Cyrus felt sad because the people close to him were no longer around.
First, his father, whom he hasn't seen in almost three years. His mom misses him so much that she keeps herself busy with work to forget.
Secondly, Alfred, who was brought by his parents, has moved to Manila.
Third, Andrea, whom he thought he would be with for another week, left him the next day.
Time flew by so quickly. Only he has made her happy like that. He is excited to be with him again, but it's okay because somehow he can still talk to him through chat, calls, texts, and sometimes video calls. Not that often, though, because his nanny is strict about him using his cellphone.
Finally, his Uncle Ricky also left with the whole family.
He immediately went to their house, but according to their farmers, they had already left and the whole family would be temporarily living in America.
One night, he heard his mom talking to someone while he was in his room and very sleepy.
"Oh, you surprised me! You didn't even tell me you were coming back so I could pick you up at the airport," said Cyrus's mom.
"How is our child?!" asked the person talking to Cyrus's mother, it was his father's voice.
Cyrus was already sleepy, so he couldn't get up from the bed; his body had given in, and the heavy eyelids prevented him from hearing what they talked about next.
"I just need to get something, because Ricky left something behind, I'll leave right away," said Francisco.
"So, when are you coming back?" Maurice asked.
"Maybe after 3 years." Francisco replied.
"3 years? That's such a long time, hon. Can you take a leave from any job you're doing? Then you can leave right away, is that okay, hon?" his wife sweetly suggested.
"Do you know that I'm already excited about you, aren't you excited about me?" Maurice continued, hugging Francisco from behind and caressing his stomach up to his chest.
"I'm sorry, hon, you'll understand why I need to do this in due time," Francisco replied, trying to step towards their room while Maurice was hugging him.
When they reached the door, he kissed his wife, closed the door, and turned off the light.
The next day, Cyrus looked for his dad.
Papá?
Mom and Dad, have they left already? "said Cyrus."
"He left early, child, I didn't even catch him, he was no longer in the room when I woke up," Maurice replied. He just finished showering and was still wearing a bathrobe.
"Why is that? What does he really do for a living?" Cyrus asked, puzzled.
"He said it would take him three more years before he comes back," said Maurice before entering his room to change.
"What is it about the year 2028?" Cyrus asked himself.
(At present, it is still the year 2025)
Because he was bored and had no one to talk to, he texted Andrea.
Hi! Hello.
Andrea replied via chat.
I don't have any load for texting, my mom didn't give me any, she won't even let me use my phone right now, good thing I came up with an excuse.
Let's have a video call..
Andrea immediately called him.
Cyrus immediately answered Andrea, and he immediately saw her beautiful face on the screen.
"Hi, you're looking even more beautiful now," Cyrus said with a smile.
"Hmmm really? You're the only one who finds me beautiful ehehehe," Andrea said while laughing.
"How are you doing over there?" Andrea asked.
Some classmates are peeking to see who Andrea is talking to.
"Your conversation partner is handsome? Who is he?" one asked.
"Can I use a chisel!" joked the second one.
"I'm bored here, unlike you, you have a lot of company," said Cyrus.
"Ah, that's Cyrus, my friend from our place," Andrea said to her friends.
"This is Jean," he introduced her to Cyrus, who was beside him.
"This is Apple" while pointing to the person behind.
"And the one at the very back is Ronald, a.k.a. Rain hehe," said Andrea.
"It might still work because we're just friends," said Rain or Ronald, who was obviously gay because of his mannerisms.
What friend? Maybe a special someone.
Right, Cyrus? "said Andrea."
Cyrus was momentarily stunned and blushed.
"Huh! Special someone? Ah yes, special someone," Cyrus said.
"Oh no, Andrea, your conversation partner is blushing," said Apple.
"Oh, by the way, I'm Rose, Andrea's right-hand woman," said the woman who had just arrived and leaned her face towards the camera.
"Hahahahaha, that hand really? What are you, a gangster? Hahahaha" Cyrus laughed heartily.
