CHAPTER 98

I sighed. "You always say that, but are you really okay?"

Grandma smiled reassuringly. "Yes, Chase. I still have strong legs to walk, my hands can still cook, and my mind is as sharp as ever."

"But do you have someone checking up on you regularly?"

Grandma nodded. "The neighbors drop by sometimes, and your uncle visits when he can. But I don’t want anyone fussing over me too much."

I pursed my lips, not fully convinced. "Still... I want to make sure you're really okay."

She squeezed my hand. "I appreciate that, Chase. But seeing you here, safe and doing well, that’s what makes me truly happy."

Austin smiled, sipping his tea. "You're lucky to have a grandson like Chase, Grandma."

Grandma chuckled, her warm eyes crinkling with joy. "I have to agree with that, son."

Austin and I exchanged amused glances before laughing along with her.

"How are your studies, son? And the competition? That was yesterday, right?" she asked, her voice filled with curiosity.

I grinned, sitting up a little straighter. "Guess what? I won the gold medal."

Grandma’s eyes widened with delight. "Really? Oh, Chase, I’m so proud of you!" She reached out and patted my cheek gently. "I knew you could do it."

Austin smirked beside me. "He was amazing, Grandma. Everyone was cheering for him."

I shrugged, pretending to be modest. "Well, I did my best."

Grandma laughed, shaking her head. "You’re just like your grandfather. He always tried to act humble, but deep down, he loved being the best at what he did."

I felt a warmth spread in my chest at the mention of Grandpa. "I just wanted to make you proud."

"You always do, my dear." She smiled, and for a moment, I saw the deep love and pride in her eyes.

"Thanks, Grandma. And guess what? Austin won the Battle of the Bands too." I turned to look at him, a proud smile on my face.

Austin chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "It was nothing, really."

Grandma’s eyes lit up. "Oh my, that's wonderful, Austin! Congratulations, dear."

"Thank you, Grandma," Austin said, smiling shyly.

"You must have a beautiful voice," she added, her expression warm. "I’d love to hear you sing someday."

Austin glanced at me before looking back at her. "Maybe I’ll sing for you later," he said with a small grin.

"I’d love that." Grandma beamed.

"Anyway, we should celebrate your wins then! I'll cook for both of you!" Grandma announced, clapping her hands together.

I smiled. "I'll help you, Grandma."

She shook her head. "No, no. I can manage. You should go out and tour Austin outside. The weather is nice today."

"Okay." I smiled, glancing at Austin, who seemed amused by the idea.

"Tour, huh?" he smirked, crossing his arms.

"Yeah, come on," I said, nudging him lightly. "Might as well take in the fresh air while we're here."

Grandma chuckled. "Go on, have fun. I'll call you when the food is ready."

Austin and I stepped outside, and the moment we did, a gentle breeze greeted us. The air was different here—crisp, clean, nothing like the city.

"So, where are we going?" Austin asked, looking around.

"You'll see." I grinned, grabbing his wrist and pulling him along.

We walked through my grandma’s farm, the scent of fresh soil and growing vegetables filling the air. Rows of tomatoes, eggplants, and other crops stretched before us, their leaves swaying gently in the breeze.

"Wow, is this all hers?" Austin asked, looking around in awe.

I nodded. "Yeah, Grandma loves planting. She always wanted to grow her own vegetables."

Austin crouched down, gently touching a ripe tomato. "This is amazing. She doesn’t even have to go to the market."

"Yeah, but she still does sometimes, just for things she can't grow here," I replied with a smile.

Austin stood up, stretching. "I can see more why she doesn’t want to leave this place. It’s peaceful."

I watched him as he took in the scenery. The way the sunlight hit his face, the way his eyes softened—it was moments like this that made me realize how much I wanted to share this part of my life with him.

"Grandma loves spending time here. She says it reminds her of Grandpa." I said, looking around the farm.

Austin glanced at me. "They must have had a really strong bond."

