CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 5:

The birthday celebration ended the way most basketball gatherings usually did-too much food, too much laughter, and enough stories to keep the group chat alive for weeks.

Somewhere between the late-night karaoke, endless teasing, and the players arguing over who had the worst shooting form, I realized something that honestly caught me off guard.

The internet had Kenji Yuzo Morzal completely wrong.

Every TikTok edit painted him as this walking red flag-the quiet, intimidating varsity star who supposedly looked down on everyone because he barely smiled.

I used to believe it too.

But after spending an entire evening around him...

He wasn't like that at all.

He was reserved.

Calm.

Observant.

The type of person who only spoke when he actually had something worth saying, and somehow that made him even more difficult to figure out.

The next morning, Mom and Dad left before sunrise to beat the traffic back to Manila.

Meanwhile...

Elijah and I were practically dead to the world.

When I finally dragged myself downstairs close to ten in the morning, the dining room was unusually quiet. The only sound came from the television playing softly in the living room and the clinking of a coffee spoon against a mug.

Elijah looked absolutely miserable.

His hair was sticking up in every direction, a pair of sunglasses sat on his face despite us being indoors, and he was nursing a cup of black coffee like it was the only thing keeping him alive.

I couldn't help laughing. "Ano? Buhay ka pa?"

He slowly looked up at me."Barely." His voice sounded so hoarse it was almost funny."Bro... pakiramdam ko nahati utak ko."

I pulled out the chair across from him and sat down, already dressed and ready to leave while he still looked like he'd just crawled out of a battlefield.

"Sabi ko kasi sa'yo kagabi, 'wag kang magpakalasing." I crossed my arms, shaking my head. "Ang tigas ng ulo mo."

Elijah let out a dramatic groan before pinching the bridge of his nose."Eh lahat kasi umiinom tapos oach Ben pa mismo nag-aalok, anong magagawa ko?"

I raised an eyebrow."Tumanggi?"

He stared at me for a second.Then frowned."Ang supportive mo talaga bilang best friend."

I grinned."Oh, well, wala ka nang magagawa diyan.. deserve mo 'yang headache mo."

He pointed a finger at me without lifting his head."Napakasama mong tao."

"Thank you."

Right on cue, my phone vibrated against the dining table. I glanced down absentmindedly, expecting another family group chat notification.

Instead...

My thumb froze halfway to the screen.

Kenji_Yuzo started following you.

For a solid three seconds, I just stared.

Then blinked.

Once.

Twice.

Wait...

What?

"Anong meron?"Elijah's voice immediately cut through my thoughts.

Of course. Even with a hangover, his chismoso instincts never failed.

I quickly locked my screen before he could peek."Nothing."

He narrowed his eyes."Drae, ano 'yan?"

I casually reached for my iced water. "Si Kenji lang, he followed me on I*******m."

Silence.

Then Elijah nearly spat out his coffee.

"Wait."He sat up straighter."Legit?"

I shrugged, pretending it wasn't a big deal. "Mukhang oo, hindi naman siguro fake account."

He grabbed his own phone so quickly that he almost knocked over his mug.

A few seconds later...

His eyebrows shot up."Tangina, it's his real account."

I laughed."Grabe reaction mo."

"Reaction?"He looked at me like I'd just announced I'd won the lottery."Bro...Morzal barely follows anyone."

He turned the screen toward me.

"One hundred lang following niya."

"Tatlong milyon yata followers niya tapos One hundred lang fina-follow niya."

I looked away with an exaggerated shrug.

"Oa mo, nakakainis edi Congrats sa kaniya."

Elijah let out a dramatic scoff."Huwag ka ngang umarte..Curious ka rin."

I wasn't.

...

Okay.

Maybe...

Just a little.

But there was no way I was giving Elijah the satisfaction of knowing that.

I picked up my tote bag from the chair beside me and casually slipped my phone inside."I honestly don't care..Good for him."

Elijah gave me the most judgmental look imaginable. "You're such a bad liar."

I simply smiled. "Thanks."

Just as I stood up to check if my luggage was already loaded into the car...

My phone buzzed again inside my bag.

Once.

Then twice.

A new notification quietly appeared across my lock screen.

kenjiyozu: Safe trip back to Manila.

A second notification arrived almost immediately.

kenjiyozu: Don't block me yet.

I stopped walking.

For the briefest second, the corner of my lips betrayed me.

A tiny smile.

Barely noticeable.But definitely there...Unfortunately...Elijah noticed everything.

He slowly lowered his coffee mug and look at me, then I looked at my bag.

Then back at me again.

A slow, suspicious grin spread across his face.

"Drae."

I didn't even bother turning around."No."

