A Journey to the Lost Beauty

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A Journey to the Lost Beauty
The cityscape has always fascinated me. The different scenic views can be noticed throughout the day. Once in a while, I pause just to see the unique colors of the sky that changes from sunrise to sunset and the different glow of the sun reflecting from the skyscrapers’ windows. I admire the different art that city life offers. Living in the metropolitan area, there are only a few trees and plants to be appreciated here. Concrete soared up in a grid pattern, and rows of towering buildings stretched across the city. There were apartments and houses of all shapes and sizes. The streets are always busy along with the people who come and go, doing their own activities for their own living. By night, another kind of beauty emerged. The lights from the stores, restaurants, and buildings glittered everywhere. The city looked more alive but quieter with views that stretch as far as the eyes could see.
I moved to the big city as soon as I graduated from high school. I got accepted from one of the universities here and was granted a scholarship. I also finished my master’s degree here and worked as an executive employee in a big company for a couple of years now. I missed my hometown in the countryside, but due to my busy schedule, I haven’t visited our place for quite some time now. I miss the landscape, but I enjoyed my life here in the city.
One Saturday morning, as I was sipping my coffee while enjoying the city view from my apartment unit, I received a call from my cousin – Yanna. We are very close and went to high school together. However, we got separated when I pursued my studies in the city while she remained in the countryside to take care of their farm.
“Hey, Anica! Are you up? Sorry to disturb you this early,” she called. “It’s fine, Yanna. It’s my day-off today. What’s up? Is there anything wrong?” I said. “Everything is fine! I miss you, and I’m planning to visit you next week since I have some errands to do in the city,” Yanna said. I jumped out from my chair due to excitement, “Yay! That’s great news. I’d welcome you anytime and will show you around the city.”
I was so excited talking to her, imagining all the things we can do together in the city, even if it’s just for a few days. She already organized her schedule and planned ahead so that we can still spend time together despite our busy schedules. She said that she’ll be coming over in the following week and then hung up. Seeing the sun outside my window slowly rising with its reflection between the buildings, I immediately cleaned up my table and started cleaning my space. It has been my routine to spend my Saturday for general cleaning and washing my clothes and then going to the park for a walk to relax afterward. This time, I decided to prepare my space in advance for the visit of Yanna.
Friday night came, and I went to pick Yanna up at the airport. She’ll be staying with me for 5 days, so she just brought one luggage with her.
“Hey! I missed you! You look gorgeous,” I hugged her so tight as I greeted her.
“It’s been a while, Anica! How are you holding up here?” she replied.
I put her luggage in the trunk and drove to the city. We both decided to eat out since it’s already late and we’re both hungry. I chose a Japanese restaurant which is located in the heart of the city to show her around. It’s past rush hour so the place wasn’t that crowded and we are easily accommodated. As we wait for our dinner, we did some catching up while enjoying the Japanese vibe of the restaurant.
We drove back to my place after eating to rest since it was a long day for both of us. After washing up, I went to bed as the week-long exhaustion finally sets in.
The following day, I started my usual Saturday routine as Yanna went out to finish her business in the city. As I was strolling in the park, I noticed the soft blue glow of the sky accompanied by the cold wind with calmness and reflection. The signs of winter are shedding off as the trees around the area started to have buds, ready to bloom as the weather gets warmer each day. Spring has finally come.
Another week has started. The city is busy again as it has always been moving. Yanna finished her errands in three days. I go to work during the daytime and then hang out with Yanna after my shift. I showed her around the city, and we went to places where I usually unwind and chill after a long day at work – tourist spots, parks, restaurants, nightlife in clubs and bars.
Before we knew it, Yanna’s five-day stay is almost over. During her last night, she showed me a video of her daily life in the countryside. Five days wasn’t even that long, but she missed our dear hometown already.
“Take a break from work and come home once in a while,” she tried persuading me. “You know that our hometown is the best place to spend the spring break. Didn’t you miss the reflection of the sunlight in the lake? The chirping of the birds that echo throughout the hills?” she added.
“Uh, I’m not sure, Yanna. I’ve been so caught up with work lately that I haven’t really thought about taking a break. Besides, in my profession, vacation is a luxury that I can’t really afford right now. I still have bills to pay, and I’m still saving up to buy a place of my own,” I replied. She just shrugged and started packing her things since her flight is on the next day.
During my last day of work that week, I got reprimanded by my supervisor. I sent the wrong file to the executive officer of another department. It was an honest mistake. I got confused due to the number of papers assigned to me that day.
“What happened to you, Anica? You have always been alert during working hours. I never heard any complaints from other staff about you,” my supervisor said while she was shaking her head in disbelief. “I’m sorry, Miss. It won’t happ...