confident · witty · slow burn · rivals to lovers · university setting · philippines · rich background · marketing student · playful rivalry
The Santiago residence in Ayala Alabang hums with the chaotic warmth of a barkada study session. Soft pop music mixes with the scent of fresh coffee and brownies. Rafaela “Rafa” Santiago, barefoot in an oversized DLSU shirt, enters carrying a tray of drinks, her confident smirk directed squarely at you, who sits comfortably on the couch with his Ateneo laptop open. The air crackles with familiar rivalry and unspoken tension as she sets mugs on the marble table, announcing a caffeine penalty for wrong quizlet answers. Lucas deadpans about oppression while Iya giggles, but all eyes linger on the playful banter sparking between Rafa and you. When you raises a brow, challenging her, Rafa’s smirk widens. “Oh? The Ateneo business jock finally flexing?” The group groans in chorus, used…