89 SHREDDED PIECES OF LOVE

"What happened to Mr. Gao? At first, I thought he's a composed and unflustered kind of guy. It looks like he lost all control when Zoe got hurt," One of the Norfolks commented to another within the earshot of Zoe. 

Zoe chuckled nervously. "M-maybe he's really like that when somebody's injured accidentally. I'm sure he would also react that way also when one of you got grazed too." She smiled reassuringly at them, hoping to cover up her mutual agreement with their conscious thoughts. 

'They were right. This was not the first time he acted that way when I was in imminent danger,' Zoe drew in a deep breath as Raigon's protective guard on her overclouded her doubts against him. 

"Can you continue this? Just mix it up and add a little salt and it's done," Zoe excused herself away.

"Are you okay?" One of them had said in a concerned tone before she turned her back away. 

"Yeah, I'm a practicing doctor. Don't worry. I'll be back." Zoe reassured her as she left to get her first aid bag from Kristie's tent. 

As soon as she got inside, she pulled out her medical kit and checked her wound. It was only skin deep though it profused blood a rare lot even if she raised her wounded hand to prevent it from spilling out some more. 

This was no big deal for her. She got simple wounds even before and she poured out solutions on them without wincing from the pain. 

'Why would Raigon react that way for such a minor wound like this?' She thought to herself as she recalled Raigon flying like a bat from everlasting hell as soon as he heard her scream. 

After she put a sterile dressing on her cleaned finger, she immediately went out and looked for Raigon. He came back to his previous spot with those who were grilling for their feast. He was also grilling, but his eyes were on the tent that she came out of. 

She has no idea if he can see her because it was almost dark, so she decided to stay for a little while as the gentle breeze caressed her abundant hair, cooling sufficiently her fast-beating heart.

He was still glancing in her direction, but he was not standing up to go to her. She waited for a few minutes, but he remained seated with the others. 

Zoe's lovely eyebrows furrowed as she crossed her dainty arms and pouted. "How come he was prioritizing the group dinner party now more than me? He looked so angry just a while ago when he saw me got cut."

She stomped towards her group who was now setting the local area where they will eat. As she did so, an odd thought flashed through her active mind which made her stop in her tracks. 

"Did he really take my last words to heart?" She wondered as she peeked sideways to his spot. It seemed he was following her footprints too as he was now snooping her way.

She wistfully recalled her last words to him. "Don't come near me until I say so."

"Did he really take it seriously? Did he just approach me then because I was physically gashed and he really had no deliberate intentions to talk to me again until I say so?" She speculated to herself and keep on walking towards their team.

As she did so, one of the Norfolks called to those who are grilling, "Aren't you done yet? We're famished!"

"We'll be with you in a jiffy," someone answered on their end.

In a few minutes, they were all together and were having a scrumptious blowout after a meal prayer. It's like they were having a *boodle fight* with only two pieces of large banana leaves where they can eat together from. They were joking around as they did so.

"Look at our grilled fish. It's just cooked at the right temperature. Not burnt and not raw either. Who knows we'll have this delicious supper even if we're not in the luxury hotel!" 

"Yeah, it's grilled by our beloved Mr. Gao. He's not just good-looking but a great cook as well."

"What about our dip? Isn't it prepared by Zoe? It's also the practical reason why we're enjoying this hearty meal. It's mouthwatering!"

"You know what gives its flavor. It's Zoe's heroic blood!"

When Raigon heard of that his previously jolly face scowled and dimmed as dark as the night sky. He peeked at Zoe who was also looking her way.

"It's okay," She drawled on with her luscious lips without a distinct sound. She was just adjacent to where Raigon was. Their tribe mates carried on laughing merrily and chatted among themselves.

As soon as he properly understood Zoe, he nodded sympathetically and then seeped in a lungful of the beach air. He proceeded on shredding the cooked fish and placing it on a small piece of banana leaf. Afterward, he carefully folded the leaf without letting others notice. He then gave it to Kristie and whispered something to her attentive ear.

On the other hand, Zoe does not want to talk gaily to Raigon just yet, but she knew how his terrible anger would burst asunder like a popped balloon if she didn't pacify him down. After everything that happened, she concluded that any form of harm to her was a trigger to his cool-headed demeanor. 

After a few uncomfortable minutes, Kristie walked over to her and gave her something secretly but with eager enthusiasm. It was the piece of banana leaf that Raigon carefully folded a while ago. She cautiously opened it and saw the shredded fish. 

After that, Kristie whispered to her ears. "I will give you time but no matter what happens, I will never let you go."

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A Boodle Fight is a long-standing tradition throughout the 7500 island-country of the Philippines, originated at the Philippine Military Academy where indeed it did feed an army and its commanding officers eating together as a symbol of camaraderie, brotherhood and equality.

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