"Okay, bye now," Andrea said softly.
"Just a moment! Let's talk more," Cyrus pleaded.
"You just laugh at me," Andrea said irritably.
"You, you get upset right away, I was just joking," Cyrus explained.
"Ayeee! Ang sweet!" sambit ni Rain.
"Oh, if you were just here and laughed at me, I would have slapped you," Andrea said.
"That's how our best friend is, brave," Jean said.
"Just kidding," Andrea said, making a peace sign with both hands and dancing in front of the camera.
His phone is on the table and it's on loudspeaker.
Because of Cyrus's laughter earlier, Tess, Cyrus's nanny, got curious. She looked to see who her boy was talking to and saw that it was a beautiful woman.
"You said you were alone, why do you have company?" Andrea asked when she saw Tess.
Cyrus turned around. He was sending his nanny away from the back, but she didn't leave.
"Ah, she's my nanny!" Cyrus introduced.
"Yaya Tess," she added.
Tess also left behind Cyrus, just teasing the brat, but before leaving, she whispered something to Cyrus.
"That woman is beautiful, court her and don't let her go."
"Ah, are you going to spend Christmas vacation here?" Cyrus asked Andrea.
"Not for now, I won't be able to go back there for Christmas because my mom is going to Japan and I'm going with her. I also won't be able to go there in the summer because my dad is taking me to Singapore," Andrea replied.
While Tess was leaving, she gave Cyrus a thumbs up, and Cyrus responded with a thumbs up, but Andrea saw that and also gave a thumbs up. Cyrus responded with a smile. Andrea's friends thought they were using signs that only they understood.
"Why is that, don't your dad and mom live together?" Cyrus wondered.
"Oh no, if they get together, it'll be worse than cats and dogs," said Andrea.
"Maybe, I will be with you again in 2027," Cyrus said sadly.
"It's okay, we always talk through text chat, calls, and video calls hehehe," Andrea said happily.
"Ah right, for now, let's just stick to video calls. When I start studying in Manila, I'll always visit you whenever I'm free, I promise," said Cyrus.
"I'll be counting on that, okay bye, our teacher is here," Andrea replied.
He was just in the classroom having a video call while Cyrus was at their dining table eating.
"Just a bye, no I love you," said Rain.
That's all Cyrus heard because Andrea ended the call.
The call ended, Cyrus read that appeared on the screen of his phone.
This is how the world of Cyrus and Andrea has revolved over the past three years.
Texting and chatting before sleeping, video calls, teasing and joking around, and sharing stories, but he never saw her in person again because he never returned to them since they went to different places with his dad or mom during vacations.
Three years passed quickly, and Cyrus moved to Manila to study at one of the city's renowned universities. He was happy because this was the opportunity he had long dreamed of, so after he enrolled, he immediately went to see Andrea at their school.
"Do you see that signboard?" the guard reprimanded Cyrus.
"Eh, just let me in, I don't have any bad intentions," Cyrus reasoned.
"Well, so what if you don't have bad intentions if I end up getting hurt." replied the guard.
Suddenly, a hand grabbed Cyrus's arm and pulled him inside the campus. It was Andrea.
"Oh come on, you're really going to make a fuss about it," said the guard.
"You didn't see anything, brother, if you don't want to upset dad," Andrea threatened.
"You're really brave, huh," Cyrus teased, gently pinching his cheek.
"Of course, the princess should defend her prince charming," Andrea replied, and she retaliated with a pinch, but on both of Cyrus's cheeks. She stretched his cheeks.
"Oh, you're so cute when your cheeks are this chubby hehehe," insisted Andrea.
"Ouch! Ouch! Stop that, it hurts," Cyrus exclaimed.
Andrea released Cyrus's cheek.
"You know, I missed you. Can I hug you?" Cyrus asked, still smiling at Andrea.
"Hey, you fool! Why are you hugging me? Do you think we're a couple?" Andrea replied, puzzled.
"I'm not easy to get, you know," she added.
