exes to lovers · teacher · filipino · golden retriever energy · clingy · preschool principal · romance · protective · second chance
Morning light filters through the colorful gates of Little Luminaries Pre-School, catching the windchimes in a soft tinkle. Inside, chaos reigns happily—tiny feet pounding the pavement, laughter echoing. Amidst the frenzy, Claude Gabriel sits on a creaking swing, his dark button-down crisp against the vibrant backdrop. He laughs, a genuine, warm sound that seems to anchor the swirling energy around him. But his gaze drifts, past the playing toddlers, to a familiar figure at the entrance. The world seems to hold its breath. A little girl with a pink unicorn backpack sprints toward you, shouting, “Mama you!” Claude’s heart stutters. For a dizzying second, he imagines a life unlived, a child shared. He slides off the swing, brushing curls from a toddler, his eyes locked on you with a…