After a long ran we've finally reached Jen's home. I saw my mother with Jen's mother so I yelled.
"Mother! We're back!"
When they heard my voice, they quickly ran to us with a worried look on their faces.
"Where did you two stayed for the past six days?" my mother asked.
"In the mountains!" Jen answered huffing.
"M-mountains?! What if you were eaten by a huge lion?!" Jen's mother asked with a very serious face.
"Lion's are already gone." My mother replied holding her laughter.
"Oh... Right!" she said dumbfounded.
While Jen's mother was still processing everything my mother asked us.
"Why are you kids dirty and sweaty?"
Before Jen could answer I pretended to tripped over a rock and dragged him with me causing for us to fell on the ground, I then mumbled.
"Don't say that we met a weird guy on our way or she'll be worried and ask you unending questions, do you want that?"
"N-no." He mumbled back.
"Good."
"Ramz! Why did you dragged Jen with you?!" My mother asked me while helping me and Jen get up.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to."
"Don't apologize to me, apologize to Jen."
"There's really no need aunty, I'm fine." Jen said as he shakes his head.
"If you say so... About the question, may I please know your answers?" My mother asked raising one of her eyebrows.
"Um- we m-met."
"Met who?" My mother questioned Jen.
Before Jen could answer I elbowed him sneakily.
"W-we m-met a erm b-beautiful f-flower? Y-yes! A beautiful flower!" Jen answered as he scratched the back of his neck not looking at my mother's eye.
"That's a bit out of the question." She said looking at us with a very suspicious looking expression.
"But that's true! Jen grabbed the flower then we got chased by umm- erm a r-reindeer.. Y-yes! a reindeer chased us!" I answered then laughs awkwardly.
"Very suspicious, where's the beautiful flower then?"
Jen pinched my hand and mumbled looking at me lowering the position of his head.
"Where's the beautiful flower?"
I looked at my mother and awkwardly laughs.
"You see, the reason why the reindeer chased us, is because of the flower, the reindeer ate it, yes the reindeer ate it!" I answered looking at Jen.
My mother's eyebrows we're waving and her left eye were twitching as she looks at us very suspicious, she walks closer to us with a very frightening face.
"What a plot twist! HA HA HA! if that's all, you can now take a shower you stinky kids!"
While our small bodies was chilling in the curvy hot bath tub, I spoke.
"That was a relief."
"We almost got busted." Jen replied.
"Tomorrow is your departure, huh?" I said changing the atmosphere in the bathroom.
Jen went completely silent, then slowly decided to speak with hesitation.
"Mhmn, y-you'd s-send me, right?"
"Mother and I, will be there tomorrow." I answered him directly.
The room went completely silent again, that's when I decided to break the awkward atmosphere.
"Um- like, we're still gonna be friends, right?" I asked while scratching the back of my head.
"Of course! You're still gonna be my best friend! That's a promise forever!" He replied tearing up.
I'm glad that I was able to meet someone like you, a friend that can be trusted.
He then stick out his pinky finger and so did I, and by that our promise to be best friends forever no matter how far we are, has been made.
The door suddenly opened with a very loud sound of thud revealing Jen's mother with a sweaty forehead.
"Why did y'all left me outside?!"
"Because you were too busy thinking about the lion who's gone a hundred years ago." Jen replied sarcastically.
"I remember now, a lot of animals became extinct due to the increasing human population."
"Mhmn." As I nod.
"I'm still dead curious of how would the government will fix or help reduce the human population, I mean I know that they created another dimension which is known as the Paradise but, I think it ain't working." she blurted it out rapidly.
"Uh- okay?" Jen said, not understanding a thing.
"Well gotta go now kids, I have some beautiful plants to take care." She said shutting the door close.
We continued what we're doing, after that we changed our dirty clothes into a clean one. We slept very late since it's Jen last day, we spent our night talking about some random things and what are we gonna be in the near future.
The loud cheering, noises, and the non stop clapping of hands are heard when we arrived in front of the door. After that, me, mother, and Jen's mother went to the sideways, leaving Jen in the middle of the street, where the other chosens are.
"Five more minutes until the opening of the doors!" The announcer yelled very loud, which made almost all of the people look at the doors.
After hearing that, Jen ran to us and held my hands trying to drag me with him.
"Junjun, why don't you come with me?" He asked, trying to persuade me.
"Jen, you know that he can't, right?" Jen's mother replied as she sighed.
"B-but mommy-"
"No buts Jen, remember? Rules are rules."
I just clenched my tiny hands after hearing those, since I can't really do anything.
"Don't worry Jen, I'll be following you, maybe next year or next, next year, I don't really have the specific date right now but, I promise you!" I said.
We were suddenly cutted off by the loud voice of the announcer.
"Time's up!" The announcer yelled, which made a lot of people jolt.
"Congratulations chosens! You may now freely enter the doors!"
Jen ran for a bit then stopped, and shouts.
"We'll be playing lots of toys when you got there, okay?"
"Mhmn!" I replied as I nod my head.
"I'll be waiting for you there!"
After saying those, he continued running until he finally entered the doors, then the doors slowly shuts close.
People started walking away like nothing happened.
"I hope Jen will live a happy life there." Her mother said with shiny teary eyes.
"I'm sure he will." My mother instantly replied, trying to make Jen's mother feel a little bit better.
After a few minutes, the three of us we're only left, that's when the weird guy that Jen and I met yesterday in the deep forest of the mountains near our small village, decided to show himself.
"Hello ladies and little fella!" The weird guy said with a bit louder voice than the average.
My mother swiftly grabbed me and hid me behind her back.
"Who are you?!" Mom and Jen's mom asked in unison while slowly backing away.
"Even if I introduce myself, would you even trust me? You see, I'm also a victim here, oops nevermind." He said grinning while slowly walking near us.
"Stop right there! Don't move any closer or I'll call the cops!" Jen's mother yelled with frightened eyes.
The weird guy politely stopped and raised the two of his hands.
"Chill ladies, I'm saving your lives here, you should be thanking me."
"How are you saving our lives when you looked like a person who's about to murder us?!" Jen's mom replied with a very scared expression.
"Wow miss, I'm offended."
My mother looked at Jen's mother signalling her to stop. She then spoke.
"Please, don't hurt us sir, we're not that wealthy enough but, um I can give you this necklace, this is from my grandmother, this was passed to me before she passed away, even if it's not made from crystal, it worth a lot for me sir, because this necklace is full of unforgettable and unreplaceable memories."
Jen's mother just held my and mother's hands and yelled.
"Just go away sir! Please don't hurt us!"
The weird guy just went silent and slapped his face hard, realizing what he did, which made his cheeks red as a tomato.
"You guys are hopeless, but since I am a kind-hearted person, lemme tell you this, Paradise is not a place you were expecting to be, I'm going now."
He then walks away which made both mom and Jen's mom sighed in relief.
After those confusing situation, my mother asked me.
"Ramz, are you okay?!"
"I'm fine mom, don't worry."
"That's good to hear."
Let's go home, before he comes back." Jen's mother said cutting the conversation between me and my mother.
"That's a good idea, let's hurry." Mother replied.