18. Seven Holes

"Seven Holes"

"Hay finally! I got home too!" the language is Drake.

He sat down on the sofa and his companions followed. They just came from Rane's house.

"Seriously, you're really good at playing the violin. It looks like the instrument you are holding is singing itself. Nalase... I won't get tired of hearing you play!" Blade said enthusiastically to Drake.

"Me too. I won't get tired either." Hunter's second.

Drake smirked and looked at the two.

"You two stopped there! You were the ones who made the most requests to me earlier?!" his language is boring.

The two laughed softly at what he said. He just sighed at their reaction.

"Wait, Ai isn't here yet?" Blade said suddenly.

"Yeah you’re right? It looks like he enjoys Grandpa Gusting’s company. Shall we pick him up?" Hunter asked.

He looked at Blade and Drake.

"Yes, we will pick him up. But a little later, okay? Let's rest first." Drake replied.

He leaned on his arms and leaned back on the sofa. Everyone was overjoyed earlier when he played the violin and many songs were requested from him. He couldn't refuse so go ahead. But at least, because of the conversation he had with Rane earlier, he felt relieved. Whether he admits it or not, the slapped she did helped him a lot.

"Hayss, Ai is so late... I told him not to spend the night. Anak na lase!" blade by Blade.

"Leave Ai alone and he enjoys his time here with us. We will pick him up later. That's enough, Blade." Hunter said.

"I'm just worried eh..." Blade said.

Drake and Hunter smiled at what he said. They were disturbed when the door suddenly opened violently. Almost at the same time they stood up out of time. That turned out to be...

"Konbanwa! I'm home!" Ai greeted everyone warmly.

He was shocked to see the three men standing as if waiting for an opponent.

"N-Nanka?" he asked.

(nanka- why)

"You're weird Ai! Don't come into this house like that! We thought we were going to be ambushed!" said Hunter.

"That's right! Anak na lase. We were all surprised there!" second by Blade.

"A-Ahm... Sorry! Anyway, I was late because Lolo Gusting and Kuya Baste invited me to go to church in Manaoag. Here oh, I have some pasaubong. Topeg!"

Ai showed the three the bag he was carrying with Topeg.

(Topeg- a delicious dish popular in the town of Manaoag. It is made from ground sticky rice, coconut milk, sugar and grated coconut. It is wrapped in banana leaves and cooked in a rectangle-shaped pot with lots of charcoal underneath. It looks like it's being grilled. Topeg is delicious especially when it is still warm.)

"Oh my! Thank you for the pasalubong!" Blade's excited language.

Ai immediately put the carry on the table in the middle of the living room. They immediately ate the Topegs.

"Wow! It's delicious! It's still hot and there are so many shredded coconut inside!" Drake said while eating.

Hunter and Blade stopped talking because they were just eating. Ai also ate.

"By the way... Grandpa Gusting and Kuya Baste are inviting a picnic to Seven Holes. It is said to be a river at the foot of Mount Maulo. Is it beautiful there?" Ai asked the three.

The three men almost stopped eating at the same time and looked at Ai carefully.

"S-Seven Holes?" Blade asked in shock.

Ai frowned at their reaction.

"Matte... You don't know?" he asked.

"We don't know, we just heard that place eh." confirmed Drake.

"H-Ha?" disappointed language of Ai.

"Don't be surprised. Hunter and I are relatively new here in Batakil Village. And this is Drake... Even if he says he has been here for too long . Anak na lase! It's only now he can go out in the sun eh. So, what do the three of us know about that animal Seven Holes?" Blade retorted.

"Correct!" according to Hunter.

Ai then scratched his head violently. He was a little disappointed that these three did not know the place that Grandpa Gusting was saying.

"Do not worry. Tomorrow too, I will ask my students about that. Surely they know. I will invite them too for more, more fun. Wait, I'll invite Archer too. I'll text him!"

"That's okay you thought, Blade!" Drake said cheerfully.

After that, was what they talked about for the picnic while they ate a delicious Topeg.

Meanwhile... Zech stared at the message he received from Blade. It invites him to a picnic. He sighed many times. He thought carefully whether he would refuse or not. As time went on, his desire to reveal his true identity to them intensified. That's all, he still did not know when and how he would do it. In a few moments, he decided. He replied to Blade and said he would come. He would regret it more if he refused because he knew it would be fun. Zech just smiled without realizing it.

Tomorrow...

"Class! Good morning!" Blade greeted his students.

"GOOD MORNING, SIR!" everyone greeted him warmly.

As usual, he sat down in the middle of the table.

"Class, before I start... I just want to ask something. Do you know what they say Seven Holes in Maulo? Is that place is beautiful?" he began.

Everyone smiled at him. The gay Van raised his hand.

"Oh, Van!" he calls it.

"Sir! That place is really nice! Don't say you don't know that place?" Van answered his question.