I nodded. "Yeah. You know, Grandpa built this place for her because he knew how much she loved planting. Even after he passed, she never stopped taking care of it. She says it makes her feel like he's still with her."

Austin smiled softly, brushing his fingers over the leaves of a nearby plant. "That’s really sweet. It’s like their love is still growing, just like these plants."

"Yeah… something like that."

"Do you want to see more?" I asked, a little excited.

"There's more?"

"The flowers."

His eyes widened slightly. "Grandma has a garden too?"

I nodded. "I'll show you."

We walked past the vegetable farm, following a small dirt path leading to the backyard. As soon as we turned the corner, Austin’s face lit up.

"Whoa..." he breathed out, taking in the sight.

The garden was filled with colors—roses, sunflowers, lilies, and a row of daisies that my grandma always said reminded her of my grandpa. The scent of fresh blooms mixed with the crisp air, making everything feel so peaceful.

"This is beautiful," Austin said, stepping closer to a bed of vibrant pink roses.

"Grandpa made this part of the farm just for Grandma. She loves flowers just as much as she loves vegetables."

Austin crouched down, gently touching the petals of a sunflower. "It’s amazing how much love was put into this place."

I smiled, watching him admire the flowers. "Yeah... it really is."

While he was enjoying the view, completely mesmerized by the flowers, I couldn’t help but admire him instead. The way the sunlight hit his face, the soft breeze ruffling his hair—he looked so effortlessly beautiful.

Without thinking, I took out my phone and snapped a photo.

He’s so pretty.

I bit my lip, looking at the picture. He looked peaceful, happy. A small smile crept onto my lips before I quickly tucked my phone away.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Austin suddenly turned to me, raising an eyebrow.

I cleared my throat, trying to act nonchalant. "Nothing. Just... enjoying the view."

He grinned. "Yeah? It’s nice, right?"

I nodded, but my gaze wasn’t on the flowers. It was on him.

After touring the garden, we were now just walking down the quiet road, the warm morning breeze brushing against us. The air smelled of earth and fresh grass, something I had missed since moving to the city.

"You must miss your countryside life now that you live in the city," Austin said, glancing at me.

"Yeah," I admitted. "Living in the city is kinda rough. But it feels nice now... having you by my side."

He scoffed, shaking his head. "That was so cheesy."

I laughed a little. "You love it, though."

"Whatever," he muttered, but I caught the small smile on his lips.

Then he asked, "Do you plan to return here after you graduate?"

I fell silent for a moment, thinking. "I don’t know yet," I said honestly.

"I love it here," I said, looking around at the peaceful countryside—the vast green fields, the quiet roads, the sky stretching endlessly above us. "But when it comes to opportunity, then I guess I'll stay in the city."

Austin hummed beside me, kicking a small rock on the road. "Makes sense. There are more chances to grow there."

"Yeah," I nodded. "But at the same time, this place will always be home."

"What do you want to do after college?" Austin asked, his voice curious.

"I want to be a professional swimmer," I answered without hesitation.

He nodded, a small smile forming on his lips. "That's cool."

"Yeah, but it won’t be easy," I admitted. "There's a lot of competition, and I need to keep improving. But I’ll try my best to make it happen."

Austin looked at me with admiration. "I know you will."

I chuckled. "What about you? Are you going to pursue singing?"

It took him a few seconds to answer. "I don't know." He shrugged.

"Why's that?" I asked, curious.

"I don't think my parents will allow me," he admitted, his voice quieter. "My parents are business owners. Definitely, I will be the one to manage our company."

I frowned. "But is that what you want?"

He let out a small sigh, looking up at the sky. "I love music, but... I don't think I have a choice."

"But it's fine. My parents need me," he added with a smile, though I could tell there was something deeper behind his words.

I just nodded. "You're a good son."

He chuckled, brushing it off. "Shall we go back? Grandma might be looking for us. I'm hungry."

I laughed. "Yeah, we should."

Then we go back to grandma's house.

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