Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

The King of Bad Luck and the Queen of Mishaps

"They weren't friends. They weren't enemies either. But with every accidental encounter, they slowly became a bigger part of each other's lives."

~ ● ~

There's a saying that the world is small and Maeve never believed it. Until she kept running into the one person she disliked the most in all of Bulacan State University.

They hadn't even had a proper conversation yet. They barely knew each other.

And yet, she couldn't shake the feeling that the universe had some personal grudge against her.

It was Tuesday morning.

By seven o'clock, the entire campus was already crowded with students.

As Maeve walked toward the College of Engineering building, all of her attention was focused on the reviewer in her hands.

"I seriously won't accept it if I fail this quiz. I didn't study just to fail. I studied so I could complain if I only get a ninety-eight."

Bea shook her head.

"Are you even normal?"

"Not anymore."

"Oh no. Acceptance is the key."

The two of them burst into laughter.

But because Maeve was too absorbed in reading, she walked straight into someone's solid chest.

Thud!

"Ouch!"

She stumbled backward as the papers she was holding scattered across the ground.

She looked up.

The moment she recognized who it was, she frowned.

"You again?"

Keiv simply looked at her in silence.

He was wearing a plain white polo shirt, black pants, and a simple backpack with no expensive logos. If you didn't know him, you'd think he was just another ordinary student.

But somehow...

There was no hiding just how annoyingly handsome he was.

"Good morning," he greeted calmly.

Maeve rolled her eyes.

"It's not a good morning anymore."

"My fault?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because you're the one I bumped into."

"Correct."

"See?"

"But you're the one who bumped into me."

"..."

Maeve blinked.

"Excuse me?"

"You were busy reading."

Keiv pointed toward the reviewer lying on the floor.

"Your not even watching where you were going."

Maeve fell silent. For a brief moment, she felt strangely embarrassed.

Bea glanced at her.

She could already sense an explosion coming.

"You're right."

Keiv gave a small nod and then Maeve smiled.

"But you're still annoying."

She crouched down to gather her scattered papers before walking away. Keiv quietly watched her for a second before continuing on his own path.

He didn't look back.

He didn't say another word.

He certainly didn't apologize.

"Unbelievable," Maeve muttered. "Acts like he's some CEO."

After class...

Maeve stopped by the convenience store inside the campus.

"Just coffee," she reminded herself. "Just one iced coffee. I'm not buying any chips."

Five minutes later...

She walked out holding an iced coffee, two chocolate bars, three packs of biscuits, instant noodles...

And an ice cream.

She sighed.

"Marketing is the real enemy."

As she headed toward the cashier, another hand reached for the last bottle of water inside the refrigerator at the exact same time.

Both of them froze.

Both looked up.

"You again?"

they said in unison.

Silence followed.

Keiv looked at the bottled water.

"You can have it."

"Huh?"

"Go ahead."

Maeve frowned.

"I'm not a charity case."

"I didn't say you were."

"Then why are you giving it to me?"

"Because it's just water."

She rolled her eyes.

"Then take it."

Keiv nodded.

"Alright."

And he literally took the bottle of water before casually walking away, leaving Maeve completely speechless.

"..."

Bea's mouth fell open.

"I thought he was giving it to you."

"I thought so too."

Maeve continued staring at Keiv's retreating figure.

"What kind of guy is that?"

"Probably an alien."

Two days passed. They had already crossed paths almost three times.

Once in the library.

Twice in the hallway.

And once...

Inside the condominium elevator. Maeve leaned against the wall while waiting for the elevator.

She was exhausted because there was her thesis, a laboratory report, a quiz, a terrifying professor and that irritating transfer student.

Ding!

The elevator doors opened and the moment she stepped inside...

Her eyes widened.

"You again?"

Keiv muttered under his breath-quietly, but loud enough for Maeve to hear.

He stood there holding two grocery bags, simply staring at her.

"Here we go again..."

Maeve whispered with a click of her tongue.

Keiv looked at her.

"So... you do notice me."

"What?"

"I thought I was just another lamp post."

Maeve gasped.

"You heard that?"

"No."

"Then?"

"I guessed."

She bit her lower lip.

"You're good at guessing."

"No. I'm just good at observing."

The elevator doors closed. Silence filled the small space. Until...

Grrrrrr...

Maeve shut her eyes. 'No... Please not' now. It wasn't the elevator because it was her stomach. Slowly, she looked up at the ceiling.

"Lord... please... not right now."

Keiv looked at her.

"Was that the sound of-"

"NO!"

"Your stomach?"

"No. The air conditioner."

"The air conditioner sounds hungry?"

"It's a special air conditioner."

The corner of Keiv's lips twitched. It was almost impossible to notice. But...

He smiled.

Maeve frowned.

"Did you just smile?"

"No."

"You did. I saw it."

"You imagined it."

"I'm not blind."

"Maybe you're just hungry."

She rolled her eyes dramatically.

"You're even more annoying now! Seriously!"

Ding!

The elevator doors opened and the two of them stepped out. Then...

They both stopped in front of the exact same door.

Unit 512.

Maeve looked at the number and then at Keiv. Then back at the door.

"..."

"..."

"What are you doing here?" they asked at the exact same time. The hallway fell completely silent.

Keiv raised his key.

"I live here."

Maeve did the same.

"So do I."

Both of them froze.

A few seconds passed before they slowly looked back at the number hanging on the door.

There was no mistake and there couldn't possibly be two owners of the same unit.

Maeve scratched her head.

"Wait..."

Keiv nodded.

"Something's wrong."

They stared at each other in silence, both expecting someone to suddenly say, "Just kidding."

But no one did. Maeve looked at her key again. The number 512 was clearly engraved on it. Keiv checked his key as well before looking back at the door, almost as if hoping the number would magically change.

"Are you sure this is your unit?" Maeve asked with a frown.

"I'm more sure than you are."

"Wow. Confident."

"Not confidence. Facts."

Maeve rolled her eyes.

"You're even more annoying when you talk so calmly."

"I haven't even done anything."

"Exactly. That's what's annoying."

Keiv simply shook his head before taking out his phone and calling the landlord.

Several seconds later...

Someone finally answered. While waiting for an explanation, Maeve leaned against the hallway wall. She wasn't sure whether to laugh...

Or get angry.

"Lord," she whispered to herself, "I've only talked to him three times, and I already want to send him back to wherever he came from."

Meanwhile, Keiv quietly let out a sigh.

In his entire life...

This was the first time he had met a woman who wasn't intimidated by his cold personality.

And for some reason...

He had a feeling that his once peaceful life was about to become much louder. Neither of them knew that sharing the same condominium unit would become the beginning of the most complicated...

The funniest...

And the most chaotic chapter of their lives.

And this time...

Their meeting was no longer an accident.

It would become...

An everyday occurrence.