house. Lance went inside alone while I waited for his call.

After a minute or two, he returned with a look of uncertainty on his face before saying. “Nick, she’s not home,” he said, leaving me puzzled.

I checked the calendar on my smartphone and raised an eyebrow in surprise.

“Maybe she’s at my house, she often cleans there on days like this,” I suggested, and Lance raised an eyebrow before getting into his car where I was waiting, before heading straight to my house.