"Woah. So, all this time, he's still crazy about you. No wonder."
I looked up from the counter to see a familiar brown-haired guy with slicked-back hair smirking down at me, one eyebrow raised like he already knew too much, towering over me with his usual Sunday smugness.
I laughed, sipping my iced matcha latte. "Good morning to you, too, Tales."
It was a slow Sunday morning, the kind that made the café feel softer than usual. Just yesterday, Nova and I officially became a couple like, we're officially together now. And to be honest, it still felt like a dream I hadn't fully woken up from.
"Shut it, Tales," Nova muttered from behind the bar, aggressively scrubbing mugs like they'd personally insulted his entire bloodline.
"Wow. You're still saying shut-it-shut-it now because Jen's here," Tales teased, rolling his eyes. "Whereas in high school, you said Jen's name almost every day. And then if you couldn't see him—Ouch!" A plastic cup came flying straight to his face, courtesy of Nova, landing a direct hit.
"Both of you stop it," I said, shaking my head as I glanced around at the five customers pretending not to listen but clearly eavesdropping. "It's embarrassing yourselves in front of your customers."
Just then, the bell above the café door jingled as someone breezed in, carrying the faint scent of vanilla and expensive shampoo.
"Hey, Tales, what's going on here?" said a familiar pretty woman with sleek black hair tied in a ponytail, wearing a matching café apron and radiating the kind of no-nonsense energy that made even Nova look tame.
It was Hanna, and she's surprisingly Tales' girlfriend. And apparently, she's the café's true moral compass.
Tales immediately brightened, like a puppy. "Babe!" he exclaimed, reaching for her hand. "We were just talking, Jen and I, about Nova's hidden agenda. Did you know that—"
"Shh." Bea put a finger over his lips, cutting him off mid-sentence.
"I don't have time for your gossip this morning. I have so many orders to check." She rolled her eyes at him, then gave me a warm smile.
"Hi, Jen. How are you?"
"Good morning, Hanna," I said, chuckling. "I'm good. Just...getting used to things."
Tales pulled away from Bea's hand dramatically. "Jen, admit it, you're jealous of Bea, too, right? Because she's my partner in life now, and my partner in the café. And Nova, your ex-rival—oh my, your life is all competition!"
Nova groaned from behind the counter. "Tales, shut up before I throw the coffee grinder at you."
"How cute," Tales insisted. "You're both possessive!" He pointed a finger at me and Nova in turn, like he was narrating a murder mystery. "Jen is jealous of Hanna. Nova always wants to kill me when I talk to Jen. Babe, they're both intense!"
Hanna scoffed and gave Tales a smack on the arm. "Damn you, Tales. Leave Jen alone." She shot Nova an exasperated look. "And you too, Nova. Control your violent tendencies."
Nova huffed, crossing his arms. "Yeah, try having this prick bother you every day. Let's see if you won't throw things around."
"I do, but I just try to throw things, not literally throw them at him! So please stop." Hanna just sighed in disbelief.
Tales leaned closer to me, whispering, "See, Jen? They're the same."
Hanna narrowed her eyes at him. "Tales, another word, and I swear I'm pouring steamed milk on your shoes."
I burst out laughing because, honestly, Hanna was terrifying, and Tales never learned.
Tales flung his hands in the air. "Fine! Fine! I'm shutting up. Geez. No freedom of speech here?"
Nova and Hanna spoke at the same time, voices overlapping, "No."
Tales stared between them, looking deeply betrayed. "See that? Both of you!" He pointed at Bea and Nova accusingly.
"Both domineering. Poor us, Jen!"
I shook my head, grinning despite myself. "Speak for yourself, Tales."
Tales clutched his chest dramatically. "You hurt me. Fine, I'll just wash the dishes." He stomped off toward the kitchen, muttering complaints under his breath.
Hanna watched him go, then gave me a look full of sympathy. Sorry, Jen. You know that one acts like he's the spokesperson of the gossip press."
"It's fine," I said, shaking my head. "I'd rather know the truth than keep guessing."
Hanna gave me an approving nod before heading off to check the coffee machine, leaving Nova and me alone again.
Nova exhaled, setting down the cloth he'd been wiping the counter with. His face was still pink around the edges.
"I know. I just...I didn't think it mattered."
"It did."
