Chapter Title: A Familiar Face
The sun was steady overhead, casting a soft glow across the quiet streets of San Felino. Rainan had spent most of the morning sketching ideas for a new community space—a shaded park with benches, winding paths, and a mural wall where local kids could paint. His sketchpad rested on his lap, pencil tapping idly against the edge.
He was sitting at the plaza café, tucked in the corner near the acacia tree, sipping on a glass of iced calamansi. A breeze passed, fluttering the pages of his notebook. Life in the province had a rhythm, slow and soothing—something he never realized he craved until he stepped away from the chaos of the city.
He flipped to a fresh page, ready to doodle the next idea, when a shadow stretched across the table.
“Still using mechanical pencils, I see.”
The voice was familiar. Too familiar.
Rainan froze.
He looked up.
Standing there, in sunglasses and a pale blue linen shirt, was Adrian—smirking like he hadn’t just turned Rainan’s whole afternoon upside down.
“Adrian?” Rainan’s voice came out half-breath, half-laugh.
“In the flesh.” Adrian set down a paper bag on the table. “I brought you those peanut brittle bars from Rueda’s. Still your favorite?”
“What are you doing here?” Rainan blinked, as if saying it out loud would make sense of the moment. “I mean—how?”
“I had a weekend off,” Adrian said, pulling out the chair across from him. “Thought I’d take a drive. Google Maps is surprisingly accurate, by the way.”
“But you didn’t even text.”
“I wanted to see your real reaction,” Adrian grinned. “Mission accomplished, by the way. You look like I caught you in the middle of a secret mission.”
Rainan let out a breath and smiled, shaking his head. “You’re unbelievable.”
They sat in silence for a moment. Not awkward—just quiet, like two old pieces of the same puzzle finally side by side again.
“I almost forgot how peaceful it is here,” Adrian said, scanning the plaza, watching tricycle drivers pass and kids chase each other near the fountain. “It suits you.”
Rainan leaned back, watching him. “You look like you haven’t slept in days.”
“I haven’t,” Adrian replied. “But I wanted to see how you were. You sort of disappeared on us, you know.”
“I needed to,” Rainan said honestly. “I couldn’t keep chasing deadlines while feeling like I was falling apart.”
Adrian nodded, gaze softening. “Yeah. I figured that out… eventually.”
They paused again. The server brought another glass of calamansi and Rainan gestured for Adrian to take it.
“So,” Rainan began, “you’re here for the day?”
“Maybe longer. Depends if you’ll let me crash at your place,” Adrian teased.
Rainan laughed. “I’ll ask my mom. She runs the house now.”
Adrian’s eyes twinkled. “I’ve missed you, man.”
Rainan’s smile faltered slightly—but not in a sad way. Just full of something real. “Yeah. I’ve missed you too.”
The afternoon passed in easy conversation. Adrian shared updates from the city—new projects, mutual colleagues, even a funny story about a client who mistook him for an actor. Rainan listened with a mix of nostalgia and warmth, sipping his drink and occasionally sketching as they talked. For a moment, it was like nothing had changed. Just two friends catching up under an acacia tree, the world slowing down around them.
When the sun began to dip lower, casting golden light across the plaza, Rainan stood and stretched.
“You’re really planning to stay overnight?” he asked, slinging his bag over his shoulder.
Adrian grinned. “If the invitation’s still open.”
Rainan rolled his eyes playfully. “Come on, then. Let’s see if my parents still remember how to host guests.”
---
By the time they arrived at Rainan’s house, the scent of early dinner floated through the windows—fried fish, garlic rice, and vegetables sautéed in soy. Leticia, wearing a floral apron, peeked from the kitchen when she heard the gate creak.
“Rainan? Is that you?” she called.
“Ma,” Rainan said, stepping in with Adrian close behind. “Uh… I brought someone.”
Leticia’s eyes lit up in curiosity as she wiped her hands on a dish towel. “Oh?”
Adrian stepped forward with an easy smile and a slight bow. “Good evening po. Adrian Mercado, ma’am. I’m Rainan’s friend and former business partner.”
Leticia looked pleasantly surprised. “Ah! Adrian! The Adrian? The one who helped Rainan put up the firm?”
“That’s me,” Adrian said with a chuckle.
Eduardo appeared next, adjusting his reading glasses. “You’re finally visiting, ha. We’ve heard your name so many times I thought Rainan had made you up.”
“I get that a lot,” Adrian joked, earning a laugh from both parents.
“Come in, come in,” Leticia said warmly. “You’re staying for dinner, I hope?”
“And for the night,” Rainan added, shooting his mother a hopeful glance.
Leticia nodded at once. “Of course! We’ll set up the guest room. Eduardo, help him with his things.”
“It’s just one bag,” Adrian said, lifting it himself.
Still, Eduardo clapped him on the back like an old friend. “Welcome to San Felino, hijo. It’s not much, but it’s home.”
---
Later that evening, as they all sat around the dinner table, Adrian fit in with ease. He praised Leticia’s cooking, asked Eduardo thoughtful questions about the rice harvest, and gently teased Rainan over his childhood stories, much to Leticia’s delight.
“And what are you two working on now?” Eduardo asked at one point, curiosity in his tone.
Rainan felt his stomach tighten slightly. Adrian caught it instantly.
“Oh, nothing big at the moment,” Adrian replied with practiced ease. “I’m on a bit of a break, and I figured I’d visit this guy. Haven’t seen him in too long.”
Leticia beamed. “You’re always welcome here, Adrian. Especially if you make my son laugh like that again.”
Adrian laughed, nodding. “I’ll try my best.”
Rainan silently mouthed a thank you across the table. Adrian gave a small, understanding nod. As agreed, there was no mention of the resignation, no mention of Rainan’s abrupt departure from the city.
After dinner, they all moved to the living room. Eduardo turned on the old electric fan while Leticia brought out a tray of sliced mangoes. The night felt warm in all the right ways—like Rainan hadn’t just returned home, but was finally sharing it with someone who mattered from his old life.
As the stars blinked awake outside and laughter carried through the screen windows, Rainan leaned back on the sofa, watching his parents chat with Adrian like they’d known him for years.