The sun hadn’t even risen yet when Rainan jolted awake, clutching his stomach.
A searing pain twisted inside him like someone wringing out his insides. He sat up in bed, drenched in sweat, breathing hard. A wave of nausea hit him, violent and sudden. He stumbled to the bathroom, barely making it in time before vomiting into the sink.
His hands trembled as he reached into the drawer for his pills—those damn pills he’d come to depend on just to function. He dry-swallowed them, wincing, and leaned against the cold wall. The pain didn’t subside right away. In fact, it intensified for a few more minutes before gradually dulling into something manageable. His stomach still churned, but he could breathe now.
Rainan closed his eyes. This was worse than before. Much worse.
He turned the tap, rinsed the sink, and splashed cold water on his face. His body burned from the inside, but the chill helped him stay grounded.
He was about to sit on the floor when another wave hit—sharp, suffocating. He threw up again, this time into the toilet, gripping the rim with pale knuckles.
Outside the room, a familiar voice called out.
“Rainan? You up?” Adrian’s voice, chipper and full of energy, cut through the early stillness. “Let’s go for a jog, man. Like old times!”
Rainan’s breath hitched. He didn’t have the strength to respond. His tongue felt heavy, his lips dry. All he could do was groan silently. Then he heard it.
The click of his bedroom door.
Damn it.
He must’ve forgotten to lock it when he got water late last night.
Adrian called out again, more curious this time. “Rainan? You alive in there?”
Panic surged. He couldn’t let Adrian see him like this.
Mustering his last ounce of strength, Rainan forced himself up. He flushed the toilet, turned on the shower, and leaned heavily against the wall beneath it, letting the water cascade over him.
Maybe Adrian would think he was already bathing.
Outside, he heard Adrian chuckle. “You’re really taking this jogging thing seriously now, huh?” Footsteps. “I’ll wait downstairs, okay? Don’t take forever!”
The door closed.
Rainan exhaled shakily and slid down to the tiled floor. The cold water was a relief, soaking through his shirt and shorts. He shivered—not just from the temperature, but from everything. From the truth he was still hiding. From the pain that was getting harder to ignore.
---
At the breakfast table, Rainan sat across from Adrian, freshly dressed, his face paler than usual but composed. Leticia had served fried eggs, tomatoes, and tapa, the scent of garlic rice wafting in the air.
Adrian gave him a curious look between spoonfuls. “You showered super early today,” he said, raising a brow. “Is that a new small-town habit or something?”
Rainan forced a chuckle. “Yeah. People around here are early risers. Feels weird to sleep in when everyone’s already out and about.”
Adrian nodded slowly, clearly not fully convinced, but he didn’t push it. “Guess it’s rubbing off on you.”
“It is,” Rainan replied. “Speaking of which… I want to show you something.”
---
The mid-morning sun bathed the construction site in golden light. The area Rainan had envisioned for the town’s Health and Education Center was slowly coming together—still raw and skeletal, but alive with potential. Concrete foundations were in place for the future clinic rooms, classrooms, and a shaded open hall. Workers moved steadily, and a light breeze carried the scent of fresh lumber and cement dust.
Adrian’s eyes widened as he stepped onto the dirt trail. “Wow. You weren’t kidding. This is…” He spun slowly, taking in the surroundings. “This is huge, Rainan.”
“It’s still early,” Rainan said, adjusting his cap and glancing around. “But I can see it now—basic health services in those rooms, a space for seminars and livelihood workshops there, and over here?” He pointed to the corner structure. “A library for kids and young adults. A place to learn, heal, and grow.”
Adrian smiled, clearly impressed. “You really did change after coming back.”
Adrian scanned the construction site again and let out a low whistle. “You know what this reminds me of?”
“What?” Rainan asked, brushing dust off his pants.
“That time you tried to turn your old condo balcony into a ‘Zen meditation garden.’” Adrian grinned. “You got one potted bamboo plant and a ceramic frog and suddenly thought you were a feng shui master.”
Rainan chuckled, shaking his head. “Hey, that frog had personality. And it made people smile.”
“It scared the delivery guy. He nearly fell off the ledge.”
They laughed, the sound blending with the distant clanging of hammers and the hum of workers nearby.
“But seriously,” Adrian said, pacing slowly toward the edge of the site, “this is something else. You’ve really poured your heart into this, haven’t you?”
Rainan nodded. “Yeah… it’s something I’ve been dreaming about for a while. A place that matters.”
“I can tell.” Adrian paused. “You’re different here. Less… stressed. Less angry at the universe.”
Rainan smirked. “It’s the provincial air. Filters out the city bitterness.”
Adrian squinted. “Are you secretly drinking herbal tea and doing sunrise yoga too?”
“Only on weekends,” Rainan replied with a wink.
They shared another light laugh before Rainan's smile slowly faded. He looked out across the open site, brows furrowing slightly.
“I want you to promise me something,” he said, tone shifting with a weight that made Adrian glance over.
“Oh no,” Adrian joked, raising both hands. “Last time someone said that to me, I ended up babysitting my niece’s pet lizard for three weeks.”
Rainan gave a small smile but didn’t laugh.
“I’m serious this time, Adrian.”
The air shifted.
“I want you to promise me that if ever… I’m not around anymore—if something happens—you’ll continue this project. You’ll make sure it gets finished.”
Adrian blinked. “Wait, what?”
“You heard me.”
“Rainan, what kind of dramatic telenovela line is that? ‘If I’m not around anymore’—what are you, joining the CIA?”
Rainan didn’t reply. His eyes remained fixed on the half-finished building, the breeze stirring his hair.
Adrian’s smile slowly faded. “Hey. What’s going on?”
“I just want to know someone I trust will take care of this. For the town. For the people here. They deserve this.”
“You’re talking like you’re going somewhere again.” Adrian crossed his arms. “Is this why you’ve been acting weird lately? Are you leaving?”
“No,” Rainan said, voice low. “Not in the way you think.”
That made Adrian go quiet.
“I know this is sudden,” Rainan continued, “and I’m not trying to be cryptic. I just need you to promise me. No matter what happens, you’ll help finish this.”
Adrian stared at him for a beat, eyes narrowing, trying to read the expression on Rainan’s face. “You’re really scaring me, man.”
“I don’t mean to.” Rainan’s voice was soft now. “I’m just… being honest.”
A long silence stretched between them, filled only by the wind and the faint clatter of tools.
Adrian finally spoke. “You know I’d do anything for you, right?”
Rainan nodded.
“So yeah. Of course I’ll finish this. But I swear—if you’re keeping something from me and you pull another ‘disappearing act’ or end up in some dramatic soap-opera-level tragedy, I will haunt you.”
Rainan smiled, but there was sadness behind it.
“No haunting necessary. Just keep the dream alive.”
Adrian sighed and bumped Rainan gently with his shoulder. “Deal. But next time, just ask me to pick up tiles or something. You’re giving me a heart attack.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” Rainan said.
They stood in silence once more, this time side by side, looking out over the Health and Education Center’s future. The weight of the conversation settled between them—but so did something else.
Understanding.
And a promise that neither of them would forget.