The morning sun was high in the sky, casting a golden hue across the open fields and quiet roads of San Felino. Rainan stood near the edge of the dusty lot where construction was underway, watching as workers moved about—some setting up scaffolding, others marking the layout of the new community center. The sound of tools, murmurs of instruction, and the occasional laughter of laborers filled the air.
Beside him stood Kapitan Samuel, the ever-smiling, sharp-eyed town captain who had been nothing but supportive of Rainan’s proposed project since the beginning.
“I’m glad you pushed through with this, Rainan,” Kapitan Samuel said as he adjusted the brim of his straw hat. “This building—this center—it’s going to do a lot for San Felino. A place for learning, shelter during typhoons, a gathering spot for the kids. It’s something we’ve needed for years.”
Rainan smiled, his heart warmed by the words. “Thank you, Kap. I just… I wanted to give something back. I wanted to leave something behind that people can use—something that stays even when I'm not around.”
Kapitan Samuel glanced at him briefly, sensing the depth behind his words. He didn’t pry. Instead, he nodded solemnly. “Well, you’re doing more than that. You’re planting something that’ll grow long after all of us are gone.”
They walked a few more steps around the perimeter of the site, inspecting some chalk markings and a rough sketch pinned to a wooden post. Rainan pointed at a detail near the multipurpose room.
“I think we need to expand this hallway a little. Make it wide enough for wheelchairs. Accessibility has to be a priority.”
Kapitan Samuel nodded thoughtfully. “I’ll talk to the foreman. We’ll make the adjustment. Good call.”
Just as Rainan was explaining a minor elevation change to keep rainwater from pooling at the back of the building, the sound of a familiar motorcycle echoed from the distance. A moment later, Angelo appeared, hopping off his bike with his usual casual charm and messy hair tousled by the wind.
“Hey,” he called out, flashing a smile. “Got a minute?”
Rainan looked at Kapitan Samuel, half apologetic, but the captain waved him off before he could say anything.
“Oh, don’t look at me like that,” Kapitan Samuel chuckled, slapping Rainan lightly on the back. “We’re already done here. Go on, you’re free. I can see someone’s about to kidnap you anyway.”
Rainan raised an eyebrow. “Kidnap me?”
Kapitan Samuel grinned. “He does it a lot, doesn’t he? Everyone in town already knows. You two go off like clockwork these days.”
Angelo shrugged with a mock-innocent expression. “I’m just borrowing him for a while. Promise I’ll return him in one piece.”
The captain rolled his eyes good-naturedly. “Just don’t steal him away for good. We need him around here.”
As Rainan followed Angelo to the bike, the familiar murmurs of townspeople didn’t bother him anymore. There were no questions, no raised brows—only soft smiles and knowing glances. It was as if San Felino had quietly accepted whatever he and Angelo were, whether it was friendship, closeness, or something deeper. In their eyes, it was love, no matter how the two chose to define it.
Rainan climbed behind Angelo and held onto him as they rode away from the construction site, the wind rustling through his shirt, the engine humming beneath them. He leaned into the moment, breathing in the scent of mango trees and fresh earth.
“Where are we going?” he asked against the roar of the wind.
“You’ll see,” Angelo shouted back, grinning.
After a winding ride through familiar roads and hidden turns, they arrived at a hill Rainan hadn’t seen in years—one they used to visit after school, a place that belonged only to the two of them. But it looked different now.
The grass was freshly trimmed. Tiny lanterns had been strung between the trees, their delicate light twinkling even in daylight. There were picnic blankets laid out with carefully packed food, and at the very center was a small wooden bench—new, but carved with the initials “A + R” on one armrest.
Rainan stepped off the bike slowly, his eyes wide with quiet awe.
“Angelo…” he whispered. “What is all this?”
Angelo didn’t answer right away. He took Rainan’s hand, gently pulling him toward the blanket. “I just thought it was time to bring you back here. This place always felt like ours, didn’t it?”
Rainan nodded slowly, still overwhelmed. “You planned all of this?”
Angelo smiled, a little shy this time. “Yeah. Took me a while. I wanted it to be… right. I wanted to show you what I see when I think of us.”
Rainan sat down beside him, his heart thundering in his chest.
“You didn’t have to do all this,” he said, voice trembling. “But thank you.”
Angelo turned to him, eyes steady. “I did. Because I want to tell you something, Rainan. And I wanted the place to feel as special as what I’m about to say.”
And then—slowly, gently, with all the tenderness in the world—he began to speak.