"You haven't even asked yet."

"And the answer's still no."

Behind me, Elijah burst into laughter."Tangina, may nags-smile nang mag-isa."

Without looking back, I simply adjusted my tote bag over my shoulder and walked toward the staircase.

"Finish your coffee, we'll leave at ten at kung hindi ka pa ready..."I glanced over my shoulder with an innocent smile."Iiwan talaga kita rito sa Pampanga."

Elijah gasped dramatically."Audrae Brie Zamora!Best friend mo 'ko!"

I laughed all the way upstairs.

Maybe the drive back to Manila wouldn't be as boring as I thought.

Especially now that a certain basketball player had somehow found his way into my I*******m notifications.

I walked back into my room, closed the door behind me, and let out a quiet breath I didn't realize I'd been holding.

The morning sun streamed through the curtains, casting warm streaks of light across the floor. My half-packed duffel bag sat neatly beside the bed, ready for the drive back to Manila.

I reached into my tote bag and pulled out my phone.

The notifications were still there.

Kenji_Yuzo started following you.

Below it-

I couldn't help letting out a small laugh.

"Ang kapal..." I muttered to myself, shaking my head.

We had exchanged exactly one proper conversation yesterday.

One.

And somehow he was already talking like we'd known each other for months.

I opened I*******m again, his profile immediately appeared.The same candid profile picture.

Black shirt.

Backwards cap.

Looking away from the camera.

Simple.

Very... him.

I glanced at the blue Follow Back button.

My thumb hovered over it. Should I?

If I didn't follow him back, people would probably think I was making an issue out of something so harmless.

If I did, the internet would lose its mind.

I sighed. "They're going to overthink it either way."

Might as well save myself the headache.

I tapped the button.

Follow Back.

The blue instantly turned gray.

Mutuals.

"There." One less thing to overthink.Or so I thought.

Barely three seconds passed before another notification slid onto my screen.

kenjiyozu is typing...

I blinked. "Ha?"

Then-

kenjiyozu: That was fast.

I stared at the message.

Was this guy...Waiting?

I narrowed my eyes before typing a reply.

audrae: Wow. Were you staring at your phone or something?

Sent.

Not even five seconds later-

kenjiyozu: Maybe.

I scoffed.

audrae: Ang creepy mo naman.

Three dots appeared again.

Then disappeared.

Then appeared once more.

Finally-

kenjiyozu: I prefer observant.

A smile escaped before I could stop it.

"Grabe talaga..."

Before I could think of another reply, my bedroom door suddenly swung open.

Elijah walked in carrying his sunglasses in one hand while trying to fix his still-messy hair with the other.

"Bro."He looked at me suspiciously."Kanina ka pa tahimik."

Without thinking, I immediately locked my phone.

Too late.

He noticed, his eyes narrowed.

Then slowly widened.

A dramatic gasp escaped him."WAIT."He pointed at me."Nagcha-chat kayo?"

I blinked innocently."Who?"

"Huwag mo 'kong ginaganyan."He marched toward my bed.

"Morzal ba?"I calmly tossed my phone onto my pillow.Face down."Privacy."

Elijah clutched his chest like I'd just stabbed him. "Privacy raw, best friend mo ako.

Wala na bang transparency sa friendship na 'to?"

I laughed."Meron...Pero hindi para sa'yo."

He clicked his tongue dramatically."Ang damot mo."

I stood up and zipped my duffel bag shut.

"Ready ka na ba?"

Instead of answering...

Elijah folded his arms, he was staring at me.

"Ano?"I finally asked.

A slow grin spread across his face."Ngumingiti ka."

I frowned."Hindi ah."

"Oo."

"Ngumingiti ka."

"Hindi."

"Oo."

"Elijah."

"Audrae."

I grabbed the nearest pillow and threw it straight at his face.

He caught it effortlessly.

Then burst into laughter.

"Sige na nga, hindi ka ngumingiti."He paused dramatically."...Kinikilig ka lang."

"ELIJAH!"

He bolted out of the room before I could hit him with another pillow.

His loud laughter echoed all the way down the hallway.

Twenty minutes later...

Our luggage was loaded into the trunk.

The late-morning heat had already settled over Pampanga, making the pavement shimmer beneath the sunlight.

I tossed Elijah the car keys.

He caught them with one hand.

"Halfway driving?" he asked.

I nodded. "You drive first, kapag sumakit ulit ulo mo, palit tayo."

He gave me a lazy salute. "Aye, Captain."

We climbed into the car almost simultaneously.

As soon as I buckled my seatbelt, my phone buzzed once more.

I glanced down.

kenjiyozu: Drive safely.

...

I looked at the message for a second.

