FULL CHARACTER LIST
*MAIN COUPLE*
*1. LINA VERA, 26 | The Architect*
`Role: FMC. Main POV.`
`Backstory: Left at the altar 3 months ago in Manila. Her fiancé called it off 2 days before the wedding. No reason given. She stopped designing. Stopped talking.`
`Why the house: Her Lola Rosa’s house in Bukidnon. Hasn’t been lived in for 10 years. Roof caved in. She plans to sell the land after repairs.`
`Vibe: Quiet rage. Tired eyes. Wears her dead lola’s old sweaters. Doesn’t trust people who stay.`
`Arc: Learns that staying doesn’t always mean leaving you hurt.`
*2. DREO SANTOS, 34 | The Carpenter*
`Role: MMC. Main POV.`
`Backstory: Worked construction in Cebu for 12 years. Sent money home. Came back 6 months ago when his father got sick. Dad died. He stayed.`
`Why her house: It’s the only job in town. He doesn’t ask questions. He just fixes.`
`Vibe: Grumpy. Minimal words. Hands always moving. Watches more than he speaks.`
`Arc: He spent his whole life leaving places. This time, he keeps one. And her.`
#### *SUPPORTING CAST | SMALL TOWN*
*3. ALING TERESING, 68 | The Neighbor*
`Role: Town gossip + soft grandma.`
`Relation: Lives next to Lina’s house. Knew Lola Rosa.`
`Vibe: Always has food. Always watching from her porch. First person to say, "That man isn’t leaving, hija."`
`Purpose: Forces Lina + Dreo to eat together. Brings “extra” ulam.`
*4. KIKO, 29 | The Hardware Store Owner*
`Role: Dreo’s only friend.`
`Relation: Sells Dreo all the nails, wood, and paint.`
`Vibe: Loud. Teases Dreo. Notices Dreo always buys “one extra chair” then “one extra mug”.`
`Purpose: Comic relief. Sees the slow burn before they do.`
*5. MAYOR LUIS, 52 | The Land Guy*
`Role: Antagonist, but not evil.`
`Relation: Wants to buy Lina’s lot to build a resort.`
`Vibe: Polite pressure. Offers cash. Says, "Old houses can’t be saved, Ms. Vera."`
`Purpose: External pressure. If Lina sells, Dreo has no reason to stay.`
*6. ANA, 8 | The Kid Next Door*
`Role: Heart of the town.`
`Relation: Aling Teresing’s granddaughter.`
`Vibe: Follows Dreo around while he works. Asks Lina to draw houses. Leaves flowers on the steps.`
`Purpose: Breaks their walls. Neither can be cold in front of her.`
*7. GHOST: LOLA ROSA | The Dead Grandma*
`Role: Not alive, but present.`
`Relation: Lina’s lola. Dreo’s former neighbor when he was a kid.`
`Vibe: Through letters, old paint color, a pink sweater, her recipes.`
`Purpose: The reason for the house. The reason for the pink paint. The reason they keep it.`
*8. MATEO VERA | The Ex-Fiancé, 28*
`Role: Past ghost. Never appears on page.`
`Relation: Lina’s ex.`
`Purpose: Why Lina doesn’t believe in “staying”. We hear about him, but he never shows up. He’s gone.`
---
#### *RELATIONSHIP MAP:*
LINA DREO = Slow Burn Core
| |
| +--> KIKO = Teases him
|
ALING TERESING ANA = Push them together
|
MAYOR LUIS ----> Pressure to sell
|
LOLA ROSA = The house. The reason.
*Total Cast: 8. Clean. Small town. No messy love triangle.*
