Chapter 2: The House
1827 Words
“I’m ready,” Kaia said softly, even though she had no idea what the Lunarisca truly was. She adjusted her grip on her bag, taking a deep breath as she stepped forward.
The strange night she once dismissed as a dream, the voices she couldn’t explain, and that one word—confirmed—all came back to her clearly. She wasn’t imagining things. Something real had happened to her, and now, she was walking straight toward it.
“New place, new life… like downloading a new app without a tutorial,” she muttered, trying to lighten her own fear.
Then she exhaled, steadying herself.
“I can do this.”
She told herself she was happy to leave, and in some ways, she was, but the feeling was incomplete, like something inside her had been worn down over the years. Still, this time, she held onto something new: a destination.
For the first time in her life, she wasn’t stepping into the unknown without purpose. And somehow, despite everything she had been through, the loneliness, the quiet pain, the things she never spoke about, that small sense of direction gave her just enough courage to take her first step forward.
As she approached the Baluarte de San Diego, she took a deep breath, trying to steady her racing thoughts. Her chest felt tight, like she was standing at the edge of something big. “Okay… part two,” she whispered to herself.
“Hopefully there’s an upgrade this time. Kahit hindi premium, just… not beta version.” She gave a small, nervous laugh, using humor the way she always did, like a shield against fear.
But before she could even reach the entrance, she suddenly collided with someone.
The impact made her stumble. “Ow—wait!” she complained, instinctively grabbing onto him. “Do you even have a license to walk? Is there an LTO for feet or what?”
She looked up, and froze.
For a moment, everything else faded.
“Oh… wow,” she whispered under her breath. “So this is what they mean by plot twist.”
The man standing in front of her was… unreal. Not just attractive in a normal way, but the kind that made you question reality itself.
He looked calm, composed, almost too perfect, like someone who didn’t belong in the same messy, unpredictable world she came from. The kind of person who looked like he’d never struggled, never doubted himself, never been broken. And somehow, that made her feel even more aware of her own imperfections.
But then—
She noticed something.
His hand was still on her chest.
Firm. Unmoving. Like it had forgotten to let go.
Kaia raised an eyebrow, trying to stay annoyed, even as her heart betrayed her with an embarrassing flutter. “Kuya…” she said slowly, tilting her head. “What is this? Emergency catch… or did we skip straight to advanced level?”
The man blinked, suddenly realizing, and quickly pulled his hand back. “I’m so sorry,” he said, a little rushed now. “You were about to fall. I just… caught you.”
Kaia blinked, trying to recover. “Ah… caught,” she repeated, attempting English and immediately regretting it. “Yes, I am… fall… falling… falled—okay, no. Cancel English. System error. I’ll reboot later.”
He smiled slightly—and that small reaction somehow made things worse for her.
Inside, she scolded herself. What is wrong with you? Just because he’s handsome, you’re already acting like this? If he looked average, you’d be filing a complaint by now.
“And also,” she added, crossing her arms to regain control, “there were many places you could’ve caught me. Shoulder. Arm. But no, you went straight to the highlight. That’s confidence.”
“I didn’t mean to,” he replied calmly, though there was a hint of quiet amusement in his voice. “It just happened.”
“Ah, ‘just happened,’” Kaia echoed. “Like sudden rain. No warning, no forecast, just boom, there.”
For a moment, they stood there in silence.
But it wasn’t awkward.
It was something else.
Kaia found herself looking into his eyes, and suddenly, something shifted inside her. There was a strange sense of familiarity, like she had seen him before, felt him before, but couldn’t remember how. It made her uneasy, but at the same time, it pulled at her in a way she couldn’t explain.
“Do I know you?” she asked, her voice softer now, more careful.
He shook his head. “No.”
Kaia stepped a little closer, studying him. “Are you sure?” she said, half-joking but not entirely. “Because it feels like… I don’t know. Like we have some kind of history. Like I forgot something, but the feeling didn’t go away.”
He smiled faintly, but there was something deeper behind it. “I don’t think so,” he answered gently.
Kaia stared at him for a second longer, her thoughts starting to spiral.
Nope. Dangerous. Focus. This is not your main character love story moment. You have a mission.
She shook her head slightly, grounding herself.
But before she could say anything else, his expression suddenly changed. His brows furrowed, like he sensed something nearby.
“I have to go,” he said quickly.
“What?” Kaia blinked. “Wait, so you start a whole scene and then just leave? That’s illegal. That’s like a series with no ending.”
