Under the hot Bacolod sun, two friends—Rain and Frey—ran laughing down a narrow path that twisted through the urban sprawl of the city.
"Rain, let's go to the park! There's supposed to be an event going on!" Frey called out, her face bright with excitement.
Frey, a cheerful and vibrant girl, had been close to Rain for as long as he could remember, their bond deepening over the years. As they ran, Rain suddenly noticed Frey was no longer beside him. She had slipped away into the maze of narrow streets. Gathering his courage, he searched desperately, calling her name, but there was no sign of her. The sky grew darker, his anxiety building.
"Oh no, where is Frey? It's almost night—I have to find her!" he muttered, heart pounding.
Days turned into weeks, and Rain searched every street, hoping for a glimpse of his friend. Yet as time went by, he had to face the painful reality: Frey was gone. The thought weighed on him, but he couldn't let go of the hope that one day, he'd find her again.
---
Five years later: March 2, 2027
Rain, now a college student, still carried the ache of Frey's disappearance. Despite the years, he couldn't shake the feeling of loss, though he tried to move forward. On his first day at a new school, he met a lively girl named Lisa.
"Hi, I'm Lisa! You're Rain, right? Nice to meet you!" she said, grinning.
Rain blinked, caught off guard. "Y-Yeah, nice to meet you too, Lisa."
Lisa was persistent and upbeat, a bit like Frey. She teased Rain for being so shy up a bit.
"Oh, Rain, I think we'll get along just fine!"
As they parted ways, Rain accidentally bumped into someone else. "Hey, watch it!" scolded a sharp voice. He looked up to see an elegant face staring down at him.
"Oh my god, he looks like a Greek god," muttered Lisa, who had appeared at his side, glaring in mock anger.
It was Yuri, the top student on campus, and Rain was bewildered by the encounter. After a few awkward moments, Yuri apologized, softening her tone. Rain just wanted to escape, but as the day went on, he found himself running into Lisa and Yuri again in class.
---
The first few weeks passed, and Rain found himself warming to Lisa and Yuri, each bringing a unique spark to his life. Lisa, with her bright energy, reminded him of Frey, while Yuri's elegance kept him intrigued. One day, Rain noticed a quiet boy with glasses staring at him, looking nervous.
"Uh, hey... do you have any advice on, uh, talking to girls?" he stammered.
Rain almost laughed, tempted to walk away, but he softened. "Try asking someone else. I'm not exactly an expert," he replied, causing the boy to blush and apologize.
---
That evening, Rain received a message from Yuri on social media.
"Rain! I don't bring my phone to school because my mom's strict about grades!" she messaged, her tone clearly flustered. Rain chuckled, amused at Yuri's formal language and nervousness.
The next day, Yuri seemed a bit down. Rain noticed her tired expression and asked, "Yuri, are you okay? Did you not sleep well?"
"I'm fine. Just... never mind," she replied, trying to smile. Lisa noticed Yuri's mood too, joking that she was probably jealous of Rain's popularity.
"What? I've never dated anyone since high school," Rain said. "And I don't think she's even here... on Earth," he added softly, feeling the familiar ache of missing Frey.
---
Later that day, Rain, Lisa, and Yuri walked together to the cafeteria, drawing curious stares from their classmates. Rain, puzzled, whispered to Lisa, "Why is everyone staring at us?"
Lisa grinned. "I don't think they're staring at us, Rain. They're staring at you." Yuri, flustered, grabbed Rain's arm, causing the stares to intensify.
Their professor, noticing the tension, said, "Students, let's leave the jealousy outside the classroom, alright?"
After classes ended, Rain headed to a convenience store, unwinding with a few snacks. That night, Yuri sent him another message, but as they chatted, she noticed an old photo of Frey on Rain's profile, which stirred unexpected feelings of jealousy.
"Why does he still care so much about her?" Yuri wondered, lying awake with the thought.
---
The next morning, Lisa picked up on Yuri's sulky mood and teased her. "Is someone feeling jealous?"
Yuri denied it, though her blush gave her away. Rain listened, and though he chuckled at their banter, he couldn't help but feel the bittersweet memory of Frey creeping back.
Around midday, Yuri came up to Rain, apologizing for her awkwardness the night before. He reassured her, feeling a warmth that surprised him. Just then, she slipped on a mop left in the hallway, and Rain instinctively caught her.
"Oh wow, imagine being saved by your 'Greek god,'" Lisa teased as Yuri, blushing furiously, straightened up.
The three of them burst into laughter, the tension melting away. Rain looked at his friends, smiling, and for the first time in years, he felt the faint glow of something new blossoming, though the shadow of Frey's memory remained—a quiet promise to never let go.
---
Later that afternoon, Rain decided to visit her friend Deric. At his house, they spent a relaxed time together, chatting privately about various topics.
"Deric, I should get going; it's already getting late, and I need to head back to my condo," Rain said, to which Deric agreed with a nod.
Once back at her condo, Rain took a moment to unwind before calling her sister. She had something to ask and longed for a familiar voice.
"Hey, Natasha! When are you coming back to Bacolod? It feels so lonely here," Rain said, a hint of sadness in her tone. "Since Mom and Dad left to work in Japan, I've had to take care of everything by myself."
Natasha's cheerful voice came through the line. "Rain, don't worry! Your big sis will be back in two weeks. I'm finally wrapping things up here and can't wait to be home again."
Rain's face lit up with a delighted smile. "That's great, Sis! Make sure you bring me something special!"
After hanging up, Rain felt a rush of memories. Natasha had left to study abroad when Rain was just nine, and now, after nearly a decade apart, they would finally reunite.
The next day, Rain decided to visit their old neighborhood. However, what he found was unrecognizable—a tangled mess of new buildings and slums that had taken over the places he once knew so well.
"This… this doesn't look like the place I grew up in," Rain murmured, looking around.
While wandering, Rain spotted Yuri, an old acquaintance from the area. Surprised but excited, he approached her.
"Oh, Rain! Do you live around here?" Yuri asked, eyes wide with curiosity.
"No, I was just visiting my old neighborhood," Rain replied.
As they walked, Yuri asked if she could join him. With a smile, Rain agreed, and they soon found themselves standing in front of a gated community.
"Is this the right place, Rain?" Yuri asked, a bit nervous. "Only wealthy people live here, you know."
Rain reassured her. "It's alright, Yuri. I grew up here; I know these people."
They passed through the checkpoint with ease, and Rain led her to his family's home—a grand, three-story modern house. Yuri gasped as they entered, taking in the luxurious furnishings with wide eyes.
A few moments later, Rain handed her a glass of an expensive drink, inviting her to relax and enjoy the visit. Hours passed, and when it was time to leave, Rain offered to drive Yuri home in his Rolls Royce. Yuri couldn't hide her amazement.
"I never imagined I'd experience something like this, even in a dream," Yuri said, her voice full of wonder. "Thank you, Rain."
Her gratitude stirred something in Rain's heart—a realization of how deeply he longed for the simple harmony Yuri had with her family, even amidst her struggles. They both carried wishes, each wanting a piece of the other's life in ways neither could fully explain.
After dropping Yuri off, Rain decided to drive north along the highway to visit his aunt and other relatives in a small village named North Wernvon, a place where only a thousand people lived in peaceful seclusion.
However, as he drove, a heavy rain began to fall, making it nearly impossible to see the road. Suddenly, Rain lost control and collided with another vehicle, and everything went black.