Then typed back.

audrae: Trying to.

A few moments later-

kenjiyozu: Good.

See you around campus.

Short, simple. No unnecessary flirting.

Just...

Unexpectedly thoughtful.I locked my phone and slipped it back into my bag.Outside the windshield, the subdivision gates slowly opened.

Elijah started the engine.

"Ready?" he asked.

I looked ahead as the familiar roads leading back to Manila stretched before us.

A quiet smile tugged at the corner of my lips.

"Yeah."

"Let's go home."

The engine hummed to life.

Neither of us noticed that somewhere in Manila...

Thousands of basketball fans had already started posting screenshots of one very specific update.

@audraebrie followed @kenjiyozu.

And the internet...

Was about to lose its mind.

The drive back to Manila was unusually peaceful.Maybe because Elijah was too hungover to start his usual nonsense. Or maybe because the expressway stretched endlessly ahead of us, making everything feel quieter than it actually was.

About an hour into the trip, Elijah shifted in the driver's seat before letting out a dramatic groan.

"Bro..."

I looked up from my phone."Hmm?"

"Pakiramdam ko namamatay na naman ako."

I laughed."Akala ko ba gumagaling ka na?"

He slowly shook his head."Temporary lang pala 'yun."

"Congratulations."I reached over and lightly patted his shoulder."Deserve mo ulit."

"Napaka-supportive mo talaga."

He sighed dramatically."Best friend ba talaga kita?"

"Depende...Sa behavior mo."

He clicked his tongue before turning the music up slightly.

For the next hour, the only sounds inside the car were the soft hum of the engine and our playlist playing quietly in the background.

It was... nice.

Comfortable.

The kind of silence that only existed between people who didn't need to force conversations.

My phone vibrated.

Then again.

And again.

I frowned.

"Ang ingay..."

Curious, I unlocked the screen.

My notifications exploded almost instantly.

TikTok (99+)

I*******m (99+)

X (57)

I blinked.

"Ano'ng nangyari?"

I tapped I*******m first.

My mentions were flooded.

Every other notification looked exactly the same.

@username mentioned you in a story.

@username tagged you in a post.

@username sent you a reel.

I opened one.

It was a screenshot a very zoomed-in screenshot of my following list, specifically the part where Kenji Yuzo Morzal appeared.

Below it...

The caption read:

"SHE FOLLOWED HIM BACK 😭😭😭"

I immediately exited.

Then opened TikTok.

Big mistake.

The first video on my For You Page was already an edit.Soft indie music played in the background while screenshots of our profiles faded in and out.

"FROM STRANGERS TO MUTUALS???"

I groaned."Seriously?"

Swipe.

Another edit.

Swipe.

Another one.

Swipe.

Someone had already made a fake wedding invitation.

I physically recoiled.

"Grabe"I buried my face in one hand."May oras ba talaga sila?"

Beside me, Elijah glanced over briefly while keeping his eyes on the road.

"Ano?"

Without saying a word, I held my phone toward him.

He looked.

Paused.

Then burst into laughter.

A full, uncontrollable laugh.

"TANGINA!

ANG BIBILIS!"

He laughed so hard he had to wipe the corner of his eye.

"Bro, may wedding invitation na agad?"

I sighed. "Exactly my point."

He shook his head, still laughing."The internet needs hobbies."

"Or therapy."I corrected it.

"Both."He nodded immediately."Actually, it's cute that they spend time you should be thankful"

"Oo nga, it's cute but i hope they know boundaries"

A few minutes later, we stopped at a gasoline station so Elijah could stretch his legs.I stayed inside the car, enjoying the air-conditioning while scrolling through my phone again.

Mistake number two.

A sports page had already uploaded another post.

Kenji Yuzo Morzal follows SDU Women's Basketball Captain Audrae Brie Zamora on I*******m. Fans speculate the two athletes have become friends after Coach Ben's birthday celebration.

The comment section was even worse.

"I KNEW IT."

"Basketball power couple loading."

"They're endgame."

"Manifesting."

I rubbed my temples. "We're literally just mutuals..."

Someone knocked lightly on my window.

I looked up.

Elijah was standing outside holding two iced coffees.

I rolled the window down, he handed me one."Peace offering."

I accepted it with a smile."Salamat."

He leaned against the door. "Still reading comments?"

I lifted the cup slightly. "Trying not to."

He chuckled."Rule number one of being internet famous...Never read the comments."

I raised an eyebrow."Since when did you become wise?"

He grinned."Five minutes ago."

Another two hours later, the familiar streets of Quezon City finally came into view.

"Home sweet home," Elijah sighed dramatically.

The second I parked inside our driveway, the heat immediately wrapped around us.

