The Winter Promise

Chapter 23: Here's Why I'm Lazy in Inviting Women to Hike.

We started our climb to the sunrise camp. The place is at an altitude of 2565 masl. Usually the climbers who climb on Mount Prau make this sunrise camp as the final destination and also as a place to set up a tent. Because if we are lucky, we can see the view of the mountains are very beautiful. Plus at sunrise, making the scenery there very beautiful and suitable to be enjoyed.

Before we get to it all, we have to face challenges after challenges to get to the sunrise camp. Although previously I said that Mount Prau is a suitable mountain for beginners, but the obstacles on the path via Patak Bull are not easy.

The obstacle that must be passed first is the arrangement of so many stairs. There are many climbers

beginners who have been discouraged when passing this obstacle. The weight of the load carried and the number of stairs that must be climbed make this obstacle included into a very terrible obstacle for novice climbers. But since I, Riki, and Maul have been here before, things like this are common to us.

“Finally to also.”

I made it through all the steps and then sat down to wait for my friends who were left behind.

“You're fast once Mar.”

Maul looks exhausted, I can hear the sound of her breathing is very irregular.

“Where's Riki?”

“She walks the very back to make sure the others are not separated.”

Maul sat beside me waiting for Riki and the others.

I occasionally looked in the direction where we came to see their positions, but from where I was sitting now, I could not see them at all.

“Do you carry a card?”

I asked Maul.

“What's the reason?”

“I think we should wait long enough.”

“You're right.”

Maul took her card out of the small bag and then we both played it.

After fifteen minutes of waiting, the girls along with Riki finally arrived where we were sitting. While the two of us still played his cards casually.

“You two are still here?”

Miyuki was a little surprised to see the two of us playing cards. He also looks tired,

“Of course, where might we leave you guys. Yes, I won again.”.

I put two heart king cards out of my hand to end this match.

“Ah shit, I didn't expect to lose to Amar.”

Maul was upset that she never won once when she played cards with me.

“You can all rest first, later if you are ready to climb, you can tell us.”

Riki gave a warning to the girls.

“It's drinking.”

I gave the drinking water to Rina and the others.

“...Thank you Ar, by the way how far is it?”

Rina looked very tired, it seemed like she did not know that climbing the mountain would be this heavy.

“This is just the beginning, our journey is still long.”

“Really it!”

Lina breathed a very long breath. I just saw him like this for the first time.

“Calm down, the next trip is not this heavy.”

I tried to get Rina excited again.

“You didn't lie right Ar?”

“...Maybe.”

“Your answer is not satisfactory at all.”

Lina looked disappointed at my half-assed answer.

Should I just lie? But giving false hope is not my principle. Let it be, the next path is not as heavy as the stairs. At least before we get to post two.

“Excite all of you, the next path is not as sharp as the stairs. At least in the next lane more sloping than before.”

Riki encouraged them and they all returned to their spirits after hearing Riki's words.

I approached Maul who was looking up at the sky.

“What's Mul?”

“Luck alone today sunny.”

“That's.”

Hopefully everything goes according to plan and we can all return home safely.

I've seen Miyuki and the others get ready. Looks like their break is over.

“Let's go again.”

“Come!”

We then headed to Sunrise Camp. If I had walked first, now I was at the very back of exchanging positions with Riki.

During the trip, I saw Lina who objected to carrying her bag. Looks like the stairs before

it has drained a lot of his energy.

“You want me to bring your bag?”

I also offered him help.

“No need Ar, I don't want to burden you anymore. I know your bag is heavier than mine.”

Lina refused and kept going.

“Already, not that I have said never force yourself when on the mountain.”

“But..”.

Lina still feels bad if I have to carry her bag.

“Already.”

I held out my hand to him to ask for his bag.

“...Alright.”

Rina gave her bag to me.

I'm not doing this because I'm paying attention to him. It's just, if I don't bring her bag, surely in a few minutes Riki will tell us to rest because of the exhausted Rina. I don't want to until that happens. The more we rest, the longer we arrive. The longer we arrive, the longer this long journey will end.

During the trip, I saw a lot of climbers watching Miyuki. Whether that's a man or a woman. Realizing that made Miyuki walk slowly and approached me who was at the very back of the line.

“What's up?”

“I think a lot of climbers are watching me.”

Wahh. Just this time he felt that someone was watching him. This is a change.

“Use this only.”

I gave him my hat.

“For what?”

Miyuki asked me in surprise while holding my hat.

“Of course to cover your face, at least with it your face can be obstructed.”

“Alright, I'll use.”

Miyuki also used my hat and returned to walking as usual.

I looked at Rina who was looking at me with a jealous look as well as Maul who was far ahead, it seemed like she was also looking when I gave my hat to Miyuki. This is why I am lazy to go with them both. I don't do all those things because I pay attention to them. I just want this trip to go smoothly and peacefully, that's all.

Finally, after a long journey we arrived at post two.

It hurts my shoulders, I carry too much weight.

I held my right shoulder which felt stiff.

“Thank you Ar, for bringing my bag so far.”

“Alright, from here to sunrise camp later. I'll try to take him.”

Lina looks so excited.

