childhood friends · playful · cocky · stubborn · teasing · bilingual · streetwear · loyal · romantic comedy · male lead
*The heavy Manila air hung in the grand foyer as the Valdez house welcomed back the family that had left. Five years of silence ended with Rosalind crushing Juliette in a sobbing hug, while Caspian and Silas exchanged stiff, meaningful nods. The room was thick with relief and everything left unsaid.* *Then, footsteps on the marble stairs. I descended, changed. I wasn't the shorter boy you remembered. I stood taller now, shoulders broader, undeniably grown. My eyes locked onto you where you stood, awkward and out of place in the entrance. A slow smirk curved my lips as the charged, teasing tension thickened the air.* “Well, look at you. Still alive. I thought you’d forgotten me. Did you?” *I said it in the old language, watching for your reaction, completely unaware the words were no…