I stepped out of the car, stretching my stiff back.

"Finally."

Elijah grabbed his duffel bag from the trunk. "I'm showering first, bahala ka na sa gamit mo."

"Wow."I looked at him."Very gentleman."

He shrugged."Hangover first...Chivalry later."

I laughed, shaking my head as we carried our things inside.

The house felt unusually quiet.

Our kasambahay wasn't around for the weekend, and Mom and Dad had gone straight to another meeting after leaving Pampanga earlier that morning.

For the first time in days...

It was just the two of us again.

Peaceful.

Simple.

Normal.

The moment I dropped my duffel bag beside my bed, I let myself fall backward onto the mattress.The familiar scent of freshly washed sheets instantly wrapped around me.

"Finally..." I sighed, stretching my sore shoulders.

No more five-hour drive, no more traffic. No more relatives asking if Elijah was my boyfriend.

Just...Peace.

At least, that was the plan.My phone vibrated on the bedside table.I reached for it absentmindedly.

kenjiyozu

I stared at his name for a second before opening the message.

kenjiyozu: Made it back?

Simple.

No emojis, no unnecessary flirting.

Just a question.

For some reason that made me smile more than it should have.

I typed a quick reply.

audrae: Just got home.

Three dots immediately appeared.Was he seriously online every time I replied?

A few seconds later-

kenjiyozu: Good.

Another message came in almost instantly.

kenjiyozu: Traffic?

I chuckled softly.

audrae: Five hours.

audrae: I almost left Elijah on the expressway.

His reply came faster this time.

kenjiyozu: Can't blame you.

kenjiyozu: He's loud.

A laugh escaped my lips.

audrae: Don't let him hear you say that.

kenjiyozu: Too late.

kenjiyozu: He already knows.

I shook my head.

"Baliw" I whispered.

Before I could think of another reply a loud knock echoed from downstairs.

"AUDRAE!"

Elijah.

Of course."ANO?!" I shouted back.

"LUTO AKO!"

I frowned."Marunong ka pala?"

"Hindi, pero malalaman natin."

I pinched the bridge of my nose."Jesus Christ..."

I quickly typed one last message.

audrae: Duty calls.

His reply arrived before I even reached the bedroom door.

kenjiyozu: Good luck.

Then another.

kenjiyozu: Pray for the kitchen.

I laughed.

Actually I laughed Out loud.

When I got downstairs...The kitchen looked exactly like I expected.

A disaster.

Elijah stood in front of the stove wearing one of Mom's aprons.

There were eggshells everywhere.

Rice grains on the counter.

A spatula somehow sitting inside the sink.

I blinked.

"Anong nangyari rito?"

He looked at me with complete confidence."Cooking."

I looked around again."Mukhang crime scene."

"Trust the process."

"I don't."

He placed two plates on the dining table with a proud smile.

"Chef Wayne presents."

He dramatically lifted the lid. "Sinangag."

Another flourish. "Hotdog."

I stared at him then at the food, then back at him. "Ito lang?"

He nodded proudly. "Classic Filipino cuisine."

I burst into laughter. "Napaka-arte mo."

He pointed the spatula at me."Gourmet 'to..Tikman mo muna."

I pulled out a chair."Sige nga."

To my surprise, it actually wasn't bad.

I looked up."Okay, hindi siya lasang sunog."

Elijah placed one hand dramatically over his heart. "The respect."

I rolled my eyes."Huwag kang masanay."

While we ate...

Elijah suddenly reached for his phone.

I immediately recognized that look.

My eyes narrowed. "Huwag."

He looked up innocently. "Ano?"

"Huwag kang mag-live."

I warned him.

He grinned.

I*******m opened.

Then-LIVE

I sighed. "You seriously have a problem."

He laughed."Content creator ako, bro."

Within seconds, the viewers poured in.

Thousands.

Then thousands more.

"What's up, guys!" Elijah greeted, propping his phone against the water pitcher so both of us fit comfortably in the frame.

"Guess who's finally back from Pampanga?"

He tilted the camera toward me.

I looked up just long enough to wave. "Hi."

The comments immediately exploded.

AUDRAEEEE!!

WELCOME BACK!!

WHERE'S MATT?

ASK HER ABOUT KENJI!!

I groaned."Ayan na naman sila."

Elijah laughed while reading the comments."Guys, relax kakauwi lang namin."

He pointed his fork toward me. "Pagod pa 'yan."

I quietly continued eating.

Pretending not to notice the endless stream of comments.

Unfortunately Elijah noticed everything i mean he always does.

He smirked."Bro"

He leaned closer to the camera. "Yes, nag-followan sila."

My head snapped toward him."ELIJAH."