He nodded, staring at the floor, voice softening. "I guess I thought...maybe if I kept things vague, it would stay simple. Fewer chances for things to...I don't know. Complicate?"
I tilted my head at him. "Well that's the thing, you're making it vaguer than reassuring me."
Nova didn't answer right away. Instead, he leaned closer, just enough for his shoulder to brush mine, his voice low and rough. "Okay. Next time, I'll say it."
I smiled around my straw, ice clinking softly. "You better."
And at the far end of the counter, Tales popped his head out from the kitchen door, grinning devilishly.
"Oh, babe! See? They're the same. Each with their own drama series. I tried keeping up, but apparently I'm not in the script."
Hanna snapped, "Tales, wash. Now."
He vanished again, muttering, "Geez. We handsome ones are oppressed."
And I couldn't stop laughing, even as Nova leaned in and pressed a quick, secret kiss to my temple.
"Hey! People are watching!" I said, scrunching my shoulders up to my ears and rubbing my temple like I could scrub away the tingling warmth he left behind. I could feel heat exploding across my cheeks.
Nova just smirked, his eyes glinting as he leaned closer. "So?" he said, low and unbothered.
"So they know you're mine."
I almost choked on my drink.
"Why does that sound so cringe?" I shot back, but the flush in my face betrayed me completely. My heart was beating ten times faster, like my ribcage was trying to burst open.
Nova chuckled, flicking my straw playfully. "I don't care. Cringe if it's cringe."
Then the bell above the door jingled again, and I turned toward the sound, only for my stomach to sink slightly.
"Wow, you're bold now, huh?" Henzo scoffed, arms crossed over his chest, one eyebrow disappearing into his hairline as he stared us both down like a disapproving older brother.
"Hello." I shot a glare at the blonde guy standing beside him, whose arm was holding two sling bags.
"Same to you. You really dare to hold hands in front of me?" I argued back, taking an overly dramatic sip of my iced matcha latte. The straw made an annoying slurp that seemed to echo in the café.
"Whatever. We're here going on a date, okay," Henzo snapped, flipping his hair out of his eyes like a diva.
When did he grow up?
"Welcome, Henzo and Hero, right?" Nova chimed in with a polite smile as he stepped forward to man the cash register, as if he hadn't just been declaring his claim on me like a jealous telenovela lead.
"Yes, so one cup of—wait." Henzo blinked, tilting his head. "How do you know Hero?"
Nova and Hero suddenly exchanged a look that lasted a beat too long.
"I applied for a part-time job here," Hero said at last, pushing his hair back from his forehead. His voice was calm, but his eyes were flickering nervously between Nova and Henzo.
Henzo froze. "What?" His tone was sharp enough to slice ice. "And you didn't say anything to me? That's it—first hindi mo sinabi sa akin na aalis ka next year, tapos ngayon, part-time job? Ano 'to, secret life mo?"
"U-uh, Henzo, ano kasi—"
"Fine, you order alone." Henzo huffed, spinning around with a dramatic flourish of his shirt. He stomped across the café and plopped into the seat at the table farthest from the counter, crossing his arms and staring out the window like he was in a sad music video.
Hero just stood there, blinking, completely stunned by the whiplash of Henzo's moods.
I leaned over and patted Hero on the back. "Let it go. Just order an iced matcha latte to forget him," I said sympathetically, trying not to laugh too hard at Henzo's antics.
Hero sighed like an old man. "Okay, anything else other than iced matcha latte, Sir?" Nova asked, trying to keep a straight face as he clicked the register screen.
"A blueberry fruit soda, tall." Hero grumbled, rubbing his temples like Henzo's entire existence gave him migraines.
"That will be 3**," Nova said smoothly.
"Here." Hero handed over his cash with an exaggerated sigh.
As Nova made his change, he glanced back up. "By the way, you can start tomorrow since it's Monday," he said, friendly but businesslike.
Hero's eyes widened a bit, then he nodded. "Okay," he said.
Then his face twisted in frustration as he glanced at Henzo, who still had his forehead pressed dramatically against the glass window like he was starring in My Sassy Love Life, Episode 283.
"Ah, kids these days." I sighed, shaking my head.
Nova gave me a knowing look. "Hey, I'm not like that, okay," I blurted, defensive before he could even accuse me of anything.
He chuckled under his breath, voice tinged with disbelief. "I didn't say anything."