“That's a good spirit.”

Riki praised the spirit that Rina had.

“You all rest first, because the next path will be a steep path until sunrise camp.”

Riki also gave us a warning to rest and he gave packing honey to Kirana which will be distributed to us later.

The honey! I'd better save it for the post three later.

I also put my honey in my jacket pocket.

“Why don't you drink it Mar?”

Miyuki was confused to see me not drinking the honey she had just given.

“I don't need it now.”

“But I just saw Maul and Riki also save the honey, should I keep this honey?”

Miyuki who knew nothing asked me.

“No, indeed we do not need it at this time. You better drink that honey now, it's great to add your strength.. You're also Rina!”.

I told the two of them to drink the honey, because I had already seen them both exhausted. Although Miyuki looks ordinary, but I can see her legs that slightly vibrate when walking.

“You want to use this Mar?”

Maul gave me hot cream.

“Iya.. Thank you.”

I also apply the cream around my calves and shoulders so as not to stiffen. I saw Miyuki who had seen everything I did.

“You want to wear it too?”

I offered him the hot cream.

“Do they need?”

“I think it's necessary for both of you, just apply it on your feet.”

I gave them the hot cream.

We continued on our way to the sunrise camp after the others had finished

repose. This time, Maul and I were behind to make sure that no one was left behind, while Riki was at the front to guide the way.

During the trip, I saw the face of Maul who was always pouting, it also made me curious.

“You why?”

“I envy you so much.”

“Eri? What makes you envious.”

“How can I not envy if there is a friend who is liked by beautiful women.”

“Hahahaha..”

Hearing that made me laugh, it turned out to be what made him frown from earlier.

“Why are you laughing.”

“I never thought you would be jealous just because of something like that.”

Bothering as hell, this is why I am lazy to go with the two of them.

“How did you do that?”

“Hah?”

“How can you make Rina and Miyuki close to you?”

Maul seems to want to know about it.

“What do I do ya?”

Maul was waiting for me with great curiosity, I could see the curiosity from her eyes.

When asked like that, I'm confused as well. I don't know what special things I've done to Miyuki and Rina until she gets close to me. If it was Rina, I only helped her when she wanted to get hit by the ball and we were classmates when Junior High. If it's Miyuki, I'm just solving her problems with her friends, but I don't think it's something that works so well that they become close to me.

“It looks like I did nothing, I never did anything different than usual. I just do whatever I usually do.”

“Is that true?”

“Of course, anyway can you imagine a person like me expending more energy just to

getting attention from women. That's a ridiculous thing. Many things are more useful than that.”

“I salute to see your stance, if only I had such a stance as well.”

Maul praised the idealism I had. Rarely does anyone praise my idealism. More people are saying my idealism is stupid.

“How yes... I myself do not know what to say. I didn't have it myself at first either

idealism like this. But because of something that happened in elementary school that made me like this.”

“What is it?”

“It's secret.”

I can't tell her my past. Although Maul is my best friend, but I

it was not someone who could easily tell him that. I don't want to remember that incident anymore either.

“That's why, if you don't want to tell me you shouldn't have said it earlier. You make

my curiosity became rise.”

Maul looks disappointed because I didn't tell her what happened in the past.

“How? Is your jealousy gone?”

“...Hey! Turns out that's why you said that.”

Maul smiled slightly and finally laughed after knowing I meant to say that.

Actually my initial intention to make Maul curious is to divert his jealousy. Because Maul is a person who has a very high curiosity, and his curiosity can make him busy himself and ignore anything before it is fulfilled. So I used it to get rid of the jealousy she was currently experiencing.

“Ah shit, I'm getting jealous of you. Whatever you do is always beyond my expectations.”

“That's probably because your expectations are too low.”

“Maybe you're right.”

I think I should say this to him.

“Originally you know Mul, for now I have no intention at all to date anyone. There are many things that I want to achieve and I do not want things like dating that bother me in achieving that.”

“Don't you have a girlfriend be better, so there's someone who supports you to achieve the thing you want to achieve.”

“Indeed true, but I think it's better I myself first.”

Maul's thinking is not wrong, there are indeed people who support you to achieve something look better and beautiful. But right now what's on my mind is just a troublesome thing that would come up if I had a girlfriend.

“But I think if you're dating Rina, everything will be fine.”

“...Of course, I prefer my relationship with this kind of Rina.”

“Why?”

“I think it's better.”

Maul looked confused by what I said and she gave up thinking about it.

Finally, after a long journey with a lot of rest that may not be counted again, we also reached the sunrise camp at around two in the afternoon. The situation there is not so crowded climbers and the weather is very bright without fog blocking it. Usually the problem if we are climbing on Mount Prau is the fog that makes us unable to see the scenery of the sunrise camp.

“Industry.!”

Miyuki and Rina's eyes looked amazed at the sight before them as well as Kirana.

It's only natural if you're climbing for the first time. Since there was currently no fog, we could clearly see the sights of the mountains that became landmarks of this mountain.

Finally arrived, after a long journey and a lot of rest because we were carrying the girls, but we finally arrived. Hope the weather is clear until tonight.

the End Chapter 23