He burst into laughter."Ano?"

"Public information na 'yon!" She said.

The comment section instantly accelerated.

OMG HE ADMITTED IT

KENJI WHEN??

INVITE MORZAL

WE NEED HIM HERE

I buried my face in one hand."I regret coming downstairs."

Elijah looked way too entertained and somehow i had a terrible feeling-

The internet wasn't done with me yet, the comments were moving so fast they were almost impossible to read.

"Guys, relax!" Elijah laughed, trying to keep up. "One at a time naman, parang ang jejemon naman keyboard warrior?"

He squinted at the screen, scrolling through the flood of messages.

" 'Where's Matt?' Nasa China pa rin si Captain. Family vacation, remember?"

Another wave of comments came in.

"No, guys. Hindi kami nag-away."

"Guys, it's okay to ship them but don't forget to respect the boundaries.."

" Yeah, Kenji is nice na meet namin siya sa party ni coach Ben... oo tito ni Audrae yon"

I quietly continued eating, choosing to stay out of the conversation.

Big mistake.

Because the moment Elijah shifted the camera slightly toward me-

The chat completely changed.

ASK AUDRAE ABOUT KENJI!!

DID HE REALLY MESSAGE YOU??

IS HE NICE IN PERSON??

YOU FOLLOWED HIM BACK!!

I nearly choked on my rice.

"Grabe naman kayo..." I muttered, reaching for my water.

Elijah laughed so hard he almost dropped his fork."Guys, parang mas interesado pa kayo kaysa sa kanila."

I shook my head."Seriously"

I finally looked at the camera."He's transferring to SDU...Of course we're going to follow each other eventually, please don't overthink everything."

The comments slowed...

For about two seconds.

Then-

SO YOU'RE FRIENDS??

YOU SAID HIS NAME!!

SHE'S SMILING!!

I blinked."Ano?"

Elijah leaned closer to the screen before bursting into laughter."Bro...They're analyzing your facial expressions now."

I covered my face with one hand."This is exactly why I don't go live, I find it cute all the edits and I appreciate all the effort but please.. Respect"

Elijah was still laughing when another notification suddenly appeared across the bottom of the screen.

He stopped talking.

His eyebrows slowly lifted. "Uy."

I looked up."Ano?"

He stared at the notification.

Then looked at me, then back at the screen.

A grin slowly spread across his face.

"Well..."He scratched the back of his neck dramatically."This is unexpected."

I frowned."What?"

Without answering, he simply turned the phone toward me, at the bottom of the screen...

One notification glowed brighter than the rest.

kenjiyozu is requesting to join your Live.

My eyes widened."No."

Elijah looked far too amused."Yes."

I immediately kicked his leg under the table.

"Don't you dare."

He laughed."Bro, they're literally asking for him."

I kicked him again.Harder."Elijah..Don't."

He dramatically looked between me and the screen.

"Hmm."

The comments exploded.

ACCEPT IT!!

PLEASE WAYNE!!

LET HIM IN!!

THIS IS HISTORY!!

I pointed a warning finger at him."I swear...If you press that-"

He looked at the camera.

Then at me, then smiled innocently.

"Oops."

Tap.

The request was accepted.

For a brief second...

The screen went black, the viewer count climbed.

Ten thousand.

Twelve thousand.

Fifteen thousand.

Comments flew by so fast they blurred together.

Then-The screen split into two.The bottom half slowly loaded.A dim bedroom came into view.

Gray walls.

A warm bedside lamp, a gaming chair tucked into the corner.

Kenji appeared a second later.

His hair was still slightly damp, falling naturally over his forehead.

He wore a simple black tank top, one arm resting behind his head as he lazily held his phone above him.

He looked like he'd just finished showering, his camera quality was annoyingly good.

He blinked once before looking directly into the screen, a slow grin tugged at the corner of his mouth.

"What's up, Wayne?"

His voice came through calm and slightly husky.

Elijah laughed."Bro, timing mo ah."

Kenji shrugged."Bored..Kakabukas ko lang ng I*******m."

His eyes wandered across the screen.

Then...

Stopped.

On me.

There it was again, that calm expression.

That unreadable gaze, like he wasn't trying to impress anyone.

He simply looked...Interested.A small smile appeared on his face.

"Hi."

I blinked. "...Hi."

The comment section completely lost its mind.

HE LOOKED FOR HER FIRST!!

OMGGGGG

I'M SCREAMING

THE EYE CONTACT???

BLUE HEARTS FOR KENDRAE💙

💙💙💙

I quickly looked away from the phone.

Pretending to focus on my food.

Which wasn't working, not even a little.

Elijah looked between us before smirking."Bro, akala ko ba ako kausap mo?"

