Alter My Fate

Havi's declaration left Diana dumbfounded, her eyes wide with disbelief and utter disbelief.

She struggled momentarily, grappling with the magnitude of his offer. Her lips trembled as she finally managed to speak words that fell in a hushed, perplexed whisper.

"Havi... Dost thou seriously mean what thou hath just spoken?"

Havi, upon beholding Diana's awestruck expression, a mix of disbelief and incredulity, didst understand her reaction all too well.

She was, after all, confounded by the magnitude of his pronouncement. Yet, he did press on, determined to make his intentions clear.

"Yes, Diana. I speak truly. Your uncle's plight concerns me greatly, and I am willing to aid him in whichever manner I can. Indeed, I shall do so, even if it requires tremendous effort on my part".

In Diana's mind, a torrent of questions flowed. Her thoughts raced, questioning the feasibility of his promise.

Acquiring rubber sap was no easy feat, she mused, unlike the act of harvesting rice in a field. Moreover, Havi had explicitly stated 'to what extent'.

Indeed, the profundity of Havi's statement is so obvious that it may as well be etched in stone. His words, free from the ambiguity of interpretation, are like a clear-cut sword, cutting through the uncertainties of the situation.

And yet, despite their stark simplicity, his statement resonates with an unexpected depth, as if spoken by a sage or a philosopher of old.

With a tender murmur, Diana continued to speak,

"Havi, I do understand that thou speaketh in good humour, attempting to lift my spirits. Had my uncle been present, he, too, would surely have showered thee with accolades and gratitude", she replied.

"Alas, Havi, the current state of my Uncle's factory...", As Diana was midway through her exchange, she suddenly felt a strong hand gripping her wrist and forcefully pulling her into a headlong dash.

"One moment, Havi!", Diana exclaimed, her words laced with a mixture of surprise and slight annoyance as she raced alongside the man who had grabbed hold of her wrist. "Where on earth are we going?!".

Havi, his grip still firm on Diana's wrist, turned to face her as they ran.

"Diana, I plan to take you somewhere and I implore that you keep it a secret. Do not reveal it to a soul, including your uncle".

As they continued their breathless sprint, Diana managed to gasp out, "Wh-where?! Where are we going?!".

Her words were interspersed with gasps for air, the urgency and surprise apparent in her voice.

Havi, his voice resolute, replied, "Just follow me, Diana!". His pace never wavered, nor did his grip on her wrist loosen.

In any other circumstance, if Diana were being forcibly dragged away by someone, particularly a man, she would surely resist with all her might.

Yet, inexplicably, her trust in Havi was unwavering. A feeling of inexplicable trust washed over her, and she let him pull her along without resisting.

Understanding it all to be a consequence of her romantic affection towards Havi, Diana recognized that it was her steadfast trust in him that made her feel so certain that he would never deceive her.

Deep within Diana's heart, layers of hope stirred, hope that had once vanished, but now began to bloom anew. If Havi's words held the truth and he could indeed assist her uncle, there would be no obstacles left to stand in the path of their blossoming love.

After running non-stop for approximately 10 minutes, Diana gasped to Havi,

"He...Havi, I'm...tired...", She struggled to catch her breath, her legs trembling with exhaustion.

With a reassuring tone, Havi replied, "Just a bit more, Diana. We're almost there". His words carried a sense of determination, encouraging her to press on further.

With the remaining vestiges of their stamina, Diana and Havi finally pushed on until they reached a expansive area that Havi had been eager to show Diana.

"Have... we... finally... arrived?", Diana panted, her breaths ragged and exhausted. She looked around, trying to catch her breath and get her bearings.

"Indeed, Diana. Look before you"

Havi spoke with palpable excitement, his words carrying an air of anticipation as his gaze swept across the expansive landscape spread out before them.

"Wooff... Wooff... What exactly are you showing me? Is it this vast marshland?", Diana, in a state of extreme exhaustion, questioned Havi.