“I’m sorry,” he said again, more serious now. “I really have to go.”
“At least tell me your name!” she called after him.
But he was already walking away, fast.
Too fast.
Like he was chasing something.
Or escaping it.
Kaia stood there for a moment, staring at the space he left behind. A strange mix of frustration and curiosity settled in her chest.
Then she sighed and shook her head. “Okay… handsome, polite, speaks English… then disappears. Like a free trial that expired immediately.”
She let out a small laugh, though it didn’t fully hide the disappointment.
“Seriously, Kaia,” she muttered to herself. “Eye contact lang, ready ka na gumawa ng love story? Focus.”
For a brief second, she thought about running after him.
I still had more to say…
But then she turned toward the Baluarte.
And remembered why she came.
“Next time,” she whispered. “If there is a next time.”
She took a deep breath, straightened her shoulders, and pushed everything else aside.
“Mission first,” she told herself firmly, before finally stepping forward.
Inside the Baluarte, Kaia slowly descended the old stone staircase. Each step echoed softly, blending with the quiet tension building inside her. Her excitement and fear mixed together in a way that made her feel both alive and unsteady. When she reached the bottom, the same dark opening was there, just as she remembered. Waiting.
She glanced around. No one was there.
“Here we go again,” she muttered. “Consistently making bad decisions. At least I’m loyal.”
Before she could hesitate, she jumped.
The moment she landed, the cold air wrapped around her, and the silence pressed in from all sides. It felt like she wasn’t alone, even if she couldn’t see anyone.
She reached out, touching the rough wall, closing her eyes.
“This is it…” she whispered.
Then suddenly—
“AH—!”
Her finger went straight into someone’s nose.
“¡Dios mío!” an elderly woman shouted, stepping back in shock. “What kind of entrance is that?!”
“I’M SORRY!” Kaia panicked, pulling her hand back immediately. “I thought you were a wall!”
“A wall?!” the woman snapped. “Do I look like a wall to you?!”
Kaia scratched her head awkwardly. “Okay… fair. But still, first impression, straight to nasal inspection. That’s new.”
The woman stared at her, deeply.
Not just looking.
But seeing.
It felt like every hidden part of Kaia was being uncovered, every memory exposed. It made her straighten instinctively, like she was being judged without a word.
“So… you’re the one,” the woman said slowly.
Kaia frowned. “Which one? The almost-dead one or the accidental nose attacker?”
“The almost disappointment,” the woman replied coldly.
Kaia rolled her eyes. “Wow. Great welcome. No ‘thank you for coming,’ just judgment right away.”
The woman smirked slightly. “Welcome… child.”
In an instant, everything changed.
The darkness disappeared, replaced by a long hallway filled with strange doors, glowing, moving, almost alive. The floor shimmered beneath her feet, reacting to every step.
Kaia blinked. “Okay… why does this feel like a final boss level already? Where’s the tutorial?”
“Training,” the woman said simply.
“Oh, so straight to hard mode?” Kaia sighed. “Love that for me.”
They walked, and the instructions came quickly, too quickly.
“Three knocks. One breath. Don’t look back.”
“Use your left hand. Think of your true name.”
“Do not lie. Do not fear. Do not forget who you are.”
Kaia groaned softly. “Wait, slow down! Is there a notes app for this? Can I screenshot?!”
“Your memory is your test,” the woman replied.
Kaia stopped.
And then—
Something clicked.
The orphanage.
The rules she had to memorize to survive.
The patterns she created in her mind.
The way she connected everything to emotion just to remember.
A small smile formed on her lips.
“Okay…” she whispered. “I understand.”
At the final door, the woman stepped back
.
“This one is yours.”
Kaia stood alone.
The silence was heavier now, like the world itself was watching her.
She took a deep breath.
And began.
Three knocks.
One breath.
She didn’t look back.
She used her left hand.
And in her mind—
She remembered who she truly was.
Not just her name.
But the girl who survived everything.
The one who endured.
The one who refused to disappear.
Step by step, she followed everything perfectly.
And as she did, the space around her seemed to respond, like it recognized her.
When she finished—
Silence.
The woman looked at her.
At her hair.
A few strands had darkened.
A small change.
But meaningful.
“Did I pass?” Kaia asked lightly, though her heart was racing. “Or am I going home with emotional damage and extra trauma?”
The woman smiled.
This time, it was real.
“Welcome… child.”
The final door slowly opened.
Warm air rushed out—
Like an embrace she had never known.
And beyond it—
Was the true home of the Lunarisca.
- Writer
