Chapter 1
Mabigat ang hangin sa terminal that night. Yung tipong parang may nakaabang na hindi mo alam kung good or bad. Si Alina, naka-backpack lang, fresh from a small argument with her mom, stood quietly habang naghihintay ng bus pa-Manila.
She just wanted a break. A breather. A reset.
Habang naka-upo siya, biglang may umupo sa tabi—tall guy, black hoodie, may hawak na notebook na puno ng doodles. Hindi niya makita yung mukha kasi nakayuko, but something about him felt… familiar?
“Miss, nalaglag ata ‘to.”
He handed her the small keychain na naka-attach sa bag niya. A tiny silver moon.
“Thanks,” she replied.
Pero hindi siya makatingin sa mata ng lalaki.
Because when she finally looked up…
He was already staring.
Sharp eyes. Calm. Mysterious.
And for some reason, sobrang nakuryente siya.
“Are you also going to Manila?” he asked.
“Yeah. Ikaw?”
He smiled, konti lang, parang sanay hindi ngumiti.
“Maybe."
Maybe? Ano daw? Pero hindi na siya nakasagot kasi dumating na yung bus.
At that moment, Alina didn’t know that this stranger—this quiet, unreadable guy—was about to change everything.
Pag-akyat nila sa bus, ang daming bakante, pero syempre, destiny had other plans. The stranger sat beside her… again.
She pretended to look at the window, pero ramdam niya yung presence niya.
Parang may sariling gravity.
“By the way,” he said softly, “I’m Rafe.”
Rafe.
Simple name, pero may bigat pakinggan.
“Alina,” she replied.
For a moment, tahimik lang sila. The road was dark, headlights flashing softly sa loob ng bus. And then she saw something—nakabukas yung notebook niya kahit half closed. Sketches. Of people. Places. But one page caught her eye…
A girl.
A girl who looked a lot like her.
Napasinghap si Alina.
He noticed.
“Oh—sorry. That’s… just something I drew earlier.”
“Earlier? As in kanina? Pero ngayon mo lang ako nakita.”
Rafe looked away, jaw tightening, as if trying to pick the right words.
“Not everything na nakikita natin… first time na nating nakita.”
She frowned. “What does that even mean?”
He closed the notebook slowly.
“I’ll explain… someday. Not tonight.”
Medyo creepy. Medyo intriguing. Medyo nakakabaliw.
Pero one thing was certain—
She wasn’t scared.
She was curious.
Too curious.
And destiny loves people who ask dangerous questions.
As the bus rolled deeper into the night, Alina felt a strange pull—like she was stepping into a story she didn’t sign up for.
And Rafe…
wasn’t just a stranger.
He was a warning.
And a beginning.
