An Extended Valentine’s Date with a Fellow Hiver

It was Tuesday, February 14, when I messaged @cli4d, a virtual friend who eventually turned into a real one. I asked him what his plans were for Valentine's Day, which was the day I messaged him. He replied that he had no plans due to his class schedule, so he would stay at home. As our conversation prolonged, he mentioned that he'd go to the Cavite Skin Clinic for his derma consultation and medicines as well. He thought that was a good time for a meet-up, too.

Yesterday, it was a hot, sweaty, yet gloomy day when I started to travel from my home in Tanza to Imus, Cavite. It was around 20 kilometers away, so I had to prepare early. Although I expected there would be traffic, my travel time still managed to annoy me. Ford told me that he was already in the place, and I was still quite far away. I felt bad for him. I knew he would wait less than an hour. I was truly frustrated.

_{Inside the 7/11 store, it was really hot outside.}

We met in front of the 7/11 store, just beside the Cavite Skin Clinic. Thankfully, he remained calm, and his smile never faded away. while we were waiting for his number to be called in the clinic. We decided to stroll around to find a Samgyupsal restaurant. The scorching sun tapped our tanned bodies, burning every fiber of our skin, and our sweat continuously flowed. There were small malls there, such as Lumina Point and Lotus Mall. Unfortunately, we didn’t find any.

We headed back to 7-11 and waited roughly two hours. We just talked and shared whatever came to our minds. When his number was almost called, we decided to move into the clinic. The moment I stepped inside, the unnatural smell bombed my nose.

_{Cavite Skin Clinic long queue of patients.}

_{We were quite bored but managed to smile, lol.}

There were plenty of people inside; luckily, there were vacant seats, and we occupied them. I observed the environment, especially the people. Then I realized that skin problems were really bothering me. But for most of them, I think they have pimples and acne problems.

_{Ford's checking and paying the bills.}

When Ford’s name was called, he immediately stood up and went in front. Since I was left in the chair, I didn’t know what they were talking about. The woman assisted him, and he waited for the result to be released. There were plenty of things he bought for his face when we went inside. We released a deep sigh and laughed. "Finally, we can go to SM Bacoor and eat," I said with a smile.

_{Our KFC meals. Finger lickin' good.}

Actually, we were passing one question to each other, and that was "Where to eat?" But we ended up at KFC. He told me that it had been a very long time since he had a meal there. I ate flavored shots with mushroom soup, and he ordered chicken and mushroom soup with mashed potatoes. I can say that it was enough to fill our hungry stomachs.

_{The front of Booksale contains plenty of books.}

_{Ford holding the book he supposed to buy.}

_{Aren't we looking good fellas?}

Every time I went to SM Bacoor, I never missed visiting the Booksale, a local bookstore. It was filled with second-hand and cheap books. There were plenty to choose from while we were reading. Ford and I found an interesting book in the "health books" section. We skimmed several books, adoring the hardbound types, and when he was about to pay, he went to the cashier. He found the perfect book for him. Self-improvement books are always the best. The learning is continuous, and most of the applications are applicable.

After a long stroll in every part of the mall, from various stores to cinemas, we reached the highest floor. I was surprised that there were fewer people in the food court. The tables and chairs were vacant, the pleasing smell of the foods hovered in the air, and we decided to buy a milk tea.

_{Picture time in front of Chatime milk tea shop, Ford's posing.}

_{I was like a kid forced by a parent to take a photo, lol.}

_{My milk tea, it's really good.}

Chatime is the name of the milk tea shop, and their service was fast. They have a loyalty program wherein you can earn points from every purchase through the number you enter into the system. You can redeem it in their shop as well. In all honesty, it was really worth it. The brown sugar pearl was good. I was shocked because whenever I sipped, there were many pearls coming out of my mouth. I think Ford liked the milk tea, too.

We stayed in the food court for quite a while and talked about family stuff. It was an open, honest conversation, which I liked the most. When the clock reached 7 p.m., we decided to go home. I took him to the terminal, where the jeepneys and cabs were waiting. Gratefully, there was no long queue of passengers, so he didn’t wait long. We bid our goodbyes, and that was an extraordinary day for me.