Kenji chuckled quietly."Ikaw naman talaga."

A beat.

Then-

"Binati ko lang siya."

I let out the smallest sigh imaginable.

This guy...

Was way too calm for someone unintentionally causing internet chaos.

The comment section was moving so fast that it was practically unreadable.The viewer count had nearly doubled since Kenji joined.

I could already imagine hundreds of people screen-recording the livestream.

Great.

Exactly what I didn't need.

Elijah leaned back in his chair, pointing his fork toward the screen.

"So... kumusta, Morzal?"

Kenji adjusted the angle of his phone slightly before answering.

"Ayos lang..Kayo? Kakauwi niyo lang?"

"Five hours sa traffic," Elijah groaned dramatically. "Feeling ko isang buong buhay ang lumipas."

A quiet laugh escaped Kenji. "Deserve."

"Coach Ben's birthday," Elijah replied, shrugging. "Mandatory attendance."

Kenji nodded in understanding."Fair enough."

His gaze drifted toward my side of the screen again.

Not obvious.

Just... natural.

"Napagod ka?" he asked.

I looked up from my plate.

"A little, the traffic was worse than the trip itself."

"I figured," he said with a small nod. "You looked exhausted yesterday, too."

I blinked. "You noticed?"

He gave a small shrug. "Kind of hard not to."Heat crept up my cheeks.

Before I could answer-

Elijah dramatically inserted himself into the conversation.

"Excuse me?"He pointed at himself."Ako rin pagod...Wala man lang concern?"

Kenji didn't even hesitate."You'll survive."

I laughed.

Actual laughed.

Elijah clutched his chest dramatically."Grabe, ganito pala trato mo sa magiging teammate mo."

Kenji's lips curved into a small smile."Sensitive ka naman."

The chat absolutely exploded.

HE REMEMBERED SHE WAS TIRED 😭

THEY'RE SO CUTE

WAYNE THIRD WHEEL CONFIRMED

POV: YOU'RE WATCHING A ROMCOM

I immediately covered my face. "Guys, please."

Elijah, on the other hand, looked like he was having the time of his life.

"Bro."

He pointed toward the comments.

"They're making edits already."

Kenji looked amused."That fast?"

"You have no idea," I sighed.

"They're scary cute."He chuckled quietly.

"I've noticed."

Trying to change the topic, Elijah reached for another hotdog.

"Anyway, how's the transfer?"

Kenji leaned back against his headboard.

"Busy."

"Paperwork."

"Meetings."

"Medical."

"The usual."

"Excited?" Elijah asked.

Kenji thought for a moment before nodding once.

"Yeah."

"New environment, new teammates."

Then...

Without looking away from the screen-

"New people."

For some reason...His eyes settled on me again.

Only for a second.But long enough for me to notice.

I quickly took another sip of my drink.

Pretending I hadn't.

Elijah's eyes darted between us.Then a grin slowly spread across his face.

Oh no.

I knew that grin.

"Bro..."

He leaned toward his phone."Random question."

I immediately spoke."Don't."

He ignored me."Since lilipat ka na sa SDU.....who are you most excited to play with?"

I closed my eyes.

This idiot.

Kenji laughed softly. "You're trying to start something."

"Maybe." Elijah admitted shamelessly.

Kenji pretended to think.

He rubbed his chin dramatically.

"Hmm...Matt."

Elijah nodded."Reasonable, solid answer."

A beat passed.

Then Kenji added casually-"And Coach Cath's daughter."

Silence.

Complete silence.

I slowly looked up. "Excuse me?"

He met my eyes through the screen.

There wasn't even the slightest hint of embarrassment on his face.

"You play well."He said it so simply.Like it was the most normal compliment in the world."I watched your games."

I felt my ears getting warm.

"Thank you..." I managed quietly.

Elijah looked between us.

Then dramatically slapped the table.

"AYAN NA!"

"MAY RESIBO NA!"

I immediately kicked his shin under the table.

"Aray!"He laughed anyway.

The comments completely exploded.

HE WATCHED HER GAMES???

CLIP THAT!!

BRO IS SMOOTH WITHOUT TRYING

AUDRAE IS BLUSHING

I CAN'T BREATHE

I buried my face in both hands."I'm deleting I*******m."

Kenji laughed quietly.

The soft sound carried through the speakers."Too late."

I peeked at him between my fingers.

"You're enjoying this."

His smile widened ever so slightly. "A little."

I groaned."You're impossible."

"I've heard that before."

And somehow, that only made Elijah laugh harder.

The comment section had become completely unreadable.Every second, thousands of new messages flooded the screen.

HE WATCHED HER GAMES.

