The rest of our hot springs Autumn adventure passed by rather uneventfully. Althea and I spent the remaining time fawning over each other, much to our compatriots’ disgust, and we rested well enough to return home early Monday morning.

And just like the rest of the trip, October passed by without much incident.

Our country was still undergoing a partial reopening, which meant that cases were being monitored closely. We were still under tight social distancing measures. We still had to wear masks indoors and in packed places such as public transport or restaurants. We were unable to attend concerts or watch movies in a crowded theatre. And we still couldn’t travel overseas.

While all of those things were minor inconveniences, Althea and I had primarily gotten used to it.

Truth be told, other than the fact that we couldn’t go to some date locations, the restrictions didn’t really affect us that much. However, many had begun to grumble.

It was inevitable. No one wanted to be locked down forever. People had been losing their jobs, businesses have been closing down, and loved ones were unable to visit each other due to the immense distance that separated them.

Fortunately, there was a major shift in the world that would change that fact…

“Good news, everybody! The government had just completed a purchase of vaccines that will be arriving by the end of the year!”

As Althea and I cuddled in our favourite bean chair, we watched earnestly as the television anchor read from the teleprompter in the most animated tone I’d ever hear her speak in.

“While the amount of vaccines purchased is massive, the Prime Minister has said that priority will be given to those on the frontline. Namely, our healthcare workers who have been working around the clock to keep our population safe!”

That makes sense. If our doctors and nurses all fall sick simultaneously, our country will fall into ruin within weeks. Even the most hard-headed person couldn’t protest the government’s thoughts on that.

“After which, the elderly, mainly those aged seventy and older, will be given the vaccine as well! People who have severe health conditions that have been recommended by their doctors to take the vaccine will be given priority treatment as well!”

The anchor continued to speak out, with her voice getting more and more jubilant.

“And finally, once all those at risk are vaccinated, the government will begin administrating doses to the general population, free of charge! Anyone who wants to be vaccinated will be vaccinated! Goodness, the days of the pandemic are slowly coming to a close!”

With an excited glee, the young woman clapped her hands and cheered with all of her heart.

“Isn’t she a little unprofessional?” Althea sneered in jest.

“I mean, isn’t that way she’s popular?” I dissected the reason behind this newswoman’s meteoric rise to the top of our channel lists. “People don’t want to have a dead-beat old man delivering the news. They want someone who exudes humanity and reflects how all of us feel during the pandemic.”

“Makes sense...”

Althea snuggled deeper into my chest. If it were before, I wouldn’t be able to understand what her subtle actions meant. But after our fight, I felt like our emotional connection had evolved into a different state.

I could now guess with almost a hundred percent accuracy what Althea was thinking, just by looking at her face and sensing her mood alone. It was pretty surreal, given that we were once distant neighbours that would hardly share a single conversation, let alone a mental thought.

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“Don’t be jealous; I’d much prefer a girl like you than someone who wears her heart on her sleeve.”

“W-Who said that I’m jealous?!”

Althea pouted and harrumphed like an adorable child. Jesus, how could anyone not fall in love with her?

Althea quickly changed the subject to combat her embarrassment: “Are you going to get vaccinated?”

“Of course! I would rather be protected than the virus than risk dying from it!”

“You’re right… I guess if taking the vaccine was all it takes to get back to normal… I should take it as well.”

According to the government, we would only reopen once herd immunity was reached. Now, I wasn’t a medical scientist, and neither was I a trained professional doctor, so I’m unable to fully understand the details of the vaccine.

For me, as long as my loved ones and I were protected from the virus, that was enough.

“When we get vaccinated, what changes?”

“We’ll probably return back to normal.”

“Normal as in… We’ll have to return back to work and school?”

Althea looked up at me with her eyes moistened. Ah, that’s right. If all of us were vaccinated, I would need to return back to the office. I had been working at home for almost a year now, and I totally forgot that I even had an office!

