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["Let's meet at the abandoned courtyard after class."] Rheyna's text from last night read.
And the next day at school, she's been a bit, or rather completely closed off. Not in a "please stay away from me" kind of way, but the "I need some time to think" way. It's definitely a first for me, despite having lived up to college in my past life.
"So. Your friend didn't come with us today, huh?" Bea says, sitting next to me. The cafeteria noise buzzing around us.
"Yeah... She said she wasn't feeling hungry since she had a heavy breakfast." I say with slight disappointment in my tone.
Hearing this, a grin formed on Bea's face. "You don't say~" she then scooted closer, our arms almost touching that I think I can feel her body heat. "Hey... Bea, could you move a bit? You're too close..." I say, side-eyeing my cousin who repeatedly invades my personal space.
Yet, instead of listening to me, her grin only grew, further reaching her eyes. "Aw~ Don't be like that, kuya Mark. We're family, remember? And family should stay veeery close." she replied.
"Ha.. Alright. Just, don't get any closer. I can't eat properly if our arms are touching." I sigh. Knowing Bea, I've decided to give up on having personal space for now.
"Aye, aye, captain~" she teased. Soon shifting her focus to her lunch and continuing her meal.
With that out of the way, I can also carry on with my lunch. Using my fork, I take a piece of tocino and eat it. The caramelized pork sticking lightly to my teeth with every chew. Then with my spoon I take a portion of white rice with soy sauce drizzled on it and eat it. The caramelized meat and the rice mixing so very deliciously.
"Kuya Mark, could you help me practice later?" Bea started. I glance to my left and see a small smile on her face.
"With what?" I ask back, curious what she needs my help with.
And without breaking eye contact, she parted her lips. "I have a roleplay task performance coming up, and I need someone to pretend as my... partner." she says.
I blink, slowly. When Bea said the word "pretend," it felt like a keyword for something. Yet, I don't have the faintest clue as to what. 'Strange... Maybe I should get myself checked out. Maybe I'm developing early dementia.'
"Kuya Mark?" Bea called out, snapping me out of thought. "Huh? Oh, sure. If it's just roleplay, then I don't mind." I replied.
"! Yeah..! You won't mind if it's roleplay..." she muttered to herself.
'Should I tell her about my meeting with Rheyna..? No. She doesn't need to know. Especially if...'
Rheyna will ask me out later.
.
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At the abandoned courtyard after class.
The distinct smell of grass and trees fill the air as I stand face to face with Rheyna, who has been emotionally distant the whole day so far.
"So... Why did you call me out here, Rheyna?" I start, looking right at her eyes behind those round glasses of hers
Meeting my gaze with a firm, determined look, Rheyna opens her mouth to speak. "Before that..." she reaches into her pocket. "Take a look at this first." in her hand is a phone with the screen facing me.
On the clear screen is a number of pink and white spirals spinning round and round. As I processed what exactly she's showing me, my mind starts to feel... hazy.
"....." silence filled the space as Mark numbly stares at the screen. His eyes changed to a dark pinkish color with a thin white spiral on each eye.
"... Your name." Rheyna asks, testing the hypnosis effect like she's troubleshooting a computer.
"Mark Sanchez..." Mark answered in a slow tone devoid of his usual energy.
"What are your three sizes?" Rheyna boldly asked, staring into Mark's eyes.
"I don't know..." Mark responded without a shred of emotion despite the inappropriate inquiry.
With that, Rheyna has confirmed that the boy before her is truly under her hypnotic control.
She parted her lips slightly then closed them a second later. Her cheeks flushing a faint pink as she prepares the question she's been wanting to ask ever since Mark befriended her.
"Mark do you... like me?" the question, the words finally escaping her. And she anxiously waited for Mark's response. The hypnosis forcing him to say the truth and only the truth.
"I..." he started, and it's as if the world fell silent, waiting for Mark to finish. Gone are the distant echoes of students chattering and leaving.
Rheyna's eyes shake slightly as she stares at Mark's lips moving in slow motion.
"... do. I like you, Rheyna... Not as a friend..." Mark confessed, the words washing over Rheyna. "T-Then... if I asked you out right now... Would you... say yes?" she asked, undisguised hope in her voice.
Mark blinked slowly, like he's thinking of a response, even though the hypnosis makes him truthful. "Yes... I'd love that..." despite the hypnosis's effect, a gentle smile appeared on Mark's face.
The truth, the answer to what Rheyna has wondering all this time has finally been answered. And she couldn't help the goofy smile creeping up her face. "Y-You will?! You want me to be your girlfriend?? Like, genuinely??" in her excitement, Rheyna took a step closer.
"I do. I really do, Rheyna." Mark replied, his smile unfaltering as he did.
"Then..." Rheyna looks at her phone's screen for a second before pressing the circular "Release" button. The spinning spirals halting the moment she did.
With the hypnosis lifted, the pink glow in Mark's eyes disappeared. Their original black color returning.
I blinked, once, twice. "Huh? What happened?" I ask dumbly, juggling that weird feeling of blanking out for several minutes.
I look at Rheyna fidgeting in front of me. Her gaze darting between the grass and me while her hands nervously shifted about.
"Mark... I..." she started, looking straight at me. Her pupils shaking slightly, cheeks flushed red. "I love you, Mark! Please be my boyfriend!" she confessed.
And for a moment, I stood there. Processing what I just heard. 'My friend- Rheyna just confessed to me?' I purse my lips, wondering what I should feel. How should I respond? It's at moments like this that I curse my past life for being a cowardly introvert.
'If push comes to shove... then listen to your heart.'
"... Okay. I'll be your boyfriend, Rheyna. Take care of me, okay?" and so I did. My heart told me to say yes. 'I guess that feeling was love this whole time. I just didn't know it.'
With my response, Rheyna brightened up like a star. Her lips parting into a wide smile. "I-I will! I won't ever mistreat you, Mark!"
"Hm... Since we're dating now, should I call you babe?" I tease, leaning in and tilting my head slightly.
And my attack was effective. Rheyna went wide-eyed, her little cheeks flushing a vibrant red. She snaps to the grass on the floor like it's suddenly interesting. After a second, Rheyna takes a deep breath before glancing at me from the side. "I-I think... I like you calling my name more..." she whispered.
"Pfft-" seeing a girl in this world act like this, I can't help but be amused. 'Ah~ I got a great idea~' I take a knee and reach for Rheyna's hand. The moment our digits touched, Rheyna flinched, but I continued and took her hand. Guiding her palm to my cheek. "Your wish is my command, my Rheyna (Queen)." I whispered, my voice like honey; slow and sweet.1Rheyna=Reyna=Queen in Filipino
"!! Y-You...! You're not going to let my heart rest easy, will you, huh, Mark?" Rheyna smiled.
A hearty chuckle escapes me. "Nope~ Do you want me to stop?" I ask teasingly, looking directly into Rheyna's eyes. And she met my gaze with equal affection.
"Nope!" she said with a wide smile.
.
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Meanwhile...
At the school gates. Waiting with her arms crossed, Bea scans the crowds of students flowing out of the building's main entrance. "What's taking kuya Mark so long?!" she said out loud, evident frustration in her tone. Her features twisting as her lips transform into a deep frown.
"Hey. You're Bea, right? Mark's cousin?" a voice called out from behind. Bea snaps to look and sees a tall girl with tanned brown skin and a fresh barber's cut.
"Mind if we have a chat?" Maryan asked with a serious expression as she looks down at Bea.
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