I just let out a long sigh of defeat. Because honestly, I couldn't argue with him. Not when he looked at me like that with his eyes soft, lips curved up just slightly, like he was watching his favorite romcom play out in real time.
And then I remembered.
"By the way," I said suddenly, eyes flicking down to the counter. "My mom's been asking about you."
I remembered how she called me while she and Dad were at the airport for boarding, and kept on pestering me to invite Nova to dinner tonight.
Nova blinked. "Me?"
"Yeah, because apparently, she heard about you from Henzo." I threw Henzo a half-hearted glare, but he was still pouting at the window and ignoring us completely. "And now she and Dad want to meet you."
Nova blinked again. And then, slowly, as though he were trying not to explode from the inside out, a huge, luminous grin spread across his face. His entire expression softened, eyes lighting up as if someone had just flipped on the café's Christmas lights all at once.
"As in...dinner?" he asked, voice gone almost shy, which was ridiculously unfair because it made my chest squeeze painfully tight.
I nodded, feeling a rush of nervous excitement tighten my stomach. "Yeah. They want to invite you for dinner."
Nova's grin somehow widened even more. His whole face glowed. "Okay," he whispered, nodding so fast his hair flopped into his eyes.
"Let's do dinner."
And so, the night came. Here we are, standing on our porch, while Nova's clutching me like I'm his IV fluid. His palms were sweaty, and mind you, he had only just been excited earlier.
"Are you okay?" I asked him, glancing sideways.
Nova smiled, soft and still shaking. "You're the one shaking, not me."
I face-palmed and sighed, "It's fine. They'll like you for sure." I ensured, gripping his hands tightly.
As I was about to open the door, the door flew open.
"JENNNNNNNN!"
My mother's voice was an avalanche, a celebration, a calamity. She pulled me into a hug that nearly broke my spine.
And then she saw him.
Her eyes grew wide. "Oh. Is this...is this him?"
Nova stepped forward. "Hello, ma'am. I'm Nova."
My mom eyed him like a hawk, sizing up a small, polite animal. Then she smiled widely, shaking his hand with both of hers.
"Oh, hello to you, too! Such a handsome young man, come in, come in!"
Inside, the house was again smelling like garlic, fish sauce, and too much perfume. My dad was in his usual seat by the window, reading the newspaper with his glasses tilted dangerously forward.
When we walked in, he didn't say anything. Just looked at Nova, then looked at me, then back at Nova, again.
Henzo was already there, sitting on the couch, glued to his phone. I didn't pay attention to him, he was probably messaging Hero again.
Nova sat beside me, visibly trying to contain a smile as my mom shouted over her shoulder from the kitchen.
"Henzo, I told you to bring Hero's food while it's still hot! You're such a child—always on your phone!" Inis na sigaw ni Mama habang nagluluto.
Henzo perked up and smiled, "Coming!" As he excitedly ran towards the kitchen, completely ignoring Nova and me.
Nova laughed quietly, and I glanced at him. This was his first taste of the madness.
And somehow, he looked...at home?
When dinner started, it was chaos. My mom didn't sit still for a second. My dad ate silently, but occasionally nodded at something Nova said. Henzo didn't speak unless I teased him, and when I did, he rolled his eyes and muttered insults under his breath.
Halfway through the meal, I saw my dad staring at Nova again.
"Dad?" I asked, glancing across the dinner table, where the glow of the ceiling light reflected softly off the plates and glasses.
My father blinked, then set down his spoon carefully against his plate, as though he were about to say something delicate.
"You're different now, Jen."
My fork paused in mid-air, a piece of chicken halfway to my mouth. "Different how?" I asked, trying to keep my voice light, but my heart thudded a little harder.
Dad glanced at me, then at Nova, then back at me. He cleared his throat, looking almost shy about his own observation.
"Lighter. Less...tired."
Nova, who'd been quietly focused on his rice, glanced up sharply. His eyes met mine, full of a quiet softness that squeezed my chest.
I opened my mouth to answer, but no words came out. I didn't know what to say. My tongue felt heavy, like it was caught between all the versions of myself I'd ever tried to be.
Then, under the table, Nova's hand found mine. His fingers slipped between mine so naturally, like they'd always belonged there. His thumb rubbed small circles on my palm.
I felt heat rush into my cheeks, and I ducked my head slightly, trying to hide the stupid grin threatening to break out on my face.
