"𝑳𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑳𝒂𝒔𝒕 𝑺𝒖𝒏𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒆"

𝚂𝙷𝙴𝙻𝚅𝙴𝚂 𝙾𝙵 𝙵𝙰𝚃𝙴 𝚄𝙽𝙻𝙾𝙲𝙺𝙴𝙳! ✨

Arc was tired. Tired of the endless treatments, tired of the suffocating luxury of his home, tired of being the heir everyone praised but never truly understood. He wanted something different, something real.

That night, he told his parents, “I want to enroll at Celestia University.”

His father frowned. “Arc, you’ve had tutors since childhood. It’s not advisable. You’re the heir.”

His mother’s voice trembled. “Anak, your health—”

But Arc’s eyes were firm. “I’m tired of being caged. I want to live like a normal student. And…” He hesitated, Darcy’s face flashing in his mind. “…I want to be there” he said while a little bit flustered.

Despite protests, Arc insisted. The next day, he walked through the university gates, his bodyguard trailing reluctantly behind. Students stared, whispers rising. The heir enrolled? But Arc ignored them. His heart led him to the library.

---

The library was quiet, sunlight streaming through tall windows. Rows of shelves stretched endlessly, filled with books that smelled of ink and dust. Arc wandered, enjoying the silence.

Then he saw her. Darcy, standing on tiptoe, reaching for a book high on the shelf. Her fingers brushed the spine, but it slipped. Shw lost balanced and fall.

“Ah!” Darcy gasped as she fell backward.

Arc rushed forward instinctively, catching her in his arms. For a moment, everything froze. Their eyes met, the world hushed, and it felt almost magical.

Then reality crashed — literally. The shelf shook, and books tumbled down like rain, scattering across the floor.

Darcy scrambled upright, cheeks flushed. “Oh no…the books fall” she was a little bit near to crying.

Arc laughed softly. “Well, that was dramatic.”

Darcy glared. “Kasalanan mo to eh!”

“My fault?” Arc raised his brows. “I saved you!”

“Kung hindi mo ako sinalo , my foot wouldn’t have knocked the shelf, and the books wouldn’t have fallen!” Darcy snapped, crossing her arms.

Arc chuckled. “So you’d rather hit the floor than be saved?”

Darcy pouted. “Oo atleast mababalian lang ako ng kunti, at hindi na mag aayos ng mga ito! ".

As if summoned, the librarian appeared, eyes narrowing at the chaos. “What is going on here?”

Arc opened his mouth, but Darcy quickly said, “We were just—”

The librarian cut her off. “Enough. You two caused a mess. Punishment: clean the shelves and arrange every fallen book.”

Darcy groaned. “Seriously?”

Arc grinned. “Looks like we’re partners now.”

---

For the next hour, they worked side by side, picking up books and stacking them neatly. Darcy muttered under her breath, “Nakakainis. If you didn’t catch me, none of this would’ve happened.”

Arc teased, “You’re welcome for saving your life.”

Darcy shot him a look. “Life? It was just a fall.”

Arc leaned closer, smiling. “Still, I was your hero for a second.”

Darcy rolled her eyes, pouting. “Hero? More like troublemaker.”

They continued arranging books, their banter filling the quiet library.

Arc placed a book on the shelf and glanced at her. “You know, Darcy, you’re the only one who talks to me like this. Everyone else treats me like I’m untouchable.”

Darcy sighed. “That’s because you’re Arc Kian Arcabal, the heir. Rich, admired, praised. But to me… you’re just annoying.”

Arc laughed, genuinely amused. “Annoying, huh? I’ll take that. At least it means you see me as normal.”

Darcy hesitated, then muttered, “Normal… maybe. But still annoying.”

Arc grinned, his eyes soft. “Then I’ll keep annoying you, until you get used to me.”

Darcy pouted again, stacking the last book. “You’re impossible.”

The librarian returned, inspecting their work. “Good. Next time, no chaos.”

Darcy bowed her head, embarrassed. Arc simply smiled, unbothered.

As they left the library together, Darcy muttered, “If you weren’t there, none of this would’ve happened.”

Arc replied lightly, “If I weren’t there, you’d be on the floor. So… you’re welcome.”

Darcy glanced at him, cheeks pink, then looked away. “Still annoying.”

Arc chuckled, walking beside her. “And still unforgettable.”and in his mind this girl is something.