"Nalase, shall I ask you if I know? Is that far and how much will it cost?"

"Oh my gosh, Sir! There is nothing to spend there as long as you walk hard. It is called Seven Holes because the river water comes from seven large springs on the side of the mountain. The water there is neon-green. There are many fish and snails there. Why Sir, are we going to have a picnic?" Van said excitedly.

"That's right Sir! It's been a long time since we last bonded!" second by Barry.

The others also reacted and carved him about the picnic. The children were really, really excited about such an activity.

"Okay, that's how it is... So I asked you about Seven Holes. Because, Grandpa Gusting invited Ai for a picnic there. What, are you game" He asked everyone.

"OF COURSE, YES!" everyone answered enthusiastically.

Blade laughed a little and just shook his head. There he first ended the conversation about Seven Holes because he was about to start his class. Everyone is excited for that. During recess Rane told Karen about the picnic...

"Wow! That was on Saturday! It's good that Grandpa Gusting came up with such a great idea!" Karen's happy language.

Rane just smiled at her reaction. If before it did not want to participate in such activities because it still hates Blade... Now it is too much to be excited. Karen stopped walking because she suddenly remembered something. She stared at Rane.

"Why?" Rane asked.

Karen suddenly stared at her for a long time.

"Have you told Sir Blade and Kuya Drake the important information?" it suddenly asked her.

Rane frowned.

"Important information? What is that?" she wondered.

Karen was patted on the forehead in no time.

"Oh my gosh, Rane! How did you manage to forget that important thing?! You're weird!" its over reaction.

"What big deal did I forget?" Rane asked.

Karen pulled her closer to it and whispered to him that...

"Isn't it, on Grandpa Con's upcoming birthday... Sister Serene is coming home? You should tell them so we can plan what to do that day." Karen whispered.

Rane's lips parted but she could not speak. Important thing that she forgot. Karen and her intended Hunter to be the recommended chef on their Grandfather's upcoming birthday. It was as if they were reunion on that occasion. They should all be complete.

"Oh, sorry ah? I forgot. How is that? We can't just tell Sir Blade about that thing because he and Kuya Hunter are always together here at school?" she asked.

They were silent for a moment and thought. Just a few seconds later Karen smiled. She had an idea.

"I have an idea! At the picnic, just tell Sir Blade and Kuya Drake about it. Suppose, I will walk far away and then... After a while, you will look for me because you are worried. You will take Sir Blade and Brother Drake with you. You will just asked Kuya Hunter to watch out for Conrad so he can't follow. That was a good plan, right?"

Rane smiled and shook her head. The speed with which she was able to think of a plan. But go ahead, she will just follow it so as not to sulk. It looks effective.

"All right, that plan is good." she said.

Karen looked at her excitedly and she smiled mischievously.

Grandpa Gusting's house is everyone's meeting place... They all have their own backpacks. They also brought rice to cook there. They also brought cooking utensils and ingredients. Their dish is in the river and mountains that they will search for more exciting.

"This is fun! It sounds like instant scouting ah!" Drake's excited language.

"That's why it's so exciting!" according to Zech (Archer).

As before, he disguised himself. He is not yet ready to reveal his identity.

"Is everything complete?!" Grandpa Gusting asked Blade.

Blade checked the attendance of the students with them. Everyone is complete.

"It's complete." he replied.

They are ready to walk.

"Why, I can't let you leave me! Can I join?"

From nowhere, Azrael suddenly appeared. He was wearing a black shirt, black shorts... Black cap, black backpack and black pair of slippers . It is also wears black sunglasses... Its wide smile looks at them.

"I'm sorry for the sudden appearance. I found out about this picnic late so I hurried to come here. Sorry, I was not prepared." the language is Azrael.

"Huh...You haven't prepared for that situation yet, have you?" Blade whispered.

Azrael raised an eyebrow at Blade's smirk.

"Are you saying something there, Blade?" he smiled here meaningfully.

Blade smiled awkwardly, he noticed him.

"Ahm... I said, welcome! The more the merrier! I'm really happy because we can be with a super busy person like you! Hehehe!"

"Really Blade ah? Ande lay atet! Your compliment is such a lie. It’s too obvious." Azrael retorted.

The children laughed at what he said.

"That's enough, let's go so we don't have lunch on the road." Grandpa Gusting whispered to the two.

"Okay!" Azrael and Blade answered at the same time.

And that's it... They walked to Seven Holes.

From Batakil Village, they will pass through Patalan. A wide area of rocky, sandy, many small springs and rivers... And many hills around. Many Kamatsile trees are scattered here. You can get lost here if you do not memorize the road.

They walk happily and their conversations is straightforward. Rane was so shocked when she stepped on the ground that her feet seemed to sink. It was very soft then. She was pushed back in no time and shouted...

"Quicksand!" she shouted.