"Diana... Take a good look at these trees", Havi directed, extending his index finger to gesture towards the lofty trees that towered around the marshland.

"Look at them all!", Havi added, extending both arms as if to draw her attention to the enormity of the vista before them.

"What's so special about these trees?", Diana inquired, her gaze sweeping across the vast array of trees before her. She was unfamiliar with the species and their characteristics, unable to discern their significance.

"Ah... You don't know?!", Havi exclaimed, taken aback by Diana's statement.

The young woman, her beauty resplendent, simply shook her head in response. A smile graced Havi's lips as he requested her to retrieve her nail clipper.

With no comprehension of the motive behind Havi's request, Diana simply obeyed his command. She quickly retrieved her own set of nail clippers, holding them out for Havi to take.

Havi moved closer to one of the trees and began to scratch at its bark, carving a square shape. Once he finished, he called out to Diana.

"Diana", Havi cried out with a sense of drama. "Come here for a moment and behold this!"

As Diana approached Havi, who was facing the trunk of the tree, her curiosity heightened. Her eyes widened in surprise as she witnessed a few drops of a milky-colored liquid seeping from the bark.

"Is... Is this...", Diana asked Havi, her voice laced with disbelief.

Havi simply nodded, confirming Diana's observation. The sight before them was indeed what they suspected.

With Havi's nod, her suspicion was further solidified. She never could have imagined that something so precious to her uncle would be so plentiful in this little village where the man who had stolen her heart resided.

Havi responded with a ringing declaration, "Indeed, Diana... You have certainly seen something like this before, haven't you? This is what your uncle desperately needs, rubber sap!!".

"In theory, all these trees should fulfill your uncle's production needs for a good amount of time", he added, again emphasizing the grandeur of the realization.

Overwhelmed by a flood of emotions, whether from joy or relief, Diana spontaneously embraced Havi, even showering his cheek with a tender kiss.

Unaware of the effect her spontaneous gesture had on him, Diana failed to notice that Havi, cheeks tinted with a hue of crimson, was caught off guard by her seemingly forward act.

Conscious of the slightly embarrassing action she had taken, Diana promptly apologized to Havi after realizing his blushing reaction. Feeling extremely self-conscious, she nervously scratched her head, unsure of what to say to alleviate the awkwardness of the situation.

"Diana, please", Havi responded, his tone reassuring.

"There is no need for apologies. I understand that you are overwhelmed with joy. Today, I will present you with a sample of rubber sap for your uncle. Quickly, go see him. This place is most likely only known to me, and one could consider it my territory now". Havi explained. He then proceeded to affix a plastic sheet over the bark of the rubber tree, intending to collect a few drops of the milky liquid.

"Could it possibly be true that only you know?", Diana inquired in disbelief. "It's difficult to believe that no one else has knowledge of this! How is it possible that no one else has discovered this location?!".

Havi then shared the legend about the supposedly haunted forest, explaining how the eerie tales had deterred the villagers of Loban from venturing into the depths of the forest.

Hearing Havi's story, Diana was initially taken aback before bursting into laughter. As young individuals, they found such tales of folklore to be nothing more than a good laugh.

The plastic used to collect the rubber sap sample was now adequately filled and almost at its capacity. Once done, Havi carefully covered the peeled bark of the rubber tree with the surrounding roots, firmly securing it in place.

"Diana.. Let's head back", Havi advised. "Quickly bring this sample to your uncle. I can't wait to hear his reaction".

"Ah.. You seem to have forgotten, Havi", Diana reminded him. "We're currently roasting sweet potatoes. Let's eat first. I haven't had the chance to try roasted sweet potatoes before".

"You're right. Let's go back quickly". Havi agreed, nodding his head. "The sweet potatoes should be done by now".

The fact that Havi acquiesced to her desire to eat the roasted sweet potatoes fueled Diana's exuberance further. Her innate comfort in spending time alone with Havi made her come up with numerous excuses, each one crafted to charm him.

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