HE SAID COACH CATH'S DAUGHTER.

THE CHEMISTRY IS INSANE.

I'M SCREEN RECORDING THIS.

SOMEONE SAVE AUDRAE.

I let out a defeated sigh, dropping my forehead onto the table."I'm never showing my face on the internet again."

Elijah laughed so hard he nearly knocked over his glass."Bro, your social battery is officially gone."

"It died five minutes ago." I mumbled.

Across the split screen, Kenji rested one arm on his pillow, clearly amused by the chaos unfolding.

"You okay?" he asked.

I slowly lifted my head."No."

His smile grew just a little."You'll survive."

I pointed a finger at the screen to Kenji."This is your fault."

He raised an eyebrow."Mine?"

"You joined the live." I said.

A quiet chuckle escaped him."Wayne accepted it."

Immediately, Elijah threw both hands into the air."Hoy!Huwag mo 'kong isama diyan!"

I stared at him."Seriously?"

He grinned shamelessly."Content, bro."

I grabbed the nearest tissue and threw it straight at him.It bounced off his forehead.

He laughed even harder, trying to regain control of the livestream, Elijah cleared his throat dramatically.

"Okay, serious question."

Kenji looked at him."Go."

"Ready ka na ba sa SDU?" Elijah asked.

Kenji nodded once."As ready as I'll ever be."

"Pressure?" Elijah shrugged.

"There's always pressure." Kenji said. "Different jersey...Different expectations...Same goal."

His answer was calm.

Confident.Not arrogant.Just certain.

Elijah nodded in approval."Respect the fans are excited."

Kenji glanced at the comments scrolling across his screen before letting out a quiet laugh.

"I noticed, maybe a little too excited."

That earned a laugh from all three of us.

A comment caught Elijah's attention.He leaned closer to his phone."'Who's stronger? Kenji or Audrae?'"

Kenji immediately burst out laughing."Ano ba 'yan?"

I rolled my eyes."Magkaibang league kami."

Kenji nodded in agreement."Exactly...You can't compare us."

Kenji looked at the camera."She's one of the best players in the women's division."

For a second...I forgot thousands of people were watching.Because that compliment sounded genuine.

Not for content, not for the viewers.

Just... honest.

I smiled awkwardly."Thanks."

Kenji simply nodded."You earned it."

Elijah dramatically placed a hand over his heart."Grabe, napaka-wholesome niyo."

Kenji looked at the comments."Guys, wala kayong mapapala rito...Basketball appreciation lang 'to."

The chat immediately disagreed.

LIAR.

WE SEE THE TENSION.

WAYNE THIRD WHEEL.

THEY'RE FLIRTING.

I buried my face in my hands again."Please, nakakahiya."

Kenji laughed quietly."They're just having fun."

I peeked at him."Easy for you to say you're not the one getting edited every five minutes."

Kenji just smirked."Fair point."

Elijah glanced at the time.His phone battery flashed red.

5% Remaining.

He sighed dramatically."Alright, guys, before this phone dies on me..."

He pointed toward the screen."We're ending the live."

The comments instantly protested.

NOOOOOOO.

ONE MORE MINUTE.

DON'T END IT.

Kenji laughed."Listen to your captain."

Then he looked at me."Eat your lunch."

I blinked. "I was trying to...Wayne wouldn't stop talking."

Elijah gasped dramatically. "Ako na naman?"

Kenji shrugged innocently."Facts."

I couldn't stop myself.

I laughed.

A genuine one.

The kind that slipped out before I could hold it back.

Kenji noticed. His expression softened almost imperceptibly.Just for a moment.

Then it was gone.

"Alright," Elijah said, lifting his phone."Thanks for joining, bro."

Kenji gave a small nod."See you in a few days."

"See you," Elijah replied.

Then Kenji looked toward my side of the screen one last time."Bye, Audrae."

I gave a small wave."Bye."

With one last lazy two-finger salute...His screen disappeared.The livestream returned to a single frame.

Without wasting another second, Elijah ended it.

The room suddenly felt...

Quiet.

Too quiet.

I slowly looked up from my plate.

Then toward Elijah.

He was already staring at me with the most annoying grin imaginable.

I narrowed my eyes."Don't."

He didn't even try to hide it."Bro..."

He started laughing."You're cooked."

I grabbed another tissue."Elijah Wayne Quinto... I'm giving you exactly three seconds to run."

He shot up from his chair, laughing as he bolted toward the living room.

"HELP!"

"THE CAT'S ATTACKING!"

I chased after him without thinking, still clutching the crumpled tissue in my hand.

Our laughter echoed throughout the entire house.

Completely unaware...

