"What are we going to do now?" Yvo asked, turning his head and raising a brow at Sean. Then, with a sly grin, he added mockingly, "Since your cousins have left, why don’t you leave too? That way, Lareina and I can go on a date."The words slipped out before Yvo could stop himself. Moments ago, he had decided to postpone his confession, thinking it was not the right time. But somehow, his mouth moved on its own, betraying his restraint. And now that the statement was out in the open, there was no taking it back. He would just have to roll with it."Wait—W-What?! D-Date?!" Lareina stuttered in disbelief, her eyes wide. She rubbed her ears as if trying to clear them of some dirt. "I must have heard that wrong, Yvo," she muttered, unsure if her mind was playing tricks on her.Sean, on the other hand, clenched his fists tightly, his jaw tensed, and his teeth ground together. His entire body stiffened with jealousy and frustration. He stepped forward abruptly, his grip finding Lareina's wris
"Why are you with her?" Sean demanded coldly, his glare sharp as a blade as he stared at Yvo. He spoke without hesitation, not even bothering to lower his voice, even though they were standing in the middle of a bustling mall, with people passing by on all sides.Yvo had anticipated this kind of reaction from Sean. What he hadn’t expected, however, was to run into him here of all places. Out of all the places and all the days, this had to happen now. Just when Yvo was planning to confess to Lareina. But of course, fate seemed to have other plans."Like she said, we came here to eat," Yvo answered coolly, shrugging his shoulders with nonchalance. But then he grinned slyly, leaning a bit closer to Sean and lowering his voice enough to sound like a tease. "Though I was planning to confess too. Too bad you're here to ruin it."Sean’s temper snapped like a twig. "What the hell? I won't let that happen!" he shouted, his voice sharp and loud enough that several passersby glanced at them curio
"I think this will do," Yvo muttered as they sat in the middle of his studio, listening to the final version of the song. The melody played smoothly from the stereo. The sound of their voices was layered with the soft strums of the guitar and gentle keyboard harmonies.They had spent hours arranging, tweaking, and polishing the piece, and now they were finally at the point of satisfaction. Both of them listened intently, each note feeling like a reward for the effort they poured in."Yeah, I think so too!" Lareina agreed enthusiastically, her face lighting up with relief and pride. She felt a weight lift off her shoulders, knowing their project was finally completed after days of hard work. "The harmony and melody blend perfectly. It feels vibrant and youthful. I hope the class will love it once we perform."Their song was bright and lively, narrating a story about a boy and a girl whose paths crossed by chance, leading them into a whirlwind of romance. It was playful yet heartfelt, c
As soon as Sean safely dropped Lareina off at her house, he wasted no time and pedaled home with excitement pulsing through his veins. His legs worked faster than usual, and the anticipation of seeing his cousins made his entire body restless. Just earlier, while Lareina and Yvo were finalizing their practice for the day, Sean received a message from his mother. She told him that his cousins had already arrived and were waiting at their house. That alone fueled Sean’s eagerness, and he wanted nothing more than to reunite with them after such a long time apart.By the time he arrived home, the familiar sound of his mother’s laughter echoed from the living room, warm and inviting. Following the cheerful noise, he stepped inside, his eyes immediately lighting up at the sight before him.“LUJIE!” Sean called out joyfully, his voice filled with excitement as he spotted his favorite cousin sitting beside his mother. She was gracefully sipping tea, laughing along with his mom.Without hesita
The same routine repeated itself over the next few days. Now it was Saturday, a weekend that most students would have spent resting or catching up on hobbies, but not for Yvo and Lareina. The looming deadline for their project was just five days away, and the pressure was mounting. Determined to finish the song that still needed polishing, the two of them dedicated the entire day to working at Yvo’s house, immersed in melodies, lyrics, and chords that still needed refining.As usual, Sean was with them too, but unlike his active self on the first day, this time he was sprawled lazily across Yvo’s couch, fast asleep. His breaths were deep and even, his chest rising and falling steadily. The heavy, dark circles beneath his eyes and his occasional yawns were impossible to ignore. Lareina noticed it but kept her mouth shut, already knowing the reason behind his exhaustion.Deep down, she felt a sting of guilt. She was well aware that Sean had been sacrificing his sleep just to keep up wit
The kitchen was wrapped in an uncomfortable silence. The air hung heavy and still, like a scene frozen in time, until Sean finally shattered the quiet with a sharp, sarcastic, "Wow." He shot Yvo a look of disbelief, his lips curling into a smirk that barely concealed his irritation. Yvo, on the other hand, could only lower his head, his face flushed with embarrassment.‘How could I be so careless?’ Yvo chastised himself inwardly. ‘What kind of fool invites people over for dinner without knowing how to cook? Seriously, Yvo, could you be any more thoughtless? You barely even have real food in the house!’"I... well... maybe we can just order something," Yvo muttered, his voice shaky and unsure. "That’s usually what I do when I’m hungry—"But before he could finish his sentence, Sean marched toward the refrigerator without asking for permission. He yanked the door open and began inspecting its contents with an expression that blended disgust and disbelief. He rummaged through the shelves