"Ah eh, I really missed being with you since our first meeting, when you came to Uncle Ricky's house, when we spent the whole day together, hunting birds." Cyrus recounted.
"Yeah, we were so happy back then, when will we have that again? Maybe when you become my boyfriend," Andrea replied.
"Huh! Didn't I already court you?" Cyrus said.
"Hey! That's just on social media, you should court me in real life, give me a motorcycle, a car, a Fortuner, a sports car, a house and lot with a swimming pool, flowers, and chocolate," Andrea joked.
"Wow! Demanding, maybe flowers and chocolate would be enough." replied Cyrus.
"Eh, do you have any of that?" Andrea inquired.
"Nothing, I was so excited to see you that I forgot to buy a souvenir."
"Asus!" Andrea exclaimed.
Cyrus suddenly grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the gate, running. He noticed that almost all the students on campus were focused on them.
"Come on, let's leave here, we have somewhere to go!" said Cyrus, handing one of his helmets to Andrea.
"Where are we going?" she wondered. He knew that Cyrus was new to Manila.
"Just get in," replied Cyrus while shifting gears.
When the motorcycle started moving, Andrea grabbed Cyrus's waist and felt a bit ticklish. Andrea felt the hard side of Cyrus, and in her mind, she thought maybe the guy had abs or was just all bones.
"Hey! Are you sure where we're going? You're still new here in Manila.." Andrea teased.
"Of course I know," Cyrus replied.
"You're so arrogant! Let's just go there," pointing to the fast food place.
"Park it now," Andrea ordered.
"I will buy a bar," the young woman added.
"What is that? Are we going to get drunk?" Cyrus wondered.
"What? That's vodka, there's no vodka in fast food," Andrea explained.
After they bought their food, they sat down. Cyrus noticed that there were also students there wearing uniforms similar to what Andrea was wearing.
"It's just near your school," Cyrus said.
Why? Where do you really want to take me? To the hotel? "Andrea replied with a raised left eyebrow, as if asking a question."
Some of the other students eating there almost choked when they heard it.
"Not at all," Cyrus defended.
"I have no bad plans for you, my intentions are good, I'm not in a hurry," Cyrus reasoned.
"Oh, if you're not in a hurry, you won't get anywhere, someone else might beat you to it," Andrea replied.
Cyrus was confused by what Andrea said, he thought about what the girl really wanted and meant, but he didn't understand.
"Congrats by the way to your dad, he's the new mayor of our town." Cyrus greeted to change the topic.
"Yeah, I already know that. Mom and I didn't campaign for him anymore, but we're confident he'll win. Dad knows a lot of people and has many connections and supporters too," explained Andrea.
"Turns out he's the son of a politician, that's why he's so bold," the students whispered at the back.
"You must be famous here," said Cyrus.
"Oh, if you only knew, I'm the queen of the whole campus," Andrea boasted.
"Ah, and I'm the King hehehe," joked Cyrus.
"Wee, you're not even from campus," insisted Andrea.
"Even so, he's still a King, he just came from a different Kingdom," Cyrus reasoned.
"Is that so?" Andrea said.
"Well, of course, there really are people like that," Cyrus replied.
After they ate, he took Andrea back to their school.
They were immediately surrounded by students. They each had their own teasing, taunting, and shouting. Some even whistle.
"Yeheyyyy," the students cheered.
"The Queen meets the King yeee!"
"The queen meets the King, yay!" some teased.
"Long live the queen of the campus!"
Long live the king and queen! "shouted others."
"Ayeeee," shouted the others.
"Later, when you get home, I'll pick you up, I'll be the one to take you." Cyrus said loudly.
Andrea just looked at him, smiled, and gave a thumbs up. Cyrus also responded with a thumbs up sign. The students cheered even louder at what they did.
As Cyrus was leaving, a few students followed him, and the women almost mobbed him.
They continued shouting, "Long live the king!" while raising their right fists in the air.
From then on, Cyrus completely courted Andrea. He became Andrea's driver and pick-up person at school.