That somewhere in Pampanga-Kenji had just exited the livestream with the faintest smile still lingering on his face.

Elijah barely made it three steps into the living room before I threw the crumpled tissue at him.

It bounced harmlessly off his shoulder.

He cackled."Bro! That's assault!"

"Come back here!" I laughed, pointing at him.

He darted behind the couch, using it as a shield."Violence isn't the answer, Captain!"

"Neither is accepting random people into your live!"

"Random?" Elijah gasped dramatically. "That guy's literally going to be our teammate next week!"

I folded my arms."You still could've warned me."

He peeked over the backrest with an unapologetic grin."If I warned you....you would've said no."

I stared at him."Exactly."

He laughed again."See?Content."

I rolled my eyes so hard it almost hurt."Everything is content for you."

"Occupational hazard."

He shrugged before walking back toward the dining table.The house gradually settled into its usual quiet rhythm.

The adrenaline from the livestream slowly faded, leaving behind nothing but the hum of the air conditioner and the clinking of utensils as we finally finished eating.

After lunch, Elijah gathered the empty plates.

I blinked."Ikaw maghuhugas?"

He looked offended."Ano tingin mo sa'kin?"

I raised an eyebrow."Tamad."

He clicked his tongue."Grabe naman."

He carried the dishes to the sink anyway.

To my surprise, he actually washed them.

Properly.

I leaned against the kitchen counter, watching him."I'm impressed."

Without looking back, he replied,"Coach Cath raised me well."

A laugh escaped me."Mom's going to be proud."

"Exactly."

He rinsed the last plate before drying his hands on a kitchen towel.

"I refuse to disappoint my second mother."

That made me smile.As annoying as Elijah was...

Mom really had become family to him.And somehow...He had become family to us, too.

The afternoon drifted by lazily.Elijah disappeared upstairs to sleep off the last of his hangover.The second his bedroom door closed...

The house fell silent.

I carried my iced coffee into the living room, curled up on the couch, and instinctively opened TikTok.

Big mistake.

Again.

The first video on my For You Page-Our livestream.Someone had already clipped the exact moment Kenji said:

"You play well."

Over slow piano music.

I immediately scrolled.

The next video.

Another edit.

This time...

It was the moment he greeted me first.

"Hi."

The comments were ruthless.

HE LOOKED FOR HER FIRST.

THE WAY HIS VOICE SOFTENED??

I'M INVESTED.

I sighed dramatically."They're unbelievable."

Swipe.

Another edit.

This one zoomed in on my face when he complimented my game.

The caption read- "SHE STOPPED BREATHING 😭"

I threw my phone onto the couch.

"Excuse me?"I picked it back up.

Scrolled.

Another one.

Someone had slowed down the clip of us saying goodbye.With romantic background music.

I stared blankly at the screen.

"It's been one day."

One.

Single.

Day.

Just as I was contemplating deleting every social media app on my phone-

A notification appeared.

I*******m

My heart skipped before I even looked.Why am I reacting like this? I unlocked my phone.

It wasn't a DM, it was simply...

A like.

Kenji had liked the story I'd posted earlier-A photo of the sunset from the expressway during our drive home.

Nothing else.

No message, no caption.

Just a like.

I stared at the screen for a few seconds before quietly locking my phone again.

"Ang random."

And yet...I caught myself smiling.

I immediately shook my head."Ano ba naman, Audrae."

I leaned back against the couch cushions.

Outside, the late afternoon sunlight filtered through the windows, painting warm streaks across the living room floor.

For the first time all day...Everything felt peaceful again.Little did I know...

Downstairs, peace only lasted until Elijah woke up.Because the moment he came down-He was already setting up his gaming laptop.

And somewhere in Pampanga...One certain varsity player had already sent him a Discord invite.

By four in the afternoon, the Manila heat had become unbearable.

After taking a long shower, I changed into a pair of loose lounge shorts and a gray cropped tank top before tying my hair into a messy bun.

The moment I stepped downstairs with a glass of iced coffee in hand, the familiar sound of rapid keyboard clicks echoed through the house.

Elijah had already transformed the living room into his gaming station.

His laptop sat open on the coffee table, headset hanging around his neck, while colorful LED lights reflected off the screen.

Without looking away from his monitor, he called out,

"Yo, Aud!

Order tayo ng pagkain?"

I leaned against the kitchen island."Who's coming?"

His fingers continued dancing across the keyboard.

"Aaron."

"Oh, sure.. Car mo gamitin natin?" Tanong ni Audrae.

"Sure, I'll drive." Elijah said.

Audrae just smile, Elijah is like that kapag gusto niya siya talaga ang nag ooffer but sometimes he's irritating but Audrae is thankful to have him always.