"Jen's always been the funny one," my mom said from the sink, her voice drifting over the running water as she rinsed a serving spoon.
She turned halfway toward us, dish towel slung over her shoulder. "But he jokes too much. Sometimes, we didn't know if he was really okay, or just pretending."
For a second, the clink of cutlery and plates filled the quiet.
It wasn't an accusing silence.
I stared down at my plate, the food blurring as my chest tightened. I'd always hidden behind my humor because it felt safer than admitting I was afraid, or lonely, or sad.
"You stopped singing in the shower," Henzo chimed in suddenly, deadpan, from his place two seats down.
He had his chin propped on one hand, looking disinterested, but there was a softness around his eyes that gave him away.
I whipped my head toward him. "What does that have to do with anything?" I spluttered, flustered.
Henzo just shrugged, picking at his food like this was no big deal. "You started again recently."
Nova blinked, then let out a soft laugh. "Wait, you sing in the shower?" he asked, eyes sparkling as he leaned closer.
"What do you sing?"
"Oh my god, Nova," I groaned, covering my face with my free hand. "Don't even start."
Henzo smirked. "He sings those cheesy OPM ballads—the ones with falsetto and so much emotion, like he's in a music video."
"Henzo!" I practically shouted, but I could feel the heat rush to my cheeks.
My mom clucked her tongue, amusement lighting up her features as she dried her hands with a dish towel. "He even used to draw all the time—even as a child, all through high school. And then he just stopped. We missed hearing him say something about it."
My dad nodded, clearing his throat as if the memory made his chest tight. "It's good that you're singing again. And perhaps, maybe you can draw now...too?"
Nova squeezed my hand under the table. His voice dropped into that quiet, earnest register that always made my heart feel too big for my chest. "I'd like to hear you sing sometime."
I rolled my eyes and tugged my hand away, but not very hard. "Don't push it," I muttered, but I couldn't fight the small smile tugging at my lips.
Henzo leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. "See? Told you, honestly...about damn time."
I threw a balled-up napkin at him, and he caught it with a grin, unfazed.
Nova reached out, catching my hand again, lacing our fingers together firmly. He lifted our joined hands slightly, like he wanted my family to see.
"Whatever it is that changed," he said softly, "I'm glad it did."
I thought that was the end of our conversation, but Mom turned around, eyes misty. "We worried. Every parent does. But you—my child—you shut down when you're hurting. You hide behind sarcasm. We thought we were losing you at one point."
The atmosphere tensed as I felt my chest clench, and Nova's grip tightened.
"But then you started talking about someone you drew," she continued, voice softer now. "A he who makes you roll your eyes. A he who bakes when you're stressed. A he you can't help but smile at. Yes, I knew before you said it."
My throat was dry. "Ma..."
"And now here he is. That he."
My dad finally spoke again. "You were always too hard on yourself. You thought you had to carry everything alone. But now you don't."
I didn't cry. Not when Henzo silently handed Nova another piece of grilled tilapia. Not when my mom made Nova sing karaoke, and he butchered a ballad on purpose.
Not even when my dad said, "You're welcome here anytime, Nova."
No, I didn't cry until much later.
When the dishes were done, the karaoke machine turned off, and Nova was sitting quietly on the couch with a pillow on his lap. He smiled as my dad handed him an old photo album.
Mom leaned on the backrest, watching them like it was her favorite movie.
I thought about the version of me from a few years ago. The me who became distant, exhausted, but somehow manages to crack some jokes. The me who's always running from my own silence.
And then I thought about now.
He wasn't just someone I once loved.
He was someone I still loved.
He was the one I always came back to.
I teared up a little and smiled as I soaked in the warmth of my family around me. The table still smelled faintly of garlic and fried fish, laughter lingering in the air like music.
By the time the clock blinked past 10 p.m., it was time for Nova to leave. Henzo pulled him into a hug but whispered something that made Nova's eyes widen.
"Just remember, Nova," Henzo murmured, voice deadly calm, "just because you're accepted here, doesn't mean there's nothing left to fear."
Nova blinked, half amused, half terrified. "Noted, Henzo."
Meanwhile, Mama and Papa were busy stuffing leftover food into plastic containers, practically shoving them into Nova's arms.
"Take these, okay? For energy," Mom said, tying the bags with fierce determination.
"Thank you so much," Nova said for about the fifth time, looking overwhelmed by the generosity.