The same went for Althea. Once the country reopens and we’re all vaccinated, she’ll have to return to having classes in school. Granted, she might graduate before we even reopen, but nonetheless, we would still be separated if I returned to the office for the better part of the day.

“Urgh, somehow I kind of don’t want the world to reopen...”

Althea muttered a dangerous thing as she leaned in deeper into my chest.

Well, it’s not like I can’t relate to her feeling. Ever since our relationship began, Althea and I had been staying in the same apartment almost every waking hour. It was hard to imagine a life where we had to be separated for more than half a day, where I went to the office, and she went to school.

“But we still have to take our vaccinations, Baby. I wouldn’t want you to catch the virus and suffer.”

“I know that...”

Althea grumbled, but she never once said that she wouldn’t take the vaccine. Even the clinginess of the overly-attached girl was no match for the threat of getting severely ill.

“... But I still can’t take it. Just thinking that I can’t see you from morning to night… Not to mention, you’re going to spend the day with women I can’t see or interact with. Urgh, I think I’ll go mad if you need to return to the office.”

“This again?” I simply can’t get over how much Althea was attached to me. All my life, I had never had a relationship with a woman. What makes her think that I’m going to be a womanizer the moment I’m out of her sight?

“I told you many times, there’s nothing for you to be worried about.”

“And I told you, you have changed Desir! Girls will definitely take more of an interest in you! And while I trust that you’ll never cheat, I just can’t stand the fact that women would be approaching you in a place that I can’t see!”

“Hmph! The same could be said about you, Althea! You have no idea how attractive you are to the opposite sex! I’m pretty sure if I left you for two seconds, a thousand men would come and ask for your number!”

“T-That… I’m used to those thirsty brats! I know how to handle them! I won’t ever give them the time of day!”

“Is that so...”

That might be the case. Even before my influence, Althea was a true beauty. Based on the accounts from her and her parents, the girl had been scouted for movie and modelling roles before. It was only because of her timid nature and Harper’s overprotective nature that Althea had never starred on the big screen.

But even without the power of fame, Althea had always been turning heads. Not a day would go by where Althea would walk unnoticed on the streets. If I wasn’t around, there would be legions of men, and sometimes even women, who would try to talk to her or even pick her up.

Such was the fate of a beautiful woman.

“Hah… Why are we even talking about this? Eventually, we will have to get used to living apart, right?”

“I know that...”

“How about this?”

I turned Althea around so that her face was facing me. Which meant that her petite little butt was rested on my crotch. Her arms naturally came to rest on my shoulders, and her hips moved like a snake to slot onto my waist.

Jesus, we really have become close. I only grabbed her back, and Althea naturally moved into this position. Seriously, and you’re telling me that we would be tempted by other people? Don’t make me laugh. Still, I had to reassure my little girlfriend and so:

“How about this? If we ever fall out of love with each other-...”

“W-What do you mean?!”

“Let me finish, Althea...” I paused the girl before she went ballistic. “If we ever fall out of love with each other, we must tell the other person so that we can break it off instead of dragging it on. That way, you’ll have no reason to be jealous.”

“I-I see...”

It was a simple concept. If we ever want to end our relationship, we must tell each other before starting a relationship with another person. Basically, it was a pact that swore that we would never cheat.

“But honestly, I don’t think that’s needed...”

Althea took her tiny fingers and gently brushed my fringe to the side.

“I don’t think that I’ll ever fall out of love with you, Darling.”

“Neither do I,” I responded in kind. “And to show you how much I love you...”

I scooped the young girl up with my hands and carried her straight to the bed. I pushed her supple body down and forcibly took her lips. My Baby was wide-eyed at the development, but there was no hint in her actions of rejection. Rather, I felt that with her intertwined thighs and coiling arms, Althea was welcoming my action very much.

We exchanged a fair amount of saliva, so much so that my throat was starting to become overwhelmed. Before I choked on her holy liquid, I separated and eased my palpitating heartbeat. Leaning in, I whispered:

“Let me prove my love with my actions.”

“Hehe, I’m looking forward to it.”