"Now, I'll take Nova home," I said, grabbing his arm and pulling him away from my entire family, all of whom were smiling cheekily, including my dad, who gave me a thumbs-up.
"You can come back tomorrow if you like." Mama said, waving me off like she was already giving away my room.
"Yes, Kuya. Just stay there, okay? Even if you don't go home," Henzo added, grinning devilishly.
"I'm going home, okay. Don't start," I scoffed, rolling my eyes. "We're leaving."
"Thank you so much. We're leaving now," Nova said politely, bowing slightly while still holding the bag of leftovers. Then he reached for my hand.
As we walked through the quiet street, as we left the subdivision, the streetlights spilling soft yellow pools on the pavement, I couldn't help staring at Nova. His grin stretched so wide it looked like it might split his face in half.
I arched a brow at him. "Are you really that happy?" I asked.
"Of course! I'm so happy your family accepted me," he said, voice bubbling with pure joy.
I squinted at him, "So...kelan naman ako?"
He laughed, poking my cheek so gently that I felt the warmth all the way to my chest. "When Dad visits home for Christmas. He's busy in the States now. But I already told him about you when I first met you.
I stopped in my tracks, eyes going wide. "Wait. What do you mean you already told him? You mean...you predicted we'd end up together?"
Nova tilted his head, a smirk slowly blooming on his lips. "Yup. I was that determined to make you mine."
My jaw dropped. Heat shot up my neck and exploded in my ears. "Wow, you're confidence is on a different level."
He smirked, "Well, I am the Nova Armstrong."
I just chuckled. Then he tugged at my hand again as we resumed walking.
"Now, you'll escort me, right?" he teased, leaning closer, eyes glinting mischievously. "To my room, please?" His voice dropped lower, husky, sending shivers down my spine.
My mouth fell open. I ripped my hand away and hugged my arms around my chest as though that might shield me from the images flooding my brain.
"I-I'm not ready, okay!" I blurted, my voice practically squeaking.
Nova threw his head back and laughed, deep and genuine. "I was just joking. Look, we're here." He pointed toward the cafe.
I puffed out a breath, face still on fire. "T-That was not a nice joke," I mumbled.
He leaned forward, face close enough that I could count every dark lash around his eyes. "Now look at you—acting like you weren't the one to initiate the kiss first."
"Kiss and that are different things, you know!" I shot back, crossing my arms and looking everywhere but his mouth.
"Uh-huh," he drawled, rummaging through his pockets for his keys. The click of the key in the lock seemed to echo loudly in the quiet street.
As he pushed the door open, he turned back to me, leaning his shoulder against the glass doors of the store. His eyes softened, and the teasing drained out of his face, leaving something raw and sincere behind.
"Come in?" he asked, voice barely above a whisper.
I swallowed, heart thundering.
I stepped forward. And before I could overthink it, before my nerves could talk me out of it, I grabbed his collar and pulled him into a kiss.
This time, it wasn't careful.
It was hungry, full of months and years of longing compressed into the space between one breath and the next. His mouth met mine with equal heat, his arms locking around my waist as he tugged me closer. I felt him smile against my lips, a sound vibrating low in his chest as I tangled my fingers in his hair.
When I finally pulled away, panting, Nova chased my mouth for one more soft kiss before resting his forehead against mine.
"I love you," he murmured.
I blinked at him, breathless. "I love you, too."
He grinned, cupping my cheeks as his thumbs brushed my skin. "You know... if there's one thing I learned from all this..."
I tilted my head, feeling my chest expand in a way that almost hurt. "Hmm?"
"It's that sometimes the feelings we're most afraid of... the ones we run away from... are the ones that could've made us happiest all along." His eyes glistened under the porch light. "And that the scariest thing is never confessing at all."
"That's random," I argued, and he chuckled. Then he pressed one last gentle kiss to my forehead.
"So, promise me one thing," he said softly. "No more running?"
I let out a shaky laugh, "This again?" I blink back the tears gathering at the corners of my eyes.
"No more running," I whispered. "Ever."
And right there, in the quiet glow of the porch light, I knew the chapter of my life I'd been terrified to open was finally here, and I wasn't afraid anymore.
Because sometimes, the bravest thing you can ever do...is simply to say how you feel.
And that is how the he I once loved became the he I loved forever.
THE END